1998 Volkswagen Jetta

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CONTROL ARM BUSHING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT MADE A NOISE AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE FORWARD WHEN STOPPING. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE REPLACEMENT WOULD COST NEARLY $500. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING RACK WOULD MAKE A NOISE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. THE MECHANIC ADDED STEERING FLUID AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL LEAK, WHICH WAS WORSENING. THE ESTIMATE TO REPAIR THE LEAK WAS $1,084.84. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 86,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 84,000.

THE WINDOWS IN THE DOORS ARE FALLING DOWN AND NEEDING THE MECHANISM REPLACED. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO 3 OF THE DOORS SO FAR. HAS THIS BEEN A PROBLEM-WAS THERE EVER A RECALL FOR THIS-THIS SEEMS LIKE A WEIRD THING TO HAVE HAPPEN. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE YOU CANNOT ROLL THE WINDOW UP OR DOWN, AS WELL AS THE INTERIOR GETTING WET FROM THE WEATHER. THANK YOU. REBECCA *TR

I HAVE 1998 VW JETTA--I PRESENTLY HAVE THREE ELECTRIC WINDOWS WHICH DO NOT GO UP OR DOWN. TWO OF THEM HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPAIRED. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DEFECT OR NEEDED RECALL. CAUSE OF PROBLEMS IS MOTORS OR REGULATORS. THESE SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY VW. OF ALL THE VEHICLES I HAVE OWNED IN THE PAST 40 YEARS WITH ELECTRIC WINDOWS I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEMS EXCEPT WITH THE VW JETTA. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL DISENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE WHEEL BEARING SEPARATED. THEY REPLACED THE WHEEL BEARINGS, SPINDLES, SPEED SENSOR, RING, AND DRUM. APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS LATER, WHILE DRIVING 55-60 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL DISENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED. AS OF AUGUST 21, 2007, THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE WINDOWS WOULD NOT ROLL UP OR DOWN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE WINDOW REGULATORS FAILED AND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON PREVIOUS MODELS. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 138,022 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,612.

LIKE OTHERS, I HAVE HAD THE IGNITION COIL REPLACED. THIS HAPPENED AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, OF COURSE. I HAVE ALSO HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDOWS (REGULATOR AND MOTOR) FOR ALL OF THEM. NOW, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS FLASHING AND THE CAR IS SPUTTERING. I KNOW THE SECONDARY AIR INTAKE VALVE NEEDS REPLACING BUT IT DID NOT CAUSE PROBLEMS. NOW I'M WONDERING IF SOMETHING NEW IS WRONG??? ALSO, I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH LOSING COOLANT AND HAD TO CONTINUOUSLY REPLACE ANTIFREEZE. AFTER FIXING WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A SMALL LEAK THE ENTIRE SYSTEM WILL NOT PRODUCE COOL AIR! THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS AND VW SHOULD LOOK INTO ALL OF THESE COMPLAINTS. *JB

I BOUGHT A USED 1998 VW JETTA FOR MY DAUGHTER. GOOD CAR FUN TO DRIVE BUT ONE DAY AS SHE WAS DRIVING THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW FELL DOWN INTO THE DOOR. A FEW WEEKS LATER THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WINDOW FELL INTO THE DOOR. MOST RECENTLY DURING THE SUMMER THE DRIVER'S FRONT WINDOW FELL INTO THE DOOR. ALL OF THESE INCIDENTS COULD STARTLE A DRIVER OR SHATTER THE WINDOW. CURRENTLY SHE HAS THE WINDOW TAPED UP ON THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND IT HINDERS HER VISIBILITY. VW SAID IT WOULD COST $485 PER DOOR!!!! YOU KNOW THE DRIVER'S REAR DOOR WILL GO SOON AND IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT THAT WE SHOULD HAVE TO INVEST ANOTHER CLOSE TO $2000 JUST TO KEEP THE WINDOWS UP! THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM BUT WHEN I CALLED VW THEY THANKED ME FOR BEING A LOYAL VW CUSTOMER AND ASKED ME IF I NAME MY CARS...VW KNOWS THAT THE PLASTIC BOTTOM ON THE REGULATOR FAILS AND THEY REPLACE THEM WITH METAL ONES. THEY SHOULD DO THIS FOR EVERYONE THAT HAS THESE CARS. I BELIEVE IN 2001 THE REGULATORS WITH METAL BOTTOMS ARE OEM. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE LEFT REAR WHEEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE, CROSSED THE HIGHWAY AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE OTHER VEHICLE SUSTAINED MINOR BODY DAMAGE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM; HOWEVER THE LEFT REAR WHEEL ASSEMBLY, BRAKES, RIM AND TIRE WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ALERTED.*AK UPDATED 7/13/2006 - THE BEARING ON THE LEFT REAR WHEEL WAS LOOSE AND WORN. *NM

I PURCHASED A USED 1998 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA GLX SEVERAL YEARS AGO. WITHIN A YEAR OF PURCHASE, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW FAILED TO OPPERATE PROPERLY. I HAD THE REGULATOR REPLACED. A YEAR LATER THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW FAILED. THAT REGULATOR WAS REPLACED. A YEAR LATER THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE FAILED AGAIN. BEFORE I COULD GET IT FIXED, THE REAR DIVER SIDE WINDOW FAILED AS WELL. BOTH REGULATORS ARE BEING REPLACED. THE TOTAL COST OF THESE REPAIRS WILL BE OVER $2000. I FIND IT APPALLING THAT THE SAME PROBLEM CAN OCCUR MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE SAME VEHICLE. I HAVE LEARNED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR VW VEHICLES AND YET NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO CORRECT IT - BE IT A DESIGN FLAW, MANUFACTURING PROBLEM, ETC. FAILED REGULATORS ARE BOTH A SAFETY AND SECURITY PROBLEM. I HOPE THAT NHTSA TAKES THESE COMPLAINTS SERIOUSLY AND INVESTIGATES THE PROBLEM. *NM

1998 JETTA GLX. ANOTHER WINDOW REGULATOR DEFAULT. I'M ORIGINAL OWNER, THIRD TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED. BACK PASSENGER WINDOW TWICE, NO ONE EVER SITS BACK THERE AND THE WINDOW IS HARDLY EVER USED. SAT. DRIVER'S WINDOW, KER-PLUNK. REALLY ANNOYING, WINDOW DOWN AND IT'S RAINING. HAD TO TAPE THE OPENING CLOSED. I'M PAYING FOR THE REPAIR, I KNOW VW OF AMERICA WILL NOT. BETWEEN THIS ISSUE AND THE BODY MOLDING CONSTANTLY FALLING OFF, I DOUBT I'LL BUY ANOTHER VW.*JB