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Volkswagen Jetta Maintenance and Repair



  • eyc51keyc51k Posts: 41
    I have never owned a VW but it nust be outstanding when everything works since most of you guys sick with it despite the problems.


    That one sentence says it all. I have also owned a Honda, it was a good, ho hum car. Like you said, not perfect but ok. I do a lot of driving, up to 800 miles a week and my Jetta makes it a pleasant experience, very pleasant in fact. It handles like a race car, has fuel economy that I can't even believe, it's the TDI, has tons of power for such a fuel miser. Since I have the loaded package 2 version it makes the experience that much more enjoyable.

    Your concerns: Any car is made of nuts and bolts, and trust me, reading on here and then assuming everything is accurate real world facts is a very misguided assumption. You have emotion driven rants from individuals who are simply venting their frustrations. If VW were as bad as what you read here, they would be out of business. Like the airline who had one too many crashes, it just doesn&#146;t make that airline as bad as it's "perceived". Tell that to a nervous passenger.

    If you are an individual who can't stand leaving your emotional security zone, perceived or real, then I would stick to you first love a Honda. Myself, I moved on and above and beyond the Honda world and loving every mile and happy I am here.
  • Hello all. I was doing a little browsing for an '04 Jetta GLS at a local VW dealership when after testing driving one of the cars, the dealership consultant that was helping me offers to sell me his personal Jetta GLS which looked exactly like the one I was interested in. He said that he is ending his lease but he is over mileage and would rather sell the car and transfer ownership than pay the overage fees. He's asking for the residual value of the car which would be the buy-out amount of the lease contract. My questions are: How does this process work if he doesn't own the car yet? Is there any potential for me to get burned on this deal?
  • stickguystickguy Posts: 15,670
    It is mostly paperwork. basically he buys out the lease and turns around and sells it to you for the same price.

    In terms of getting burned, be careful about tax consequences (not sure if you both have to pay sales tax).

    The other way I see you getting shafted is by paying too much for the car. Residuals aren't an exact science, but it was set assuming X miles, and the car now has X+. So, make sure to figure out what it would cost to buy the same car elsewhere, since it may not be worth the residual.


  • waiwai Posts: 327
    Is there a conflict of interest in this case of the dealership consultant dealing personally instead of selling his company's product?
  • Thanks for the feedback stickguy. I never knew folks made buy -out transactions like that. The car is immaculate and under full bumper-to-bumper for 2 years. I'm still doing my research but this car is pretty high on the list for what's being offered.
  • stickguystickguy Posts: 15,670
    It has been interesting to read this thread the last few days. I recently became interested in a Jetta 2.0t, and it is enlightening to mention VW on these threads. If nothing else, it gets a reaction.

    I have decided to go with the drive what you like theory. Maybe the odds of getting a troublesome Jetta are higher than some other brands, but even most VWs are going to be reasonably trouble free. Plus, I'm hoping they took extra care to reign in some of the quality issues, since this car really needs to suceed for them to survive.

    besides, it really can't cost any $$ for 4-5 years 9given the warranties), so the most you are really risking s/t is some aggrevation.

    Functionally it is a nice car though, which is what matters the most to me.

    Too bad the really reliable brands don't have any attributes that make me want to keep them for a long time!


  • I just want to let everyone know how much i love my car. I love taking it on the highway and back roads; soo smooth. Today my friends and i hoped in it for a 6 hr roadtrip, without any hesitation. (def, not the first time by anymeans) I know people come on here and seem to form these hesitations on the quality of VW, but every car has its flaws. Trust me when i say, its an amazing automobile. VW4LIFE. haha, thats all folks. :)
  • I just bought my VW, Jetta TDI with DSG. It's a wonderful car and drive much better than Honda. I understand and know Honda is a more reliable car but VW is not that much worse. If you look at other threads like "Honda Accord problem and solution", there also have lot of peoples complaining about their Car, how upset they are about the quality and problems they have. ;)
  • Check your manual but Engine light usually because of a misfire. It can happen to all the cars when you run low on fuel, has low grade fuel, did not tighten up the gas cap as recommeded. Put some high grade fuel in it, maybe mix in some RXP (from autozone) and run it for couple tanks and 99% of time, it will just go away.
  • have this code p0411 for my 2003 1.8t and unsure what to do. secondary AIR injector is what it says. anybody else had this?

  • The Battery died on my jetta and after recharging the car will not stay running. It will start and hten imediately die. Is this a problem with the computer? The check engine light was on with what i beleive to be an O2 sensor problem could it be related? Before the problem starting it was buring an excess amount of fuel and the exhaust was black. I thought that could perhaps be because of the O2 sensor or maybe the spark plugs? I am depsperate need of assistance since i am not very mechanically inclined. The car in a 1999 Jetta i dont know if any of these problems are prone to this model or whats up. Any advice would be apreciated
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Posts: 4,085
    If you VW starts - then immediately dies... that sounds like the immobilizer kicking in. It "thinks" that you are using the wrong key and kills the engine.

    Since your battery died, it is possible that you need to "retrain" your car to recognize the key. Try all 3 of the keys that came with your car. hopefully ONE of them will still work and allow you to "retain" from there.

    As for you black exhaust and othther signs of running rich.... there is an "extended warantee" on the MAF sensor. I would assume that is the cause of the CEL also.
  • i tried all three keys and had the same result three times. Now what are my options. i think i should also tell you that i recently moved to the far north and there isnt a volkswagen dealer for 800miles and there isnt a licensed mechanic here
  • So i really jinxed myself after leaving that last message. Tonight i went into in my car and went to turn the interior lights on. Ok, everything lights up except where the controls are for the air. Fuse? Help me out guys. Thanks.
  • I have had my new Jetta 2.5 ltr 2005.5 for 4 months and, whilst the dealership quickly solved the rattling doors when playing loud music problem I am in a $2600 hole....because of a simple pothole. I hit this moderate sized pothole going a mere 15 mph on the front passenger side and blew out my front tire. I had the tire replaced but the steering wheel was no longer centered as I drove straight so off to the dealership I go...
    That was nearly 2 weeks ago. They could not get the alignment to happen, so they had to unbolt the front sub-frame, which apparently had noticably shifted as a result of the impact, and bolt it back joy, it would still not align. So after checking every connection from the wheel to the subframe they found that the subframe mounting stantions (sp?), and various connecting rods to the front right wheel were damaged and needed replacing. It should be ready on Friday, no loaner ($400 car rental bill), at a cost of $2100 ish. SO BEWARE OF BUMPY ROADS, aparently they will seriously screw up your new VW Jetta.
    so now the does the impact on a wheel, floating on suspension, attached by jointed connecting rods, cause so much the new Jetta that so flimsily engineered. I bought the Jetta as a fuel effiecient alternative to my wife's SUV, but right now the $2600 check of sets alot of fuel costs! Anyone know anything about this??
  • I keep hearing this vibrating, humming noise coming from the front end of my 2001 VW Jetta. At first I thought it was the junk tires that I have on the front... but now I am starting to think it might be a little bit more serious. some of the symptoms are I am using more fuel, humming gets louder at certain speeds 30-60 mph, it gets the noisiest when taking a merging right turn @ 20-30 mph. If any body can be of some assistance and let me know what could be the problem it would be appreciated. I don't want to go to the dealer and have them tell me it's my ball bearings or something when it could only be the tires I have on the front. How much noise is expected from tires ?
  • bigatbigat Posts: 2
  • bigatbigat Posts: 2
  • Recently had a problem with my 96 jetta( 117,00 miles). I deactivate my alarm by opening the passenger side door ( opening my drivers side door sets the alarm off). This morning was cold and my passenger side lock was frozen so I had too open the driver side which set my alarm off. To make a long story short it took some time to turn off my alarm. After putting the keys into the ignition I was unable to turn it. I was thinking that the ignition was also cold. After returning to the car later the ignition turned fine but there was no engine starting noise only the lights blinking on my console. After opening the hood my friend heard a humming sound( not a clicking sound) when I turn on the car. Is this an electrical problem? Has the alarm deactivated something to prevent me from starting the car? Any advice would be appreciated.
  • skm4skm4 Posts: 10
    Not true, as the light even stays on after I have had the oil changed.....unless they do not put in the correct amount when they change the oil....??

    The engine light stays on continuiously.

    Thanks for the response.

  • mrjettemrjette Posts: 122
    I had an '02 Jetta with a similar sound. Although it only had 20K at the time, it was indeed a bad wheel bearing. The fact it gets worse on turning makes me think you have the same (this puts a different stress on the bearing). Mine was replaced under warranty, but the invoice shows a value of $312.00 from the dealer (in 8/04).

    Good luck.
  • eyc51keyc51k Posts: 41
    I am not calling you a lair. But a simple hit of a pothole in no way will destroy the basis frame work structure, and if it did, then thousands upon thousands of people would be screaming at the same time that Jettas are flimsy junk. Flimsy they are not. Flimsy isn&#146;t an automobile with the capacity to go upward towards a half a million miles before it&#146;s service life is over.

    I honestly believe you have been snookered via of some very incompetent shysters supposedly repairing your car. If they knew what they were doing, then only one trip would have determined the extend of this supposedly, excessive damage. The kind of damage you speak of is found in car crashes where body shops then send them to frame shops for structural repairs, not a simple pothole hit.

    I have been a mechanic for over 30 years and I just can't buy this story, there are details you are not reporting.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright CaliforniaPosts: 45,986
    Why aren't you claiming this on your insurance?

    Musta been one helluva hole to do that kind of damage...


  • ruking1ruking1 Posts: 15,165
    Yes, as a follow up, if indeed it was caused by roadway imperfections, you can file a claim with your responsible agencies: city, county, state, fed .
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright CaliforniaPosts: 45,986
    If you hit a hole deep enough and hard enough, you'll damage any car, even a heavy truck. I suspect this "hole" was not your average pothole but a very deep one---given that the tire blew effect, hitting a deep hole is like a collision...the forces involved are tremendous.


  • zane2zane2 Posts: 1
    I have a 2000 Jetta 4 1.6 that went for its major service recently. Prior to the service, the car would accelerate sluggishly, have a slight shudder on the accelerator pedal; and sometimes even switch off. The mechanic thinks that it's the throttle body electronics that's faulty. Has anyone experienced this, what do u guys think?
  • I have a 2001 Jetta VR6 with about 115K miles. My check engine light has been on for about 1.5 yrs, I have brought it in a few times and everytime they tell me it's the O2 Sensor but after being replaced I get the light on again in a few months. This morning the Check engine light began flashing at me (it would flash for about 1 minute, then turn on solid for about 1 minute, and continue like that). I have made an appointment at the shop, but I'm currently about 40 miles from home, should driving home significantly increase my chances of damaging anything (I have already driven 40 mile to work with it flashing).
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright CaliforniaPosts: 45,986
    The problem is that they haven't been fixing the problem. All the codes tell you is the general circuit that is affected, not the actual component. Computers that identify each individual defect in a component aren't here yet.

    Replacing th 02 sensor is merely fixing the symptom. What this shop needs to find out is what is making the 02 sensor unhappy...or find someone who knows what to do.


  • When it makes the shift from solid check engine light to flashing, does this mean I've gotten to the situation where it should not be driven at all?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright CaliforniaPosts: 45,986
    I don't know how your particular car works in this regard, but engine lights mean there is a problem, so it's always a risk. I suppose if the car is running fine you can slide with it but who knows for sure? I presume your gas cap is screwed on REAL tight?

    But anyway, just throwing 02 sensors at this light isn't going to solve the problem, obviously.


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