Volkswagen Jetta
Consumer Complaints & Reviews
I bought a 2010 VW Jetta in Fargo in May of 2012. The engine light came on almost immediately. The only authorized service provider was in Fargo, 270 miles from where I live, Valley Imports, Fargo. Over twelve months, I took the car to Fargo six times, wherein the sixth time, they had the car for six days. Soon thereafter, the warranty period had expired. Just as had been the case the previous five times, I got in the car, turned the key to find the engine light still on. I gave up and eventually the engine light went out. Until March of 2013 when I took kids to MT to ski when in Miles City, the car would not go above 40 MPH so I took it to Billings VW where I left it and got a loaner to continue the ski trip.
The next day I called VW Billings, they told me it would cost $3500 to fix. The second day I called, the price went up to $5500 to fix. I told them the car had been nothing but a tremendous expense and aggravation for me, so keep it. My husband had made a reasonable deal over the phone with a sales woman to trade in the VW horror car for a Subaru Outback. By the time I got to Billings VW, some little car dealer (who has since left VW and now I cannot find) had torn up the original contract that my husband had agreed to on the phone and proceeded to take me to the cleaners giving me $13,900 on a trade in for a Subaru, for the VW I still owed $15,975 on.
Granted, I have blamed myself for 3 years for being so stupid to fall victim to a car sales conman, but I had kids who needed to get back to school and had to drive 600 miles to get them there and 1 day left to do it in. I called within 3 days after I realized how badly I had been ripped off and how badly I did not like the Subaru. They told me there is no return policy and good luck. This whole deal ate at me like a cancer so in the spring of 2016, I called Billings VW and told a new salesman how badly I had been ripped off. He assured me he'd make it right by giving me a tremendous deal on another VW. I was highly suspect, but thought it would be the only way I could recover from this nightmare so I replaced the windshield, drove 800 miles round-trip, spent a night in a hotel, only to get to VW Billings to find an unkempt, unprofessional salesman who wanted me to test drive a car.
I figured he was lying throughout the numerous phone conversations, so I refused and went inside to find that he intended to make me such a deal that would've raised my car payment from $458 per month to over $750. It was all lies. NOW, as I'm sure you all know, VW has had to come clean because of a class action suit of known emission problems with those cars and illegal emission reports. They are now being forced to buy back this junk and as my luck would have it because I dumped the junk before the lawsuit, I have absolutely no recourse, not that VW would've made any concessions for such horrible products, sales and so-called service.
I have lost so much money from that car, I cannot afford to trade the Subaru so I get to pay for it, drive it and be buried in it because that's how badly I have been ripped off. The moral of the story is do not buy a car under pressure, do not buy anything from Valley Imports, Fargo or VW Billings and unless you have a bottomless bank account because that's exactly what you're going to need and most importantly, whatever you do, do not buy a VW. Ever.
Lots of problems with my VW Jetta TDI Limp Mode. NHTSA doesn't have any other complaints on VW Limp Mode - that's odd given all the VW forum feedback. Share your VW diesel Limp Mode experience with these dedicated DOT employees: **.
75 miles an hour, 99000 miles I heard a Big Bang. The car came to a bolt in the fast lane. Car was regular service at the dealer. Turbo blew an engine charged $6000 at Murrieta in California Volkswagen. They had car 2 weeks. 24 hours after I got it back car was dead. Apparently they then said meta was l in the engine!!! They should have seen that on initial inspection. They wanted thousands more to repair it for the second time. That was the end of that car. I'm still paying for that car even though I no longer have it!! Run from Volkswagen!!! I don't know if legal action can be taken against Volkswagen.
Let me start by saying I have always been a VW fan. My first car was a 59 rag-top Beetle and I have owned several other air-cooled VW's over the years but never had the opportunity to get into a diesel, although I always wanted to. In 2010 I saw the new TDI's and now own a 2009 Jetta TDI that I bought in 2010 from Murrieta VW, in Southern California.
The car originally was an internal VW Executive's lease and never sold until I bought the car, with just over 6000 miles on the odometer. The car had been custom ordered by the exec with the TDI-Cup full body kit, custom VW 18" wheels, a GTI steering wheel, and other custom touches that make this car really stand out and almost one of a kind. I have maintained the car in excellent condition with low miles (approx. 7,200 mi/yr.) and until now have had no complaints with the vehicle. I've enjoyed the performance and fuel economy but within the last week the reality of the expense of owning this car hit home.
I live in Southern California in an area that does not have a VW dealer close by so I use Bob Baker VW in Carlsbad, as it is within 12 miles from my office and I can shuttle back and forth between work and the dealership. I registered my car a couple of months ago on the VW website and even though I selected the "sell back" option, I really considered keeping it and letting VW install the "fix" because I do like the car and was not happy with the $9,600.00 buy-back offer (plus the $5K for my troubles), especially since I paid $26K for the car when purchased (Note: I paid cash, at a time when our four daughters were in high school and bound for college. Do you know how long it took to save $26K with a mortgage in Southern California, four daughters, a wife, and two dogs to provide for? This purchase represented far more than a new car, it represented roughly 8 years of sacrifice for my family!).
The check engine light came on last Wednesday and I made arrangements with Bob Baker service department to have it checked out last Friday. The service writer called mid-day and informed me that at 65K miles, one of the O2 sensors had failed. Not a big deal. I have replaced several on other vehicles myself and I know what is involved. The initial shock came when I got to the dealership Friday evening, in the form of a $500.00 charge for replacing one O2 sensor. Since VW uses a proprietary CAN-Bus architecture, they are the only ones that can diagnose the fault and they are going make you pay for that privilege. OUCH!
Let's see, $124.00 to diagnose, one hour to install so that's another $124.00, with an O2 sensor cost of $248.00, leaving my wallet $509.36 lighter than when I arrived (Wow, dealership prices! No wonder people try to avoid dealership service if they can). Then on the way home Friday evening, the check engine light came back on. I took the car back to the dealership Monday morning and was informed mid-day that the diesel particulate filter had failed, causing the O2 sensor that was just replaced to fail again. I was told that the sensor would be replaced under warranty but the real problem is the DPF, which is going to cost almost $6000.00 to replace. YES, $6000.00!
How is it possible that VW designed a car that at roughly 65K miles, requires a $6000.00 piece of exhaust pipe to remain emissions compliant? I know, it's more than just a pipe but come on, how could they possibly design an exhaust system part that is more expensive to replace than an engine or transmission in most other cars? Obviously I balked at the price and told them there is no way I am going to spend that kind of money for one part that is two-thirds the value of the entire car, according to VW (refer to the above buy back offer).
After cooling down I called the service writer again and was informed that VW has extended the warranty on the DPF to 8 years or 80,000 miles and that VW would cover this under warranty. OK, that's more like it but that is not the end of the story. I just got off the phone with the service writer and while the DPF and O2 sensor have been replaced, my car is throwing a hard code for soot, which it should not do since the DPF and O2 sensor are new. They now need to keep my car until they can consult with a VW specialist tomorrow but at least I get a loaner for the day.
One more item of note; while waiting for the shuttle from the dealership this morning I happened to chat with a retired gentleman that brought his 2012 Golf TDI with 61K miles in for the exact same issue. His check engine light came on and they quoted him $5,800.00 to install the DPF and they really tried to make him pay for it. Only after his daughter, who is an attorney, made several calls did VW offer to cover it under warranty.
So there you have it. For all of those folks like me who are/were contemplating keeping your TDI after the fix, you need to know the true cost of future repairs you are going to encounter before you finalize your decision. Had this DPF failure not occurred when it did, I would have let them fix the car and then would have been stuck with the repair at a later date. And even though the part has been covered under an extended warranty this time, what will happen in another 65K miles when it fails again? Will this part be changed as part of the overall fix? Who knows?
Maybe if VW is forced to add urea injection to make the cars California emissions compliant, the DPF design will have to change to accommodate it and maybe it will last longer but at this point I am not willing to take that risk. One thing I know for sure, VW took a design that was legendary for engine longevity, overall economy and great fuel mileage, then installed emissions cheating software and turned it into a money pit while not informing the consumer of the true cost of keeping the car emissions compliant. I understand the diesel design had to change to meet stringent emissions requirements but who in their right mind would buy a car if they knew up front it would require replacement of a $6000.00 part every 65,000 miles? This was the clincher for me and it is now time to cut my losses, try to get all I can from VW for my car, and give my money to the competition.
To VWOA and its parent company VWAG, you have lost this customer for life. You've sold a sham to the public and turned many, many fans into disgruntled owners. Your shareholders despise you for what you have done to erase their value and it will be a long time before anyone believes in your brand again. As a corporation, you deserve what you get for the lie you have perpetrated on the very public that have supported you, your brand-loyal customers. Signed: Another disgruntled owner.
I purchased my Jetta, used certified. It performed well, mechanically. Until I recently got into a car accident and totalled the car. The accident impacted the front of the car. There was no front end left. Not one single air bag opened. This car had dual air bags. Not even a small burst. Thankfully my family was not in the car. Out of concern for other VW cars out there, I called Volkswagen to share this incident. Their response was that the type of accident I had, the air bags did not need to deploy. I find this concerning as my entire front end was gone and the car was a complete loss.
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Don't buy or lease Volkswagen. Multiple, multiple issues with the EPC light coming in and the car stalling many times, sometimes sequentially, in dangerous places like the freeway. VW was very unhelpful, passing the ball from one department to another. This car has been terrible from the get go. Learn from my mistake. Stay away from VW. Will never use them again.
I have only been a Volkswagen customer for four months, a decision I regret. I have had my radio go out after renewing my satellite radio. From research and after talking to a couple of Volkswagen reps, this is a known and documented problem on the 2010-2012 Jetta. It is almost $1K to get it replaced. It is out of factory warranty and although it is a known problem Jetta refuses to accept responsibility and fix the issue. I traded in my 10 year old Chevy and thought I was upgrading by buying my first Jetta. Lesson learned. As a business owner I understand that mistakes can happen and faulty products/supplies can happen. I want to support a company that stands by their products and they don't. Please do your research first.
The Turbo on my 2012 Jetta Sportwagen has failed at 89,000 miles and VW would not fix it. It cost me $3000 to fix. The particulate filter was dirtied as a result of the failure and VW will not replace it. It will cost me $2000 to fix it. The turbo failed five months after VW completed the mandatory "service software update" required to get an approved smog check.
VW sold me a '13 GLI Jetta 2 years ago. The car books for 13 to 17000 currently. The car has been stored, no accidents, fully loaded, low miles, not a thing wrong with it. I owe 26500 on it. In order to get rid of the car I need at least 10,000 down!! That is crazy. I have been to multiple dealers to get rid of it, and I am having a super hard time. I even called VW, they pretty much told me, "Not our problem." I understand I am who purchased the vehicle, but really, I wasn't aware driving it off VW property it would lose 10 grand! Not to mention the payment isn't exactly friendly either. Clearly they DO NOT care about their customers, and among small talk, I am not the only one they screwed financially.
I bought a 2015 VW Jetta Trendline+ TDI in August 2015 and took delivery 2 weeks later in September. Approximately 3 months into ownership, the vehicle had an intermittent whine type of noise. I did a little testing to determine if related to the fan/blower usually at start up. I emailed the salesperson who scheduled an appointment with the service department. After dropping the car off, I fully expected a call from service not being able to find the problem (it was intermittent after all).
After I explained to them the issue the technician finally managed to "achieve" the same whine type noise and narrowed it to a fault in the motor (I suspected a failed bearing of some sort but they did not confirm). They said the part was on back order and they would contact me. Having picked up the car I waited for the service department to contact me to schedule upon arrival of the part. It took more than a month and I had to contact them. This was a tad disappointing. The part was replaced without too much fuss but... There is always a but... The dealership I bought the car from was not close to home so the travel after dropping off the car and then picking it up was a pain.
Bought JETTA 2066 TDI new. Had it a few weeks the turbo had to be replaced 2007. Last year 2015, had some major breakdowns. LOCKE CLEARWATER $6000.+ Insurance paid 100$ DEDUCT. I paid 1200 for not covered parts.
I own a 2009 Jetta diesel car. When I bought my car I was not made aware that this vehicle would have trouble starting in cold weather. For years I lived in PA and had a garage to park my car in. Well I moved in 2015 to the south, to KY. I moved to a residence that has no garage. Twice this winter my vehicle has not started and I had to have it towed. I take care of this car and it has very low mileage.
The VW repair shop informed me that it is common knowledge that you need a garage to own a VW. Because of a design flaw in all Volkswagens sold in the U.S. I was told that I needed to pay for a winter kit that corrects this issue. The kit costs around $1000. From what I can tell this is a design problem that VW is refusing to fix. It does not make sense. I would not have purchased this vehicle if I had known about this issue. I have been stranded twice, had to pay for towing and VW shop visits. I think VW should pay for correcting this engine malfunction. Poor and dangerous design.
Our 2010 VW Jetta TDI recently would not start. We had it towed to the VW dealership to be repaired. The dealership did not give us any information about what wrong with the car throughout two phone calls. Finally on the 3rd call they said that the Intercooler had built up moisture inside of it and the moisture froze thus the intercooler needed to be replaced. We asked the dealership not to do any work until they had called and told us the price for labor. They said they were going to see if VW would cover the part under goodwill since "this problem has been happening a lot lately." We didn't hear from them again until they called and said the car was fixed and how much the labor would cost. No pre-warning on price.
My husband goes to pick the car up, doesn't get it out of the bay before he feels that something just isn't right. The car is vibrating. The mechanics look at it again and say it must be the fuel line. They clean the fuel line and give him the car again. He makes it about five miles down the road and has to turn around again. The car is now bucking. Once he pulled back into the bay there is black smoke pouring from the engine. Two days later they call us and say that "water from the intercooler got into the Pistons and bent a rod". They estimate over four thousand to fix this repair.
Now include the original intercooler expense and we are looking at six thousand dollars total for this problem. We are waiting to hear what VW might do for us. I have just now been informed that VW will take into account how many vehicles we have owned, where our services and repairs have been performed, and our general "loyalty" to VW before deciding what they will help with. I was never informed of these requirements when purchasing this vehicle.
One Internet search under "problems with the 2010 VW Jetta intercooler" came up with a forum dedicated specifically to the issue that is 158 pages in length. VW apparently has known about this problem all along. They have chosen not to issue a recall and are still selling cars in cold weather climates that have not had the new kits that can help fix this problem installed in them. As far as I am concerned this problem is 100% the fault of VW. I think they should be covering the TOTAL cost of labor and parts for this repair.
I just my 2015 VW Jetta in to correct def tank damage, wiring harness destroyed and supply line needed to be replace. Because when building this car they put the tank and pump in a position that would take damage from road coming off the right rear wheel. They cover the wires hose by lite plastic cover, the vital wiring harness and hose and pump. They claim damage would not be cover by warranty because of outside infuncent. The cost near $2000 the repair this damage. The car has 16500 km and less than a year old. How can they denial this claim. When at same time they had 2 other Jetta in for same damage to def tank.
Updated on 1/9/2016: VW claim that not responsible for putting the def tank in poor location that it got damage from road conditions.
Power locks and windshield doesn't work. Battery is ok. Dealer can't help me even known that this 2012 Jetta is a lemon. Rainy in Miami constantly, I can't go work most of the time and repair those electrical problems are tricky and expensive.
I have a VW Jetta 2006 with a defective headliner. I called VW of America to see if they can help me with a solution on how to fix the problem. The Service Rep told me since I had so many miles on car that the warranty had expired. I told him that I had spent so much money on maintenance on the car. For example at 80.000 miles I had to get a new Transmission which is very expensive. Also, when the car was under warranty the headliner was intact. He said that it was wear and tear on the car. I disagree, the headliner is peeling off like sunburned skin. No more VW for me.
I just purchased a 2014 Jetta with 40,000 miles on it. Right off the lot I noticed that when I was in low gears the car seemed to get stuck in a gear. Then it would pop out shooting me forward. Another problem was when the car sat for any period of time it had trouble starting. I took it back to the dealer and he swears he cannot feel it but did a sea foam treatment to appease me. This did not fix the problems. It seems worse now. The engine is ticking and the heater sounds like a jet engine on high. This is the first car I have bought at a dealership in over 12 years and I do not know how to get the mechanic to understand that something is wrong.
I purchased my '15 Jetta in August 2015 with 257 miles on it. Now just over 2 months of receiving it, it has been in the shop 6 times, and going in for an alignment soon. Warranty is a total joke. If you touch something and it breaks you have to pay for it. If it's normal use it should be covered. It has been in the shop 2 times for the sunroof not working, 1 time for some exhaust valve not working, 1 time for the rear window defrost not working, and 1 time for the belt tensioner going out on it along with an exhaust leak before the turbo. Pathetic for a car with only 4400 miles on it. VW customer care is a joke also. Should of bought an American made car. I strongly regret this purchase.
The car was shipped to me the last week of July from Volkswagen of Downtown LA. I live in VA, not far from the US Headquarters. I signed paperwork for the vehicle in mid-May of 2015, though the car was not delivered to me until the last week of July 2015. I signed paperwork for a car with 33 miles - the car that arrived had 102 miles. There were a handful of issues (outside of the questionable mileage) with the car from the start: 1) scuff marks on the front passenger and driver doors, 2) a buffer burn on the left rear side, and 3) the tire pressure light came on upon cranking up the car to drive for the first time. Upon calling downtown LA, they told me to take it to the closest dealership for service. Took it to the dealership and they sent me on my way within 20 minutes saying that it was hot outside and the tire pressure issues must have been from the heat.
A few days later, I discover that the lighter input doesn't work. I call the nearest VW service center and they schedule me for an appointment a week later. After leaving it there while I was out of town, they claim it is working fine, that nothing is wrong. Mind you, I tried 2 different phone chargers and several different cell phone cords and the lighter input wouldn't work. My mom even tried and we knew something was wrong with the lighter input on this car as we tried the same cords and charger in another car and each worked fine. Guess I was hallucinating?! Yeah right VW!
Within a few days of getting the car back for the lighter input issue, the tire pressure light comes on again. The corporate office scheduled service for 2 weeks later as I told them that I needed a loaner vehicle. They tell me that I won't have my vehicle for 5 days as they are busy, but call me a day after I dropped the vehicle off to tell me that a nail is in the left rear tire. So all this time I've been driving a "new" car that was delivered with a nail in the tire!!! I drive the car after getting it back from VW auto service and I instantly notice the shaking of my tires. They failed to balance and rotate the tires after service! I called corporate and they told me to take it back to the shop. Fast forward 2 days later and 4 days after getting the vehicle back and I come out of work and my front right passenger wheel is flat. I called AAA and it's another nail!
So the contractor who delivered the car must have driven through a junk yard before delivering my car because the tire pressure light came on the very first time I turned the vehicle on to drive it. Yet, VW refuses to replace the tires. Other things that have gone wrong while driving this "new" car include: 1) A heavy shaking of the vehicle when driving over 45 mph with the rear windows down or partially down. 2) Squeaky windows which VW auto service says is due to things that get lodged in the window like leaves or outside particles. (!!!) This is for a car that I have driven for less than 2 months in the summer. I can only imagine what the winter would be like! 3) The car feels very light on the highway like it could flip easily.
After driving my VW for less than 2 months with so many issues, I sold it and got a trusty Honda. After all, I still own a Honda that has performed for 300,000+ miles with few issues. With the emissions scandal that VW is facing in the media right now, I'm confident in knowing that I made a wise decision in getting rid of my 2015 VW Jetta S with technology.
2005 VW Jetta TDI - Bought car new. Now have over 140,000. I have maintained the car well. Regular oil changes and radiator flush, etc. I did not do the VW dealer service plan. While the car has been pretty good, it has had some major problems: 1) Rust on left front fender at wheel well. Thought it was just mine until a saw another silver 2005 (like mine) with the same rust in the same spot. Independent body tech says drainage issue (design flaw). 2) Door seals suck. They leak and freeze shut in winter. Rain water gets in. Now the driver door is rusting. 3) Car won't start at 20 degrees F or lower. 4) Fuel pump went out at 70,000 miles ($1,200). 5) Glow plugs went out at 100,000 miles. No recall from VW ($600). 6) Turbo went out at 130,000 miles ($1,800). 7) EGR is on the fritz now at 140,000 ($1,300).
Are these problems unusual? Are there too many? I'm not sure but it seems like it. I've had cars that performed much worse, but even so they have not cost what the VW has cost to keep running. The rust is a serious issue which has basically ruined the car. It will be very expensive to replace fender and door and repaint ($2,000 by private body tech, $6,000 at a shop). On the other hand getting 140,000 over 10 years is hard to complain about. So my opinion is mixed.
I bought a 2010 Jetta TDI four cylinder brand new at a VW dealership in Enfield, CT. I have maintained this car according to the manufacturers' recommendations and am now living the exact same nightmare so many VW diesel owners are experiencing. Initially, the car was a blast to drive and completely met my expectations. Early on, though, something did not seem quite right and at about the 50,000 mile mark the warning lights starting coming on. The dealership did nothing, VW America did nothing, and now I am stuck with a ** car that I can neither sell outright nor trade-in. I have owned 4 VW's, my next VW experience will be as a member of the class action lawsuit being filed. Caveat emptor.
2006.5 VW TDI - Very sporty car, very happy with the vehicle. I know there are issues with these cars, but I make sure to thoroughly do my research on the cost of a repair before I make any decisions. AC was dying, dealership cost (and most other shop costs) 2000$. Research research research, RCV (refrigerant control valve) failure is common on these vehicles. Bought the part, had a shop do the swap, 250 total. Taking a little personal responsibility in the vehicle paid off and now I have my solid little refined tractor back.
2 years ago we bought a Jetta TDI 2010 with 56K miles. So far the car has 90 miles. We were driving in a freeway when suddenly the car lost power and stop running! This situation could cause a MAJOR traffic accident because we were driving around 65 miles/hour! VW road assistance towed the car to Findlay VW dealership and it has been a nightmare! First they told us that it was the FUEL PUMP, next they said that the fuel pump was working but the quality of diesel that the car had was affecting. They changed the fuel and it didn't work. Now they said that they DON'T KNOW what it is and they are trying to find out... The car has been in the shop for almost a week with extended guarantee... I'll never buy VW again!
2006 Jetta- I bought the car new and all service was complied with. Once the mileage went over 100,000 miles the car has cost me $6700 in repairs, CV joint, clutch, wheel bearing, light switches, air condition compressor, 2 water pumps, 2 timing belts, 1 radiator. The car has 145,000 miles now. It has been a financial nightmare. I will never buy a VW again and would advise anybody else not to purchase one.
Had car for 5 years, recently had engine code. When I had it checked it was a manifold runner issue. I researched it online and found generally it is a bad runner motor, easily replaced in 10 minutes, however VW's fix is a full manifold, motor and sensor, 3 hours of labor for 900$. Talked to dealership and "who immediately got an attitude" they stated "we do the only thing VW sanctions". They gave me a number to VW USA to call. The short of it was a customer service rep (that refused to pass me on to someone more familiar with the issue to explain it and why I had to spend 1000 for a 100$ motor) who said they don't have tech people so she referred me back to the dealership. When I told her they had referred me to them the final response was "I guess you can fix it or not fix it."
Is this how VW does business? If so I'm out and will never buy another VW. Beware you too could be in my position, not well thought out on VW's part. Also info online saying this exact situation warranty in Canada for 100 10 yrs, REALLY, still looking into that one. As well there is a 65$ part online at diesel geeks that supposedly fixes problem after it happens and prevents it from happening if installed early due to what I inferred as poor motor design. What seems to be a growing problem online with no effort on VW's part to have a kit to fix, instead just tear everything out and bill the customer.
We bought the car in 2011 as 2012 year model. Ever since the car was new, it has been nothing but trouble. First we had a (supposedly) key failing on push button car and my wife got stranded unable to start the car. We called the dealer and they towed the car and stated they had to re-program all 3 keys for unknown reason. Then engine lights comes on, car still under the warranty so dealer replaces exhaust flap valve as it has failed. Moonroof rattles when cold outside like it came out loose, dealer can not replicate the issue as weather has changed.
The key issue comes back on, we can start the car but would not lock or unlock, dealer re-programs all 3 keys again. Push button has been failing slowly until it was impossible to start the car, warranty off $500 to replace faulty push button. Brake light comes on with "see owner manual", dealers claim that need to flush the brake fluid but although they top it off the light comes back on. At this point I do not trust their expertise and will not pay to flush the system as it appears as just another issue with whatever. VW, "forgetaboutit", you produce junk and I will get rid of this waGen and never look back!
2005 VW Jetta. 150,000 miles. It all started when we were trying to stop. It started jerking and making noise as it was trying to downshift. Now when it gets hot it doesn't wanna move. When it cools down or sits overnight it seems to be fine until operating temp gets to temp again. Somebody lemme know the secret to this piece.
Bought the car from a VW Dealer with 7,000 miles on it. In 2 years I've had: Brake problems, rear left caliper seized at 66,000 miles - total cost $900 to fix, constant squeaking, electrical problems, instrument lights erratically on and off, car not starting, water leaks from closed Moonroof, body problems. Last winter ice froze inside the front passenger door and front fender cavity. When I opened the door, the metal of the bottom front corner of the door bent. Took it to VW and researched that this was an issue with a bulletin. Dealer repl: "The bulletin affected only cars until 2011. The new gen 2012 had this issue corrected!" Corrected my **! I just had it. They took photos sent it to VW America and... Nothing! Cost me $1,200 at a body shop. I repeat, I will NEVER buy a Volkswagen product away. WARNING: If you have never owned a VW product, make sure you have have LOTS of cash to blow before even thinking about it!
The day I drove my brand new 2011 Volkswagen Jetta off of the lot, I noticed it pulled hard to the right when I would take both hands off the wheel. After about a few weeks of driving it on different roads and testing it out, I took it in to Volkswagen. They told me several times, on different occasions, that nothing was wrong. So I had my father go in and talk to them. After interrogation they fixed it. They said the "front end of the vehicle was incorrectly placed"! Incorrectly placed?? Ok. Whatever! They fixed it! Then my Bluetooth doesn't work, won't turn on, phone can't find it, etc! So I take it in again, they replace it. Then after about 8 months of owning my Jetta I notice the key in the ignition gets hung up when I turn my car on and off sometimes. Sometimes I can't turn the key in the ignition to ON. And then sometimes I can't turn it OFF!
Well after 2 years finally the freaking key wouldn't turn to the OFF position! I've been stuck many times in places where I cannot even get the key to budge to the OFF position! Finally one night after 4 hours my car wouldn't turn off, I called Volkswagen 24 hour roadside assistance and they specifically said "due to the fact your vehicle will not turn OFF, we apologize but we cannot come out and tow your vehicle"... So I said "what if God forbid I was crashed somewhere, gas coming out and I couldn't turn off my car, I call you guys and you say you can't help me." They said "no ma'am. I apologize it's unsafe for us to touch the vehicle in any circumstance that we cannot turn the vehicle off". What!!?? Even my own tow company said the same thing! So finally we get it to VW and THEY say it's a "manufacturing defect".
So I call VW CLAIMS DEPARTMENT. I file a claim, and Ashley **, the head of claims, says she cannot do anything for me as far as paying for this manufacturing defect! I said "you're kidding me?" $650 later I have my car. The housing for the key in the ignition was not registering so that is what they replaced. And a new key. 5 days before that incident happened, my stereo would not turn on. I did the hard reset, had VW check all fuses... They say the fuses are all good. The stereo has power to it so the stereo itself is just no good! I need to replace it! That's $700! And I just noticed this morning that my RES to coast my vehicle at a certain speed doesn't work anymore!
What the hell? My car is 3 years old! I've had almost all my work done at the same dealership since the day I purchased it! Oil changes, windshield wipers, a new battery, fuel injectors cleaned, new ignition housing, new keys, all the upcoming recommended services under warranty...!!! And my car is still like this! I seriously cannot wait to fix the stereo and get the heck out of a Volkswagen! This vehicle is unsafe!
I bought a 2011 new Jetta and maintained it impeccably. At 114,00 miles the turbo blew and it will cost almost 5,000 dollars to fix, also, there may be metal in the engine so it may all be money down the drain. Customer care (oxymoron) told me with deep sympathy that there was nothing they could do. How can a company claim no responsibility? A turbo charger is not supposed to break and now I found out it's not uncommon in the Jetta. How can a company who boasts of a well made product not realize they have an obligation? Sincerely, broke and carless.