Bulletins


BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION
GRP28/950407/01/199545674Diagnostics for complauints of engine miss/poor performance. *tw04/25/1996
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING
GRP97/950406/01/199545015Daytime running lights, resistor wire installation. *tw11/01/1995
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
90 970207/09/199790 95-0753600Vehicles with daytime running lights can experience loss of instrument cluster illumination if driven foe extended durations/replace original instrumentcluster housing with 1996 version. *ak03/30/1998

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
09/14/2004980001
 While driving 25 mph, a fire started within the electrical system causing smoke to come out from the a/c vents. the consumer was able to drove to their location. please provide more information. 8jb
01/01/19950
 Consumer feels there's an electrical problem that dealer can't find. once while turning a corner vehicle died. *ak
09/01/199801/01/1995
 Start chime and radio didn't come on. had the electrical system fixed costing $586. dealer was rude and said 'these things happen', even though the car was still fairly new. the plastic visor holder on pass. side broke, replaced free by dealer, and the wraparound the passanger seat bottom broke, both replaced only because car still under full warranty. third rear brake light casing is broken. no one has touched it. dealer will not replace it for free. will cost $80. vw of america called after i complained and said sorry, can't finacially help you.
 Owner states that vheicle is a total lemon.owner states that his vehicle has mutiple electrical problems which caused fire.owner notes of fuel problems ,vehicle has been in dealers many times.owner is very cocncerned about vehicle
06/01/19951
 Electrical problems. *ak
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
03/14/19964
 Alternator replaced. *sd
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY
03/14/19964
 Battery recharged. *sd
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
01/16/1998101/29/1999
 Electrical failure in the fuse box causing radio to malfunction.
04/22/1996
 Electrical short, causing a fuse to blow out, resulting in electrical malfunctioning of the rear brake lights. *ak
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION
03/13/2001201/01/1996
 This is the third distributor installed on this vehicle. the original distributor failed at 24k. that was replaced under warranty an that one failed at 97,500. the failure results in the vehicle stumbling, and stalling in traffic*ak.
01/01/19950
 Consumer feels there's an electrical problem that dealer can't find. once while turning a corner vehicle died. *ak
10/15/1998
 Ongoing / intermittent stalling while declining from a hill or at a stop prosition. dealer/manufacturer were not notified at this time. feel free to provide any further details. *ak
01/24/2000212/01/1994
 Have appt to have vehicle fixed 2/22/00. dealer is where purchased, not repair dealership. no safety defect listed in the summary. *ak
10/15/1998107/06/1995
 Received recall notice in the mail (#98v160000) (mfg. recall #uc) & notified dealer. was informed that parts were not available. called manufacturer & told parts mailed to dealer. dealer has yet to receive parts for hood latch. been to 2 dealerships. *ak transmission was rebuilt three times. radio failed. cluster housing replaced three times. alarm computer replaced. headlight switch replaced.distributor cap and rotor button replaced. instrument cluster replaced. *yh
 Owner states while driving vehicle up a hill or anytime while driving vehicle with out warning the engine cuts off. owner notes that vehicle has been in the shop many times and dealers can not find the problem. *ak
11/02/1996
 While driving at speed of 35mph, vehicle stalled and had complete loss of power
10/01/1996110/24/1994
 Fuel pump malfunctioned, also replaced transmission/rear brakes/ignition wiring/headlights/dash lights/anti-theft alarm system. *ak
04/24/1995111/11/1994
 Engine coil wire, ignition coil wire, and air conditioner condenser failed, causing air conditioner to fail.
07/12/19952
 Engine stalls when starting/driving due to broken coil wire.
03/01/19951
 Ignition lock failed, causing key to stick in lock.
 Auto was cutting off in traffic and stalling-no injuries. tt
05/16/19953
 When driving car stalls, dealer can't find anything wrong with car. tt
01/05/19951
 Car stalls out when vehicle comes to a stop or slows down. tt
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - ANTI-THEFT CONTROLLER
03/15/1995
 The anti-theft alarm was activated while the vehicle was being driven on the highway, causing the vehicle to lose power to the ignition system.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - MODULE
04/01/2001208/01/1995
 Master computer originally blown 4/15/00, mileage 93,000. repaired and replaced 5/00. blown again 4/01/01. 11 months and 17,000 miles later at 110,000. master computer timing mechanism controlling throttle section only went out and causing the car to react to late to throttle pressure or overthrottle. the car surges, hesitates to start and loses all power including steering if any other heavy electrical componets requiring additional amps such as a/c unit are engaged. april 1st car would refused to start, finally started and smelled of fuel. april 2nd car was taken to vw of concord ca. diagnosis, spark plugs and $80.00. april 3rd car driven and same problem. april 3rd-7th car parked unable to drive safely. april 7th or 8th dropped in the night drop for diagnosis on april 9th. car was in shop from april9-april24th. april 24th picked up car and $250.00 bill. diagnosis, fuel injector cleaning and throttle adjustment. april 25th car stalls 2 times in moving traffic. no warning lights, no sounds and no warning. car went dead and was completely silent and no steering and no braking. rolled to stop on highway and turning in traffic. no warning either time, just completely dead. owner called dealer and car was driven back to shop april 25th. april 22th-may2nd car in shop. may 3rd, dealer thought it was the fuel pressure regulator. may 4th, dealer called was not the fuel pressure regulator. may 5th dealer phoned, perhaps it is the master computer, yet again. may 6th confimed it is the master computer. may 7th-9th no call from dealer, car still in shop. may 9th, owner calls vw-america to find out about getting a possible extention on this warranty and was given reference number. vw-america was quite rude and non-informational and refused to speak of any possible defects in replacement parts. may 14th, called back vw-america, once again rude and all ownership information was still incorrect that was to be changed on 5/11/01. 5/15 car still at shop
04/27/199801/01/1995
 Electronic control module failed, causing engine to stall.
12/15/19945
 Computer chip for ignition system failed. *aw
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION - SWITCH
07/01/200297073208/01/1997
 Consumer attempted to start vehicle and smoke emitted from ignition switch. happened twice and windshield wipers failed as a result. ph wiper motor and switch replaced. *tt
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING
09/18/19961
 Electrical wires in close proximity to fuel injection vent sparked/ignited, resulting in a fire. *ak
11/30/1994111/11/1994
 Wiring to fuse box failed, causing cruise control to fail.
04/01/1996
 Windows in vehicle automatic switch failed, electrical short, and smell of wiring burning *ak
02/12/19962
 Alternator harness failed, causing vehicle to stall.*ak
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - FRONT UNDERHOOD
 While driving vehicle caught on fire under the dash area, causing knobs on the dash to melt. cause unknown. please give any further details. *ak
12/27/1995111/11/1994
 Battery lost its charge due to failed alternator harness.
08/11/1996109/11/1995
 While driving, experienced sudden loss of powerwhen engine shut down, due to front electrical system wiring harness failure, couldn't restart. *ak front wheels were damaged due to hitting a curb to safely stop. *slc
 Prior while driving, engine cut off, started up again, later upon restart heard popping sound, then smoke came into vent, suddenly vehicle burst into flames.*ak
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
01/01/19011
 1995 volkswagen jetta caught on fire while parked.*mr the fire started under the driver's side dash area. the car was totaled. *nm
04/11/2002106/01/1995
 While driving wiring harness under dash caught on fire. cause unknown. dealer contacted. *ak consumer states that the dealer determined that both the main wiring harness and the wiring going to the driver's door had caught fire and needed to be replaced. *yh
05/07/2000106/01/1997
 First noticed when a/c failed to emit cool air. driving in hot weather, heavy traffic; then traffic starts moving, smelled painfully strong burning smell, i started to cough, noticed white smoke coming out of control panel on dashboard; pulled over, turned off car, white smoke pouring out from under hood; short in main wire harness and instrument main harness; may need a/c control switch of other parts; open door bell ringing when keys not in ignition was another symptom that electrical had failed.
12/15/19993009/01/1999
 The dashboard lights seemed to short out. now they come on sometimes if it is cold, but go off once the car starts to warm up. we drive with a small flashlight on the ledge of the odometer so we can tell how fast we are driving. the door locks are frozen, on the driver's side the key cannot be inserted all the way into the lock, on the passenger side the key goes in but does not turn.
301/01/1999
 All windows but front driver's side fail to operate. they did work when purchased and then failed one by one.
 While driving the vehicle caught on fire under the dash area, cause unknown. please give any further details. *ak
08/01/199807/01/1998
 The light that illuminates the speedometer on the instrument panel is inoperable due to a malfunction within the instrument panel cluster. *ak
03/03/1998
 Consumer has been experiencing problems with the dashboard electrical system. while driving lights blew out, followed by smoke. the smoke was white and smelled of burnt wires. the manufacturer has been contacted. *ak
10/15/1998107/06/1995
 Received recall notice in the mail (#98v160000) (mfg. recall #uc) & notified dealer. was informed that parts were not available. called manufacturer & told parts mailed to dealer. dealer has yet to receive parts for hood latch. been to 2 dealerships. *ak transmission was rebuilt three times. radio failed. cluster housing replaced three times. alarm computer replaced. headlight switch replaced.distributor cap and rotor button replaced. instrument cluster replaced. *yh
07/04/19981
 While driving towards home noticed smoke coming from dashboard. the wires started sparkling & then flames appeared. vehicle filled with smoke. fire department arrived to put flames out. *ak