Exterior lighting: switch
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.
80 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Volkswagen Jetta cite exterior lighting, 12% of all 677 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 4 recalls on this component.
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 25 MPH, THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR INDICATOR SOUNDED THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AJAR WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHEN ACTIVATING THE HEADLIGHTS THERE WOULD BE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DOOR LATCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135,000.”
“THE 2001 V.W. JETTA: THIS VEHICLE BURNS AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL, APPROXIMATELY 1 QUART PER MONTH, IN DAILY, EVERDAY USAGE, CITY TRAFFIC AND SHORT HIGHWAY TRIPS, AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF OIL, EVEN WITH REGULAR OIL/FILTER CHANGES. V.W. HAS NOT NOTIFIED ME OF THIS PROBLEM, NOR CORRECTED IT AND DEALERS' WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. THE DRIVER'S SIDE, SHODDY, FLIP-BACK, PLASTIC ARM REST IS BROKEN, CHEAPLY MADE, IT WILL NOT RETAIN OR HOLD THE DRIVER'S ARM, IT IS LOCATED ADJACENT AND NEAR THE AUTO. TRANSMISSION GEAR SHIFT, IT COULD AND DOES FAIL, A SAFETY HAZARD. REAR TAIL AND BRAKE LIGHTS BURN-OUT AT EXCESSIVE RATES, OFTEN ENOUGH FOR IT TO BE A NUISANCE, TO REPLACE THEM. PLEASE HAVE V.W. CORRECT THESE PROBLEMS @ THEIR OWN EXPENSE, NOT MINE, OWNER.”
“THE VW JETTA VR6 2001 THAT I PURCHASED LAST YEAR FOR $7,000 (FINANCING THROUGH MY CREDIT UNION) IS A LEMON. I HAVE HAD IT LESS THAN A YEAR AND ALREADY SPENT $2000 ON MINOR REPAIRS AND I ESTIMATE THAT RIGHT NOW IT NEEDS ABOUT $4000 MORE IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. I BELIEVE THAT SUNDANCE IMPROPERLY SOLD THIS CAR, KNOWING THAT A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF THINGS ARE WRONG WITH IT. I HAD A GARAGE WITH WHICH THEY ARE AFFILIATED LOOK AT IT AND COMPLETELY MISREPRESENTED THE SHAPE OF THE CAR. SINCE ACQUIRING IT I HAVE BEEN PLAGUED WITH DIFFICULTIES WITH IT, FROM HEAD LIGHTS MYSTERIOUSLY GOING OUT, TO THE WATER PUMP FAILING, TO THE SERPENTINE COIL FAILING, NOW TO THE AIR COMPRESSOR FAILING, AS WELL AS THE COMPUTER TO THE A/C, AND TODAY IT IS THE EPC CODE (WHICH I BELIEVE HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH EITHER THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, OR COMPUTER - BUT THE THING IS LOSING POWER AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS DON'T WORK WHICH IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD), NOT TO MENTION THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. HAVING BEEN PLAGUED WITH THESE ISSUES, I HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER VW JETTA VR6 2001 OWNERS WHO ARE ADAMANT THAT THIS CAR IS A MANUFACTURED LEMON. VW NEEDS TO BE…”
“I HAVE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE THAT ONLY ALLOWS ME TO GET A REPAIR AT AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP. I LIVE IN A RURAL AREA 4 HOURS FROM THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP. THEY WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO REPAIR IT LOCALLY AND GET RE-IMBURSED. IT IS 4 HOURS TO THIS DEALERSHIP MEANING AN OVERNIGHT STAY. THE TOTAL COST OF THE TRIP IS MORE THAN THE REPAIR. IS THERE ANY OPTION TO GET THIS REPAIRED LOCALLY? NO ACCIDENT..........YET. THE RECALL IS FOR A DEFECTIVE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. *TR”
“I OWN A 2001 VW JETTA. I BOUGHT IT 3 YEARS AGO, USED FROM THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP. THE AUTOMOBILE WAS SOLD AS A "CERTIFIED" AUTO, WHICH I FOUND OUT LATER DOES NOT MEAN MUCH. MY TRUNK IS LOCKED SHUT AND DOES NOT OPEN MANUALLY OR WITH REMOTE, I'VE HAD TO REPLACE CV BOOTS, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, TRANSMISSION AND NUMEROUS HEADLIGHT, TAILLIGHT AND BLINKER BULBS. AND TODAY ONE OF MY HEADLIGHTS IS SO DIM, IT DOESN'T REALLY PROVIDE ANY LIGHT WHEN IT IS DARK. I HAVE REPLACED IT AND REPLACED IT. IT STAYS FINE FOR ABOUT 2 DAYS AND THEN JUST DIMS OUT AGAIN. I CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP TAKING IT TO VOLKSWAGEN. IT'S A RIP OFF AND THEY DON'T EVEN FIX ANYTHING RIGHT ANYWAY. MY ENGINE FAN WENT OUT ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE OTHER DAY, CAUSING THE CAR TO OVERHEAT. I HAD TO GET IT TOWED. THAT ISN'T THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HAD TO PAY TO HAVE IT TOWED. THE INTERIOR PLASTIC COATING ON ARMRESTS AND ALL PLASTIC INSIDE IS PEELING AND LOOKS TERRIBLE. WHEN I PUSH UNLOCK ALL DOORS, THE DRIVER'S SIDE BACK SEAT DOOR WILL NOT OPEN UNLESS I REACH INSIDE AND PULL THE LOCK OPEN MANUALLY. THERE IS SO MUCH MORE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO WASTE MY TIME. I KNOW NOTHING WILL HAPPEN, EVEN THOUGH IT IS SO OBVIOUS THAT…”
“NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH 2001 VW JETTA, PURCHASED NEW IN JUNE, 2001.INCLUDING : WINDOWS SPORADICALLY MALFUNCTIONING (WHEN I CALLED VW CORPORATE AS WELL AS MY LOCAL DEALER, I WAS TOLD THAT AFTER THE DEALER EVALUATED PROBLEM I COULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LABOR CHARGE DEPENDING ON THE OUTCOME OF THEIR DIAGNOSIS!!); TRUNK LATCH HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE (OUT OF WARRANTY) AND NOW LATCH DOES NOT RESPOND TO REMOTES NOR TO THE INSIDE RELEASE ON DRIVER DOOR; DRIVER DOOR LOCK DOES NOT RESPOND TO REMOTES NOR TO CONTROL ON DRIVER DOOR (THE OTHER THREE DOOR LOCKS ARE PRESENTLY FUNCTIONING); INTERIOR COATING ON PLASTIC DOOR HANDLES AND CENTER CONSOLE BEGAN TO PEEL WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF DELIVERY; CENTER CONSOLE LATCH BROKE LONG AGO; CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON/OFF SPORADICALLY (BROUGHT CAR TO CERTIFIED MECHANIC BUT PROBLEM UNDIAGNOSED); A WAX SUBSTANCE WAS CONSTANTLY RUNNING INTO DOORWELLS; VW DEALER REPLACED COIL, CABLES AND BUFFER IN RESPONSE TO ROUGH ENGINE IDLE COMPLAINT AND I INCURRED ALL COSTS AND INCONVENIENCE OF CAR IN SHOP , THIS AT 72,000 MILES,HAZARD LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED; TURN SIGNALS MALFUNCTIONED; NOW I HEAR OF A BRAKE LIGHT RECALL AND AN EMERGENCY LIGHT SWITCH…”
Showing 6 of 80 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC OR MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND CRUISE CONTROLS, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ON THESE VEHICLES MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY DURING SAFETY RECALLS 03V-265 OR 04V-096.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE HAZARD SWITCH AND FLASHER SYSTEM FUNCTION MAY DEGRADE OVER TIME BECAUSE OF DISTORTION AND MATERIAL TRANSFER OF THE CONTACTS OF CERTAIN HAZARD SWITCH RELAYS WHICH OCCURS DUE TO SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED ELECTRICAL CURRENT LOAD FROM HIGHER WATTAGE TURN SIGNAL BULBS.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ON THESE VEHICLES MAY MALFUNCTION.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.