Bulletins


BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
050201/14/200510012457Diagnostic trouble code (dtc) p1603 (18011) stored in dtc memory. *tt03/02/2005
VS10/01/200710011685Emissions service action circular 2000 model year volkswagen golf/jetta vr6, jetta/gti 1.8 and golf/jetta 1.9l tdi vehicles reprogram instrument cluster switching relay software. *tc updated 2/20/08. *nj01/28/2005
042010/27/200410010538Malfunction indicator light is on in the instrument cluster. *tt11/30/2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - ANTI-THEFT CONTROLLER
991106/25/1999608349Information on the anti-theft immobilizer on board diagnostic (obd). mjs11/23/1999
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING
990112/08/1999610157Information on repairing the headlight electrical connection. *tt04/19/2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
010308/15/20010102626970Some vehicles may experience instrument cluster malfunction. *slc02/04/2002
90010106/27/2001621623Subject regarding malfunctioning instrument cluster. *tt09/27/2001

Investigations


NHTSA IDManufacturerDate openDate closeSubjectRecall campaign
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - MODULE
DP05004VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC08/11/200512/08/2005ENGINE STALLING
 By letter received on june 24, 2005, mr. ronald m. strickland of raleigh, nc, submitted a petition requesting that the agency investigate the performance of the ignition coil plugs on model year (my) 2000-2003 volkswagen jetta, golf and passat sedans.the petitioner alleges that he had experienced multiple stalling events as a result of one or more ignition coil plugs malfunctioning on his 2002 vw jetta sedan.as a result of the engine stalling, the petitioner experienced a loss of power steering and increased braking efforts when he pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road to control the vehicle.after a few minutes parked on the shoulder he was able to restart the vehicle although the engine operated at reduced power.vw issued a customer satisfaction campaign (csc) on january 31, 2003 to instruct their dealerships to inspect the vehicles for any malfunctioning ignition coil packs and to replace them at no cost to the consumer.consumers were notified to bring their vehicles to their dealerships via owner letters mailed out on june 6, 2003.while vw initially instructed the dealerships to only replace the malfunctioning ignition coil packs, a revised csc was issued to dealerships in december 2003 and january 2004, instructing dealerships to replace all ignition coil packs regardless of their performance.a reminder to the dealerships was sent by vw on april of 2004.although the concerns of the petitioner could theoretically create a safety problem, the risk is very small, due to the engine still running on either 3, 5, or 7 cylinders.there are no reported crashes or injuries due to the alleged defect.once drivers are aware of the problem (loss of power due to one of the ignition coil packs malfunctioning), drivers are able to take precautionary and compensatory measures and still maintain control of their vehicles.in addition, four fires were reported to odi.these were ignition coil burnouts with no additional damage to the vehicle and were localized on top of the engine. during the last 24 months the number of stall and drivability complaints reported to odi has greatly diminished from a peak of 195 in january of 2003 to only 3 in august of 2005.this coincides with the csc released by vw.a safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that no safety-related defect exists.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
10/10/20091200001
 I own a 2000 vr6 jetta and i had to replace the ignition coil twice due to the defects of the ignition coil cracking. i read a complaint about this issue on this website back in 2005 and it is very expensive to replace the ignition coil. while i was driving the car, i lost power and it started to stall on me. i almost got into a car accident on the highway because i panic. i am a college student that relies on my car and i travel 300 miles to college. i noticed a lot of sparks by the ignition coil and i am very scared to drive my car because it might catch on fire. please help!!! *tr
01/01/2006600001
 My 2000 jetta vr6 has been experiencing coil issues for the past 3 years whenever the weather is wet/rainy and high humidity. if the car sits idle for 6-8 hours with a cold engine it is very difficult to start the engine without constant sputtering. there is no power in acceleration until the engine warms up completely. during this time the check engine light flashes and remains on until the next time i start up the engine or until the weather becomes less humid. this also occurs when driving thru a puddle of water causing it to splash the coil area. i replaced the ignition wires to the tune of $145 but that did not alleviate the problem. *tr
07/04/20081020001
 I own a 2000 volkswagen jetta, the car has had numerous problems, i realize the car is old and was bought as is it still should maintain to properly run. it has caused a safety hazard when the cars water pump failed while i was on the freeway doing 75mph, it started to stall i was in the far left lane, i pulled over threw heavy traffic, it was a 1000 dollar repair, i have researched the problem and found numerous complaints about a failed water pump, also, the car starts and revs at 2000 rpms or it has trouble starting, check engine light comes on frequently and cant find the problem, engine malfunctions are numerous, i feel i should have some compensation from the vw corporation and all the other owners of a vw of this year with the same issues. *tr
07/25/20081
 Fire in 2000 vw jetta vr6, point of origin at ignition coil pack on the top left-facing side of the engine. *tr
02/21/2008113000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that the driver's side brake light would illuminate intermittently. the dealer changed the bulb. afterwards, she was pulled over by a police officer who pointed out the malfunctioning brake light. she provided the officer with the paperwork of her recent repair. the officer instructed her to take the vehicle back to the dealer. the contact checked the bulb and realized that it worked. she purchased new bulbs, but they would not illuminate. she assumed that the issue was due to the electrical system. on august 12, 2008, the contact had her daughter follow her to a dealer 30 miles away. her daughter was instructed to sound the horn everytime her brake light malfunctioned. her daughter sounded the horn a total of 13 times on the 30 mile trip to the dealer. when she arrived at the dealer, they could not find any failures with the vehicle. the manufacturer has not been notified. the current mileage was approximately 125,000 and failure mileage was approximately 113,000.
05/28/20081390951
 I have a 2000 vw jetta already have had experienced multiple stalling events as a result of one or more ignition coil plugs malfunctioning on my 2000 vw jetta as a result of the engine stalling i experienced a loss of power steering and increased braking efforts when i pulled vehicle over to the side of the road to control the vehicle. after a few minutes parked on the shoulder was able to restart vehicle although the engine operated at reduced power............................also my brake lights have been sticking on and not working all the time as well.................not sure how to explain this one but here goes right by my ac switch on my car there is a button that is supposed to circulate the air through the car but when i push it in a light on my dashboard comes on and says brake!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and i have a loss of brake power, also my cruise control has stopped working and my hazards have stopped as well was hoping you might be able to help me as the dealer does not want to do anything about my issues. *tr
06/02/20081150001
 I am requesting that the agency please investigate the performance of the ignition coil plugs on the model year 2000, volkswagen, jetta. i have experienced multiple stalling events and car not starting up after up or being parked after shutting off engine as a result of one or more ignition plus malfunctioning on my 2000 volkswagen jetta gl. as a result of the engine stalling and not starting when ignition is accelerated, i have also i experienced a loss of power steering and increased breaking efforts when i pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road. the car would not start when sitting for a while. after about 45 minutes or longer - i was able to start the vehicle although the engine operated at a reduced power. the vehicle will stall and will not start up for no reason at all. i feel very unsafe and nervous when driving - and have had the problem over and over and have paid for costly repairs. still to no avail, it keeps happening. tired of the vehicle - will never ever purchase a volkswagen again! please investigate the electrical system ignition module on volkswagen jettas - year 2000 please asap !!! i have been stranded in the worst places with the vehicle - with no help to restart the vehicle. *tr
04/02/200865000310/16/1999
 2000 volkswagen jetta 1.8t. the check engine light on my vw jetta keeps malfunctioning and lights up again and again. i have taken this to the dealer 3 times in the last 3 months and they say they fixed it, but it keeps coming back. over the lifetime of this car (i have had this car for 8 years), i have had this check-engine light malfunction over 10-15 times. *tr
10/03/1999900108/26/1999
 Multiple and various dash indicator lights illuminate intermittently causing costly and unnecessary dealer visits to be in compliance with the owners manual. *tr
07/12/20057200007/02/2000
 Coil pack failure on 2000 vw jetta glx v-6; this jetta manufactured late in 2000 and should have been included in recall for 2001-2003 years.
05/12/200530000405/15/2000
 My car had recall #04v096000 performed approx 1.5 years ago (a switch was replaced). that same switch had been replaced several times before. it is the switch that detects whether or not i have pressed the brake, allowing me to shift out of park. sometimes it also affects my brake lights, causing them to not turn on when the brake is depressed. however, on may 14, 2005 i brought the car in again for the same problem, even after the recall. this is the 4th time it has happened. this time it did affect the brake lights - they would not come on when i depressed the brake. the dealership stated that the cause of the brake light failure was not due to a fuse, but due to that switch, and that the two are connected. when the switch malfunctions the brake lights could malfunction as well. the dealership replaced the switch (again). this is the 4th time that part has been replaced. the consumer has experienced several electrical failures such as a short to the ground which required a new fuel pump relay, esp light which indicated a bad brake light, the check engine light illuminated indicating a bad abs pump and relay. updated 01/27/06. *jb
04/22/200521000106/09/2000
 I am the primary repair person for this vehicle. over its history, there have been numerous component failures that in my opinion are unacceptable for a vehicle with this mileage and age. i personally know the owner, and know that it is not operated under unusually harsh conditions. the vehicle was involved in a minor cosmetic crash early on, otherwise, there have been no unusual outside factors. at this point, the car has only 37,000 miles on the odometer. primary use is on long trips. the vehicle is parked and stored for about 3-6 months each year. first problem: air conditioning system leak: the expansion valve failed, requiring replacement. check engine/ malfunction indicator light: has come on several times, each time with the same dtc, a manufacturer specific code related to the mass air flow sensor. the power windows have failed, ultimately resulting in free repair of the windows with a revised retaining clip, as this problem occurs far too often, and finally, the rear brake pads have worn completely with the front pads in virtually new condition. this is accompanied by all four rotors being excessively pitted, with large areas of the rotor face actually flaking off. my research shows that i may end up needing to replace the rear calipers, as well, due to poor design. *jb
11/01/200125000508/01/1999
 1) vehicle comfort module spontaneously failed. this happened while driving the car! 2) a majority of the functions controlled by this module failed, including alarm going off while driving, fuel cap release not working, door locks, trunk release, etc. all failed. in the middle of the freeway, the alarm went off and there was nothing i could do to turn it off. called emergency roadside service and they showed me how to disable the alarm (turn the key in the door lock on and off several dozen times). however none of the other functions worked, most serious was that the fuel cap could not be opened. i had to get this fixed before i ran out of fuel! 3) took the vehicle to the dealer. they replaced the comform module and most of the system operational again. 4) however over time, one by one various systems starting malfunctioning again. within weeks, one of the rear door locks wouldn't close automatically. later the trunk release didn't work with the remote. then the interior lights wouldn't go off automatically. other door locks stopped functioning, etc. 5) since the car was out of warranty and these were not crucial functions, i lived with these failures. but now i'm uncomfortable driving the car, not knowing where again in the middle of nowhere, everything stops working again. 6) i called volkswagen and described this. they said i would have to go to a dealer to have the problem diagnosed and fixed at my own cost. they said that since the vehicle was out of warranty, they could not help fix this. i argued that this was a core component that failed - not due to wear and tear or misuse, but they still said sorry!*ak
11/01/2004107/01/2000
 While driving, the abs brake light came on intermittently. the clutch became stuck and the consumer had to jiggle the gear. the vehicle also had electrical problems. *bf ac compressor'; return true; onmouseout=window.status=''; return true;>ac compressor'; return true; onmouseout=window.status=''; return true;>ac compressor'; return true; onmouseout=window.status=''; return true;>ac compressor failed. new battery went dead. four window failure due to electrical problem. *tc
05/13/200053908
 Bought the car brand new from the dealer in december 2000. at 5,390 miles w/warranty took my car in b/c the a/c was having problems. 7,255 miles-a/c is not cold- found system leak-expansion valve leak. 13,247 miles-ac not cold again. found expansion valve leaking- freon-replaced o ring receiver and drier and expansion valve. 34,684- a/c loud again. 60,760 miles- faulty air flow valve-removed and installed air flow sensor- warranty. 88,850 miles-a/c problems again! 88,850miles- a/c not cold blowing warm air, customer turned a/c on and sqeaking noise heard, turned back off, stopped noise, turned back on blowing warm air and sqeaking noise heard again. took car in for the a/c problem a total of 8 times! wrote official complaint letter to vw dealership. manager found the whole a/c system was leaking! manager said it would cost $3,725 dollars! ( b/c warranty has been expired) to fix the a/c unit. they offered to pay for 50% of the price. we are not satisfied. we should not have to pay for anything b/c the vw qualified technicians attempted to fix the car, entrusted the car into their care, but eventually led the customer to bigger problems! the car had all the maintenance services done on time! failure of the technicians being able to fix the problem does not show that they are qualified..what did they check??? why tell the customer that just because warranty expired that there is no olbigation by the service department to take responsibility anymore when they are the ones who have touched the system and attempted to fix it?? bad customer service! unacceptable! already notified the dealer and the president of taking legal action. no car buyer should have to experience this kind of horrible time consuming problem. after paying the full value of the car. investing thousands of dollars for a new vw car this result is not getting what we payed for. the car does not meet up to the standard of their motto vw design and intent.
06/02/200445453302/23/2004
 From stop the vehicle would sometime stall. the consumer was unable to accelerate. the dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak the vehicle had a bad mass air flow sensor (maf) and was replaced. the dealer found nothing wrong with the vehicle. the driver side door lock did not always lock automatically and would cause the alarm to sound. the problem was diagnosed but the problem was not fixed. the vehicle alarm would sound when the vehicle was started. *sc
06/01/20046
 Problems with vehicle's brake lights. *mr on three occasions, the window regulator clips were replaced. currently the brake light switch needed to be replaced for a third time. *sc
06/13/200349725608/14/1999
 Mass air flow sensor failed at least 6 times in the past 60,000 miles, causing the vehicle to stall. consumer discussed this with volkswagen, and asked manufacturer for an extended warranty. however, volkswagen was not listening. *ak the driver's side seat up/down lever spring broke. the micro switch failed and as a result the trunk light and gas light on the dash were inoperative. the automatic door locks failed. *nm
04/15/2004380001812/01/2001
 Transmission failed. the dealer replaced the part. however, two weeks later the part failed again. *ak the vehicle would not go into reverse. the transmission slipped and the vehicle had run into a pole at a gas station on the right front side. this problem remained the same. the engine light had come on along with the transmission problems. other problems were: the tire pressure had to be reset on numerous occasions, rear pads, a/c was not cooling, glove box, power windows, console, power sunroof, interior trim, steering/suspension, driveability, trim electrical, sound system, and heating/cooling. *sc the consumer did not report any damage to vehicle when she hit the pole. *jb
05/19/2003712/31/1999
 I thought my first new car purchase (a 2000 jetta vr6 gls) was a lemon. i, like many others, have experienced several problems. problems such as: - rear cup holders broken - middle/rear seatbelt locked, cannot be used - 02 sensors both replaced since mil light kept illuminating - mas sensor replaced (and later recalled) - both front windows have fallen to the black hole (and later recalled; including a recall to the recall b/c they went from metal clips to plastic or vice versa) - paint peeling from inside door handles - alarm system faulty on passenger side door (dealer told me that unless the car beeps at me, the alarm is not secured. so, i must lock the door. stand by for 15 seconds, lock the door again and this time when the car beeps, the passenger door is secured. and, furthermore, (this is good - keep reading) i was told that if i drive too close to a jea bus, their bus computer systems are run on the same channel as my jetta's computer system and sometimes being too close to a jea bus will cause my cars computer system to scramble). computer system can be reset, and did you know that while resetting, vw can make your car beep in different patterns? that's probably a feature! - center console/armrest latch broken - large spring sits underneath my passenger side front seat - seat belt no longer click, indicating locked in position (dealer told me it still works. so, now i have to push it down and then tug on it, hoping that it really is locked -- if not, i may fly out that recalled window.) - child restrain seat locks recalled - trunk lock wouldn't stay latched - front fender separating from body of car - grinds going into second gear (manual transmission) - when car is put into 1st gear, it waits a few second before it gets enough power to fully accelerate - brake dust covers alloy wheel, in just hours of cleaning drivers wanted...but they're all in the dealer waiting room! *ak
210001
 The vehicle experienced electrical problems, especially with the brake sensor switch. provide further details........................*jb
10/14/200362000406/01/2000
 My jetta has been back at the dealer 5 times in the past two months to repair the same problem. the car hesitates upon acceleration as if it will stall. the check engine light comes on. sometimes it stays on until they reset it and sometimes it goes off. the dealer has replaced the mass air sensor and cleaned parts of the engine. then the intake manifold had to be replaced. now they told me the problem is the ignition coil and wires for an additional $700.00. this car is just three years old and i have spent close to $2000 in repairs in two months. i didn't even made it out of the dealer's parking lot before the check engine light came on again. vw needs to address this issue but their customer service representatives won't help. *la
08/19/20031
 Both headlight plugs melted. dealer notified. *ak
05/24/200147484404/08/2001
 Aprox. dates. severe hesitation @ 2000 miles on may 23 2001. purchased new on april 8 2001. repaired three more times after first check engine light appeared. light is on at current time and not under warranty any more. this car has been in and out of vw shop to many times for how new it is.
07/26/200322500107/14/2000
 Brake sensor failed. epc light activated and car failed to shift from park. mechanical brake on transmission failed to recognize brake was depressed. faulty sensor requred to be replaced. *ak
25000
 Consumer states that vehicle is experiencing electrical problems which can result in a fire. dealer contacted. please provide additional information. ts
10/23/2002
 Vehicle electrical system failed while driving. causing the vehicle automatic door lock,turn signals and factory installed alarm system to be inoperative. wiring in the turn signal lever was shorted.
08/08/20001
 When operating driver power window it went down 2 inches then fell in the door. the same happened to the passenger front window on 16 april 2002. dealer replaced the regulator in both windows. nlm
01/21/2002312/01/1999
 For a newer car this volkswagen has been very problematic. on three occasions after starting the car the engine would make a noticeable sputtering noice and shaking like it was struggling to keep running. the check engine light would come on accompanied by a sulfurous smell and bluish exhaust. upon attempting to put the car in drive, after idling for a while, the car would stall and not restart. usually within an hour to a day later it would start again only after reving the engine to high rpms for about 5 minutes. i contacted the dealer the first time it occured (too busy to see my car) they thought it might be moisture in the engine. the problem seems to occur after or around rainy/snowy weather. i had a tune up recently and the car still feels like it may stall when it is idling at a stop light or in the driveway. this is unaccepable for such a new car. among other problems i had the indash cd player replaced twice because of defect and the fuses that illuminate the temp/radio controls replace twice all within the first month of ownership due to malfunction.*ak
11/25/2000503/01/2000
 Air bag was repaired 5 times and spiral spring replaced - light still indicates malfunctioning system. *ak consumer states that brake light was inoperative and the electrical connectors were replaced, installed front heated oxygen sensor, install 6 disc cd changer, battery was replaced and wiring harness war replaced. owner is no longer in possession of the vehicle *yd
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
08/28/20071
 I purchased a used certified 2000 volkswagen jetta in january 2004, after only one week of purchasing the vehicle, the engine light came on, the accelerator was making a vibrating sound and stalling continuously. okay, the transmission went out and it had to be replaced at my expense - i purchased a used transmission and then the engine throttle failed and the car wouldn't even start one day - had that replaced at my expense $1700. no the old parts are not available. okay, there's more, the brakes have been replaced a total of four times within three years, the engine light is still on, air bag light on, brake light on, lights and fog interior fuses and exterior lights have been replaced i don't know how many times, i have put so much money into this vehicle - and it still is running badly. as of today, the car won't move without warming it up first for about 45 minutes fully - when you press on the accelerator without warming it up first - it will stall and make a loud embarrassing noise as if the engine is going to explode - and you have to literally make it move by pressing very hard on the accelerator and praying that it won't just shut off while driving and never start again. my vehicle has 117,000 miles on it had 43,500 when i bought it (i know stupid wasn't i) it was my first vehicle. i know a car is not suppose to last forever, but dam does it have to cost so much to try and keep it running until it dies. please help me with any information you may have to assist me in this matter. *jb
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY
02/03/200650000311/03/2005
 Bought used vw from a dealer. dealer was doing brakes/inspection, and on picking up the vehicle stunk of burnt electric smell. vehicle would not start. this was around 50,000 miles. check engine light remains on although numerous codes continue to come up nothing is found. dealer sent car to authorized vw dealer to fix - light still remains on. around 87,000 miles car began to drain battery and would not start even after new battery. took to authorized vw car shop. seems something with fuses/electrical system. again many codes but nothing seems wrong, accept for the whole not starting. ignition switch was replaced - light still on. lighter socket no longer works. now around 89,000 miles and it is now early 2008. *tr
08/19/20027
 Request for full reimbursement in the amount of $1898.94 for unwarranted repairs. (nar) *ph *cb
08/10/2001310/01/1999
 My frustration and fear at the fact that my brake switch has failed twice, my battery has died 3 times while with the dealer, and my brakes seized while driving on a major road and my alarm goes off constantly, is only compounded by the fact that vw has not one explaination for why any of this is happening. to tell me everything is testing fine certainly adds to this frustration because there's nothing they can fix when nothing is wrong. to that i say, o.k. then, give this car to your loved one to drive and we'll see how safe you feel. absurd -- will is take deaths for someone to do something?
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
02/03/200650000311/03/2005
 Bought used vw from a dealer. dealer was doing brakes/inspection, and on picking up the vehicle stunk of burnt electric smell. vehicle would not start. this was around 50,000 miles. check engine light remains on although numerous codes continue to come up nothing is found. dealer sent car to authorized vw dealer to fix - light still remains on. around 87,000 miles car began to drain battery and would not start even after new battery. took to authorized vw car shop. seems something with fuses/electrical system. again many codes but nothing seems wrong, accept for the whole not starting. ignition switch was replaced - light still on. lighter socket no longer works. now around 89,000 miles and it is now early 2008. *tr
08/02/200337115104/21/2000
 Problem with engine control module which caused electrical failure throughout vehicle, in particular, disabled all door locking systems, trunk and gas door buttons, overhead lights and heating/cooling pannel lights. this caused serious issue as owner was unable to manually open gas door to fill vehicle due to button on the door being diabled and was unable to set vehicle alarm system due to locking system being disabled. issue was traced to comfort covenience module, and traced to main wiring harness that was causing a short and blown fuses. to merely find and diagnose the problem took dealer over 11 hours to replace $2.88 worth of parts---an extremely excessive amount of time. volkswagon usa stands by dealer and refused assistance even though customer service reps acknowledged that repair time seemed extremely excessive in nature. have seen similar complaints regarding vw electrical system issues and will be filing complaints with oag's in ma and nh.*ak
08/23/2001209/01/2099
 Date of first known problem provided. have already been through bbb autoline regarding most of the defects listed and thought manufacturer had fixed them. now vehicle has the same problems plus more. all work being done at dealership is at manufacturer's expense, however, this car is a major inconvenience due to unreliability. electrical problems aren't solved with replaced wiring harnesses, unsafe door hinges and window regulators make for hazardous driving conditions, airbag sensor problems, and quick to wear out rear brakes are all very dangerous defects for a new car owner to suffer with. dt
11/19/2001107/01/2000
 My car is nightmare of failures. cruise control light (dealer claims the car doesnt have one - but you can see it if you use a flashlight at an oblique angle) failure, abs module switch failure (according to dealer) causing cruise control to unexpectedly disengage. i also learned from other motorists that the same switch controls brake light illumination (all bulbs and other signal lights work). fuel injection module over injected gas causing excessive pressure. relief valve failed to open causing turbo overpressure to +120psi. failure caused hoses to blow sending hose clamps as projectiles. this week, the front passenger side window unexpectedly dropped into the door. dealer has literally taped the window up until a part arrives. dealer admits to mfg design defect - no voluntary recall. no dealers will voluntarily replace clips until they fail. volkswagen position is that they know there is a design flaw, but wont replace known bad clips until there is a failure. window failure could cause objects (stones kicked up by tires of other cars) to hit passengers. infant / child safety risk. window integrity questionable in an accident if it fails when driving 15mph. help!*ak
04/01/2000803/01/2000
 Dealers openly acknowlege problems with their map sensors on gas and diesel engines, but volkswagen of america internally refuses to recall this item. the same complaints are made about the very common relay 109 fuse failures, which volkswagenw is likewise putting off. please force them to recall these two items that have cost me plenty of out of pocket money, even though my car is under warranty. this is a rip-off of all consumers by vw of america and they need to be held accountable for their ignorance of these obvious problems! *ak
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION
02/03/200650000311/03/2005
 Bought used vw from a dealer. dealer was doing brakes/inspection, and on picking up the vehicle stunk of burnt electric smell. vehicle would not start. this was around 50,000 miles. check engine light remains on although numerous codes continue to come up nothing is found. dealer sent car to authorized vw dealer to fix - light still remains on. around 87,000 miles car began to drain battery and would not start even after new battery. took to authorized vw car shop. seems something with fuses/electrical system. again many codes but nothing seems wrong, accept for the whole not starting. ignition switch was replaced - light still on. lighter socket no longer works. now around 89,000 miles and it is now early 2008. *tr
07/23/20063
 At about 50,000 miles as i was driving uphill the engine felt as if it was failing and losing power. it regained power, but the check engine light came on. i took it to an independent mechanic who ran a diagnostic, and found many codes on it, but nothing wrong. he cleared out the computer and sent me on my way. i now have 87,000 miles and have been having the same problem continuously. now, i have to take my car regularly by my mechanic to have the computer cleared out. the check engine light came on 2 days after he cleared it last time. i called volkswagen and they said there is no recall on the electrical system, but that they have had this complaint before. *nm
07/04/2005750001
 Dt: the consumer states the check engine light is on. the consumer took the vehicle to a service dealer and they told him the ignition coil was bad. they wanted to replace the ignition coil at a cost of over $700.00; parts only. the consumer has visited a website and found a recall on a later model; 2001 vw jetta. his car is doing the same thing as listed on this recall. he has talked to vw and they said they could not help him. he noticed problems about 3 weeks ago. the dealer told him it had a 100,000 10 year warranty, but they will not fix it under the warranty. 8jb
02/14/200549300105/17/2000
 2000 vw jetta, vr6 engine, 49,3331 mile. whenever my car was idle for more than 6-8 hours and was exposed to rainywet weather, the engine would experience performance issues. immediately after starting the car under these circumstances, the engine would sputter and sound like it was on the verge of stalling. if i attempted to drive the car without letting it fully warm-up, the engine would experience a severe performance degradation, characterized by poor, rough acceleration. the
12/01/20025000709/29/1999
 While driving, my 2000 jetta gls, vehicle hesitates and stalls (engine light also would come on at times). on six occasions to service, vw claimed that nothing could be found. the seventh time, conveniently after warranty expiration, they found a bad ignition coil...which obviously, i had to pay for. speaking to four acquantainces that had same vehicle, all reported similar issues with the hesitation and stalling. the kicker came from my friend who received a recall on this issue (ignition coil recall) for his 1.8t jetta. a call to vw (1800-822-8987) to inquire about reimbursement for my expenses revealed that my jetta vin did not match the recalled vin's!!! how can a part that has been recalled not be covered for my vehicle that has the same part? this is absolutely preposterous. obviously, there are significant owners out there that are being talked into unnecessary repairs and sidetracked from the real issue and are not aware of the recalls or simply do not file complaints. a little bit of info...to test for the problem, run your vehicle with less than 1/4 tank of gas (one or two gallons will reveal the problem), and watch what happens!!! since the ignition coil was replaced, no problems...hmmmmmm! i urge all to call vw and file complaints with aaa and nhtsa if you have been duped. eventually, the truth will win.*ak
12/26/20013
 While driving, the check engine light flashed and then stayed on, followed by the vehicle sputtering. then it stopped accelerating. the dealership performed a diagnostic test, in which the failure wa a failed ignition coil. the ignition coil has been replaced twice, but the failure has recurred. this failure occurs every 20,000 miles. the dealership cannot indicate what was causing the failure. *jb
08/19/20027
 Request for full reimbursement in the amount of $1898.94 for unwarranted repairs. (nar) *ph *cb
07/01/20043
 2000 volkswagen jetta gls vr6 has recall for faulty cruise control brake light switch.*mr the engine light illuminated and after a diagnostic was performed it was determined a new catalytic converter was needed. it was finally determined that the converter failed due to a faulty coil pack. *jb
10/14/200362000406/01/2000
 My jetta has been back at the dealer 5 times in the past two months to repair the same problem. the car hesitates upon acceleration as if it will stall. the check engine light comes on. sometimes it stays on until they reset it and sometimes it goes off. the dealer has replaced the mass air sensor and cleaned parts of the engine. then the intake manifold had to be replaced. now they told me the problem is the ignition coil and wires for an additional $700.00. this car is just three years old and i have spent close to $2000 in repairs in two months. i didn't even made it out of the dealer's parking lot before the check engine light came on again. vw needs to address this issue but their customer service representatives won't help. *la
03/20/200328000105/25/2000
 The coil had started going faulty about 1 year prior. due to moisture in the coil, the car was barely running -- it back fired, and was nearly impossible to get it rolling up a hill, almost causing me to roll into a car behind me at a stop sign. i was able to get it replaced under the extended warranty, but it should have been covered by the recall on all the other coils -- there are numerous reports of 2000 models with the vr6 engine having the same coil failure. *jb
06/01/2000
 Problems with emission related parts. every time the vehicle has to take a emission test the vehicle fails and that the manufacture is aware of the problem but at the same time they are not doing anything to fix it. ts
09/14/200252000112/18/1999
 I would like to register a complaint about the coil pack failure on my 2000 vw jetta - this is a serious safety issue that vw of america refuses to address. this coil pack fails and causes immediate loss of power in the engine - i was driving and lost power in 2 of the 4 cylinders. vw did not cover my replacement. this is happening on numerous vws. there should be a recall - it is a defect.
11/25/2002
 While parking the vehicle consumer turn off the electrical ignition switch, took the key and vehicle was still running. dealer has been notified. please provide further information. ts
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - ANTI-THEFT CONTROLLER
03/09/2005113900208/17/2000
 1) no events or prior warning of failure. 2) failure -- key loses programming and cannot communicate with electronic immobilizer. car cannot be started and must be towed to dealer for reprogramming of keys. *ak 3) lost programming of key in june 2004 while car parked at home. car towed to dealer who reprogrammed keys. occurred again on 3/9/05 while 70 miles from home. car towed to nearest dealer who reprogrammed the only key -- the spare & valet keys now inoperative, requiring car to be delivered to dealer to get all 3 keys reprogrammed to match.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - MODULE
405/09/2002
 The vehicle failed to start on several occasions due to immobilizer being activated. the dealer repaired the vehicle a number of times for the same problem, but was unable to correct the problem. *yh
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - SWITCH
10/06/200340000501/21/2000
 Starting on may 23,2003 i started taking my jetta vr6 into the dealership due to the fact that the check engine (mil) light was on and occasionally while driving the car would die. i would drive at 40 mph or be at a stop sign and either way the car would just drop all power. i lost control of steering and everything else and would have to restart the car while driving down the road. the 1st time i was told that a 40,000-mile tune up would fix the situation. it occurred again after the tune about two weeks later, and i was informed that it was an o2 sensor and the mass flow sensor that has problems. they paid for the mass flow sensor and it's labor and i paid for the o2 sensor and it's labor. after the repair and replacement it occurred (with in the same week); they said it was another o2 sensor and they paid for the labor where i paid for the part. on the fourth visit, they said that it was the catalytic converter and one of the 2 o2 sensors that had already been replaced had gone bad again. they paid for both of these issues and assured me the problem was fixed. it wasn't the next time they told me it was the alternator. after much discussion i asked them to drive it and make sure as the alternator they wanted me to buy was $700. they called back a week later and said they were wrong it was the battery instead and that i owed them $125. i paid because i was too tired to argue anymore. that was on 8/9/03. on 10/6/03 the car died again. they are now saying it is the ignition switch and that it was causing the battery to drain (meaning to me, i may not have needed to purchase a new battery 2 months ago). they wanted me to pay for the part and half the labor because the car is out of warranty (only came with 2/24k). starting to wonder what will they blame it on (and charge me for) next month. car is currently at 48500. *la
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING
09/09/200655000104/10/2000
 Mass air flow sensor & wiring harness failure on 2000 jetta tdi with 55,000 miles. car lost acceleration and automatic shifting ability on interstate highway creating very dangerous situation. this is apparently a known failure problem with vw since i was told it is covered by an extended warranty & it's happened to a lot of others. we had to leave car with a dealer in nj & rent a car to get home to massachusetts. *jb
02/25/2004100001
 While driving 40 mph a fire started under the passenger side of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the cause of fire was undetermined. also, dealership floor manager indicated there were many volkswagen jettas with this kind of problem. *ak
08/01/2001450001
 Vehicle suffered a lost of power when check engine light illuminates.*mr on march 7 2002 university vw discovered a defective airflow meter. the windshield was replaced for a cracked rain drain. the brake servo was changed for a pin hole air leak. consumer was told that the glow plug harness might be the cause as to why the brake lights come on. the hazard switch switched on and off distressing other drivers behind. replaced the hazard relay switch (on the dash) by myself. back brake pad wore down to the rivets. vehicle overheated on 3 occasions had pressure test and thermostat changed and problem still exist.*ts *jb
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - FRONT UNDERHOOD
08/10/2002104/01/2000
 No engine light came on and i lost power up hill all of a sudden and was almost hit by a car and a semi in back of me. i took it to dick hanna in vanc. wa and they looked at it. they thought it was the mass air sensor . i called volkswagon and they only would offer to pay 50/50 on the job. but this is after i just paid 1300.00 for th e 40,000 mile check up. then i refused i said i wanted to go to another dealer and have it looked at. volkswagon then said that they might not pay anything on it if i did go to armstrong,(where i originally bought the car) when i asked them why they are willing to pay 100% to others with this problem they said they review these cases (case by case). when asked why would they not offer 50/50 if i went to armstrong they got really nasty on the phone. i think that volkswagon needs to be investigated, there sounds like there is something illegal going on. dt
12/01/200012/01/1999
 Numerous electrical compnents have failed and been replaced. the misfiring on acceleration causes car to thrust forward after applying the throttle. i consider this to be a safety hazard, as i was almost struck by on-coming trafic in an intersection.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
09/15/2004590003
 No warning lights illuminated. periodically the braking pressure was released and a pedal pulse was felt while stopping. the dealer stated that the problem to the abs pump leaked into the abs module. *jb the consumer's daughter was unable to stop in a parking lot as a result of the brakes releasing causing her to hit another vehicle. the person in the other vehicle sought medical treatment. *sc
08/12/2000103/01/2000
 The red lighting for the climate control knobs intermittently fail