1995 Volkswagen Jetta Electrical Problems

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

NHTSA ID

10194082

Incident

Jun 23, 2007

Mileage

68,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10144435

Incident

Aug 24, 1995

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

NHTSA ID

10096589

Incident

Sep 14, 2004

Mileage

98,000 mi

SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS

NHTSA ID

10060416

Incident

Feb 29, 2004

Mileage

137,050 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10010897

Incident

Sep 24, 2000

Mileage

100,000 mi

CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE AND SMOKE EMITTED FROM IGNITION SWITCH. HAPPENED TWICE AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED AS A RESULT. PH WIPER MOTOR AND SWITCH REPLACED. *TT

NHTSA ID

8024007

Incident

Jul 1, 2002

Mileage

97,073 mi

THIS IS THE THIRD DISTRIBUTOR INSTALLED ON THIS VEHICLE. THE ORIGINAL DISTRIBUTOR FAILED AT 24K. THAT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AN THAT ONE FAILED AT 97,500. THE FAILURE RESULTS IN THE VEHICLE STUMBLING, AND STALLING IN TRAFFIC*AK.

NHTSA ID

747042

Incident

Mar 13, 2001

MASTER COMPUTER ORIGINALLY BLOWN 4/15/00, MILEAGE 93,000. REPAIRED AND REPLACED 5/00. BLOWN AGAIN 4/01/01. 11 MONTHS AND 17,000 MILES LATER AT 110,000. MASTER COMPUTER TIMING MECHANISM CONTROLLING THROTTLE SECTION ONLY WENT OUT AND CAUSING THE CAR TO REACT TO LATE TO THROTTLE PRESSURE OR OVERTHROTTLE. THE CAR SURGES, HESITATES TO START AND LOSES ALL POWER INCLUDING STEERING IF ANY OTHER HEAVY ELECTRICAL COMPONETS REQUIRING ADDITIONAL AMPS SUCH AS A/C UNIT ARE ENGAGED. APRIL 1ST CAR WOULD REFUSED TO START, FINALLY STARTED AND SMELLED OF FUEL. APRIL 2ND CAR WAS TAKEN TO VW OF CONCORD CA. DIAGNOSIS, SPARK PLUGS AND $80.00. APRIL 3RD CAR DRIVEN AND SAME PROBLEM. APRIL 3RD-7TH CAR PARKED UNABLE TO DRIVE SAFELY. APRIL 7TH OR 8TH DROPPED IN THE NIGHT DROP FOR DIAGNOSIS ON APRIL 9TH. CAR WAS IN SHOP FROM APRIL9-APRIL24TH. APRIL 24TH PICKED UP CAR AND $250.00 BILL. DIAGNOSIS, FUEL INJECTOR CLEANING AND THROTTLE ADJUSTMENT. APRIL 25TH CAR STALLS 2 TIMES IN MOVING TRAFFIC. NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO SOUNDS AND NO WARNING. CAR WENT DEAD AND WAS COMPLETELY SILENT AND NO STEERING AND NO BRAKING. ROLLED TO STOP ON HIGHWAY AND TURNING IN TRAFFIC. NO WARNING EITHER TIME, JUST COMPLETELY DEAD. OWNER CALLED DEALER AND CAR WAS DRIVEN BACK TO SHOP APRIL 25TH. APRIL 22TH-MAY2ND CAR IN SHOP. MAY 3RD, DEALER THOUGHT IT WAS THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. MAY 4TH, DEALER CALLED WAS NOT THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. MAY 5TH DEALER PHONED, PERHAPS IT IS THE MASTER COMPUTER, YET AGAIN. MAY 6TH CONFIMED IT IS THE MASTER COMPUTER. MAY 7TH-9TH NO CALL FROM DEALER, CAR STILL IN SHOP. MAY 9TH, OWNER CALLS VW-AMERICA TO FIND OUT ABOUT GETTING A POSSIBLE EXTENTION ON THIS WARRANTY AND WAS GIVEN REFERENCE NUMBER. VW-AMERICA WAS QUITE RUDE AND NON-INFORMATIONAL AND REFUSED TO SPEAK OF ANY POSSIBLE DEFECTS IN REPLACEMENT PARTS. MAY 14TH, CALLED BACK VW-AMERICA, ONCE AGAIN RUDE AND ALL OWNERSHIP INFORMATION WAS STILL INCORRECT THAT WAS TO BE CHANGED ON 5/11/01. 5/15 CAR STILL AT SHOP

NHTSA ID

745390

Incident

Apr 1, 2001

CONSUMER FEELS THERE'S AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT DEALER CAN'T FIND. ONCE WHILE TURNING A CORNER VEHICLE DIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

881432

Incident

Jan 1, 1995

ONGOING / INTERMITTENT STALLING WHILE DECLINING FROM A HILL OR AT A STOP PROSITION. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

873635

Incident

Oct 15, 1998

HAVE APPT TO HAVE VEHICLE FIXED 2/22/00. DEALER IS WHERE PURCHASED, NOT REPAIR DEALERSHIP. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID

718973

Incident

Jan 24, 2000

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE DASH AREA, CAUSING KNOBS ON THE DASH TO MELT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

841708

BRAKES CONTINUALLY SQUEAK.

NHTSA ID

543532

Incident

Jan 27, 1999

START CHIME AND RADIO DIDN'T COME ON. HAD THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FIXED COSTING $586. DEALER WAS RUDE AND SAID 'THESE THINGS HAPPEN', EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS STILL FAIRLY NEW. THE PLASTIC VISOR HOLDER ON PASS. SIDE BROKE, REPLACED FREE BY DEALER, AND THE WRAPAROUND THE PASSANGER SEAT BOTTOM BROKE, BOTH REPLACED ONLY BECAUSE CAR STILL UNDER FULL WARRANTY. THIRD REAR BRAKE LIGHT CASING IS BROKEN. NO ONE HAS TOUCHED IT. DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE IT FOR FREE. WILL COST $80. VW OF AMERICA CALLED AFTER I COMPLAINED AND SAID "SORRY, CAN'T FINACIALLY HELP YOU."

NHTSA ID

701998

Incident

Sep 1, 1998

DOOR LOCK FROZE, NOT OPENING W/KEY. WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN & THEN MAKING CLICKING NOISES WHEN TRYING TO ROLL WINDOW BACK UP. NEEDED TO PULL WINDOW UP BY HAND. AIR CONDITIONER MAKES NOISE WHEN TURNED ON. WINDSHIELD CRACKED DUE TO STRESS. RECEIVED RECALL FOR NOOD LATCH, BUT UNABLE TO GET REPLACEMENT PARTS. PAINT IS CRACKING. RADIO GOES OUT. VW SAYS THAT THERE IS A FACTORY DEFECT, BUT HAVE NOT HELPED REPAIR THESE PROBLEMS. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

829563

Incident

Feb 24, 1998

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL (#98V160000) (MFG. RECALL #UC) & NOTIFIED DEALER. WAS INFORMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. CALLED MANUFACTURER & TOLD PARTS MAILED TO DEALER. DEALER HAS YET TO RECEIVE PARTS FOR HOOD LATCH. BEEN TO 2 DEALERSHIPS. *AK TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT THREE TIMES. RADIO FAILED. CLUSTER HOUSING REPLACED THREE TIMES. ALARM COMPUTER REPLACED. HEADLIGHT SWITCH REPLACED.DISTRIBUTOR CAP AND ROTOR BUTTON REPLACED. INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REPLACED. *YH

NHTSA ID

829352

Incident

Oct 15, 1998

ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED, CAUSING ENGINE TO STALL.

NHTSA ID

535090

Incident

Apr 27, 1998

ANTI-THEFT ALARM ACTIVATED WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS CUT POWER TO THE ENGINE. DEALER EXPLAINED THAT THE ALARM WAS TRIGGERED BY THE RADIO NOT BEING PROPERLY INSTALLED WHICH BECAME LOOSE AND EVENTUALLY TRIGGERED THE ALARM.

NHTSA ID

527810

Incident

Nov 23, 1997

ANTI-THEFT ALARM ACTIVATED WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS CUT POWER TO THE ENGINE. DEALER EXPLAINED THAT THE ALARM WAS TRIGGERED BY THE RADIO NOT BEING PROPERLY INSTALLED WHICH BECAME LOOSE AND EVENTUALLY TRIGGERED THE ALARM.

NHTSA ID

527809

Incident

Nov 23, 1997

THE ANTI-THEFT ALARM WAS ACTIVATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER TO THE IGNITION SYSTEM.

NHTSA ID

527747

LOOSE COIL WIRE.

NHTSA ID

523847

OWNER STATES THAT VHEICLE IS A TOTAL LEMON.OWNER STATES THAT HIS VEHICLE HAS MUTIPLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHICH CAUSED FIRE.OWNER NOTES OF FUEL PROBLEMS ,VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN DEALERS MANY TIMES.OWNER IS VERY COCNCERNED ABOUT VEHICLE

NHTSA ID

814373

OWNER STATES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE UP A HILL OR ANYTIME WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WITH OUT WARNING THE ENGINE CUTS OFF. OWNER NOTES THAT VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP MANY TIMES AND DEALERS CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

807174

ELECTRICAL SHORT, CAUSING A FUSE TO BLOW OUT, RESULTING IN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONING OF THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

805102

Incident

Apr 22, 1996

ELECTRICAL WIRES IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO FUEL INJECTION VENT SPARKED/IGNITED, RESULTING IN A FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID

511146

Incident

Sep 18, 1996