*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Steering
I OWN A 1996 VW JETTA GLS AND MY CAR SMOKES FROM MY STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. I WILL BE DRIVING AND OUT OF NO WHERE WHITE SMOKE POURS OUT OF THE COLUMN. I THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE OF MY HEADLIGHTS BEING ON BUT THEN NOTICED IT DOING IT WITHOUT THEM ON. IT EVEN DOES IT WHEN THE CAR IS OFF! THIS I FEEL AND MY FRIEND WHO HAS THE SAME PROBLEM IS A FIRE HAZARD AND COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I CALLED A VW DEALERSHIP AND SPOKE TO THE MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME HE FEARED FOR MY LIFE AND IT SOUNDS LIKE A FIRE HAZARD OR IT COULD CAUSE MY BREAKS AND OTHER THINGS ON MY CAR TO FAIL. I COULD BE DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY AT 65 AND MY CAR CAN JUST DIE. I HAVE BROUGHT MY CAR TO 3 DIFFERENT MECHANICS FOR THIS…
Sep 10, 2008 · 102,000 milesElectrical system
WHEN THE VDO ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT CLUSTER "TOTAL" ODOMETER READING CROSSED FROM 299,999 MILES TO 300,000 MILES . . . THE WORD "TOTAL" DISAPPEARED AND MILEAGE DROPPED TO "0". THE "TRIP" SIDE OF THE ODOMETER WORKS OK. NOW (05/06/2010) THE JETTA IS ABOUT TO CROSS 350,000 MILES, BUT THE ODOMETER ONLY SHOWS 50,000 MILES. *TR
Aug 23, 2008 · 300,000 milesVehicle speed controlCrash3 injuries
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN AGGRESSIVE AND FORCEFUL ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO TWO PARKED VEHICLES. THE AMBULANCE AND POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER AND THE OCCUPANTS IN THE PARKED VEHICLES WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND SUSTAINED MODERATE INJURIES. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND EXTENT OF THE VEHICLE DAMAGE HAVE NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED. THE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.
Apr 23, 2009Visibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system › Heater core
DRIVING HOME FROM SCHOOL (12 MINUTE DRIVE) AT NIGHT AND THE AIR COMING FROM THE VENTS SMELLED FUNNY, LIKE COOLANT. I TURNED OFF THE FANS BUT STILL SMELLED FUNNY. I TURNED THE FANS BACK ON AND WHITE 'SMOKE' WAS COMING OUT OF THE VENTS AND IT SMELLED HEAVILY OF COOLANT. MY WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO FOG UP WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. I ROLLED DOWN MY WINDOWS AND SUNROOF AND TRIED EVERYTHING I COULD TO GET THE WINDOW TO DEFOG, BUT IT ONLY GOT WORSE. I COULD BARELY SEE AND FELT LIKE I WAS IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SO I PULLED OFF ON THE NEAREST COUNTY ROAD. THE CAR BEGAN TO OVERHEAT AND I STILL COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING SO I OPENED THE DOOR AND DROVE TO A SAFE SPOT AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. FOUND OUT…
Jul 20, 2007 · 125,000 milesLatches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
WELL, ITS AN OLD CAR YES AND HAVEN'T HAD ANY SEVERE MALFUNCTIONS EXCEPT ON PRETTY MUCH EVERY LATCH MECHANISM ON THE CAR. CURRENTLY, THE TRUNK DOES NOT OPEN. THE LATCH IS BROKE AND WILL NOT OPEN WITH KEY PLACED IN IT OR WITH RELEASE BUTTON. TO OPEN IT, I HAVE TO LAY THE BACK SEATS DOWN AND CRAWL INTO THE TRUNK AND ACTIVATE THE EMERGENCY RELEASE MANUALLY. TO ADD TO THE MESS, BOTH REAR DOORS WILL OPEN BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL CLOSE AGAIN. I'VE HAD TO RIG A WIRE TO PULL THE LATCH INTO ITS LOCKED POSITION TO KEEP BOTH DOORS CLOSED. (RESULTING IN THE ONLY 4 DOOR COUPE I KNOW OF!) *TR
May 1, 2004Visibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system › Heater core1 injury
DT*:THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH, THERE WAS STINGING/BURNING SENSATION TO THE CONTACT'S FOOT. WHEN THE FOOT WAS REMOVED FROM THE GAS PEDAL, A STEAMING LIQUID WAS OBSERVED ON THE FOOT AND ON THE FLOOR AROUND THE PEDALS. THE LIQUID WAS SPEWING FROM AN AREA UNDER DASHBOARD ABOVE THE GAS, BREAK AND CLUTCH PEDALS. STEAM/VAPOR ALSO APPEARED TO BE COMING OUT OF THE DEFROSTER VENTS ON THE DASHBOARD. THE ACCESSORIES WERE IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF AND THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED OVER AND OFF THE ROAD. THE HOT LIQUID CONTINUED TO SPEW AND BURN THE CONTACT'S FOOT AS THE BRAKES WERE BEING APPLIED. THE VAPOR OF THE LIQUID FILLED THE VEHICLE INTERFERRING WITH THE CONTACT'S…
Jun 22, 2006Latches/locks/linkages › Hood › Latch
IN LATE FEB 2005 PURCHASED A 1996 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA (WHICH WAS A CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE) AND IN (APPOX) SEPT 2005 WHILE DRIVING DOWN A PACKED FREEWAY DURING RUSH HOUR, IN THE MIDDLE LANE, THE HOOD OF MY VEHICLE FLEW UP. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60-65 MPH AND IT VISUALLY LOOKED LIKE A PIECE OF CARDBOARD CRUMPLING HOWEVER THE IMPACT WAS SO GREAT THAT IT CRACKED MY WINDSHIELD. I CONSIDER MYSELF AND THE PASSENGERS EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT WE WERE NOT INJURED AND/OR DID NOT CRASH. MY VEHICLE SUSTAINED TREMENDOUS BODY DAMAGE TO THE HOOD AND CAN NOT SHUT PROPERLY AND AS I MENTION PREVIOUSLY THE WINDSHIELD IS CRACKED ALL THE WAY ACROSS. I AM UNCERTAIN WHETHER OR NOT SIMILAR VEHICLES TO MINE HAVE HAD…
Sep 1, 2005 · 95,000 milesVisibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system › Heater core1 injury
ON JANUARY 12, 2006, AS I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AT 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AN OPAQUE WHITE GAS WAS QUICKLY RELEASED FROM MY HEATER VENTS AND WITHIN SECONDS EFFECTIVELY TURNED THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF MY CAR INTO A GAS CHAMBER. THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE INCREASED AFTER I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY REMOVE THE VEHICLE OF THE HIGHWAY. MY CAR WAS SOLD WITH A PERMANENT MAINTENANCE FREE PINK VW ANTIFREEZE. THE DOCUMENTATION THAT CAME WITH THE CAR INDICATED THAT OTHER THAN TOPPING OFF THE ANTIFREEZE PERIODICALLY THAT NO MAINTENANCE WAS NECESSARY. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT MY HEATER CORE FAILED; THE DEALER SAYS IT FAILED BECAUSE OF LACK OF MAINTENANCE. IF THE SYSTEM IS MAINTENANCE FREE THEN HOW CAN A COMPONENT…
Jan 12, 2006 · 114,500 miles
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.