Volkswagen Jetta Iii 1997
Model Jetta Iii made in 1997 by Volkswagen got 24 consumer complains as well as 3 service bulletins. Consumer complaints with reference, among others things, to air bags and digital instrument panel. Technical service bulletines regarding engine and engine cooling and equipment.
Model 1997
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||||
| 2015831 | 08/28/2008 | 10026848 | Volkswagen: exhaust heat shield, replacement guidelines. heat shields are to be inspected after completion o any type of repair to the underbody (exhaust system transmission, etc.), and if damaged, replaced. *pe | 12/29/2008 | |
| EQUIPMENT - OTHER - LABELS | |||||
| 9703129702F | 03/12/1997 | 53618 | Vehicles equipped with new airbag warning labels. *yc | 03/30/1998 | |
| STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS - UNDERBODY SHIELDS | |||||
| 2015831 | 08/28/2008 | 10026848 | Volkswagen: exhaust heat shield, replacement guidelines. heat shields are to be inspected after completion o any type of repair to the underbody (exhaust system transmission, etc.), and if damaged, replaced. *pe | 12/29/2008 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | |||
| 03/01/2003 | 67000 | 8 | |
| Past year: auto door locks failed, could not open either front door; transmission failed, exhaust system rusted out, headlights out, signals out, wheel bearings need replaced, air bag light stays on, have not been able to drive car in nearly 1 year, required nearly $5000 worth of damage. *jb | |||
| AIR BAGS - FRONTAL - SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE | |||
| 11/01/2006 | 100000 | 6 | 01/28/2002 |
| Replaced ignition coil for the third time in as many years!! electric water pump replaced. eater core exploded a couple months later while i was on the highway at 65 mph with my child in the car! couldn't see anything as car filled with antifreeze cloud. belt driven water pump went a week later. entire power steering rack needed to be replaced. window regulator needed to be replaced twice. door handle broke twice!. *ak | |||
| DIGITAL INSTRUMENT PANEL | |||
| 08/01/2009 | 1 | ||
| The speedometer in any occasions does not mark the speed but if it marks the miles that are covered and it does | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||
| 03/01/2003 | 67000 | 8 | |
| Past year: auto door locks failed, could not open either front door; transmission failed, exhaust system rusted out, headlights out, signals out, wheel bearings need replaced, air bag light stays on, have not been able to drive car in nearly 1 year, required nearly $5000 worth of damage. *jb | |||
| 09/01/2000 | 55000 | 5 | 12/01/1997 |
| Bought jetta gls new 12/97. moldings fall off constantly. three of four power windows have failed, all needing regulators replaced. slow wiper speed cuts off and sometimes doesn't work at all. oil leak. can't lock doors on driver side with my master key, can only lock and set alarm on passenger side. ts | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - MODULE | |||
| 11/01/2006 | 100000 | 6 | 01/28/2002 |
| Replaced ignition coil for the third time in as many years!! electric water pump replaced. eater core exploded a couple months later while i was on the highway at 65 mph with my child in the car! couldn't see anything as car filled with antifreeze cloud. belt driven water pump went a week later. entire power steering rack needed to be replaced. window regulator needed to be replaced twice. door handle broke twice!. *ak | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | |||
| 09/01/2000 | 55000 | 5 | 12/01/1997 |
| Bought jetta gls new 12/97. moldings fall off constantly. three of four power windows have failed, all needing regulators replaced. slow wiper speed cuts off and sometimes doesn't work at all. oil leak. can't lock doors on driver side with my master key, can only lock and set alarm on passenger side. ts | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | |||
| 11/01/2006 | 100000 | 6 | 01/28/2002 |
| Replaced ignition coil for the third time in as many years!! electric water pump replaced. eater core exploded a couple months later while i was on the highway at 65 mph with my child in the car! couldn't see anything as car filled with antifreeze cloud. belt driven water pump went a week later. entire power steering rack needed to be replaced. window regulator needed to be replaced twice. door handle broke twice!. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 12/09/2004 | 117752 | 6 | 11/28/2004 |
| Turn signal switch sometimes work and sometimes doesn't... can't lock doors on driver side with my master key, can only lock and set alarm on passenger side. airbag light stays on... vehicle cuts off randomly when slowing down or stopping... without notice!*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||
| 03/01/2003 | 67000 | 8 | |
| Past year: auto door locks failed, could not open either front door; transmission failed, exhaust system rusted out, headlights out, signals out, wheel bearings need replaced, air bag light stays on, have not been able to drive car in nearly 1 year, required nearly $5000 worth of damage. *jb | |||
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE - DELIVERY - HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | |||
| 12/23/2002 | 65002 | 1 | |
| Significant fuel leak from the top of fuel tank due to failed seal for fuel sending unit. | |||
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES - DOORS - LATCH | |||
| 11/01/2006 | 100000 | 6 | 01/28/2002 |
| Replaced ignition coil for the third time in as many years!! electric water pump replaced. eater core exploded a couple months later while i was on the highway at 65 mph with my child in the car! couldn't see anything as car filled with antifreeze cloud. belt driven water pump went a week later. entire power steering rack needed to be replaced. window regulator needed to be replaced twice. door handle broke twice!. *ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 03/01/2000 | 29000 | 03/01/2000 | |
| My 1997 vw jetta has transmission shifting probelms. it shifts roughly as it changes to the last gear on the automatic transmission. it has been to the dealer on several occassions but the problem does not go away. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION | |||
| 03/01/2003 | 67000 | 8 | |
| Past year: auto door locks failed, could not open either front door; transmission failed, exhaust system rusted out, headlights out, signals out, wheel bearings need replaced, air bag light stays on, have not been able to drive car in nearly 1 year, required nearly $5000 worth of damage. *jb | |||
| STEERING - RACK AND PINION - RACK | |||
| 11/01/2006 | 100000 | 6 | 01/28/2002 |
| Replaced ignition coil for the third time in as many years!! electric water pump replaced. eater core exploded a couple months later while i was on the highway at 65 mph with my child in the car! couldn't see anything as car filled with antifreeze cloud. belt driven water pump went a week later. entire power steering rack needed to be replaced. window regulator needed to be replaced twice. door handle broke twice!. *ak | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY | |||
| 09/01/2000 | 55000 | 5 | 12/01/1997 |
| Bought jetta gls new 12/97. moldings fall off constantly. three of four power windows have failed, all needing regulators replaced. slow wiper speed cuts off and sometimes doesn't work at all. oil leak. can't lock doors on driver side with my master key, can only lock and set alarm on passenger side. ts | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY - DOOR - HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | |||
| 1 | |||
| Plastic supports holding window lift unit in rear passenger door broke.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION | |||
| 03/01/2003 | 67000 | 8 | |
| Past year: auto door locks failed, could not open either front door; transmission failed, exhaust system rusted out, headlights out, signals out, wheel bearings need replaced, air bag light stays on, have not been able to drive car in nearly 1 year, required nearly $5000 worth of damage. *jb | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - WHEEL BEARING | |||
| 07/08/2002 | 34875 | 2 | 03/01/1997 |
| While driving there was a whining noise that came from the front of the vehicle. dealer checked drive train and wheels and found cupping of the left front tire. all four tires were replaced, balanced and aligned. noise after tire change. dealer replaced front and rear factory installed wheel bearings. *tt, ak | |||
| VISIBILITY - DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER SYSTEM - WINDSHIELD - HEATER CORE | |||
| 11/01/2006 | 100000 | 6 | 01/28/2002 |
| Replaced ignition coil for the third time in as many years!! electric water pump replaced. eater core exploded a couple months later while i was on the highway at 65 mph with my child in the car! couldn't see anything as car filled with antifreeze cloud. belt driven water pump went a week later. entire power steering rack needed to be replaced. window regulator needed to be replaced twice. door handle broke twice!. *ak | |||
| 07/30/2005 | 79000 | 2 | 02/08/2004 |
| While parking my 1992 volkswagen corrado back in late january 2005, my heater core leak all over my passenger floor, and had steam coming out the vents and fogging up my windows. after investigating on the internet i saw that this was a common problem on water cooled volkswagens. on 7/30/05 i had a similar event happen while driving my wife's 1997 volkswagen jetta. the windshield suddenly fogged up and had steam coming from the vents and a coolant smell in the car. this happened while driving on the highway. i had to wipe the windshield with my hand so that i can see out the windshield. i pulled over and checked my coolant tank, there was a drop in fluid. what is in common between both vehicles is they are equipped with the same engine, the 2.8l vr6. after researching again on the internet i have found out that the cars in nhtsa campaign id number : 92v050000 and most water cooled volkswagen manufactured after that date share the same part number for the heater core. it seems that the faulty part is the heater core. please investigate this, luckily there was not much traffic when my windshield fogged up, and no one was hurt. thank you for your time. *jb | |||
| VISIBILITY - POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | |||
| 03/01/2003 | 67000 | 8 | |
| Past year: auto door locks failed, could not open either front door; transmission failed, exhaust system rusted out, headlights out, signals out, wheel bearings need replaced, air bag light stays on, have not been able to drive car in nearly 1 year, required nearly $5000 worth of damage. *jb | |||
| VISIBILITY - WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | |||
| 11/01/2006 | 100000 | 6 | 01/28/2002 |
| Replaced ignition coil for the third time in as many years!! electric water pump replaced. eater core exploded a couple months later while i was on the highway at 65 mph with my child in the car! couldn't see anything as car filled with antifreeze cloud. belt driven water pump went a week later. entire power steering rack needed to be replaced. window regulator needed to be replaced twice. door handle broke twice!. *ak | |||
| VISIBILITY - WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER - SWITCH/WIRING | |||
| 09/01/2000 | 55000 | 5 | 12/01/1997 |
| Bought jetta gls new 12/97. moldings fall off constantly. three of four power windows have failed, all needing regulators replaced. slow wiper speed cuts off and sometimes doesn't work at all. oil leak. can't lock doors on driver side with my master key, can only lock and set alarm on passenger side. ts | |||
Car dealers selling
| State | City | Zip | Name | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CT | GROTON | 06340 | GIRARD NISSAN | 860-448-0050 |
| KY | LOUISVILLE | TRI CITY OLDS | ||
| MD | WALDORF | 20604 | SOUTHERN VOLKSWAGEN | 3016452500 |
| MN | ST CLOUD | EICH MOTOR | ||
| NJ | FREEHOLD | 07728 | DAVID MICHAEL MOTOR CAR OF FREEHOLD |