Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Volkswagen Jetta submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 21 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
THIS IS A FOLLOWUP ON MY NHTSA COMPLAINT WITH ODI 10660489. I WOULD LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V584000 WHICH PRECISELY DESCRIBES THE SAME PROBLEM I HAVE ENCOUNTERED WITH MY JETTA. PLEASE NOTE THAT MY JETTA IS ALSO A 2002 MODEL AS NOTED IN THE ABOVE CAMPAIGN. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THE SIGNAL AND HAZARD FLASHERS WERE INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,500.
FIRST INTERMITTENT AND THEN INOPERATIVE TURN SIGNAL AND HAZARD FLASHER FUNCTION.. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL TICKING COMING FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARD SWITCH WAS FAILING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V584000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING: HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS: SWITCH). THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 170,000.
SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT BULBS ON BOTH THE BLINKERS AND THE MAIN LIGHTS GO OUT ON A REGULAR BASIS AND HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE LONGER I OWN THE VEHICLE THE MORE OFTEN I HAVE TO REPLACE A BULB AND THESE ARE NOT BULBS WE CAN REPLACE OURSELVES AND THEREFORE HAVE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR STATION TO FIX. I KNOW BULBS NEED TO BE REPLACED BUT I AM TALKING I AM REPLACING A BULB ALMOST EVERY OTHER MONTH. *TR
HEADLIGHT LENS OXIDIZING(YELLOWING). CAUSING DIMMED HEADLIGHT INTENSITY, LOWERING NIGHT TIME VISIBILITY. WILL NEED TO REPLACE LENSES THIS YEAR. *TR
I HAVE A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA AND I HAVE A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ISSUE (BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ON AND A DCT(P0571) IS SET) THAT WAS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL/REPLACEMENT, BUT THE VIN GROUP THAT THIS APPLIES TO IS 3VW---9M-YM000089 TO 3VW---9M-2M053565, AS YOU CAN SEE, MINE IS JUST OUT SIDE THE HIGH VIN. THE VIN RANGE SHOULD BE READDRESSED TO INCLUDE ALL 2002 MODEL JETTAS WITH CRUISE CONTROL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROMPT ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. *TR
TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARD LIGHTS ONLY WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED FOR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF 02 JETTAS, BUT APPARENTLY NOT FOR THIS PARTICULAR VIN NUMBER. *TR
THE TURN SIGNAL CONTINUES TO MAKE NOISE AS IF IT WERE ON AT RANDOM TIMES WHILE I AM DRIVING. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN NOTED IN A RECALL BY VOLKSWAGEN (ID # 04V584000) BUT MY VIN NUMBER ISN'T COVERED AND THEREFORE VOLKSWAGEN WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. INTERMITTENTLY, AFTER THE HAZARD LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED, THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD BECOME INOPERATIVE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V584000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS:SWITCH); HOWEVER, A TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, BUT NOT THE HAZARD LIGHTS. THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,000.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY COMES ON, COMPLETED RECALL FOR BRAKE SWITCH, EPC LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON, CAR STALLS WHILE WAITING FOR A LIGHT TO CHANGE VERY DANGEROUS. AFTER A NIGHT OF RAIN, LEAK IN PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR MOLD GROWING CAR WILL HAVE A VERY HARD START OR NO START AT ALL IN THE MORNING, REPLACED BATTERY 3 TIMES. CHANGED O2 SENSOR 2X, CAR BURNS OIL CONTINUOUSLY, INTERIOR LIGHTS GO OUT WHEN THEY FEEL LIKE IT, BRAKE LIGHTS DIE OUT FAST, CHANGED BRAKE LIGHTS AND SIGNAL LIGHTS AT LEAST 5X. *TR
HEADLIGHT LENS BECOME VERY MILKY. LIGHT WILL NOT SHINE ON ROAD. CAN'T SEE THE ROAD OR OTHER CARS. CAN CAUSE DAMAGE AND DEATH TO OTHERS. VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD MAKE THEM LASTS LONGER AND REPLACE ALL MILKY HEADLIGHS WITH NEW ONES. ALL 1999-2005 JETTAS 1998-2005 PASSATS HAVE THIS PROBLEM. GO TO ANY VOLKSWAGEN DEALER AND YOU WILL SEE THE PROBLEM.
THE RIGHT FRONT TURN SIGNAL BULB WAS AT FIRST INTERMITTENT, BUT THEN BECAME INOPERATIVE. WHEN LIGHT WAS REMOVED THE FILAMENT WAS FINE, BUT THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF ARCING ACROSS THE CONTACTS. IT LOOKED LIKE THE CONTACTS WERE SHORT CIRCUITED. I HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM ABOUT A YEAR AGO. MY 2002 JETTA WAS NOT PART OF A RECALL OF THIS VERY PROBLEM. THE VIN # DID NOT QUALIFY. BUT, AFTER LOOKING AT FORUM POSTINGS THIS IS A BIGGER PROBLEM THAT THE GROUP OF VIN NUMBERS THAT VOLKSWAGEN INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.*AK
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER BY POLICE AND INFORMED THE TAIL LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATED. THE 3 BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE IN RAPID SUCCESSION AND REQUIRED THAT THE BULBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN AUGUST. THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED INTERMITTENTLY, AS WELL AS, THE LIGHTING IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BY THE HEAT SWITCH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT INFORMED THE CONTACT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL # 06V183000 FOR THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING: BRAKE LIGHTS: SWITCH DUE TO THE VIN, ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEMS WERE SIMILAR.
TURN SIGNAL UNIT CLICKING AT TWICE THE SPEED INTERMITTENTLY WHEN TURN SIGNAL IS NOT EVEN TURNED ON. LIGHTS HAVE NEVER BEEN ACTUATED YET, BUT VW DEALER TOLD ME IT COULD HAPPEN AS MALFUNCTION PROGRESSES. VEHICLE ONLY 4 YEARS OLD WITH 88 000 KMS. NO RECALL BY MANUFACTURER YET, ALTHOUGH DEALER TOLD ME IT IS A RECURRING PROBLEM. COST OF REPLACEMENT FOR STEERING STALK FLASHER UNIT IS 250 DOLLARS. *NM
THE TURN SIGNAL ON MY 2002 VW JETTA, VIN [XXX] OPERATES AT RANDOM. THIS CONDITION SOMETIMES OCCURS AFTER GOING OVER BUMPS OR AFTER COMPLETING A LANE CHANGE MANEUVER. THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH IS IN THE CENTER, OR "OFF" POSITION BUT THE TURN SIGNAL / HAZARD FLASHER STARTS AND/OR STOPS AT RANDOM. VW'S SAFETY RECALL VX DATED MARCH 2005 CLAIMS THAT MY VEHICLE IS OUTSIDE THE RANGE OF AFFECTED VINS BUT CLEARLY THIS IS NOT THE CASE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS CONCERN AND CONSIDER FORCING VW TO DO A MORE EXTENSIVE RECALL AS THIS PROBLEM IS NOT JUST ANNOYING, IT IS POTENTIALLY A SAFETY CONCERN. AN ACCIDENT OR ELECTRICAL FIRE COULD POSSIBLY RESULT FROM THIS CONDITION. *NM UPDATED 07/16/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2002 JETTA REAR LIGHTS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. *TS THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL REGARDING THE LIGHT PROBLEMS. *JB
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE HAZARD FLASHING LIGHTS SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED. ALL OF THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS ON THE CAR BURNED OUT. THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD TICK, BUT THE BLINKER LIGHT WOULD NOT COME ON. THIS WAS TEMPORARILY SOLVED BY REMOVING THE HAZARD LIGHT SWITCH. VOLKSWAGEN ISSUED RECALL 04V584000 ON THE HAZARD SWITCH, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER HAVE BEEN CONTACT, AND NEITHER OFFERED ANY FREE SOLUTION. *AK
2 TIMES I HAD TO REPLACE A FAULTY 02 SENSOR 1ST TIME ENGINE TEMP SENSOR. REAR LEFT LIGHT BURNED OUT 3-4 TIMES WITHIN 80 000KM. SAID IT'S EASIER TO REPLACE THEN FIND THE PROBLEM AT DEALERSHIP. HAVE DONE OIL CONSUMPTION TESTS 1 LITRE OF OIL PER 3161KM. SAYING THAT THIS NORMAL. THIS DEALERSHIP HAVE RECOMMENDED FLUSHING THE ENGINE. CHANGING THE GRADE OF OIL. DO NOT DRIVE IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. MOST OF THE CONSUMPTION OCCURS ON THE HIGHWAY AND NOT IN TRAFFIC. CHANGE THE OIL INSTEAD OF 8000 KM AT 5000KM??? THIS IS WHAT VOLKSWAGEN HAS RECOMMENDED. THE MOST INTERESTING PART WAS WATCHING THE MECHANIC WHEN IT CONSUMED THE MOST AMOUNT BETWEEN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST. HE STARTED LOOKING FOR LEAKS AGAIN & ADDED OIL. RATTLING IN DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND WINDOW FELL INTO DOOR PASSENGER SIDE. FIXED WINDOW AND RATTLING STILL SEEMS TO BE NOTICABLE. *JB
SEPTEMBER 2002 - LEASED 2002 VW JETTA 1.8T. JULY 2003 - CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, IGNITION COILS HAD TO BE REPLACED PER RECALL. NOVEMBER 2003 - PLUMES OF BLACK SMOKE CAME OUT OF TAILPIPE - THEY DETERMINED THE OXYGEN SENSOR NEEDED REPLACING. NOVEMBER 2003 - (A DAY LATER) SMOKE STILL COMING OUT OF TAILPIPE, THEY DETERMINED THERE WAS OIL IN THE TURBO, THEY HAD TO REMOVE AND INSTALL NEW TURBO CHARGER AND THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK, THEY HAD TO REMOVE AND INSTALL OIL LINE. NOVEMBER 2003- CAR MAKING WHOOSING NOISE, HAD TO RESCURE LOOSE INTAKE HOSE. MAY 2004 - REPLACE BREAKLIGHT SWITCH PER RECALL. JULY 2004 - DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW FELL - HAD TO HAVE BOTH WINDOWS AND CLAMPS REPLACED PER RECALL. (IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AFTER HOURS, MY CAR COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN VANDILIZED, FORTUNATELY IT WAS DURING THE DAY AND I WAS NEAR THE DEALER SO THEY WERE ABLE TO GET THEM WEDGED SHUT BEFORE THEY COULD GET THE CAR IN TO BE FIXED.) JULY 2004 (A DAY LATER) - BATTERY DIED, GOT JUMPED AND WAS TOWED TO SHOP, IT WAS DETERMINED I NEEDED A NEW BATTERY. NO PROBLEMS FOR ALMOST A YEAR, THOUGHT I WAS HOMEFREE... MAY 2005 - CLACKING NOISE IN ENGINE, SLUDGE ON DIPSTICK AND IN OIL FILL CAP. NO OIL LIGHT OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT EVER CAME ON. HAD TO ALSO HAVE HAZARD SWITCH REPLACED PER RECALL. I AM CURRENTLY WAITING TO SEE IF THEY WILL COVER THE REPAIRS UNDER MY WARRANTY. MY CAR NEEDS TO HAVE THE OIL PAN REMOVED TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY FURTHER DAMAGE. I WAS NEVER TOLD TO YOU USE SYNETHIC OIL IN MY CAR AND THAT APPARENTLY IS THE CAUSE OF THE SLUDGE PROBLEM. FROM LOOKING ONLINE, IT SEEMS MANY MORE PEOPLE THAN JUST MYSELF HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. VW NEEDS TO RECALL THIS.
TAILIGHTS BURN OUT FREQUENTLY. COMPONENT CAUGHT FIRE.
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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