2000 Volkswagen Jetta Fuel system Problems

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE RECENTLY AND HAVE NOTICED A DISTINCT DIESEL SMELL WHEN IDLING OR DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS. SMELLS STRONG LIKE LEAKING DIESEL FUEL. THE CAR IDLES VERY ROUGH AND SOMETIMES STALLS WHEN COMING TO A STOP. THERE IS A VERY BAD ODOR WHENEVER I ENTER THE VEHICLE. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE CAR WILL STALL AND I MIGHT BE IN AN UNSAFE POSITION DURING TRAFFIC. I THINK THE CLUTCH MIGHT BE DEFECTIVE. IT SOUNDS VERY LOUD. THE VEHICLE HAS 260,000 MILES. DIESLS ARE SUPPOSED TO RUN FOREVER BUT I FEEL LIKE I BOUGHT A LEMON.

NHTSA ID

11337826

Incident

Jul 1, 2020

Mileage

260,000 mi

VEHICLE COMPLETELY STALLS FOR SEVERAL SECONDS SPORADICALLY WHENEVER THE FUEL GUAGE READS 3/8 OR LESS. BOTH MY VW CAR DO THE EXACT SAME THING. IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE THIS OCCURS WITH MOST VW CARS. EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED.

NHTSA ID

11255699

Incident

Sep 15, 2015

Mileage

170,000 mi

ONE YEAR AFTER PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE FROM A PRIVATE OWNER, TODAY WAS THE SECOND INCIDENT I'VE HAD REGARDING THE CLUTCH AND THE FUMES IT EMITS. SIX MONTHS AGO I NOTICED THE CLUTCH SLIPPING AND IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT INTO A REPAIR SHOP. ON TOP OF THE SLIPPING CLUTCH, THE COOLANT AND EMISSIONS WORKSHOP AND ELECTRICAL BECAME A PROBLEM. "STOP COOLANT LOW" WOULD ALWAYS APPEAR ON MY DASH, HOWEVER THE COOLANT WOULD BE FILLED. THE ENGINE LIGHT ALSO STAYED ON. THE MECHANIC DID ALL HE COULD TO FIX IT. SIX MONTHS LATER, TODAY, I'M HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. ONLY DIFFERENCE IS, I IMMEDIATELY BECAME ILL WHILE DRIVING AND BREATHING IN THE FUMES THE VEHICLE EMIT. I BECAME NAUSEA, DIZZY AND VOMITED. THIS ISSUE REGARDING THE CLUTCH IS AN ONGOING DIGRESSION TO THE VEHICLE AND THE SAFETY AND HEALTH OF MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS. I HOPE VW WILL TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY AND INVESTIGATE THIS CASE, I HAVE FRIENDS WHO'VE ALSO EXPERIENCE SIMILAR INSTANCES WITH THEIR VW VEHICLES. I HOPE TO GET MINE AND ALL VEHICLES WHO HAVE DISPLAYED SIMILAR ISSUES REPAIRED PROPERLY BY THE CORRECT MECHANICS BEFORE ANYONE ELSE BECOMES SUDDENLY ILL LIKE I HAVE TODAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10520011

Incident

Jun 16, 2013

Mileage

127,000 mi

2000 VW JETTA BELONGING TO MY FRIEND [XXX], QUIT RUNNING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. SHE COASTED OUT OF THE WAY AND HAD OTHER DRIVERS HELP PUSH IT TO A NEARBY PARKING LOT. ON INVESTIGATING THE PROBLEM, IT WAS FOUND THAT A SWITCH IN THE DRIVER'S DOOR FAILED, SHUTTING OFF THE FUEL PUMP. THE DOOR SWITCH NORMALLY TURNS ON THE FUEL PUMP WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED AND IF THE CAR IS STARTED WITHOUT OPENING THE DRIVER'S DOOR THE "IMMOBILIZER" SECURITY SYSTEM SHUTS OFF THE FUEL PUMP. THE SWITCH FAILED WHILE [XXX] DROVE HOME FROM WORK AND FUEL WAS SHUT OFF TURNING OFF THE ENGINE.[XXX] AND THE PEOPLE THAT HELPED PUSH THE CAR WERE ENDANGERED BY HAVING TO GET OUT OF THEIR CARS IN THE HEAVY TRAFFIC. CAR DESIGNS NEED TO BE REVIEWED FOR FAULT TOLERANCE SO THAT MINOR COMPONENTS LIKE DOOR SWITCHES DON'T CAUSE THE CAR ENGINE TO STOP. ALSO IF THE CAR WERE HIT IN THE DOOR, IT WOULD OPEN THE SWITCH CAUSING FUEL PUMP TO TURN ON POSSIBLY FEEDING LARGE QUANTITIES OF GASOLINE UNDER A DAMAGED CAR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10352400

Incident

Aug 14, 2010

Mileage

71,230 mi

VOLKSWAGEN 2000 JETTA UNCOMMANDED ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING. CAR HAS NO CRUISE CONTROL YET CAR ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN TO THE POINT THE CAR HAS TO BE BRAKED HARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10223059

Incident

Mar 31, 2008

Mileage

70,648 mi

1) I PURCHASED A VW TDI WITH A DIAGNOSIS OF A BAD TURBO AND AN INTERMITTENT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I HAD THE CAR SEVEN MONTHS AND PUT 12,984 MILES ON IT WITH NO PROBLEMS. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND HAD THE CAR DIAGNOSED AS TO WHY THE C.E. LIGHT WAS ON. WHEN ASKED ABOUT REPAIRING THE TURBO BY THE COUNTER MAN I TOLD HIM I INTEND TO DRIVE IT UNTIL IT BREAKS THEN HAVE IT REPAIRED. I ASKED HIM IF THERE WOULD BE A PROBLEM DOING THAT HE EXPLAINED TO ME THE CAR WOULD BE SLUGGISH THEN NOT RUN. VW DIAGNOSED MY CAR AS HAVING A "TURBO WASTE GATE BLOWN" I DEFERRED THE REPAIR INTENDING TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL THE TURBO WENT. 2) ON THE WAY HOME, SIX MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP, THE CAR RAN SLIGHTLY ROUGH. I OBSERVED LIGHT SMOKE COMING FROM MY CAR IN THE HEAD LIGHTS OF THE CARS BEHIND ME. I DEDUCTED MY CAR WAS BURNING CARBON SINCE CARBON BUILD UP WAS NOTED ON THE REPORT. I SLIGHTLY DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE CAR RACED FORWARD. I IMMEDIATELY REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR RACED FORWARD SO QUICKLY AND WITH SUCH FORCE I WOULD COMPARE IT TO A MUSCLE CAR BEING FLOORED. THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING. I LOOKED AT THE TACHOMETER AND IT WAS GOING BY 4,000 RPM. THIS DIESEL ENGINE WAS SCREAMING. INSTINCTIVELY I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE CAR. THE ENGINE REVVED THEN BLEW. I WAS 7 MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP. SERVICE MANGER STATED THAT A GASKET IN THE TURBO LET GO CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SUCK OIL FROM THE CRANKCASE FUELING THE ENGINE. HE TOLD ME THAT NOTHING COULD STOP THE ENGINE FROM REVVING NOT EVEN TURNING OFF THE KEY. HE TOLD ME THAT ALL DIESEL ENGINES WERE MADE THIS WAY. THERE IS NOTHING VW COULD DO FOR ME. I CALLED VW CUSTOMER SERVICE, LEVEL 2 OPERATOR TOLD ME SINCE I WAS TOLD ABOUT THE TURBO BEING BROKEN THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. 3) MY CAR IS SITTING WITH A BLOWN ENGINE AND A BLOWN TURBO. *JB

NHTSA ID

10151007

Incident

Feb 20, 2006

Mileage

98,361 mi

2000 VW JETTA - SAME EXACT PROBLEM AS WITH THE 2000 VW GOLF FUEL SYSTEM. CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED RUNNING AND WOULDN'T START. CAR WAS LEAKING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF GAS. I HAD ALREADY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP LAST YEAR (2004) AND THIS TIME HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FUEL LINE. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION BY THE DEALER BECAUSE IT COULD'VE CAUSED A FIRE OR EXPLOSION. DEALER USED NEW PARTS TO REPLACE FUEL LINE.

NHTSA ID

10122216

Incident

May 13, 2005

Mileage

69,820 mi

I AM THE PRIMARY REPAIR PERSON FOR THIS VEHICLE. OVER ITS HISTORY, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPONENT FAILURES THAT IN MY OPINION ARE UNACCEPTABLE FOR A VEHICLE WITH THIS MILEAGE AND AGE. I PERSONALLY KNOW THE OWNER, AND KNOW THAT IT IS NOT OPERATED UNDER UNUSUALLY HARSH CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A MINOR COSMETIC CRASH EARLY ON, OTHERWISE, THERE HAVE BEEN NO UNUSUAL OUTSIDE FACTORS. AT THIS POINT, THE CAR HAS ONLY 37,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. PRIMARY USE IS ON LONG TRIPS. THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AND STORED FOR ABOUT 3-6 MONTHS EACH YEAR. FIRST PROBLEM: AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM LEAK: THE EXPANSION VALVE FAILED, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. CHECK ENGINE/ MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT: HAS COME ON SEVERAL TIMES, EACH TIME WITH THE SAME DTC, A MANUFACTURER SPECIFIC CODE RELATED TO THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. THE POWER WINDOWS HAVE FAILED, ULTIMATELY RESULTING IN FREE REPAIR OF THE WINDOWS WITH A REVISED RETAINING CLIP, AS THIS PROBLEM OCCURS FAR TOO OFTEN, AND FINALLY, THE REAR BRAKE PADS HAVE WORN COMPLETELY WITH THE FRONT PADS IN VIRTUALLY NEW CONDITION. THIS IS ACCOMPANIED BY ALL FOUR ROTORS BEING EXCESSIVELY PITTED, WITH LARGE AREAS OF THE ROTOR FACE ACTUALLY FLAKING OFF. MY RESEARCH SHOWS THAT I MAY END UP NEEDING TO REPLACE THE REAR CALIPERS, AS WELL, DUE TO POOR DESIGN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10118321

Incident

Apr 22, 2005

Mileage

21,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT LIQUID WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE PLASTIC HOSE AND OTHER PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE FUEL HOSE HAD COME LOOSE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. *SC

NHTSA ID

10087238

Incident

Aug 4, 2004

Mileage

42,000 mi

VW JETTA TDI 1.9 LITTER DIESEL HAS EXTREMELY POOR FUEL MILEAGE. ADVERTISED IS TO GET 50 MI/GALLON. I GET AT BEST 40 MI/GALLON HIGHWAY AND AS LOW AS 25 MI/GALLON MIXED HIGHWAY/CITY. DEALER AVOIDS THE ISSUE BY SAYING LOW MILAGE IS DUE TO BAD FUEL, EXTREME COLD, POOR DRIVING HABITS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10074922

Incident

Jun 7, 2004

Mileage

85,000 mi

2000 VW JETTA TDI- TURBO DOES NOT APPEAR TO WORK FOR PAST 6-8 MONTHS. THIS CAUSES THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY ON ANY HILLS, INCLUDING ON ENTRANCE RAMPS, WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE ON MERGE WITH TRAFFIC. DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE, BUT HAS OFFERED EXPENSIVE REPAIRS INCLUDING REPLACING MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, SOME TYPE OF VALVE IN THE TURBO, FOR EXAMPLE. ALSO NOTED IS THE VEHICLE CAN INTERMITTENTLY PROVIDE SOME DIESEL BOOST- SEEMS ONLY WHEN THE GAS TANK IS FULL. AND THE FUEL FILLER NECK INTERIOR DOOR HAS BROKEN OFF SOMETIME IN THE PAST YEAR. IS THIS RELATED? IS THIS SAFE? *LA

NHTSA ID

10049543

Incident

Jun 1, 2003

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON DUE TO EMISSION FAILURE. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. CURRENTLY, AIR INJECTION PUMP WAS BEING REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10042482

Mileage

42,000 mi

THE FUEL LINE ON MY 2000 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA RECENTY BURST, MAKING A SOUND LIKE A BALLOON POPPING AND LEAKING SEVERAL GALLONS GASOLINE IN THE TEN MINUTES IT TOOK ME TO GET TO A SERVICE STATION FOR AN EMERGENCY REPAIR. THE MECHANIC WHO REMOVED THE FUEL LINE (WHICH I KEPT) SHOWED ME TWO SMALL SPLITS, BUT HE WAS UNCERTAIN ABOUT WHAT CAUSED THE DAMAGE. THE JETTA'S FUEL LINE RUNS IN A SHALLOW CHANNEL UNDER THE CAR, BUT I WAS ON A SMOOTH, PAVED STREET AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE AND DON'T RECALL HITTING A POTHOLE OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT MIGHT EXPLAIN THE DAMAGE. TWO THOUGHTS: DESPITE BEING IN A CHANNEL, CLEARANCE ON THE JETTA IS LOW AND THE FUEL LINE IS RATHER EXPOSED, SO IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SCRAPED OR DAMAGED AT SOME OTHER TIME...PERHAPS BY ROAD DEBRIS OR DRIVING OVER A SPEED BUMP OR POTHOLE. THE ONLY OTHER LOGICAL EXPLANATION WOULD BE A DEFECTIVE FUEL LINE. IF THE FORMER, THEN VW SHOULD CONSIDER A RECALL TO RELOCATE THE FUEL LINE IN THIS MODEL OR INSTALL SOME TYPE OF SHIELDING. IF THE LATTER, THEN VW SHOULD REPLACE AND UPGRADE THE FUEL LINE IN THIS MODEL. (MY CAR HAS ONLY 25,674 MILES ON THE CLOCK AND I KEEP IT WELL MAINTAINED, SO IT WOULD HARD TO PUT THE FAILURE DOWN TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR.) GIVEN THE POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC RESULTS OF FUEL-LINE FAILURES, I FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO BRING THIS INCIDENT TO THE NHTSA'S ATTENTION. MANY THANKS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10033034

Incident

Aug 15, 2003

Mileage

25,500 mi

PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATION ON MY 2000 VW TDI WHICH HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY HAZARDOUS. VEHICLE ACCELERATES WHEN IT CHOOSES TO DO SO. CONDITION IS ONGOING. WILL NOT SPEED UP OFF EXIT RAMPS NOR WHEN GOING UPHILL. SOURCE OF ROAD RAGE AT THIS POINT. BRAKES (REAR) DISINTEGRATED BEFORE REACHING 40,000 MILES. NOT PLEASED WITH THIS CAR'S PERFORMANCE AND IT APPEARS TO BE DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. SPOKE WITH SOMEONE ELSE HAVING THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR WHO HAD THE SAME SYMPTOMS. REPORTEDLY IT IS SOME SORT OF AIR FLOW DEFECT. WANT TO KNOW IF THIS IS COVERED UNDER THE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY AND WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL.

NHTSA ID

10025384

Incident

May 4, 2003

I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT SMELLING GASOLINE, TEMPERATURE LIGHT, AND ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON. THEY TOLD ME A VALVE ON THE FILLER TUBE OF THE GAS TANK WAS BROKEN AND I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE GAS TANK. THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE ANTIFREEZE SYSTEM AND A "FLANGE" WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10016435

Incident

Feb 1, 2003

I HAVE CALLED VW CUSTOMER CARE SEVERAL TIME TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THEY MAKE OVER $300.00 FOR EVERY BAD SENSOR. IN DOING MY HOMEWORK ON THIS PROBLEM, A PART DEALER OVER THE INTERNET TOLD ME THEY SELL 30 MAF SENSORS A WEEK. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM. IT NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. DT

NHTSA ID

769082

Incident

Jul 10, 2002

MY VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR FUEL ISSUES AT AN AUTHORIZED VW DEALERSHIP. SINCE EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM, A NEW VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN INVOLVED PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THE DISTANCE OF THE TOW. THE ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP WHO MADE THE FUEL REPAIRS IS CURRENTLY UNCOOPERATIVE.*AK

NHTSA ID

764598

Incident

Jul 12, 2002

MY CAR IS NIGHTMARE OF FAILURES. CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT (DEALER CLAIMS THE CAR DOESNT HAVE ONE - BUT YOU CAN SEE IT IF YOU USE A FLASHLIGHT AT AN OBLIQUE ANGLE) FAILURE, ABS MODULE SWITCH FAILURE (ACCORDING TO DEALER) CAUSING CRUISE CONTROL TO UNEXPECTEDLY DISENGAGE. I ALSO LEARNED FROM OTHER MOTORISTS THAT THE SAME SWITCH CONTROLS BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATION (ALL BULBS AND OTHER SIGNAL LIGHTS WORK). FUEL INJECTION MODULE OVER INJECTED GAS CAUSING EXCESSIVE PRESSURE. RELIEF VALVE FAILED TO OPEN CAUSING TURBO OVERPRESSURE TO +120PSI. FAILURE CAUSED HOSES TO BLOW SENDING HOSE CLAMPS AS PROJECTILES. THIS WEEK, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW UNEXPECTEDLY DROPPED INTO THE DOOR. DEALER HAS LITERALLY TAPED THE WINDOW UP UNTIL A PART ARRIVES. DEALER ADMITS TO MFG DESIGN DEFECT - NO VOLUNTARY RECALL. NO DEALERS WILL VOLUNTARILY REPLACE CLIPS UNTIL THEY FAIL. VOLKSWAGEN POSITION IS THAT THEY KNOW THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW, BUT WONT REPLACE KNOWN BAD CLIPS UNTIL THERE IS A FAILURE. WINDOW FAILURE COULD CAUSE OBJECTS (STONES KICKED UP BY TIRES OF OTHER CARS) TO HIT PASSENGERS. INFANT / CHILD SAFETY RISK. WINDOW INTEGRITY QUESTIONABLE IN AN ACCIDENT IF IT FAILS WHEN DRIVING 15MPH. HELP!*AK

NHTSA ID

764145

Incident

Nov 19, 2001

PART/PARTS BROKE IN THE FUEL TANK FILLER NECK THAT PREVENTS FUEL FROM BEING PUMP IN. FUNNEL MAYBE USED BUT GASOLINE MAY OVERFLOW AND SPILL. *AK

NHTSA ID

761748

WHILE BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUTDOWN, AND BEGAN TO COAST BACKWARDS INTO A DITCH. CONSUMER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT ALL FUEL HAD BEGAN TO LEAK FROM FUEL LINE IN REAR. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

NHTSA ID

880108

FUEL FILLER NECK OBSTRUCTED WITH NOZZLE FLAP RETAINER. REPLACEMENT ASSEMBLY ORDER HAD TO BE RETURNED TO MANUFACTURER DUE TO DEFECT (PER INFORMATION PROVIDED BY DEALER SERVICE DEPT. REP.) *AK

NHTSA ID

718639

Incident

Dec 9, 1999

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE BEGAN TO STALL. AFTER DRIVING FOR ANOTHER 5 MILES, VEHICLE DIED COMPLETELY AND WOULD NOT RESTART. DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. FUEL FILTER WAS CHANGED, AND CONDTIONER ADDED TO THE FUEL. ALSO, THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. THE TEMPERATURE WAS SIX DEGREES WHEN THE PROBLEM HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED IN ORDER TO THAW OUT. *AK

NHTSA ID

856735

Incident

Jan 27, 2000