Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Volkswagen Jetta submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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
BEWARE OF THIS USED CAR - IT NEEDS SERIOUS MECHANICAL WORK. I TEST DROVE IT AND REALIZED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS, THE TIMING CHAIN RATTLES, AND THE A/C DID NOT WORK. *TR
RAINING NOT HARD . WIPERS SLOW DOWN . COMPLETE STOP OF WIPER ACTION. NO PRIOR NOTICE OF BAD OPERATION FIRST THOUGHT WAS FUSE. WAS NOT THE FUSE. *TR
I OWN A 2001 VW JETTA. I BOUGHT IT 3 YEARS AGO, USED FROM THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP. THE AUTOMOBILE WAS SOLD AS A "CERTIFIED" AUTO, WHICH I FOUND OUT LATER DOES NOT MEAN MUCH. MY TRUNK IS LOCKED SHUT AND DOES NOT OPEN MANUALLY OR WITH REMOTE, I'VE HAD TO REPLACE CV BOOTS, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, TRANSMISSION AND NUMEROUS HEADLIGHT, TAILLIGHT AND BLINKER BULBS. AND TODAY ONE OF MY HEADLIGHTS IS SO DIM, IT DOESN'T REALLY PROVIDE ANY LIGHT WHEN IT IS DARK. I HAVE REPLACED IT AND REPLACED IT. IT STAYS FINE FOR ABOUT 2 DAYS AND THEN JUST DIMS OUT AGAIN. I CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP TAKING IT TO VOLKSWAGEN. IT'S A RIP OFF AND THEY DON'T EVEN FIX ANYTHING RIGHT ANYWAY. MY ENGINE FAN WENT OUT ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE OTHER DAY, CAUSING THE CAR TO OVERHEAT. I HAD TO GET IT TOWED. THAT ISN'T THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HAD TO PAY TO HAVE IT TOWED. THE INTERIOR PLASTIC COATING ON ARMRESTS AND ALL PLASTIC INSIDE IS PEELING AND LOOKS TERRIBLE. WHEN I PUSH UNLOCK ALL DOORS, THE DRIVER'S SIDE BACK SEAT DOOR WILL NOT OPEN UNLESS I REACH INSIDE AND PULL THE LOCK OPEN MANUALLY. THERE IS SO MUCH MORE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO WASTE MY TIME. I KNOW NOTHING WILL HAPPEN, EVEN THOUGH IT IS SO OBVIOUS THAT THESE CARS ARE COMPLETE LEMONS, AND THEY NEED TO STOP SELLING THEM TO PEOPLE. *TR
VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WAS SLIDING WHEN TURNING. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO SEVERAL REPAIR SHOPS AND 2 DEALERSHIPS TO LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED BECAUSE THE REAR AXLE WAS BENT. THE CAUSE OF THE AXLE BENDING HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED, BUT THE VEHICLE HAD NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT.*AK
WHILE ACCELERATING FROM EITHER A STOP OR MOVING, THE TRANSMISSION OCCASIONALLY WILL SLIP WHILE SHIFTING FROM 1ST-2ND GEAR, REGARDLESS OF EITHER LIGHT OR HEAVY THROTTLE. THIS PROBLEM HAS PROVEN ELUSIVE TO DUPLICATE ON DEMAND AND HAS OCCURED UNDER VARIOUS CONDITIONS, TO INCLUDE: LIGHT & HEAVY ACCELERATION; MOVING & FROM DEAD STOP; DRY & WET ROADS; INCLINED (UPHILL) & DECLINED (DOWNHILL) AND VARIOUS COMBINATIONS OF LISTED CONDITIONS. THIS STARTED OCCURING AROUND 29,000 MILES AND HAS CONTINUED ON/OFF UP TO ITS' CURRENT 40,073 MILES. WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO DUPLICATE IT FOR THE DEALER IT WILL BE A MOOT POINT TO BRING IT IN FOR DIAGNOSIS/REPAIR, AS THEY WILL "GUESS" THE CAUSE AND CHARGE ME ACCORDINGLY.*AK
RIGHT FRONT DRIVE SHAFT BECAME SLIGHTLY OUT OF ROUND BY ABOUT 30 THOUS. THIS PROBLEM CANNOT BE EXPLAINED BY ANY REGULAR MEANS EXCEPT THE DEALER SAYS WE MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING . IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO HIT THE SHAFT BECAUSE IT IS PROTECTED . I BELIEVE THIS IS METAL FATIGUE THAT COMES FROM HIGHSPEED HIGHWAY DRIVING AS I COMMUTE DAILY ABOUT 250 KM.THE CAR IS ONLY 22 MONTHS OLD BUT I NOW HAVE 125,800 KM ON IT.I SUSPECT THIS PROBLEM WOULD HAVE NEVER OCCURED IF I WAS ONLY DRIVING THE AVERAGE 20,000KM PER YEAR AND ON THE HIGHWAY FROM TIME TO TIME. DEALER WAS NOT EVEN INTERESTED IN CONTACTING VOLKSWAGON TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY HELP AVAILABLE.
2001 VW JETTA - NUMEROUS BUILD ISSUES. EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION - 1 QUART IN 1000 MILES. VEHICLE RE-RINGED AT 19K. CURRENT MILEAGE 47K - LAST OIL CHANGE DOWN 2 QUARTS IN 5OOO MILES. WINDOW REGULATORS - RECALL. SHIFTER SHAFT REPLACED FOR SERIOUS VIBRATION IN 2ND AND 5TH GEARS. BOTH FRONT SEATS FEEL LIKE THEY AREN'T LOCKED IN PLACE! DIAGNOSED AS FAULTY WELD AT TIME OF MANUFACTURE.*AK
CAR WOULD MAKE AWFUL HIGH-PITCHED HOWLING NOISE AT 40MPH. THOUGHT IT WAS ROAD NOISE, DEALER SAID MIGHT BE DRIVESHAFT, CHANGED DRIVE SHAFT, STILL HOWLED, CHANGED TRANSMISSION, NOW IT SEEMS TO BE OK. SEEMS MANY OTHER 2001 VW JETTA'S IN THE S.FLORIDA AREA EXPERIENCED SAME PROBLEMS BECAUSE I SAW MANY MORE JETTAS IN THE REPAIR SHOP, AND MOST OF THE VEHICLE OWNERS I SPOKE TO THERE SAID THEY WERE GETTING NEW TRANSMISSIONS PUT IN. SOME WERE GETTING THEIR 3RD AND 4TH CHANGES. *AK
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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