1996 Volkswagen Jetta Engine Problems

MY CAR WAS A LEMON THE ENGINE SEIZED WHEN THE CAR HAD NOT EVEN REACHED 60,000 MILES DESPITE REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIRS.*JB

NHTSA ID

10008183

Incident

Oct 10, 2002

Mileage

59 mi

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

NHTSA ID

761955

Incident

Nov 17, 2000

EVERY SUMMER ESPECIALLY DURING 90 DEGREE TEMPERATURE, THE TEMPERATURE GUAGE MOVES TO HIGHEST SETTING AND OFTEN TIMES VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF TO COOL DOWN. VEHICLE WILL STARTS AGAIN AFTER COOLING DOWN. THIS HAPPENS ONLY DURING HOT SUMMERS.*AK

NHTSA ID

749406

Incident

Jun 1, 2001

ALL PROBLEMS HAVE REPORTED TO MANUFACTURER TO NO AVAIL. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

748388

Incident

Jul 12, 2001

VEHICLE WILL NOT START IN WET CONDITIONS OR WHEN GOING OVER WET SURFACES. VEHICLE WILL STALL AND DIE. DEALER HAS REPLACED CATALYTIC CONVERTER/ VACUUM SENSORS, AND VARIOUS OTHER PARTS; BUT, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

880953

THE OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED CAUSING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. *MJS

NHTSA ID

559487

Incident

May 27, 1998

A DEFECTIVE COOLING FAN ASSEMBLY MAKING NOISE DEALER NOTIFIED AND REPLACED UNIT AT CONSUMER'S COST. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PART WAS NOT COVER DUE TO IT BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK ALL PROFESSIONALS WE HAVE SPOKEN WITH SAY THESE PARTS SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED AT SUCH LOW MILAGE. *YH

NHTSA ID

873203

Incident

Sep 12, 2000

THIS CAR IS A BIG FAT SOUR LEMON. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID

734045

WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS VEHICLE WILL TOTALLY SHUT DOWN, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX DEFECT 4 TIMES, BUT DEFECT KEEPS REOCCURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

861401

LOUD NOISE COMING FROM FRONT OF CAR, WHEEL BEARING HAD TO BE REPLACED; TRUNK RELEASE INSIDE CAR WORKS OCCASIONALLY, NEVER WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF; ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON YEARLY, NEVER TURNS UP PROBLEM, HAVE TO CLEAN OXYGEN SENSOR, TOLD NOT TO USE "CHEAP GAS";

NHTSA ID

722113

Incident

Mar 1, 2000

ELECTRONIC THERMOSTATICALLY CONTROLLED FAN VIBRATIONS CAUSED THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION TO BECOME UNRELIABLE IN VEHICLE. EVENTUALLY THIS CONNECTION WAS COMPLETELY SEVERED CAUSING THE FAN TO BECOME INOPERABLE LEADING TO ENGINE OVERHEATING. BEFORE THE CONNECTION FAILED COMPLETELY, A SPARK WOULD BE CREATED WHEN THE RADIATOR TEMPERATURE SWITCH OR THE AIR CONDITIONING SWITCH WOULD SEND POWER TO THE FAN. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM THAT COULD HAVE LED TO AN ENGINE FIRE.

NHTSA ID

709602

Incident

Aug 2, 1999

THE CRUISE CONTROL WORKS INTERMITTENTLY, 60% OF THE TIME IT WILL NOT SETAND WHEN IT DOES IT SOMETIMES TURNS ITSELF OFF WHIL CONSUMER IS DRIVING, DEALER ATTEMPTED TO FIX BUT PROBLEM STILL EXIST. NLM

NHTSA ID

782553

DURING EXTREME PERIODS OF COLD TEMPERATURES FOR MORE THEN 24 HOURS MOISTURE TENDS TO BUILD UP IN THE ENGINE CAUSING TAN CREAMY FOAMY BUILD UP ON THE INSIDE OF THE VALVE COVER, ON THE DIPSICK AND IN THE OIL PAN. THIS COULD CAUSE AN OWNER TO BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET OR VALVE COVER. LEFT A MESSAGE THAT I MIGHT HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET FOR GENE LANGAN SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON A SATURDAY. TO THIS DAY 1/3/98 THEY STILL HAVE NOT RETURNED MY PHONE CALL. AFTER LEAVING A MESSAGE, I DID CALL BACK AND SPEAK WITH A SALESMAN WHO TOLD ME TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO GLASTONBURY. MY FATHER IN LAW IS A MECHANIC AND HE KNEW OF THE PROBLEM WIH MOISTURE IN THE ENGINE AND PROPERLY DRAINED THE OIL AND FLUSHED THE ENGINE RIDDING IT OF ANY EXCESS MOISTURE. IF I WAITED FOR THE DEALER TO CALL ME, I OULD HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET DRIVING AROUND WITH THE CRAP IN Y ENGINE OR I WOULD HAVE ONE HELL OF A RENTAL BILL. ALSO IF MY CAR NEEDED TO BE TOWED GENE LANGAN SHOULD HAVE TOWED IT SEEING THAT VW HAS A 10 YEAR 100,000 MILE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY AND I ONLY HAD 50880 MILES!

NHTSA ID

701811

Incident

Dec 26, 1998

WITHIN THE LAST 6 MONTHS I HAVE TAKEN BY CAR TO HAVE THE RIGHT FRONT WINDOW FIXED TWICE, THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW ONCE, TAILPIPE FELL OFF WITH NO WARNING, NOW FRONT LEFT WINDOW IS BROKEN, DEALER SAID THE REASON FOR THE FAILURE IS THAT WE DON'T USE THE WINDOWS THAT MUCH. DEFECTIVE FAN BELT.

NHTSA ID

701704

Incident

Nov 5, 1998

DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE DUE TO LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND KNOCKING NOISE. ALSO, MOTOR BURNED IN THE WINDOW AND THE WINDOW WOULD'NT GO DOWN OR COME UP, AND THE CONSUMER HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID

830844

Incident

Sep 12, 1996

BOTH RIGHT SIDE WINDOW ASSEMBLIES FAILED. MANUFACTURE REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THESE FAILURES. ONLY QUESTION ASKED BY MANUFACTURES REPRESENTATIVE WAS HOW MUCH MONEY HAD I SPENT ON PREVIOUS DEALER MAINTENANCE. WHEN INFORMED THAT I HAD NOT HAD THEM PERFORM THE 30,000 MILE CHECKUP HE TOLD ME SINCE I HAD NOT SPENT MONEY WITH HIS DEALERSHIPS HE WOULDN'T EVEN CONSIDE SPENDING ANY MONEY ON ME. I HAD NOT HAD THE DEALER PERFORM THE 30,000 MILE CHECK BECAUSE I HAD THE ENGINE SET TO SPECIFICATIONS BOTH PRIOR TO AND AFTER THE 30,000 MILE MARK BECAUSE THE ENGINE FAILURE LIGHT HAD MADE IT NECESSARY TO HAVE EMERGENCY MAINTENANCE PERFORMED AT THOSE TIMES. I COULD SEE NO REASON TO HAVE THE 30,000 MILE CHECK DONE ADDITIONALLY. I HAD CHECKED THE VEHICLE VISUALLY FOR THE BALANCE OF THE 30,000 MILE ITEMS MYSELF. AND YES I AM QUALIFED TO CHECK THE OTHER ITEMS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE ENGINE.

NHTSA ID

700661

Incident

Jun 1, 1998

WHEN VEHICLE IS AT A STOP LIGHT THE VEHICLE CUTS OFF. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE WILL NOT TURN BACK ON. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD FIXED THE PROBLEM. BUT OWNER KNOWS THAT THIS WAS INCORRECT INFORMATION BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS STILL CUTTING OFF. *AK

NHTSA ID

820326

Incident

Dec 22, 1997

ENGINE FAILED.

NHTSA ID

603866

DRIVER'S DOOR DROPS WHEN OPENED, PROBLEM WITH SHEET METAL INSIDE DOOR, TOLD BY DEALER METAL IS NOT CORRECT SIZE TO CARRY WEIGHT OF DOOR; DROPS 1/4 INCH, RATTLES INSIDE WHILE DRIVING; ALSO, ENGINE INTERMITTENTLY HESITATES AT ALL SPEEDS. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

803592

Incident

Oct 14, 1996

ENGINE IS MISFIRING AND STALLING WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED.*AK

NHTSA ID

800831