1998 Volkswagen Jetta

THE FRONT DISK BRAKE ROTORS WERE UNDERSIZED IN DIAMETER. THIS ALLOWED THE DISC BRAKE PADS TO WEAR IN A MANNER THAT ALLOWED THE PADS TO CONTACT OUTSIDE OF THE ROTOR AND RESULT IN REDUCED PRESSURE ON THE ROTOR. PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE PROBLEM ARE AVAILABLE. BRAKE FADING AND LOSS OF BREAKS FROM OVERHEATING ON MOUNTAIN ROADS THEN OCCURRED. THE CAR MODEL IS A VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI MODEL YEAR 1998. THE CAR WAS BOUGHT USED BUT IT WOULD BE UNLIKELY THAT THE DISK ROTORS WOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH LESS THAN 80000 MILES.

THE ABS INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON AND THEN IT WENT OFF AGAIN BEFORE I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE IT IN FOR A CHECK. THIS HAPPENED IN NOVEMBER 2001. THEN RECENTLY THE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS, SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO BE CHECKED. THEY SAID THAT IT NEEDED AN ABS HYDRAULIC PUMP. ALTHOUGH MY BRAKES WORK FINE, APPARENTLY MY ABS SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING. THE CAR WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION UNTIL I CARE FOR THIS MATTER, BUT AT MORE THAN $1100.00. I WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL INSPECTION TO CARE FOR THIS ITEM. I JUST THOUGHT I SHOULD REPORT THIS TO NHTSA WHILE I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY. DT

MY LIGHTS, WIPERS AND HEAT WOULDN'T WORK, DISCOVERED IT WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH. CONTACTED VW, AND DEALER, THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME TOO MUCH TO FIX IT. I KNOW 3 OTHER PEOPLE WITH JETTAS THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. OBVIOUSLY VW IS INSTALLING DEFECTIVE IGNITIONS. MY EMERGENCY BRAKE WASN'T RELEASING, TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT I HAD A TORN BRAKE CABLE BOOT THAT WAS ALLOWING MOISTURE TO GET IN AND FREEZE MY CABLE. THE 2 YR/24,000 MILE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED GOING ON AND OFF, WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, IT TOOK THEM 3 TIMES TO FIGURE OUT IT'S THE REAR OXYGEN SENSOR. THIS IS THE FIRST BRAND NEW CAR I HAVE EVER PURCHASED AND I HAVE HAD MORE THINGS WRONG WITH IT THAN I EVER HAD WITH PREVIOUSLY OWNED VEHICLES.*AK

CONTINUAL PROBLEMS, SOME UNDIAGNOSED. UNSYMPATHETIC DEALERSHIP. REOCCURING PROBLEMS. MOST PROBLEMS OCCURRING AFTER LEASE/WARRANTY WERE UP. TOO MANY PROBLEMS FOR A CAR THAT IS ONLY ABOUT 2 AND A HALF YEARS OLD. DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE WHY BRAKE LIGHT IS ON, A/C NOT WORKING, ENGINE NOT STARTING ALTHOUGH STARTER WAS REPLACED, OR WHY ENGINE BEGAN SMOKING. ALL THE PROBLEMS APPEAR RELATED. THEY ALL OCCUR AT THE SAME TIME.THE CAR IS UNSAFE AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT NOW BECAUSE NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT.*AK

1) WHEN THE STEERING FAILED IT COULD HAV E CAUSED A FATAL ACCIDENT 2) WHEN THE BRAKES FAILED AGAIN IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATAL ACCIDENT. 3) WHEN THE OIL LIGHT INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO OIL THE MOTOR COULD HAVE LOCKED UP, CAUSING A FATAL ACCIDENT. I FIND THE ABOVE PROBLEMS VERY SERIOUS. I BOUGHT THE VW JETTA NEW 09/12/98 WITH 15 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THANK YOU BILL HAMANN.