2006 Volkswagen Jetta

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT APPROX 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO NOT ACCELERATE, ALTHOUGH SHE WOULD PRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE PAST 55 MPH. SHE ACTIVATED THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THEN THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN 6TH GEAR BUT MANUALLY SHIFTED DOWN TO 4TH GEAR. SHE TOOK IT OUT OF THE AUTOMATIC SHIFT AND SWITCHED TO MANUAL SHIFT AND DOWNSHIFTED TO LOWER THE RPMS. THE AVERAGE SPEED WAS 30 MPH BECAUSE SHE COULD NOT MOVE ANY FASTER. IT STALLED TWICE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE OR AFTER. SHE CALLED A REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC TOLD HER TO LET THE VEHICLE COOL DOWN. WHEN SHE DID THAT AND WAS ABLE TOR RESTART, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ABOUT 15 MILES DOWN THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AGAIN. SHE WAITED AGAIN AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART. WHEN DRIVING DOWN HILLS, SHE SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL. SHE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS JERKING. SHE WAS ABLE TO GET TO HER DESTINATION AND THEN TOOK IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTICS TEST BUT COULD NOT PINPOINT THE CAUSE FOR FAILURE. SHE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND LEFT A MESSAGE; SHE WAS CURRENTLY AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER TO-DATE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 117,993. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 117,000-BK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA WHICH WAS PURCHASED IN APRIL 2006. HE ALWAYS HEARD A NOISE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT SIMILAR TO ROCKS RATTLING INSIDE THE ENGINE WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS INCLUDING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE NOISES WERE NORMAL FOR HIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF TRANSMISSION. THE NOISES BECAME WORSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DIFFERENT DEALER WHERE THEY VERIFIED THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH THEY FOUND THE FLY-WHEEL ASSEMBLY WAS FAULTY. REPAIRS WERE MADE AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 80,000. UPDATED 12/22/10 *BF UPDATED 12/30/10*JB

JANUARY 2ND 2010 MY WIFE AND I WERE IN OUR 2006 VW JETTA TDI TRAVELING SOUTH ON THE KANSAS TURNPIKE FROM TOPEKA, KANSAS. THE VEHICLE WAS IN CRUISE AT 70MPH IT WAS 7:30AM CLEAR WITH TEMP OF MINUS 2 DEGREE'S. APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES SOUTH OF TOPEKA, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DROPPED DOWN TO 5TH GEAR A SUDDEN AND ABRUPT BANG NOISE WAS HEARD IT SEEMED THAT THE FRONT WHEELS LOCKED FOR A BRIEF MOMENT. MY WIFE HAD JUST UNCLIPPED HER SEAT BELT TO GET SOMETHING FROM THE BACK SEAT WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THIS LOCKING OF THE FRONT WHEELS SLAMMED HER AGAINST THE DASH AND FRONT DOOR POST. I REGAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND MANEUVERED IT TO THE SIDE OF THE TURNPIKE. THERE WAS A RATTLING IN THE TRANSMISSION AREA SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE WHEN I HAD IT AT A DEALERSHIP FOR TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE. I HAD ASKED THEM TO CHECK THE RATTLE? WHEN I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE IT WAS STILL RATTLING, I THOUGHT IT TO BE OK. HOWEVER AFTER THIS INCIDENT, I HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATING THE INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL FAILURES WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THE DSG TRANSMISSION, HOWEVER VW AMERICA HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. IF I HAD BEEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IT WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY CAUSED A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT, WHEN IT LOCKED UP THE FRONT DRIVE WHEEL, WE WERE LUCKY MY WIFE ONLY HAD A VERY BADLY BRUISED SIDE, ARM AND BACK. WE THEN SPENT TWO HOURS ON THE SIDE OF THE TURNPIKE IN FRIGID TEMPS AWAITING A TOW VEHICLE. WE WERE ENROUTE TO A MEDICAL FACILITY IN TEXAS FOR SURGERY ON BOTH OF MY WIVES EYES WE HAD NO TIME TO DO ANYTHING BUT CHANGE TO A MORE DEPENDABLE VEHICLE 2000 BUICK PARK AVE AND CONTINUE ON OUR JOURNEY. I EMAILED THREE VW OF AMERICA CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFICERS, WHO TURNED MY E MAIL REPORT OF THE INCIDENT TO A SUBORDINATE WHO WROTE THAT MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY COULD NOT HELP ME. 66,980 MILES. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS REPORTED CONDITION THAT IS GOING TO TAKE A FATALITY TO GET ACTION..I UNDERSTAND EUROPE SAFETY BOARD HAS ALREADY REQUIRED A VW RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM????????? *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH ON ROUTE 80 IN ROCKAWAY, NJ, THE CAR APPEARED TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL LEAVING ME WITHOUT FORWARD ACCELERATION. MY DASHBOARD TRANSMISSION INDICATOR LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING. I WAS NEARLY MISSED BY HEAVY TRAFFIC WHILE ATTEMPTING TO GET THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT ANY ACCELERATION. I WAITED A FEW MINUTES RESTARTED CAR, IT WENT INTO GEAR AND I PULLED BACK ONTO THE HIGHWAY. IN LESS THAN 500 FEET THE CAR REPEATED THE ABOVE PROCESS AND I ONCE AGAIN HAD TO SAFELY NAVIGATE MY WAY TO THE SHOULDER. AT THIS TIME THE CAR WOULD NOT RE-ENGAGE AND I WAS TOWED TO MY LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP. *TR

MY 2006 VW JETTA TDI STOPPED MOVING WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON JAN 4TH, 2010. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF ISSUES PRIOR TO THE BREAK DOWN. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING FINE, THE PRNDS LIGHT ON THE DASH WERE FLASHING AND THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT RESPOND. AFTER HAVING THE CAR TOWED TO OUR LOCAL VW DEALER WE FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION WENT IN TO FAIL SAFE MODE DUE TO A DSG SYSTEM FAILURE. PER OUR SERVICE REP THE MECHATRONIC UNIT FAILED DUE TO OVER HEATING. OUR VEHICLE IS IN-OPERABLE AND THE REPAIR PART NEEDED WILL TAKE 2 WEEKS OR MORE TO RECEIVE AS THERE IS A RECALL ON THE SAME PART FOR THE SAME FAILURE FOR 2007-2009 VW'S AND AUDI'S. OUR VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, VW DENIED THAT THIS ISSUE IS APART OF THE RECALL AS OUR VIN DOES NOT FIT THE RECALL LIST. THEY AGREED TO ALLOW THE REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY PRICING AND PAY HALF FOR THE REPAIR; THIS WILL COST ME $1254 TO REPAIR THEIR KNOWN ISSUE. *TR

12-31-09 ODI 2006 VW JETTA TDIDSG MECHATRONICS MALFUNCTION MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2009 VOLKSWAGEN 2006 VW JETTATDI DSG WENT TO SAFE MODE (FELT LIKE NEUTRAL) WHILE ACCELERATING ON STREET (JUST EXITED K-96 IN WICHITA, A 65 MPH 4-LANE AND WAS ACCELERATING FOLLOWING RIGHT TURN FROM COMPLETE STOP). SHIFT INDICATOR LIGHTS FLASHING. WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF ROAD AND MANUALLY DOWNSHIFT TO 1ST GEAR. LIMPED HOME AT 15 MPH. COULD NOT PLACE VEHICLE IN REVERSE UNTIL SYMPTOMS RESET (SHIFT INDICATOR NO LONGER FLASHING). TEST DROVE AFTER RESET. RECURRED AS TURNED AND APPLIED BRAKES TO PARK. LET IT SIT. IT RESET. DROVE BACK HOME. RECURRED WHILE TURNING RIGHT NEAR HOME. QUERIED "JUST ASK." TUESDAY, NOV 3RD CALLED VW LOYALTY CARE, FILED REPORT, AND THEN WITH ENGINE COLD, DROVE TO 4.6 MILES TO AUTOZONE FOR DIAGNOSIS SCAN. AT 3.5 MILES, THE DSG MALFUNCTIONED AGAIN. SAME SYMPTOMS. SCANNED. LET IT SIT. DID NOT RESET. LIMPED 1 MILE TOWARD VW DEALERSHIP. CALLED FOR TOW. UPDATED VW LOYALTY CARE FILE. MILEAGE IN: 85,198 WITH SHIFT INDICATOR LIGHTS FLASHING. MATCHES DESCRIPTION OF DSG TRANS SOFTWARE UPDATE RECALL ('09-'10). ALSO MATCHES THE VW MECHATRONICS UNIT SYMPTOMS FOR SOME 45,000 VW 2007+ MODELS (REPLACED AT NO CHARGE AND WARRANTY EXTENDED ON DSG TO 100,000). PROBLEM AREA: NUMEROUS DSG TEMPERATURE SENSOR MALFUNCTIONS AND THINKS INCORRECTLY THAT THE DSG OIL IS OVERHEATING AND PLACES TRANSMISSION IN SAFE MODE. DIAGNOSIS: REPLACED MECHATRONICS UNIT AT $2,433.48 NOTE: FILED WITH VW LOYALTY CENTER ON NOV 3, TOWED AND REPAIRED AT LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP NOV 3-12. UPDATED VW LOYALTY CENTER FILE ON DEC 16, 2009 AND REQUESTED VW TO ADVISE IF THIS LATE YEAR '06 PRODUCTION OVERLAPPED WITH THOSE 2007'S WITH SAME PROBLEM AND GIVEN EXTENDED WARRANTY/REPAIR AT NO COST/REIMBURSEMENT. HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM VW. VEHICLE WAS ONE OF THE LAST 2006 TDI'S TO BE DELIVERED TO THE US UNTIL THE 2009 MODELS WERE ALLOWED BACK IN. *TR

MY 2006 JETTA TDI HAS 69K MILES ON IT. I BRING IT TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE ROUTINELY AND BABY THE CAR. IT SPENDS NEARLY NO TIME IN TRAFFIC AND HAS RUN WELL UNTIL LAST WEEK. LAST WEEK I HEARD A FUNNY SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALER. LONG STORY SHORT, THE FLYWHEEL HAD CRACKED AND IT WILL BE OVER $2K FOR THE FLYWHEEL. VW KNOWS ABOUT THIS BEING A FAULTY PART AND I'VE HEARD THEY'VE HAD A FULL RECALL IN OTHER COUNTRIES. I CALLED VW OF AMERICA AND THEY REFUSE TO PAY FOR IT BECAUSE THE CAR IS SLIGHTLY OUT OF WARRANTY. IT IS BEING REPAIRED IN THE SHOP BECAUSE I CANNOT AFFORD TO BE WITHOUT A CAR. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT, BECAUSE IF I HADN'T BROUGHT THE CAR IMMEDIATELY IN IT COULD HAVE STALLED THE CAR AT HIGH SPEEDS (FREEWAY) AND RUINED THE ENTIRE DRIVETRAIN, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. AGAIN, VW KNEW THIS PART HAS BEEN FAULTY. THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON IT. *TR

2006.5 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI EXPERIENCING SLOW GEAR CHANGES FROM PARK TO REVERSE OR PARK TO FIRST GEAR TAKING OVER 30 SECONDS TO SELECT GEAR ELECTRONICALLY. SHIFTING FROM LOWER GEAR TO HIGHER GEAR RESULTS IN ENGINE REVVING HIGH BEFORE SHIFT IS ACTUALLY MADE RESULTING IN JERKING VEHICLE MOTION OR A STALLED MOTOR CONDITION. SLOW SPEED MANEUVERING SUCH AS SLOW TURNS AND PARTIAL STOPS RESULTS IN THE VEHICLE LOSING FORWARD POWER FOR SEVERAL SECONDS BEFORE THE ENGINE REVS HIGH AGAIN AND SHIFTS INTO GEAR. AT 30 MPH VEHICLE HAS DROPPED OUT OF GEAR RESULTING IN VEHICLE NEEDING TO BE GUIDED TO THE SHOULDER AND POWERED OFF AND BACK ON BEFORE FORWARD MOTION CAN BE RESUMED. VEHICLE ALSO WILL DISPLAY FLASHING PRNDS DISPLAY ON DASHBOARD ON RESUMING FORWARD MOTION RESULTING IN THE TRANSMISSION TO DISENGAGE AND REQUIRES THE VEHICLE TO BE STOPPED, SHUT OFF, AND THEN POWERED BACK ON. VEHICLE IS EXHIBITING NO MECHANICAL NOISE, SMELL, OR ERROR CODES IN THE COMPUTER. DEALER HAS CONFIRMED THERE IS A MALFUNCTIONING MECHATRONIC UNIT AND VWOA HAS CONFIRMED THEY WILL NOT COVER UNDER THEIR RECALL CAMPAIGN DESPITE THESE SYMPTOMS LEADING TO THE CAMPAIGN IN QUESTION. VOLKSWAGEN CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS DENIED A FURTHER INQUIRY INTO THE MANUFACTURING DATES OF THE MECHATRONICS UNITS AND THEIR TECHNICAL REVISIONS, ONLY GOING OFF VEHICLE MODEL YEARS AND BUILD DATES DESPITE OTHER 2006 OWNERS REPORTING IDENTICAL CIRCUMSTANCES WITH THEIR VEHICLES. TECHNICIANS ADVISED AGAINST FURTHER DRIVING OF THE VEHICLE AS THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT RISK OF FAILURE THAT MAY LEAVE THE VEHICLE IMMOBILE IN TRAFFIC. TECHNICIANS WERE ALSO ABLE TO READILY RECONSTRUCT THE ISSUE ON THEIR OWN PROVING THIS IS NOT CAUSED BY DRIVING STYLE. REPAIR COST OF OVER $4000 TO REPLACE FAULTY PART WILL NEED TO BE COVERED BY THE OWNER IN ORDER TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION ON THIS VEHICLE. *TR