Complaint Review: Volkswagen Of America

Volkswagen of America has these awesome, cool looking new cars but the quality of them SUCKS! As much as I like the look of them, I will NEVER buy a VW again!

I bought my 2000 Jetta GLS in March of 2000.
By June, my driver side power window motor regulator went out. It was over 100 degrees that day and it was a Sunday, so of course, the dealer service dept was closed. I didn't have a garage at the time, so my car was left in front of my house completely open. Luckily it was under warranty.

Not too much longer after that, my passenger side window motor started to struggle when being rolled up. There is also a problem with the windows themselves being held correctly inside the door. When the windows are all the way down, and the door is shut, you can hear them rattle around inside the door. Sounds like quality to me!

The airbag light came on a month after my 24 month/24,000 mile warranty was up. I called the dealer and they said that it would cost me $245 just to look at it because it wasn't covered under the 10 year warranty. They said that the airbag (which ever one it was) would not deploy for no reason, but might not deploy in case of an accident.
So instead of eating $245, they can choose to have a high price law suit against them when I claim that my airbag didn't go off in a collision right?

The front bumper has lost its grills due to the bumper being so poorly manufactured and not being strong enough to withstand the parking stoppers or speed bumps. Its funny when you see so many VW's with those 3 little grills gone from the bumpers.

The cup holder is broken, the springs in the cups slots themselves have broken, and the whole cup holder itself doesn't like to go in all the way, or stay in place.

The middle console/armrest latch is broken, so I can't put it up without everything falling out of it into the backseat.

The console, armhandles, etc.. "rubber" is peeling off (I take very good care of this car and don't claw at it either).

Sometimes I have to press the unlock button many times on my key to get the driver side lock to go all the way up so I can open the door.

I go through tail/brake lights like there is no tomorrow.

My headrest button broke and had to be replaced.

Some kind of spring fell out of my passenger seat.

My CD changer likes to say "CD ERROR" for no reason.

The underside gravel guard has completely fallen off while driving down the 101, so I had to take it off.

And now my check engine light is on. The possibilities are endless as to what could be wrong now!
I think that I should take bets on how many lights I can light up on my dash at once.

The old Beetles are more reliable and cheaper to fix than these new ones, not to mention, I have a Jetta and I have no idea why it has 4 doors when there isn't even enough for me (I'm 5'2") to comfortably sit in the backseat of my own car without my legs being smashed- but the trunk can fit a small family of 3.

My advice-DON'T EVER BUY A NEW ('99 and UP) VW. THEY SUCK!

I am convinced that these cars self destruct after a certain amount of time or milage-and it sucks because in most cases, you are still paying for the piece of crap that looks so "cute".

Kari
Roseville, California
U.S.A.