Faults:

Transmission needed to be replaced at 35,000 miles. Dealer tried to tell me wasn't covered under warranty, but eventually agreed to replace under warranty.

Rear brake pads worn after 12 months.

Driver window fell into door.

Battery died after 18 months.

Passenger window faulty.

General Comments:

This car is sexy, but has serious quality control issues. I'm just waiting for the next thing to break.

Faults:

Cup Holder broke after three years and I have not replaced it because it is out of warranty and will cost over 100.00 to fix.

Cannot shift into reverse sometimes and dealer cannot find problem.

The mass airflow sensor went bad and was not covered under the warranty and the recall only covered it up to 70,000 miles. This was a 200.00 cost.

All of the interior rubber services have begun to peel completely off.

The dash popped open one day for no reason and the side clip broke so it doesn't shut well.

The power window clips have broken 3 times causing the window to just fall down while driving, sitting, etc. So this is a day at the dealer getting this fixed.

Brake dust on drums are horrible. Takes forever to get off the wheels.

Seats collect dust, lint and hair and ball up so it is impossible to get off.

Carpet is wearing quickly.

Maintenance is expensive for anything that you do on this car.

General Comments:

I had had Honda's up until the last two cars. The Volkswagen before this one someone hit me and totaled it at 3000 miles. I bought this one and have been disappointed since about the beginning of year 2. I won't buy another Volkswagen. I do have to say it drives great and does handle well, but, the interior quirks I just cannot stand and I do not like taking a day off to be at the dealer for the maintenance problems it creates.

Faults:

I encountered my first problem with the rear passenger door speaker (woofer). The sound kept cutting out. Brought it to Dublin VW, CA. Twice. Second time they replaced the entire speaker. (first time they said it was a loose wire) Still under warranty = free (minus my time).

My second problem was with the rear seat cup holder. Opened it once, then it would never close. Fixed by Dublin VW, first time. Still under warranty = free (minus my time).

My third problem was with the engine. The engine light came on. Called and asked Dublin VW if it was OK to drive, until I could get it to the dealership. The said "yes", as long as the check engine light wasn't blinking. It wasn't so I continued to drive it for 4 more days. Once my Jetta was at Dublin VW, they mentioned it was a problem with the oxygen sensor. Replaced and drove away happy. Still under warranty = free (minus my time).

My fourth problem was again with the engine light coming on. Called a different dealer (closer to my house), they told me to bring it in immediately (no driving). Bob Lewis VW mentioned I had a blown head gasket. Major! They had the car for a full week. Very friendly and fixed it the first time. Not a problem since. Still under warranty = free (minus my time).

My fifth problem was with the A/C. A musty, old smell coming through the vents after the A/C was turned off. Bob Lewis deodorized the system and flushed the refrigerant. Fixed and never a problem again. Bob Lewis VW mentioned it might have been caused by the blown head gasket. Leaky oil smell. Still under warranty = free (minus my time).

My sixth problem was with the front passenger side window. Rolled it down and SNAP. The window wouldn't roll back up. A call to Bob Lewis confirmed that VW knew about the problem and will fix it for free (all windows). No longer under warranty = fixed for free (minus my time).

My seventh problem showed up right when I was trying to sell the Jetta. I opened the glove box to get the paper work, and SNAP. The hinge on the glove box broke. How embarrassing. The purchaser didn't mind. I never had to deal with this problem.

General Comments:

With all my problems listed above with my Jetta, I loved the car! I didn't realize it "until" after I had sold it. I bought a 2001 2WD Jeep Grand Cherokee. What a huge mistake. That's another story.

I've experienced some of the problems I've read here on CarSurvey. The seats creaked a little bit. The Auto transmission had an annoying long delay when shifted between park and drive. Other than that, the Jetta is a very, very fun and lively car.

I'm currently trying to sell my Jeep, to purchase another Jetta. If you look closely at the progress VW has made with the Jetta between the 2001 and 2003 model years, you'll notice a drastic decline in unhappy owners. Check it out.

The problems were frustrating/time consuming, but I cannot get over the ride quality and fun of driving this car. For the price, you cannot get the same feel and excitement with any other car!!

Go test drive one today.