Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Volkswagen Jetta submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 30 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 30, in the owner's own words
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
WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND HEAD LIGHTS WERE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CHECK UP, AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK
EACH TIME IT RAINS HEAVY ENOUGH FOR WATER TO SPLASH UNDERNEATH THE CAR WHEN DRIVING (IE A PUDDLE; SPLASH FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE DRIVING BY; CAR WASH) - THE CAR STALLS, HAS TO BE TOWED AND ENDS UP HAVING THE IGNITION WIRES REPLACED. THIS HAS AVERAGED ABOUT 1-2X PER YEAR SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN AUGUST OF 1996
THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NOT ALLOW KEY TO TURN ALL THE WAY. THE SWITCH WOULD WEAR OUT OVER TIME OF USAGE. TS
AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 1-2 HOURS CONSUMER PARKED VEHICLE. AFTERWARDS FOUND OUT THAT FIRE WAS SHOOTING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. DURING FIRE SUN ROOF WAS AUTOMATICALLY OPENING AND CLOSING BY ITSELF, ALSO, VEHICLE POPPED ITSELF INTO REVERSE AND WENT BACKWARD DURING THE FIRE.*AK
IT SEEMS THAT ON A VERY RAINY DAY OR A DAMP DAY THE CAR STALLS OR DOESN'T START AT ALL. I GET A "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT THAT COMES ON AS WELL. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO KOPPELL VW IN NYC AND THEY ALWAYS BLAME THE HEATED O2 SENSOR FOR THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT. THEY ALSO HAVE CHANGED THE IGNITION WIRES, ROTOR AND ROTOR CAP FOR THE STALL. IT HAS BEEN AN ON AND OFF PROBLEM SINCE THEN. THE O2 SENSOR HAS BEEN CHANGED 4 TIMES AND THE IGNITION WIRES, ROTOR AND CAP HAVE BEEN CHANGED 6 TIMES. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM SOLVED. THE CAR IS STILL PROTECTED UNDER THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY BUT IT SEEMS THEY (KOPPELL VW IN NYC OR VW THEMSELVES) DON'T WANT TO HONOR THE WARRANTY. THANK YOU.*AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ALONG AND SMELLED SMOKE FROM INSIDE. VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM REAR. CONSUMER PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND GETTING OUT NOTICED GAS TANK HAD FLAMES COMING OUT. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND NOT CONCERNED.*AK
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS FAILED AND CAUSED ALARM TO GO OFF, POWER WINDOWS NOT TO OPEN OR CLOSE. TOOK TO MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED LOCK SYSTEM WHICH HELPED FOR AWHILE. TOOK IT BACK AGAIN, AND THIS TIME MECHANIC LOCATED ELECTRICAL WIRES THAT HAD FUSED TOGETHER UNDER DASH AND WERE CAUSING ELECTRICAL FAILURE.*AK
THE OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED CAUSING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. *MJS
BATTERY EXPLODED WHEN IGNITION TURNED WITH KEY. *AK
ENGINE HARNESS SHORTED AND SMOKED UPON STARTING. PART CAN NOT BE FOUND. VW OF AMERICA NOTIFIED AND NO RESPONSE IN 3 WEEKS. VW FILE NUMBER 667784. NO HELP FROM VW AT ALL. NO EXPLAINATION AS TO WHY IT HAPPENED.*AK
THE BATTERY IN MY 96 JETTA EXPLODED AS I TURNED THE KEY. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF A PROBLEM PRIOR TO THE EXPLOSION. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS OCCURED. VOLKSWAGEN HAS BEEN EXTREMELY UNCOOPERATIVE ABOUT THE SITUATION AND I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CONTACT THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPT BECAUSE THEY AREN'T OPEN ON WEEKENDS OR LABOR DAY. AFTER THE FIRST EXPLOSION (ABOUT 1 YEAR AND 9 MONTHS AGO), THEY DID NEXT TO NOTHING TO ASSIST ME. TWO DAYS AFTER THE EXPLOSION, I GOT A "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT AND I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY ARE CLOSED. THIS IS A VERY DISTURBING SITUATION WHICH HAS BEEN COMPOUNDED BY VOLKSWAGEN'S UNWILLINGNESS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS. BOTH BATTERIES WERE PURCHASED THROUGH AND INSTALLED BY VW DEALERSHIPS AT ABSURD PRICES, I MIGHT ADD. THEY HAVE ASSURED ME THAT IT IS NOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, BUT I FIND IT EXTREMELY UNLIKELY THAT TWO BATTERIES WOULD EXPLODE IN THE SAME CAR FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY FEEDBACK YOU MIGHT HAVE ON THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU.
THE ORIGINAL VOLKSWAGEN BATTERY EXPLODED WITH LOUD BANG WHEN IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED TO THE "ON" POSITION, BUT I HAD NOT STARTED THE CAR YET. INITIALLY I THOUGHT, THE STARTER OR ALTERNATOR HAD FILED, SINCE THE CAR WOULD NOT START. SINCE IT WAS A FRIDAY EVENING, I LEFT THE CAR IN THE PARKING LOT AND GETTING IT TOWED TO THE DEALER THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. ON SUNDAY, I NOTICED SOME THING DRIPPING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, ON CLOSER EXAMINATION IT WAS ACID DRIPPING FROM THE BATTERY. BOTH SIDES OF THE BATTERY HAD RIPPED OPEN, WITH ACID DRIPPING TO SOME OF THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AND THE ENGINE. I REMOVED THE BATTERY FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND PUT IT IN A WOODEN BOX TO SHOW THE SAME TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY. AFTER CHECKING THE ENGINE FUNCTIONS AND THE CHARGING SYSTEM, THE DEALER CONCLUDED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CHARGING SYSTEM AND SOME UNDETERMINED FACTOR CAUSED THE BATTERY TO EXPLODE. I CALLED VOLKSWAGEN TO INFORM THEM OF THE SITUATION AND REQUESTING THEM TO PAY FOR A REPLACEMENT BATTERY AND OTHER LABOR CHARGES. THEY REFUSED SAYING THE WARRANTY ON BATTERY HAD RUN OUT. MY POINT IS, I WOULD HAVE HAD NO PROBLEM IF THE BATTERY HAD JUST FAILED (NOT EXPLODED). THIS BATTERY HAD NEVER FAILED EARLIER AND I HAVE NEVER JUMP STARTED THIS CAR. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND A SAFETY CONCERN WHEN BATTERY EXPOLDES. VOLKSWAGEN WOULD NOT GIVE A LIKELY CAUSE FOR THE BATTERY TO EXPLODE OR IF THERE WERE OTHER COMPLAINTS OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS FROM THE FIELD.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
HORN DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. *AK
IGNITION WAS STICKING.DRIVING AT 55 GOING TO TURN HEADLIGHTS ON,THERE ARE NONE. PULL OVER TURN CAR OFF AND KEEP RESTARTING.WIPERS THE SAME. BROUGHT IN FOR REPAIR. TOLD IGNITION STICKING.REPLACE AT MY COST. NEVER TRIED WHILE DRIVING BUT EXPERIMENTED AT A STOP. IF CAR IS RUNNING AND YOU LIGHTLY TOUCHED IGNITION...CAR WOULD SHUT OFF.THIS I ASSUME WOULD ALSO HAPPEN WHEN DRIVING. I WAS QUITE A FEW CUSTOMERS WERE BRINGING IN THEIR CAR WITH THIS PROBLEM.
I AM DUBIOUS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF A WELL MAINTAINED CAR WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILS IN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER'S SERVICEMAN JUMPS THE BATTERY AGAINST OWNERS MANUAL RECOMMENDATIONS AND BLOWS THE INTERNAL FUSE FOR THE RADIO AND SETS OFF THE AIRBAG SENSOR (NEITHER REPAIRED BY THE DEALER AT NO CHARGE. ALSO,) TIRES NEEDING REPLACEMENT AT LESS THAN 20,000 MILES - LOCK CYLINDER FALLLING OUT OF DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR- AND ALL THE POWER LOCKS FAILING, RESULTING IN HAVING TO GO TO THE DEALER JUST TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. *AK
THIS JETTA HAS HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SINCE 8 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE. FIRST, IT WAS THE 'DOOR AJAR' CHIME(11/96), THEN THE AIR CONDITIONER ON/OFF, 6/97, THEN THE 'HEADLIGHT IS ON' BUZZER AND THE 'COOLANT WARNING' LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING ON, 12/97, COOLANT WARNING LIGHT FLASHING AGAIN 5/98 , AND FINALLY COOLANT WARNING LIGHT FLASHING CONSTANTLY 6/98.
TWO WIRES OF THE REAR DEFROSTER DO NOT WORK WHICH OBSTRUCTS VIEW--AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CLICKS LOUDLY WHEN SHIFTING GEARS--RADIO/CASSETTE PLAYER BECOMES EXTREMELY HOT WHILE DRIVING--WHEELS MAKE FUNNY VIBRATING NOISE AT CERTAIN SPEEDS--PAINT JOB ON BODY OF VEHICLE HAS BEEN SCRATCHING AND PEELING EASILY
ON OCTOBER 7TH, 1997 MY 1996 VW JETTA GLS WOULD NOT START. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR WITH 28,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. THE DEALER HAD TOLD ME THE STARTER WENT BAD AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE STARTER. THE DEALER HAD PROVIDED THE STARTER TO ME IN GOODWILL AND I JUST PAID FOR LABOR. ON JUNE 1ST, 1998 MY CAR AGAIN WOULD NOT START WITH 42000 MILES ON THE CAR. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE STARTER WAS BAD AGAIN. I HAD TO REPLACE THE STARTER AND THEN THEY TOLD ME THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS BAD. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY BELIEVED THAT WAS THE PROBLEM WITH THE STARTERS GOING BAD. THE WARRANTY ON THE STARTER WAS 12 MONTHS OR 12,000 MILES WHICH HAD RUN OUT ON ME. I WAS FORCED TO PAY FOR THE FULL REPAIR. AT THAT TIME, I FILED A GRIEVANCE WITH VW AND THEY DENIED MY CLAIM TO REGAIN SOME OF MY MONEY BACK BECAUSE I WAS ON MY THIRD STARTER IN 2 YEARS. ON DECEMBER 14, 1998 I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THERE WAS A SCREACHING SOUND IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. THE DEALER STATED TO ME THAT THE STARTER WAS BAD AND IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AGAIN SO I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT WITH 60,000 MILES ON THE CAR. I HAD ASKED WHAT MIGHT BE CAUSING THE PROBLEM THIS TIME AND THEY TOLD ME I MIGHT BE HOLDING THE KEY TO LONG WHICH TO ME MEANS THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AGAIN. IN TWO YEARS I HAVE REPLACED THE STARTER 4 TIMES. I HAVE PAID APPROXMIATELY $1178.15 TO REPLACE THE STARTER 4 TIMES AND I HAVE NO GUARANTEE THAT THIS IS FIXED.
VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE SHOP DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE CONSUMER HAD ALOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER WINDOWS/POWER DOOR LOCKS AND THE SIGNALS. THE DEALER REPAIRED ALL OF THE DEFECTS, BUT THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR THE WINDOWS TO BE REPAIRED AGAIN, AND THEY WANTED THE CONSUMER TO COVER THE FEE. *AK
CONSUMER EXPERIENCING SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE. WHEN DRIVING IN WET WEATHER CONDITIONS THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL CUT OFF. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. AT TIMES, WILL NOT FUNCTION AT ALL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER . ALSO, REPLACED TRANSMISSION/ THROTTLE BODY AND ALTERNATOR. IN ADDITION, FRONT BRAKE ROTORS FAILED AND FRONT PADS CRACKED/ENGINE IDLES/BUCKS AND STALLS. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON/OFF. *AK
ERRATIC OPERATION OF THE RADIO, GAS GAUGE AND CRUISE CONTROL.
CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, WHILE DRIVING THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD COME ON RANDOMLY, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE INOPPERABLE, OWNER HAS HAD VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT DEALER WAS ABLE TO FIX PROBLEM WHICH WAS A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH, WHICH CAUSED ALL ELECXTRICAL POWER TO BE DIVERTED INTO IGNITION TO START VEHICLE, THE A/C RADIO, AND DASH LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE, ALSO 2 WEEKS AFTER THAT REPAIR, WATER WASACCUMULATING ON THE FLOOR OF THE BACK SEAT, PASSENGER SIDE AIR CONDITIONING NOT DRAINING PROPERLY.*JB
RADIO FAILED.
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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