2003 Volkswagen Jetta Equipment Problems

I HAVE A 2003 VW JETTA GLI VR-6. THE AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING AFTER IT WAS NICE AND COLD FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. HOT AIR WAS BLOWING OUT OF THE VENTS. ENGINE (COOLANT) LIGHT CAME ON AFTER ABOUT A 10 MINUTE DRIVE. THE ENGINE (COOLANT) GAUGE WAS ALMOST IN THE RED 260 DEGREES. I SWITCHED OFF THE AIR, AND THE GAUGE WENT DOWN A LITTLE, BUT DIDN'T REALLY COOL OFF. THE GUY AT THE DEALERSHIP EXPLAINED IF THE ENGINE STARTS OVERHEATING, THE FAIL SAFE FOR THE CAR IS TO AUTOMATICALLY TURN THE A/C OFF IN ORDER TO SAVE ITSELF FROM OVERHEATING TO THE POINT WHERE DAMAGE WOULD OCCUR. AFTER ALL DAY DIAGNOSTICS, THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THE FUSE BOX IS MELTED DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THIS, CONVENIENTLY, IS NOT COVERED BY MY GOLD PLUS EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT I SPENT LOTS OF MONEY ON. REPAIRS SO FAR WILL COST ~$800. THEY HAVE TO FIX THAT BEFORE THEY CAN TEST TO SEE IF THE ALTERNATOR IS DAMAGED. BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND THE WARRANTY REP SAY THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH VOLKSWAGEN CARS. IF IT IS COMMON IT SHOULD BE RECALLED!! *TR

AM RADIO NOT WORKING. FM RADIO HAS LIMITED RANGE. *TR

RECENTLY THE RADIO IN MY 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA WOLFSBURG EDITION STOPPED WORKING. AT FIRST THE RADIO STATION WAS DISPLAYED BUT I WAS UNABLE TO GET ANY BUTTONS TO WORK EXCEPT THE EJECT BUTTON, THE VOLUME KNOB, AND THE ON/OFF BUTTON. THE LAST RADIO STATION I LISTENED TO WAS DISPLAYED BUT NO SOUND COULD BE HEARD. I STARTED TO LOOK FOR HELP ON THE INTERNET, POSSIBLY A FUSE OR SOMETHING SIMPLE BUT WHAT I FOUND WAS COMPLETELY THE OPPOSITE. ACCORDING TO SEVERAL WEBSITES, THE RADIO HAS AN INTERNAL DEFECT WHICH FRIES THE RADIO WHEN THE BATTERY STARTS TO GET WEAK. I WORK AT A CADILLAC DEALERSHIP SO I TESTED THE BATTERY AND IT TESTED MARGINAL. I CHECKED WITH A COUPLE VW DEALERSHIPS AND THEY BOTH TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE RADIO. I JUST RECEIVED MY AFTERMARKET RADIO, WHICH I ORDERED AFTER HEARING HORROR STORIES OF REPLACING THE RADIO WITH AN OEM UNIT AND HAVING THEM GO BAD AGAIN THE NEXT TIME THE BATTERY WENT DEAD. I STILL HAVE THE OEM RADIO, AND WILL HANG ON TO IT FOR WHILE. *TR

OUT OF NO WHERE MY RADIO ON MY 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA WAGON STOPPED WORKING. ALL I GOT WAS STATIC ON MY RADIO. AFTER REVIEWING SEVERAL VW FORUMS, I FOUND OUT THAT MY RADIO ANTENNA HAD CORRODED INSIDE. I TOOK IT APART AND CLEANED ALL THE CORROSION AND FOUND THAT THE MAIN WIRE ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD WAS BROKE. I HAD TO SOLDER A NEW WIRE ONTO IT. MANY VW OWNERS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM, BUT VOLKSWAGEN WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. A ANTENNA SHOULD NOT GO BAD IN A THREE YEAR OLD CAR. *JB

WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS JACKING UP THE VEHICLE TO CHANGE THE RIGHT REAR TIRE THE JACK COLLAPSED AND THE VEHICLE FELL TO THE GROUND. CONSUMER MAINTAINED THAT THE JACK WAS MADE OF PLASTIC AND THE THREAD STRIPPED.*AK *JB

WHILE USING THE LIFTING JACK SUPPLIED WITH THE AUTOMOBILE TO LIFT THE VEHICLE TO CHANGE A TIRE, THE JACK COLLAPSED. IT COLLAPSED BECAUSE THE JACK SCREW CARRIER THREADS FAILED. THE CARRIER THREADS NUT IS PLASTIC. PLASTIC DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH STRENGTH TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF A 3000 POUND AUTOMOBILE.*AK