1994 Volkswagen Jetta Owner Complaints

THE IN TANK FUEL PUMP DESIGN HAS THE ACTUAL PUMP SITTING IN A PLASTIC HOUSING WITH RUBBER SEALS AT THE TOP AND BOTTOM TO KEEP FUEL AROUND THE PUMP FOR COOLING, EVEN WHEN THE TANK QUANTITY GETS LOW. THE RUBBER SEALS ON MY FUEL PUMP ROTTED AND DISINTEGRATED. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE PUMP TO OPERATE WITHOUT THE DESIGNED COOLING OF THE PUMP AT LOW GAS LEVELS. OVERHEATING OF THE PUMP BECAUSE OF THIS COULD RESULT IN A GAS TANK FIRE OR EXPLOSION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10235254

Incident

Jul 21, 2008

Mileage

59,000 mi

AIRBAG CONTROL MODULE FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING. I NOTICED THE RED LIGHT FOR THE AIRBAG DID NOT GO OFF (NOT NOTICEABLE IN DAYLIGHT) THIS COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. THE CAR ONLY HAS 92K MILES. THE WARNING LIGHT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE IN BRIGHT DAYLIGHT. IF IT FAILS IN THE MIDDLE OF A JOURNEY THERE IS NO WARNING SOUND.... CONSUMERS CAN BE KILLED OR MAIMED IF AN ACCIDENT OCCURS WITHOUT REALIZING THIS PART HAS STOPPED FUNCTIONING, DRIVERS MAY GET A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY. I TOOK THE CAR TO A VW DEALER WAS TOLD THAT THE CONTROL MODULE FOR THE AIRBAG HAD STOPPED WORKING. WE, (MY HUSBAND AND I), CALLED VW OF AMERICA, BUT WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE THE CAR WAS 1. OUT OF WARRANTY, 2. 'OLD' (13 YRS) AND 3. 92, 000 MILES THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WOULD BE DONE TO RECTIFY THE ISSUE. WE DISAGREED; THIS IS NOT A PART THAT SHOULD WEAR OUT, ESPECIALLY IF THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. IT'S NOT THE SAME AS ENGINE PARTS, TIRES, BODY, ETC. THAT SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO WEAR AFTER TIME AND MILEAGE. THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SEEMED ONLY CONCERNED ABOUT IT IF THE CAR IS WITHIN THE WARRANTY PERIOD. I AM SUPPOSED TO GET BACK TO DEALER WITH A DECISION TO REPLACE THE MODULE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10184488

Incident

Mar 1, 2007

Mileage

91,800 mi

WHILE OPERATING MY VEHICLE (1994 VW JETTA) THE HOOD LATCH BROKE AND HOOD DETACHED FROM LOCK FLEW UP CRACKING MY WINDSHIELD, BRAKING WIPERS, I LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE CRASHING INTO DIVIDER OF HIGHWAY. BY THE GRACE OF GOD I WAS ABLE TO AVOID TRAFFIC AND DROVE TO SAFETY AS MY HOOD COVERED THE WINDSHIELD. THE GLASS SHATTERED OVER THE FRONT DRIVING AREA. THANK GOD MY CHILDREN WERE NOT WITH ME AT THIS TRAUMATIC TIME. I HAD TO CALL FOR HELP AND USE FIRST AID FOR CUTS. I WAS UNAWARE OF RECALL AND REPAIRED WINDSHIELD,WIPERS AND TEMPORARILY STABILIZED HOOD. *JB

NHTSA ID

10161216

Incident

Nov 20, 2005

WHILE DRIVING 25-55 MPH VEHICLE STALLED, DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10074118

Incident

Apr 20, 2004

Mileage

185,000 mi

CLUTCH CABLE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10043032

Incident

Jan 2, 2003

WIRES ARE BURNED OUT INSIDE DASHBOARD PANEL, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUTDOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. PLEASE FURNISH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10006149

Incident

Jan 15, 2003

CONSUMER STATES THAT HEATING/AIR CONDITIONING CONTROL UNIT IS DEFECTIVE. HAS HAD TO REPLACE 4X. ON TWO OCCASIONS, WAS DRIVING AND BEGAN TO SMELL A "WIRE" BURNING SMELL, NOTICED SMOKE EMITTED FROM VENTS. REACTION MELTED THE FRONT OF PANEL BOTH TIMES ALMOST CAUSING A FIRE. TS

NHTSA ID

8024047

Incident

Dec 1, 2002

WHEN SLOWING DOWN VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT A HIGH SPEED, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.*AK THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AND STRUCK A MANURE TANK SPREADER, THERE WAS ONE INJURY. *YH

NHTSA ID

8014140

Incident

Jul 12, 2002

AIR BAGS INFLATED LEAVING A POWDERY RESIDUE ON EVERYTHING INSIDE VEHICLE. CONSUMERS MOTHER HAD A SEVERE ALLERGIC REACTION TO THE RESIDUE. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO SEE WARNINGS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ALLERGIC TO THE AIR BAG RESIDUE. *JG

NHTSA ID

564720

REAR WINDOWS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY DUE TO A SHORT IN ELECTRIC WINDOW REGULATOR. RECALL 96V122000 WAS ISSUED; THIS VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED. *AK

NHTSA ID

8005578

INTERMITTENTLY CRUISE CONTROL BECOMES INOPERABLE, AND THROTTLE DOES NOT RETURN TO IDLE. RECALL 95E34000 WAS ISSUED; HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN.*AK

NHTSA ID

8005576

DRIVER AND PASSENGER POWER DOOR LOCKS DO NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK PROPERLY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. ALSO WINDOWS MALFUNCTIONED, WINDOWS WILL NOT GO UP OR DOWN.*AK. THE WINDOW REGULATOR WAS FOUND TO BE FAULTY, WAS MAKING A GRINDING NOISE. THE HOOD WILL NOT OPEN, THE CABLE CAME LOOSE FROM THE HOOD LATCH. THE SUNROOF WAS BROKEN THE CABLE AND WIND DEFLECTOR WAS INOPERABLE. THE RADIO HAD AN INTERNAL SHORT. *JG

NHTSA ID

8003938

BLOWER SWITCH GETS EXTREMELY HOT WHEN AIR CONDITIONING IS RUNNING. ACTUALLY BEGAN TO SMOKE FROM THE DASH AND MELTED THE SWITCH BEZEL. I WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE HEAT WITH MINIMAL DAMAGE ONLY TO THE BLOWER SWITCH AND DASH FASCIA. I'M NOT POSITIVE THAT IT RESULTED IN FIRE, BUT I AM POSITIVE IT WOULD HAVE IF I HAD NOT SHUT THE CAR OFF IMMEDIATELY. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THIS MODEL YEAR JETTA.*AK

NHTSA ID

750985

Incident

Aug 1, 2001

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, ENGINE SHUTS DOWN PARTICULARLY WHEN HOT (~190 F ). SOMETIMES WHEN ENGINE IS IDLE, WHILE HOT, VEHICLE STALLS AND SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE HAS TO BE RESTARTED TO REGAIN POWER. EVIDENTLY THIS ENGINE PROBLEM CAUSES A SAFETY HAZARD, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING AT ANY SPEED. THIS CONDITION OCCURS FREQUENTLY: THAT IS WHILE ENGINE IS HOT, IT SHUTS DOWN, THEN RESTART ENGINE AFTER IT COOLS SOMEWHAT, VEHICLE MAY RESTART; BUT AGAIN THIS WILL REPEAT ITSELF EVEN FOR SHORT DRIVING DISTANCES. DEALER CLAIMS IT CANNOT FIND ANY ENGINE PROBLEM!!!!!. *AK

NHTSA ID

750626

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

747072

Incident

May 10, 2001

RIGHT REAR WINOW INOPERATIVE/REPAIRED 3 TIMES IN PAST SAME PROBLEM-REGULATOR. *AK

NHTSA ID

744462

Incident

Apr 23, 2001

INNER SIDEWALLS ON 3 OF 4 TIRES HAVE SPLIT - 2 OCCURRED WHILE NOT DRIVING AND THE OTHER OCCURED AT LOW SPEED. THEY HAVE ALL FAILED IN LESS THEN ONE MONTH. I HAVE THE THIRD FAILED TIRE AND THE FORTH ORIGINAL. THERE ARE NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF DAMAGE AROUND THE SPLITS. THE MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVE SAID THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST OCCURANCE BUT THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO.*AK (TIRESIZE: 185/60R14)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 185/60R14 )

NHTSA ID

741281

Incident

Feb 1, 2001

THE ELECTRICAL WIRING IN THE DASH FAILED RESULTING IN VEHICLE FIRE. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) *MJS

NHTSA ID

559642

Incident

Dec 27, 2000

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE BEEN EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP ON SIX OCCASIONS, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID

877972

Incident

Sep 15, 1999

TIMING BELT DETERIORATED, CAUSING DAMAGE TO ENGINE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK THE TIMING BELT FAILURE DAMAGED THE ENGINE BECAUSE OF FAULTY ENGINE DESIGN. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT INNER TUBE WAS FOUND IN SUPPOSEDLY TUBELESS TIRE WHEN THE TIRE BECAME FLAT. *YH

NHTSA ID

877707

Incident

Nov 8, 2000

ELECTRICAL HARNESSES (3) FAILED CAUSING FIRE.*ET

NHTSA ID

784955

Incident

Oct 9, 2000

ENGINE STALLS WITH NO WARNING. ENGINE ALWAYS RESTRARTS BUT HAVING ENGINE DIE IN TRAFFIC IS DANGEROUS. ALSO, DRIVERS SEAT FRAME BROKE, AIR CONDITIONER FAILED, TIMING BELT BROKE AT 50,000 MILES AND JACK COLLAPSED.

NHTSA ID

730103

BLOWER SWITCH, BLOWER MOTOR, RESISTER AND SWITCH FAILED. BLOWER SWITCH GOT SO HOT THAT IT STARTED MELTING. IF I DIDN'T NOTICE IT IN TIME, IT COULD HAVE POSSIBLY CAUSED A FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID

725754

TRUNK DOOR PIERCES TAIL LIGHT LENSE WITH CORNER. TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY TAKES ON WATER IN RAIN AND SHORTS OUT LIGHTS AND OTHER ELECTRONICS. DEALERSHIP NOTES THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURS WITH 1994 JETTA III GL'S. SDO FAR, I HAVE NOT HAD ANY LUCK GETTING WARRANTY SERVICE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

723740

Incident

Mar 1, 1996

DOOR LOCKS FAILED. *MJS

NHTSA ID

784589

Incident

Jul 1, 1997