1995 Volkswagen Jetta

1) THERE WAS NO WARNING LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE. I WAS RETURNING HOME FROM WORK DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND HAD JUST COME TO A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AFTER EXITING THE HIGHWAY 2) THE HEATER CORE FAILED DEPOSITING ENGINE TEMPERATURE COOLANT (>200 DEGREE) INTO THE FOOT WELLS AND RELEASING COOLANT VAPORS INTO THE CABIN. THE WINDOWS WERE INSTANTLY OBSCURED AND I WAS FORCED TO LEAN OUT THE WINDOW TO REACH THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HAD I BEEN STILL ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS OCCURRED DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, I WOULD HAVE VERY LIKELY BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AS MY VISION WAS IMMEDIATELY IMPAIRED AND THE HOT COOLANT MADE MANIPULATING THE PEDALS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. 3) THE HEATER HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY BYPASSED IN THE ENGINE BAY PENDING THE RESOLUTION OF MY CASE WITH VW OF AMERICA TO DETERMINE IF THEY WILL COVER THE REPAIR COSTS. *JB

(1) I WAS OPERATING THE WINDOW NORMALLY AND THE WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED. THE WINDOW DROPPED INTO THE DOOR AND I WAS UNABLE TO PUT IT BACK UP. (2) THIS HAPPENED IN SEVER THUNDERSTORMS AND I WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE. I HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE AND SIT ON A NARROW SHOULDER UNTIL THE STORM PASSED. MY REAR WINDOW IS ALSO HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH A WINDOW REGULATOR, AND IS UNABLE TO GO UP AND DOWN. (3) I HAVE TO BUY A REPLACEMENT WINDOW REGULATOR AND INSTALL IT. THE OLD PART IS AVAILABLE. I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL EARLIER MODEL VOLKSWAGENS, YEAR 1995-1997 AND HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM ON ALL OF THEM. VOLKSWAGEN CHARGES AND OUTRAGEOUS PRICE TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT IS WAY TOO COMMON. I NEVER REALIZED HOW MUCH OF A SAFETY HAZARD IT WAS UNTIL IT HAPPENED TO ME IN A THUNDERSTORM AND I HAD TO PULL TO THE SHOULDER OF I-95 DURING A STORM WITH TERRIBLE VISIBILITY. *JB

I WAS DRIVING A 1995 VW JETTA ABOUT 40 MPH. IN AN INSTANT, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WAS COVERED WITH STEAM AND I COULD NOT SEE THE ROAD. THERE WAS ALSO STEAM COMING OUT OF THE DASHBOARD VENTS WHICH WAS VERY DISTRACTING. I HAD TO BRAKE VERY QUICKLY AND HOPE THAT I DID NOT CRASH OR RUN OFF OF THE ROADWAY. I GOT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY DID A DIAGNOSIS AND SAID THAT THE HEATER CORE HAD RUPTURED. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVEABLE SINCE THE ENGINE CANNOT BE COOLED BECAUSE THE COOLANT WILL NOT STAY IN THE SYSTEM, I.E. IT LEAKS OUT VERY FAST. I DID NOT AUTHORIZE REPAIR AS OF 12/16/2005. *NM

I BOUGHT MY JETTA III GLS IN 1995 BRAND NEW. WITHIN A YEAR THE MOLDING ON THE DOORS STARTED PEELING OFF AND EVENTUALLY FALLING OFF. THE DEALER SENT IT TO A BODY SHOP TO HAVE IT GLUED AND IT NEVER STUCK. I'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR YEARS WITH ONE MOLDING MISSING. I HAVE REPLACED MULTIPLE POWER WINDOW MOTORS AND PARTS. FAILURE OF THESE POWER WINDOWS ARE CONSISTANTLY FAILING ONE AFTER THE ANOTHER. I HAD SMOKE AND AN ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND FAILING BLINKERS WHICH WERE BOTH RELATED. I REPLACED THE BLINKER SYSTEM AND PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. THE LOCK FREEZE EASILY IN COLD WEATHER AND I HAVE HAD THE DRIVER SIDE LOCK COMPLETELY FALL APART WHILE UNLOCKING THE CAR. THE SEAL ON FRONT WINDSHIELD IS WEARING AWAY CAUSING LEAKING OF RAIN AND THIS WILL BE FIXED WITH $100 RESEALING OF WINDSHIELD. RUSTING IS OCCURRING UNDER CAR AND ON UNDERSIDE OF DOORS, VW SAID IT MUST BE RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT TO BE COVERED (WOULDN'T THAT BE BIGGER PROBLEM IF IT OCCURRED FROM THE INSIDE??). THE OIL SEAL IS LEAKING. THE OXYGEN SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED AND NEEDS REPLACED AGAIN. THE MIDDLE CONSOLE WAS PERMANENTLY LOCKED AND DEALER TOOK IT LOCK OUT SAYING IT WAS BROKEN. THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID CONTAINER HAS BROKEN TWICE. THIS IS ALL WITH 85,000 MILES. THESE ARE COMMON PROBLEMS WITH JETTA BUT WINDOW MOTORS AND MOLDING ARE BY FAR TWO MAIN PROBLEMS THAT SHOULD BE COVERED WITH A RECALL, ASK ANY JETTA OWNER. *NM

WELL LETS START WITH THE WINDOW MOTORS, I HAVE HAD MY CAR SINCE 1998 AND I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY WINDOW MOTORS FOR EACH WINDOW AT LEAST 2 OR 3 TIMES. I WHICH I HAVE HAD TO PAY $300 OR MORE. ALSO THE SIDE STRIPING WHICH MELTS OFF IN THE SUN HAS BEEN REPLACED ALSO 3 OR 4 TIMES COSTING $100 EACH ROUND. WHY IS IT THAT THESE ITEMS HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED OR REPLACED FOR FREE WHEN IT IS NOT THE USERS FAULT FOR THESE ITEMS GOING BAD OR FALLING OFF!!!!!*JB

DOZEN POWER WINDOW REGULATOR AND MOTOR FAILURES SINCE NEW. FIRST ONE AT 4,373 MILES. ABOUT ONCE EVERY SIX MONTHS ON AVERAGE I HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE WINDOW FALLING INTO THE DOOR OR GETTING STUCK UP. I'VE PAID THROUGH THE NOSE TO GET THESE REPAIRED. I'VE TALLIED QUITE A BIT OF SIMILAR AND IDENTICAL INCIDENTS OF THIS PROBLEM, IN OTHER MODELS AS WELL, AND I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME VW IS FORCED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THEY'VE DUPPED THOUSANDS OF OWNERS ON THIS PROBLEM AND THEIR CLAIM THAT THE WARRANTY IS EXPIRED SHOULDN'T BE ACCEPTED ANYMORE, ESPECIALLY IF THE FAILURES OCCURED UNDER WARRANTY AND THEN CONTINUALLY BREAK AFTERWARD. THE NHTSA OUGHT TO HELP ALL THE OWNERS FILE A CLASS ACTION SUIT ON BEHALF OF THE OWNERS TO COMPENSATE THEM FOR THEIR TROUBLES AND FRUSTRATIONS. LEAVING YOUR CAR AT A DEALERSHIP ISN'T EXACTLY CONVENIENT, AND HAVING TO DO IT REPEATEDLY FOR THE SAME PROBLEM SHOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE TO THE INDUSTRY AND THE INDUSTRY REGULATORS (YOU). MY FAMILY ALSO OWNS A 1986 HONDA ACCORD WITH 190,000 ON IT AND NOT ONCE IN 15 YEARS HAS ANY OF ITS WINDOW REGULATORS OR MOTORS FAILED. VW JETTA'S AREN'T THE ONLY MODEL SUSCEPTABLE TO THIS FAILURE, PASSATS AND EVEN THE NEW BEETLE HAVE IDENTICAL FAILURES FOR MANY YEARS, I JUST RESEARCHED IT ON YOUR OWN SITE. ADD UP THE COMPLAINTS AND YOU'LL FIND THERE'S SIGNIFICANT REASON TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT FOR THE OWNERS AND AMPLE REASON TO FINE VW AND FORCE THEM TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR FAILURES BY REIMBURSING THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP THEM IN BUSINESS, THEIR CUSTOMERS. THANK YOU. TODD CALLAHAN