NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
248 reports86,000 miles · Feb 1, 2014
EnginePower Train
THE CAR WOULD BUCK AND BUCK THEN GO INTO GEAR , THEN IT WOULD BUCK GET STUCK IN 3RD OR 4TH GEAR I WOULD HAVE TO TURN THE CAR OFF LET IT SIT THEN TURN IT BACK ON . THE PRNDS PANEL WOULD ALL LIGHT UP AND STAY ON AND SOMETIMES GO OFF IF THE CAR SAT FOR LIKE 2-3 DAYS BUT THE LIGHT WOULD STAY ON AND THE CAR WOULD DO THE SAME …
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THE CAR WOULD BUCK AND BUCK THEN GO INTO GEAR , THEN IT WOULD BUCK GET STUCK IN 3RD OR 4TH GEAR I WOULD HAVE TO TURN THE CAR OFF LET IT SIT THEN TURN IT BACK ON . THE PRNDS PANEL WOULD ALL LIGHT UP AND STAY ON AND SOMETIMES GO OFF IF THE CAR SAT FOR LIKE 2-3 DAYS BUT THE LIGHT WOULD STAY ON AND THE CAR WOULD DO THE SAME THING . THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT THE MECHANIC STATED THE 3RD OR 4TH GEAR WAS STRIPPED AND THAT IT WILL COST ME ANYWHERE FROM 4K TO7K TO GET IT FIXED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10562530
Mileage unknown · Jan 26, 2014
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages
THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK STOPPED WORKING FOR PASSENGER DOOR BEHIND DRIVER. THERE IS NOT WAY TO MANUALLY LOCK. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10561557
140,000 miles · Jan 22, 2014
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkagesStructure
I WENT TO PRESS THE BUTTON ON THE REMOTE TO UNLOCK THE. CAR, BUT ALL DOORS UNLOCKED EXCEPT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. I MANUALLY HAD TO UNLOCK CAR DOOR. WHEN I WAS INSIDE I SHUT THE DOOR BUT THE CAR KEPT INDICATING THAT IT WAS OPENED. THE WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL DOWN, SIDE MIRROR CANNOT BE ADJUSTED, CANNOT OPEN TRUNK OR POP THE GAS TAN…
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I WENT TO PRESS THE BUTTON ON THE REMOTE TO UNLOCK THE. CAR, BUT ALL DOORS UNLOCKED EXCEPT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. I MANUALLY HAD TO UNLOCK CAR DOOR. WHEN I WAS INSIDE I SHUT THE DOOR BUT THE CAR KEPT INDICATING THAT IT WAS OPENED. THE WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL DOWN, SIDE MIRROR CANNOT BE ADJUSTED, CANNOT OPEN TRUNK OR POP THE GAS TANK. DOORS ARE SUP POST TO AUTO LOCK AT A CERTAIN SPEED WHICH THEY NO LONGER LOCK WHILE DRIVING. THE SWITCHES ON EVERY OTHER DOOR ARE STILL OPERATING PROPERLY EXCEPT FOR SPEED LOCKS. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE CHILDREN MAY ATTEMPT TO OPEN CAR DOOR WHILE IT IS IN MOTION. I SEARCHED ONLINE FOR SAME VEHICLES THAT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT INDICATE WHAT THE ISSUE IS, THE WIRES ARE TO SHORT FOR THE DOORS TO OPEN AND CLOSE WHICH PULLS ON THEM AND WILL CAUSE THE CONNECTION TO BREAK LEAVING THE DOOR POWERLESS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10561021
62,000 miles · Dec 22, 2013
Power Train
I HAVE A VW JETTA 2005 THAT HAS THE 2.5 ENGINE. FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS STARTED SHIFTING GEARS BY ITSELF IN HARD SHIFTS, MOSTLY FROM 1ST TO 2ND AT ODD TIMES. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM IN THE VWS AND REQUIRED A TRANSMISSION REBUILD. (I'VE HEARD THAT A NUMBER OF TIME). I HAD TO HAVE THE …
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I HAVE A VW JETTA 2005 THAT HAS THE 2.5 ENGINE. FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS STARTED SHIFTING GEARS BY ITSELF IN HARD SHIFTS, MOSTLY FROM 1ST TO 2ND AT ODD TIMES. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM IN THE VWS AND REQUIRED A TRANSMISSION REBUILD. (I'VE HEARD THAT A NUMBER OF TIME). I HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT AT A COST OF $4,000 TO END THE PROBLEM. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10556988
124,000 miles · Dec 18, 2013
Power Train
I WROTE TO YOU ABOUT A MONTH AGO ABOUT RECALLING THE 2005 JETTA. NOTHING CAME OUT OF IT. IT IS MY FIRM BELIEF THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. GOOGLE THE PROBLEMS WITH THE 2005 JETTA AND YOU WILL SEE TONS ABOUT COMPLAINTS REGARDING THEIR TRANSMISSION WOES. PLEASE BE OBJECTIVE IN YOUR INVESTIGATION. *…
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I WROTE TO YOU ABOUT A MONTH AGO ABOUT RECALLING THE 2005 JETTA. NOTHING CAME OUT OF IT. IT IS MY FIRM BELIEF THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. GOOGLE THE PROBLEMS WITH THE 2005 JETTA AND YOU WILL SEE TONS ABOUT COMPLAINTS REGARDING THEIR TRANSMISSION WOES. PLEASE BE OBJECTIVE IN YOUR INVESTIGATION. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10556582
Mileage unknown · Dec 15, 2013
Air Bags
AIR BAG LIGHT ON IN VEHICLE INDICATING AN ERROR WITH THE SYSTEM. MANUAL SAYS THE BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY OR DEPLOY WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN I THINK THE CAR COMPANY SHOULD ADDRESS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10556129
123,200 miles · Nov 5, 2013
Power Train
WE BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM A FIRST OWNER IN 2010 FOR MY DAUGHTER WHO WAS THEN A SENIOR AT UC DAVIS. NO PROBLEM FOR THE FIRST 2 YEARS BUT 2013 SEEMS TO BE THE BEGINNING OF SOME PROBLEMS. THE MOST MAJOR ONE IS THE TRANSMISSION. THERE IS A SLIPPAGE ON 2ND, 3RD, AND 4TH GEARS. THERE IS A JOLT ACCOMPANYING THE SLIPPAGE AND IF THERE …
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WE BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM A FIRST OWNER IN 2010 FOR MY DAUGHTER WHO WAS THEN A SENIOR AT UC DAVIS. NO PROBLEM FOR THE FIRST 2 YEARS BUT 2013 SEEMS TO BE THE BEGINNING OF SOME PROBLEMS. THE MOST MAJOR ONE IS THE TRANSMISSION. THERE IS A SLIPPAGE ON 2ND, 3RD, AND 4TH GEARS. THERE IS A JOLT ACCOMPANYING THE SLIPPAGE AND IF THERE IS A BABY ONBOARD, I PROBABLY FEEL THE BABY WILL BE SUFFERING SOME KIND OF PAIN. CHECKED THE INTERNET FOR SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS OF THE SAME MODEL AND SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2005 JETTA BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10551006
131,000 miles · Oct 25, 2013
Engine
VEHICLE HAD A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER (MISFIRING VERY BADLY) AND WOULD NOT MAINTAIN SPEED. THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT NEVER CAME ON, AND THERE WERE NO TROUBLE CODES STORED. VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT INTO VW DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THEY CONFIRMED THE CAMSHAFT WAS COMPLETELY WORN AND "SEVERAL LIFTERS HAD CAVED IN." INTERNET SEARCHES …
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VEHICLE HAD A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER (MISFIRING VERY BADLY) AND WOULD NOT MAINTAIN SPEED. THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT NEVER CAME ON, AND THERE WERE NO TROUBLE CODES STORED. VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT INTO VW DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THEY CONFIRMED THE CAMSHAFT WAS COMPLETELY WORN AND "SEVERAL LIFTERS HAD CAVED IN." INTERNET SEARCHES CONFIRM THIS MODEL VEHICLE (TDI WITH A BRM ENGINE) HAS A KNOWN HISTORY OF CAMSHAFT FAILURE. ASIDE FROM THE COST OF REPLACEMENT ($2900 AT THE DEALER), THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING CRASH. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10549538
93,000 miles · Oct 14, 2013
Power Train
07/22/13 I BROUGHT MY CAR IN FOR AN EARLY 100K MILE SERVICE BECAUSE I NOTICED MY TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY & WAS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. I THOUGHT HAVING THE 100K SERVICE DONE WOULD TAKE CARE OF THAT, IT DIDN'T & IT GOT WORSE, SO I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE VALVE BODY WAS FAUL…
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07/22/13 I BROUGHT MY CAR IN FOR AN EARLY 100K MILE SERVICE BECAUSE I NOTICED MY TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY & WAS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. I THOUGHT HAVING THE 100K SERVICE DONE WOULD TAKE CARE OF THAT, IT DIDN'T & IT GOT WORSE, SO I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE VALVE BODY WAS FAULTY & THAT IT WOULD COST $1000+ TO FIX. I JUST PAID OVER $1000 FOR THE 100K MAINTENANCE & OTHER REPAIRS; I CAN'T AFFORD THE ADDITIONAL EXPENSE. [XXX], IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, STATED THAT THE ISSUE WAS ??NOT THAT BAD, ...THAT THEY SEE MUCH WORSE, ?WON'T BE A PROBLEM TO KEEP DRIVING IT...?. I WASN'T CONVINCED THAT A MALFUNCTIONING VALVE BODY WOULDN'T CAUSE ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS, BECAUSE WHEN I AM DRIVING IT FEELS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS ABOUT TO DROP OUT OF THE CAR & THE CAR HESITATES TO THE POINT THAT IT IS NOT SAFE! I DID SOME RESEARCH, FOUND THAT THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE VALVE BODY, HOWEVER, I NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION IN ANYWAY REGARDING THIS, EVEN WHEN MY CAR HAD BEEN IN FOR SERVICE. I CONTACTED VW HEADQUARTERS & SPOKE TO [XXX] 8/30/13 WHO INDICATED THAT THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE VALVE BODY, APOLOGIZED THAT I DIDN'T RECEIVED NOTIFICATION, THEN INDICATED THAT VW COULD NOT HELP ME. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE & SHOULD BE COVERED BY VW. PLEASE HAVE SOMEONE CONTACT ME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
NHTSA ODI #10547823
118,000 miles · Aug 6, 2013
Electrical SystemPower TrainVehicle Speed Control
2005.5 JETTA--VEHICLE HAS ROUGH SHIFTING BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEARS. AS WELL AS DOWNSHIFTING. WHILE DRIVING ON A MOUNTAINSIDE, GOING 65 MPH, THE CAR SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFTED TO 3RD GEAR AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN, WITH CARS FLYING BY ME. THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS UNTIL TURNED OFF …
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2005.5 JETTA--VEHICLE HAS ROUGH SHIFTING BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEARS. AS WELL AS DOWNSHIFTING. WHILE DRIVING ON A MOUNTAINSIDE, GOING 65 MPH, THE CAR SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFTED TO 3RD GEAR AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN, WITH CARS FLYING BY ME. THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS UNTIL TURNED OFF AND ON AGAIN. THIS IS NOW HAPPENING DURING REGULAR ACCELERATION AT LOW SPEEDS. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN, AS I COULD HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE DUE TO LOSS OF POWER/SPEED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10533883
Official recalls
4Sep 24, 2007
CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." SOME VEHICLES MAY NOT HAVE HAD A REQUIRED CAP INSTALLED WHICH DISABLES THE HEADLIGHT HORIZONTAL AIM AND SOME VEHICLES MAY CONTAIN A CAP THAT DISABLES THE VERTICAL AIMING SCREW.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: NONCOMPLIANCE CAN INHIBIT PROPER HEADLAMP AIM ADJUSTMENT FOR ROADWAY ILLUMINATION, IMPROPERLY AIMED HEADLAMPS COULD CAUSE REDUCED ROAD VISIBILITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR THE PRESENCE OF A CAP IN THE SOCKET OF THE LOW BEAM HORIZONTAL AIMING SCREW AND INSTALL ONE IF MISSING, AND INSPECT FOR THE PRESENCE OF A CAP IN THE SOCKET OF THE VERTICAL AIMING SCREW AND IF PRESENT, THE CAP WILL BE REMOVED. THE RECALL WILL BEGIN ON OCTOBER 31, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987.
Feb 20, 2007
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE BRAKE LIGHTS COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE, OR REMAIN ON. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE PROPER SIGNAL WHEN BRAKING COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE NEWLY DESIGNED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 27, 2007, AND WILL BE CONDUCTED IN SEVERAL STAGGERED MAILINGS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21, 2007. VEHICLES WITHIN THE MAKE, MODEL, AND MODEL YEAR OF THIS POPULATION MAY BE INVOLVED IN EITHER THIS RECALL OR 06V-183, BUT NOT BOTH. THE REMEDY IS THE SAME FOR EACH RECALL. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERS WILL APPLY THE REMEDY BASED ON THE VIN NUMBER OF THE VEHICLE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987.
Jul 5, 2005
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.5L GASOLINE ENGINE, A FUEL SUPPLY LINE CLAMP LOCATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT MAY NOT BE POSITIONED PROPERLY AND COULD CAUSE A FUEL LEAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE POSITION OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FUEL SUPPLY LINE CLAMP AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE CLAMP. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 11, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987.
Dec 15, 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE HIGH PRESSURE DIESEL PUMPS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN IMPROPER FASTENER, WHICH COULD ALLOW DIESEL FUEL TO ESCAPE FROM THE PUMP.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY LEAD TO A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DIESEL PUMP. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 8, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗