Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. 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. 71 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.
The 25 most recent of 71, in the owner's own words
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
CAR WAS PARKED, YOUNG MAN TOOK A BOX OUT OF MY FRONT PASSENGER SEAT (WINDOW WAS DOWN AS FAR AS IT WOULD GO) - MAN CLOSED THE DOOR (JUST AS HARD AS MY KIDS ALWAYS DO) AND THE WINDOW SHATTERED. *TR
DEBRIS FROM GASKETS IN AIR VENTILATION SYSTEM EXITS THE AIR VENTS AND HITS THE OCCUPANTS. THE DEBRIS, ON OCCASION, HIT THE DRIVER IN THE EYE CAUSING TEMPORARY LOSS OF VISION. THE DEBRIS FLYING OUT INTO THE FACE OF THE DRIVER OR OTHER VEHICLE OCCUPANT IS ALWAYS A DISTRACTION TO DRIVER ATTENTION TO DRIVING EVEN WHEN DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE EYE(S) DOES NOT OCCUR. *TR
MY VW DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW FELL INTO THE DOOR AS I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE HIGHWAY LAST YEAR. BROUGHT IT IN TO THE BODY SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME THEY FIX TONS OF THIS PROBLEM AS THE PLASTIC CLIPS THAT HOLD THE WINDOW ARE TOO FRAGILE. NOW...SEVERAL MONTHS LATER MY PASSENGER DOOR IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THE COST OF THE REGULATOR TO FIX IT (AS PARTS ARE NOT SOLD SEPARATLY) HAS NOW GONE UP IN COST $50. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. SHE STATED THAT THE GLASS SEPARATED FROM THE WINDOWS FRAME, THEN FELL DOWN INTO THE WINDOW CREVICE. IF THE OCCUPANTS ARE NOT PROPERLY SECURED IN THE VEHICLE, THE RISK FOR SERIOUS INJURY IS INCREASED. SHE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND A TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY $260.00 TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. SHE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS NOT PROVIDED WITH ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 126,000.
DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW REPEATEDLY FALLS INTO DOOR DESPITE NUMEROUS REPAIRS. *TR
FRONT SIDE WINDOW REGULATORS FAILED PREMATURELY LEAVING WINDOWS DOWN AND UNUSABLE. RIGHT SIDE FAILED 7-27-07 AT 44,896 MILES (REPAIR COST $350.73) AND LEFT SIDE 8-20-08 AT 49945 MILES (REPAIR COST $334.45). ON THE RIGHT SIDE THE GLASS SHATTERED SPRAYING OVER THE PASSENGER AND SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW ON 6-11-01 AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR
2001 VW JETTA-- WINDOW REGULATOR REPLACEMENT. VW WILL ONLY REPLACE WINDOWS WITH PROVEN DEFECT(WINDOWS THAT HAVE ALREADY FALLEN DOWN). I LIVE IN MN AND I DON'T WANT TO CHANCE THAT MY WINDOE WILL FALL DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER. I ASKED VW TO REPLACE ALL WINDOW REGULATORS, AND THEY REFUSED. *TR
I OWN A 2001 VW JETTA GLS VR6. SINCE I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH IT. I AM A YOUNG WOMAN IN THE MILITARY AND AM IN FULL TIME SCHOOL, SO I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO RUN AROUND AND FIX IT AS MUCH AS I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO DO. FIRST MY GAS GAUGE WENT OUT THREE MONTHS AFTER BUYING IT $600(UNDER WARRANTY) THEN A MONTH LATER O2 SENSOR $300(NON WARRANTY). THEN IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER$1500(NON WARRANTY) WIRING SYSTEM$1000(OF COURSE NON WARRANTY) WINDOWS WONT ROLL UP WITHOUT ROLLING DOWN AGAIN AND SOMETIMES GET STUCK$700(NON WARRANTY) CRUISE CONTROL WENT OUT$845 (NON WARRANTY), WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR... STATIONED IN ALASKA AND COULDN'T GO WITHOUT THAT $750(NON WARRANTY) NOW MY SECONDARY AIR PUMP IS OUT AND I WAS QUOTED $1294 FROM PRIVATE MECHANIC AND $1400 FROM VW. ALSO THE CRUISE IS STILL OUT AND THE WINDOWS ARE DOING THE SAME AGAIN. I HAVE TALKED TO MANY PEOPLE IN THE SAME BOAT I HAVE BEEN IN WITH SO MANY REPAIRS. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO STOP VW FROM MAKING FAULTY PARTS AND CHARGING AN ARM AND A LEG? I FEEL THOUGH THAT IF IT IS BROUGHT UP TO YOU THAT MY VOICE WILL BE HEARD, BECAUSE WHEN I CALL THE VOLKWAGEN CUSTOMER SERVICE AND COMPLAINTS I GET NOWHERE. *TR
HEATER KNOB STOPPED WORKING IN HOT POSITIION. MECHANIC FOUND A PLASTIC CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY WAS BROKEN UNDER DASH. VW SAID ONLY REMEDY WAS BUY A WHOLE HEATER ASSEMBLY AT COST OF $450 PLUS LABOR WHICH WAS APPROX 6 HOURS. SO ENTIRE JOB WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER $1000 TO FIX A PROBLEM CAUSED BY A SMALL REMOVABLE PLASTIC PIECE. AFTER DAYS OF SEARCHING IN JUNKYARDS IT WAS FOUND MANY OF THESE PART WERE BROKEN. WE ENDED UP GLUING ONE WE FOUND FOR A FIX. NOT SURE HOW LONG IT WILL LAST. *TR
MY 2001 JETTA HAS NOW HAD TWO WINDOWS FALL INTO THE DOORS. THE FIRST WAS THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. NOW THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW HAS FALLEN THROUGH THE DOOR. THIS SEEMS TO BE A WELL KNOW AND COMMON ISSUE, BUT THERE IS CURRENTLY NO RECALL TO MY KNOWLEDGE. VOLKSWAGEN JETTA WINDOWS HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/VW_JETTA_WINDOW.HTML. *TR
LIKE MANY OTHER VW JETTA 01 OWNERS, FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS KEEP FAILING TO COME DOWN. HAD IT REPAIRED, THEN HAPPENED AGAIN. VW NEEDS TO GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF. *JB
GIRLFRIEND GOT INTO CAR ON WEDNESDAY MORNING TO GO TO COLLEGE. SHE SHUT THE DOOR AND THE SNOW HAD BLOCKED HER VIEW THROUGH THE REAR WINDOW. SO SHE HIT THE POWER WINDOW BUTTON TO ROLL DOWN FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW AND THE WINDOW FELL DOWN INTO THE DOOR AND WOULD NOT ROLL BACK UP. SHE TOOK THE CAR TO MOTORVATION MOTORCARS TO HAVE THE WINDOW TAPED UP UNTIL IT COULD GET FIXED ON FRI. TEMPERATURE WAS FRIGID AND THIS WAS VERY INCONVENIENT. THIS HAD HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE IN OCT. DURING HEAVY RAINS. HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS AN OCCURRING PROB WITH MORE THAN ONE JETTA. GOT ON THE INTERNET AND GOT CURIOUS TO WHY THIS HAD HAPPENED TWICE AND FOUND THIS WEBSITE. WHAT IF AN INFANT CHILD WAS RESTRAINED IN REAR SEAT GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. PROBLEM SHOULD BE HANDLED APP. AT VOLKSWAGENS EXPENSE. *NM
2001 JETTA 4-CYL 2.0L, DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR HAS FAILED CAUSING THE WINDOW TO GET STUCK IN DIFFERENT POSITIONS. THE WINDOW MAKES A LOUD JARRING NOISE WHEN MADE TO GO ALL THE WAY UP OR ALL THE WAY DOWN AS THE WINDOW MOTOR DOESN'T SHUT OFF ON ITS OWN. I AM THE THIRD OWNER OF THIS CAR. THE PREVIOUS OWNER ALSO HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE.*JB
I HAVE NOTICED THAT MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE BEEN DETERIORATING IN THE PAST MONTHS. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO A VW DEALER BACK IN APRIL TO SEE WHY MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE STUTTERING. THEY SAID THE WINDSHIELD MIGHT BE ON TOO TIGHT OR SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE BLADES. I CHANGED THE BLADES AND GOT A NEW WINDSHIELD SINCE I HAD A CRACK IN IT ANYWAYS. BOTH DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM AND I WAS NEVER TOLD IT COULD BE THE WIPER MOTOR. I HAVE HAD A FEW INSTANCES WHERE I WAS DRIVING NOW ON THE HIGHWAY OR JUST ON A SIDE STREET AND IT WAS RAINING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY WIPERS WOULD JUST STOP!!! I ALMOST GOT INTO A FEW ACCIDENTS NOW, AND I FEEL IT IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD THAT I SHOULDN'T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR. *NM
OVER THE WEEKEND THE INSIDE OF MY CAR FILLED WITH RAIN WATER. IT WAS A PUDDLE ON THE BOTTOM OF MY CAR. I DRIED IT OUT WITH THE HELP OF MY FATHER. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME IT'S NOT COVERED AS PART OF MY WARRANTY. THEY SAID THAT THEY KNOW IT'S THE SUNROOF CAUSING THE LEAK WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING AT IT. I ASKED IF HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW I RECENTLY HAD REPAIRED AND THEY SAID NO. THEY HAD A BUNCH OF PEOPLE COME IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY ARE ALL DUE TO THE SUNROOF CAUSING A LEAK. THEY SAID IT'S NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY BECAUSE IT'S MAINTENANCE WHEN I HAD NO IDEA THIS IS A PROBLEM AND VW IS VERY WELL AWARE THE PROBLEM. I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE TYPE OF COMPLAINT YOU HANDLE BUT I FEEL THAT VOLKSWAGEN IS GETTING AWAY WITH A FAULTY PROBLEM WITH THE SUNROOF AND THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND THEY ABSORB THE PRICE. *JB
WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE 3 TIMES WITHIN ONE YEAR, WIPERS HAVE STOPPED WIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED - MOTOR REPLACED HAS BEEN SAME ISSUE EACH TIME - MOTOR STILL WORKING - WIPERS NOT. *JB
VW SENT A LETTER TO ME THAT THE SIDE WINDOWS ON MY 2001 JETTA TDI SEDAN VW MAY FAIL AND THEY WOULD REPAIR THEM WHEN IT OCCURRED UP TO 7 YEARS. THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THEM BEFORE FAILURE. WHEN THEY FAILED I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 65 MPH AND THE DRIVERS WINDOW FAILED CRASHING INTO THE INNER DOOR WELL. NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS GOING ON AND THE LOUD BANG IN THE DOOR ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHO PUT A FIX KIT ON IT. NOW THE 2 FRONT WINDOWS THEY PUT THE FIX KIT IN BOTTOMS OUT MAKING A LOUD NOSE AND WHEN IT COMES UP IT MAKES A CLICKING NOISE LIKE SOMETHING HITTING THE GLASS. THE DEALER STATES THIS IS THE VW FIX. I HAVE A 2003 JETTA TDI SEDAN VW AND IT DOES NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM SO I RESEARCHED WHY. WHAT I FOUND OUT WAS THAT YOU CAN'T BUY THE 2001 WINDOW REGULATORS AND MOTORS FROM VW YOU CAN ONLY GET THE UPDATE LIKE IN MY 2003. THE REASON IS THAT VW CAME UP WITH A FIX THAT IS NOT PROPER WITH THIS FIX KIT. THE CORRECT FIX IS TO REPLACE THE REGULATORS AND MOTORS. THE WINDOWS DID NOT MAKE NOISES PRIOR TO THEM FAILING AND SHOULD NOT BE DOING THIS IF THE FIX KIT WORKS PROPER. *JB
THE WINDOW REGULATOR WENT OUT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. I UNDERSTAND THAT LITIGATION WAS FILED IN AUGUST 2003 IN REFERENCE TO THIS MATTER. *JB
BOTH WINDOWS ON THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S DOOR COLLAPSED AND NO LONGER WORK WITHIN 2 DAYS OF EACH OTHER. I HAVE READ ON MANY SIMILAR CASES ON VOLKSWAGEN JETTAS. IT APPEARS THAT VW USED PARTS WHICH DO NOT HAVE MUCH DURABILITY WHEN CONSTRUCTING THE WINDOW SUPPORTS. *JB
MY PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW STOPPED WORKING. THIS IS VERY UPSETTING AS I HAVE READ ON SEVERAL WEBSITES THAT VOLKSWAGEN JETTAS HAVE A TENDENCEY FOR THE WINDOWS TO BREAK. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THERE ISN'T A RECALL.*AK
PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW FAILURE. WE SIMPLY PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT, PASSENGER PRESSED THE BUTTON TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDO, AND WHEN PASSENGER PUSHED BUTTON AGAIN TO RAISE WINDOW, IT SIMPLY COLLAPSED INTO THE DOOR FRAME. *AK
FRONT, PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED (PLASTIC PART BROKE). *LA
BEFORE I PICKED UP THE CAR- IT NEEDED A NEW FUEL TANK BECAUSE THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PUT GAS INTO THE CAR. AT 60,000 MILES THE CRANK SHAFT BROKE OFF AND A NEW ENGINE WAS INSTALLED. MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW FELL DOWN. TWO PLASTIC THINGS KEEP FALLING OUT OF THE SUNROOF AND I PUT THEM BACK UP. NUMEROUS OXYGEN SENSORS HAVE BEEN CHANGED BUT MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON. FINALLY, AT 107,000 MILES MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AND VW REFUSES TO HELP WITH ANY OF THE COST BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF THE WARRANTY. *NM
I WAS DRIVING WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE WINDOW ON MY 2001 VW JETTA FELL INSIDE THE DOOR. THE PIECES THAT HELD THE WINDOW UP BROKE. *JB
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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