1997 Volkswagen Jetta electrical system problems

“THE SPEEDOMETER IN ANY OCCASIONS DOES NOT MARK THE SPEED BUT IF IT MARKS THE MILES THAT ARE COVERED AND IT DOEST TURN ON THE LIGHT OF CHECK ENGINE TO BE ABLE TO KNOW THAT IT IS TRUMPING THE SPEEDOMETER, SOMETIMES MEANWHILE THE CAR LIGHTING AND IN MOVEMENT IT STOPS WORKING IT IS NOT THE FIRST CAR THAT I SEE THAT THE SAME PROBLEM HAS THIS I MEET MORE THAN 7 PERSONS WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND WHO WHEN WE TAKE IT TO THE AGENCY SAY TO US THAT IT DOES NOT HAVE ANY SHORTCOMING OR PERHAPS IT IS SOME SENSOR THAT DOES NOT WORK BUT THE CAR DOES NOT LIGHT THE LIGHT OF CHECK ENGINE TO WARN THAT A SENSOR HAS TO BE REPLACED I SUPPOSE MYSELF THAT IT IS ALREADY A SHORTCOMING OF THE SPEEDOMETER. *TR”

“WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE STARTED BUCKING UNTIL NO LONGER RUNNING. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION, WHERE THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE STARTED A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER THAT DAY. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT IT MIGHT BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM OR THE FUEL.*AK”

“REPLACED IGNITION COIL FOR THE THIRD TIME IN AS MANY YEARS!! ELECTRIC WATER PUMP REPLACED. EATER CORE EXPLODED A COUPLE MONTHS LATER WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH WITH MY CHILD IN THE CAR! COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING AS CAR FILLED WITH ANTIFREEZE CLOUD. BELT DRIVEN WATER PUMP WENT A WEEK LATER. ENTIRE POWER STEERING RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WINDOW REGULATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED TWICE. DOOR HANDLE BROKE TWICE!. *AK”

“DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT THERE WAS A LOSS OF EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTING. ALSO, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE DISABLED. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING. THE LIGHTS WILL SHUT OFF, BUT INTERMITTENTLY COME BACK ON. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE BATTERY, FUSES, AND THE ALTERNATOR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TO A DEALER , AND NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE DUE TO THE EXPENSE. *AK UPDATED 02/07/06. *JB”

“MY 1997 JETTA WAS PURCHASED NEW IN AUGUST 1997 IN CANADA. IN 1997, THE ELECTRIC MOON ROOF AND THE ELECTRIC WINDOW HAD INTERMITTENT FAULT OF NOT OPERATING AND WERE FIXED. HOWEVER AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD ONE REAR ELECTRIC WINDOW COULD NOT BE OPERATED LOCALLY. IN OCT 28, 2004 THE GENERATOR WAS FAULTY AND WAS REPLACED BY A RE-BUILT UNIT AT OWNER'S COST. IN OCT 30, THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED AT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. *JB FROM OCT 30 TO 31, 2004, AN INTERMITENT FAULT OCCURRED 5 TIMES ON THE PANEL CLUSTER, ALL READINGS IN THE CLUSTER (TACHOMETER, SPEEDOMETER, TEMPERAURE AND FUEL GAUGES) DROP TO ZERO FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND RESUMED NORMAL. THE DEALER HAS NOT YET LOCATED THE CAUSE OF THE INTERMITENT FAULT. IF THE PANEL C;USTER WERE FOUND FALUTY, IT WOULD BE A VERY COST REPAIR. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON MY 1997 JETTA ARE EXCEEDING UNRELIABLE WITH A HIGH INTERMITTENT FAULT. IT IS THE RESPONSIBLITY OF THE VWOA TO PAY THE REPAIR COST FOR SUCH FAULTY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.”

“ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS NOW MY 1997 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA GL HAS FAILED TO START.BECAUSE THIS HAS HAPPENED AT NIGHT AND ALMOST ALWAYS AWAY FROM HOME THIS HAS BEEN A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THERE IS NEVER ANY WARNING THAT THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN. THE CAR MAY BE WORKING FINE AND THEN THE NEXT TIME IT IS TIME TO START IT, IT SIMPLY WON'T START. WE HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED SEVERAL TIMES NOW. ONCE OUT OF A PARKING GARAGE -AT 5:00 PM DURING RUSH HOUR. ONCE I WAS BY MYSELFON A SUNDAY IN A TOWN I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH AT A NOT VERY NICE GAS STATION GETTING GAS WHEN THE CAR FAILED TO START. I WAS THERE SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE I COULD GET IN CONTACT WITH FAMILY MEMBERS TO COME AND RESCUE ME. EACH TIME WE HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO A VOLKSWAGEN DEARLERSHIP AND HAD IT "FIXED". MY QUESTION IS HOW MANY TIMES DO WE HAVE TO HAVE IT FIXED???? I HAVE GONE ON VARIOUS SITES AND THE COMMENT IS THAT THE 1997 JETTA HAS STARTING PROBLEMS. IF THIS IS SO THEN DOESN'T THIS MEAN THAT THE STARTER OR THE WIRING IS DEFECTIVE. GRANTED THE CAR PROBABLY WON'T BLOW UP BECAUSE OF THIS BUT A CAR SHOULD BE RELIABLE ENOUGH JUST TO START - SHOULDN'T IT? WE HAVE HAD THE CAR FOUR YEARS NOW AND…”