1997 Volkswagen Jetta GLS review from North America

Problem 1: When my girlfriend and I drove away from the dealership and got to our destination, the passenger side door would not open. We went back to the dealer who then "fixed" the door. Two days later, the same thing happened. I took it back to the dealer, who "fixed" it again. Now, it consistently will not open unless you jiggle the handle a certain way and pull hard. Most times I have to open the door for people because they cannot get it open themselves. I have had a mechanic other than the dealer try to fix it to no avail.

Problem 2: The car stopped running on the Ohio Turnpike. It would start, run for a short while, and then stop. Soon the running increments became shorter and it would not run at all. Got it fixed - the problem ended up being that some wire was not plugged in.

Problem 3: Stereo does not work. I have had people hook up the antenna several times and within weeks it pops out again. Also, when I'm using the compact disc player, I often have to push in the face of the player to get the music to start again.

Problem 4: Miscellaneous quirks - Sometimes the air conditioning will not come on. If I restart the car, it will work. This is frustrating if I do not turn it on right away and am driving down the road when I realize I need to restart the car. Same thing happens with the windshield wipers. The emergency brake light stays on even when the brake is not engaged. I have to unlock the car doors before I unlock & open the trunk. If I open the trunk with the car doors locked, my alarm goes off. Very embarrassing at the grocery store.

None of these quirks prevent me from driving my Jetta (with the exception of Problem 2), but they are frustrating enough that I am now in the market for a new car and will not consider a VW.

On a positive note, there is ample trunk space and the heated seats are comfortable.