Comments: 1-15, 16-20
1. Catalytic converter replaced. Had it not been under warranty, it would have cost me $1,500!
2. Mass air-flow meter replaced *twice*.
3. Oxygen sensors replaced.
4. Rear brakes (rotors and pads) replaced.
5. Rear shocks replaced.
6. Electric window regulators replaced. The front passenger window got stuck down last summer when thunderstorms were moving into the area. Luckily, the dealer was able to tape it shut.
7. A brake light switch recall was corrected.
8. The trunk failed to open. It took *4 trips* to the dealer to resolve it.
9. An ABS fault was corrected.
10. A fuse blew, knocking out half the electrical system.
I would expect these things to happen during the *last* 4 years of a car's
life, not its first 4 years. I have no intention of buying another VW. As
fun as the car is, it's not worth the hassle. It's also on Consumer Reports'
list of used cars to avoid.
I forgot the pending items:
1. At my last oil change, my mechanic discovered an oil leak that requires removing the transmission to fix.
2. The driver's seat height adjustment no longer works. I found a spring lying on the floor underneath the seat.
3. The driver's side interior door handle is pealing. It looks like it's in a 15 year old car, not one that's been in service for 4 years and 4 months.
4. The glove compartment hinge has broken.
That's what you get for buying a VW. My last car was a Suzuki. I bought it after doing tons of research on reliability, style appeal, maintenance costs, service intervals, and safety. I did not have a single problem with the car up to the point I got in an accident on an icy road thanks to some fool that did not know how to drive on ice. However, I walked away from the accident just fine, the other individual had to be taken to the hospital. I am only buying Suzukis from now on. Everyone I know that owns a Suzuki has had very little, if any problems, and has very high mileage on them, and yet their Suzukis still run like new.
Funny, as I read the comments I noticed that I have some of the exact same problems listed, and that's just my guess. I have yet to take it to the shop to be professionally analyzed. I must say it's a fun car to drive and handles well, but when it messes up, especially electrically, it messes up big time!
I have had very similar if not identical problems with my 2000 VW Jetta. Although the dealer has agreed to repair some of these problems at no charge, others they refused to pay for, including:
1. A broken clutch. Come'on, this car was only 4 years old with less than 40K at the time. Dealer wanted $1200 est to repair, took it to a mechanic for "only" $600 repair job.
2. A broken radio. Dealer recommended I buy another. Whaaaat?
3. Broken glove compartment hinge. The agreed to fix if free of charge first time, but second time it broke they wanted $150 to fix. Its just a cheap piece of plastic.
4. Faulty automatic windows. They fixed this free of charge.
5. Car is already rattling bad at only 50K miles.
6. VW service is outrageously expensive.
Unless VW is making better VW Jettas, I would not recommend buying one.
VW is very fun to drive, but I have had a lot of the same problems that I see. One driver mentioned that he found a spring under his driver's side seat. I did too! I don't know where it came from.
My glove compartment hinge broke, my cup holder broke, middle console broke. I am not hard on my car, but the interior is cheaply made.
The engine is good.
My windows also fell into the door.
Wow, this reads like a history of my 1999 Jetta (new body style). I have had the following problems, most of which my dealer charged to repair:
-Broken glove box hinge
-Broken cup holder
-O2 sensors replaced twice
-Mass air flow sensor
-Power window motor on drivers door
-Currently I need a new brake switch- the automatic shift lever doesn't go out of park most of the time until I swear at it.
-Catalytic converter and exhaust
The car generally runs well, all things considered, but it's the never ending stream of little things that will probably keep me from buying another one. Driver lost.
HA! I totally found the "mystery" spring under my seat as well!
Definitely found the spring under my drivers seat, as well. What does this spring do??? My glove box hinge also is broken, all of my cup holders except one, and my door handles are peeling, too! The interior is made rather poorly when you consider how easily things break.
I've also had to replace the spark plugs and wires, and the ignition coil...$700+ for parts, and $112 for labor for that one repair.
Two days ago I rolled down my driver's window, and it wouldn't roll back up, grinding any time I tried, it's currently at the dealer for repairs, not only for the window, but also for a leak in a hose that hold my antifreeze. Basically, I wish I had bought a different car.
Have a 2002 Jetta 1.8T GLS. Just had the mystery spring roll out under my feet on the driver's side this past week! Going to try to figure out where it's supposed to go today.
Also, had the driver's side window fall into the door when it was a year or so old.
About 750 miles after my 60,000-mile warranty expired (still within warranty in years), my transmission died completely and VW wouldn't work with me at all to replace it. And after the rep told me they denied my request, I was told there was no appeal process. Good thing I had purchased the extended warranty, or it would have completely had to come out of my pocket. Get this, though. Even though I bought the extended warranty from VW when I bought the car originally, my local VW dealership wouldn't even honor it!
The transmission experience (and what an experience it was!) was the nail in the coffin for me. I had been a big VW fan until then, but now I can't wait to get rid of this car and will never look back. They completely lost me as a repeat buyer.
Don't buy a jetta!!! Yes they are fun to drive, but I have a 2001 jetta... I have the mystery spring under my seat as well.. I have had my drivers window fall out of track, my back lock doesn't lock/unlock all the time. continuious problesm with head light and brake light going out, and this is even after I got the recall. my dashboard lights went out, but luckily came back on. the lights where my heat is went out. the spring on my console went out, my heated mirror only works on the drivers side. It over heated when I first got it. continuous problems with the front bumper falling down, and when I look I see similar problems on other jettas. I have the peeling as well on my car on the interior. I have had the windows not go down once it got real cold outside, forgot what was wrong with it though, but got it fixed. Those are just the prolems I can think of. fun to drive by electirally, the worse car I have ever had!
I have had all of the same problems you have had with my 2000 Jetta. Most of mine I have been able to fix (without the dealer!!) I too found the mystery spring under my seat (couldn't figure out where it went). My temperature controls now no longer work and I have no heat or AC. Has anyone else had this problem? If so, what was the $$ and remedy?
I bought a carfax report with the car. The car was in very good condition with a clean title, but in a year the check engine light is on and the cupholder is broken. The car is handled with care so I don't understand why it would break. Everything else is fine, but where the cupholder is located on this 2000 VW is the wrong place because when there's a drink there you can't see the radio station. I can't even get to the buttons where the cupholder is holding a drink. I think it was a bad design.
LOL. My second mystery spring just rolled out and hit my foot. Dealer/Corporate paid for my window regulators (plastic piece that breaks and causes the window to fall in the door and not come back up). Dealer fixed my cupholder numerous times for free until I came in missing a piece of it the last time. I paid for a newly-designed cupholder to replace it. Mirror motor stopped working and they discovered that the switch had come unplugged.
Oh my god. I've had all of these too! Damn. And I loved my vw. lol the engine is great, interior a no no. damnit. 2002 glx vr6 jetta. Love it, but now its fall apart. why oh why?
I am cracking up as I read this web site, so I have to post...
I have a 2001 Jetta VR6. Most everything weird that has happened to my car has been related to the use of cheap plastic parts.
For example:
- Last year my trunk stopped opening. I could not open it with the remote or the key. I finally crawled into the trunk from the inside and removed the liner (on my back in the dark). What I found was the plastic lever that actuates the latch when you use the key remote broke. The little spring that attaches to the plastic fell off so the key wouldn't cause the trunk to open either. I was able to get the spring back on, so now I can at least use the key.
- My engine was running really poorly in damp weather conditions. The dealer wanted to charge me >$900 to replace the coil. I found it on eBay (new) for around $250. Turns out they are plastic and mine had a crack which was leaking sparks, shorting out, when the weather was bad.
- Last month, I was reaching under the drivers seat trying to find something... Whoa... What is this mystery spring doing under here??? Weird... Everything about the seat still appears to be working fine. A week later, I am looking under the passenger seat and find the same spring. *Cynical laughter about my crappy car* The metal spring attaches on the ends to the plastic seat.
- Yesterday, I roll up the drivers window... CRACKING NOISE... I hear something break and fall in the door and then the window falls into the door. I was able to prop the window up. Now I am going to try to get VW of America to pay for it. I'm willing to bet that the integral part of the window support is made of cheap plastic.
What next???
Tom.