2001 Volkswagen Jetta Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING, THE PARKING BRAKE FAILED, AND THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR HAD ISSUES OPENING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LEAKED FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MAIN COOLANT FAN, ENGINE VALVE COVER GASKET, BOTH REAR SHOCK AND MOUNTS, BOTH FRONT STRUT MOUNTS, FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHING, AND BOTH OUTER TIE RODS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,354.

I WAS TRAVELING DOWN I40 WEST BOUND ON THE APPOXIMATE DATE. THE PAVEMENT WAS WET, BUT NOT RAINING. I HAVE NOTICED MY JETTA'S STEERING A LITTLE SQUIRRELLY OVER THE LAST MONTH. WHEN I HIT A "LUMP" IN THE ROAD THE CAR DRAGGED TO THE LEFT. I STEERED TO THE RIGHT WHICH SENT THE VEHICLE INTO A SPIN. I SPUN OUT BUT DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. WHEN I TOOK MY JETTA TO THE SHOP, THE OWNER SAID IT WAS A CONTROL ARM AND BUSHING PROBLEM. HE STATED THIS WAS A NOTORIOUS PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. I HAD REPAIRS DONE TO THE LEFT SIDE WHICH AMOUNTED TO $275.44 AND STILL NEED TO GET THE OTHER SIDE DONE. *TR

I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT ISSUES WITH MY 2001 JETTA. I HAVE REPLACED ALL THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND THE FRONT BEARING TWICE. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE COILS TWICE ON THIS CAR. NOW IN THE LAST 2-3 WEEKS THE CLEAR COAT HAS STARTED TO PEEL OFF THE CAR. THE PAINT IS NOT COMING OFF JUST THE CLEAR COAT. I CALLED THE VW CARE CENTER AND THEY RAN ME AROUND HAVING ME TAKE THE CAR TO A VW BODY SHOP, AND HAVING THE SERVICE MANAGER LOOK AT IT AND NEITHER ONE OF THEM COULD TELL ME WHY THE CLEAR COAT WAS PEELING. THEY BOTH DID RESPOND BY SAYING THE COULD BE SURE BUT IN MAY HAVE BEEN OVER BAKED AT THE FACTORY AFTER IT WAS PAINTED BUT OF COURSE NOBODY WANT TO ADMIT THAT BECAUSE THEN VW WOULD BE LIABLE TO FIX IT. SO IN CALLING THE VW CARE CENTER BACK THE PRETTY MUCH TOLD ME THE CAR WAS 5 YEAR OLD AND IT WASN'T THEIR PROBLEM ANY MORE BUT MINE. GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE. I'VE OWNED OTHER CARS AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE CLEAR COAT. GRANTED THEY WERE NOT VW CARS. I RECOMMEND NOT TO BUY A VW OF ANY KIND BECAUSE THIS COMPANY WILL NOT STAND BY THEIR FAULT. I MEAN 5 YEARS OLD THAT THE CLEAR COAT IS PEELING OFF. THAT ISN'T RIGHT. THANKS FOR NOTHING VW. DON'T BUY A VW. *JB

CONDITIONS: NORMAL DRIVING, APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES PER HOUR ON A CITY STREET. FAILURE: FRONT LEFT DRIVERS SIDE COIL SPRING FRACTURED THROUGH. THE LEFT CORNER OF THE CAR DROPPED, THE CAR JERKED SUDDENLY TO THE LEFT. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OR IF OTHER VEHICLES WERE PRESENT. VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE IN IT'S CURRENT STATE DUE TO THE LEFT CORNER BEING NOT LEVEL, SPRING MISSING PART OF IT'S LENGTH, STEERING (STRUT) BINDING. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA WILL NOT REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART AND IS NOT INTERESTED IN THE POTENTIAL LIFE SAFETY CONCERNS REGARDING THIS FAILURE. I DIRECTLY CONTACTED THE O.E.M. SPRING MANUFACTURER (EIBACH). THIS MAY RESULT IN A REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE SPRING AND FAILURE ANALYSIS OF THE PART, TO BE DETERMINED. *JB

A DEFECT WITH MY RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING WAS DETECTED OVER TWO WEEKS AGO. IT IS FAULTY. MY CAR HAS 32000 MILES ON IT. I CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR ITS REPLACEMENT. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM, AND SAID IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. HOWEVER, HE LATER CAME BACK AND SAID VOLKSWAGEN WOULD NOT COVER IT. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT I AM BEING ASKED TO PAY THE DEDUCTIBLE. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENT AT VOLKSWAGEN (I CALLED THE COMPANY DIRECTLY) SAID THEY WOULD "NOT OFFER ANY GOODWILL IN THIS CASE". I KNOW THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART, YET VW IS REFUSING TO TAKE 100% CARE OF IT. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY.*AK

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION COIL PACKS. ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND STALLS. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THE IGNITION COILS WERE BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BUT THEY ALSO TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW FOR HOW LONG THEY WERE GOING TO LAST FOR. TS

CONSUMER NOTICED A DECREASE IN ACCELERATION ABILITY. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THE COIL SPRINGS WERE BAD. BUT WILL ONLY REPLACE THEM AS THEY GO OUT. CONSUMER FEELS UNSAFE DRIVING WITH 3 DEFECTIVE COIL SPRINGS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB

REAR LEFT WHEEL BEARING WAS MAKING NOISE AND CAUSING PULLING DURING LEFT HAND CURVES. THE GREASE WAS LIKE POWDER AND SMELLED BURNED. THE INNER RACES AND THE BEARINGS WERE PITTED BADLY. WITH THE CAR RAISED THE TIRE WOBBLED A QUARTER INCH. IT MADE NOISE WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY, I WAS TOLD IT WAS TIRE NOISE. *TS ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS***761260

L HAVE HAD NUMEROUS "FACTORY DEFECTS" WITH MY NEW VEHICLE AND NO ONE CAN HELP ME SOLVE MY DILEMA. THE VEHICLE IM SUBMITTING TO YOU IS NOT THE ORGINIALLY PURCHASED CAR. THEY HAD TO GIVE ME A 2ND VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS EVER SINCE WITH KEYLESS REMOTE UNI (REPLACED), AUTO WINDOW UNIT(BOTH DRIVER, PASSNEGER-BOTH UNITS REPLACED),DRIVER SEAT NOT BOLTED TO FLOOR. HAD TO GET A NEW SEAT. NEW SHOCKS, NEW PACKING BETWEEN REAR PASS. DOOR PANELS. ALL CLAIMED TO BE FACTORY DEFECTS PER THE DEALER. I HAVE ESTABLISHED A CLAIM THROUGH VW OF AMERICA BUT THEY CANNOT ASSIST. THEY WILL ONLY TAKE MY COMPLAINTS. *AK

ALL MAJOR PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF QUITE WELL, HOWEVER I HAVE HAD A CONSTANT CREAKING NOISE IN BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S DOOR AS WELL AS A KNOCKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS ORIGINALLY REPORTED AT 7,000 MILES AND 7 TRIPS TO THE DEALER LATER AND 13,000 MILES LATER NEITHER PROBLEM HAS BEEN RESOLVED.*AK