Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 220 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1995 Volkswagen Jetta. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 220 · page 1 of 9
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTORS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,040. UPDATED 03/14/12*LJ
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHEN COMING UP TO A STOP. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. CAR RESTARTS APPROX 1 TO 2 HOURS LATER WITH NO ISSUES, BUT FAILS AGAIN SEVERAL DAYS LATER. TAKEN VEHICLE TO MECHANIC NUMEROUS TIMES FOR PROBLEM WHICH COULD NOT BE RESOLVED. *TR
SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING WHEEL IN HOT WEATHER. *TR
DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY BURNING COOLANT STARTED SPEWING ON MY LEGS, I NEARLY LOST CONTROL, WHEN I PULLED OVER I NOTICED THAT THE CARPET WAS SOAKED IN ANTI-FREEZE. HEATER CORE BLEW. I CALLED VW AFTER HEARING THEY WOULD REPLACE FREE OF CHARGE AND WAS BLOWN OFF. *TR
HEATER CORE VW JETTA 1995. VW IS AWARE THAT HEATER CORES ON ALL JETTA'S FROM 1990-1998 HAVE A POORLY MANUFACURED HEATER CORE. IN 1990 THEY ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE 1990 PASSAT. THEY STILL HAVE NOT CORRECTED THIS FAULT AND WENT ON TO INSTALL THE SAME PART ON ALL 1990-1998 JETTA III'S. LAST WEEK WHEN I WAS DRIVING MY JETTA FILLED UP WITH COOLANT SMOKE IN THE CABIN. I VEERED OFF THE ROAD. I RAN INTO A FENCE. VW WHILE IT HAS OFFERED GOOD FAITH REPAIRS IN THE PAST NOW REFUSED TO COVER THIS SYSTEMIC FAILURE AND THE COST TO REPAIR THIS ITEM IS $500- $800. *TR
WELL, I' HAD SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE 1995 VW JETTA III. FIRST, I HAD TO PUT 2 NEW STRUTS PLUS A WHOLE NEW EXHAUST SYSTEM. NEXT, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED TO WORK. IT WAS TAXING ON THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION, AND IT COSTS OVER $450 USD TO REPAIR. ON MY WAY HOME FROM A 2 1/2 HOUR TRI THE CAR STALLED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I HAD TO PUSH THE CAR OFF THE ROAD, AND WHEN I CHECKED THE OIL I WAS SHOCKED TO DISCOVER I BARELY HAD HALF A QUART IN IT , AFTER HAVING AN OIL CHANGE LESS THAN 1200 MILES AGO. I GOT THE CAR HOME, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET THAT COST ME $900 USD. I GOT THE CAR FIXED, AND IT WAS RUNNING FINE FOR A WHILE, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STARTED STALLING AT RANDOM MOMENTS. ONE TIME, I WAS ON A NASTY MOUNTAIN ROAD, WITH NO PLACE TO STOP, I ALMOST HIT A ROCK WALL, I WAS BARELY ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO FINED THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. IT TOOK THEM 3 TIMES TO FIND OUT THAT IT WAS A CLOGGED FUEL PUMP. I ALSO HAVE A DUMMY AIR BAG LIGHT THAT NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT, AND NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I ASKED MY MECHANIC COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHY THE BATTERY LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. ANOTHER PROBLEM WAS THE WINDSHIELD COWL THAT PROTECTED THE CAR AND ENGINE FROM DEBRIS. IT WAS COMPLETELY DRY ROTTED, CAUSING WATER TO LEAK INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE FOOT WELLS. MY MOST RECENT PROBLEM HAS BEEN BEEN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR. MY BACK DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW HAS BEEN BROKEN SINCE I GOT THE CAR, BUT THIS WA SA NEW PROBLEM. APPARENTLY, YOU COULD NOT BUY JUST THE WINDOW REGULATOR, AND YOU HAVE TO BUY THE MOTOR AS WELL. I'M TIRED OF THE CAR, AND IT WAS UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE I LOVE DRIVING IT. IT WAS A NICE LOOKING CAR. ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS HAPPENE DTHE LAST YEAR, AND IT COST ME OVER $3,500 USD TO HAVE THEM FIXED.*AK
HOOD OPENED WHILE DRIVING REAR BRAKE LINE FAIL
HEATER CORE ON 95 JETTA GL III BROKEN. SEEMS TO BE A FAULTY PART WITH MANY, MANY VERIFIED COMPLAINTS. VWOA SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL AND REPLACE THIS PART FOR FREE. *NM
I HAD A COMPLETE BLOWOUT WHERE THE WHOLE TIRE RIPPED AWAY FROM THE TIRE WALL. THE TIRE HAD BEEN INSTALLED LESS THAN 24 HOURS. AT THE TIME I HAD SLOWED DOWN AND BEGUN TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY AFTER NOTICING THAT MY CAR WAS SHAKING SLIGHTLY. AS I REDUCED MY SPEED FROM 75 MPH TO 30 MPH, THE TIRE BROKE LOOSE AND I WAS DRIVING ON THE RIM. HAD I NOT PULLED OVER WHEN I DID, I HATE TO THINK WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED. *JB
EACH TIME SOMEONE USES THE REAR SEAT SAFETY BELT, THE BELTS DO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. THE BELTS REMAIN LOOSE AND CANNOT BE USED. I HAVE TAKEN THEM TO BE REPAIRED AND HAVE HAD TO PAY EACH TIME OUT OF MY OWN MONEY. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I HAVE HAD THE CAR. *NM
1) THERE WAS NO WARNING LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE. I WAS RETURNING HOME FROM WORK DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND HAD JUST COME TO A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AFTER EXITING THE HIGHWAY 2) THE HEATER CORE FAILED DEPOSITING ENGINE TEMPERATURE COOLANT (>200 DEGREE) INTO THE FOOT WELLS AND RELEASING COOLANT VAPORS INTO THE CABIN. THE WINDOWS WERE INSTANTLY OBSCURED AND I WAS FORCED TO LEAN OUT THE WINDOW TO REACH THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HAD I BEEN STILL ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS OCCURRED DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, I WOULD HAVE VERY LIKELY BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AS MY VISION WAS IMMEDIATELY IMPAIRED AND THE HOT COOLANT MADE MANIPULATING THE PEDALS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. 3) THE HEATER HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY BYPASSED IN THE ENGINE BAY PENDING THE RESOLUTION OF MY CASE WITH VW OF AMERICA TO DETERMINE IF THEY WILL COVER THE REPAIR COSTS. *JB
(1) I WAS OPERATING THE WINDOW NORMALLY AND THE WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED. THE WINDOW DROPPED INTO THE DOOR AND I WAS UNABLE TO PUT IT BACK UP. (2) THIS HAPPENED IN SEVER THUNDERSTORMS AND I WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE. I HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE AND SIT ON A NARROW SHOULDER UNTIL THE STORM PASSED. MY REAR WINDOW IS ALSO HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH A WINDOW REGULATOR, AND IS UNABLE TO GO UP AND DOWN. (3) I HAVE TO BUY A REPLACEMENT WINDOW REGULATOR AND INSTALL IT. THE OLD PART IS AVAILABLE. I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL EARLIER MODEL VOLKSWAGENS, YEAR 1995-1997 AND HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM ON ALL OF THEM. VOLKSWAGEN CHARGES AND OUTRAGEOUS PRICE TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT IS WAY TOO COMMON. I NEVER REALIZED HOW MUCH OF A SAFETY HAZARD IT WAS UNTIL IT HAPPENED TO ME IN A THUNDERSTORM AND I HAD TO PULL TO THE SHOULDER OF I-95 DURING A STORM WITH TERRIBLE VISIBILITY. *JB
I WAS ON MY WAY BACK TO GALVESTON FROM HOUSTON (ON I-45) WITH MY SPOUSE AND A TEN MONTH OLD SON IN OUR 95 VOLKWAGEN JETTA GLX VR6. AFTER CROSSING THE LAND BRIDGE, I SUDDENLY FOUND A DENSE WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM MY VENTILATION PORTS AND A DIFFERENT SMELL STARTED COMING. I COULD HARDLY SEE THE ROAD. INITIALLY, I THOUGHT IT MUST BE THE HEAVY DEW (HUMIDITY) ADSORBED ON THE WINDSHIELD. THEREFORE, I SLIGHTLY INCREASED THE TEMPERATURE RANGE OF THE HEATER BUT THE SITUATION BECAME WORST. THE CAR WAS WITH A SPEED 55 MPH. I SENSED THE DANGER IN CONTINUING TO DRIVE AND I PULLED OVER, OTHERWISE I COULD HAVE CRASHED. I WAS TOO SCARED AS MY FAMILY WAS WITH ME. I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I ALSO SAW THAT THE COOLANT TEMPERATURE INDICATOR WAS FLASHING. THEN I REALIZED THAT THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT MUST HAVE GONE WRONG. I CLEANED THE WINDSHIELD AND SLOWLY REACHED HOME AS I WAS VERY CLOSE TO GALVESTON. IT WAS A NIGHTMARE FOR ME. I THANK GOD THAT NOTHING WRONG HAPPENED. THE NEXT DAY, I CONTACTED THE AUTO MECHANICS TO ASK WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND TO ESTIMATE THE COST TO FIX IT. HE TOLD THE HEATER CORE BROKE AND REPAIR IS VERY COSTLY. I WAS SHOCKED TO HEAR THE PRICE. HE ADVISED TO BY PASS THE HEATER. SO I DID. NOW, MY CAR IS WITHOUT HEATER. IN THESE COLD DAYS I CAN''T TAKE MY FAMILY OUT ANYWHERE. I HOPE MY EXPERIENCE WILL HELP THE OTHER DRIVERS IN THE STATES SPECIFICALLY THOSE WHO ARE DRIVING SIMILAR CAR AS MINE. I ALSO HOPE THAT THE PART WHICH FAILED ON MY CAR WILL BE RECALLED AND GET FIXED. I PRAY NOBODY SHOULD GET IN THIS KIND OF SITUATION AND MENTAL STRESSES I WENT THROUGH. *JB
I WAS DRIVING A 1995 VW JETTA ABOUT 40 MPH. IN AN INSTANT, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WAS COVERED WITH STEAM AND I COULD NOT SEE THE ROAD. THERE WAS ALSO STEAM COMING OUT OF THE DASHBOARD VENTS WHICH WAS VERY DISTRACTING. I HAD TO BRAKE VERY QUICKLY AND HOPE THAT I DID NOT CRASH OR RUN OFF OF THE ROADWAY. I GOT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY DID A DIAGNOSIS AND SAID THAT THE HEATER CORE HAD RUPTURED. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVEABLE SINCE THE ENGINE CANNOT BE COOLED BECAUSE THE COOLANT WILL NOT STAY IN THE SYSTEM, I.E. IT LEAKS OUT VERY FAST. I DID NOT AUTHORIZE REPAIR AS OF 12/16/2005. *NM
I BOUGHT MY JETTA III GLS IN 1995 BRAND NEW. WITHIN A YEAR THE MOLDING ON THE DOORS STARTED PEELING OFF AND EVENTUALLY FALLING OFF. THE DEALER SENT IT TO A BODY SHOP TO HAVE IT GLUED AND IT NEVER STUCK. I'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR YEARS WITH ONE MOLDING MISSING. I HAVE REPLACED MULTIPLE POWER WINDOW MOTORS AND PARTS. FAILURE OF THESE POWER WINDOWS ARE CONSISTANTLY FAILING ONE AFTER THE ANOTHER. I HAD SMOKE AND AN ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND FAILING BLINKERS WHICH WERE BOTH RELATED. I REPLACED THE BLINKER SYSTEM AND PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. THE LOCK FREEZE EASILY IN COLD WEATHER AND I HAVE HAD THE DRIVER SIDE LOCK COMPLETELY FALL APART WHILE UNLOCKING THE CAR. THE SEAL ON FRONT WINDSHIELD IS WEARING AWAY CAUSING LEAKING OF RAIN AND THIS WILL BE FIXED WITH $100 RESEALING OF WINDSHIELD. RUSTING IS OCCURRING UNDER CAR AND ON UNDERSIDE OF DOORS, VW SAID IT MUST BE RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT TO BE COVERED (WOULDN'T THAT BE BIGGER PROBLEM IF IT OCCURRED FROM THE INSIDE??). THE OIL SEAL IS LEAKING. THE OXYGEN SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED AND NEEDS REPLACED AGAIN. THE MIDDLE CONSOLE WAS PERMANENTLY LOCKED AND DEALER TOOK IT LOCK OUT SAYING IT WAS BROKEN. THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID CONTAINER HAS BROKEN TWICE. THIS IS ALL WITH 85,000 MILES. THESE ARE COMMON PROBLEMS WITH JETTA BUT WINDOW MOTORS AND MOLDING ARE BY FAR TWO MAIN PROBLEMS THAT SHOULD BE COVERED WITH A RECALL, ASK ANY JETTA OWNER. *NM
DRIVING EAST ON I-70 ABOUT 15 MILES EAST OF FRISCO, CO, THERE WAS SUDDENLY THICK WHITE STEAM COMING OUT OF MY VENTS, FOLLOWED BY BOILING HOT COOLANT POURING ONTO MY FEET. IT WAS HARD TO SEE, AND HARD TO BRAKE BECAUSE OF THE HOT FLUID. I WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO PULL ONTO THE SHOULDER. I IMMEDIATLY CALLED VW OF AMERICA, BECAUSE I HAD HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING. MY FEET WERE COVERED IN COOLANT, AND BURNED. I CAN STILL TASTE THE COOLANT IN MY NOSE. THE HEATER CORE WENT OUT, AND CAUSED THE COOLAND TO ENTER THE HEATER DUCTS. THE CAR IS AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP TODAY, AND VW HAS SAID THAT THEY WILL PAY FOR THE REPAIR. IT AMAZES ME THAT THEY HAVE NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS PART, EVEN THOUGH THEY ISSUED RECALLS FOR THE OLDER CARS WITH SIMILIAR PROBLEMS. I JUST WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT WILL PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GETTING INTO TROUBLE BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART IN THE FUTURE.
WELL LETS START WITH THE WINDOW MOTORS, I HAVE HAD MY CAR SINCE 1998 AND I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY WINDOW MOTORS FOR EACH WINDOW AT LEAST 2 OR 3 TIMES. I WHICH I HAVE HAD TO PAY $300 OR MORE. ALSO THE SIDE STRIPING WHICH MELTS OFF IN THE SUN HAS BEEN REPLACED ALSO 3 OR 4 TIMES COSTING $100 EACH ROUND. WHY IS IT THAT THESE ITEMS HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED OR REPLACED FOR FREE WHEN IT IS NOT THE USERS FAULT FOR THESE ITEMS GOING BAD OR FALLING OFF!!!!!*JB
INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE LOST POWER AT A COLD START. SEVERAL DEALERSHIP SERVICED THE VEHICLE, BUT COULD NOT IDENTIFY WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER WAS AFRAID THAT LOSS OF POWER WILL OCCUR WHILE DRIVING OR PULLING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC.*AK THE VEHICLE WOULD LOOSE POWER WHEN THE BRAKE WAS PRESSED TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE. *NM
WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, A FIRE STARTED WITHIN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSING SMOKE TO COME OUT FROM THE A/C VENTS. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DROVE TO THEIR LOCATION. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. 8JB
1995 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED.*MR THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE DASH AREA. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. *NM
SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS
A PEDESTRIAN INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. VEHICLE WAS PUSHED FROM UNDER A CAR PORT ONTO THE STREET, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. FIRE STARTED FROM WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND BENEATH THE DASH. THE FIRST OWNER OF THE VEHICLE CLAIMED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD MANY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT.*AK
STEERING WHEEL BLOCKS ENTERING THE CURVE WHEN ROADS ARE WET. *LA
LOCKS BROKEN ON BOTH SIDES. *LA
WHERE TO START? PROBLEM WITH THE LOCK CYLINDERS, WHICH BROKE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED, INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTS BLOWN OUT, REPLACED THE BULBS AND 1 MONTH LATER THEY ARE BLOWN OUT AGAIN, WINDOW REGULATORS FAILED, THE STEEL CABLE SNAPPED INSIDE THE HOUSING FAULTY DESIGNED WHEEL AND MOTORS BLOWN, CAN NOT BUY MOTORS SEPARATELY NEED TO BUY THE WHOLE REGULATOR WHICH COSTS OVER $200, PAINT PEELED AND CRACKED, SIDE MOLDING FELL OFF HAD TO RE-GLUE, AND THAT IS ALL I CAN THINK OF OFF HAND I AM NOT INCLUDING THE NUMEROUS SUSPENSION AND EXHAUST PROBLEMS.*JB
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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