2000 Volkswagen Jetta GLS from North America - Comments

I recently had my car (2000 Jetta VR6 86,000 miles) serviced to perform a diagnostic for a check engine light, which has been on and off repeatedly for the past several months. The results of the diagnostic indicated the following; 1) Code P0420 – Catalyst System Bank 1 Efficiency Below Threshold; and 2) Code P1432 – Secondary Air Injection System Switching Valve (A) Circuit Open. Based on these results, Flemington Volkswagen recommended replacing the catalytic converter and the secondary air solenoid. The estimated repair cost, including parts and labor, was quoted to be $1,968.00. I was quite surprised to learn that a 4 ½ year old car with only 86,000 miles requires a new catalytic converter, which exhibits no visible signs of significant degradation.

Shortly after my June 21, 2004 appointment, I found a technical reference from the Vermont Center for Emissions Repair, dated Fall 2003, that forecast early catalytic converter failure in a Volkswagen/Audi, which previously experienced failure of the coil pack. The technical reference stated, “Misfiring caused by a faulty coil can definitely degrade a converter.”

Between December 2002 and March 2003, my vehicle was serviced on three separate occasions at the dealer for an ongoing drivability issue causing consistent engine misfires during acceleration. The problem, originally diagnosed as a faulty fuel pump relay, was eventually diagnosed as a faulty coil pack. The faulty coil pack, a known problem for certain model Volkswagen’s and Audi’s, was then replaced under an ongoing recall campaign. A fourth visit to the dealer shortly thereafter was necessary to replace the spark plugs, whose early replacement was attributed to the faulty coil pack.

Based on the above, I sent a letter to VoA requesting reimbursement of the catalytic converter due to the coil pack issue. VoA responded saying there was nothing they could do. Their response was, "If the coil pack did indeed cause the Cat to fail, it would have happened right away. Not a year down the road."

Question (after all that), it VoA responce accurate? Several people have said that a coil pack problem could definitely degrade a converter. I feel VOA should take a more proactive approach to this issue. I'm taking the car for second opinion next week at a private mechanic. Any thoughts you have would be appreciated. Thanks.

Brian Budney.

A faulty coil pack will indeed make the catalytic converter die, but it does take time. What happens is that the coil failing makes a misfire in the engine dumping higher amounts of HC (gas) down the tail pipe. The catalytic converter can only take so much of that before it will over heat from burning the excess gas and it will fail.

I have also a Jetta GLS 2000 (VR6). I had also a faulty coil pack (replace at my own expense) and I also had to replace the catalytic converter (VW changed it for free) after 4 years. As said in the previous comment a catalytic converter can degrade if you drive your car with a faulty coil pack... Volkswagen is aware of the situation and there is a major recall concerning coil pack premature failure on certain years. My 2000 was not in this recall. After 30000 km I had a faulty coil pack again (coil pack warranty is 1 year or 24000 km). One solution is to apply J-B Weld to the coil pack (putting a coat of epoxy on the coil pack to insulate it). I don't want to pay another coil which I'm gonna have to replace in the next year...

What gives. I found this site and comments becasue my 2000 Jetta 2.8L VR6 has a Catalytic Converter failure for the SECOND time. It all started back at about 37,000 miles (just after the warranty expired). The coil pack failed. Then a year later the Catalytic converter failed. (US law says that an emission system must function for 5 years so the manufacture is liable for all emission system repairs for 5 years) I was happy that VWoA finnally issued a refund for coil pack repairs, but I was still suspicious about the converter failure. These things don't just fail. Something else causes them to fail. And so my converter has failed a second time (way outside the 5 year emission system warranty). It seems obvious that there is an overall flaw in the way this car runs. A common cause of converter failure is when a car runs too rich. Since the car was new, I never thought the jetta ran properly and since new I frequently get a rotten egg smell from my jettas exhaust (A sign of a car that is running rich)