WHEN TEMPERATURE IS 5 DEGREES F OR LOWER (COMMON IN MINNESOTA) THROTTLE WILL STICK OPENLY. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, ESPECIALLY WHEN ICY AND RPMSAND APPROACHING REDLINE. NOT A RARE PROBLEM IN MINNESOTA, WHERE IT IS OFTEN COLD, WITH 1988 AND 1989 JETTAS (WITH THE DIGIVOX SYSTEM).TEMPORARY FIX BY DIERCK'S REPAIR (BY…
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WHEN TEMPERATURE IS 5 DEGREES F OR LOWER (COMMON IN MINNESOTA) THROTTLE WILL STICK OPENLY. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, ESPECIALLY WHEN ICY AND RPMSAND APPROACHING REDLINE. NOT A RARE PROBLEM IN MINNESOTA, WHERE IT IS OFTEN COLD, WITH 1988 AND 1989 JETTAS (WITH THE DIGIVOX SYSTEM).TEMPORARY FIX BY DIERCK'S REPAIR (BYRON,MN 507-775-2754). VOLKSWAGEN USA CLAIMS NO KNOWLEDGE BUT DIERCK'S SEES SEVERAL EACH TIME IT GETS COLD. WHEN ENGINE IS COLD, WARM AIR FROM ENGINE IS BROUGHT INTO THE THROTTLE HOUSING, CAUSING CONDENSATION.WHEN THE ENGINE WARMS, INTAKE SWITCHES TO OUTSIDE AIR, WHICH IS VERY COLD, AND CAUSES THE WATER TO FREEZE, LEADING TO THROTTLE STICKING. TEMPORARY FIX CONSISTS OF DISCONNECTING WARM AIR INTAKE IN COLD WEATHER AND PLUGGING PORTS.HOWEVER, THIS LEADS TO SOME EXHAUST COMING OFF THE ENGINE AND INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. VERY PREDICTABLE PROBLEM AND PREVENTABLE IF VOLKSWAGEN WOULD PROVIDE FIX-IT KIT. DIERCK'S REPAIR IS WILLING TO TALK ABOUT PROBLEM (ASK FOR BARD). SUMMER DRIVING IS FINE. TAKES SOME TIME IN COLD WEATHER TO BUILD UP ENOUGH WATER IN THROTTLE HOUSING. COMBINE ENOUGH CONDENSATION OVER TIME AND THE PROBLEM WILL OCCUR (ONLY 1988 AND 1989). AS A SIDE NOTE-VOLKSWAGEN DEALER LOOKED FOR PROBLEM AND COULD NEVER PIN-POINT PROBLEM. THUS I WAS CHARGED FOR MANY USELESS REPAIRS. DIERCK'S KNEW WHAT IT WAS OVER THE PHONE IMMEDIATELY AND EVEN ASKED IF IT WAS AN 88 OR 89 BEFORE I TOLD THEM THE YEAR. THEY ARE AS FRUSTRATED AS I AM THAT SUCH A SIMPLE YET DANGEROUS PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED BY VOLKSWAGEN. I WOULD BE WILLING TO TALK WITH ANYONE ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I'M JUST HAPPY THAT I HAVE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND COULD PUT THE CAR OUT OF GEAR AND LET THE ENGINE REV TO CONTROL MY SPEED ON ICY ROADS (THROTTLE HAS STUCK AT 6500 RPMS AT TIMES). *AK
NHTSA ODI #702970
Mileage unknown · Mar 22, 1996
Vehicle Speed Control
SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING ACCIDENT. *SD
NHTSA ODI #502739
Mileage unknown · Feb 8, 1995
Vehicle Speed Control
THROTTLE LINKAGES ACCELERATE; CAR ACCELERATE ONLY IN COLD WEATHER DEALER CHANGE THE ACCELERATOR CABLE CAR IS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. TT
AN ENGINE PREHEATING TUBE MAY NOT BE PROPERLY SUPPORTED DUE TO A MISSING SUPPORT BRACKET, CAUSING THE PREHEATING TUBE TO CHAFE AGAINST THE RIGHT FRONT METAL BRAKE LINE. THIS CAN DAMAGE THE HYDRAULIC LINE, CAUSING BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE AND DIMINISHED BRAKING IN ONE BRAKE CIRCUIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DIMINISHED BRAKING CAN RESULT IN INCREASED STOPPINGDISTANCES AND A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PREHEATING TUBE SUPPORT BRACKET TO ENSURE PROPER POSITIONING RELATIVE TO THE RIGHT FRONT METAL BRAKE LINE.
THE END CAP CONNECTING THE HEAT EXCHANGER'S CORE TO THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM COULD RUPTURE AND ALLOW HOT COOLANT TO ESCAPE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE COOLANT ESCAPING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT COULDCONTACT THE DRIVER'S FEET AND INJURE THE DRIVER. ALSO, STEAM FROM THE HEATEDLIQUID WILL CLOUD ON THE WINDOW SURFACES AND IMPAIR THE DRIVER'S VISION ANDCOULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE THE HEATER CORE WITH AN IMPROVED HEATER CORE.
Consequence: PROLONGED CHAFING COULD EVENTUALLY CAUSE A LEAKING BRAKELINE RESULTING IN DIMINISHED BRAKING IN ONE BRAKE CIRCUIT WHICH WOULD INCREASETHE STOPPING DISTANCES AND RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: CURVE OR REPLACE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE LINE.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1
EA91054 · Heater Core Failure
Opened Dec 9, 1991 · Closed Jun 12, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System
There is no summary currently available
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