| 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
2003 Volkswagen Jetta repairs by problem area
Engine (45%)
Transmission and Drivetrain (8%)
Brakes and Traction Control (6%)
Suspension and Steering (15%)
Electrical and Air Conditioning (18%)
Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (4%)
Other (5%)
Chart based on 638 repairs.
2003 Volkswagen Jetta engine repair cost distribution
$2500+ (3%)
$1000 - $2499 (9%)
$500 - $999 (17%)
$100 - $499 (35%)
< $100 (37%)
Chart based on 254 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.
2003 Volkswagen Jetta
Engine not specified
| 191500 mi US $100 |
coil pack |
2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Wagon
turbocharged 90hp 1.9L I4 Diesel 5-speed manual FWD
| 54000 mi US $80 |
Glow plug harness was throwing consistent Check Engine Light indications. Replaced harness, reset computer, and CEL is now gone. |
| 59000 mi US $380 |
If the TDI's engine doesn't reach operational temperature often enough, the intake manifold clogs with soot and fuel. Mine got so clogged the anti-shudder valve froze and the car wouldn't start. Intake was replaced and EGR cleaned. |
| 90000 mi US $320 |
Thermostat had to be replaced; had thrown Check Engine light. |
| 91800 mi US $325 |
Thermostat failed again, replaced. |
| 101000 mi | Timing belt frayed well before expected end of life (100,000 miles or five years). |
| 107200 mi US $600 |
Car threw Check Engine Light. Glow plug harness proved to be bad. Replaced. |
| 110000 mi US $325 |
Exhaust system broken/rusted out in three places, including muffler. Intermediate pipe and muffler were replaced. |
| 111900 mi US $175 |
Hard starting during winter which went away as weather warmed. Three of four glow plugs had failed. They were replaced. |
| 116500 mi US $985 |
Worn pendulum engine mount and left engine mount caused engine to rock while car was in motion. Parts were replaced. Valve cover gasket leaking oil. VW does not sell gasket separately; only sells entire valve cover. |
| 126000 mi | Technician broke oil dipstick; said it was brittle after all the years and heat underhood. The shop replaced it for free (aftermarket part); labor was no-charge. |
| 132 mi US $850 |
Intake manifold packed with soot, which affected acceleration and fuel economy. Part was removed, "washed", and reattached. Some parts connected to the manifold also needed to be cleared. Alternator belt was frayed. It was replaced. |
| 134000 mi US $140 |
Camshaft seal was worn. Discovered during timing belt replacement. |
| 259160 mi C $110 |
Serpentine Belt tensioner needed replacing due to wear (413392 km) |
| 285820 mi C $92 |
Mass Airflow Sensor (MAFs) became unreliable - only 56743 miles (14 months) after having been replaced previously. |
| 291400 mi | Corrosion in the glow plug harness. Known problem that repeats itself periodically. Thorough cleaning with special chemicals usually corrects the problem. (Last done 2.5 years ago) |
| 308140 mi C $1000 |
The engine mounts were also replaced due to age. |
| 337900 mi C $120 |
Glow Plug Harness finally gave up... after 6 years... the design could use improvement... |
| 350920 mi C $900 |
Head Gasket was leaking - losing coolant. Also took opportunity to replace camshaft and lifters. Replaced alternator clutch pulley. |
| 363320 mi C $95 |
One of the radiator fans (electric - driver's side) was dead. |
| 372620 mi C $90 |
Air Mass Flow sensor died. |
| 422220 mi C $10 |
Turbo actuator finally gave out. First symptoms appeared 6 months ago, but car was drivable. Part ordered at that time, but it only became necessary to replace it now. Gasket (grommet) at top of valve cover had deteriorated to the point that replacement was necessary. Noticed during replacement of turbo actuator. |
| 430900 mi C $791 |
Turbo had excessive wear - most likely due to mileage. Also exhaust pipe had perforations. |
| 465080 mi C $1534 |
Cylinder head gasket leak. Rebuilt the cylinder head at the same time - due to mileage. |
| 476100 mi C $113 |
Coolant hose developed leak. Had to wait for part to come in. |
| 503540 mi C $40 |
One of the glow plugs "died" |
| 524720 mi C $600 |
Turbo seals failed and engine ran on the oil... hydrolocked. Will replace engine soon. |
| 525760 mi | Turbo oil seals failed, causing a runaway and hydrolock. Replaced engine with used unit taken from my 2001 Golf. |
| 553350 mi C $1 |
An injector seal failed due to a bad part previously installed (there were reports of out-of-spec copper seals being sold a few years ago) |
| 200000 mi US $600 |
Replaced glow plug wiring harness. Also regular scheduled maintenance. Replaced intermittent coolant temperature sensor. |
| 212000 mi US $200 |
Car suddenly lost power and started smoking badly. No CEL. Disconnected MAF sensor; running improved. Replaced MAF. Also replaced N75 boost control valve, preventively. Cleaned intake manifold and EGR valve. |
| 262000 mi US $20 |
Exhaust pipe rusted/broke at the exit of the catalytic converter. Replacement part needs to be odered. 1st DIY attempt at temp patch failed. Currently waiting for time for second attempt. |
| 325700 mi US $280 |
TIMING BELT CHANGE; COOLANT TEMP SENSOR |
| 323200 mi US $120 |
SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER BROKE. |
| 101700 mi US $144 |
CEL intermittent. Codes said bad coolant sensor. Replaced same. |
| 111000 mi US $275 |
CEL on - diagnostic said bad air flow valve - replaced. Also did routine service - included in above price. |
| 133000 mi US $20 |
Intermittent loss of charging from alternator. Suspected clutched pulley broken (again) but it tested OK by hand. Found corroded ground terminals under battery. Replaced grounds, cleaned all relevant connections. Problem recurred in 2 weeks. |
| 58280 mi C $1300 |
Timing belt, all oils, E-brake cable |
| 226920 mi C $400 |
Mass Air Flow Sensor (MAF) was defective when the car was purchased. As well, one of the coolant glow plugs was dead and several wires needed to be repaired. Alternator pulley was defective (one-way pulley was "frozen") as well as the clutch switch. |
| 248000 mi C $113 |
Corrosion in the starter wiring caused a no-start condition. |
| 265400 mi C $1200 |
Exhaust downpipe needed replacing due to corrosion. |
| 326740 mi | The 2nd radiator fan failed (extremely noisy... loose...) Replaced with a used unit I had on hand. |
| 364560 mi C $400 |
Of the above, the only part that had failed was the thermostat. |
| 425940 mi C $350 |
Rear muffler replaced |
| 426169 mi C $35 |
Intake manifold was clogged. Needed removal for cleaning. |
| 189000 mi US $334 |
Lack of turbo. Replace and adjust VNT actuator. No heat, replaced thermostat. |
| 213000 mi US $754 |
#1 Glow plug |
| 186000 mi US $3500 |
Car (it’s a diesel) experienced a brief “runaway” while I was driving the kids to school, where it redlined and wouldn’t stop until I shut off the engine, after which it started smoking, and check engine light came on. The car drove, but was dropped off at dealer soon after. Dealer diagnosed a cracked glow plug harness, which was not connecting to Cylinder 3 properly. That fix ran $700. Dealer also recommended replacing gaskets, springs, etc. – for a total of “$4,000, but discounted to $3,500”. This was all about half a year or a year after the dealer installed a brand new intake manifold ($1,100 total or thereabout). I wanted the car to last another year or so, so I figured it would be cheaper to fix the little devil I knew, than spend on a devil I didn’t, so I agreed. A week later the engine experienced another runaway, but this time even shutting it off didn’t stop it. It blew a ton of smoke out the tailpipe and stopped. Knowledgeable people tell me that the symptoms suggest oil in the intercooler was the culprit, where the turbo would blow that into the combustion chamber, supplying fuel even if the normal fuel line was shut off. I’m baffled that the dealer didn’t pursue this and check for oil in the IC. At any rate, the car is dead now, I’m out more than $4,500 in repairs in about a year... Love the design of the TDI Wagon, want to get another one for its functional features, not loving the crap VW reliability. For a car produced in such large numbers, for so many years, you’d think they would figure this stuff out... |
| 112000 mi | Needed new glow plug relay when sold. Problems with pistons, possible turbo needed when sold. |
| 99000 mi US $50 |
MIL light: Fault code for glow plug and/or harness AGAIN. Not the harness, only 1 bad glow plug that spec'd fine on the multimeter. Fault code gone after glow plug replaced. |
| 119000 mi US $667 |
Needed new thermostat, replaced w/new. Needed new coolant temp sensor, replaced. |
| 165200 mi US $300 |
Carbon clogging intake manifold. |
| 116560 mi C $133 |
Serpentine tensioner was noisy and starting to leak (from the strut). Replaced with OEM tensioner and noise went away. |
| 116560 mi C $146 |
Excessive vibration. Diagnosed a rear engine support and replaced with OEM part. |
| 148180 mi C $150 |
Turbo pod rotten. Replaced at dealer, replaced N75 valve myself and vacuum lines |
| 201500 mi C $200 |
Mass Air Flow Sensor failed and as a result turbo would not work. Replaced Mass Air Flow Sensor. |
2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Wagon
turbocharged 90hp 1.9L I4 Diesel 4-speed automatic FWD
| 133000 mi US $400 |
Another issue related to leaks found earlier. Also replaced belts due to a noise and oil change. |
| 117000 mi US $165 |
faulty sensor |
| 210000 mi US $7200 |
Blown engine |
| 35800 mi | rebuild valves. previous owner babied the car, driving too timididly for the type of engine it is equipped with. improper break-in procedure lead to engine failure. |
| 77000 mi US $180 |
Check Engine light came on. Then glow plug light started blinking. Took it Fixum Haus, diagnosed problem and returned 2 days later for repair. Replaced Glow Pug harness and Glow Plugs. Problem(s) fixed. |
| 133000 mi US $110 |
Aging Mass Air Flow sensor. drop in uel mileage and power. Replaced part, as per my mechanic's suggestion. Runs smoother, more efficient. |
| 152200 mi US $150 |
Snapped serpentine belt tension bar. Metal shavings visible throughout the engine bay. Replaced serpentine belt and tension bar. Problem solved. |
| 83000 mi US $900 |
Glow plug harness replaced on diesel engine |
| 100000 mi US $16 |
Oil dipstick guide was cracked. New guide installed. |
| 106000 mi US $114 |
Check engine light was on and had been on for many months. It was determined that the OBD diagnotic module was not getting power. I did not choose to have the repair done, since it would require more diagnosis and expense. |
| 106000 mi US $831 |
Decided to have OBD system repaired from previous trip. 4 Glow plugs were giving error codes on diagnostic modeule. |
| 106000 mi US $880 |
OBD codes showed all 4 glow plugs needed to be replace. This was done. EGR service and coolant valve needed repair/replace |
| 59000 mi US $356 |
The check engine light came on and the No. 2 glow plug circuit came up on when they plugged it into the computer. The glow plug harness was replaced. Mechanic said this probably was why starting the car was so sluggish last winter. |
| 63000 mi US $239 |
Car would not start one day. Shop checked battery, glow plugs, glow plug relay and wiring. All were fine. While there, cleaned up debris in engine department and replaced cabin filter. Car still doesn't want to start sometimes. |
| 70000 mi US $2500 |
Car had trouble starting on an irregular basis, then stopped running as I was driving down the road and wouldn't restart. Dealer replaced fuel filter and it ran for 20 seconds before stopping. Dealer then replaced fuel injector pump. |
| 77000 mi US $611 |
Engine light came on under load while on highway. Upper intake manifold and EGR valve were cleaned. Mass Air Flow sensor and air filter replaced. |
| 91000 mi US $560 |
Car was not heating up to normal temperature. Thermostat was replaced. |
| 96000 mi US $2200 |
Engine had no power. Turbocharger was replaced. |
2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Wagon
turbocharged 180hp 1.8L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD
| 94510 mi US $725 |
Car overheated and blew a hose. Towed to dealer, diagnosis was failed water pump. Also had a pretty worn/cracking timing belt, which needed to be replaced within the same process. |
2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Wagon
115-horsepower 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD
| 148800 mi | Engine coolant sensor Loose heat shield |
| 40000 mi US $800 |
timing belt repair |
| 118000 mi | Under the 3 month warranty the small dealer replace the catalytic converter Evap canister was causing the check engine light to come on, and was replaced. |
| 125000 mi US $150 |
Replaced the two mufflers |
2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Wagon
115-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed automatic FWD
| 135000 mi US $300 |
replace muffler |
2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Sedan
turbocharged 90hp 1.9L I4 Diesel 5-speed manual FWD
| 270000 mi US $304 |
Exhaust blown into passenger compartment when stopped or idleing through the Climate control system. Replaced exhaust Flexpipe. |
| 285000 mi US $150 |
Temp indicator went dead. Replaced temp sensor,thermostat, and found radiator hose was chaffing through. Also coolant was orange not red. Replaced radiator hose and flushed and replaced coolant. |
| 293000 mi US $65 |
#3 glow plug code. Replaced all glow plugs, cleared code. |
| 301300 mi US $80 |
Hard to start in winter. Replaced Glow plug harness, it was 13 yrs. old |
| 723100 mi US $1400 |
Engine mount bolt broke due to incorrect tightening of middle bolt, broke ear off engine causing coolant to leak. replaced block with used block transferred parts from old engine, used new rings, bearings, and gaskets. |
| 159000 mi | Fan belt tensioner broke, it and fan belt replaced |
| 188700 mi US $250 |
Air intake manifold and EGR valve was choked with crud, when cleaned out worked fine |
| 227000 mi US $100 |
Timing was retarded, very difficult to start. Adjusted fuel pump pulley. Price was for purchase of VAGCOM software and cable. |
| 91760 mi C $500 |
Tension roller for the timing belt was "panting". In order to replace it the mechanic would have to take of timing belt ect. labor cost was the same for a whole timing belt & water pump job. So all of it was done. |
| 94240 mi | Check Engine light. Code was for glow plugs, common issue. Erased code and hasn't come back. If resistance drops across the glow plugs by 0.1ohm it trips the Check Engine light. Far too easy. |
| 151280 mi C $500 |
Egr valve was leaking oil. |
| 169440 mi C $2000 |
Turbo blew. Original with 270k km on it. |
| 228100 mi US $1000 |
Replaced the entire exhaust from the turbo back. The cat was clogged and not functional. The intermediate pipe was broken at a rusty weld seam. Failure was mostly caused by a rusted rear hanger. |
| 239500 mi US $140 |
Replaced turbo VNT actuator and vacuum lines |
| 58900 mi US $7 |
replaced water temp sensor |
| 142000 mi US $280 |
glow plugs on diesel engine were worn out. replaced as well as air intake tube replaced. |
| 142000 mi | Air intake was still not correct after first repair. Replaced more air intake tubes. Dealer did not charge because problem not fixed from the first trip for the issue. |
| 155000 mi US $280 |
wiring harness for glow plugs was faulty. replaced successfully. did not impact driving of the car. |
| 238000 mi US $160 |
Coolant was leaking out and car was overheating. Replaced clamps that connect cooling tubes to engine, which had gotten old and started to leak. No problems since fix. |
| 262000 mi US $800 |
Vacuum hoses and pump for turbo had to be replaced |
| 290000 mi US $400 |
300,000 timing belt change to fix leaking/cracked water pump |
| 103000 mi US $2000 |
new timing belt, water pump, thermostat, serpentine belt, |
| 131000 mi US $1400 |
need new fuel injector pump |
| 173300 mi US $400 |
Water pump bearing bad |
| 220000 mi US $50 |
Replace EGR valve |
| 107000 mi US $1030 |
Problem was premature Injection pump failure. Called trusted TDI guru and had car towed to him. IP was replaced with rebuilt Bosch unit, and car is fine now. |
| 89900 mi C $700 |
Replace timing belt and waterpump. |
| 120900 mi C $110 |
One glow plug was out of spec. Replace all 4. Purchased online and did the repair myself. Expect 2 hours labour at the dealer. |
| 120900 mi C $20 |
Coolant temperature switch. 1 hour labour at dealer. Did myself |
| 137640 mi C $15 |
Oil fill cap seal leaking. |
| 63700 mi US $40 |
Upper Timing Belt bearing started making noise- replace myself. |
| 75000 mi US $28 |
Replace Coolant Temp sensor - common problem with older Black sensor. |
2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Sedan
turbocharged 90hp 1.9L I4 Diesel 4-speed automatic FWD
| 63860 mi C $5000 |
1) engine decoke 2) timing belt change |
2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Sedan
turbocharged 180hp 1.8L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD
| 154000 mi US $150 |
Cooling temperature sensor had corroded and was causing the computer to go into "limp mode." Replaced cooling temperature sensor. |
| 150000 mi | broken catalytic converter, and a engine exhaust return hose cracked. Broken emission tube from the EGR valve. I taped the tube up since I didnt want to spend the money for a new one yet. |
| 163100 mi US $50 |
The coolant flange was made of plastic and it broke right at the nipple. |
| 193000 mi US $250 |
Water pump failed. Went to long to replace. Replaced water pump and refilled G13 coolant |
| 60760 mi C $1200 |
Ignition coils |
| 86800 mi C $1000 |
Rusted exhaust and full length pipe |
| 62000 mi | Water pump failed |
| 72000 mi US $5 |
PCV ventilation hose cracked. |
| 76000 mi US $10 |
Rear mounts of catalytic converter rusted away. |
| 85000 mi | Cylinder ignition coil failed. Replaced free under Extended warranty Cylinder ignition coil failed. Replaced free under Extended warrantly |
| 100000 mi US $700 |
Replaced water pump from engine overheat |
| 120000 mi US $550 |
Replaced 4 spark plugs and ignition coil |
| 130000 mi US $900 |
Replaced fuel pump |
| 145000 mi US $800 |
Replaced water pump (second time) |
| 146000 mi US $279 |
Sensor and thermostat |
| 149500 mi US $650 |
Exhaust bracket broke Replaced oil pan (was leaking) |
| 155000 mi US $400 |
Auxiliary water pump |
| 168000 mi US $700 |
Catalytic converter rusted after 9 years. VW extended a warranty, but at 168k too many miles to qualify. |
| 174000 mi | Fuel injector o-ring wearing out |
| 175000 mi US $450 |
Replaced corroded exhaust pipe and muffler pipe after 10 midwest winters. |
| 178000 mi | Fuel injector o-ring wearing out when sold |
| 60000 mi US $500 |
Fan motor. New dipstick. |
| 124000 mi | Valve cover gasket leak. Coolant flange leak. |
| 96000 mi US $50 |
Check engine light was on again. After paying the dealer $50 to read the code, they reported it is a failing catalytic converter that they discovered at the last maintenance interval. Due to expense, choosing not to repair. |
| 102000 mi | Mechanic reports that oil is leaking from the cam adjuster seal, and seal needs to be replaced. Repair not attempted due to cost. |
| 103000 mi | oil leaking from the cam adjuster seal when sold |
| 77000 mi | One coil misfired periodically, mileage was a little low, could feel a hiccup at idle in gear, but drove fine. I replaced a coil trying to figure out problem (to make sure it was not something else). Then they recalled them so I let them replace them all |
| 96000 mi US $325 |
Water pump had gone bad and needed to be replaced. |
| 98000 mi US $100 |
Plastic coolant hose connector fractured and began to leak antifreeze. |
| 124000 mi US $191 |
Coolant leak found at the water housing and seal. Replaced the water housing, replaced a new water angle. |
| 1344 mi | Unsuccessful diagnosis of rough idle when vehicle started for 1st time of day |
| 38098 mi | Repair of faulty coolant temperature sensor. Performed ECM update per service bulletin "01-05-08" to address "cold start misfires" (seems to have corrected our rough idle problem first noted in May 2003) Check engine light came on and diagnosed as defective coolant temp sensor - warranty repair Performed technical service bulletin V010508 - reprogram ECM and it seemed to fix our rough idle issue previously undiagnosed. |
| 52923 mi US $74 |
Replaced broken exhaust hanger |
| 53843 mi US $41 |
Replaced broken hanger to eliminate noise noticable on hard turns. Installed additional exhaust clamp where old hanger broke off |
| 58271 mi US $90 |
Check engine light came on. Diagnosis was evap emissions leak from loose fuel cap. ($90 diagnostic charge, grrrr....). Diagnosis of check engine light. Reported as loose gas cap. |
| 74578 mi US $18 |
Noise coming from exhaust hanging too close to one of the hangers, noticeable on hard left turn. Hanger bent to move exhaust ~1 inch. Replaced catalytic converter under warranty. Found via check engine light. adjusted position of exhaust hanger |
| 99662 mi US $419 |
Leak in coolant pump. Replaced pump. Diagnose fast idle. Unable to duplicate Diagnose slight oil leak. Valve cover gasket issue, very slight. Elected not to repair Replace after run coolant pump |
| 101700 mi US $5 |
Small oil leak (drip) due to bad (cracked?) oil pan drain plug (noticed after last oil change). Shop replaced with new plug. |
| 114000 mi | Car was running rough upon initial start in the morning. Would stall on backing out of drive way. Mechanic found broken crankcase vent causing vacuum leak and skewing MAF readings. |
| 114156 mi US $144 |
Replaced broken crank case vent hose. Cracked crankcase vent hose replacement. Hoped it would address rough running issue when car is first started |
| 117000 mi | Check engine light on. Car intermittently idling poorly. Mechanic could not duplicate rough idle. Warning light reset. Code indicated issue with cooling system, but no issues observed. Reset for free as car was in for preventive maint. |
| 119741 mi US $378 |
Engine runs rough for short period of time when first started. Replaced valve cover gasket and spark plugs, $301.21 replaced valve cover gasket and spark plugs - included diagnostic labor. Reported oil noticed on spark plugs. Hoping will have died rough start issue. Several misfire codes in computer along with prior temp sensor codes. |
| 124825 mi US $77 |
Car would not start. Unsuccessful diagnosis of reason car would not start. Short reported vehicle started hard and appeared to be flooded, but could not find cause. |
| 142361 mi US $342 |
Car had rough idle. Replaced thermostat and ECT. Flushed coolant system. Removed, cleaned and re-installed throttle valve. Thermostat issue known for >1 year, had not previously caused stalling. Replaced thermostat and ECT sensor and flushed coolant. Removed, cleaned, and reinstalled throttle valve. Replaced front O2 sensor |
| 151510 mi US $131 |
Low coolant level indicator light came on. Coolant level low in vehicle but no obvious sign of leak (i.e. no puddle under car). Towed to mechanic. No leak found under pressure testing "hot" and "cold." Coolant refilled with no other work. Paid for labor to try to diagnose. |
| 156601 mi US $50 |
Oil and filter change some smoke from exhaust, repeated in shop but no resolution |
| 76500 mi US $250 |
breaker hose replacement |
2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Sedan
turbocharged 180hp 1.8L I4 5-speed manual FWD
| 109600 mi US $30 |
Exhaust hanger welded |
| 67000 mi US $100 |
Replaced broken coolant flange with OEM part Replaced broken cooling fans with OEM parts Replaced OEM N75 valve with ECS N75 race valve |
| 68500 mi US $500 |
Replaced entire PCV system with silicone hoses in order to prevent boost leaks |
| 70000 mi US $30 |
Replaced failing coolant temperature sensor |
| 72000 mi US $90 |
Leaking cam tensioner seal, valve cover gasket and fouled plugs in cylinder 1 and 2. Replaced cam tensioner gasket and seal, valve cover gasket with OEM parts. Replaced plugs with NGK platinum PFR7B gapped to .028 |
| 5580 mi | fuel injection faulty. turbo not working properly. had to have parts replaced. covered under warranty. |
| 25730 mi C $120 |
engine warning light came on when temp dropped below -15 degrees celsius. took to dealer. said they could find nothing wrong. here we go again. |
| 27280 mi C $1525 |
check engine light has been on since November, by the way. and they still don't know why... |
| 32891 mi C $2685 |
nightmare. 3 weeks after warranty ends. plagued electric probs, while driving, cause accelerator to fully depress by itself causing engine to smoke, burn. turned off car while driving. dealership closed for xmas. took no responsibility. the manager of the dealership in downtown montreal actually said this: "planes fall out of de sky every day. If I could predict what's going to appen to every car that leave ere I'd be a rich man." What a tool! VW Canada was no help either |
| 81000 mi US $140 |
Had been experiencing a short loss of power during acceleration, especially coming out of right angle turns. Mechanic found loose wire attached to fuel injector module. He re-soldered it and the problem was solved. |
| 88000 mi US $280 |
Acceleration has been "jittery" for many, many months. Always thought it was the turbo, but after research, I replaced the MAF, spark plugs, ignition coil packs, fuel filter. Also reset the car to "ready" position. |
| 94000 mi | I need a new Oxygen Sensor. My engine light keeps turning on. I have a code reader, so I just keep deleting the code, but after a few days, the engine light turns on again. |
| 100000 mi | Engine light still going on. Car now is occasionally stalling during driving. Mechanic says engine light due to failing secondary air pump. Doesn't know what stalling is from. |
| 80000 mi US $110 |
Replaced MAF sensor. |
| 113000 mi US $30 |
Car would not stay warm on long downhill grades and had code related to cooling system performance. Replaced thermostat. |
| 108000 mi US $600 |
Replaced timing belt, also replaced clutch and flywheel during same visit for an additional $800, but seems to be considered a wear item so I didn't include it. |
| 131300 mi US $20 |
Check engine light from engine coolant temperature sensor. |
| 92380 mi C $800 |
Car would not start every now and then for no good reason. Shop diagnosed bad water pump. Did full tune-up after water pump replaced. Runs like a little dream again. |
2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Sedan
200-horsepower 2.8L V6 6-speed manual FWD
| 137800 mi US $1350 |
The smog pump had to be replaced. There was an exhaust manifold leak. |
| 152400 mi US $350 |
Smog pump |
| 100000 mi US $140 |
3 ignition coils were misfiring. Replaced coils. Brought car in for leaking valve(s) (smoke on start) after mechanic put in new cylinder head and unidentified oil leak (turned out to be rear main seal). Water pump failed after engine was reassembled. Also coolant flush, replaced with G12. |
| 103000 mi US $380 |
Code P0420. Replaced catalytic converter with Magnaflow CA-legal cat. |
| 104000 mi US $183 |
Took car to mechanic for SAI pump issue. Found needed new O2 sensor and misfire from injector. Replaced O2 sensor and bought injector cleaner. Will do SAI soon. Took car to mechanic for SAI pump issue. Found needed new O2 sensor and misfire from injector. Bought and added fuel system cleaner. Took car to mechanic for SAI pump issue. Found needed new O2 sensor and misfire from injector. Replaced O2 sensor. |
| 106800 mi US $603 |
Bought Pierburg secondary air injection pump for P0411 code. Replaced pump in car. Bought Pierburg secondary air injection pump for P0411 code. Replaced pump in car. |
| 114000 mi US $480 |
MAF sensor went out. Replaced MAF, some vacuum hoses and cleaned throttle body. |
| 120000 mi US $55 |
P1338 – camshaft position sensor open circuit. Replaced camshaft position sensor |
| 162300 mi US $1000 |
cooling fans, and control module |
| 172000 mi US $400 |
Engine coolant temp sender, and mass air flow sensor. |
| 500 mi | Two days after taking delivery, the check engine light came on. The engine would warm up to normal temperature, then go cold again. Repaired after four repair trips when VW field engineer overheard a mechanic complaining about the car. |
| 87000 mi US $182 |
The engine light came on and was throwing a code about a bad Catalytic converter. It was actually in error and a reflash and complete reprogram of engine management computer solved the problem. |
| 49000 mi US $190 |
temperature sensor was bad had caused some minor cold starting problems on 2 seperate occassions |
| 60000 mi US $650 |
replaced leaking water pump found during 60,000 mile check-up |
| 92000 mi US $440 |
check engine light on, car running rough, obdII code p0302, cylinder 2 needed a new ignition coil. noticed red liquid on garage floor, took to mechanic for repair. was told that coolant was leaking from thermostat and housing and needed to be replaced. check engine light came on, obdII code p0304 listed on scan, cylinder 4 required new ignition coil, later in day re-scanned and code p0301 also appeared. Mechanic replaced ignition coils on all cylinders except #2 which was repaired 3 wks previously |
| 99000 mi US $650 |
exhaust leak found when performing yearly state emissions inspection, part replaced, passed emissions inspection |
| 104000 mi | ignition coil previously replaced by mechanic failed at approximately 4000 miles after original repair. mechanics parts and labor guarantee covered the payment |
| 110000 mi US $565 |
ignition coil failure, auto was recalled by vw at approx 38k miles and fixed. coils remained functional until approx 100k miles since then individual coils were replaced and then all coils were replaced in early 2010. 2 coils failed here. replaced leaking valve cover gaskets |
| 121000 mi US $720 |
coolant leak from radiator hoses and connecting pipe |
| 128000 mi US $1750 |
replaced catalytic converter, ign. coils, spark plugs and wires when check engine light came on |
| 132000 mi US $900 |
upon routine maintenance check it was discovered that the water pump was failing, previously replaced in 2007. |
| 133400 mi US $1100 |
motor mounts needed to be replaced |
| 145300 mi US $3000 |
car was misfiring, mechanic diagnosed and replaced all 6 ignition coils, replaced 1 fuel injector, cleaned and restored intake manifold |
| 69000 mi US $450 |
Auxiliary coolant pump was replaced with OEM part. Minor oil drip, caused by leaking seals in the oil cooler. Seals were replaced, problem is solved. |
2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Sedan
200-horsepower 2.8L V6 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD
| 102600 mi US $12 |
CEL, coolant temp sensor. |
2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Sedan
115-horsepower 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD
| 489 mi US $67230 |
Fuel pump. |
| 72000 mi | Oil leak detected and determined to be leaking from one loose bolt on engine oil pan. Unknown how bolt became loose. CEL occurred from loose air hose from intake to engine. CEL corrected with tightening of hose. |
| 108000 mi | P0420 Engine code showing cat. problem. Cat. was recently replaced so new plugs, wires, air filter, and MAF sensor was replaced by self. Thus far, repairs hace cleared the code. |
| 143000 mi | Flex pipe repair |
| 50000 mi US $200 |
Check engine light came on. Diagnosed as ignition coil. Bought new from eBay (less than half the price of auto parts store). Friend put it on in two hours and ran good as new. |
| 55800 mi US $150 |
Replaced spark plugs. Looked pretty worn for only 55000 miles. Replaced spark plug wires also. Light came on within minutes. Had to ground ignition coil to frame. Also had to replace thermostat. |
| 132000 mi US $168 |
Flex line for the exhaust coming from the engine past the front subrame was rotted and needed to be replaced. |
| 190000 mi US $600 |
plastic impeller water pump failure, overheating |
| 189000 mi US $380 |
Crank position sensors had failed. |
| 76000 mi US $5 |
Temp sensor replaced by myself, 5 min job. |
| 124000 mi US $800 |
catalytic converter was replaced |
| 125000 mi US $650 |
Fuel pump was replaced |
| 141000 mi US $200 |
Fuel Pump failed. |
| 209600 mi US $635 |
Engine boiled over, replaced thermostat, radiator reservoir tank and thermo switch. |
| 211000 mi US $300 |
Check engine light was on and rthe codes reflect needs ignition coil, spark plugs and spark plug wires.However, the engine now shakes and number one cylinder is not functioning. |
2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Sedan
115-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed automatic FWD
| 59300 mi US $1000 |
O2 sensor, serviced throttle body. Towed it to another dealer - just to be safe - and had them diagnose. They worked on it for 10 days, found random problems and fixed them (finally ignition coil seemed to have fixed the problem). towed it to another dealer - just to be safe - and had them diagnose. they worked on it for 10 days, found random problems and fixed them (finally ignition coil seemed to have fixed the problem). |
| 54000 mi US $1500 |
Light for engine service soon was on and the dealer repaired few things. |
| 54200 mi US $1300 |
failed plastic impeller on water pump; replaced timing belt as preventive maintainence included in cost |
| 83000 mi US $500 |
replace ox sensor. will need a new catalytic converter. |
| 99200 mi US $350 |
Replaced broken water pump. Also replaced timing belt, drive belt, thermostat, and changed oil. |
| 127000 mi US $500 |
Fuel pump stopped working, car would not start at all |
| 138200 mi US $722 |
I had the timing belt, water pump, and alternator belt replaced. The water pump was leaking coolant and the timing belt had to be replaced anyway. |
| 146000 mi US $79 |
Coolant leak, plastic part had a crack in it |
2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4-door
turbocharged 4-cylinder diesel manual 2WD
| 91000 mi | CEL for Glow Plug #2, a common issue with VE engine TDIs, not critical to fix at this time because I hardly use them in Charleston, SC winters. |
| 106640 mi C $220 |
Glow plug wiring harness had to be replaced. Fault caused no detrimental effects other than check engine light. |
2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4-door
turbocharged 4-cylinder manual 2WD
| 91760 mi C $500 |
Solenoid. |
| 112840 mi C $500 |
Engine thermostat replaced. |
| 113460 mi C $1000 |
Timing belt tensioner failed; entire timing belt redone (second time). Improper service at dealership, tensioner should have been replaced with original timing belt. |
| 115940 mi C $295 |
Cooling fan failed. |
2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4-door
4-cylinder manual 2WD
| 80000 mi | Check engine light came back yet again. After resets the light comes back on after few days. Numerous fixes done-cat converter (twice), O2 sensor, clean sensors, etc. Still happens. This time told unknown error codes. |
| 80000 mi | The car engine shut off while driving on the highway at 70 MPH. Did this 3 times over a 2 week period. They changed the drive shaft sensor to fix the problem. In half a day the check engine light came back on. Was told that codes indicated cat converter out of spec (the cat converter had been changed twice over the last 6 months). Time in shop 1 hour. Decided to sell. |
See TrueDelta's information for all Sedans
See TrueDelta's information for all Volkswagen models.
