2003 Volkswagen Jetta GLS 1.8 turbo from North America

Summary:

Invest your money in Honda or other Japanese car!!! My next car will not be VW that's for sure..

Faults:

I have a 2003 Jetta GLS 1.8T. Lets put it this way...Just about everything under the sun has gone WRONG with this car. Thought I was making an investment on a reliable car...what a mistake that was. Waterpump busted, Temp sensor went, coolant was NOT circulating...and the iceing on the cake..freakin' radiator had a crack!! I don't even feel like I drive a car that has 180 ponnies under the hood, more like it has 115 hp.

Now every time I sit & drive the car, I am worried that some thing else will go wrong and there goes yet another $1500...HONDA CIVIC here I come!!!!

Faulty catalytic converter, got that changed.. and my car started to overheat not even in two minutes of driving... go figure! I would've been much happier with a CIVIC!!

General Comments:

I took care of it from the day I purchased it. From putting premium gas, oil change with 1000 miles under..and still full of problems!!!! After three re-calls and countless repairs, I am sure I won't be making another VOLKSWAGEN purchase as long as I live. Just disappointed!!! Didn't realize it will cost me this much money, and most importantly for a car that is less than 5 years old!!!

Just a $MONEY$ eating piece of JUNK!!!!!!!!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 4th April, 2007

2003 Volkswagen Jetta 1.7T from North America

Summary:

Great looking car on the road, but I don't know

Faults:

Radio stopped playing the first day I purchased the car.

General Comments:

The same day I purchased my 2003 Jetta (Friday March 16), the radio stopped working, so I called the dealership and told them about it. They told me to bring the car back the next day.

Later that evening (the same day I purchased the car), I went out to the garage to take a short trip to the gas station to get drinks for dinner, and to my surprise the car would not start up. So, I immediately called the dealership again, and told them about it. They asked me if I had anyone to give me a jump start, so I got a jump start and it started right up. Turned it off and it would not start again. Got another jump start and it started right up.

The next morning the dealership sent a tow truck to pick up the car. I googled my problem and came up on this website. I called the dealership and told them what I found out online about the problem, and they said they checked the fuses and they were fine. They said that the reason my car wouldn't start was the alternator, and they replaced it and the car starts fine now, but the radio still isn't working.

I didn't purchase the car from a Volkswagen dealership, so they said they were going to send my car to a radio shop tomorrow morning (Monday).

My question is can this problem be solved? I'm a young lady and I don't want to keep going back and forth with a malfunctioning radio. Since it is not the fuse, do you all think it is something really bad that is going to keep on tormenting me? If it is not the fuse, what could it be?

I really like the car. Whoever the previous owner was keep it in GREAT condition. It is 4 years old, but it looks like it came off the showroom floor. PLEASE HELP?

Remember the radio stopped playing first and then the car wouldn't start. Do you think it wasn't getting the proper juice to it since the alternator was bad? But now it has a new alternator and it still doesn't work. I DON'T KNOW! SO FRUSTRATED!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 18th March, 2007

23rd Mar 2007, 20:41

Is your radio the Monsoon or VW Sound system? Those newer radios have those awful codes only the dealers can reset, it seems as though the code was somehow reset, possibly in the replacement of the alternator. Or, your previous owner took out that stereo and replaced it with a non-stock one, and then re-installed the factory stereo when he sold it, possibly damaging something.

4th May 2007, 10:53

I have a 2002 Jetta (Automatic) with 103,000 miles on it, and my radio just broke about a week ago too. I had a monsoon system, but it was total crap. Instead of getting another factory radio installed by Volkswagon, I just took it to a local shop and had them put in a JVC for $160. I really like it because it plays MP3 CDs and also because the sound quality is so much better... even with factory speakers. I would just replace your radio with a nice JVC or Pioneer... if you listen to the radio/CD player as much as I do you won't regret it.

8th Jan 2010, 13:53

So what was the outcome of the malfunctioned radio? I have the same problem, do I have to take it to the dealer for "recoding?" Is this something that I can do from home. I've checked the fuses and the only burned out was the "lighter" fuse. I've since replaced it, that was when the radio went out, now that I HAVE replaced the fuse it still doesn't turn on!! As a matter of fact, it doesn't do anything!! It stays on the same channel, 88.3, I can't turn it up or change it or insert a CD or a tape!!! Please, please what do I need to do???!!!