1998 Volkswagen Jetta visibility problems

Filed May 5, 2008 · Visibility · 98,500 miles · MN

The windows in the doors are falling down and needing the mechanism replaced. This has happened to 3 of the doors so far. Has this been a problem-was there ever a recall for this-this seems like a weird thing to have happen. It is a safety issue because you cannot roll the window up or down, as well as the interior getting wet from the weather. Thank you. Rebecca

Filed Sep 26, 2007 · Visibility · WI

I have 1998 vw jetta--I presently have three electric windows which do not go up or down. Two of them have previously been repaired. This appears to be a defect or needed recall. Cause of problems is motors or regulators. These should be repaired by vw. Of all the vehicles I have owned in the past 40 years with electric windows I have never had a problems except with the vw jetta.

Filed Nov 30, 2006 · Electrical, Engine · 1 miles · VA

Like others, I have had the ignition coil replaced. This happened after the warranty expired, of course. I have also had electrical problems with the windows (regulator and motor) for all of them. Now, my check engine light is flashing and the car is sputtering. I know the secondary air intake valve needs replacing but it did not cause problems. Now I'm wondering if something new is wrong??? Also, I was having problems with losing coolant and had to continuously replace antifreeze. After fixing what I thought was a small leak the entire system will not produce cool air! This car has been nothing but problems and vw should look into all of these complaints.

Filed Nov 22, 2006 · Visibility · 110,000 miles · MD

I bought a used 1998 vw jetta for my daughter. Good car fun to drive but one day as she was driving the rear passenger window fell down into the door. A few weeks later the passenger side front window fell into the door. Most recently during the summer the driver's front window fell into the door. All of these incidents could startle a driver or shatter the window. Currently she has the window taped up on the driver's door and it hinders her visibility. Vw said it would cost $485 per door!!!! You know the driver's rear door will go soon and it just doesn't seem right that we should have to invest another close to $2000 just to keep the windows up! This is a common problem but when I called vw they thanked me for being a loyal vw customer and asked me if I name my cars...vw knows that the plastic bottom on the regulator fails and they replace them with metal ones. They should do this for everyone that has these cars. I believe in 2001 the regulators with metal bottoms are oem.

Filed Apr 4, 2006 · Visibility · 100,000 miles · DC

I purchased a used 1998 volkswagen jetta glx several years ago. Within a year of purchase, the front driver side window failed to opperate properly. I had the regulator replaced. A year later the front passenger window failed. That regulator was replaced. A year later the front driver side failed again. Before I could get it fixed, the rear diver side window failed as well. Both regulators are being replaced. The total cost of these repairs will be over $2000. I find it appalling that the same problem can occur multiple times in the same vehicle. I have learned that this is a common problem for vw vehicles and yet nothing is being done to correct it - be it a design flaw, manufacturing problem, etc. Failed regulators are both a safety and security problem. I hope that the federal safety agency takes these complaints seriously and investigates the problem.

Filed Mar 6, 2006 · Visibility · OR

1998 jetta glx. Another window regulator default. I'm original owner, third time this has occurred. Back passenger window twice, no one ever sits back there and the window is hardly ever used. Sat. Driver's window, ker-plunk. Really annoying, window down and it's raining. Had to tape the opening closed. I'm paying for the repair, I know vw of america will not. Between this issue and the body molding constantly falling off, I doubt I'll buy another vw.

Filed Aug 26, 2005 · Visibility · OH

I have a 1998 vw jetta gls. I have previously replaced a window regulator at a cost of $450, now the remaining 3 have failed within a week. This is a known problem with vw and vw has acknowledged it with service bulletins,etc. Vw USA customer care has refused to cover the repair.

Filed Aug 5, 2005 · Visibility · AZ

This is the third time this has happened to my same vehicle, all happened the same way. Each time a different window. The power window button will start making noise when you raise/lower the window, then the window will only close half way. If you press the power window button again the window will drop into the door. In the past it happened to my 2 back passenger windows. Each time vw told me it was the window regulator and it cost about $350 to fix it. Since they are back passenger windows the dealer told me they could just prop the window up with a piece of wood much cheaper. Today the exact same sequence of events happened to my drivers side window, since its a driver window I most likely will have to pay out the $350 to replace the faulty regulator. Looking at www.myvwlemon.com I was surprised to see that this is an extremely common occurrence with all makes of vw yet vw accepts no responsibility for a faulty part.

Filed Jul 21, 2005 · Visibility · NM

I have had the front driver's side window regulator replaced/repaired twice by the dealer under warranty. Then I replaced it myself once, as the repair costs are too expensive. Then it broke again and I don't have the funds to fix it, so I simply avoid rolling down the window. The rear driver's side regulator has been replaced once by the dealer under warranty. The rear passenger's side regulator is now acting up. I'm afraid to roll down my windows as they may not roll back up.

Filed May 24, 2005 · Visibility · 75,000 miles · CA

Front driver and passenger windows completly stopped working. Stuck in "up" position. To expensive to fix.