1996 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Latches/locks/linkages Problems

WELL, ITS AN OLD CAR YES AND HAVEN'T HAD ANY SEVERE MALFUNCTIONS EXCEPT ON PRETTY MUCH EVERY LATCH MECHANISM ON THE CAR. CURRENTLY, THE TRUNK DOES NOT OPEN. THE LATCH IS BROKE AND WILL NOT OPEN WITH KEY PLACED IN IT OR WITH RELEASE BUTTON. TO OPEN IT, I HAVE TO LAY THE BACK SEATS DOWN AND CRAWL INTO THE TRUNK AND ACTIVATE THE EMERGENCY RELEASE MANUALLY. TO ADD TO THE MESS, BOTH REAR DOORS WILL OPEN BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL CLOSE AGAIN. I'VE HAD TO RIG A WIRE TO PULL THE LATCH INTO ITS LOCKED POSITION TO KEEP BOTH DOORS CLOSED. (RESULTING IN THE ONLY 4 DOOR COUPE I KNOW OF!) *TR

IN LATE FEB 2005 PURCHASED A 1996 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA (WHICH WAS A CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE) AND IN (APPOX) SEPT 2005 WHILE DRIVING DOWN A PACKED FREEWAY DURING RUSH HOUR, IN THE MIDDLE LANE, THE HOOD OF MY VEHICLE FLEW UP. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60-65 MPH AND IT VISUALLY LOOKED LIKE A PIECE OF CARDBOARD CRUMPLING HOWEVER THE IMPACT WAS SO GREAT THAT IT CRACKED MY WINDSHIELD. I CONSIDER MYSELF AND THE PASSENGERS EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT WE WERE NOT INJURED AND/OR DID NOT CRASH. MY VEHICLE SUSTAINED TREMENDOUS BODY DAMAGE TO THE HOOD AND CAN NOT SHUT PROPERLY AND AS I MENTION PREVIOUSLY THE WINDSHIELD IS CRACKED ALL THE WAY ACROSS. I AM UNCERTAIN WHETHER OR NOT SIMILAR VEHICLES TO MINE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS BUT I FEEL THAT THIS WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT / FAILURE DUE TO THE FACT OF THE SAFETY LATCH MALFUNCTION. I AM NOT 100% SURE WHETHER OR NOT THE HOOD WAS NOT SHUT COMPLETELY BECAUSE I DID NOT PHYSICALLY CHECK IT BEFORE THE INCIDENT BUT REGARDLESS THAT IS WHY I THOUGHT SAFETY LATCHES WERE PUT INTO USE ON VEHICLE HOODS TO PREVENT SUCH DANGEROUS OCCURRENCES. *JB

Mileage: 95,000

1996 VW JETTA - DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT OPERATE WHEN TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 0 C OR 32 F. THIS MATCHES TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN # 57 9702 NHTSA ITEM NUMBER 53643. *LA

Mileage: 108,000

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH HOOD FLEW OFF, BREAKING WINDSHIELD . DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 35-45 MPH HOOD CAME UNLATCHED AND HIT WINDSHIELD. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK

FRONT DOOR LATCHES FAIL TO OPERATE, CAUSING OCCUPANTS TO BE TRAPPED IN THE CAR.*AK

CYLINDERS CAME OUT WITH THE KEY. THEY JUST STOPPED WORKING AND CAME OUT! I CAN NO LONGER LOCK MY CAR OR USE THE KEY TO GET INTO IT. I HAVE TO LEAVE IT UNLOCKED AND CLIMB IN THROUGH THE BACK SEAT.*AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE RECALL COMPONENT (98V-160) HOOD LATCH PRIOR TO RECALL NOTIFICATION RESULTING IN EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLES HOOD AND WINDSHIELD WHEN THE HOOD FLEW OPEN WHILE DRIVING. *MJS

FREEZING DOOR LOCKS, BROKEN WINDOW REGULATORS, INABILITY TO USE AFTERMARKET DISC BRAKE PADS AND OTHER ITEMS ARE ACKNOWLEDGED BY VW IN "TECHNICAL BULLETINS" BUT CUSTOMER MUST PAY FOR THEIR ERRORS. I AM HAPPY TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFO. ABOUT THIS IF CONTACTED. CUSTOMER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR MANUFACTURER ERRORS (ACKNOWLEDGED BY MANUFACTURER.)

LOCKS HAVE FALLEN APART AND CAME OUT OF PLACE, CAUSING THEM TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. THIS MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO ENTER AND EXIT VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT 35 MPH PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR FLEW OPEN, AND PASSENGER ALMOST FELL OUT OF VEHICLE DUE TO LATCH BEING BROKEN. ALSO, WHEN SHUTTING PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR, DOOR WILL POP OPEN BECAUSE OF THE LATCH BEING BROKEN, AND LOCKS DON'T WORK. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AND APPLYING THE BRAKES THEY GRIND AND SQUEAK, AND THERE IS A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES. ALSO, HOOD LATCH NEEDS TO BE FIXED DUE TO THE HOOD FLYING UP WHILE DRIVING WHICH COULD BLIND THE CONSUMER. *AK

RECALL 98V160000/ CONSUMER HAS BEEN ON A WAITING LIST FOR THREE MONTHS, PARTS ARE STILL NOT AVAILABLE. DEALER WILL NOT INSPECT HOOD LATCH OR BOLTS UNTIL PARTS ARE IN. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE HOOD LATCH ON SEPT. 2, 1998. THE PARTS FOR THAT RECALL HAS BEEN UNAVAILABLE SINCE THE DAY THAT THE CONSUMER RECEIVED THE NOTICE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL LETTER FOR THE HOOD LATCH. MANUFACTURERS RECALL#1H24Q3 AND NHTSA RECALL#98V160000. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THE PARTS WERE NOT AVALIBLE. *AK *SLC

HOOD LATCH FAILED.

OUTSIDE DOOR LOCKS FREEZE IN INCLEMENT WEATHER.

WHILE DRIVING, HOOD LATCH CAME UNFASTENED, HOOD FLEW UP; LATCH MADE OUT OF FLIMSY MATERIAL; NO WARNING; SPEED 30 TO 35 MPH. TT