1999 Volkswagen Jetta Interior & seats Problems

RECENTLY MY 1999 VW JETTA PASSENGER'S SEAT BACK CAUGHT FIRE, BURNING FROM INSIDER THE SEAT BACK, THE SEAT AND MY HUSBAND'S WINTER COAT (I HAVE PICTURES I CAN SEND) WHILE WE WERE DRIVING IN A SNOW STORM DOWN I-93. THE VW DEALERS I WENT TO SEE, LET ALONE MY CALL TO VW NORTH AMERICA, WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE A REPLACEMENT SEAT, TO CHECK THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS, ETC. THE RESPONSE WAS ALMOST UNIFORM AS TO NOTHING THEY COULD DO, NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE, NOT WITHIN WARRANTY, ETC. NOW MY INSURANCE COMPANY IS ASKING FOR $500 DEDUCTIBLE FOR ME TO PAY FOR THIS REPLACEMENT! MY INSURANCE GUY AND THE HEAD OF SERVICE AT WELLESLEY VW BOTH SAID IN ALL THEIR YEARS, THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING THIS BAD. BUT WHAT REALLY GETS MY GOAT IS THAT THE FIRE WAS A SERIOUS, LIFE-THREATENING HAZARD; THERE ARE MANY CASES THE INTERNET OF JETTAS' SEATS CATCHING FIRE ' BUT NOT ONE RECALL LIKE THEY DID WITH THE PASSAT A FEW YEARS BACK. I HAVE OWNED VWS SINCE 1987 WHEN I GOT MY LICENSE; MY PARENTS SINCE 1953. I CONSIDER MYSELF BRAND-LOYAL BUT AM NOW BAFFLED AS TO THEIR UNIFORM, UNHELPFUL RESPONSES. I NEED SOME GUIDANCE, LET ALONE HELP TO HAVE THEM FIX THIS PROBLEM. SOMEONE MIGHT HAVE BEEN KILLED HAD THE SEAT FULLY CAUGHT FIRE OR MY HUSBAND WAS WEARING SOMETHING OTHER THAN LEATHER THAT TAKES LONGER TO SMOLDER THAN, LET'S SAY, FLEECE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS THEIR "LIABILITY", AND THEY SHOULD MAKE GOOD ON CORRECTING THE SITUATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10260235

Incident

Jan 9, 2009

Mileage

108,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT HAS HEATED SEATS IN HIS VEHICLE. THE HEATING ELEMENTS IN THE SEATS BECAME SO HOT THAT THEY BURNED THROUGH THE SEAT TO HIS JACKET. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE HAD TOO MANY MILES ON IT FOR THEM TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA ID

10257401

Incident

Jan 3, 2009

Mileage

140,000 mi

IN OUR 1999 JETTA, OUR PASSENGER SEAT WARMER CAUGHT ON FIRE, AND BURNED THROUGH MY HUSBAND'S JACKET. I REPORTED TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA AND THEY SAID AS IT WAS AN OLD CAR AND THERE WAS NEVER A RECALL, THEY CAN'T HELP ME. I READ ON MANY INTERNET SITES THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM. I HAVE OWNED VWS SINCE 1986, CONSIDER MYSELF BRAND-LOYAL BUT NOW VERY UPSET. WE COULD HAVE HAD A MAJOR FIRE AND NO ONE IS CARING ABOUT THIS AS THE CAR IS 10 YEARS OLD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10256339

Incident

Jan 19, 2009

Mileage

106,000 mi

THREE OUT OF FOUR DOOR LOCK ALARM SENSORS WENT BAD WITHIN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME WHEREAS WHILE THE DOOR WAS OPEN, THE CAR ALARM WOULD SOUND. THE SYSTEM FUNCTIONS SO THAT IF KEYLESS ENTRY IS USED AND COMPUTER DOES NOT SENSE DOORS ARE OPEN, THE VEHICLE WILL RELOCK AFTER AN ALLOTTED TIME. THE VEHICLE SHOULD (AND USED TO) DISABLE THE ALARM AS SOON AS ANY OF THE DOORS OPENED. THE ALARM GOES OFF AFTER THE ALLOTTED TIME TO LOCK THE CAR AGAIN, EVEN WITH DOOR OPEN (EXCEPT FOR DRIVER'S SIDE). THIS PROVES INCREDIBLY INCONVENIENT WHILE PUTTING SLEEPING BABY BACK INTO CAR SEAT. HAVE HAD TWO BACK DOORS REPAIRED AT ABOUT $400 PER DOOR. FRONT PASSENGER DOOR NOT REPAIRED AS VW SERVICE COMPUTER REFUSES TO SEE ISSUE WITH SENSOR. REGARDLESS, ALARM SOUNDS WHILE DOOR IS OPEN. ALSO, LOCK SENSOR IN TRUCK FAILED WITH SIMILAR RESULTS. REPLACED AT $75. WHEN INQUIRED WHETHER ALARM COULD BE DISABLED, WAS TOLD IT IS TIED INTO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND WOULD LOSE FUNCTIONALITY OF HORN AND OTHER SYSTEMS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10151534

Incident

Jan 7, 2005

Mileage

70,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, MY HEADLIGHTS, DASHLIGHTS, HEATER/DEFROST, ALL WENT OUT AND MY E-BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. DO TO THE CONDITIONS AND THE COLD, MY WINDSHIELD FOGGED UP EXTEMEMLY QUICKLY AND MADE IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES SINCE, ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS. I FIGURED OUT LATER ON, THAT BY MOVING THE IGNITION SWITCH AROUND, EVERYTHING WENT BACK TO NORMAL. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS DUE TO MY MILITARY SCHEDULE. I AM DEPLPYED RIGHT NOW AND AM PLANNING TO CONTACT THE DEALER IN FARGO AS SOON AS I RETURN.*AK

NHTSA ID

10062053

Incident

Jan 12, 2004

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL RECALLS/ AND SEVERAL PROBLEMS: DOME LIGHT, VANITY MIRRORS, EMISSIONS PROBLEMS, ETC... *MR THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS WITH: THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHTS, INTERIOR TRIM HAD COME LOOSE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, THE PASSENGER VANITY MIRROR LIGHT DID NOT SHUT OFF, THE CUP HOLDER WAS JAMMED AND HAD BROKEN, THE DRIVER WINDOW SOUNDED AS IF AIR WAS COMING IN THE VEHICLE, THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT HINGES HAD BROKEN, THE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHEN THE RADIO WAS TURNED OFF, THE SENSORS NEVER SEEMED TO WORK, THE OIL DIPSTICK HAD GIVEN ABNORMAL READINGS(SHOWING LOW WHEN OIL WAS JUST CHANGED), THE LEAN OXYGEN SENSOR WAS REPLACED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS INTERMITTENT BUT STAYED ON, AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED DUE TO NOISE WHICH ENDED AFTER THE REPAIR(THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME BACK ON). *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10022531

Incident

Mar 16, 2003

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE INTERMITTENT. THE DEALER STATED THE WIPERS WERE INCOMPATIBLE. THE WIPERS DID NOT WORK IN COLD WEATHER AND DID NOT HAVE THE PROPER SPEED IN WARM WEATHER. THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW HAD FALLEN DOWN INTO THE DOOR, THE LOCKING MECHANISM HAD MALFUNCTIONED AND WAS REPLACED, THE METAL TRIANGLE PIECES ON THE DOORS HAD BEEN REPLACED, THE CRUISE CONTROL NEVER WORKED FROM PURCHASE, AND THE FRONT BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE WIPERS. (NO RECALL FOR WIPERS) MR SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10014865

DUR TO A SHORT IN THE WIRING ELECTRICAL WIRING WAS BURNT FROM A & B PILLARS TO THE DASH, NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS., NO REASONABLE EXPLANATION FOR THE BURNING OF THE WIRING OR THE CAUSE OF THE SHORT. ONE MONTH AFTER THE DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEMS, ADDITIONAL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WERE ENCOUNTERED. DEALER REFUSED TO STAND BEHIND FIRST WORK. FIRST DEALER ALSO FELT INTERIOR FIRE AND ELECTRICAL FAILURE WAS NOT A WARRANTY ITEM. SECOND REPAIR BILL WAS FOR $872 AND THAT DEALER WROTE ON THE BILL "ONCE THE CAR IS REGISTERED IN CALIFORNIA REPAIRS CAN BE REIMBURSED". CAR IS REGISTERED IN UTAH, SEE NO REASON STATE OF REGISTRATION SHOULD EFFECT THE WARRENTY. CALLED VW OF AMERICA 800-822-8987 AND THEY TOOK THE COMPLAINT, BUT HAVE DONE NOTHING TO THIS DATE AND HAVE PROVIDED NO REASONABLE EXPLAINATION FOR WHY WORK WOULD BE COVERED IN ONE STATE BUT NOT ANOTHER. CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF INTERIOR FIRE IF THERE ARE WIRING DEFECTS IN THE CAR. VW OF AMERICA RFEFUSED TO PROVIDE HISTORY OF WIRING FIRES FOR JETTAS.*AK

NHTSA ID

763052

Incident

Mar 13, 2002

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH AT NIGHT RIGHT HEADLIGHT FLICKERED. THEN, BOTH HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. AT THE SAME TIME ALL DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT OUT. DEALER DETERMINED WIRING LEADING TO HEADLIGHTS HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK *TS

NHTSA ID

8010680

Incident

May 22, 2002

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID

729174

WHEN COMING TO STOP SEAT ON PASSENGER'S SIDE MOVED FORWARD ABOUT 1/2 INCH. PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS OKAY FOR THE SEAT TO MOVE A LITTLE WHEN STOPPING. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID

859815

Incident

Dec 12, 1999

THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP COMES AND STAYS ON WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE DUE TO AFTER MARKET RADIO INSTALLATION. YH

NHTSA ID

551784

Incident

Mar 8, 2000