This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The car has been jerking when you-??re driving and sometimes it jerks forward as you-??re parking it while it-??s in the parked position. Then I-??m driving home from work, it-??s raining heavy. I get to the Valaro store by my house; I put $40 worth of gas in the car after work drove home parked the car the next morning it would not turn over, would not ignite at all I took it to the shop. They said the computer was fried from the rain leaking through the windshield or under the windshield. They said it-??s a major problem with this model car. The mechanic said the computer could not be fixed. He sent it to the Volkswagen repair shop it can-??t be fixed and to replace it cost thousands of dollars !!! I can provide an estimate of the problems and possible repairs if needed. The mechanic stated it is not worth the cost to fix the car. I did notice that there is a powertrain recall and my mechanic is also stating that the transmission is the jerking problem we-??re having.. I really think these should be recalled however I needed to submit my issues and see what you final decision would be on both situations, the powertrain transmission problem and the computer burnout problem thank you so much and hope you-??re having a great day
The contact owned a 2007 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing electrical problems. The contact stated while driving at 45 MPH, another driver persistently blew the horn at her to inform her that the vehicle had caught fire. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road and immediately exited the vehicle. The contact noticed that there was a fire underneath the passenger side of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle burned to the ground and there was a big hole in the pavement. There was no further information provided. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of the fire department. A fire department report was filed. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot, where it was totaled. The contact sustained post-traumatic stress disorder as she had lost her only daughter in a vehicle fire in the past. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 141,000.
I've had to replace the headlights multiple times due to faulty electrical wiring inside the headlight unit that could have easily resulted in fires. Airbag fault hindering usage
The contact owns a 2007 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that the key failed to turn when placed into the ignition switch, causing the steering wheel to lock up. The vehicle was not yet taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 155,000.
The vehicle was in motion with the seat heater on. I noticed a burning smell and then a burning sensation. By the time I was able to safely pull over, there was a hole in the right side of the driver's seat cover, exposing the wiring and foam. My coat and clothing were burned, as well as my back. There is also evidence of overheating/burning in additional locations of the seat cover, but it only burned through in one location. I turned off the seat heater and drove to the dealership where I was instructed to discontinue use of the seat heater. This occurred on 3/8/19 with less than 95K miles on the car.
- Silver Spring, MD, USA
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
Door locks fail to lock. Front driver door will lock but all other doors do not lock. Alarm will sound off if door is opened but will only work for 1 minute then shut off. This has resulted in an auto burglary at my sons work place parking lot. It also poses a danger to children in back seat if door is opened while car is in motion. Safety is at issue when people in the vehicle need to prevent being car jacked or robbed as well. We have researched this issue and have found that there are thousands of complaints on this same issue. What is it going to take to have a recall issued on this vehicle to force the manufacturer to repair these vehicles?
The vehicle caught fire in the engine bay by the front driver side headlamp. The low beam of the headlight kept going off and on prompting a broken headlight or headlamp bulb signal on dash board. After replacing the bulb the issue was not resolved it continued periodically for about one month. While driving I smelled burning plastic after which I noticed flames from the front driver side headlamp. I pulled over opened the hood noticing that the front driver side headlamp was melting and on fire. Within two minutes of pulling over the engine bay was completely melted. The fire spread to the interior ' melting it.
Car was parked, problem horn continues to sound, fuse had to be taken out. Having problem with car interior headliner, pulling away from edges throughout the vehicle
The contact owns a 2007 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start without warning. In addition, the vehicle shook and previously made abnormal noises. The vehicle was not able to restart. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer (timmons Volkswagen of long beach, 3940 cherry ave, long beach, ca, 90807) where it was diagnosed that the starter failed, the brake booster vacuum was leaking oil, the driver and passenger outer cv boots were torn/worn, and the sway bar link was fractured. All the parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. The failure mileage was 50,200.
Car jerks, one fan do not work, oil leak, wind shield washer and coolant system. Brought car from drive time in febuary 2013. I've noticed these problems when driving and parking. The car over heats as well. I also notified drive-time and was told to get another diagnostic test. I did not have the money for another.
I was driving to work and I felt something hot on my back and a burning smell. I pulled over to look and I had two burn marks in my seat with a big brown burn mark down the side along with it burning my clothes. I immediately turned the seat warmer off.
Reference 10959049 additional information. On 04/01/2016 had the ignition replaced in the vheicle at the dealership. Vehicle would not accept the key after being parked, however all lights, blinkers and indicators (door open dings), radio functioned as if the key was in the ignition and vehicle was running. Vehicle towed to dealership for ignition replacement.
I just recently bought the car not even 6 months ago, certified pre owned, I noticed about a week after having it that two of my doors do not lock at all. Also my head lights stay on 24/7 while my car in turned to the on position. When I'm on the highway the car shakes really bad when I hit 60 mph or higher. This car is a piece and I don't recommend anyone with a child to purchase this car. It is unsafe and unprofessionally designed.
My vehicle has approximately 165K miles. Right at about 120K miles, the transmission started shifting harshly. At times, the transmission would get stuck at 3rd gear, and the transmission indicator panel lights up prnd all at once. This usually happens when driving hills, or stop and go driving. My airbag light is also on constantly. I've had the issue fixed previously, however, the issue has returned. Lastly, my passenger side door does not like all the time. I've tried to remotely and manually lock the door; however, it is not working properly.
On September 21, 2015, at approximately 8:00 am in the morning, my seat warmers had burnt out. I was on my way to work; it was a chilly morning so I turned the seat warmer on to 4. the highest it goes up to is 5. soon after, I felt it was a bit too hot. When I looked down, I saw smoke! I could not stop anywhere so I immediately turned off the seat warmer. I remained calm until I arrived to a stop light. When I looked behind me I noticed 3 holes in my seat. Two little ones and one big one. You can see the burnt wires. I was so angry by the time I got to work. I drove over to VW nemer in latham, NY to have them check it out and make sure there was no engine problem. The service rep. Was not sympathetic and not very polite. He kept saying I should have called and I should have made an appointment. I told him I was going to stay there and wait to find out the results. He came back to tell me that the seat warmer burnt out and that was all. He also tried to get me to fix my brakes (I did not come in for brakes). He told me I would need new wiring and seat covers (leather) to fix it. I had an extended warranty and had to pay a $100 deductible. I am not paying that deductible. However, it does not matter, because for some reason my warranty expired, but my car has not reached 100,000 miles yet... I have written a complaint to VW demanding some type of resolution. They need to check their cars very thoroughly. I read that there was another seat warmer incident that happened in Canada and VW did not take responsibility for it. I am afraid to turn on any heating system in the car now, because it too might fail and shock me. I have pictures to show my torn seats. I can send them if needed.
As I was driving the vehicle the gear shifted on its own from drive into neutral. Brought the vehicle to a stop. I placed the vehicle back into drive. I drove a short distance and the car will now only go from drive to neutral. The key is stuck in the ignition. Took it to the VW dealership and was told the gear shift box is defective but no longer covered under warranty. Contacted VW Corp and opened a case with the regional case manager. Still waiting to hear from them. I was told at the dealer that it wasn't safe to drive as it is. When I asked since it's not safe to drive will they be replacing it at no cost? stated no since they have no recall under my VIN # and no longer under warranty.
Rear driver's side lock failed with no indications that it did not work. We thought the door was locking, either via the key-fob or internal locking, but it was not and we have no idea how long this was the case before the dealer pointed it out. There is no way to lock the door manually. This left our car open for theft, and endangered a younger child we sometimes Transport as the door was not able to be locked.
Both back passenger doors no longer lock. Even with child lock on they open freely. Having children in the back seat is a huge problem as they can open the doors at any time. There is no warning the locks have failed. I've researched online and this seems to be a known issue.
Ignition switch bushing. There is a nylon or plastic bushing in the key ignition switch to start the car that can become dislodged and prevent the key from going into the pathway. Car cannot be started for this reason. Must be towed. VW has told us that this happens frequently to the VW Jettas. Note: There may be other models affected if they use the same type of ignition switch. Repairs will cost ~$600 for installation of a new ignition switch.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Sacramento , CA, USA