As I’ve mentioned before, I leased a new Jetta last month, turning in my 2001 Passat early, for a cheaper lease payment. The Jetta has been a lot of fun but it’s not without its problems. On this, the day of my sixth trip back to the dealership, I find myself with yet another rental car and a dire case of leaser’s remorse. I warn you that this is a long story, even by my definition, but I consider this therapy to get it all out there at this point…
When I picked up the Jetta, it was fine and had 8 miles on it. I then took it to the Bronx for a Yankees game and out to Mohegan Sun for a casino visit. On the way back from the casino (now at about 550 miles) I started to notice a clicking sound that was coming from my clutch: heard it and sorta felt it as I brought the pedal in and out. I didn’t remember it happening before, but I wasn’t sure, so I called up the dealership’s service department. I know how warranties work with some parts: the clutch is almost never covered, so I wanted it looked it.
I called them on a Friday afternoon and described the problem. The CSR tells me that I could bring it down on Saturday and take my salesman out for a ride, to see if he heard it. Salesman? Yep. “All the techs would be busy,” is what he told me. This was moderately insulting to everyone involved: the salesman is just as qualified to hear something as I am, so what the fuck would this do? I drove down on Friday afternoon to get this “first step” out of the way, rather than derailing my Saturday plans. The salesman heard it and I set another appointment for that Monday: this was visit number one. While I was there, I also heard this annoying little whistle that I couldn’t figure out. It didn’t happen often and I usually only heard it when the radio was off and when I was going extremely slow – which usually happened as I parked somewhere – I mentioned that to the CSR and he added it to the ticket.
Visit number two was that Monday – about 600 miles and less than week old – and I dropped it off for them to take a look at it. They sent me to Enterprise rentals – who gave me a Chevy S10 pickup – and I went home. By 4PM I was wondering where the car was so I called the service department. They told me it was ready and I could pick it up tomorrow, since it was after 4. [!!] I told him I would pick it up today and would be there before they closed. I drove back to Enterprise, they drove me back to the dealer, and I picked up the car. The clutch sound was normal and they told me that they moved a power steering hose for the whistle.
Took the car to band rehearsal. It still whistled. Called on Tuesday; got another appointment for Wednesday. Visit three brought me back to the dealer and I took a Technician out for a drive; they told me that it couldn’t make noise any more. Drove with him for two minutes and it whistled away for another ten – made the Tech swear in at least two different languages, too, because he couldn’t pinpoint it. When we got back the Service Manager told me that he wanted the regional Volkswagen Tech to listen to it, as he might have an instant idea as to what was wrong – they’d rather try that before taking the entire car apart. I ask them to at least look at it today, if only for safety’s sake, and they do find a whistle coming from a brake booster. They tell me that they will check out another Jetta GLI and that I should still come in for the visiting Tech; I scheduled that trip for the following Tuesday.
Visit number four was scheduled to be a while-you-wait, so I can make sure the car is whistling “properly” – its also 10 days old and with 750 miles. When I get there they tell me that I’m going to get another rental. Enterprise somehow forgets to pick me up so it’s over two hours before I’m in a car – Chevy Cavalier this time – and I’m off. By noon the Service Manager calls to tell me that it’s a normal noise and it’s ready to go. This is where I blow up a bit. If it’s normal why did they fix it on the second visit by moving a hose? If it’s normal why was the Tech so interested in it? That only tells me that he’s never heard it before! Why hadn’t the salespeople, the CSR’s, the Tech and the Service Manager ever heard of this problem before? I get no answers to these questions; the Service Manager even confides that if it was his car, he wouldn’t have noticed it at all. I’m not shelling out over $300 a month for a new car that need to have a radio turned up to drown out noise! That’s what my Wrangler is for!
I drive back to Enterprise, they drive me back to the dealer, and I pick up the car. While I’m there, I go to see my salesman (who’s also the Sales Manager) and ask if the owner is in. He’s not. I tell the guy my story up to this point and he agrees that the owner should get involved. The next day I talk to the owner and he asks if I can come back down so that he can hear it. I do this… number five. Again. [I shoulda bought more miles for the lease!] He hears it and agrees: he’s never heard this noise from any Passat, Jetta, GTI, or Beetle that he’s sold. He talks to Service; Service confirms that another GLI made the same noise. [This is what I find to be most suspect since the guy saying this is the same guy that claims that he can’t hear the noise, but OK] The owner talks to the regional VW Tech later that day and confirms that he heard the right noise. Diagnosis is to let the car break in for a few thousand miles and it – the Brake Booster found only on Jetta VR6 models – should correct itself. I’m skeptical, but it makes technological sense – certainly more sense than what the CSR’s have told me.
Two weeks later my ESP light comes on and stays on which instigates trip six with less than 1000 miles on the odometer. The ESP system is for the traction control that’s found on Jetta GLI’s and GLX’s. According to the manual, when this flashes it is working to prevent skidding – when you turn it off it will stay on as a warning. When it comes on – on it’s own – there’s a problem with either this system or with the ABS system, as they are related. Consequently there is now an Enterprise-rented Ford Focus in my drive way and I’m told that I will have it for two days this time. The ESP system has a diagnostic log and it actually reported a track-able error code – something with my steering rod or harness or thingy that needs fixing and they need to order a part. So it’s in the shop again.
Notice how the dealership isn’t mention throughout this Rant? I have no desire to trash them – yet. I’m in a 36 month lease after all and don’t want to piss them off – yet. However, if there’s another problem with this partiuclar Jetta – and I do not end up driving a brand new one, which I will feel I’m entitled to after this debacle – then it will be an open bashing for the dealership in question.
Imagine how much time I would have missed at work, if I was employed? Mind boggling.
I have a 2005 Jetta GLI and it’s horrible. In reverse, (especially in reverse) or comming to a stop the breaks are squealing so loud, you would think it’s an 18 wheeler comming to a hard stop. I have contacted Volkswagen numerous times. I actually just filed a complaint w/ the NJ Department of Traffic & Safety. Volkswagen has been giving me the run around since the noise started last year in September. Few weeks after I leased it. My dealership has tried everything. They contact Volkswagen numerous times as well. This noise is so embarassing. People ask my why my new 2005 car sounds so horrible. The noise is piercing. I would never buy another VW again. I’m done with them. For Good. VW Club my butt.
RE: Melissa
Did they ever find a fix for the reverse noise on your GLI??? Mine does the same thing and they haven’t been able to fix it. You are right, it is awful and embarassing!!!
I’ve had my 2005 GLI for over a year now and I’ve had problems just like the other two comments on this page. The brakes are apparently a worldwide defect and Volkswagen refuses to correct. My radio keeps turining off and my dealership has had a new radio on order for about 3 months (AND they don’t call you when it comes it, you gotta guess). Most recently, my clutch has fried. With only 20K miles on the car and a mature young gay man driving it, Volkswagen says it’s my fault and I’m going to have to pay the $2300 repair bill. Bull crap! I drive my car pretty smooth, every now and then I’ll make sure I’m getting what I pay for (G-L-I = $25,000) and go a little faster or take a corner a little sharp, but no worse than any other Volkswagen driver. C’mon, we’re sophisticated human beings, that’s why we bought the cars… Volkswagen drivers are a “unique breed.” I hate my Jetta. I have to make more trips to the service deparment than anyone I know. I worked hard for a reliable sports sedan, and I have to say, Volkswagen in return, has done nothing but work me. I’ll never buy another VW.
I bought my 2005 Jetta GLI back in March 2005. Since the beginning, I’ve had the same noisy, annoying brake problem. Today, I have almost 20,000 miles on my car….and the brakes??…STILL noisy as can be! The problem just gets worse and worse. I’ve taken it to the dealer numerous times, in which they try to “fix” it. But, they never do and all they say is, “there’s nothing we can do about it.” Has anyone figured out a fix for this yet?? Is VW going to recall these horrible brakes and buy us new ones where we won’t be so embarrassed to drive our brand new cars around????
Let me start off my apologizing for the length of my story but hopefully, this helps:
I just typed in 2005 jetta gli problems and stumpled onto this site. What’s scary is that my story matches Vanessa’s and Melissa’s exactly! I leased my GLI back in September 2005, after 3 days I started hearing that same loud high pitch screetching sound whenever I had to reverse. I immediately took the car back to the dealership where I was advised that the sound I was hearing was normal…NORMAL! Since I was a new driver and this was my 1st car I took the technicians at there word. After several embarassing moments at the mall and different gas stations (people always look at me when I’m reversing cause the assumption is that I must be hitting another car), I took it back to the dealership and was again told the sound was normal. On my last visit I was told by the technician that this was a known problem and that there was nothing I could do to get it fixed…
I called customer service to confirm if there were any known problems and was advised that no, they had no information that confirmed what I had been told. After several more attempts at the dealership and a 2nd dealership where they didn’t even bother to take the car for a test drive, I finally hit pay dirt with the 3rd dealership that I went to. They examined my brakes and advised me that the brake pads were broken. They replaced them (at no extra charge since it was under warrenty) and I drove a screech free car for 4 months. It is now summer where I live and the sound is back. The sound was gone all winter long so the question remains…was it the brake pads or the weather? I do know that when it’s raining the sound isn’t there but for everyone else whose having this problem, ask them to check the brake pads. Lucky for me the dealership that I now go to is committed to getting this fixed so if there sucessful, I’ll let you guys know.
Good Luck!
I had posted earlier, and after 4 complaints about the brakes in reverse, I read somewhere on this site that there was a kit that could fix the problem. So I went to the dealer and after arguing with the first service guy so loudly that the other service guys were coming over (and the manger), one of them said that they did think they had heard something about a kit that could be put on the brakes to fix the noise. I want to say its a “damper” kit? I will look up the service invoice and see, but I am pretty sure that is it. And, happily, I have been screech-free since then, which was in March.
I bought an used ’05 GLI in Feb 07. After a few I’ve had the car for almost a month now and I just started to experience the noise problem. both, coming to a stop and the horrible brake noise in reverse. Did anybody get this problem resolved?
I have a 2005 Jetta, bought it new, now has about 22000 miles on it and you guessed it – terrible squealing brakes. Took it in to the dealer and they said needed new rear brakes and rotors. So, $600+ less for us. I’ve never had to replace rear brakes on a car with 22000 miles on it! I will never buy a VW again. Anyone get any help from VW?
I also have a ’05 Jetta and have the same rear brake problem, if anybody gets this resolved please or has any updates regarding this, please post them.
My 06 Jetta is in the shop (dealership) now with 12,000 miles. I took it in one week ago because the brakes were squeaking. After about an hour, the service manger comes out and tells me that the calipers were sticking, which wore out the rear pads and that my car is unsafe to drive. He said that Enterprise was on their way to pick me up and that they (VW) would be picking up the rental bill-but when I called to check the status 2 days later I was told they have no idea how much longer it will be there! Supposedly, they are waiting on one caliper,which I guess is hard to find. The more I read on this issue,the more upset I get-I have a 4 year old I drive around in that car. I leased the Jetta because I wanted a safe vehicle.I’ll let you know what happens. It’s been a week already..
After taking my GLI back to another dealer for the 2nd time due to noisy brakes caused by heat damage to the rotors and pads, they were nice enough to replace them at no cost (not under warranty), weeks later the brakes began exhibit the same noises. BTW, I don’t live on a hill, I don’t ride my brakes and I don’t brake hard. I live 3 miles from work and hardly ever go over 35 mph. I decided to look at the car my self today and noticed the parking brake was so tight that even when the handle was fully released the rear cables were still pulling the built-in mechanism on the rear calipers and it was not fully dis-engaged. I verified this by attempting to spin the rear wheel while it was jacked up and yup there was a slight bind and when completely disconnecting the cable, it spun freely. I had to back-out the adjustment bolt nearly a whole inch and a 1/4 underneath the center console. The car immediately rode differently, the binding must of been quite dramatic. I’m shocked that the two different dealerships did not pickup of that even after having the car for 4 days!
It’s been frighteningly eerie reading this string…I have a 2005 GLI (leased in oct 04) that has had all of these issues – incredible yet sporadic squeaking while braking and alarming high-pitched noises while reversing. The ESP light haunted me for the first 5K miles then seemed to have mended itself. The cruise control died at 15K miles, which fortunately was under warrantly for the nearly $1100 repair. The battery conked out at 20K miles and 2.5 years. The bushings in the suspension were replaced under warranty due to a strong vibration throught he steering wheel at higher speeds (which has not been thoroughly corrected). The VW dealership has had the efficieny and effectiveness of a Venezuelan post office throughout these ordeals. I can only find solace in the hope that the clowns at the dealership also drive these wonderful machines of Tuetonic engineering.