1998 Volkswagen Jetta GLX from North America - Comments

There so many things that have gone wrong.

Two days after owning the car the check engine light came on and I was told that the gas cap wasn't clicked after fill-up. Took it in for a computer reset. After three more visits and a new gas tank they found a cracked pressure relief hose.

The front struts went three months into owning the car. The front end seems to be having problems again.

Coil pack went at the same time. Then again 2 years later.

Both rear windows have gone off track and have had their motors replaced, the front passenger is now making the same pre-death grinding/clicking noises.

The ABS module went.

Both fog-lights filled with water 2 years into owning the car and burned out. You cannot seem to find replacement bulbs at parts dealers and VW wants $150 apiece.

Front passenger speaker had to be replaced after 1 month owning the car.

Car went into "sleep" mode driving down the NJ turnpike, this is where the car limps along in second gear. Had it towed into dealer where they found "nothing wrong" and re-set the computer. Two weeks later limp mode kicked in again and transmission started "clunking" going from reverse to drive sporadically. They reset the computer and again told me they didn't know what was wrong. Another two weeks later the transmission completely went. I think 40,000 miles is a little too soon for that to go. I will be holding my breath at 80K if I still have the car.

Security System failed at around 30,000 and had to be replaced.

The cruise control had to be replaced at 5,000 then again at 20,000.

Door trim moldings constantly fall off. When they were under warranty VW would only replace the failed moldings, once the driver side and once the passenger side. When the driver side fell off after warranty they insisted that I had to replace the whole set. I did so and one week after that set`s "1 year warranty" expired the drivers side has come off.

Random interior trim pieces have broken.

There is a windshield wiper issue. They squeal even when the windshield isn't overly dry and they wear out very quickly. My husband has had his blades on his Ford for over 2 years. I get a smeary streaky mess in a few months after replacing the blades and I've tried several brands. I've also tried different cleaning solutions. My belief is that there is too much tension on the wiper arms.

The door handles have faded.

The car overall is great looking, very fun to drive and has really good performance.

However, this car soon become a money pit because the extended bumper to bumper warranty is about to wear out.

Overall, I would not recommend Volkswagen due to the lack of quality. They used to stand for affordable, finely engineered and crafted vehicles. This is why I bought one and feel as though I was duped.

I agree especially with the door trim. Since our passenger side trim fell off, I make it a point to look for the same issue on every Jetta I see on the road. In 2 years, I have spotted at least 8 Jettas missing the same piece of trim.

VW says they are unaware of such a problem. I will never purchase a VW again.

I too also own a jetta. 1998. I love driving my car. Except within three years of owning it I had to replace: whole exhaust system, all my trim, some computer parts, throttle body, all spark plugs and wires starter, my right wheel fell off while driving on the interstate (thank god the car started shaking like a unbalanced washing machine so I slowed down in time). My car also needs oil put in every 1500 miles or it goes below the minimum level. It is also a load car and likes to randomly shake. But I have put so much money into it that I cannot afford a new car. I have gone from female car idiot to being able to fix my own problems. I love after market parts catalogues.

I agree with everything you said bout what happened to yours. I have a 1998 glx jetta and I love it, but everything is going wrong with it. I had to replace the front driver window motor, the back window doesn't go down, but that's the least of my worries. My car doesn't seem to shift gears very good and it's an auto. the rpms go really high before shifting. Now the brake light stays on, and when that's on, the headlights, wipers, and fan system doesn't work. I had to pull off the road last night bc the light just popped on and I couldn't see anything. I just wish it could all be right bc I love the car. it sucks. anyone know anything bout the brake light problem and how to fix it?>

The brake light/ headlight/ wipers/ fan problem is likely a bad ignition switch.

I whole heartedly agree with the above. the check engine light has been such a pain; I've put more money into the car in repairs than I originally paid for it. I've had to replace the coolant system, the water system, 3 of alternators in the power window systems ($300 a pop), the mass air filter ($700 alone), not too mention a bunch of other smaller things. I hate this car; I can't wait to get rid of it.

Reading all of these problems makes me laugh out loud. I have dealt with so much of the same stuff! The coil pack has been replaced twice. The driver side window motor went out. The molding has/is falling off both front doors. The real killer is the exhaust gas recirculation pump. Replaced twice at a cost of about $1100 each time. Still, I love that car. When my friends drive it, they all get out and do the same thing: "wow"! they say.

Wow, sounds like my experiences. Door trim moldings fell off. Just replaced the FOURTH power window - the window regulators I guess were crap, per Volkswagen they have all been replaced by newer models (at $300+ each installed, ouch). High rpm's, reluctant to shift - last time I brought it to the dealer to have this serviced, they told me I needed to replace the transmission fluid, but this was well ahead of schedule. Now it's 8000 miles later and it's doing it again *sigh*. Also, change your water pump and timing belt together every 80000-90000 miles - when they fail, bad things happen.

Look, the car is built very solid, it's a smooth ride with a lot of interior space, very comfortable interior, never had any problem with the engine itself... but repairs are frequent and pricey. Beware!