2004 Volkswagen Jetta Owner Complaints

The contact owns a 2004 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed while it was raining, the windshield wipers were activated; however, the wipers failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the wipers failed to operate. In addition, the contact stated the brake lights failed to function as intended. The contact was informed that the brake lights failed to activate while the brake pedal was depressed. The contact stated that the front driver's side window was closed; however, the driver's front side window was independently lowered. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with an electrical system failure. The contact stated that the battery, the alternator, the fuses, and the windshield wiper motor were all replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. The failure became a persistent failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11684740

Incident

Sep 3, 2023

Unknown, very complex. Multiple issues. Have been addressed as well as parts been replaced however other issues arised that are definitely safety concerns between electrical issues engine motor etc

NHTSA ID

11617038

Incident

Sep 18, 2019

A4 VW BEW TDI BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM HOSE updated part# 1J0 612 041 FD VW part numbers 1J0 612 041 N and 1J0 612 041 FD. These hose are known for cracking at the plastic tube causing low vacuum; poor / inconsistant braking performance. This could lead to crashes, injuries, and loss of life. These hoses were recalled in the UK, but not in USA for unknown reasons. Vaico is the oem supplier of these hoses, and were most likely fitted to all bew TDI m/t mk4 VW vehicles sold world wide.

NHTSA ID

11568707

Incident

Jan 2, 2024

MY CAR IS CURRENTLY STAGED AT MY HOME IT'S STILL DRIVABLE BUT I DON'T KNOW GOR HOW LONG! I RECENTLY BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM A DEALER IN CALIFORNIA ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO, NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN I'M HAVING ISSUES WITH MY TRANSMISSION I CAUGHT THE ISSUE FAST AND TOOK IT TO A MULTISTATE TRANSMISSION SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD HAVE TO REBUILD MY TRANSMISSION WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY I ALREADY SPENT ON FIXING UP THIS CAR I AM EXTREMELY UPSET, I CANNOT AFFORD SUCH A INSANE AMOUNT EVERYTHING WITH THE CAR BESIDES THAT IS PERFECT THOUGH.

NHTSA ID

11190213

Incident

Mar 10, 2019

Mileage

141,000 mi

LOOSE STEERING CHANCE OF LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO INCORRECT TIE ROD END FROM KIT SPECIFIC TO VEHICLE. RESULTING IN RUINED TIRES AND ALIGNMENT. HTTPS://WWW.AUTOPARTSWAREHOUSE.COM/SKU/VOLKSWAGEN/JETTA/REPLACEMENT/CONTROL_ARM_KIT/2004/TDI/4_CYL_1-DOT-9L/REPV281502.HTML . THE KIT I BELIEVE HAS A TIE ROD END MEANT FOR A PREIOUS GENERATION VOLKSWAGON AS IT IS SMALLER IN DIAMETER AND CANNOT TAPER LOCK. IT TOOK ABOUT A MONTH OF DRIVING FOR IT TO LOOSEN UP. THE PHYSICAL PROBLEM IS THE OUTER TIR ROD BUT THE INNER TIE ROD IS OF A SMALLER DIAMETER AND ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE INSTALLING SO THE DUST BOOT WOULD PROPERLY SEAL BUT IT WAS MECHANICALLY COMPATABLE.

NHTSA ID

11171055

Incident

Dec 12, 2018

Mileage

171,000 mi

VEHICLE UNDER MULTIPLE OCCASIONS HAS STALLED OUT AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, LOCATIONS, AND DRIVING STYLES/ROADS AT OR UNDER A QUARTER OF A TANK

NHTSA ID

11140488

Incident

Sep 25, 2018

Mileage

168,000 mi

SEATS ARE GETTING EXCESSIVELY HOT AND STARTING TO BURN THROUGH THE VISION AND FABRIC. SMOKE IN COMPARTMENT.

NHTSA ID

11130394

Incident

Sep 18, 2018

Mileage

163,000 mi

ALTERNATOR WIRE MELTED PART OF THE BATTERY TOP FUSE BOX. CABLE WAS VERY HOT AND MAY HAVE CAUGHT FIRE IF I HADN'T SMELLED IT FIRST. HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR CABLE HARNESS AND FUSE BOX PANEL.

NHTSA ID

11090178

Incident

Apr 19, 2018

Mileage

123,414 mi

I TURNED ON THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT HEATER AND IT CAUGHT FIRE BURNING A HOLE IN THE SEAT AND BURNING ME. I WAS DRIVING AT THE TIME IN THE CITY. I PORED WATER ALL OVER ME AND THE SEAT AND TURNED THE HEATER OFF.

NHTSA ID

11081853

Incident

Mar 27, 2018

Mileage

91,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROAD EARLY IN MORNING APPROX 2 MILES FROM HOUSE I JUST LEFT FROM MY 2004 JETTA SHUTS DOWN TOTAL LOSS OF ALL POWER I PULLED CAR OVER IN A CHURCH PARKING LOT I SMELLED SMOKE AND COULD SEE SMOKE COMING FROM FIRE WALL I RAISED HOOD AND PULLED BATTERY CABLE OFF I COULD SEE SMPOKE FILLING INSIDE OF MY CAR WALKED AROUND TO DRIVER DOOR TO GET MY PHONE AND I SEEN FUSE BOX ON FIRE.ANOTHER VEHICLE STOPPED TO HELP ME AND HE APPROACHED MY CAR AND THEN CALLED POLICE ,FULL FLAMES WERE COMING FROM MY CAR WITHIN 5 MIN SO I STOOD BACK AND WATCHED MY CAR BURN .FIRE DEPT SHOWED UP AND PUT FIRE OUT MY CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. IVE HAD ISSUES WITH ALTERNATOR,FUEL PUMP,AIR BAG LIGHT, HEADLIGHTS ARE REALLY DIM EVEN ON BRIGHT.NOTHING BUT ISSUES WITH THIS CAR SINCE I GOT IT. 115.000 MILES ONLY ON THIS CAR .SO MANY ISUES I CAN SEE WHY ITS LOW MILAGE

NHTSA ID

11076395

Incident

Mar 3, 2018

Mileage

115,000 mi

THE INSULATION ON THE WIRING OF THE LEFT HEADLIGHT IS DETERIORATED AND FALLING OFF LEAVING THE WIRES BARE AND AT RISK OF SHORTING OUT.

NHTSA ID

11067245

Incident

Feb 6, 2018

Mileage

137,000 mi

PASSENGER SEAT (FRONT SEAT) HEATING ELEMENT IS BURNING THE UPHOLSTERY. THE SEAT HEATER WON'T SHUT OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE; EACH TIME THE CAR WAS OPERATING.

NHTSA ID

11065541

Incident

Jan 25, 2018

Mileage

112,000 mi

HEATED SEAT MODULE MELTED A HOLE THROUGH MY LEATHER.

NHTSA ID

11047032

Incident

Nov 16, 2017

Mileage

150,900 mi

THE CAR RANDOMLY STALLS WHILE DRIVING WHETHER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OR IN TOWN. THIS CAUSES A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WHICH IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS. IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS REGULARLY WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER FOR THE LAST 3 OR 4 YEARS AND HAS DONE IT 4 TIMES WHILE UNDER MY OWNERSHIP SINCE SEPTEMBER 2017 IT USUALLY HAPPENS WHILE THERE IS LESS THAN 1/4 TANK OF FUEL. WHEN IT HAPPENS THERE IS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NOR DOES THE ECU STORE ANY CODES FROM THE PROBLEM. PREVIOUS OWNER MADE SEVERAL REPAIRS INCLUDING A FUEL PUMP AND FILTER, ENGINE SPEED SENSOR AND ALTERNATOR WIRING HARNESS IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIX THE ISSUES WITH NO SUCCESS. THIS ISSUES ALSO COMES UP REGULARLY ON SEVERAL VW FORUMS AND NO ONE SEEMS TO HAVE AN ANSWER. THIS IS A KNOWN AND REGULAR ISSUE WITH NO CONSISTENT REPAIR AND NEEDS TO BE REMEDIED.

NHTSA ID

11046653

Incident

Nov 16, 2017

Mileage

145,000 mi

RANDOMLY STALLS ON THE FREEWAY WHEN DOWN TO 1/4 TANK OF GAS. AFTER PULLING OVER AND TURNING OFF THE KEY AND TURNING THE KEY BACK ON, IT WILL START AND RUN GREAT. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT EVERY OTHER TIME THE CAR GETS DOWN TO ABOUT 1/4 TANK. NO SHOP CAN DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM OR CORRECT IT. I HAVE TRIED THE IGNITION COIL, GROUNDS, FUEL PUMP... NO FIX. THERE ARE COUNTLESS THREADS ON VARIOUS VW FORUMS ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO STALL ON THE FREEWAY. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO CORRECT THIS.

NHTSA ID

11012200

Incident

Jul 25, 2017

Mileage

165,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS STARTED TO FLASH ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DOOR CHIME SOUNDED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE ONTO THE SHOULDER. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE JUMP STARTED AND DROVE TO A NEARBY PARKING LOT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWO OTHER TIMES AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE FUSE BOX MELTED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.

NHTSA ID

11011993

Incident

Jul 31, 2017

Mileage

74,000 mi

TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE APROXIMATLEY 70 MPH, THE LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. THIS RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE IMPACTED THE GUARD RAIL. AT THIS POINT THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION SEPARATED FROM THE CAR AS THE CAR CONTINUED TO SPIN DOWN THE ROAD. THE CAR CAME TO A REST AFTER APPROXIMATELY 3 SPINS, AND THE ENGINE CAME TO REST ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE 3 LANE INTERSTATE.

NHTSA ID

10958320

Incident

Mar 1, 2017

Mileage

195,000 mi

ON 12/18/2016 I WAS DRIVING THIS CAR BACK FROM THE MOVIES AT 2:30 A.M. ONCE THE MOVIE HAD ENDED IT WAS STORMING AND SLEETING. I STARTED TO NOTICE SYSTEMS SHUTTING DOWN AS INDICATED BY VARIOUS DASH LIGHTS SUCH AS ABS, AIRBAG, AMONG OTHERS. EVENTUALLY THE RADIO, INTERIOR LIGHTS SHUT OFF. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SLOWED AND THE HEADLIGHTS DIMMED, AND EVENTUALLY THE CAR DIED GOING 50 MILES AN HOUR IN SLEETING CONDITIONS LEAVING ME WITH NO ABS, NO AIRBAG SYSTEM (AT LEAST PER WHAT THE DASH LIGHTS INDICATED) AND, OF COURSE, NO POWER STEERING. I INSPECTED THE VEHICLE THIS MORNING AND FOUND THE ALTERNATOR WIRE COMING INTO THE HIGH AMPERAGE FUSE BOX THAT SITS ON TOP OF THE BATTERY HAD MELTED AND DISCONNECTED THE CIRCUIT, DISABLING THE ALTERNATOR FROM CHARGING THE BATTERY, AND LETTING THE BATTERY DIE. THE INCIDENT DID NOT CAUSE A CRASH, BUT IT COULD HAVE IF THERE WAS ANYONE ELSE AROUND ME AS I HAD TO CUT ACROSS A COUPLE LANES WITH NO ENGINE POWER AND NO POWER STEERING TO GET TO THE SHOULDER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10936056

Incident

Dec 18, 2016

Mileage

228,000 mi

MY CLOTHE SEATS CAUGHT ON FIRE TODAY WHILE DRIVING IT FOR ONLY 25 MINUTES THE SEAT WARMER WAS ONLY SET ON NUMBER 2. I WAS SO RETRIED AND PANICKED BUT MANAGED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HIT IT WITH MY HAND UNTIL IT WENT OUT. IT DID BURN MY HAND. MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION THEN I STOPPED. IT WAS IN A CITY STREET FILLED WITH CARS AND CONSTRUCTION WORKERS.

NHTSA ID

10910705

Incident

Sep 29, 2016

ALTERNATOR CABLE MELTED THE FUSE BLOCK AND WIRES ABOVE THE BATTERY. I WILL NEED TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR, ALTERNATOR WIRING HARNESS, THE FUSES, AND POSSIBLY THE BATTERY. MY CAR HAS SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING AND THIS IS DANGEROUS NOT JUST FOR ME BUT FOR OTHERS ON THE ROAD AROUND ME. TOO MANY VW OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE. VW PLEASE TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THIS ONGOING SAFETY ISSUE. THIS SAME ISSUE IS BEING ADDRESSED IN A CLASS ACTION FOR BEETLES.

NHTSA ID

10895343

Incident

May 5, 2016

Mileage

70,000 mi

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STOPPED WORKING. VEHICLE MILEAGE, AND SPEEDOMETER DO NOT WORK AT ALL. MILEAGE WHEN OCCURRED 48,800. EVERY SPEED SENSOR WAS REPLACED WITH NO CHANGE. I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING HOW FAST I AM GOING, OR HOW MANY MILES ARE ON MY CAR WITHOUT TRACKING THEM MYSELF. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MULTIPLE VW'S AND AUDI'S WITH NO APPARENT SOLUTION. I HAVE SPENT HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TRYING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND STILL AM WITHOUT A SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER.

NHTSA ID

10885722

Incident

Jul 18, 2008

Mileage

48,800 mi

MY (GENERATOR CABLE - S177) ALTERNATOR CABLE MELTING THE FUSE BOX AND WIRES ABOVE THE BATTERY. MY CAR NEEDED A NEW ALTERNATOR. MY CAR DOES NOT ALWAYS START EVEN WITH A NEW BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR. MY CAR HAS SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. VW ADMITS THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10885715

Incident

Aug 11, 2014

Mileage

50,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED, BACK FIRED, AND IT WAS LEAKING COOLANT UNDER THE WATER PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE THAT THE VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THE WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14E007000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.

NHTSA ID

10854705

Incident

Aug 5, 2015

Mileage

156,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, FUMES OF SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A BURNT HOLE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEATING ELEMENT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO GIVE THE SPECIFIC NAME OF THE PART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000.

NHTSA ID

10850461

Incident

Mar 12, 2016

Mileage

107,000 mi

VW IGNITION COILS ARE FAILED, CAUSING THE SPARK PLUG NOT TO FIRE AND CUTTING POWER TO THE ENGINE. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE ISSUE ABOUT 4 HOURS AND FINALLY FOUND THE PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS WORKING FINE ONE DAY AND WHILE AT THE BANK WITH MY BOYS IN THE BACK THE CAR SHUT OFF. I NEEDED TO GET OUT AND PUSH THE CAR INTO THE PARKING LOT TO GET OUT OF THE WAY.

NHTSA ID

10839806

Incident

Feb 11, 2016

Mileage

70,000 mi