Venting -96 Jetta Window issue :(

Sorry to here your troubles but the car is almost 8 years old and you just can't expect VW to warranty the thing forever. Over all in our area I have done very few A3 window problems and we service well over 150 cars per week. BTW, my TV just died... do you know any lawyers who can file a class action suit? I think my TV should of lasted longer than 15 years!

Jim B.

Sounds like your friend has several that won't close now ;)

Pretty common problem with the power windows. My VW mechanic doesn't even recommend fixing them anymore as the new parts are no better than the originals. I've lost count of how many time either the dealer (Warranty) or I have fixed those freaking things. It's gotta be 8-10 times by now. Maybe a dozen. Have a rear door harness I need to repair over the holidays.

Regulator and motor? That's about right for the parts. If it's just the regulator, it's quite high. The part is about US$100, so that's over 3 hours labor?? I don't think so. Should be about a 2 hour job with a one armed, blind mechanic.

Also common. There've been lots of posts on how to fix it. Get some from a junk yard and put 'em on. Watch 'em and fix 'em when they get loose.

While I disagree with the other posters regarding the scope of the problem, you're gonna give a lawyer a good laugh talking to him about this on a 7-8 year old car.

Hey, it's a VW. They have power window problems. Apparently the A4s have had it worse than the A3s.

If you can't fix it with duck tape, it isn't worth fixin'. That or buy an old H*nda.

Mark '95 Jetta GLS

Sorry to hear about the windows and your molding problems. On my '95 Jetta the door moldings fell off, apparently the German glue used to hold them onto the side of the doors failed. What I did was to first remove the old glue residue with acetone or something like that, then I used 3-M double-sided tape to reattach the molding to the door. Its held the molding on for the last 3 years!

As far as the windows go, all I can reccommend is that you learn how to fix them yourselves. Don't look for sympathy on this newsgroups because everyone here tends to be a VW apologist, completely enamored with some perceived VW "mystique" that must be a holdover from the 60's. These cars are loaded with plastic components that fail due to heat and vibration, and unfortunately there is little to no aftermarket for these parts, so the do-it-yourselfer is forced to buy parts from the dealership.

I noticed that people here are mocking the fact that you are complaining about an 8-year old car falling apart. My Chevrolet Monte Carlo was 14 years old when I sold it and I never had a problem with the windows falling into the doors. I guess that everyone here has learned to expect less from VW and not to complain. All I can say is that when my '95 Jetta finally does give up the ghost, I will be buying an American-brand vehicle

PS: To keep the window up, use a couple pieces of wood, that's what I did before I finally got around to fixing my driver's side window. At least you can buy wood at other locations, not just the VW dealership!

evidently you can also buy wood elsewhere...as it was used for your head!

idiot....

It is interesting to read the various responses to this posting. The posting itself poses some interesting issues. For openers, people (especially Americans) are beginning to believe that a car should last for 15-20 years and have absolutely nothing break. They also want them to cost $10k or less. Well, I usually buy cars at around 5-7 years old (80-90k miles) and keep them a few years until they reach 150k or so. Then, I spend the $2-$4k differential to buy a replacement. With repairs, the cost per month is quite a bit lower than most alternatives. Of course, I have the tools, heated garage, and know-how to fix them.

Cars are quite complex mechanical devices. You either; a. learn how to fix them, b. get used to paying to have someone else fix them, or c. buy a new one every time the warranty runs out. The service departments at EVERY car dealer are always quite busy. The maintenance bays represent a significant portion of the dealer's revenues. They ALL need repair at SOME TIME. Thing is, the overall quality of the fleet has risen so far that even ONE problem with a particular model can knock it out of the box with testing/rating organizations (like consumer reports) and the buying public. The NB coil problem scuttled it early on.

Cars used to blow transmissions and engines on a regular basis. Now, we complain about window regulators. Cars are several times more complex than they were 20 years ago, AND they are safer, more reliable, and get WAY better fuel economy.

Yes, the 94 Jetta I bought from my sister has had 3 or 4 things go wrong in the past 2 years. Cracked coolant housing, power door lock piping came loose, sunroof cable broken, power window that INSISTS on going up by itself. Small stuff. It now has 104,000 miles on it. I find it to be perfectly normal. The Hondas I have owned with similar miles/age only had 1 or 2 things go wrong in the same time. Does one SUCK while the other is GREAT??? Don't think so. Whether or not the failure is significant looks like a crap shoot. I had a VW trans fail in '83. Then again, I had a Mazda torch several valves and begin to show transmission problems. I also had a Honda rear C-beam rust out on a Civic wagon. EVERY Honda I have owned was a rust bucket in 7 years. Mostly, the repairs are only a hundred or two dollars in parts and a couple of hours labor to fix on ANY type of car. Big stuff breaks much more infrequently than they ever did. Over my 32 years of driving, I can tell you that cars are a LOT more reliable today. And, my family owned a shop for 22 years, I saw the "parade" go by.

The poster's request for an attorney's opinion/assistance is both normal and maddening. We should ask the question of "what is reasonable to expect". But I shudder at the notion that every problem should be solved with a lawsuit. Cars that break too often will eventually cause the marketplace to abandon them (remember the Yugo, the Pacer?). We don't necessarily need to make attorneys rich and drive up the costs for everyone.

I think everyone would be much happier if they adjusted their expectations about cars. Regular PREVENTIVE maintenance (like replacing wear items BEFORE they break) on a modern car will greatly reduce the inconvenience of untimely breakdown. And, expecting that a few unscheduled problems WILL happen might ratchet down your frustration when they actually DO happen. Most people "drive them till they drop" and then complain about the repair costs.

Good Luck, Mike

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If cars did not have problems not covered by the manufacturer, there would not be any independent garages and dealerships would never charge for a repair.

I am sorry to hear about your problem. It does seem VW has had more than their share of electrical and accessory mechanical problems, but over all, I have had good luck with them. Much of life is luck (fill in God's blessings here if you like) I'll be you have had some very good luck with some other parts of you life. Enjoy them and endure this one. Not much is going to change it.

Bravo Pete, you got me beat. Witty repartee, very succinct, followed by a rapier personal attack. Huzzah!! ...

yeah......

1st of all I used wood to fix my window as well. it was the rear window so I didn't feel like fixing it as I am solo most of the time in my car. 2nd my passenger window just went out too....I live in minneapolis so you might know that here it can be cold. the window broke on a trip further north on a day that was cold.

I have a 97 jetta VR6. I've also owned a 86 jetta, 84 rabit 87 quantum (the inline 5 banger).

I'm 23 years old and I fix my cars myself. mostly because when they break it's my fault.