18th Jun 2006, 20:11

I have had many problems with my 2001 Jetta as well. Most include oxygen sensors over and over, also all 4 windows getting stuck down numerous times... this I was told was because I lived in Florida and the plastic pieces melted. I have gone through several sets of brakes and tires. Now, I need a mass air flow sensor and my car will not go in reverse, yet the dealership is telling me nothing is wrong! And yes, my car too smells like crayons, and the outer surface is peeling off my doors on the inside and everything sticks to the seats... even with static guard on them!

15th Jul 2006, 12:59

I got my Jetta used last year. I loved it until it stopped wanting to go into reverse. Then it started to shake like it was going to stall and I have an automatic. I had to go to the dealer five times (literally) to get it fixed. Then a couple of months later (present) my car won't go into reverse AGAIN. It is so annoying because there should be a switch to release the ABS (anti brake system). It acts like I don't have the brake on. Then out of nowhere it will go into gear. Then I'm stranded at some random place when it decides not to go into reverse again. My car also smells like crayons. I thought it was from my daughter having crayons in the car until I found this site. That is a trip. I would definitely not buy a jetta. I'm sad to say that to because they look so nice. On the outside. The paint or whatever is peeling off the doors on the inside as well. Also everything stick to the seats. I want to get rid of it more than ever after seeing this site. Great I still owe two years on it.

29th Sep 2006, 14:06

2001 Jetta.

Purchased in January with a 40,000km warranty and have had mostly transmission shifting problems. Dealer replaced ECM and dashboard. Still problem persists, that of erratic shifting: if slowing down, suddenly, at times, a major down shift occurs without reason, as if the brakes were being applied. I have replaced four different light bulbs since owning the car for eight months. New rotors and brakes were replaced one week after I bought the car and now there is the occasional squeak, which I don't think is moisture related, as there has been no rain or any sprinklers nearby. It handles beautifully, but I am concerned about the transmission. A mechanic once told me that the newer cars come with transmissions good to 100,000km, chuck and replace variety. I wonder about the Jetta transmission. Anyway, I hope the car will serve me well.

8th Oct 2006, 22:51

I am a dealer and I sell VW Jettas. I have seen everything go wrong with them. They are good sellers. They all have the same problems. I think they are still better than Chrysler or GM. Just Stay away from the VW automatic transmissions.

Art--

10th Oct 2006, 20:14

I have also never heard of a duration change like that, but I can say that it's too bad you didn't have our VW dealer experience - they bent over backwards to make us happy, even going so far as sneaking in a temporary odometer rollback once after the warranty mileage had been exceeded to get work done under warranty (they re-set to original mileage after work was done).

If anybody is lucky enough to live near Stevens Creek VW in San Jose, CA, this is the experience you get there and I couldn't recommend them more.

10th Oct 2006, 20:18

PS, we have also had the window clip problem on my Mom's New Beetle, that's a notorious VW problem (and trust me, they have many). Freaked us out at first, but Stevens Creek's service department had us out with a fixed window the very same day.

1st Dec 2006, 01:07

I own a 2001 Jetta, I have had it for 5 years. I have had nothing, but problems from when I drove it of the lot I bought it from. The first 3 months the Jetta was in the shop for a high pitch ringing nose out of the speaker. They thought it was the alternator. I should of gave that car back to the dealer. Now 5 years later the check engine light comes on all the time, it down shifts when I am driving, and dies out of no where after shaking and like everyone it smell like crayons I just thought that it was suppose to smell that way. My sensor val in stuck and now just Tuesday I was go reverse up my drive way and the reverse just stop working. The dealership that works on my Jette said it was going to be 4-5 thousands dollars to fix. If anyone knows what happen or what went wrong or if this has happen to you let me know. I am getting it fix and tradeing it in.

Tried of the JETTA PROBLEMS!!!

10th May 2007, 16:00

I bought my car 8 months ago. The 1st month or 2 it was in the shop once a week. ALl with the check engine being on. They replaced all the oxygen sensors and the cat until the thing went off. Also the mid muffler and starter were replaced.

Now I need tires, front rotors, and the whole timing belt assembly needs to be replaced all at a whoppin $1500. Does anyone have any reccomendations on the issue with my timing belt. How easy is it for a normal owner to change. The had told me it is 800 dollars to fix and you also need to replace other things while doing the belt.

Selling it at this point is worthless because it has 106000 miles on it.

20th Jun 2007, 17:13

Our passenger power window broke the other day on our 2001 Beetle. We've yet to have it fixed.

The EPC light came on and the car won't shift out of park. This is the second time this shift problem has occurred.

The plastic knob that controls the mirrors snapped off with ease, which has rendered it unusable.

... And yes, the crayon smell envelops you each and every time you get in.

25th Jun 2007, 09:35

I have an '01 Wolfsburg. The water pump went at 56k and the battery just died at 60k. Aside from the crayons, the only problems are to be expected with any car.

8th Dec 2007, 15:37

Re: Commenter on 4th Sep 2007, 11:43:

You hit the nail right on the head. Except for the check engine light, I have the same automatic transmission problem on my 92K-mile 2001 2.0 Jetta. I brought it to the dealer 3 times already and they drove it around for more than a hundred miles, but they couldn't duplicate the problem. When I asked their Service Dep't about having seen these symptoms before, they said it could be any one of a half-dozen problems. They also said that if they looked at each possibility and didn't find the problem there, I would be charged labor! They basically said that the car would have to die on the road before the problem could be diagnosed. Additionally, they can't just change a transmission (I understand this), but they should at least look at it. I was told that VW's mechanics need a complete failure before they can fix a problem.

I guess the car will have to die out, but hopefully not in a perilous situation.