2002 Volkswagen Jetta GLS wagon from North America - Comments

I have a 2003 Jetta Wagon TDI and have been dealing with this same problem for several months now. It started out with what seemed to be water leaking down the passenger side door at the glove box. I couldn't tell if it was condensation or a leak. It doesn't seem to leak at the car wash, though, which is strange. Anyway, same experience as others with the mold/mildew smell. Then a couple weeks ago, I came out after a hard rain and had at least an inch of water in the front passenger side floorboards. I took it into the dealer this weekend and then read all these complaints. I guess I'll wait to hear the prognosis... but this sounds like a widespread problem.

I received a postcard in the mail from VW for this water problem. Turns out the pollen filter & housing need to be replaced.

If you incurred expense for this problem already, they will reimburse you. Now... where did I put that form from VW?

I have a 2004 Jetta GLS with the same water problems. I first noticed the rear driver's side floor was extremely damp, but wanted to make sure water etc hadn't been spilled by a passenger etc. So, figuring an ongoing leak would manifest itself in the lowest point, I parked my car so it was pointed in the other direction - down the slight slope of my driveway. This afternoon, I opened the door to find a puddle similar to what has been described by others on the drivers side floor. I'll be checking in with the dealer in short order. I look forward to finding out if others have had luck with the dealer in getting this repaired under the warranty. Many thanks.

The recall mentioned above, according to my dealership, is only for 2002 Passats and involves a flimsy housing unit for the pollen filter. As for my 2001 Jetta 1.8T, the service advisor is saying my problem is a disconnected hose somewhere along the line. While running tap water through the sunroof drain in an effort to clean the line, much of it exited through the nipple as clear water. However, about half still poured into the front passenger floorboard, which would seem to confirm a disconnection. Naturally, they won't fix this for less than $150. I'm waiting for a class action lawsuit and will mop up myself until then. Hope it's soon! Please email jmsemmes@aol.com with more information on this suit if you have any.

I am having the sunroof drain issue too!! I went to the dealer today to get them to clean my stinky carpets and he asks me if I cleaned my drains. I don't know what these drains are. Supposedly they are in the manual, but my salesguy says that is BS. I agree with the recall or at the very least problems should be covered under the warranty. Since when is water getting into the car not a problem?!?

Well I think I fixed it.

To diagnose the problem I poured water around the frame of the sunroof with a teapot and noticed that the water was not draining out of ONE of the two rubber nozzles in the front door wells (the driver side).

So, I pulled out the whole rubber nozzle -- it pops out with a little coaxing, and it started spraying water all over the place as if it had been clogged. Or perhaps more likely, the drain house connected to it had been kinked because no material or dirt came out.

I reinstalled it, re-tested and it drains just fine now. I can only assume that the rubber hose that connects the nozzle with the sun-roof drain hole had become kinked and when I pulled it out, it enabled the water to flow out. I have NO idea how it got kinked -- perhaps one of the dealer mechanics had removed it to clean it and reinstalled it incorrectly after cleaning it?

Word of caution, don't pull too hard when you remove the rubber nozzle. It is connected to a rubber drain hose that runs down from the sunroof and if it gets disconnected re-connection is a PITA.

Good luck.

There has to be some thing that can be done. I believe I just read over 50 comments juzt in the past hour with VW owners saying the same thing! "I too have this leaking problem..."

I have a 2001 VW Golf 18.Y and yes, I too have this issue. I end up with puddles, literally puddles on the floor and soaked seats. My situation started as a little bit of water leaking on the side interior by the front hood release. I thought it was just a little bit of water that some how got in from when I opened and closed the doors under the rain. A few weeks later it got worse and worse. Now water drains from the moonroof area, through my upper interior lights, by the sun visors, above my head, and then water drips from there and also along the front interior frames. Down both frames on the driver's and passenger's sides.

I've been stumbling across suggestions on cleaning out the drains and such. I will try this tomorrow. I love my car, but I have spent so much to fix it and the leaking roof is just 1/8 of the car problems. Please email me if any of you have information i12is@yahoo.com.

I have stinky smell mildewy VW Jetta 2001 thanks to the swamp on the driver's side. Please count me in to with any action. Thanks, kathrine. tennisgirl197@yahoo.com.

I have a 2001 VW GTI. I bought it used in 2003, and it was about 8 months later when I moved to Mass. that I started having problems with the rain.

Every time it rains, my heart sinks a little with the knowledge burning in the back of my brain that when I get home, I have to look forward to the backseat of my beloved 'Black Betty' will be soaked with ten pounds of water. This has been going on (on and off) for several years and no place has been able to tell me what the problem is. It wasn't until recently while talking to my bus stop buddy, who is also a GTI owner, that it's the drainage tubes from the sunroof. He assured me that if I take it to a VW dealership that they treat it as a manufacturer/design flaw and that fixing the problem would be at no cost.

First, my friend has an air compressor, so I'm going to try to unclog it myself. Second, I have an appointment tomorrow morning, so we'll see if they do treat this as a 'flaw' or not. If they don't and end up charging me, I'd consider joining in on the class action suit.

Also, has anyone had any problems with check engine lights/oxygen sensors?

I have a 2003 Jetta. Starting a few weeks ago, I have to don scuba gear to drive to the corner store after a rain storm because of the three feet of water in the driver's side floor. Actually, more like an inch or two. Seems to be coming from near the fuse box and the hood release lever, but the side-impact airbag along the top of the driver's side door is also very wet. I'll look into the sunroof drain plug idea. Nice to know I'm not alone. (tear).

I have a 2004 Golf that has had water leak problems since we bought it new. When it rains, or I go through the car wash, I get a nasty puddle in the trunk, but I have dealt with soaked carpets on both the front and rear carpets on both the driver and passenger sides. I have taken it in to the dealer several times and they always give me a different reason, but it is still not fixed. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

I have a water leakage problem with my my 2004 VW Jetta as well. I had my air conditioner worked on at the beginning of the summer. Lucky, we haven't had much rain, but have noticed that each time it has rained my front driver's side floorboard has flooded. The only part of my car that is wet is the floorboard. It seems to be coming from the area around the hood release. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? Do you think a part could have been left out during the repair of the air conditioning? Thanks!

Alelliott05@hotmail.com.

We just purchased a 2001 Jetta v6 and boy had I wished I had found this site before we bought the car. One rain storm and the front and rear wells were full of water. I checked the drains located on the front passenger and driver side door frame. I gave them a squeeze and water started to pour out of them. Two days later we still are trying to get all of the water up using a shop vac and a dehumidifier to dry out the car. I am having the lines blown out today as well. Does anyone have any information on a class action suit or what VW intends to do to fix the issue. Also any suggestion on neutralizing the damp water smell??? email me at A1962x15@aol.com Thanks.

I recently purchased a 2001 Jetta wagon for my daughter. Its earlier life it was located in the North East. We noticed (after the sale) some damage on the seals over the doors. It looks like water puddled there in the foam rubber portion of the gasket. Of course in cold weather the trapped water froze and tore the seals. What makes us think any water trapped in drain tubes won't freeze as well and create fractures for leakage? It wouldn't take water when frozen to begin process of continued degradation. All it takes is a low spot in the drain tubing to provide for this freezing damage to begin to snowball.

After reading the previous 70+ responses is there is no doubt a design flaw or flaws. I am truly surprised and disappointed in VW's lack of coordinated response. I have many fond memories of great service from their earlier designs. The bad taste of poor quality lingers like the odors described above. The cost of standing up, admitting the problem, then doing the right thing to resolve these issues will be minimal compared to the long range damage to their reputation. The Price Of Non Conformance for their lack of response will ultimately mean an exit from the U. S market.

I wish I had seen this site before we wrote the check! As a retired Engineer I totally agree with others this is no doubt a design issue and probably several. What VW has not realized is the real implication of safety issues described above.

What could be more important to safe driving than clear visibility? I will reluctantly participate in a class action suit if contacted by a reputable group, but would much rather receive a notice of VW's intent to resolve! We just want these issues to go away! Please contact me at: dave_garrison@scoreboard1.com.

Last week, I found my 2003 Passat flooded with water on the Drivers side front and back seats. My windows would not open, lights would not go on, and alarm system was no longer working. I brought it to the VW dealership. I was told that my sunroof was clogged with leaves which has caused the rain to enter the car and that my comfort control module was blown. This would cost $750 to fix. I put a claim into my insurance who appraised my car and totalled it! They said that the damage to the electrical system was so extensive that it would not be worth it to fix.

I was completely shocked by this as I had no idea that I was sopposed to be checking my sunroof for leaves! I am not surprised to see that so many other people are having the same problem and I think it is absolutely ridiculous that VW has not recalled this defect!!

I called the VW corporate office who basically could not have cared less and said there is no recall, but that they would give me $500 off the cost of a new car which is ridiculous. If they know there is a huge problem with this why didn't they send a letter in the mail offering a free inspection for these drains to avoid this problem???