2001 Volkswagen Jetta review from North America

1 week after purchasing car had to have brand new battery replaced.

3 weeks after purchasing car will not start, got towed to service center, no error lights on. Car returned to me and was advised nothing wrong everything is fine.

6450 miles - EPC light comes on (owned car 1 1/2 months by this point) garage has car three days - new mass air flow sensor.

6500 miles. car stalls out when driving RPM's jump, car dies when stopped. EPC light on again - another new mass air flow sensor.

6600 miles - EPC light on, no check engine, car stalling, will not start, dies when in drive. dealer I purchased car from PAYS for a new throttle body (780 dollars)

68000 miles - Headlights keep blowing along with fuses for interior lights, all fuses replaced and checked, VW service ccenter said everything now fine, replaced bad wiring.

73000 miles (owned car for 3 days short of a year) check engine light and epc light come on doing 70 on the kennedy in chicago. 300 for a tow, and new throttle body in place.

74000 mile - Stop and go traffic on Dan Ryan in chicago, EPC light comes on, after being parked for 24 hours light does not come on again...

When everything is working, the car is a dream. however, that cannot weight out all the problems I have had with this car.

EPC light is constantly coming on and each time I take it to a service center they tell me that it is caused by a different problem than the time before, cannot seem to get a decent explination of what EPC stands for, or why it seems to stand for other than my car is an "Extreme Piece of Crap". Having to replace a throttle body twice in a year seems a bit ridiculous to me. And the car is still fairly low mileage. Also the check engine light has only come on once, and not any of the other times, every other time it's my best friend the EPC light.

I can't believe the mess I have gotten myself into with this vehicle. The car I owned previously was a 1991 Chevy Cavalier RS convertable that I had purchased in 99 and finally sold last year before I bought my sleek jetta (what a mistake) me and the cavy had been through thick and thin. I got that car with 60,000 miles on it and had it until 178,000 miles and the only 2 things I ever had to replace on it was a battery and an alternator. that was it.

If you're thinking about buying a jetta, keep on walking. This is the worst Certified pre owned car I have ever owned.