Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
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).
Vw sent a letter to me that the side windows on my 2001 Jetta tdi sedan vw May fail and they would repair them when it occurred up to 7 years. They would not repair them before failure. When they failed I was on the highway doing 65 MPH and the drivers window failed crashing into the inner door well. Not knowing what was going on and the loud bang in the door almost caused an accident. I brought the car to the dealer who put a fix kit on it. Now the 2 front windows they put the fix kit in bottoms out making a loud nose and when it comes up it makes a clicking noise like something hitting the glass. The dealer states this is the vw fix. I have a 2003 Jetta tdi sedan vw and it does not have this problem so I researched why. What I found out was that you can't buy the 2001 window regulators and motors from vw you can only get the update like in my 2003. …
Over the weekend the inside of my car filled with rain water. It was a puddle on the bottom of my car. I dried it out with the help of my father. I took it to the local vw dealership and they told me it's not covered as part of my warranty. They said that they know it's the sunroof causing the leak without even looking at it. I asked if has anything to do with the front passenger window I recently had repaired and they said no. They had a bunch of people come in with the same problem and they are all due to the sunroof causing a leak. They said it's not covered under the warranty because it's maintenance when I had no idea this is a problem and vw is very well aware the problem. I'm not sure if this is the type of complaint you handle but I feel that Volkswagen is getting away with a faulty problem with the sunroof and this should be recalled and they absorb the price.
I have noticed that my windshield wipers have been deteriorating in the past months. I brought my car to a vw dealer back in April to see why my windshield wipers were stuttering. They said the windshield might be on too tight or something wrong with the blades. I changed the blades and got a new windshield since I had a crack in it anyways. Both did not resolve the problem and I was never told it could be the wiper motor. I have had a few instances where I was driving now on the highway or just on a side street and it was raining and all of a sudden my wipers would just stop!!! I almost got into a few accidents now, and I feel it is a huge safety hazard that I shouldn't be responsible for.
2001 vw Jetta wolfsburg 40K miles - water leaks into the car from underneath the instrument panel on the passenger side. Dealer stated that it was the drain channel from the sunroof. Week later the problem reoccurred. Dealer stated that they have no idea as to what is causing the problem. They're in process of taking the car apart. Vw customer service is not being helpful at all. I've seen at least two comments on the web about similar problem, but the dealer and the vw customer service claims that they have never seen this problem before. Any advise before my car gets totally disassembled? Not to mention water damage to the carpeting...
Tl contact owns a 2001 Volkswagen Jetta. She stated that the glass separated from the windows frame, then fell down into the window crevice. If the occupants are not properly secured in the vehicle, the risk for serious injury is increased. She contacted the dealer and a technician concluded that she would have to pay $260.00 to repair the vehicle. The vehicle has not been repaired. She contacted the manufacturer and was not provided with any assistance. The failure and current mileages were 126,000.
Before I picked up the car- it needed a new fuel tank because the dealer was unable to put gas into the car. At 60,000 miles the crank shaft broke off and a new engine was installed. My driver side window fell down. Two plastic things keep falling out of the sunroof and I put them back up. Numerous oxygen sensors have been changed but my check engine light remains on. Finally, at 107,000 miles my transmission went out and vw refuses to help with any of the cost because it is out of the warranty.
My vw drivers side window fell into the door as I was driving along the highway last year. Brought it in to the body shop and they told me they fix tons of this problem as the plastic clips that hold the window are too fragile. Now...several months later my passenger door is having the same problem. The cost of the regulator to fix it (as parts are not sold separatly) has now gone up in cost $50.
2001 vw Jetta - numerous build issues. Excessive oil consumption - 1 quart in 1000 miles. Vehicle re-ringed at 19K. Current mileage 47K - last oil change down 2 quarts in 5ooo miles. Window regulators - recall. Shifter shaft replaced for serious vibration in 2nd and 5th gears. Both front seats feel like they aren't locked in place! Diagnosed as faulty weld at time of manufacture.
Debris from gaskets in air ventilation system exits the air vents and hits the occupants. The debris, on occasion, hit the driver in the eye causing temporary loss of vision. The debris flying out into the face of the driver or other vehicle occupant is always a distraction to driver attention to driving even when direct contact with the eye(s) does not occur.
Front side window regulators failed prematurely leaving windows down and unusable. Right side failed 7-27-07 at 44,896 miles (repair cost $350.73) and left side 8-20-08 at 49945 miles (repair cost $334.45). On the right side the glass shattered spraying over the passenger and seat. The vehicle was purchased new on 6-11-01 and has never been in an accident.
Window & Wiper complaints in other Jetta years
Frequently asked questions
How common are window & wiper problems on the 2001 Volkswagen Jetta?
NHTSA has 69 complaints about the windows, wipers & sunroof of the 2001 Volkswagen Jetta, 10% of the model year's 668 complaints. The component named most often is power window devices and controls (45 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Volkswagen Jetta window & wiper problems?
No. NHTSA lists no windows, wipers & sunroof recall for the 2001 Volkswagen Jetta, though it has 6 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Volkswagen Jetta window & wiper problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 55,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
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.