Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1995 Volkswagen Jetta submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 27 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 27, in the owner's own words
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
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
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 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.
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
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
ENGINE FAN STOPPED OPERATING WHILE DRIVING AND CAUSED ENGINE TO LOCK UP. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM FAN RECALL, COMPANY STATES MY CAR ISNT AFFECTED. HAVING PROBLEMS WITH FAN BEING NOISYAND OVERHEATING. *AK
ENGINE WILL NOT SHIFT GEARS UP HILL, ON FLAT ROAD OR SHIFTS THREE TIMES JUST TO GET TO 30 MPH, VEHICLE HAD A FULL TUNE UP, NEW OXYGEN SENSOR AND NEW TRANSMISSION STILL WILL NOT DRIVE SMOOTHLY.*ET
COOLING FAN MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING COOLING SYSTEM TO FAIL AND THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. ALSO, HEATER CORE WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. *AK VOLKSWAGEN IS ON RECORD AS HAVING RADIATOR FANS MADE OF IMPROPER MATERIAL THAT CAUSE THE FAN MOTOR INOPERATIVE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD A RECALL ON 1995 VOLKSWAGEN JETTAS FOR FAN MOTOR PROBLEM BUT CLAIMS THE HEATER CORE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. *YH
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT ANY WARNING. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES FOR PROBLEM WHICH COULD NOT BE RESOLVED. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, VEHICLE COMMENCED TO LOSES POWER. ALSO, OIL LEAKAGE DUE TO BLOWN HEAD GASKET. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
THE ENGINE HAS AN OIL LEAK DUE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THIS COULD EVENTUALLY AFFECT THE THE MASS AIRFLOW CENTER. ALSO, DEALER HAS REPLACED ENGINE HEAD GASKET.
EGR VALVE FAILED. OIL ACCUMULATED IN AIR INTAKE SYSTEM, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF SEVERAL COMPONENTS AND FUEL SYSTEM CLEANING. ENGINE LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT CLIMB HILLS. OIL CONTAMINATION MAY HAVE LED TO PREMATURE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURE (COVERED UNDER WARRANTY).
TIMING BELT BROKE WHILE DRIVING AT 45MPH, NO PRIOR WARNING. *AK
HOSE THAT PUMPS OUT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID WAS BEING PINCHED BY THE HOOD, CLOSING IT AND CAUSING THE FLUID PUMP TO BECOME INOPERABLE. DEALER INDICATED THE LINE HAS TO BE REPOSITIONED OR REWIRED. ALSO HAD TO REPLACE MUFFLER AND TAIL PIPE. *AK
EGR VALVE FAILED.
ENGINE MOUNTS FAILED TWICE.
LOOSE COIL WIRE.
AT ANY GIVEN TIME WHILE CONSUMER IS IN THE VEHICLE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. ALSO IT HAS A NASTY SMELL LIKE SULFUR THAT COMES INTO THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND HAD THE OXYGEN SENSOR REPLACED 4 TIMES. CONSUMER STATED THAT THE PROBLEM KEEPS REOCCURRING. *AK
REPLACEMENT JACK (RECALL COMPONENT) NOT RECEIVED BY CONSUMER.
WIRING TO FUSE BOX FAILED, CAUSING CRUISE CONTROL TO FAIL.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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