Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. 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. 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
I WAS LEAVING A PARKING LOT THAT HAD A SLIGHT CURVE AND I HIT SOME BLACK ICE. THE CAR WENT STRAIGHT INTO THE CURB AND WITH THE IMPACT, WHICH IN MY OPINION, WAS NOT A GREAT AMOUNT, CAUSED THE SIDE CURTAIN AND PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. WITH HOW THE WHEEL HIT THE CURB, IT ALSO DAMAGED THE ALIGNMENT OF THE WHEELS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, HE LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING AND WAS UNABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,074. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
MY DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. I TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC SAID THAT PIECE THAT HOLDS THE WINDOW IN PLACE WAS STRETCHED AND ABOUT TO BREAK. WHEN I SPOKE WITH A FRIEND WHO USED TO OWN A JETTA OF THE SAME YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL AS MINE, HE SAID THAT THE SAME THING HAD HAPPENED TO HIS VEHICLE. HE SAID THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THIS PART. WHEN I CHECKED THE NHTSA'S WEB SITE, HOWEVER, I COULD NOT FIND THIS RECALL. *TR THE CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE AND THE STERRING COLUMN WAS DEFECTIVE. THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED RIGHT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. UPDATED 06/01/09.*JB
VOLKSWAGEN STEERING SAFETY: THE STEERING COLUMN ON MY 2002 VW JETTA WILL NOT LOCK IN ANY REACH OR RAKE POSITION. THIS CAUSES THE STEERING COLUMN TO MOVE UP & DOWN, AND BACK & FORTH WHILE DRIVING. THIS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITION CAN LEAD TO SEVERAL POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AND/OR FATAL SITUATIONS: - THE DRIVER MAY BE UNABLE TO SAFELY STEER THE CAR. - UNABLE TO STEER THE CAR PROPERLY, THE VEHICLE OPERATOR MAY ENDANGER HIM/HERSELF & PASSENGERS, OTHER VEHICLES PASSENGERS, PEDESTRIANS, & PROPERTY. - IN AN ACCIDENT THE DRIVER AIR BAG MAY DEPLOY IN THE WRONG POSITION (TOO HIGH, TOO LOW, TOO CLOSE, TOO FAR AWAY) RESULTING IN A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS (OR FATAL) INJURY. THE LOCAL VW PARTS DEPT SAYS NO PART IS AVAILABLE TO FIX THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION; AN ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN IS THE ONLY FIX. SUCH EXPENSE IS UNREASONABLE (SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS); STEERING COLUMNS SHOULD LAST HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MILES, NOT 93,000 MILES OR FOUR YEARS. I MADE THREE GOODWILL CONTACTS WITH VAG (VOLKSWAGEN AUDI GROUP) PRIOR TO CONTACTING THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. MY INTENT IN CONTACTING VW WAS TO: - SEE THAT OTHER VW OWNERS WITH SIMILAR SITUATIONS MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT THE STEERING COLUMN MAY NOT BE SECURE AND SAFE. - THE ONLY CURRENT REPAIR AVAILABLE FROM VW IS AN EXCESSIVELY EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN. MANY OWNERS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO EASILY AFFORD THIS REPAIR COSTING SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS. SUCH A CONDITION MAY LEAD TO ACCIDENTS, INJURIES AND POTENTIAL FATALITIES. - THE CORRECTION OF THIS CONDITION IS A POTENTIALLY INEXPENSIVE CORRECTION (A PART THAT IS PROBABLY LESS THAN 50-CENTS PER CAR). I FEEL VW SHOULD TAKE THE INITIATIVE AND CAUSE THE STEERING COLUMN SUPPLIER TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND ISSUE A VOLUNTARY CALL-BACK & REPAIR TO VWS HAVING SUCH A STEERING COLUMN, AT NO EXPENSE TO OWNERS, IRRESPECTIVE OF MILEAGE OR TIME SINCE PURCHASE. IN EACH OF THE 3 CASES VW SAID THE REPAIR WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY DUE TO EXCESS MILEAGE. *NM
WAY TO MANY TO LIST HERE. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS FROM THE START. MORE THAN $7000 WORTH OF REPAIR (PLUS MORE THAT WAS COVERED BY WARR) THE FINAL ITEM THAT CAUSED ME TO SAY I WOULD NEVER CONSIDER ANOTHER VW PRODUCT WAS THE ENGINE DAMAGE CAUSED BY A TIMING BELT FAILURE. ALL SERVICES WERE PERFORMED AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE USERS MANUAL STATES INSPECTION OF THE BELT AT SERVICES (THAT I PAID FOR) AND REPLACEMENT AT 120,000 MILES. I ONLY HAD 92,000 MILES. IT WILL COST $5,000 TO REPAIR THE ENGINE. IT IS NOT COST EFFECTIVE TO REPAIR THIS CAR. IT WAS A GREAT CAR TO DRIVE BUT QUALITY CONTROL IS POOR AT BEST. *NM
THE POWER ASSIST FOR THIS TDI VEHICLE HAS FAILED MULTIPLE TIMES UNDER SEVERAL DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES. MOST OFTEN, IT OCCURS WHEN APPLYING THE CRUISE CONTROL AT SPEEDS OF LESS THAN 70MPH AND ALSO WHEN HAVING TO RAPIDLY DECELLERATE OR MOVE ALONG WITH CITY RELATED TRAFFIC. MOST OFTEN, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, BUT BY THE TIME IT DOES, I ALREADY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM. I HAVE NO PASSING GEAR, AND TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP TO 60 MPH TAKES A MINUTE OR MORE. TYPICALLY, WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS, IF I STOP THE VEHICLE, TURN IT OFF, AND CRANK IT AGAIN, THE PROBLEM IS RESOLVED UNTIL THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH BRING ABOUT THE PROBLEM ARE RE-ENACTED. IT WILL USUALLY TAKE SEVERAL CYCLES OF THE ENGINE BEING CRANKED AND TURNED OFF BEFORE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL TURN ITSELF OFF. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED WITH ABOUT 35,000 MILES ON IT AND THE PROBLEM OCCURRED ABOUT 100 MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE IN FOR REPEATED REPAIRS, I'VE SINCE COME TO LEARN THAT SIMILAR PROBLEMS WERE OCCURRING WITH THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO MY PURCHASING IT (WERE NOT DISCLOSED AT PURCHASE), ACCORDING TO SERVICE RECORDS.*AK
THE TORQUE ARM SHEARED OFF. AS A RESULT, AXLE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT BOLTED TO THE FRAME. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS PUT IN REVERSE AND IT STARTED BUCKING AND MAKING A LOT OF NOISE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM GEAR TO GEAR WITHOUT BUCKING. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT STEERING CORRECTLY. EXHAUST BECAME LOUD. *TC
THE COILS ON MY 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA GLS 1.8T ARE BURNING OUT. VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA HAS INFORMED ME THAT RATHER THAN REPLACE ALL 4 COILS, I MUST WAIT UNTIL EACH COIL BURNS OUT BEFORE THEY WILL REPLACE IT. I HAVE A LETTER FROM THEM AS WELL STATING THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT CAN NOT DO ANYTHING MORE ABOUT IT DUE TO A LACK OF COILS IN STOCK. I GUESS THE LETTER IS A WAY TO SHUT THE CUSTOMERS UP. APPARENTLY THIS IS HAPPENING TO OVER 500,000 PEOPLE LAST I HEARD. I WANT THIS COMPLAINT LOGGED AND A PERSONAL NOTE ADDED AND DIRECTED TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA (IF POSSIBLE), "I WILL NOT RENEW MY LEASE ON THIS LEMON AND I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER VOLKSWAGEN AGAIN." THE COIL ISSUE IS JUST ONE OF THE ISSUES I'M HAVING WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE DATE BELOW IS THE LAST TIME I WENT IN FOR COIL REPLACEMENT AND GOT TO WORK LATE.
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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