1996 Volkswagen Jetta visibility problems

Filed Aug 2, 2007 · Visibility · 125,000 miles · IN

Driving home from school (12 minute drive) at night and the air coming from the vents smelled funny, like coolant. I turned off the fans but still smelled funny. I turned the fans back on and white 'smoke' was coming out of the vents and it smelled heavily of coolant. My windshield began to fog up while I was on the highway. I rolled down my windows and sunroof and tried everything I could to get the window to defog, but it only got worse. I could barely see and felt like I was in a very dangerous situation so I pulled off on the nearest county road. The car began to overheat and I still couldn't see anything so I opened the door and drove to a safe spot and turned the car off. Found out later that there was coolant all over on the floorboards and that the heater core has failed.

Filed Jun 26, 2006 · Visibility · KY · 1 injury

Dt*:the contact stated while driving on an interstate highway at 70mph, there was stinging/burning sensation to the contact's foot. When the foot was removed from the gas pedal, a steaming liquid was observed on the foot and on the floor around the pedals. The liquid was spewing from an area under dashboard above the gas, break and clutch pedals. Steam/vapor also appeared to be coming out of the defroster vents on the dashboard. The accessories were immediately turned off and the vehicle was moved over and off the road. The hot liquid continued to spew and burn the contact's foot as the brakes were being applied. The vapor of the liquid filled the vehicle interferring with the contact's vision.

Filed Mar 15, 2006 · Visibility · 114,500 miles · MD · 1 injury

On january 12, 2006, as I was driving my car at 65 MPH on the highway an opaque white gas was quickly released from my heater vents and within seconds effectively turned the passenger compartment of my car into a gas chamber. The engine temperature increased after I was able to safely remove the vehicle of the highway. My car was sold with a permanent maintenance free pink vw antifreeze. The documentation that came with the car indicated that other than topping off the antifreeze periodically that no maintenance was necessary. It was determined that my heater core failed; the dealer says it failed because of lack of maintenance. If the system is maintenance free then how can a component fail because of lack of maintenance? I originally thought the vehicle had been vandalized, but the dealer differed. I was unable to find any warnings of the possibility of this occurring in service bulletins or any other vw literature. If the catastrophic failure of a heater core is possible doesn't the manufacture have a duty to warn the purchasers of its products?

Filed Mar 29, 2005 · Visibility · 164,493 miles · CA

Heater core ruptured, causing the coolant to spill over the driver's feet. This eventually caused the windshield to fog up, making the ability to see the road difficult.*ak while consumer was driving the vehicle, he hit a bump and hot coolant fell on his feet. The steam from the hot coolant fogged up the windows and escaped through the vents. The consumer pulled over to parking lot to avoid crashing because of the steam on the window. Volkswagen agreed to repair heating core.

Filed Jan 4, 2005 · Steering, Visibility · 106,500 miles · NJ

Smoke from the steering column. After the vehicle was started, a puff of smoke arose from the steering column and I lost use of my windshield wipers. I have been online and have seen numerous similar complaints to the same affect. Shouldn't this be a recall item ? Ave had quite a few others problems in the 6 months since we have owned our 1996 jetta.

Filed Sep 22, 2004 · Visibility · CA

Consumer complained that side windows were not going up and down at will. Consumer took the vehicle to a dealer, and was told that the motor window regulator was defective. To have them repaired would cost at least $500.00 per window, which consumer did not have.

Filed Sep 5, 2004 · Visibility · CT

The rear side windows of my jetta have fallen into the door.

Filed Jun 4, 2004 · Visibility · 90,000 miles · OH

Just purchased my first vw jetta. May be my last vw period. My windows work when they feel like it. After researching the problem, I found out this is a extremely common problem that vw takes no reponsibility for. Fixing it myself, it costs me $150 every time it happens. I should charge vw $70 an hour for labor!

Filed Apr 27, 2004 · Visibility · UT

Since I have had my 1996 vw jetta gls, all four window regulators and all four window motors have broken. I have spoken to several people who have had the exact same problems with their jettas.

Filed Feb 22, 2004 · Visibility · CA

All four windows in my '96 jetta have malfunctioned. Problems involve the window regulators and the motors. As it is today, my vehicle has three operating windows with defects (makes loud crunch sound when rolled all the way down) to a stuck-half-way window that won't go up or down.