NHTSA Complaint #758805 — 2000 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

FOR A NEWER CAR THIS VOLKSWAGEN HAS BEEN VERY PROBLEMATIC. ON THREE OCCASIONS AFTER STARTING THE CAR THE ENGINE WOULD MAKE A NOTICEABLE SPUTTERING NOICE AND SHAKING LIKE IT WAS STRUGGLING TO KEEP RUNNING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON ACCOMPANIED BY A SULFUROUS SMELL AND BLUISH EXHAUST. UPON ATTEMPTING TO PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE, AFTER IDLING FOR A WHILE, THE CAR WOULD STALL AND NOT RESTART. USUALLY WITHIN AN HOUR TO A DAY LATER IT WOULD START AGAIN ONLY AFTER REVING THE ENGINE TO HIGH RPMS FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. I CONTACTED THE DEALER THE FIRST TIME IT OCCURED (TOO BUSY TO SEE MY CAR) THEY THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE MOISTURE IN THE ENGINE. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO OCCUR AFTER OR AROUND RAINY/SNOWY WEATHER. I HAD A TUNE UP RECENTLY AND THE CAR STILL FEELS LIKE IT MAY STALL WHEN IT IS IDLING AT A STOP LIGHT OR IN THE DRIVEWAY. THIS IS UNACCEPABLE FOR SUCH A NEW CAR. AMONG OTHER PROBLEMS I HAD THE INDASH CD PLAYER REPLACED TWICE BECAUSE OF DEFECT AND THE FUSES THAT ILLUMINATE THE TEMP/RADIO CONTROLS REPLACE TWICE ALL WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH OF OWNERSHIP DUE TO MALFUNCTION.*AK