1997 Volkswagen Jetta GLS from North America - Comments

Sunroof stopped working twice. Both times fixed under warranty.

Trunk lock broke 3 times. Twice fixed under warranty, once at my cost. It would not open with the key and when it did the alarm went off.

Both seat adjustment knobs fell off.

Passenger sun visor fell off. Haven't replaced it yet. A new one is about $75 +.

Front driver side window motor went out right after 2yr/24,000 warranty ended. Just in process of fixing now. Estimates have come in for about $400-500+ for parts and labor.

All remaining three windows have had the regulator replaced twice.

Cigarette lighter stopped working. Don't smoke so never fixed while under warranty, Should have had fixed--now I can't charge my phone.

All door trim fell off.

Driver seat sank on one side.

After complaining that the car was not shifting properly while it was in for scheduled maintenance twice and told twice "that is how this car shifts" the transmission went out and was fixed under warranty.

A/C went out about 105,000 miles.

Coolant is leaking.

Now won't start--probably starter, but not confirmed or fixed yet.

The stereo had to be removed to be reset after the battery was disconnected due to the anti-theft feature. It would not come out because it was installed wrong. They had to break a couple pieced of the dash/stereo housing to get it out to retrive the serial number to get the code to reset it.

I've spent more money on this car than all others combined.

Handles well. Most of the problems have had to do with the workmanship of the car. I looked into the lemon law early on, but it covers the mechanical aspects of the car not electric windows that regularly break, etc.

Will never buy a Volkswagen again after this experience.

We have had similar problems with our 97 Jetta GLX- interior and exterior parts that simply fall off, window regulators out on four windows in four years, door latches seize during colder months (not just the lock, the entire latch), etc. We have been trapped inside our vehicle with only one working window and four doors that won't open. VW should have recalled the doors and windows!

Read the second person's comments. Couldn't agree more. My problems were the same as your's. Further had to replace the automatic transmission. Love the look of the car, but won't buy another.

1996 Jetta GLS have very poor window motors and window regulators. I've had to replace all of them at least once and some twice.

These problems started occurring after warranty expired too to make matters worse.

Also, I've had to replace the ignition switch which gave me a new key and required all the door locks to have to be re-keyed.

Recently, the entire electrical system is started to act a little weird e.g., car alarm goes off unexpectedly etc.

I had all the same problems - cannot open the door at all in cold weather, all the trim has fallen off numerous times, rear windows no longer open, in addition to needing a new compressor for the a/c.

BUT, after sitting a year outside in a southern California parking lot, the car started up immediately and with a few minor checks - tires, belts, hoses, etc. - drove me across the country to Louisiana (in August).

I've had a lot of the same issues with my 97 jetta GLS. The sun roof does not work, only the driver window works, AC went out, and the car currently doesn't start, the starter clicks but that's about it.