2004 Volkswagen Jetta

DAILY COMMUTE IS APPROXIMATELY 125 MILES ROUND TRIP 100+ MILES EXPRESSWAY TRAVEL AT CRUISE SPEED. CLUTCH FAILED AT 20,802 MILES. REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. WHEN CAR WAS PICKED UP AFTER REPAIR, NOTIFIED DEALER CLUTCH FELT STRANGE. WAS ADVISED THAT IT NEEDED BREAKING IN, BEING A VETERINARIAN NOT A MECHANIC I ACCEPTED THE STATEMENT AS FACTUAL. AT 44,226 OR 22,324 ADDITIONAL MILES OF SAME TRAVEL CONDITIONS CLUTCH FAILED AGAIN. REPAIRED THIS TIME AT A COST OF $1167.85. MY FATHER ARRANGED TO PICK THE CAR UP AFTER REPAIR AND NOTIFIED SERVICE MANAGER THAT THE CLUTCH WAS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. HE WAS ADVISED THAT CLUTCH NEEDED "BREAKING IN" HOWEVER HAVING A 2001 JETTA TDI AND BEING EXPERIENCE IN SUCH MATTERS HE QUESTIONED THE EXPLANATION . THE SHOP FOREMAN WAS CALLED AND AGREED THAT IT WAS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CLUTCH SLAVE CYLINDER WAS FAILING INTERNALLY, HAD FLUID ON BOTH SIDES OF THE PISTON. CYLINDER WAS REPLACED AND CLUTCH FUNCTIONS CORRECTLY. I THINK IT LIKELY THAT THE FAILING CYLINDER CONTRIBUTED TO BOTH FAILURES AND THE SECOND SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER THE VEHICLE WARRANTY AS WAS THE FIRST. ADDITIONALLY I BELIEVE VOLKSWAGEN HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ADEQUACY OF THE CURRENT CLUTCH WHEN USED IN THE TDI DIESEL APPLICATION. THIS IS SUPPORTED BY THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER OWNERS AS INDICATED ON THE WEBSITE WWW.FREDSTDIPAGE.COM THANK YOU. *NM

WHILE I DROVE CAR THE CLUTCH STARTED TO SLIP IN 2004 JETTA. I TOOK IT TO HERITAGE VOLKSWAGEN IN UNION CITY GEORGIA, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY ADJUSTED THE CLUTCH. THE CLUTCH STILL SLIPS. IF I PULL OUT IN FRONT OF A CAR AND NEED TO GET OUT OF THE WAY THE CAR DOES NOT GO BECAUSE THE CLUTCH SLIPS. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THOUSANDS OF OTHERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS STILL NOT FIXED BY THE DEALER. THEY SAY THAT THE CLUTCH IS ERROR ON THE DRIVER. THIS CANNOT BE BECAUSE THE CLUTCH WITH THE ENGINE CAN ONLY HANDLE 8 MORE FEET-LBS THAN THE ENGINE PRODUCES. IF THE ENGINE, THEREFORE, PRODUCES A COUPLE MORE HORSE POWER FOR WHATEVER REASON THE CLUTCH SLIPS. IM NOT TALKING ABOUT ANY MODIFICATIONS TO THE CAR I AM TALKING ABOUT EVERY STOCK CAR WILL VARY IN HP AND TORQUE EVEN THOUGH THEY SAY THEY ARE ALL THE SAME. THIS IS RIDICULOUS, AND NOW AM SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR LONGER THAN 30 MINUTES FOR FEAR THAT THE CLUTCH WILL SLIP AND I WILL GET HIT FROM BEHIND AND DIE. *AK

OUR 2004 VW JETTA 1.8T HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS FROM A CLICKING/POPPING NOISE IN THE FRONT END AT APPROXMIATELY 10,000 MILES, TO THE TRANSMISSION LOCKING UP WHILE OPERATING VEHICLE. THE CLUTCH/DISC WENT COMPLETELY OUT AT 15,000 MILES. ALL THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS WENT OUT AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IN THE DARK ON A NON LIT BACK ROAD TO WORK, TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEARS, TRANSMISSION STILL SLIPPING, BACK DOOR LOCKS DO NOT UN-LOCK WHEN REMOTE IS ACTIVATED, SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS RE-TORQUED EVERYTHING ON VEHICLE BUT THIS HAS NOT MADE PROBLEMS GO AWAY. SINCE MAY 2005, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP HAS HAD MY CAR FORA TOTAL OF 62 DAYS FOR SERVICE AND IT IS STILL NOT FIXED. PROBLEMS CONTINUE TO MOUNT AND THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE MOST PART STATES "THAT THEY CANNOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM." THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED ALL THE WHEEL BEARINGS IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND THIS DID NOT STOP THE CLICKING/POPPING NOISE, THEY REPLACED THE CLUTCH DISC THIS DID NOT CLEAR UP THE PROBLEM, THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM COULD NOT BE REPLICATED PER DEALERSHIP, THE ENGINE CONTINUES TO HAVE A WHISTLING NOISE, TRANSMISSION CONTINUES TO SLIP. THE DRIVER'S SIDE LEATHER SEAT HAS THE SEAMS POOPING LOOSE AND A PART OF THE FRAME IS PUSHING THROUGH THE LEATHER. TRUNK LATCH HAS BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES. DEALERSHIP STATES CAR IS SAFE TO OPERATE, I BEG TO DIFFER!

FIRST OCCURRENCE 05/11/2005, WHEN STOPPING AUTO-TRANSMISSION WAS DOWN SHIFTING HARSH. DEALER FOUND OPEN CIRCUIT FOR IGNITION AND INSTALLED A GROUND WIRE. PROBLEM NOT FIXED. SECOND TIME, 06/03/05, TRANSMISSION WAS DOWN SHIFTING HARSH AGAIN, DEALER FOUND INTERNAL MALFUNCTION WITH TRANSMISSION AND REPLACED TRANSMISSION. THIRD TIME, 06/08/05, WHEN WARMED UP TRANSMISSION WOULD DOWN SHIFT HARSH AND JERK INTO GEAR, VW FIELD REP. WILL LOOK AT CAR. ALSO HAD THE ALIGNMENT FIXED FROM WHEN TRANS. WAS REPLACED. FOURTH TIME, 06/16/05, WHEN ACCELERATING CAR HAD JERKED VERY HARD INTO GEAR. DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM, WAITING FOR FIELD REP. 06/25/05, FIELD REP. DROVE CAR AND STATED THAT CAR WAS WITHIN MANUFACTURE SPECS. DEALER ALSO REPAIRED DENT IN HOOD FROM PREVIOUS VISIT. SERVICE MANAGER FROM DEALER STATED THAT HE DROVE ANOTHER VW JETTA TO SEE IF CAR DID SAME THING AS MINE AND PROBLEM WAS NOT THERE WITH OTHER CAR. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE 2003 PASSATS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM BUT WORSE AND IT ENDED UP BEING A SOFTWARE ISSUE. CAR STILL HAS AN ISSUE. CURRENTLY HAVE A LAWYER FOR THE LEMON LAW.

I PURCHASED MY 2004 JETTA IN OCTOBER 2004. I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR SEPTEMBER 2, 2005 BECAUSE THE GEARS HAD BECOME DIFFICULT TO SHIFT (ESP. INTO AND OUT OF REVERSE). AFTER ONLY 20,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND 10 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP, VW TELLS ME I NEED A NEW CLUTCH. FURTHERMORE, THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT THE WARRANTY IS OUT SINCE IT HAS OVER 12,000 MILES AND THAT THEY WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR BECAUSE IT IS DUE TO "DRIVER ERROR". THIS CANNOT BE POSSIBLE, AS I'VE BEEN DRIVING MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER HAD A CLUTCH FAIL BEFORE--MY LAST CAR, A 1997 JETTA HAD OVER 100,000 MILES AND NEVER NEEDED A CLUTCH REPLACEMENT. FURTHERMORE, VW HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT AS I'VE TRIED TO NEGOTIATE MANUFACTURER'S COVERAGE--NOT RETURNING CALLS FOR DAYS, SENDING ME IN CIRCLES ASKING ME TO CALL THE DEALER, THE VW OF AMERICA AGAIN AND AGAIN.*JB

WHEN STARTING ENGINE THEN GOING FROM PARK AND SHIFTING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION INTO REVERSE OR DRIVE, THERE IS A LONG DELAY TO ENGAGE THE GEAR. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS IF THE VEHICLE IS ON ANY INCLINE, AS IT WILL ROLL AS IF IN NEUTRAL BEFORE ENGAGING THE DESIRED GEAR, ALMOST LIKE USING A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, HOWEVER YOU HAVE NO CONTROL SINCE YOU TOOK YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND ONTO THE ACCELERATOR TO PROCEED AND THEN IT STARTS ROLLING. THIS IS NOT SAFE, NOR ACCEPTABLE! WHEN WE FIRST BROUGHT IT IN TO THE DEALER (FLADEBOE, IRVINE, CA) THEY VERBALLY SAID IT'S MADE THAT WAY - IT'S NORMAL. THEN TODAY AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE DEALER STATES THAT THE " VEHICLE OPERATES TO MANUFACTURERS SPECIFICATIONS". ARE THE QUOTED "SPECIFICATIONS" CONSISTENT WITH U.S. SAFETY STANDARDS OR FLAWED? OUR VEHICLE IS UNDER THE NEW CAR WARRANTY AND WE HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. I OWN A VW 2001 PASSAT AND IT DOES NOT HAVE THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM - THIS APPEARS TO BE A JETTA TRANSMISSION DEFECT AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED AT MANUFACTURER'S SOLE COST. WE FEAR THAT WE WILL HIT OTHER VEHICLES, PROPERTY OR PEOPLE - UNFORTUNATELY WE FEEL IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME WITH THIS UNSAFE CONDITION. *NM

(1) MANUFACTURER DEFECT OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. (2) THERE IS A LONG DELAY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PLACED INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE GEAR (AFTER CAR HAS BEEN PARKED FOR AWHILE) VEHICLE ROLLS AS IF IN NEUTRAL. I HAVE: HIT MANY WHEEL STOPS, NEARLY HIT OTHER PARKED CARS AND ALMOST PINNED A PEDISTRIAN BETWEEN A PARKED CAR AND MINE. (3) DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATES THE TRANSMISSION IS OPERATING PER SPECIFICATIONS HOWEVER NONE OF THEIR OTHER PRODUCTS HAS THIS FAILURE. MANUFUACTURER REFUSES TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, VEHICLE IS UNDER NEW CAR WARRANTY.

AUTO: 2004 JETTA GLS 1.8T ON 4/20/2005, THE DEALERSHIP "RIVERBANK MOTORS" IN STAMFORD CT HAD TO RETORQUE TURBO TO EXH MANIFOLD BOLTS. CAR WAS RETURNED FIXED. AFTER ROAD TEST. ON 7/1 2005 THE FRONT END EXHAUST DICONNECTED AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP BECUASE IT WAS UNDRIVABLE. ALL WARRANTIED. AFTER BEING TOLD NUMEROUS STORIES AND MISSCOMMUNICATIONS THE SERVICE DEPT INFORMED US THAT THIS TIME THE BOLTS WERE STRIPPED AND THE ENTIRE TURBO UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. BROUGHT THE CAR BACK FOR THE 2ND TIME SINCE THE BOLTS WERE ONLY TEMPORARILY TIGHTENED. THE DEALER IS REPLACING THE TURBO UNIT UNDER WARRANTY BUT CANNOT EXPLAIN WHY OR HOW THE BOLTS WERE STRIPPED. "YOUR GUESS IS AS GOOD AS MINE" WAS THE ANSWER I RECEIVED FROM THE SERVICE DIRECTOR. FORTUNATELY FOR ME ALL WARRANTY!!!! CAR IS 1 YEAR OLD

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH OUR 2004 VW JETTA WAGON. BOTH TIMES THE CAR HAS SUDDENLY, WITH NO WARNING, HAD A CLUTCH FAILURE. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS WITH 16,000 MILES, NOW A 2ND OCCURENCE WITH JUST 29,000 MILES. VW TRIES TO PASS BLAME AS DRIVER ERROR, BUT SINCE I DRIVE TRACTOR/TRAILERS FOR A LIVING, AND IN MY 15 YEARS OF DRIVING, HAVE NEVER HAD A CLUTCH FAILURE PRIOR TO THIS CAR, I DO NOT THINK THAT MY DRIVING IS TO BLAME. IT IS APPARENT FROM THE NUMEROUS EXPERIENCES I HAVE READ ABOUT THAT THERE IS A SERIOUS DEFECT IN THE QUALITY OR BUILD OF THE VW CLUTCH SYSTEM IN NEWER MODELS. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS INJURED IN THIS OCCURENCE, BUT SINCE THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED SHIFTING IN TRAFFIC, THERE COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN ACCIDENTS INVOLVED. THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO FURTHER.