1996 Volkswagen Jetta Problems

DRIVING HOME FROM SCHOOL (12 MINUTE DRIVE) AT NIGHT AND THE AIR COMING FROM THE VENTS SMELLED FUNNY, LIKE COOLANT. I TURNED OFF THE FANS BUT STILL SMELLED FUNNY. I TURNED THE FANS BACK ON AND WHITE 'SMOKE' WAS COMING OUT OF THE VENTS AND IT SMELLED HEAVILY OF COOLANT. MY WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO FOG UP WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. I ROLLED DOWN MY WINDOWS AND SUNROOF AND TRIED EVERYTHING I COULD TO GET THE WINDOW TO DEFOG, BUT IT ONLY GOT WORSE. I COULD BARELY SEE AND FELT LIKE I WAS IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION SO I PULLED OFF ON THE NEAREST COUNTY ROAD. THE CAR BEGAN TO OVERHEAT AND I STILL COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING SO I OPENED THE DOOR AND DROVE TO A SAFE SPOT AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. FOUND OUT LATER THAT THERE WAS COOLANT ALL OVER ON THE FLOORBOARDS AND THAT THE HEATER CORE HAS FAILED. *JB

DT*:THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH, THERE WAS STINGING/BURNING SENSATION TO THE CONTACT'S FOOT. WHEN THE FOOT WAS REMOVED FROM THE GAS PEDAL, A STEAMING LIQUID WAS OBSERVED ON THE FOOT AND ON THE FLOOR AROUND THE PEDALS. THE LIQUID WAS SPEWING FROM AN AREA UNDER DASHBOARD ABOVE THE GAS, BREAK AND CLUTCH PEDALS. STEAM/VAPOR ALSO APPEARED TO BE COMING OUT OF THE DEFROSTER VENTS ON THE DASHBOARD. THE ACCESSORIES WERE IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF AND THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED OVER AND OFF THE ROAD. THE HOT LIQUID CONTINUED TO SPEW AND BURN THE CONTACT'S FOOT AS THE BRAKES WERE BEING APPLIED. THE VAPOR OF THE LIQUID FILLED THE VEHICLE INTERFERRING WITH THE CONTACT'S VISION.

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

WELL, ITS AN OLD CAR YES AND HAVEN'T HAD ANY SEVERE MALFUNCTIONS EXCEPT ON PRETTY MUCH EVERY LATCH MECHANISM ON THE CAR. CURRENTLY, THE TRUNK DOES NOT OPEN. THE LATCH IS BROKE AND WILL NOT OPEN WITH KEY PLACED IN IT OR WITH RELEASE BUTTON. TO OPEN IT, I HAVE TO LAY THE BACK SEATS DOWN AND CRAWL INTO THE TRUNK AND ACTIVATE THE EMERGENCY RELEASE MANUALLY. TO ADD TO THE MESS, BOTH REAR DOORS WILL OPEN BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL CLOSE AGAIN. I'VE HAD TO RIG A WIRE TO PULL THE LATCH INTO ITS LOCKED POSITION TO KEEP BOTH DOORS CLOSED. (RESULTING IN THE ONLY 4 DOOR COUPE I KNOW OF!) *TR

IN LATE FEB 2005 PURCHASED A 1996 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA (WHICH WAS A CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE) AND IN (APPOX) SEPT 2005 WHILE DRIVING DOWN A PACKED FREEWAY DURING RUSH HOUR, IN THE MIDDLE LANE, THE HOOD OF MY VEHICLE FLEW UP. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60-65 MPH AND IT VISUALLY LOOKED LIKE A PIECE OF CARDBOARD CRUMPLING HOWEVER THE IMPACT WAS SO GREAT THAT IT CRACKED MY WINDSHIELD. I CONSIDER MYSELF AND THE PASSENGERS EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT WE WERE NOT INJURED AND/OR DID NOT CRASH. MY VEHICLE SUSTAINED TREMENDOUS BODY DAMAGE TO THE HOOD AND CAN NOT SHUT PROPERLY AND AS I MENTION PREVIOUSLY THE WINDSHIELD IS CRACKED ALL THE WAY ACROSS. I AM UNCERTAIN WHETHER OR NOT SIMILAR VEHICLES TO MINE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS BUT I FEEL THAT THIS WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT / FAILURE DUE TO THE FACT OF THE SAFETY LATCH MALFUNCTION. I AM NOT 100% SURE WHETHER OR NOT THE HOOD WAS NOT SHUT COMPLETELY BECAUSE I DID NOT PHYSICALLY CHECK IT BEFORE THE INCIDENT BUT REGARDLESS THAT IS WHY I THOUGHT SAFETY LATCHES WERE PUT INTO USE ON VEHICLE HOODS TO PREVENT SUCH DANGEROUS OCCURRENCES. *JB

ON SEPT 2, 2005 AND SEPT. 6, 2005, UNDER TWO CIRCUMSTANCES INVOLVING QUICK ACCELERATION WITH MODERATE LOAD (TWO ADULTS AND ONE KID. ABOUT 50 LB LOAD IN TRUNK), THE ENGINE KEPT HIGH REVVING AFTER THE GAS PADDLE HAD BEEN FULLY RELEASED, THUS PULLING FORWARD HARD UNINTENTIONALLY; IT KEPT SO DOING FOR SECONDS, EVEN AFTER BRAKING WAS APPLIED FOR THE FIRST FEW SECONDS, AND PUMPED. IT RECOVERED BACK TO NORMAL RESPONSIVENESS AFTER HARD BRAKING FOR AT LEAST FIVE SECONDS IN THE FIRST INCIDENT AND ABOUT THREE SECOND IN THE SECOND. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE CRUISE CONTROL NEVER WORKED SINCE THE PURCHASE IN 1996.

I HAVE NOW HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN MY ONE OWNER AUTOMATIC JETTA, THREE TIMES. MY LAST TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED 35,000 MILES AGO, AND I NOW NEED TO SPEND 1,700 DOLLARS TO REPLACE IT. *NLM

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

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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN AGGRESSIVE AND FORCEFUL ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO TWO PARKED VEHICLES. THE AMBULANCE AND POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER AND THE OCCUPANTS IN THE PARKED VEHICLES WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND SUSTAINED MODERATE INJURIES. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND EXTENT OF THE VEHICLE DAMAGE HAVE NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED. THE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

CONSUMER PURCHASED A USED VEHICLE FROM DEALER AND VEHICLE NEEDED REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS AND BRAKE SHOES. THE WHEEL CYLINDERS WERE LEAKING, AND THE BRAKE SHOES CRUMBLED WHEN REMOVED FOR REPAIR DONE BY CONSUMER SINCE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 2-3 MPH BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, NO INJURIES.*AK

CONSUMER WAS LEAVING AN INTERSECTION AND WAS TRAVELING 15MPH ON A WET PAVEMENT, APPLIED BRAKES, AND VEHICLE SLID AND HIT ENBANKEMENT CURB. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR FLEW OPEN WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

WHEN LOCKING PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR ENTIRE CYLINDER FELL OUT. UNABLE TO UNLOCK OR LOCK DOOR.*AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN AGGRESSIVE AND FORCEFUL ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO TWO PARKED VEHICLES. THE AMBULANCE AND POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER AND THE OCCUPANTS IN THE PARKED VEHICLES WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND SUSTAINED MODERATE INJURIES. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND EXTENT OF THE VEHICLE DAMAGE HAVE NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED. THE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

ON SEPT 2, 2005 AND SEPT. 6, 2005, UNDER TWO CIRCUMSTANCES INVOLVING QUICK ACCELERATION WITH MODERATE LOAD (TWO ADULTS AND ONE KID. ABOUT 50 LB LOAD IN TRUNK), THE ENGINE KEPT HIGH REVVING AFTER THE GAS PADDLE HAD BEEN FULLY RELEASED, THUS PULLING FORWARD HARD UNINTENTIONALLY; IT KEPT SO DOING FOR SECONDS, EVEN AFTER BRAKING WAS APPLIED FOR THE FIRST FEW SECONDS, AND PUMPED. IT RECOVERED BACK TO NORMAL RESPONSIVENESS AFTER HARD BRAKING FOR AT LEAST FIVE SECONDS IN THE FIRST INCIDENT AND ABOUT THREE SECOND IN THE SECOND. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE CRUISE CONTROL NEVER WORKED SINCE THE PURCHASE IN 1996.

DT: THE CONSUMER OWNS A 1996 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. SHE SAID THAT IN 2003 HER REAR TIRE BLEW OUT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AND ALMOST TAKING THE LIFE OF HER DAUGHTER. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS, DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND THE WHEEL STRUTS. ON MAY 15, 2005 HER HUSBAND CHECKS THE VEHICLE REGULARLY TO MAKE SURE IT IS SAFE. WHILE CHECKING THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THE WHEEL WAS LOOSE. THEY TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO A TIRE CENTER AND THEY SAID THAT EVERYTHING WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *TT

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WHEEL FELL OF WITHOUT WARNING. *AK

NO SUMMARY

AIRCONDITIONER COMPRESSOR FAILED.

I OWN A 1996 VW JETTA GLS AND MY CAR SMOKES FROM MY STEERING WHEEL COLUMN. I WILL BE DRIVING AND OUT OF NO WHERE WHITE SMOKE POURS OUT OF THE COLUMN. I THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE OF MY HEADLIGHTS BEING ON BUT THEN NOTICED IT DOING IT WITHOUT THEM ON. IT EVEN DOES IT WHEN THE CAR IS OFF! THIS I FEEL AND MY FRIEND WHO HAS THE SAME PROBLEM IS A FIRE HAZARD AND COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I CALLED A VW DEALERSHIP AND SPOKE TO THE MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME HE FEARED FOR MY LIFE AND IT SOUNDS LIKE A FIRE HAZARD OR IT COULD CAUSE MY BREAKS AND OTHER THINGS ON MY CAR TO FAIL. I COULD BE DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY AT 65 AND MY CAR CAN JUST DIE. I HAVE BROUGHT MY CAR TO 3 DIFFERENT MECHANICS FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THEY ALL SAID THEY HAVE NO CLUE WHAT IT COULD BE . IN MY CASE NOTHING LEADS UP TO THIS HAPPENING IT JUST HAPPENS RANDOMLY AT ANYTIME WITH OR WITHOUT MY LIGHTS ON OR BLINKERS BEING ON. THIS IS STILL AN UNKNOWN CAUSE BUT VERY SCARY, EVEN SCARIER KNOWING ITS NOT JUST MY CAR. *TR

SMOKE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, A PUFF OF SMOKE AROSE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND I LOST USE OF MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS. I HAVE BEEN ONLINE AND HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS TO THE SAME AFFECT. SHOULDN'T THIS BE A RECALL ITEM ? AVE HAD QUITE A FEW OTHERS PROBLEMS IN THE 6 MONTHS SINCE WE HAVE OWNED OUR 1996 JETTA. *AK

MIDDLE REAR LAP BELT BUCKLE BROKE OFF AFTER CHILD SAFETY SEAT WAS INSTALLED IN MIDDLE. IT DID NOT PROPERLY HOLD CSS, AND CSS TIPPED OVER. IF INVOLVED IN A CRASH IT MAY HAVE CAUSE INJURIES TO CHILD. MIDDLE REAR LAP BELT ONLY USED FOR CSS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THIS IS TO REPORT A PROBLEM WITH A KOLCRAFT CAR SEAT, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CAR. THE FABRIC COVER ON THE SHIELD CAN BE REMOVED EASILY BY MY BABY, AND 2 CLIPS COME OFF WHICH ARE A CHOKING HAZARD. THE BABY CAN ALSO TURN THE PART WHICH HOLDS THE SHIELD ON, SO IT IS FREE TO SWING UP OR DOWN, AND COULD SERIOUSLY HURT HIM IN AN ACCIDENT. HE IS 19 MONTHS OLD, BUT HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS FOR A WHILE. HE WEIGHS 24 POUNDS, AND THIS SEAT IS INTENDED TO BE USED FOR A CHILD UP TO 40 POUNDS. *AK

UPON DEPRESSING THE FOUR-WAY FLASHER SWITCH, USUALLY ONLY ONE TURN SIGNAL BLINKS, INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE, ONLY THE LEFT OR RIGHT TURN SIGNAL BLINKS, AFTER DEPRESSING THE SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES, THE FOUR-WAY FLASHERS WILL WORK NORMALLY. *TT

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.

BOLTS THAT HOLD AXLE IN PLACE ON DRIVER'S SIDE TO WHEEL HAVE FALLEN OFF. DEALR HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

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";

REAR AXLE BROKE WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING.

INTERMITTENT BRAKE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, FRONT END VIBRATES AND VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT/PASSENGER'S SEAT CAME OFF THE TRACK/ STEEERING WHEEL BOLT CRACKED TWICE, CAUSING STEERING WHEEL TO COME LOOSE WHILE DRIVING/WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TWICE IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES AND REAR BRAKE LIGHT BULBS NEED TO BE REPLACED EVERY OTHER MONTH DUE TO PREMATURE FAILURE. *AK

POWER WINDOW MOTOR FAILED.

LEFT REAR WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY SEPARATED FROM TIRE WHILE DRIVING. *AK

A PIECE OF METAL IN THE ROAD RUPTURED THE PLASTIC FUEL LINES UNDER THE VEHICLE, ALLOWING GAS TO FLOW OUT OF THE VEHICLE ONTO THE GROUND. DEALER SAID THE FUEL RETURN LINE HAS TO BE REPLACED. *AK

ERRATIC OPERATION OF THE RADIO, GAS GAUGE AND CRUISE CONTROL.