Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
I HAVE BEEN TRAPPED INSIDE THE FRONT SEAT OF THIS VEHICLE. BOTH FRONT DOORS WILL OCCASIONALLY NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE CAR, EVEN WITH THE DOORS UNLOCKED. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT AND UNPREDICTABLE PROBLEM THAT I FEEL IS QUITE DANGEROUS. THESE VEHICLES SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND HAD THE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM REPLACED. *TR
TOTALLY RUSTED OUT AREA AROUND GAS INTAKE PIPE. VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 1998. *TR
THIS CAR HAS BEEN A PAIN IN THE A-- ALMOST SINCE PURCHASE. THE MOST SERIOUS PROBLEMS HAVE INVOLVED WHAT SEEMS TO BE DEFECTIVE WIRING WITH RESPECT TO THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS. THESE HAVE BEEN REPAIRED 3 TIMES SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENCE CITED ABOVE,TO THE TUNE OF $250, THE LAST TIME BEING 6 MONTHS AGO. NOW I AM TOLD THAT IT NEEDS A NEW MOTOR ASSEMBLY TO THE TUNE OF $650 PARTS AND LABOR! OTHER ASSORTED DOOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. OTHER PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN: DOOR MOLDINGS FALLING OFF (THIS MUST BE AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH '98 JETTAS, BECAUSE I'VE NOTICED THAT MOST OF THOSE THAT I SEE ON THE ROAD HAVE MISSING MOLDINGS). BOTH FRONT TIRES BLEW OUT WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF EACH OTHER AFTER AN INAPPROPIATELY SHORT USAGE. MUCH LOWER GAS MILEAGE THAT ORIGINALLY PROMISED. MOST OF THESE PROBLEMS STARTED WELL WITHIN WARRANTY.
DOOR MOLDING HAS FALLEN OFF. *NLM
FRONT RIGHT SIDE DOOR MOLDING FELL OFF AT 30000 AND AGAIN AT 36000. THE OTHER THREE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF FALLING OFF OR HAVE FALLEN OFF OF THE OTHER DOORS. CAR HAS 60000, AND THE DEALER SAYS IT IS A PROBLEM BUT CORPORATE VOLKSWAGEN DOES NOT.*AK
THREE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES WERE REPLACED BETWEEN 40,000 - 70,000 MILES. AT 80,000 MILES, THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE HAD TO BE REPLACED ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. DEALER NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK *JG
BODY TRIM HAS FALLEN OFF OF LEFT SIDE DOORS. I THINK THE PROBLEM MAY BE HEAT RELATED, AND EXASERBATED BY THE CAR BEING BLACK. HOWEVER , I KEEP THE CAR IN MY GARAGE. *AK
ELECTRICAL HARNESS IN THE LEFT REAR DOOR THAT CONTROLS THE POWER WINDOW WAS CUT BY THE DOOR CLOSING. THIS CAUSED A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND FAILURE OF THE POWER WINDOW CONTROL. *AK
CONTINUAL PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR END NOISE, HEAT SHIELD LOOSE AND MUFFLER CENTER CLAMP LOOSE, HOWEVER AFTER REPAIRS NOISE PERSISTED. *MJS
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION AND THE PART ON THE LEFT SIDE RAIL THAT WAS NEEDED THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT MANUFACTURE. *AK
LEFT ROCKER PANEL AND THE LEFT REAR FRAME RAIL RETAINS WATER (APPROXIMATELY 1 GALLON), WATER DRAINS FROM THE FRAME, CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THE FRAME/ROCKER PANEL WILL ROT FROM THE INSIDE OUT, WEAKENING THE STRUCTURE IN THE WINTER WHEN SALT IS APPLIED TO THE ROAD, SALT WATER PASSING THROUGH VEHICLES FRAME WILL SETTLE IN INSIDE AND ACTIVATE WHENEVER IT RAINS/SNOWS OR CAR IS WASHED.
FUEL SENDERS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY CAUSING THE GAS GAUGE TO READ INACCURATELY.
ROOF RACK SEPARATES AT TIMES. IN FEBRUARY 98, CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50-55MPH WITH SNOW BOARDS TIED DOWN TO ROOF RACKS, WHEN THE RACKS DISCONECTED. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE RACKS AND THE SNOW BOARDS, THIS HAPPENED A SECOND TIME, DEC. 13-98 SNOW BOARDS WERE ON THE ROOF OF VEHICLE AND FLEW OFF WHEN THE ROOF RACKS DISCONNECTED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP (503-656-2924, ALBERTO MECHANIC AND SERVICE MANAGER LARRY LINDSEY TOLD CONSUMER THAT THE RACKS WERE INSTALLED INCORECTLY, BUT THEY WILL NOT REPLACE. *AK
SECURITY REMOTE,DOOR LOCKS, AND PANIC BUTTON 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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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