24th Jul 2010, 01:02
I recently bought a 2005 Jetta GLI. It now has about 73,000 miles on it.
I've been experiencing a lot of the same problems: there's a weird clicking sound that comes and goes behind the dash, chipped and cracked window and lock buttons, chrome finish on door handle, and shift knob peeling, glove box door recently broke, lights in the dash come and go, have a hard time sliding both the driver and passenger seats back and forth (both the handles for that fell off too), the knobs that holds the floor mats in place all broke, and I bet I'm forgetting a few things!
Overall, I love my car and I take really good care of it. I've had it for less than 2 years. I want to get another Jetta, but all the problems I'm having with this car is really giving me second thoughts. Ugh.
29th Jul 2010, 16:34
I will never buy another VW again. I bought this car as a replacement for my Plymouth Breeze. The Breeze was only in the shop for one issue and scheduled service in 100,000 miles. My 2005 Jetta has been in for electrical, radio, sunroof, and alignment problems plus now the low beam headlights no longer work... they stay off even when you lower the handbrake. It's going in to the shop again. VWs answer is "maybe it's a blown bulb." When I told them I had replaced some of the bulbs (including a headlight bulb last week), they were like "oh, we'll have to look at it".
9th Oct 2010, 14:24
Solution for peeling paint on radio controls!!!
Just purchased an 06 Jetta for my daughter that is about to start driving. The car is in MINT condition with low mileage. The only flaw I found was that the radio controls along with the window lock button on the driver door have started bubbling and peeling. The window lock button on the door was completely peeled off and didn't look bad all white. The radio buttons on the other hand were chipping and looked like crap.
While not the perfect solution >>> we popped all the radio buttons off (using a small butter knife - they pop off pretty easily). We then sanded down the front and sides of each button -- making sure to get all loose paint off. Using a piece of cardboard, I punch holes large enough, but still snug to pop each button into. I found a textured flat black spray paint specifically for plastic at home depot. Sprayed each button (fronts and all sides without getting any paint on the clip that inserts back into stereo) several times with thin coats. Let dry completely and pop them out of cardboard and back in your stereo. The downside is that your do not have labels telling you what the buttons are for anymore, but it looks awesome and so much better than peeling, chipping paint.
21st Oct 2010, 16:08
I bought a New Jetta 2.5, Package 0 in September of 2005.
I have 148500 miles on it and here is a list of repairs, beyond regular maintenance, that I have had to do:
- Wiring harness for the trunk and windows at around 100k.
- Motor for the passenger window at around 110k.
- Latch for the trunk at around 90k.
- Headlights.
- Tail lights.
- Turning signal in passenger mirror.
- Brakes at 60k and 120k.
- Tires at 85k.
- Secondary cooling fan at 130k.
As for problems and irritations, I have the peeling button problem, and the pass through ski door is hard to lock.
All in all, this car runs like a top, handles great, is fast, but good on gas, comfortable and stylish. The paint still shines like new and nobody believes I have 148k on it.
I stopped doing regular maintenance at 100k, but will start again since I now want to get 10 years/300k out of it. So far, factoring in maintenance and repair costs, the car has cost me $25k... or about $100 a week. It has been a good investment. If I get another five years out of it, the figure will be closer to $50 a week, which will then be a GREAT investment.
16th Nov 2010, 14:02
I bought my 05 Jetta 2.5 new. I too have had issues with the paint peeling, clock losing time and the outside temperature sensor replaced twice. I live in So Cal and it is definitely not -30 degrees outside, the radio volume decreases when it wants, and now today, with 87,000 miles, it needs a new transmission for $5000. I called the VW consumer advocate, and of course they can't do anything to help since the car is out of warranty, but they will give me a $1,000 voucher towards the purchase of a new VW... like I want to do that!
Of course I have to fix it - I have no other vehicle, and it is worthless with a broken transmission. I had several customers at the dealership inform me that the Jetta is notorious for transmission replacements at 60,000 miles or less. I guess I should consider myself lucky to have gotten 87,000 on mine. Just wish I had $5,000 laying around, and I wish to find a job, and I wish for happier days in the future. Now where is my magic wand?
19th Dec 2010, 03:58
2005 Jetta has left my girl and our 2 year old stranded twice in one month in the mountains in bad weather. Paid 7 grand 2 months ago for this very sharp looking junk.
16th Jan 2011, 00:42
I am very surprised, but a little relieved to know that I am not the only one with all the issues with my 05 VW Jetta 2.5.
It seems like everything is going out all at once. My trunk will not stay shut in cold weather, my brake lights stay on all the time, the driver's side door says that it's open all the time, the engine runs really loud at times, like it is idling out of the roof, the car will put out like it's not getting gas to the engine, and it seems like no one can change the oil right. Everywhere I go, people always have problems getting the plate off underneath the car to get to the oil pan.
I have to say that I will NEVER buy another VW again in my life. Very disappointed.
28th Mar 2011, 19:02
Same exact issue with the solenoid problems, etc. It's been an absolute nightmare. I spent $700 for a valve body harness that fixed nothing.
I am working on getting out of this awful thing ASAP.
15th Apr 2011, 14:43
I have the same car and exactly the same problems, even the 2 minutes in the watch. But in general I love this car, would never have an American car again, way more trouble than this car.
10th Jul 2010, 12:53
I bought a Jetta 2005 last year. And a couple of months later, I noticed the passenger side exterior lights comes on automatically when the car was parked in the street. So I ignored the problem and I though maybe I accidentally forgot to switch off the lights. Again, this incident happened last week! So the next day, I took the car to the dealership and they told me : I need to give more information in order for the technician to find the problem. And the diagnosis alone will be very expensive! They recommendation was for now just ignore it until the re occurrence of the problem. It seems like the car has mind of its own! I wonder, if anyone has experienced this problem and how to fix it?