Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Volkswagen Jetta submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 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
2003 JETTA'S CLEARCOAT IS PEELING OFF, IT STARTED ON FRONT HOOD AND NOW IT IS PEELING ALL OVER THE CAR. CALLED VOLKSWAGEN THEY SAID IT WASN'T THEIR PROBLEM. I THINK IT IS!!! *TR
THE CLAMPS ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW OF MY 2003 VW JETTA DETACHED LEAVING THE WINDOW STUCK CLOSED. *TR
I OWN A 2003 VW JETTA TDI. SIX MONTHS AGO THE CLEAR COAT STARTED PEELING FROM THE HOOD AND NOW IT IS PEELING EVERYWHERE. I SPOKE TO VW CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY SAID OUT OF WARRANTY, TOO BAD. LESS THEN 7 YEARS OLD. AT LEAST GM PAINT JOBS DON'T FALL OFF THE MINUTE THE WARRANTY RUNS OUT. THE ONLY GOOD THING IS I DRIVE IT AROUND WITH A SIGN STATING, "DON'T LAUGH, YOUR VW WILL LOOK LIKE THIS SOON". *TR
WHILE DRIVING A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA WITH APPROX 66,000 MILES THE MOTOR MOUNT BOLTS BROKE OFF AND THE ENGINE FELL TO THE GROUND. DAMAGES WERE TO THE SUSPENSION OF THE CAR AND NO ONE SUFFERED INJURIES. THE SPEED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WAS APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES. NO SIGNS THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS OR ASSEMBLY BOLTS WERE BAD OR LOOSE. THE CAR IS AT THE DEALER BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS WERE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY BUT THE BOLTS ARE NOT. THEY WANT US TO PAY $2,200.00 FOR THE REPAIRS AND THE WARRANTY COVER OTHER PARTS. I TOLD THEM THAT THE BOLTS ARE PART OF THE MOTOR MOUNTS AND THEY FAIL TO PERFORM AS EXPECTED. IN ADDITION THE CAR IS BEEN MAINTAINED BY THE SAME VOLKSWAGEN DEALER SINCE WE PURCHASED THE CAR 2 YEARS AGO. PLEASE ADVISE SINCE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AS I USUALLY DO. I THINK THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD FIX MY CAR AND INSPECT ALL VOLKSWAGEN'S FOR ANY DEFECTIVE MOTOR MOUNT BOLTS. THANK-YOU *JB
WATER FOUND ON DRIVERS SIDE FLOORBOARDS, FRONT AND REAR. WATER VISIBLE AROUND SUNROOF CONTROLLER AND ON DIRVERS SIDE WINDSHIELD PANEL AIR BG. *NM
CONTINUOUS LEAKING OF WATER INTO INTERIOR OF CAR FROM CURRENTLY UNDETERMINED SOURCE(S) CAUSING MOLD/MILDEW PROBLEMS. OCCURS DURING/AFTER RAIN EVENTS. *JB
ENGINE MOUNTS AND TRANSMISSION MOUNTS BROKE AND CAUSED CAR TO CRASH. ALSO INJURING MY DAUGHTER. *NM
MY 2003 VW JETTA TDI GLS SEDAN WAS PARKED ON A SUMMER DAY (APPROX. 100 DEGREES F). UPON RETURNING TO THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED A WAXY, GREASY, YELLOW SUBSTANCE LEAKING FROM BELOW THE DOORS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION, I DISCOVERED THAT THE SUBSTANCE WAS LEAKING FROM BETWEEN THE INSIDE SURFACE OF THE DOOR AND THE RUBBER WEATHER STRIPPING. CONTACTED MY VW SERVICE DEALER (DANA MOTORS, BILLINGS, MT), AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH VWS DURING HOT MONTHS, THAT THE SUBSTANCE WAS AN UNDERCOATING PROTECTANT THAT WAS SPRAYED ON AT THE FACTORY. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NOT NECESSARY TO HAVE THIS PROTECTANT REPLACED. THE STUFF HAS CONTINUED LEAKING OUT ON VERY HOT DAYS, USUALLY ONLY 95+ DEGREES. IT IS HARD TO REMOVE BUT DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE DONE ANY DAMAGE TO THE PAINT. I WANT TO KNOW IF IT'S TRUE THAT THIS STUFF DOESN'T NEED TO BE REPLACED. WHAT IF IT'S A NECESSARY LUBRICATION AND BY LEAKING OUT WILL HARM A PART OF THE DOOR ASSEMBLY?*AK
CONSUMER STATED DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR PANEL HAD A RELEASE BUTTON THAT RELEASED THE GAS FLAP DOOR. THIS BUTTON KEPT FALLING INSIDE THE DOOR PANEL. CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS WAS VERY UNSAFE, COULD RUN OUT OF GAS. *AK
RATTLES THROUGHOUT THE INTERIOR SUCH AS THE SPEAKERS, DASH BOARD, AND AREA WHERE THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS AND CENTER AIR VENTS ARE LOCATED. DENTS ON THE VEHICLE FROM THE SERVICE CENTER, I HAVE A FRIEND WITH A VW THAT HAS THE SAME DENTS ON HIS VEHICLE LOCATED UNDERNEATH THE DOORS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CAR. SKID PLATE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE UNDER PARTS OF THE ENGINE NEARLY CAME OFF, SEVERAL BOLTS MISSING, NEEDED TO DUCT TAPE IT TO MAKE IT HOME. BOLT FELL OUT OF DOOR AND SIDE BLINKER LEAKED WATER INSIDE WHICH WAS FIXED A WHILE BACK. SEVERAL SMALL ANNOYING PROBLEMS. *NLM
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION - 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA GLI. VR6 WITH 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. VIN 3 V W V H 6 9 M 1 3 M 0 5 4 8 0 3. DATE OF PURCHASE - 17-OCT-2002. MILEAGE AT TIME OF NHTSA COMPLAINT - 1550. PROBLEM: DOOR "RATTLE" UNDER ANY DRIVING CONDITION. THE "RATTLING" WAS FIRST THOUGHT TO BE THE PANELING. TEFLON TAPE WAS PLACED BETWEEN THE METAL PART AND THE PLASTIC PANELING. THIS PROCEDURE STOPPED THE PANELING FROM MAKING ANY NOISE. BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. THE NOISE "RATTLING" IS COMING FROM THE UPPER FRAME OF THE DOOR. MEANING THE DOOR IS NOT CLOSING OR MEETING THE ROOF/PILLAR SECTION OF THE ROOF. WATER PASSED THROUGH THE DOOR. THE OTHER DAY WE HAD RAIN FOR SEVERAL DAYS, AND WATER WAS COMING IN WHILE THE CAR WAS DRIVEN. THE DEALERSHIP HAS TRIED SEVERAL APPROACHES INCLUDING THE ONE MENTIONED ABOVE. ALSO, VW TECH SUPPORT HAS BEEN CONTATED AND SUGGESTED TO REPLACE THE DOOR STRIKERS. DOOR STRIKERS (ALL 4) HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND NO IMPROVEMENT. DEALERSHIP IS WAITING FOR "VW ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT TO GET BACK FROM THE HOLIDAYS" TO SEE WHAT STEPS TO BE TAKEN. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE DOOR ARE NOT CLOSING PROPERLY. IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT WILL THE DOOR HOLD IN PLACE? WHAT HAPPENS IF I INSTALL A ROOF RACK AND PLACE A LOAD IN THE ROOF? IS THE ROOF GOING TO GIVE IN SINCE IT IS MISSING THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE DOORS? MY MAIN CONCERN IS IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT ARE THE DOOR GOING TO HOLD IN PLACE OR ARE THEY GOING TO FLY OF SINCE THE VIBRATION "OPENING AND CLOSING" THE DOORS? TS
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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