2003 Volkswagen Jetta engine problems

Filed Feb 7, 2022 · Electrical, Engine · CA

My jetta stalls without warning when the gas gauge is at a quarter of a tank or less. No engine check light or any other any other device comes on to warn me it is going to stall. My speed does not matter. It happens at freeway speeds or around town. It does not occur if the gas gauge shows more than 1/4 of a tank of fuel. I do not know if it is an electrical problem, a fuel propulsion problem or an engine problem. From reading volkswagon forums, this is a very common problem with volkswagons of different years, including the new Tiguans. I'm sure there have been many fatalities as a result of this defect. I am surprised volkswagon has not been forced to repair this dangerous, life threatening problem before now! Maybe, a class action law suit involving products liability, merchantability, and fitness for a particular use would benefit not only owners, but the general public at large. I believe it is your duty to protect the general public from manufactures who place dangerous, defective products in the stream of commerce. Your action is required, and demanded. The first time ocurred right after I purchased the car in 2019. It has stalled many times since then, before I realized I needed to keep the fuel tank at least 1/2 full at all times. Keeping it 1/2 full at all times greatly deminishes the range of travel before I have to refill. It is inconvenient and expensive since fuel has to be purchased at places other the most economical place I usually purchase my gasoline. Thank you

Filed Jun 4, 2018 · Engine · 184,072 miles · KS

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen jetta. While driving at unknown speeds, the vehicle overheated and the check engine indicator illuminated. The contact added water to the vehicle. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 184,072.

Filed Jun 26, 2017 · Engine · 212,000 miles · MI

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 volkswagen jetta. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the engine suddenly began to rev and caused the vehicle to accelerate. The contact applied the brake pedal in order to slow the vehicle down. The contact pulled the vehicle to the side of the road and heard a banging noise coming from the vehicle and noticed that there were parts on the ground. The contact stated their was also black smoke coming from the vehicle. The contact towed the vehicle to the amb auto dealer where it was diagnosed that the turbo failed and the turbo and engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 212,000. Updated 10/24/17*lj

Filed Jan 10, 2017 · Engine, Transmission · 77,000 miles · FL

This is in regard to tiptronic transmission failure at 77,000 miles. After the vehicle was fully paid off and 17k miles after warranty had expired. While I was driving vehicle would stay in 1st and 2nd gear and give a big jolt when going into 3rd and 4th while still cold, only after engine would heat up without any stops would it perform sub par. Previous to this I had have no complaints. Dealer quoted $5600 to rebuild transmission and independent shop $2500. I was informed I had a worn clutch and in 2008 I rebuild the transmission and continued having the same issue. After thousands of dollars spent on this vehicle on april 12 of 2012 I sent it the junkyard. I will follow up and send more hard copies documents to the federal safety agency as I have my entire service records from 2003 - 2012 to submit. There are 100's of other american car owners with tiptronic transmission experiencing same issues and its apparent that it is faulty manufacturing.I'm attaching several pdf documents with articles and other similar costumer complaints. I have all my service records and will submit hard copies separately however wanted to get the complaint started here. The year of my vehicle was never included but its obvious this issue has been happening longer then previous recalls.

Filed Jul 25, 2016 · Engine, Fuel system · 110,678 miles · GA

Transmission strained to shift out of first gear. Water pump went out cause car to run hot.. Water pump was replaced but blower head gasket.... Airbag light comes on and off

Filed Sep 10, 2015 · Driver assistance, Engine · 150,489 miles · MI

The jetta is defective in the car will start but needs to be engaged in ignition and the sit for 12-15 minutes before it is able to get in drive gear. Currently it will not engage in reverse gear. The temperature is mild 74-78degrees f and the car needs to be constantly serviced. Upon the incident this jetta was driving and there was a visibility probelm through the windshield . The windshielf was replaced. The engine lights are on the engine was serviced, it was leaking fluids, it was serviced by a reputable service center 9 mile eastpointe a specialist is foreign cars. Then the jetta while driving in a residential area the steering locked up and was stiff , stiffer still and unable to engage the driving rhythm I am an experienced driver and accustomed to pre power steering and this was a mechanical failure in the steering, wheels?? Currently the car is unable to be used as it wont go in gear of reverse, it moves on the consul and there is no motion. The battery and the fluids and the celanoids,belts, everything has been checked and looked over. I had to get a tow to get it serviced in oct. 2014 and will have to get a tow now too for the estimate of why the flat fuse on the battery is not able to give the engine enough power to drive or reverse. The jetta was bought used from another party, and had an accident from that owner, it was sold to me and since then the leaking fluids, check engine light have been serviced. I see 0 recalls. I realize you have over 40,000 consumer complaints but this is a safety concern as I transport human passengers of minor age and have had difficulty several times in just driving down the street to manouver a small car. This jetta is aged and has high mileage but this is a german engine? The precision and tuning I have previously experienced from an automobile is lacking in the components of the engine pieces put into action to driv.

Filed Dec 1, 2014 · Engine · 145,000 miles · SC

Fortunately, my son was at a red light and went to take off and it would not change gears..he rolled into the parking lot ahead of him. He told the wrecker driver that it felt like something fell - we opened the hood and saw that the motor was actually sitting crooked. The motor mounts were broken, on one side broken off on the other stripped.this could have been a very bad outcome. Several mechanics have tried to repair it (unrepairable). We have been told that the block and/or engine will have to be replaced. The cost for the part is between $ 3100-3700 - plus labor. Keep in mind that the motor runs great! I have contacted vw - with no luck.. But admitting that there have been others. I feel that this is not only poorly designed..maybe not strong enough material, but it is or could be dangerous. As I stated fortunately my son was a t a red light..not going down the hwy and come to a sudden stop.

Filed Sep 2, 2014 · Engine · 45,423 miles · CA

My water pump failed suddenly while driving, the engine overheat sign lit up. I was in the middle of nowhere. After a painfully long drawn out tow, taxi, rental car, and return to pick up the car 1 week later (drive 200 miles there and then back to do so), the garage which repaired my car indicated that there was a bad "design flaw" to the water pump where it had a plastic part that would commonly fail during the life of the car. They told me that this was a "well-know" problem in the jetta, many people had experienced & written online about it. They recommended that I install an "after-market" pump with all metal parts so that it would not occur again, which I did. My co-worker who owned a jetta a few years older than mine (2001?) for 10 years and later traded it in, informed me that she had the exact same problem and in fact had to replace the water pump 3 times during the period she owned the car. I would like to make a complaint about the water pump design in the volkswagen jetta. If it had been recalled & fixed prior to my breakdown, I would not have had to endure the whole ordeal I went through.

Filed Aug 7, 2014 · Engine, Fuel system · 90,000 miles · CA

Car stalls at highway speeds when at quarter tank or less. Parts replaced, still occurs. There is no known fix for this problem, it always comes back, and is most likely a manufacturers defect with the fuel pump system that is being ignored by vw of america. This is happening to hundreds and most likely thousands of volkswagen jetta, golf, beetle and gti owners. We have been connecting the dots through online vw forums and are frustrated! There have been accidents reported due to sudden power loss and therefore deceleration due to this issue. Just this morning my jetta stalled in front of a semi truck doing 65mph on the highway. This is a very dangerous problem, it's happening to a lot of owners of vw's manufactured between 1999 and 2005, and it needs your attention before someone gets seriously injured. Thank you.

Filed Dec 29, 2013 · Engine, Transmission · 89,000 miles · IL

According to a vw dealer, the catalytic converter on my 2003 vw jetta failed at 89,000 miles. The vw dealer stated that it failed because the mil illuminated and the car's computer shows code p0420. The dealer also stated that the vehicle is no longer covered by any warranty.