2001 Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg from North America - Comments

My 2001 VW JETTA 1.8T Wolfsburg has had most of the problems you mentioned earlier. I live in Upstate New York and this car has weathered the temperature here. That said, the hot/cold start issues, the crazy "frog" engine, and all. My main problem is that I am trying to pass the emissions inspection and the check engine light is on. At 110,000 miles, I just installed a brand new (OEM) Catalytic Converter with Bosch Oxygen Sensors. The light went off for about 130 miles, then is back on. I'm thinking of changing the Mass Air Flow Sensor (Meter), but feel that it will not solve the issue. Did anyone here change this sensor AND had the check engine light come off? I hate buying parts and still getting that bloody light come on.

Regarding the Mass Airflow Sensor, depends on what you are noticing from an issue perspective. I believe mine is clogged up Check Engine Light comes on every so often then will turn off (usually, I do a few hard take offs to open it up and get the air pumping through to help clear it). When it is on the car sputters when idling, dropping below 1 and popping up and down (sometimes stalling). I've disconnected the plug to it and the car ran fine.

To your point, I have not replaced it yet, but if you do some searches on the problem you'll find some alternatives to replacing it such as cleaning it with alcohol. This may be an option, since if it solves the problem and the light goes off you'll know the issue and well you will have just saved yourself a few hundred bucks by not having to replace it.

I have a 2001 VW Jetta Wolfsburg, second-hand. I now have 134,000 miles on it and need to take it in for service and probably to replace the timing belt. The previous owner gave me partial service records and incomplete receipts.

I had the infamous check engine light come on for catalytic trouble. Horrible VW dealer said I needed to replace the whole catalytic converter for $500 + labor. I didn't have the money so I had a friend clear the code before my emissions test. Luckily, it passed, no problem. So my mechanic friend figured it wasn't the cat and changed one of the O2 sensors. He says they are maintenance items anyway. Much cheaper at $70. It got rid of the check engine light... and I'll never trust the dealer again.

Now onto the new check engine light. Misfiring of cylinders. I changed all the ignition coils out a year ago to the new ones (I think they were round "T") and also the spark plugs. Any ideas?

FYI- generic autozone sparkplugs for this model are not calibrated correctly. Buy from the dealer!

"FYI- generic autozone sparkplugs for this model are not calibrated correctly. Buy from the dealer!"

2nd to that, I did the same thing, caused me to do exactly what you did.

What are the symptoms around the misfiring? Just the code is never enough to troubleshoot these cars. Could me an air leak, MAF or other fuel/air mixture related issues.

My 01 Jetta is 92 miles is having the same problems, so here is the list of things I have changed:

Speed sensor

Turbo sensor

Coil packs

Battery 2 times

MAF

Spark plugs

The car runs fine, but when I get to a stop or hard turn, the car stalls and the battery light comes on, and when I restart the car APC light and misfires until stall.

Also I found out if I remove the ECU and put it back, the car will run OK until stalling again.

So my last try will be the ECU; dealer wants 580 for it. Does anyone know if this will fix the problem??

Please help, I had to put a lot of money into it and times are hard.

Just had mine in about 2 weeks ago, had done all the things you mentioned and was fed up. Anyway, looks like the throttle body was my issue. Dealer said it was 6-700 to replace it, but wanted to clean it out first see if that solved my issue. Well the stalling stopped and the check engine light went off, it recently came back on but the stalling at least has not come back so the light may be for something else. My suggestion, try having them clean out the throttle body, relatively cheap before doing anything else.

I too am having issues with my 2001 Jetta 1.8. I bought the darn thing 1.5 yrs ago from a dealer and since then have spent over $3000 in repairs. Just recently I replaced the timing belt and water pump, and just last week replaced the back exhaust including the catalytic converter and both sensors. So here we are this week and yesterday my car stalled when coming to a stop at an intersection. It wouldn't start right away, kept turning over and over, I had it pushed to the side of the road and after a couple of minutes it started back up. Drove it back home and it stalled again at another intersection, and wouldn't start for another 5 minutes or so... any ideas?