I was driving back from a wedding on Valentine's Day on the highway. My MAF sensor had been causing my MIL to come on for a day or so and then go off in the weeks prior. It had come on during this trip. It suddenly started flashing and then my oil pressure light started flashing. My engine sounded like it had something stuck in it, like a big loud bicycle tire with a card stuck in it. I went to pull off to the side of the road, and the car completely died. It was about 25 degrees outside in the middle of nowhere. Fortunately, I was able to find a towing company for cheap to take it back into town 45 minutes away.

I had a free diagnostic place look at it, and they determined it indeed was completely locked up. They quoted me for $3500. I was also in the process of relocating to another city, in which transportation was crucial in me finding a place to live and work. It was the worst timing ever. I had to pull funds from my 401k and take donations from friends and family to get it fixed. My boyfriend happened to be friends with someone who worked at a salvage yard, and he was able to swap out the engine for one with 80,000 miles on it for $1400. It was by far the best deal I could find. I haven't had a problem with the engine since, except for the MAF sensor. I love my Jetta, but it makes me really angry.

I have a VW 2004 Jetta with a 1.8T engine with an engine failure and a big repair tag. I called the VW service advisor to report that the Engine Oil light came on a Wednesday, and was advised to check the engine oil level, which it was low it needed a full quart; the light when of for a short while and came on again, the adviser told me to bring the car next Monday that it probably was a defective sensor and it was OK to drive the car. On next Saturday the cars stop running.

The VW of America told me in a telephone conversation that even though I reported the problem I still responsible for the repairs because it is spelled out in the manual, that it comes down to my word against the person at the dealer and the person at the dealer says that he did not say to keep driving the car.....

I am a loyal VW customer, (I was) this is my six VW and last, and I will let know all my fiends not to ever buy a VW car because the lousy performance and problems. My service records after de 36,000 miles it just unfair, the things that can go wrong with the car went wrong and it is always the same story at the dealer, "sorry" out of warranty", even more I have problems reported withing the warranty of the car and many times I was told "we did not find anything wrong, do not worry.

When I told the service department That I was going to get the car repair in another shop, the very happy to hear that, "send for the car" you better off because it will cost you lots of money to do repairs here !

One last thing, the service adviser told me the reason of the failure was because "poor maintenance" because their records showed that the cars has not records of an "oil change" for a year, and the engine was probably full of crap , they were done at Sears and other places using Synthetic oil as recommended. The mechanic that open the engine told me that it was as new, clean and not signs of lack of maintenance.

The car was at the dealers a month ago for routine maintenance and oil change, nothing was reported wrong, the last major maintenance was done at 64000 miles. and has now 72000.

A very disappointed VW owner, I trusted the service adviser advise ans it's going to cost me.

If anyone knows how to get VW to cover the repairs, please let me know, including you guys at VW of America. The dealers is located a Miami Lakes, FL.

Jorge A