Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Volkswagen Jetta owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I have now replaced by brake switch and brake light switch. I'm not sure if they are the same thing but I have replaced them both. The first one was the brake light switch. This was replaced because my lights would randomly turn on. Even when parked the lights would remain on. I got it to turn off by wedging something behind the brake so it would not go on. However, I paid $59 for it to get fixed. The other switch, the brake switch was replaced today. The charge was $137. This repair was due to the shifter being stuck in park. I have spent days with this problem and I feel my car should be under the recall. The service representative said that my car did not come up as a recall vehicle. If so many jettas need repairs for this problem why is not my car included in this recall. I experience the same problems as others and I am not being treated fairly. …
I signaled with my right turn signal for a right-hand turn, suddenly the turn signal stopped flashing (not the quick flashing & clicking for a burnt out bulb), the light stayed on. Tried the left turn signal and the same thing happened. Kept trying them and would not work. Suddenly began operating. The hazard lights did not work either. After repeated attempts, the lights unexpectedly began working. I continued driving, when I signaled another right-hand turn the again the signal repeated the previous failure. I immediately contacted the auto repair shop that I use and setup an appointment for service three days later. The problem occurred intermittenly between the first occurrance and the service appointment. The service technician could not duplicate the problem immediately but the headlamps would not go to bright. He did eventually have the problem with the turn signals. …
The vw Jetta vr6 2001 that I purchased last year for $7,000 (financing through my credit union) is a lemon. I have had it less than a year and already spent $2000 on minor repairs and I estimate that right now it needs about $4000 more in the next few months. I believe that sundance improperly sold this car, knowing that a massive amount of things are wrong with it. I had a garage with which they are affiliated look at it and completely misrepresented the shape of the car. Since acquiring it I have been plagued with difficulties with it, from head lights mysteriously going out, to the water pump failing, to the serpentine coil failing, now to the air compressor failing, as well as the computer to the A/C, and today it is the epc code (which I believe has something to do with either the catalytic converter, or computer - but the thing is losing power and the brake lights don't work which …
In January of 2003 while stopped at a red light my car was rear-ended. There was minor damage done to my bumper and that was replaced. In April 2004 my car was again rear-ended while stopped at a red light. In this incident the lady behind me was also stopped at the red light and she said her foot slipped off the brake and she hit me. We thought that perhaps she saw the turn lane light turn green and she went. Because the damage to my car this time was 4000 dollars. After the accident I found out that none of my brake lights worked, even though only one tail light had been busted. The repair shop replaced the tail light assembly and all worked properly. I believe that my brake lights failed to operate properly causing the accidents. I hadn t thought of this possibility until I received the recall notice in May 2004. …
Turn signal on 2001 vw Jetta operates at random or not at all. This condition began occurring following the repair of a malfunctioning brake light switch (recalls 06V183000 & 04V096000). Signals failed to turn on, or turned on with sporadic functioning. Volkswagen service indicated this was caused by a shorted hazard switch. Hazard switch was replaced for a cost of us $131.55. Dealer indicated a recall was issued for this problem (recall 04V584000) however indicated vehicle does not qualify under the recall despite having an identical issue. If find it utterly ridiculous that Volkswagen will not cover the cost of repairs given that the identical problem is recalled for other jettas. …
I've experienced several problems with my 2001 Volkswagen Jetta glx. I still wonder why it's not a lemon. Had problems with the brake switch which was a recall. I also had problems with the check engine light. Technicians made diagnostic check and said I needed the heat sensor changed so I did. After a week, check engine light lit up again so I brought it back to the dealership and had another diagnostic check which I paid for again 78 bucks. This time the tech's said I needed the sparks and wires changed because it was shooting blanks. Pre-paid for the parts and when the parts arrived, I brought my car back to get it fixed so I did. Later, I got call from the service reps and said my ignition coil broke so they had to order that again. After everything was said and done. I just wanted to let my financer to just voluntarily repo the piece of trash. …
After receiving the vehicle from an auto shop the battery was dead. I had them jump start it and the airbag dummy light came on as soon as the car started. It beeped and said airbag fault on the dash. Then the turn signal system started to simulate the sound of the turn signal as if it was on. First it was after I completed the turn it would stay on and speed up or slow down the clicking noise. Within a month it started doing it while I was driving straight down the road. I am unsure if the turn signal system is working properly. Sometimes the flashers don't seem work at random as far as I can tell from the drivers seat. I had a dealer reset the airbag fault but they said that they "think" that we need to replace the multi-function switch on the side of the steering column. I'm not about to spend 500 dollars on something that the dealer isn't even sure of themselves.
Car get stuck in park. This is about the fifth time this has happened to my car. Normally you press on the brake and the safe switch will release so you can move your car from park. Today this happened twice, and I was about an hour late to work, because I had to wait for my car to decide when I could drive it. Last year I took the car in because the spoiler light did not work, they then told me that my brake light altogether did not work, so they decided to charge me $75. To fix that. Now the brake lights do not work again and $75 is not going to be paid this time. I had that part a little over a year.I've researched in other vw forums and many are having this problem. When the car was on warranty they claimed nothing was wrong, but now even though my car has a little over 35,000 miles on it, and it is a 2001 model it is having all of these problems.
This summer my left rear door became inoperable. In late October the turn signals began operating intermittently. On a cold and rainy day this November my 2001 Jetta with 37000 miles stalled while making a left turn. I restarted and completed my turn, thinking I had just let out the clutch too fast. The car was a bit sluggish and a 1/2 mile down the road the check engine light came on. I took the car to the dealer on November 30 and was shocked not only at the problems but that they were not coverered by any warranty. The total repair bill was over $1000 dollars. The ignition coil pack needs replaced for $740. The hazard light switch needs replaced for $77. Just to find out what is wrong with the door requires a charge of $188 dollars. These problems have been mentioned several times on your website. I guess I just hit the trifecta.
Dt: 2001 Volkswagen Jetta tdi diesel. The right front turn signal, shorted out and malfunctioned. There is a burn make on the socket and on the bulb itself, the bulb did not burn out but the socket did. The consumer was able to take the bulb out and then insert the bulb and it worked short period of time. The vehicle is at the dealership now being fixed, they told the consumer they would not cover the cost of replacement of socket. There is a recall on related component, which is a flasher relay, the recall id is vx. Updated 11/30/2005 - the dealer would not replace the damaged socket. The turn sign is now working with new bulb but the consumer suspects it will fail again due to the damaged socket.
Related recalls
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
On certain passenger, wagon, and convertible vehicles equipped with or without cruise control, a brake light switch May malfunction if it was installed incorrectly.
Remedy: Dealers will install the newly designed brake light switch free of charge. The recall began on April 27, 2007, and will be conducted in several staggered mailings through September 21, 2007.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with automatic or manual transmissions and cruise controls, a brake light switch on these vehicles May malfunction if it was installed incorrectly during safety recalls 03v-265 or 04v-096.
Remedy: Dealers will install the newly designed brake light switch free of charge. The recall began on November 27, 2006. Vehicles within the make, model, and model year of this population May be involved in either this recall…
Exterior lighting › Hazard flashing warning lights › Switch
On certain passenger vehicles, the hazard switch and flasher system function May degrade over time because of distortion and material transfer of the contacts of certain hazard switch relays which occurs due to substantially increased electrical current load from higher wattage turn signal bulbs.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the hazard flasher switch/relay kit. The recall began on March 31, 2005. Owners should contact Volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
On certain passenger vehicles, a brake light switch on these vehicles May malfunction.
Remedy: This recall has been superceded by 06v-183. Owners who have had a remedy performed under this recall should return to their dealer for the redesigned remedy. Owners should contact Volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
NHTSA investigations
Brake light switch failure
By letters dated May 24, 2006 and August 4, 2006, Volkswagen (vw) notified the agency that it is conducting a safety recall (NHTSA recall no 06v-183) involving model year (my) 1998-2002 Volkswagen new beetle and 1999-2002 Volkswagen jetta vehicles equipped with cruise control.Volkswagen?s recall covers 646,246 vehicles.previously, vw recalled these vehicles to replace a defective brake light switch (recalls 03v-265…
Brake light switch
The number of duplicates between odi and manufacturer failure reports cannot be determined due to missing and or inaccurate information.the injury noted above was minor.on February 26, 2004, Volkswagen of America, inc. (vw) submitted a defect notification (per 49cfr573) to the national highway traffic safety administration (NHTSA) advising that certain model year (my) 1999 - 2002 Volkswagen jetta vehicles…
Turn signal/hazard flasher failure
This investigation was opened on October 19, 2004, based on nine reports on 2000 through 2001 jetta and gti vehicles alleging that the turn signals and or hazard flashers fail to blink, or flash.some of the complainants reported that the lights would blink only a few times and then stop.several of the complainants reported that having the hazard flasher switch replaced repaired their vehicles.by letter of December…
Headlight complaints in other Jetta years
Frequently asked questions
How common are headlight problems on the 2001 Volkswagen Jetta?
NHTSA has 80 complaints about the lights of the 2001 Volkswagen Jetta, 12% of the model year's 668 complaints. The component named most often is brake lights › switch (40 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Volkswagen Jetta headlight problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 07V-063 (switch, Feb 20, 2007); NHTSA recall 06V-183 (switch, May 24, 2006); NHTSA recall 04V-584 (switch, Dec 16, 2004). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2001 Volkswagen Jetta headlight problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 58,000 miles, and 12% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to lights problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.