My 97 Jetta stalls when wet too!  I live in Phoenix, where, believe it or not it's been raining like crazy lately.  Last time it happened, I had it towed ($100 tow bill) and by the time it reached the mechanic, it started up just fine.  And they couldn't re-create the problem in order to figure out what is wrong with it.  This time, the mechanics are coming to me to look at it, but I have a feeling it will either start right up or they will not be able to find any obvious problem with it.  Help!  Have you figured it out yet?  Any advice?

After $1,100 and 2 weeks, my problem has been fixed (so far).  It  turned out that the ignition coil housing was cracked which caused a loss of spark from the coil to the distributer.  Once that was fixed, my car still wouldn't start and it was found that the crankshaft sensor was full of water which caused it to short and caused an internal short in the engine control module ($550 for a new one).  So, after a new ignition coil, engine control module (which I believe is the internal computer) and crankshaft sensor, my car is running nicely.  I hope this gives you or your mechanic some guidance as to where the problem might be.  good luck & let me know what solutions you run into. 

2 months and $493.00 later they did the same. Said it was the ignition coil and while it was in the shop, they decided my alternator belt needing replacing too (whatever that is). I'm hoping that this is it.

As of yesterday, the whole thing is now up to $1,500. But based on your last post, I doubt it.

thanks for the info though because if it does occur again, next time i'll be telling THEM where to check.

Good luck hun.

Yeh, I got pickled into this dry-driving-only vw as well.  I am in the hole $500 and the repair people are simply picking new things to replace at my expense.  I am a bit fustrated because the car was "perfectly fine" when I baught it.  Now that my extended warrenty is up, it's as if someone hit a "fall-apart-button" and nothing but problems ever since.  "Drivers wanted" my ass.  I sure hope VW does't let me talk to any car licking, obsessed washing, city jogging potential customer.  I'll be sure to pursuade that person to by the Accord, the other car that I was about to buy before I got suckered into this German piece-of-dog-dung.  As you might notice, I am a little tempered about this situation, and after reading the other messages, I am a bit relieved that I am not the only ignorant american who thought the Jetta was a nice car.  I hope somone contacts me and asks me to jump onto a band wagon of a lawsuit.  I also hopes a VW rep reads this and decides that VW should be recalled, fixed or replaced at VW's expense.  Unitl then, I will continue to spit on the ground of VW delearships in disgust of their ability to sell second-rate cars to first-rate customers.  Shame on you VW and anyone who is brainwashed to think otherwise.

Benjamin Emley 

I feel your pain.