19th Oct 2002, 00:29

I wasn't aware that there are so many other problems with these VW's. I have a 2000 Jetta 1.8T, and it has been to the dealership SIX times since June 2000 for defective regulators in the front passenger and driver windows. Luckily, they have taken care of the problem each time, even though I'm out of warranty. They claim that this problem should no longer occur, since VW has fixed the part.

I'll believe it when I can drive for more than five months and not need to return to the shop.

Another thing... What is that terrible grinding noise in my brakes? I cannot bring myself to pay VW $75 just to simply tell me what might be wrong.

That wax that I am told is added in/on the doors to prevent damage from salt on the road during snow (even though I'm in southern California, where the temperature is considered cold at 60 degrees) is one of the most annoying things I've ever experienced in a car.

I doubt that I will ever buy a VW again. We have had a few in our family, but none with as many problems as this Jetta.

27th Nov 2002, 08:34

Wow. And we thought we were the only ones. Where to start?

We have a 2000 Jetta GLS 2.0. I now compare it to a $22,000 Chevette! It has a mere 35000 on the clock, and here are rundowns of the problems thus far. (All, but last few have been corrected)

Airbag light on.

Bulb in HVAC controls burned out.

Cruise control not working.

The drivers window (there is an understanding that VW will fix this for free now), The cheap plastic clips that secure the window to the track broke, dropping the glass into the door. The dealer did repair this with updated parts that are now metal, and did both front windows free of charge.

The temperature gauge works when it wants to.

The check engine light is on more than it is off. No problems ever found.

And the drivers side heated mirror seems to not be working now.

And the transmission takes forever to engage from reverse to drive. I'm sure this will be the next to go.

I'll never own another one. German engineering? This is coming from people who are fascinated with their own fecal matter. No thanks, I'll stick with domestics that I can work on myself, and get the parts without having to take out a second mortgage. Best of luck, buyers beware!

-Greetings from Baltimore, MD.

26th Feb 2003, 17:04

2000 VW diesel beetle. Love the mileage, but the repair expenses are awful. If someone would have told me I needed a $750 timing belt replacement at 40,000 miles; or a $1100 glow plugs/mass air sensor at 60,000 miles I would have never bought a VW. Brakes always seem to go away, taking the rotors with them, headlight bulb replacement (5 in 60k) cost $60+. Rear window shattered while parked (in garage). BOTTOM LINE: every 5k oil change runs up a $500 bill for something or another. I'm beginning to feel the dealer's are making up small sales margins with the promise of huge repair/service profits. Too bad, I'd have bought several more VW's for my business. Honda's anyone?

14th Jun 2003, 22:06

I have a 2001 VW Golf and I have had a lot of problems such as:

Driver's side window clips replaced twice and the front passenger one time.

Broken gas flap.

My check engine light came on at 10,000 miles and did not take it in. It ran awful, I was getting bad gas mileage, burning oil, but I instead kept on driving it. After about 13,000 the light cut off and the car ran like was new again.

I have owned a 69 Bettle and loved it, but I will never buy another new VW.

18th Jun 2003, 23:09

Wow! I guess I'm not the only one with V W issues! I have a 2002 VW Jetta. I bought it just over a year ago and I have 39k miles on it. At 5k I started having transmission problems. it shifts very hard between 2-3. The first time I complained they said it needed a new computer chip. so they replaced the so called chip and it was still shifting hard. They then decided that I needed a new transmission at 10k. At 15k same problem all over again, however I have been to 2 different dealerships and 1 can't even feel the hard shifts and the 2nd says its "a normal condition" what is that supposed to mean? I'm to the point that I just want a new car. I have been trying to work this out for the last 20k. I am very frusterated!

I guess I should consider myself lucky, compared to everyone else on here mine sounds like its in okay shape for VW.

2nd Jul 2003, 10:51

Hello fellow VW sufferers.

I have a 2000 VW Golf w/2.0L 5 speed with 53K miles. You ready for this one. The check engine light came on about 10K miles ago. I took it in to 3 dealerships when the light first came on. This is how the story goes. I bought the car used and it is a certified pre-owned thus the warranty issue. Dealer #1 told me nothing is wrong with it, and they reset the light. On my way home the light came on again, there was a VW dealership off the freeway so I took it in. 5 hours later they told me it was my radio, since it was an aftermarket radio (which came with the car) it could not communicate with the cars computer. Funny, but how for the first 4 months when I first got the car, everything was working great. So I take it to the VW dealership that I bought the car (TransOcean VW Pasadena, CA) and told them what the other dealership told me. 4 days later, they called me and said that the radio was fine and that they could not see why the check engine light is on. Pissed off at this point that I had to pay for a rental car. I p/u my car and have been driving with the check engine light on since that day. I'm only hoping that the bulb will burn out and I won't have to look at it for much longer. Good luck to all you VW sufferers out there. I miss my TOYOTA (Oh what a feeling).