volkswagen jetta Problems

volkswagen jetta 2006 Complaints

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

during product evaluation, test drive and upon delivery of my new car, it did not include daytime running lights (drl). after initial service at 5,000 miles, the car suddenly included drl. the dealer explained that he was required by law to activate this feature. the implementation of this function does not include an override switch, nor does it include a darkness sensor that activates the main lights when it gets dark. therefore, when driving the car as dusk approaches the road is illuminated by the drl, the instrument lights are on, and there is no ability to recognize that the actual lights (including tail lights) are not active. i am very concerned that this presents a significant safety hazard that could lead to rear-end collisions side-impact collisions after dark. *nm

Reported in: LAFAYETTE CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K46M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

speedometer is 5.3% fast. not a huge safety problem unless you do a lot of freeway driving and are constantly being passed by irate drivers because you are doing 70 instead of 75 mph. i took the vehicle in and was told it is within spec (5.3%)???? the dealer also said they could replace parts but it would not change the calibration. vw of america tech department was aware of the problem but said "it was within spec". the speedometer is all electronic with a speed sensor - this problem could be easily corrected with a quick software fix. not only did i pay $27000 for a new car that will not give me the correct velocity but i suspect vw of america has used a highly accurate digital speedometer and have knowingly calibrated it at the upper end of the limit in order to publish improved mileage numbers (46 mpg) should be more like 40. *jb

Reported in: WILLCOX AZ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K06M

AIR BAGS

i am continuing to have a problem on my new model 2005 jetta. the airbag light has been on 3 times since august 2005. i am in the process of applying to the lemon law program in ct. i have spoke to the att generals office and this falls under the safety category and feels i should follow through with this. i am frustrated and concerned not knowing for sure if the airbag has been fixed or not since this past week was the third attempt of them fixing the problem. *nm

Reported in: BRISTOL CT || Crash: N || VIN #:

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

one comment i have is regarding the rear exterior turn signal lights. other than the small orange side mirror indicators which are a marginal backup to the rear turn indicators it was still difficult to see the rear turn signals especially when braking as they are red, the same color as the brake lights. when i followed my son home last night i knew he was braking but without the small orange mirror indicator i had no idea he was turning. is there any plan to replace the rear turn signal lenses with orange colored lenses? *jb

Reported in: BIRMINGHAM MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRF71K86M

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

the rear driver's side passenger door could not be opened from the inside nor the outside of the vehicle. i can hear electrical components being activated inside the door while unlocking the door via remote or internal switch, but the door remains locked. luckily, there was no need for an urgent exit. i made an appointment with the local dealer, but once i realized that the failure is intermittent i pushed this appointment to the next service. *nm

Reported in: CORVALLIS OR || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81K26M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

2006 volkswagen jetta, engine makes a very loud rattling noise for the first minute everytime the car is cold and at first startup in the morning...every single day , after reporting the problem to my dealer i was told that this noise is on all 2006 jetta's and the manufacturer is working on solving the problem, i first reported the problem last may 2005 when i first bought the car and i have since made 2 official complaints directly with the manufacturer and with the dealer. i have now warned them a third time and will wait the official 30 days before escalating it to arbitration. *nm

Reported in: LAVAL 00 || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

dt*: the contact stated while driving 50mph and approaching a yield, the clutch was depressed. the clutch stuck to the floor of the vehicle causing the vehicle to loose all transmission function. the vehicle coasted to the side of the road and was towed to the dealer. the dealer determined the transmission failure was due to driver error. the vehicle was then towed to an independent repair shop for further inspection. the repair shop personnel determined the flywheel had broken causing the clutch pressure plate to break. the manufacturer was alerted and no repairs were made.

Reported in: SEWELL NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K96M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

Reported in: SEWELL NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K96M

AIR BAGS

the 'passenger air bag off' light remains illuminated at all times, with no passenger in the seat. this is not problematic in the daytime but, at night, it is a serious safety hazard because of the distraction of a very bright orange light glaring at the driver. if the system is operating normally, whether it's on or off, there should not be a warning light. having that bright orange light illuminated all the time, at night, is not safe. *jb

Reported in: LONGWOOD FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K06M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

on 2/1/06 i leased a new 2006 jetta only to have the engine not start on 2/27/06. i was stuck in a gas station parking lot with a dead cell phone awaiting a tow truck for 1.5 hrs. the car was brought to the dealership and they had no idea what was wrong with it. later that day they told me possibly a fuel pump but weren't sure and that i should arrange for a rent-a-car. they had the car for 3 days and when i picked it up they stated it was a program that needed to be updated and everything is fine. it is now a week and a half later and the ignition key wouldn't turn in the ignition. i continued to switch between my alarm key and mechanic key until it finally turned and started. once on the road the car died in mid drive. the engine completely turned off while doing about 25mpg. thank god there was no one around me, the car came to a stop and restarted immediately and driven back to work. leaving work the car didn't turn over at all. you could hear the cranking of the engine but was not turning over, the same problem as before. the car is now at the dealership again, no loaner car was given to me and there was several complaints already underway. another problem is the cars engines sound. when the car is initially started in the morning it is a hard loud rough sound that gives after a minute or so. *jb

Reported in: COMMACK NY || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

Reported in: COMMACK NY || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

afer 1477 miles, the transmission on my 2006 tdi jetta failed. it has been in the shop for 1 week and the dealer tells me it will take another 2 weeks before the parts come in. i called vw and they said they would discuss arbitration after the car was fixed. they would not take the car back. that's vw quality and service for a $27k car. *nm

Reported in: SOUTH RIDING VA || Crash: N || VIN #:

SUSPENSION:FRONT

i recently purchased a new vw jetta tdi. from day one, the car's front suspension felt and sounded "loose." at 700 miles i took the car to the dealer, who informed me that the bolts for the car's tie rods and other parts of the suspension were not tightened to specification. it is obvious that the car came from the factory like this. this could have led to a catastrophic failure. *nm

Reported in: BALTIMORE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K36M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS

upon application of the car's brake, the upper rear brake light bleeds light into the rear window. this obscures vision through the rear window at night, especially in very low ambient light conditions. i have asked the dealer to take care of this under warranty, and their position is that this is not a safety or design issue. i have not been involved in an accident yet due to this design flaw, but i do consider this a safety issue that needs to be addressed. *nm

Reported in: ALBUQUERQUE NM || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71KX6M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

the speedometer incorrectly reflects the rate of speed at which the vehicle is traveling. this can be verified by using a gps unit which will accurately reflect the "true" speed at which the vehicle is traveling. in general, the vehicle's speedometer reflects a speed that is 5-7 mph greater than the vehicles actual speed. for example, while driving on the highway, the speedometer displays the rate of speed as 70 mph, when the vehicle is actually traveling only 64 mph. you can visit the website http://www.tdiclub.com or http://www.vwvortex.com and view the forums to verify that this is an issue with all new vw jetta vehicles and possibly other vw models. i as well as other jetta owners would like to have this issue corrected so that our speedometers accurately reflect the rate of speed at which we are traveling. *nm

Reported in: LAUREL MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81K26M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

while driving my new 2006 jetta tdi motor vehicle with a total mileage on the odometer reading of approximately 385 miles, on june 12, 2006, on i-84 in waterbury, ct. the motor vehicle stalled while traveling in the left hand lane of the highway. at the time of the stall, the vehicle transmission was operating in the drive mode, in 5th gear with rpms at approximately 1300 rpm. during the stall the vehicle exhibited intermittent power, while the instrument panel exhibiting a flashing numeral 3, on the gear indicator. i maneuvered the vehicle to the breakdown lane with much difficulty as the engine stalled out completely. this maneuver caused a major interruption to the flow of traffic on the highway and a serious safety risk to me and other motorists on the highway. after pulling over the breakdown lane, i was able to restart the vehicle and proceed to my destination, during which time the vehicle operated normally. on june 15, 2006, driving with approx. 484 miles, while on rt. 8 southbound in waterbury, ct. the subject motor vehicle stalled once again while driving in the left hand lane. i once again was forced to make another emergency crossing of a major connecticut highway in a stalled vehicle. *nm

Reported in: WATERTOWN CT || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K76M

SEATS

seat improperly designed for a 2006 volkswagen jetta gli severe leg discomfort. leg bolsters and unadjustable angle of seat make the driver position leg awkwardly causing the seat to dig into leg. after 6 months, leg pain is constant. contacted volkswagen and will not fix seats without a recall. should be fixed at dealers expense. not buyer. *nm

Reported in: PAINESVILLE OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWXJ71K56M

SEATS

driver's seat clicks/clunks and noticeable movement can be felt in the seat around where the seat back connects to the seat bottom on the right side. this occurs when accelerating, braking, or making turns. this started occurring for no apparent reason. took the car to dealer - they could not reproduce the noise/movement. waited a couple weeks, then took back to dealer. dealer was able to verify noise and movement - they said that the seat frame bolts were not torqued to spec and tightened the seat bolts. the next day the noise and movement returned. this concerns me from a safety standpoint - i do not want the seat to come apart in the event of an accident. *nm

Reported in: LEXINGTON KY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWWJ71K06M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

in the last few weeks my husband and i have noticed a chemical smell similar to wet paint occasionally emitting from the a/c vents. in the last two days, it has become constant and i have refrained from using the a/c for fear that it is something harmful. we have looked the car over, ran the a/c and blower while out of the car and checked everything we can think of with no solution. the dealership suggested we spray lysol in the air intake and see if that helps, but i do not want to mask the odor especially if it something with which we should be concerned. *nm

Reported in: MARKHAM VA || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

the clutch on my 2006 vw jetta tdi has started to fail. the car has 43,000 highway miles on it. i have read several complaints on the clutch failing on 2006's due to not being built heavy enough to withstand the additional torque of the new tdi engine. lujak's vw in davenport, ia told me the repair would cost $1300 to $2500 and that generally speaking vw will not warranty this problem after 12,000 miles. *jb

Reported in: WORDEN IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K06M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

the clutch on my husbands 2006 jetta tdi is going out. it only has 44, 000 miles on it. he has owned six manual transmission cars in the past, never having to replace a clutch in less than 110,000 and even then it was not the clutch worn out but the throw out bearing fell apart. we have done several searches on the internet on vw tdi clutches. one thing we found out is that this is a common problem with 2005.5 and early 2006. vw of europe has issued recalls on the 2006 passat tdi only sold overseas. i believe that the same clutch was used in the early 2006 jettas. audi has issued a recall on there a3 with the tdi engine that was produced from june of 2003 till the end of 2004. on 6/24/2005 the los angeles times reports that vw is recalling 44,000 of its touran vans worldwide to fix a clutch problem. i have found several complaints on www.uk-mkiv.net where the golf and jetta are referred to as mkv or the 5th edition and on www.audi-sport.net for the audi a3 tdi and on www.tdiclub.com and http://forums.vwvortex.com. also there is a reuters news report dated june 29, 2006 that states the passat recall and makes mention of earlier recalls for the golf, golf plus, jetta and touran. vw sells far more tdi diesel cars in europe so it would be advantageous for then to issue a recall there. all of the cars that have problems have the dual mass flywheel and most are tdi diesel cars. volkswagen is blaming the owners because it does not have a large number of the tdi vehicles in the usa and has no 2007 tdi diesel cars due to emissions requirements. when many are experienced manual transmission drivers that have not had clutch problems with other vehicles. while the foreign cars are not exactly the same most share many common parts from the same manufacturers. *jb

Reported in: WORDEN IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K06M

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

i purchased a 2006 vw jetta (diesel) that has a 3-5 mph speedometer error in the driver's analog display. the displayed speed is lower than actual. this has caused numerous cars to pass me. this is a potential safety concern. i was told by the manufacturer that this working as designed. i installed a scan tool on the car and it reads the correct speed, while the analog display is reading 3-5 mph slower than actual. the manufacturer claims that the analog display is set for differing tire sizes. *jb

Reported in: ROCKFORD MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VMST81K16M

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

speedometer displays 3-5 mph slower speed than actual. technical service bulletin from manufacturer tt-06-19 says its by design. problems causes cars to pass creating safety concern. *jb

Reported in: ROCKFORD MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K16M

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

unable to determine actual vehicle speed. speedometer off by at least 5 mph. factory considers this normal. traffic flow may or may not be according to safe driving conditions and without accurate instrument driver unable to make a safe speed judgment. *jb

Reported in: JEFFERSON TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K46M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

speedometer is not accurate and in time i found this to be a safety issue. at first it was trucks running up on my rear bumper beeping horns at me. so when i discovered the speedometer was registering slow, i sped up. but then how much you can not tell and i find myself breaking when i see a patrol car. i was maybe 1 or 2 over but yet you just do not know. its a distraction that i find may cause a safety issue while driving. vw does this to conform to a european standard. this could be easily calibrated out as the cars computer is aware of the correct speed as vw claims the odometer is not affected. unecessary breaking or a road raged truck driver are safety issues. *nm

Reported in: OKEECHOBEE FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K56M

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

purch new vehicle - vw jetta 2006 (10/10/05). brake failure at 10k mi. (repairs at vw dlrship 12/05). replaced brake pads & rotors. brake failure at 20k mi. (repairs at vw dlrship 2/06). replaced brake pads & calipers. brake failure at 30k mi (repairs at vw dlrship 4/06), replaced brake pads & abs. brake failure at 50k mi (repairs crrnt at vw dlrship 8/06), sched'd to replace master cylinder & brake pads. *nm

Reported in: RIVERBANK CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPG71K26M

SEATS

2006 jetta gli - when seats are occupied they make a metal creaking sound upon acceleration and braking. it appears to be a weak component in (manual) seat frame. concern: possibility of seat frame malfunctioning during an accident. dealer statement: normal. *jb

Reported in: FONTANA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWXJ71K76M

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

filled up my 2006 jetta tdi and diesel fuel came out all over the car and the ground. the fuel filler design will not accommodate the larger diameter truck diesel nozzle, but that's all there was available at the service station (and at most service stations along the interstate). the previous generation fuel filler did accommodate the larger diameter diesel nozzles so i don't know what vw was thinking. vw needs to issue a recall and fix this asap. it is a safety issue due to spilled diesel fuel. *jb

Reported in: COLCHESTER VT || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

2006 volkswagen jetta tdi with 12,469 miles had complete clutch failure. center of the clutch was completely blown out. volkswagen replaced as we were only 469 miles over warranty but upon investigation there seems to be a design flaw in the clutch which volkswagen will not acknowledge. *nm

Reported in: BELVIDERE NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K36M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

i have a 06' jetta it has 10,000 miles on it and has had several problems. 1. stero broke after 2 mo. and 6 cd's were stuck in damaged cd player and i still have not recieved them back like i was told after 4 months of being fixed. 2.paint was peeling off front bumper, was repaired. 3. back center console would not stay in place. 4.steering wheel makes sqeaking noise when turned to the right. 5.hazard button fell into dash. 6.paint is now peeling again. 7.chrome on wheel is peeling. 8.a brand new transmission had to be put in after 3 attempts of fixing it vw tech support told the valencia service department to just replace it. 9.when replacing the transmission the service department noticed that the drive shaft which is holding the axel spinndeles and wheels altogether to the steering wheel. the bolt was stripped and tech support said it was a factory malfunction and unsafe to drive unless fixed .we came to find out the squeaking noise from the steering wheel was due to this problem. *nm

Reported in: VALENCIA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRG71K56M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING: REAR COMPARTMENT/TRUNK

Reported in: VALENCIA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRG71K56M

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

Reported in: VALENCIA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRG71K56M

STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM

Reported in: VALENCIA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRG71K56M

STRUCTURE

Reported in: VALENCIA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRG71K56M

OTHER

Reported in: VALENCIA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRG71K56M

WHEELS

Reported in: VALENCIA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRG71K56M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

i had to come to a complete stop to not rear end a car that was not moving. when i put on the brakes so forcefully, it apparently messed up my transmission and clutch. i couldn't get my car into gear. i had to have the car towed to vw of van nuys where the service agent said it was my fault that the clutch was burnt out, even though i only had 7500 miles on the car. after researching this problem on the internet, it appears to be a problem with this car regarding the clutch. i was able to talk the dealership into covering this with my warranty but felt it's important to let you guys know because i'm not the only one who is having this problem. *jb

Reported in: SHERMAN OAKS CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPG71K16M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

there is a design flaw in the engine/transmission of my 2006 jetta tdi. always when rolling slowly and sometimes from a standing stop, pressing hard on the accelerator to pull out into traffic there is a 1-2 second lag before anything happens. it is as if the engine totally bogs down and then catches sometimes throwing your head back, but more importantly delaying the acceleration. i had purchased this vehicle for a 16 year old child, but cannot let him drive it for this reason. *jb

Reported in: NAPLES FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K86M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

traveling in stop and go traffic on an upgrade toward george washington bridge. i stepped on clutch to shift but could not. the clutch pedal was nailed to the floor. i coasted into a gas station and turned off engine. the smell of clutch burning was very pronounced. the vw roadside assistance would not tow me anywhere but to the nearest dealer or anywhere else for that matter unless under 15 miles. i would have to pay for any towing beyond that. the car was ultimately towed to the dealer from whom the car was purchased. vwoa covered the replacement clutch only as a courtesy one time. they said the clutch was not covered by the warranty. i had the car for one week. it had 289 miles total! i am concerned that the vehicle is not actually fixed and that vwoa knows the clutch assembly is inadequate for the car. the old parts are not available as far as i know. i am not sure at this time what parts other than the clutch plate and flywheel were replaced. *jb

Reported in: MONTCLAIR NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K56M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT PANEL

speedometer reads 10 to 15 percent high. at 65 mph the speedometer reads 73 mph. dealer stated this is a common problem with jetta's and they were unable to correct. *jb

Reported in: AUSTIN TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71KX6M

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

speedometer reads 10 to 15 percent high. at 65 mph the speedometer reads 73 mph. dealer stated this is a common problem with jetta's and they were unable to correct. *jb

Reported in: AUSTIN TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71KX6M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

i leased my 2006 jetta 2.0 in january 2006. currently the car has stalled on me 4 times and i have had numerous failed starts. the vehicle fails to start when i use the main key and the valet key. this problem has become pretty consistent now that i have put more miles on the vehicle. i am now at 20k and its been a headache all the way. i can only be thankful that when the car stalled on me on numerous occasions that i was not in heavy traffic. the dealership says that they can not identify the problem and therefore there is nothing that can be done. supposedly, the car starts without a problem when it is in their service bay. in addition, when i first got the vehicle, my back seat latches were broken causing the back seat to lunge forward during hard stops and turns. this made my jetta a two passenger vehicle! also, the hazard lights and switches were malfunctioning. the front suspension or the brakes make a grinding noise or they have a loose feel, i haven't been able to put my finger on it yet. im taking it to the dealership once again tomorrow! my steering column make a faint squeaking noise during turns, i have no idea what that problems is. in the morning after i can get the car started the engine is loud for about two minutes. the dealer fixed the latch problems but the other problems go unfixed and remain a huge mystery. *jb

Reported in: RIVERSIDE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWAJ71K86M

SEATS

Reported in: RIVERSIDE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWAJ71K86M

SUSPENSION

Reported in: RIVERSIDE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWAJ71K86M

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Reported in: RIVERSIDE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWAJ71K86M

VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES

it has come to the notice of several vw 2006 jetta tdi owners that the rearview mirror does not operate correctly when flipped for nighttime use. the mirror over adjust and has the potential to obscure the drivers ability to see out the back window. an informal discussion of others noticing this design flaw can be found at: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=155017. *nm

Reported in: SAVANNAH GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K36M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS

brake lights remain on after car is shut off. *nm

Reported in: SCHWENKSVILLE PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPF71K56M

VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:INTERIOR

rear view mirror - day/night function defective. driver operation between positions day or night will lead to a false vehicle orientation which could lead to a collision. *nm

Reported in: VAIL CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81KX6M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

the standard (non-xenon) highbeams on 2005 and 2006 jettas are defective. due to a design flaw, they do not add any useful light to the road surface, but only illuminate the tops of trees. there is no separate adjustment for the highbeam; the high and low beams move as a unit. if you lower the highbeam to make it useful, the low beam becomes too low. *nm

Reported in: BALTIMORE MD || Crash: N || VIN #:

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

the high beam headlamp assemblies on my 2006 volkswagen jetta tdi are designed in a manner that i feel is extremely dangerous. the design of these headlamps is such that the high beams cannot be adjusted independently of the low beams. when the low beams are aimed correctly, the high beams are aimed far too high to be effective. this headlamp design could most definitely result in an accident and i do not understand how they are even consistent with the dot lighting code. *nm

Reported in: MCKINNEY TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K06M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

registered prior to an accident: 2006 volkswagen jetta headlight system : the low beams and the high beams are not independently adjustable. while the low beams are normal to good quality while illuminating the roadway, the high beams are set too high. the high beams are not usable for night time driving in ¿�open range¿� country. they do not illuminate anything on the roadway and are essentially useless. an estimate is at about 100 ft distance in front of the vehicle the center of the high beam is about 10 ft above the roadway. to see a person or animal on the roadway at a distance of 500 ft is impossible. the vw dealer said there is nothing that can be done to lower the high beam aim point. this is the only vehicle in 50 years of driving that i have had this problem with. *nm

Reported in: TUCSON AZ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K26M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

the headlamp assemblies on my 2006 volkswagen jetta tdi are designed in a manner that i feel is extremely dangerous. when the low beams are aimed correctly, the high beams are aimed far too high to be effective. the design of these headlamps is such that the high beams cannot be adjusted independently of the low beams. this headlamp design could most definitely result in an accident. *nm

Reported in: PORT ANGELES WA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K66M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

unadjustable aim of headlights on 2006 vw jetta tdi. right and left lights are adjustable side-to-side, but i was told by the dealer that "the high and low beams on each side are all one unit and cannot be adjusted up or down separately." i find this completely unacceptable, since the high beams do not add any distance or width to the light field on the road. they do, however, light up the tree-tops nicely. high-beams which are useless at highway speeds and cannot be made functional without rendering the standard low-beam focus unacceptably short is a safety hazard. correction seems to require redesigned components. unacceptable brake light reflection in rear window. brake light housing at top of rear window is not flush to the glass, but approximately 3/8ths of an inch away. this causes a large red glare in the rear window when brakes are used in dark or near-dark situations. dealer said " according to design". i feel this is a safety hazard due to the obscuring of visibility to the rear when brakes are in use. rear-view mirror dimming switch does not align mirror with previous setting. this requires driver to move the mirror after switching to dim upcoming headlights.

Reported in: HANOVER PARK IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT81K16M

VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:INTERIOR

Reported in: HANOVER PARK IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT81K16M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

Reported in: LAKE ORION MI || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

consumer complaint concerning the 2005-2006 a5 jetta inaccurate speedometer reading. *ts the speedometers reads 4-5 mph higher than the vehicle's actual speed. *nm

Reported in: ROME NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWAJ71K56M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

dt*: the contact stated while driving 30 mph on normal road conditions the high beams were observed to be too high although the road was not illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealership who determined the adjustment could only be made to either for the low beams or the high beam. however, if the high beam was adjusted to the appropriate level, the low beam would become too low with the consequence of no road illumination. a second dealership was contacted who also was unable to repair the defect. the manufacturer was contacted and acknowledged the problem and promised to call back however the call was never received.

Reported in: CORBETT OR || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71KX6M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

the high beam headlamp assemblies on my 2006 volkswagen jetta tdi cannot be adjusted properly and i feel this creates a dangerous situation. the design of these headlamps is such that the high beams cannot be adjusted independently of the low beams. when the low beams are aimed correctly, the high beams are aimed far too high to be effective. the dealer claims the headlights are adjusted properly however the focus of the high beams it literally pointed up in the trees. this headlamp design could most definitely result in an accident. *nm

Reported in: HUMMELSTOWN PA || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

2006 vw jetta tdi automatic. stopped at stop light. when light turned green the car would go but would not shift. pulled off road and tried to restart. after restart car would not move. car has been in shop for 20 calendar days at this point. *jb

Reported in: BLOOMINGTON IL || Crash: N || VIN #:

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

the high and low headlights are not capable of being adjusted independently. this is a safety concern because per manufacturer spec, the low beams are appropriately aimed, but the high beams illuminate only trees. if the headlights are adjusted so that the high beams are appropriately aimed, the low beams only illuminate a useless distance in front of the car. *nm

Reported in: CENTREVILLE VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K36M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

1. 2006 vw jetta tdi 5-speed: clutch filed to operate at 18,000 miles, slipping & burning 2. 2006 vw jetta tdi 5-speed: clutch and dual mass flywheel failed at 18,000 miles 3. dealer replace at cost of $2,500. dealer stated not covered under warranty, filed complaint with vw of america. damaged parts available for inspection. *jb

Reported in: HOLBROOK NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81K16M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

my 2006 tdi seems to have had a clutch failure at 8950 miles. i was sitting in traffic and the engine started smoking and giving off a large amount of noxious fumes and wouldn't accelerate. i waited for towing outside on the freeway in sub-zero temperature. it was a saturday so waited until monday for it to go to the shop. the dealer says they were unable to re-create the problem and sent me off with the fail-prone car. i am very unhappy with volkswagen, if this is their idea of customer satisfaction. *jb

Reported in: PORTLAND OR || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81KX6M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT PANEL

the speedometer on the 2006 jetta, tdi reads 5 miles per hour lower then indicated speed by gps and highway radar. the dealer and volkswagen customer service sites the sae guidelines allowing an error of up to 6 mile per hour. when asked for a copy of the document volkswagen would not provide it. i was not notified at purchase that the speedometer and odometer were in error on all jetta cars. the odometer and speedometer error was not disclosed although the expected miles per gallon were disclosed based on faulty instrumentation. *nm

Reported in: EDGERTON MO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K36M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

i noticed high beams were very high right after i took delivery in nov. 2005. because, at the time, i did very little night driving, it didn't bother me. it wasn't until about october,2006, when i had some night local driving to do, that i noticed how the high-beams so nicely lit up my neighbors second story windows. i quickly learned to use 'low-beams only" in our development!!! i called ton bush motors in jacksonville to ask if they had found a cure for this problem. they said the service mgr said he thought he could take care of it. as i have been following these complaints for a while on the 'net, my first thought was "oh, sure." on 12/20/06, i left the car with the service people. within 30 minutes they paged me, saying that it's all set. that night, i drove the car all thru' the development....... not a single case of second story lighting !!! and the low-beams give adequate coverage. i drove onto florida a1a the next night south to st augustine, and had great visibility the whole way. i don't know what "tech 336" did, but my lights are now fine. *jb

Reported in: PONTE VEDRA BCH FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K46M

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

1) vehicle is a 2006 vw jetta, package 1 manual transmission; driving vehicle normally; no abnormal braking incidents or accidents whatsoever. 2) rear brake pads on driver's side worn down to rivets at around 11k miles; this resulted in scored rear driver's side rotor; passenger side rear pads also worn down but no damage to rotor yet; front brake pads still in excellent condition for both sides. apparently for the 2006 vw jetta, the rear pads wear out before the front pads. i consider this a major design defect especially since the rear brake system is not designed to be the primary brake load carrier, at least based on the size and construction of the rotors: a) front rotors are 25mm ventilated b) rear rotors are 12mm unventilated the rear brakes wearing out before the fronts for the vw jetta is a common problem and this should be looked into. search the vw forums and you will find many cases of this. 3) vw will be replacing both rear rotors and pads under warranty; not sure about keeping the old parts since the work will be done under vw warranty. the replacement of the parts is good but i'm not sure if this solves the ultimate issue of the rear brake biasing which is causing this problem in the first place. either the entire vw jetta brake system and/or the brake proportioning valve needs further investigation. *nm

Reported in: LA HONDA CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

2006 vw jetta has brake problem - off road at dealer>30 days. dealer told us to pick up the car & that they were "done" with the car. vw brought to two other ase mechanics who checked the brakes and found them defective. *jb

Reported in: BEACON FALLS CT || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPG71K86M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

the headlights are defective. when low beams are properly adjusted the high beams are too high. so high that there is a black line between the top of the low bean cut off and the bottom of the high beam start. *jb

Reported in: WERNERSVILLE PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K06M

SEAT BELTS:FRONT

my passenger side seat belt in my 2006 vw jetta needed replacement. once retracted it would not come out, so i could not have a passenger in the front of my vehicle. vw is replacing the seat belt. *nm

Reported in: ALEXANDRIA VA || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

when starting in drive, at a stop light, car does not accelerate as it would normally would, but just creeps forward from 3 to 10 seconds, then it begins to accelerate normally. *jb

Reported in: HASTINGS MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K36M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

when starting in drive, at a stop light, car does not accelerate as it would normally would, but just creeps forward from 3 to 10 seconds, then it begins to accelerate normally. *jb

Reported in: HASTINGS MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K36M

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC

28k miles... rear brakes worn down into the metal, requiring new rear brakes and rotors. front have 75% remaining. vw authorizes $150 assistance on labor but refuses to call brakes defective. *nm

Reported in: OWINGS MILLS MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWSF71K96M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

clutch flywheel problems with my 2006 jetta tdi. left me stranded on highway with only 37 k miles on it. dealer says not covered under warranty as wear and tear, this is the second time it has needed to be replaced in 1 year. we were exiting off of a highway and the clutch stayed depressed stuck to the floor and the transmission was not working. *nm

Reported in: STURGEON BAY WI || Crash: N || VIN #:

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

Reported in: MONROE NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K46M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

tl*- the contact stated that after driving the 2006 volkswagen tdi diesel and coming to a stop she put the vehicle in park and the vehicle continued to roll about 4-6 inches further. the contact stated that this was a safety problem, if someone were in front of the vehicle it could hit him/her. this was noticed after buying the vehicle. the contact took the vehicle to the dealership and was informed that there was no adjustment to be made on the vehicle. the contact took the vehicle to another dealership called wallace volkswagen in tennessee. he stated that the service manager was waiting for a volkswagen representative to come in to the dealership and have him look at the vehicle. the sales manager informed the contact that this was a problem. the failure mileage was 40 miles and the current mileage was 24,800.*ak consumer states while getting oil change the dealer was notified of the problem by adjusting cable on gear shift but to no avail the problem is still yet to be fixed. 4/23/07

Reported in: BRISTOL TN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K46M

AIR BAGS

the manufacturer of my vehicle and the dealer have informed me that my volkswagen tdi's wiring harness was crushed due to a foreign object underneath the seat. although i am contesting that the object is mine, i do think it is of concern that the wiring harness is not secured or protected in any way, and any objects that slide underneath the seat may crush this harness and may possibly render the airbag system useless. *jb

Reported in: ANDOVER KS || Crash: N || VIN #:

AIR BAGS

wife stated that when she hit brakes it was hard to stop car ,did not slow, rear ended a suv at about 30 mph which pushed front end up to windshield above bumper, pushed engine into firewall. she incurred major seat belt bruising with no air bag deployment. after inspection the insurance company found that two sensors had been distorted along with cracked engine mounts and bent cradle. they totaled the car due in part to no air bag deployment,t and felt that the car would be unsafe after repairs. after contacting volkswagen, they said that air bag deployment should not have happened. but what if my wife had jumped into the car and forgot to put the seat belt on she would have gone through the windshield. i feel that this is a major safety defect since most accidents would over ride the bumper due to low bumper height. volkswagen does not seem to think this is a problem from the pictures i sent them and our talk on the phone. *ak

Reported in: NEW LENOX IL || Crash: Y || VIN #: 3VWRF81K56M

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK

Reported in: NEW LENOX IL || Crash: Y || VIN #: 3VWRF81K56M

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

in january something broke off from the transmission and killed the entire engine. it got a new engine and a new transmission. that has led to a slew of other different problems from minor rattles to dangerous exhaust leaks and oil leaks. corporate vw was only able to give me two months credit on my loan which from reading everywhere is just their way of getting us to shut up. now my rear brakes are metal to metal and i have a bearing problem. i have read that this is a common problem but my service department states that i caused it by hitting a curb which in turn ruined the bearing. i think the bearing was ruined when they put in the new engine and screwed with the torque.

Reported in: AUSTIN TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K36M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

Reported in: AUSTIN TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K36M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

our 2006 volkswagen tdi was towed to the dealer again yesterday for clutch problems. at 2 months with 5,000 miles the clutch would intermittently not engage. was able to drive it to dealer , and dealer replaced master cylinder, bleed system and reassembled. at 6 months, with 15,000 miles the clutch failed, stranding us along the highway. had it towed to the dealer, who removed the transmission, and inspected dual mass flywheel. slipped throw out, bearing came apart, the fork for bearing slid into pressure plate. replaced flywheel, clutch plate, pressure throw out bearing fork and spring. - at 9 months with 20,000 miles transmission whined in third gear and had a harsh shift in all gears. while driving to dealer the car popped out of gear. dealer found transmission leaking fluid from bell housing. called volkswagen, and was told to check for cracks in case. removed case ,and inspected for cracks. had hairline cracks. removed and replaced transmission, and reassembled and added fluid." this repair took the longest as the dealer has to wait for parts. the car was at the dealer this time for over three weeks. 4- 10 months with 22,000 miles three weeks after last repair we were again stranded at the side of the road. at a stop sign depressed clutch, put car in first, started to move and car made a loud noise and clutch was dead again. towed to dealer ,and we are waiting to hear again from them. both my husband and i have been driving stick shift for over 20 years each. our dealer has never suggested that we don't know how to drive a stick shift although i have seen online this was often said as soon as the clutch went out. everything so far has been replaced at no cost to us. the manual transmission was very unreliable, and in heavy traffic it could easily lead to an accident. luckily, while we drive many miles it was mostly country highways. *ak

Reported in: MAZON IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K06M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

Reported in: MAZON IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K06M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that she felt the vehicle's clutch slipping while driving 5 mph. the dealer stated that the clutch assembly needed replacing. the contact stated that she experienced the clutch slipping, difficulty switching gears, and the vehicle has stalled since the vehicle was purchased. the vin, purchase date, and engine size were unknown. the current mileage is 33,000 and failure mileage was 31,000.

Reported in: WINSTON SALEM NC || Crash: N || VIN #:

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

the car jumps into gear and lurches because of a hydraulic brake switch in the master cylinder that appears to tick or be delayed in transmitting the on /ff signal to the accelerator circuit which during the delay appears unresponsive as it is designed not to alow accellerating in gear while the brake is on. when the brake switch turns off , delayed up to 5 seconds, the car lurches forward as the driver expects that the accelerator is not working and keeps preassing on the gas. this lurch is very unsagfe and caused by a sticky or delayed brake switch. i have had the switch replaced once already but all of the switches appear to behave in the same unsafe, delayed manner.*ak to reproduce the delay, put an automatic transmission 2006 jetta tdi into drive and watch the "foot on brake" indicator on the dashborad turn off 1-5 seconds after the foot is taken off the brake.

Reported in: SEATTLE WA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K16M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

Reported in: SEATTLE WA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K16M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

clutch has failed twice while driving. first time march 2007 at 8,000 miles. clutch and flywheel replaced and failed again may 2007 at 10,000 miles.

Reported in: PHILADELPHIA PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWSF71K76M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/LINKAGE

grinding sound when clutch pedelal is deessed, shuddering at take off. dealer and vw will not warranty at 29000 miles cost of a new clutch $2500. *ak

Reported in: DANBURY WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81K36M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

i was driving on i-80, i moved to the off ramp , and when i pushed the clutch, it went all the way down to the floor. the 2006 jetta tdi with 26 000 miles now needed a new clutch and flywheel, $1700 repair bill. the new clutcha nd flywheel were not the same as the original. the replacement parts have been upgraded by volkwagen, why? maybe the original clutch was defective. or volkswagen did not take into account the added torque of the new pd engine. very annoying. *ak

Reported in: PHILADELPHIA PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K96M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

Reported in: PHILADELPHIA PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K96M

AIR BAGS

airbag light keeps coming on with an intermittent airbag fault. 3rd time for the repair. this has been a continual problem since july 2006. only 3 months after purchase. *ak

Reported in: PHILADELPHIA PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K96M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

around 12-13k mi a lot of strange vibration appeared on the clutch pedals, a lot of pulsation during take offs and shifts, slight grinding noice during shifts, vibration from the engine compartment and the shift leaverage at around 2k rpm. makes it easy to stall especialy during hot days. dealer identify the problem as the failing dmf and throw-out bearing and possibly a spring/pressure plate. the clutch disk itself was not slipping.

Reported in: ROCHESTER NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K36M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

i was driving my 2006 vw jetta tdi on freeway doing about 60 mph when i needed to down shift from traffic and when depressing the clutch it stuck to the floor managed to get to the side of the road called dealer i bought the car from. then told me to try to pull up the clutch pedal and if so try pumping the clutch and if feels good then give it a try. so i did ,the pedal cam up, i pumped it felt ok i just started the car , slowly released the clutch the car shot forward and died with a clunk. so i had the car towed to the nearest dealer ( not mine ). talking to the service rep he told me their has been a problem with these clutches and they had done eight of the same year and model under warranty . i called to see if it was ready they told me it is not covered under warranty and that the car was ready to be picked up and i owed them $2700.00 for the repairs ie; new clutch, pressure plate, flywheel and bearing. i complained to no avail. my car has 20,000 miles and other problems they have not figured out yet.

Reported in: OKOTOKS 00 || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWNT71K66M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

after about 22,000 miles the engine started losing power, and the clutch started making noises and vibrations upon engaging/disengaging. the first time it happened we were driving on the interstate, so the loss of power was really dangerous. the dealership replaced the whole flywheel and clutch assembly. *ak

Reported in: STERLING VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K16M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

Reported in: STERLING VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K16M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT PANEL

i have a 2006 vw jetta tdi with an automatic. the speedometer reads 5 mph fast and they refuse to fix it. i believe this is a safety issue.

Reported in: FREELAND MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWCT71K56M

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. while driving 50 mph, the contact depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to decelerate. she shifted into neutral in order to slow down the vehicle. the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. the current mileage was 14,000 and failure mileage was 12,000.

Reported in: NORTH HAVEN CT || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPG71K76M

TIRES:SIDEWALL

contipro tires. three of the tires on my new car have had sidewalls bulges. the first i feel was my fault. i drove on the tire that had low tire pressure. but the two other tires have not had any compromising situations. each tire had less than 5,000 miles on it. continental tire warranty is a joke, they have been no assistance. i have never had tires fail me, i have always just worn them out.

Reported in: HANNIBAL MO || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

at 65 mph there was a brief lockup of the front wheels, stalling of the engine followed by a loud mechanical grinding noise. stopped vehicle, popped hood, noted engine to shake violently to the extent that the oil dipstick came loose. brought vehicle to dealership. informed by service that failure is due to disintegration of the dual mass flywheel located between the engine and the automatic transmission. debris from the flywheel lead to destruction of the transmission housing. later, when talking to a mechanic, found out that this is the second jetta with the dsg automatic transmission that had a dmf failure in addition to three catastrophic dmf failures on manual transmission jettas). as this has the potential to lead to complete lockup of the front wheels at highway speeds with potentially dire consequences, i believe that this is a safety relevant issue that might warrant being addressed by nhtsa. *ak

Reported in: FARGO ND || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K26M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

vehicle failed to start on multiple occasions due to insufficient battery charge. owner observed brake lights including chmsl would come on independently while the vehicle was parked, shut off, and unoccupied with no brake pedal application. no other lights were on at the same time interior, headlights, turn signals were on. this was presumably the cause of the battery drain issue. on multiple occasions after jump starting the vehicle owner observed loss of power while trying to accelerate. input to the accelerator was momentarily ineffective and had trouble maintaining highway speed. the engine did not stall and no fault codes were generated. power was restored after a few seconds, but the symptoms would occur several times during a drive. vehicle was brought to a volkswagen dealership service facility (lindsay vw in sterling, va) on 7/13/2007. the owner described the above symptoms to the service advisor. the owner was called later on the same date and told that the dealership could not verify the claim and that no repair was performed. took car to a different dealer (fairfax vw) who correctly diagnosed the problem as a faulty brake light switch. the repair part is the same part used in the recall. the car was fixed under warranty and the repair invoice even states "recall" on it but the dealer says my car is not part of the recall and i never received notification.

Reported in: HERNDON VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWSF71KX6M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BATTERY

Reported in: HERNDON VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWSF71KX6M

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

Reported in: HERNDON VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWSF71KX6M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

clutch flywheel problems with my 2006 jetta tdi. left me stranded on highway with only 41 k miles on it. the vehicle is in the shop and under review. i'm concerned over the number of clutch failures at such low mileage. i am very gentle with my clutch.

Reported in: OMAHA NE || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

i went to stop at a light pushed in my clutch and when it got to the floor it clicked ever so quietly and wouldn't return to engaged position. i pulled the clutch pedal back up off the floor and now it can't be pushed more than 3/4 of the way to the floor and if you try while the engine is running you get an awful grinding noise. clutch plate flew apart. *jb

Reported in: LONGVIEW WA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K56M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

clutch in my 2006 jetta tdi (manufactured 02/06) went out while driving down the highway at 70 mph. i lost ability to shift gears and vehicle is currently at the dealership for repairs. dealer says that it is the clutch but from what i have researched these cars (manufactured before 03/06) have a faulty dual mass flywheel that comes apart and then tears up the clutch. *jb

Reported in: MCKINNEY TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K36M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

clutch assembly in both my 2006 vw jetta's had to be replaced, because of incorrect assembly at plant. one is running well, the other one is still not running properly.

Reported in: LAKELAND FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K96M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

flywheel and clutch catastrophic failure. clutch pedal went completely to floor and engine seized up. clutch would not disengage engine and was seized up. driver was operating vehicle at low speed when failure occurred. if failure had happened at highway speeds it likely would have resulted in high-speed wreck.

Reported in: BOULDER CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K46M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

faulty clutch and flywheel. flywheel blew apart and destroyed clutch. the incident nearly caused an accident which could have possibly killed my entire family. *jb

Reported in: MASON OH || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

only 48,000 miles on the car and the clutch/flywheel are shot. according to an independent trans shop this is the second time its been rebuilt with vw parts. *jb

Reported in: NEWNAN GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K86M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT PANEL

my speedometer is reading fast (when i am going 75 it reads 80) when compared to radar and gps. i took my vehicle in to my dealer and they informed me that the unit was ok, but that up to a 10% tolerance is allowed by federal regulations.

Reported in: DENVER CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRF71K76M

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

while the car is in motion and you activate the windshield cleaning system, the wipers will wipe three to four times and then wait about 15 seconds and then wipe one final time. during the summer months this is not an issue as the splash back is minimal. however, during the winter months where there is an increased amount of water and chemicals on the road, the tiny amounts of splash back that gets onto the windshield are smeared when the final swipe occurs and obstructs your view. i took the vehicle into the dealer to have checked and stopped, but was told it was a "feature" of the vw vehicles and could not be turned off. this is a safety issue.

Reported in: DENVER CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRF71K76M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

dual mass flywheel leaking from center hub clutch failure.

Reported in: WPG 00 || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K46M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. while attempting to shift gears at 10 mph, the clutch pedal dropped to the floor and the vehicle would not shift. the vehicle was pushed off the road and towed. this is the second time that the clutch has failed and the assembly was replaced. the current mileage was 17,000 and failure mileage was 1,900.

Reported in: COPLEY PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K36M

VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:INTERIOR

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. while driving 45 mph, the rearview mirror overadjusted, which caused the brake lights to produce a large, red glare on the rear window. the failure caused poor visibility. the current mileage was 20,000 and failure mileage was 24.

Reported in: OKLAHOMA CITY OK || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRF81K46M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS

Reported in: OKLAHOMA CITY OK || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRF81K46M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

dual mass flywheel failure in transmission of 06 vw jetta tdi. the dmf has broken and is damaging the transmision of the car. attempting to get problem fixed. *jb updated 01-16-08. *kb updated *jb

Reported in: MACHESNEY PARK IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81K96M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

there is a list of problems i've had with this car. first the odometer reads 5-7 miles higher than my actual speed, and the radio reception and volume oscillates randomly. the entire car starts to shake the longer at a stop; say in traffic or even at a long red light. it's even worse on an a hill, both incline and decline. the friction point changes randomly which makes it quite easy to stall out the car from a starting position. when one turns the wheel to go around a turn the front of the car produces a deep groaning sound. the paint is also chipping off randomly; and i hand wax and wash this vehicle myself; so it makes no sense since it's only a year old. the top coat is actually pealing off on parts of the car. i took it into the dealer and they updated the software on the radio; and i'm currently waiting for the flywheel to be replaced, the part hasn't come in yet.

Reported in: ROCHESTER NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71KX6M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

had the dual mass flywheel come apart. dealer replaced flywheel, clutch plate, bolts, a bearing, and a support under warranty. this seems to be a systemic problem.

Reported in: WARREN MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K06M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

clutch and flywheel failed at 23,740 miles. sudden failure, without warning. caused the car to come to a complete stop, pulled the clutch pedal to the floor.

Reported in: HOUSTON TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K46M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

experienced clutch failure in my 2006 vw jetta tdi at 23k miles (at least 10k highway miles). car had a lifetime history of less than smooth take-off (from stand still to 1st gear). first sign of major problem was total clutch failure (pedal stuck to floor, unable to shift) after about 30 min. in stop-and-go traffic on interstate in road construction zone. this is a safety issue: this failure causes driver to lose the ability to accelerate and has potential to cause high speed crash in heavy traffic merging conditions. this is also a known issue: online reading quickly reveals that the dual mass flywheel & clutch assembly has been problematic for some time, and this particular issue is found in the 2005.5 & 2006 jetta tdi. three examples of evidence for this are: #1. to date, 46 members of the online forum tdiclub.com have experienced this low mileage clutch and/or flywheel failure. #2. vw has had recalls in both finland and australia for same/similar issues. #3. the product description of single mass flywheel & clutch advertised at dieselgeek.com states: �gets rid of the failure prone stock sachs dual mass flywheel.� i repeat, this is a known problem, it seems that vw knows that original parts are defective or not up to the job as they have upgraded the replacement parts. but vw refuses to pay for repairs, citing �owner error� and/or �wear-and-tear.� my repair cost $1700 and vw should reimburse me. the repaired clutch is smoother than it has ever been, indication that it was defective from day one. far more important: vw should issue a recall before someone is hurt or killed. i am furious at vw! this was a known problem when i drove my new car off the lot in june 06. at the very least, i should have been advised of the issue and to be mindful of clutch operation. how can vw be so careless? who at vw made the decision to ignore this potentially fatal problem? i�ll continue to spread the word until vw takes responsibility and issues a recall.

Reported in: BIRDSBORO PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K06M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

this has not resulted in a crash on my behalf. while driving on the highway with cruise control set at 75 mph the car will occasionally (averages once per every 1500 miles) hesitate then resume normal operations. the duration of this event is approximately 1 - 2 seconds. the effect of this being that the car suddenly starts to decelerate then suddenly resume normal behaviour. there are no inidicator lights or events logged in the onboard computer. the vehicle has been in the shop numerous times where they are unable to reproduce the issue. i have offered to drive around with a computer running vagcom (a vw diagnostics app) if they would provide it in order to catch the issue, yet vw and the local dealership refuse to do so. this incident has occured at least 5 times in the previous 4 months, once while my wife was driving. that particular incident nearly resulted in her running into the highway divider. the date noted below is the first incident.

Reported in: BROKEN ARROW OK || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

2006 jetta tdi made in mexico in 01/06. purchased 04/06. car was always difficult to drive from a standing start. clutch seemed to lock up prematurely. many times this causes the engine to stall. at ~25,000 miles the clutch started slipping on the highway. there is overwhelming evidence among other vw jetta tdi owners that this is a sign of premature dual mass flywheel failure. there are two scenarios that make this failure a serious safety risk to the driver and any passengers: 1. slippage of the clutch at high speeds causes loss of speed control while merging or passing. 2. locking of the clutch from a standing start can cause the engine to stall possibly leaving the car in the way of other traffic. i am in contact with the dealer to get this failed dmf replaced before there are any serious injuries or property damage.

Reported in: LINCOLN UNIV PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K26M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

just had the dual mass flywheel and clutch replaced @ 40,000 miles which is crazy. clutch was slipping and after hearing about the transmissions destroyed when the dmf comes apart, i spent $1,400.00 cdn to replace it. ive driven clutches all my life (33 years) and never had to replace a clutch before 200,000 miles.

Reported in: BLAINE WA || Crash: N || VIN #:

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

i purchased a 2006 jetta tdi and my miles are off....it seems as though everyone i talk to with this car have the same problem. i am going 3-5 miles slower then what it is showing. i was thinking over time when i have driven 55,000 miles that i have only driven 50,000. i think this is wrong for a company to do and vw will not do a thing about it.

Reported in: GIG HARBOR WA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K96M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

i have a 2006 volkswagen jetta tdi. initially i was slowing down on the interstate, as soon as i was getting ready to stop due to construction, when the shifter hit first, the car bucked, died and i lost power steering and brakes. i also noticed that none of the gears in the transmission would sync and allow me into them. i pulled off to the side of the road, when i realesed my foot from the clutch, the pedal did not come back up. i shut down the car, crawled out the passenger side, i looked under the car for leaks and anything that may indicate a major failure. when i pulled the clutch back up manually, the pedal would not go back down but half way. i pushed hard enough to get the clutch interlock switch to disengage, and tried to start the car. when the starter engaged, the engine dragged with something else. i abandoned the car to get to a phone. when i called the dealer, they gave me a phone number to roadside assistance, they wanted to charge me to tow the car to the nearest vw certfied repair shop. eventually i convinced them to tow the car, and when i met him at the car, i noticed a leak of either hydraulic, gear, or diesel fluid. when i got on the internet i found that this is a very common problem due to a poor desing in the flywheel. vw tends to refuse to replace the clutch claiming that it was premature wear due to poor driving habits. the flywheel tends to crack or even shatter causing not only clutch issues but also transmission and engine issues. this issue can lead to wrecks fires and also even stranded people that may have no way of getting help. volkswagen has recalled the flywheel in europe but refuses to do so in america. information on the issue can be found here http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=137014&page=1 this is a 60 page forum that equals about 500 pages printed out this is specifically to this issue. the recall info can be found here http://uk-mkivs.net/forums/2/562166/showthread.aspx

Reported in: JACKSON MO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWFT71K16M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

Reported in: JACKSON MO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWFT71K16M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT PANEL

my radio/navigation system on my 06 vw jetta has stopped working and resorted to "safe mode" after four attempts of the dealership attempting repair, they have stated that they will supply and install a new radio. this is still yet to happen. also, the instrument panel clock does not keep correct time, resets back to 12:00 each time i get in the car. the weather indicator on the instrument panel dings with a snowflake, when there is no precipitation.

Reported in: SOMERVILLE MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDG81K16M

EQUIPMENT

Reported in: SOMERVILLE MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDG81K16M

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the vehicle has continental conti pro contact, size 205/55r16 (na) tires. while driving 75 mph, the rear passenger side tire caused the vehicle to shake. the failure recurred with the front passenger side tire. the tire chord separated from the tire. the contact notified the dealer. the other two tires were about to fail as well, so she notified the continental manufacturer regarding replacement tires. continental refused to replace the tires and advised her to call nhtsa to file a complaint. the current and failure mileages were 20,000.

Reported in: LOXAHATCHEE FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWFT71K86M

AIR BAGS

after 3 months of driving my new jetta, the airbag light turn on and stayed on. i took it to the dealer and they fixed it. over the next year the airbag light came on 6 times. once it turned on before i even left the dealerships parking lot. and yes the lemon law applies in this case. i love my jetta but vwoa service record sucks.

Reported in: PHILADELPHIA PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K96M

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

my 2006 volkswagen jetta 2.5l started making strange noises from my rear brakes at 23,000 total vehicle miles. when i removed the rear brake pads, they were already worn to the studs and etching the rear brake discs. braking effort and stopping distances were increasing. i have never owned a car with brakes that wore out in 20,000 miles, and if i did not know what to do, i would have destroyed the brakes entirely and/or had a failure. apparently, this is a common problem on these cars because the hand brake is not fully released.

Reported in: MONROE GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRF71K66M

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS

Reported in: MONROE GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRF71K66M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

2006 vw jetta recall on headlamp inspection/modification. consumer states that the headlamps are now back where they were. consumer also states that the high beams shine into the tree tops. *kb the consumer stated the high beams were useless as they shined about 20 feet down the road. there was absolutely no illumination change looking down the road between the low beams and the high beams. the consumer had the headlights adjusted so that the high beams were effective, but then the low beams shined down very close to the front of the vehicle which did not provide illumination far enough down the road. recall # 07v442000*jb

Reported in: BROKEN ARROW OK || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81K46M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that the high beams were aimed too high. they shine upwards into the trees. the failure has been occurring since the vehicle was purchased. the dealer stated that they were unable to adjust the high and low beams. his vehicle is included in nhtsa campaign id number 07v442000 (exterior lighting:headlights); however, he is still experiencing the failure. the manufacturer has not offered any further assistance and the dealer never placed the adjuster cap on the head lamps. the engine size and vin were unknown. the failure mileage was 6 and current mileage was 17,000.

Reported in: MRYTLE BEACH SC || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

i purchased a brand new 2006 jetta tdi (standard shift); at the time of this incident the vehicle had approx. 17,000 miles on it. i was driving on the highway and upon downshifting the clutch failed and the vehicle was stuck in gear; i was unable to take the car out of gear or change speed. this incident led me to have to drive the vehicle off to the side of the highway while being unable to safely control the vehicle. upon further investigation it appears that this has been a common problem with sachs clutches from volkswagen. clearly, without a recall, this is puts many drivers in an extremely unsafe situation. the dealer repaired this problem for no cost; however, they were unaware that this problem is common and that vw has recently released a service bulletin regarding the failing clutches. a recall is the answer; however, vw so far has not had to issue one.

Reported in: KINGSTON PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWCT71K06M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

my vw dealer tells me that the high and low headlights cannot be adjusted separately on my 2006 jetta. the low beams illuminate the road for about 100 feet and the high beams only illuminate the tree tops. i cannot see the road safely to drive with any combination. they have adjusted the beams several times and cannot fix it to a safe condition.

Reported in: WABASHA MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K76M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the headlights aim too high and do not shine on the road. the vehicle was repaired for nhtsa campaign id number 07v442000 (exterior lighting:headlights); however, the failure still occurred after the cap was placed on the vehicle. the dealer stated that the lights met volkswagen specifications. the failure mileage was 2 and current mileage was 36,877. updated 3/18/08 *cn the consumer stated dealer would not solve the problem. updated 03/18/08

Reported in: ROSSVILLE IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K06M

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:PADS

rear brake pad wear worn out at 19k. dealer says there is nothing wrong and wants $272.72 for the pair. *cn

Reported in: SINKING SPRING PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWCT71KX6M

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the vehicle has continental conti pro contact, size 225/45r17 (na) tires. while driving 25 mph, the contact heard a thump. she stopped the vehicle and noticed that the tread on both front tires had separated. the failure was repaired by her father. the vin, engine size, and dot number were unknown. the current and failure mileages were 26,000.

Reported in: PENN VALLEY CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

was exiting the highway and depressed the clutch. the clutch went to the floor and i was unable to shift gears. i was able to get the vehicle in neutral and get to the side of the road. i have learned this is a common problem with premature failure of clutches on 2006 volkswagen jetta tdis.

Reported in: LEWISVILLE TX || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

no symptoms prior to failure. while exiting freeway, clutch stopped operating between gears, while downshifting. could not get car back into gear and had to stop in middle of multi lane offramp, pointing slightly uphill. clutch pedal would come only half way up. clutch could not be engaged enough to start engine. aaa was called and arrived after 20 minutes, during which time car remained in offramp. car was towed to dealer and left over long new year's weekend. dealer service department informed me, once they looked at it, that the clutch had failed and that i would have to pay for it as it was out of warranty. i agreed to the service since this is my only vehicle. i was charged $1,863. for the service, which included replacement of the flywheel. i complained that the flywheel was part of the engine, and should be covered under warranty. i was directed to call volkswagen and submit a complaint. i asked to retain the parts so that i could see what had gone wrong. the next day, before calling volkswagen, i discovered from an independent source that volkswagen has had a technical service bulletin out on the clutch since november 2007. after verifying from the parts that i was covered, i informed the dealership. i have been told they are cutting me a check to repay what i spent on the replacement.

Reported in: HONOLULU HI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K16M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

i am leasing a 2006 vw jetta since jan. 2006. ever since, periodically one of the daylight headlights (mostly the right light) does not turn off after turning off the motor. i then turn the motor back on, move the car and turn it off again. the light will then turn off. vw service is aware of this problem but could never detect anything wrong with it. 6 weeks ago, my brake light went out and the bulbs needed to be replaced. on feb 3rd, the daylight headlights turned off while i was driving. it was very dangerous because toas had a snowstorm and the supporting headlights (smaller) were not sufficient enough. i called vw headquarters on 2-3 and explained what happened. i wanted vw to start a case on it, replaced the headlight bulbs and credit me for the brake light i replaced earlier, because i think that the lighting issue comes from one source. i made an appointment with vw service for 2-5, but had to reschedule for 2-12 due to a snowstorm. however, meanwhile the daylight headlights turned back on again (after two days of not functioning). i brought the car to have the lights checked and vw service was not able to find anything wrong, but started a case on it. meanwhile, vw headquarter called and told me that there is nothing wrong with the car. yesterday again, the lights did not turn off after parking, and i almost had it towed to the dealership just to prove that i am not making anything up! it is very frustrating to deal with such incompetent people at the dealership and vw headquarter. i am worried that my child and my safety is at stake.

Reported in: SANTA FE NM || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRF71K46M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

i recently purchased a 2006 vw tdi used, with 33k miles. after one day of ownership the clutch pedal went the floor. i pulled the pedal up with my toe, and got it to engage one more time, then back to the floor. after that, the car wouldn't pull itself in any gear. the car never slipped, vibrated, etc., no symptoms of a wore clutch, just instant failure. i called vw roadside assistance, and vw towed it to a dealer 3hours away. before the dealer tore into it they called me and said that if it is due to clutch wear/abuse that it would not be covered. after some research here on tdiclub, i found that dmf, and clutch failures were very common and generally warranted. i told the dealer to go ahead and tear into the car to find out more. today i get a call and they tell me that the clutch is wore out, and that it is not covered. the advisor on the phone said that half the clutch on one side is almost completely gone, and the other side is completely gone. and if i come pick it now, i will only be out $550, or i can have them do the repair for $1800. i told him to not do anything yet, and that i would call him back tomorrow with an answer. the service advisor was very nice, and as helpful as he could be, but could not warranty the clutch or repair.

Reported in: MABELVALE AR || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K66M

PARKING BRAKE

brakes/steering/esp-vehicle pulls to the right after making left hand turns or u-turns. sometimes so aggressively that it has caused injury to the drivers and damage to the car's rim and tire. vehicle moves after put in park and the ignition has been turned off. sometimes, it moves after getting out and walking away. have been told by two dealerships that this is normal. i don't feel that moving 6 inches or more is safe, especially around children and small pets. seat memory-seat started moving on its own while driving. almost had an accident because of this as in the middle of braking, the seat moved all the way back where i could not reach the pedals. memory has not been right even after replacing switches and i am stressed and wonder when the seat will start moving on its own again.

Reported in: LARGO FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81K16M

STEERING

Reported in: LARGO FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81K16M

SEATS

Reported in: LARGO FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81K16M

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL

Reported in: LARGO FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81K16M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

2006 jetta tdi. dmf and clutch failure after 54,000 mi of normal driving. car stuck in gear while driving, unable to stop and go. not covered under extended warranty. described as normal wear and tear. cheap dual mass flywheel and clutch components!

Reported in: MADISON CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K06M

POWER TRAIN

the flywheel has failed and disabled the vehicle. this is an unsafe and under designed component of the drive train. the flywheel self destructed. in all my years i have never heard or experienced a flywheel self destruction on a car 2 years old with 30k miles.

Reported in: YONKERS NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K36M

OTHER

Reported in: YONKERS NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K36M

AIR BAGS

this is the second time the seatbelt light has come on and stayed on. the first time vwoa repaired wiring under my seat at 49,000 miles. the light is now on again, less than one year later and they will not repair it under warranty because i have more than 12,000 mile since repair. this is a problem that should be covered regardless of time. safety is the priority and if vwoa has a safety defect they need to stand behind it.

Reported in: ADA MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K96M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

i am the owner of a 2006 volkswagen jetta tdi 5-speed with 39,000 miles. my vehicle was manufactured in mexico in january of 2006, and i purchased it in june of 2006. this week, the clutch started slipping and it warranted a visit to the local vw dealership service department. the service department informed me that many 2006 vw jetta tdi 5-spd vehicles were made with a defective clutch plate, but they would have to remove my transmission to determine whether or not my vehicle had the defective part. they informed me that if my vehicle did not have the defective part, they would charge me nearly $500 in labor fees for removing the transmission for inspection. i should not have to pay to have my vehicle inspected to determine whether it has the defective part, nor should i have to drive my vehicle when this clutch has been failing prematurely. upon further investigation, i found numerous complaints about this clutch plate on the nhtsa website. i also found 88 pages on one forum alone (http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=137014) about this part and the clutch/flywheel assembly failing prematurely. many of these people were forced to pay for a new clutch at a cost of over $2000.00. some were replaced under warranty. this clutch plate and the corresponding assembly has been recalled because of safety concerns in many countries except for the united states. i fear having my clutch fail when i need the engine to be engaged. if i were to have a sudden loss of power, it could easily cause an accident and endanger myself and the occupants of my vehicle. is there anything that can be done to bring this problem to the surface, and prompt an investigation by the nhtsa to look into this known safety issue? these defective parts need to be recalled at no cost to the consumer. it seems that nhtsa is ignoring this matter at the consumer's expense, and the automakers benefit.

Reported in: BELEN NM || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K96M

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS

rear brakes wear unevenly (driver side rear pads have worn at an incredible rate) rear brakes also lock up easily while braking on loose pavement or gravel.

Reported in: SURPRISE AZ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71KX6M

TIRES

the original accident happened while we were traveling for christmas (dec 26, 2006). in a brand new car with "up graded" continental tires going about 60 mph the tires disintegrated, the car spun out of control and hit highway wall. it was a clear tire malfunctioned and after sending tire to continental north america in charlotte, nc they said that their "inspectors" found no fault. we asked them to reconsider and ended up getting a $1,500 goodwill offer from them. needless to say we had a rental car for 8 weeks while out car with $6,000 in damages was fixed. just this week as we were about to counter offer and get at least out of pocket expenses, since its going into the 2nd year, another "upgraded tire" shredded. this time with our 4 month old son in it. the only thing extra they added to the claim was to pay for new tires for us. they have not bargained in good faith and they are using their corporate power to deflect the liability of producing inferior products. of the original set of 4 "upgraded" tires, 3 have been replaced with 2 completely shredding through the middle.

Reported in: PETERSBURG VA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 3VWDF71K66M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

my 2006 vw jetta tdi clutch went out while driving on the highway. the clutch was depressed all the way to the floor and would not come back up. i pulled it back up and it would not go back down. clutch was never spongy beforehand and just went out with no prior indication of a problem. called the dealership and they said it was not covered under warranty (car has approx 40,000 miles). after doing research and finding out others have same problem i will be complaining to dealership to have it covered. i am a student and my husband is in the army we don't have $2000 to pay for such a repair, that was not caused by "normal wear and tear".

Reported in: PACIFIC GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K66M

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE

premature failure of clutch.

Reported in: OVIEDO FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K06M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

volkswagen jetta tdi - vw refused to honor the warranty of a defective clutch/flywheel issue. this is a very common occurance apparently. i learned of this when i went online to do some research about the problem. volkswagen is honoring the warranties in europe with the same issue but ignoring its quality / safety issue here in the us. the defective clutch / flywheel issue can cause serious injury and or death when the flywheel disentigrates.

Reported in: GREENVILLE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K76M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

letter from senator on behalf of constituent, regarding his concerns with the 2006 volkswagen jetta. *nj the consumer stated the clutch started slipping. the dealer informed the consumer that the 5-speed vehicles were made with a defective clutch plate, but the transmission would have to be removed to determine if the vehicle had the defective part. the dealer stated if the vehicle did not have the defective part, the consumer would be charged $500 in labor fees for removing the transmission. *jb

Reported in: WASHINGTON DC || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

engine failure on my 2006 volkswagen diesel jetta. the electronic control fuel injector over fueled the cylinders and caused the pull rods to bend and damaged the engine, costs are $7,500 to repair the engine. car is only 2 and half years old with 85,0000 miles.

Reported in: ABINGDON VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K66M

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

Reported in: ABINGDON VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K66M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

Reported in: ABINGDON VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K66M

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

at 15f degrees or lower temperatures the volkswagen dsg transmission will impede the diesel engines ability to start, leaving the vehicle inoperable. vwag and vwoa has knowledge of this system defect providing no solution. vwoa continues to sell these defective vehicles.

Reported in: VAIL CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81KX6M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Reported in: VAIL CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81KX6M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

at temperatures less than 15 degrees fahrenheit, my 2006 volkswagen jetta tdi with dsg transmission surges forward upon starting. this surge happens if the car is in park (p) or neutral (n). the surge is noticeable even with the parking brake set and standard braking system applied. this surge does not allow the car to start normally (e.g. stalls the engine). the surge happens only once during a cold start. afterward, the car starts and runs normally.

Reported in: BARTLETT IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K86M

SEAT BELTS

driver seat belt sensor failing at 55,000 miles. car is only 2.5 years old. vw won't fix under warranty which expired at 50,000 miles. i have heard vw has many problems with seat belt sensors.

Reported in: SAN FRANCISCO CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

brakes need to be replaced every 20,000 miles. vw claims this is normal.

Reported in: SAN FRANCISCO CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

noticed very rough idle. dealer diagnosed manual transmission flywheel malfunctioning without visual inspection. the fault was placed with me. wear and tear. dealer claimed must fix, not safe to drive, quoted $2100. if this problem is allowed to worsen, the failure mode is a complete clutch failure and on a busy freeway is a serious safety issue. i went to a third party garage and paid $1200 for a more reliable single mass flywheel. the damaged sachs dmf is available for inspection.

Reported in: ROCHESTER HILLS MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K06M

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:AIR CONDITIONER

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. while driving between 1-30 mph, shifting from 3rd to 2nd gear, the vehicle shut off. the failure only occurs when the air conditioning is turned on high. the contact stated that the failure has been occurring for the last three years. she feels it is a safety issue because it puts her at risk of crashing the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to a shop on four occasions. the first three times the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. after the most recent failure, the mechanic determined a possible cause of the failure. the current and failure mileages were 24,000.

Reported in: CLARKSVILLE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K16M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

Reported in: CLARKSVILLE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K16M

TIRES

i own a 2006 vw jetta tdi and have 30,000 miles on the vehicle. i noticed at about 25,000 miles the vehicle developed a vibration in the front end. i took it to the vw dealer and had the front end inspected for problems, but none noted. i had the wheel rotated and balanced and that did not help the problem. the tech at vw dealer noticed wear in the middle of the tire. he stated that my tires (turanza el 400-02, 205/55r16) are more than likely the cause of the vibration and there is nothing they could do except replace all the tires. will be taking the vehicle to a firestone dealer soon to fight the battle with them.

Reported in: HERMITAGE PA || Crash: N || VIN #:

SUSPENSION

Reported in: HERMITAGE PA || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

clutch failure on 2006 jetta tdi clutch failed while driving repair of clutch by owner, dealer refused to repair.

Reported in: DUNKIRK MD || Crash: N || VIN #:

EQUIPMENT

2006 volkwagen jetta tdi vehicle dom: 10/05 mileage: 31,000 windshield wiper/washer system the 2006 volkswagen jetta is equipped with an engine compartment mounted washer fluid reservoir and hood mounted washer fluid spray nozzles. in the area of the right hood hinge there is a flexible hose section in the plumbing of the system to allow for opening of the engine compartment hood while maintaining washer system plumbing integrity. routine underhood fluid checks and service intervals requiring engine access have weakened and cracked the flexible portion of the plumbing rendering the windshield washer inoperative on my vehicle.

Reported in: ONEONTA AL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K76M

VISIBILITY

Reported in: ONEONTA AL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K76M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

i purchased a 2006 jetta attracted by an extensive list of features and conveniences that i wanted as a consumer. one of this features included the automatic window opening via remote control, feature that is not normally seen on vehicles of its class and price. volkswagen did an update to the software to this vehicle and without my consent took that option out. i paid for that convenience and vw cant even tell me why it was removed from the computer. the dealer cant tell me either because according to them they don't even know what's on the software update. in any case i need to be compensated by this inconvenience or the software needs to be retrofitted to get me this option back.

Reported in: SAN ANTONIO TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWSF81K86M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

i have a 2006 vw jetta tdi with approximately 70,000 miles on it. this auto was purchased to be used primarily as a commuter car for my wife and i. last week we suddenly started seeing the dashboard warning "air bag fault". upon taking it to the local vwoa dealership to have this investigated we were informed that there was a vwoa technical bulletin (that evidently had been out for some time) which indicated that some connector(s) located under the driver's seat that are related to the air bag system would need to be replaced. this is not a maintenance item nor anything that we could have caused but vwoa is indicating that due to the auto not being within the warranty (4 year and/or 50,000 miles as we've been told) that we will now have to pay approximately $400 to have this repaired. we were further informed by the vwoa service that without this repair the airbag system was considered to be in an "unstable state" and could potentially not activate the airbag when needed or possibly activate at an inappropriate time. the vw dealer also said that vwoa considers this to be so unsafe that they issue a free rental and require the repair to be made before releasing the auto again....but only if you're under warranty. vwoa did manage to come through with some "good will assistance" (their words) by providing $200 towards the repair. this airbag issue has been a known issue with the 2006 vw jetta (maybe other years as well i'm not sure) for some time. vwoa indicates that this issue is not a major concern and is therefore no recall has been issued. i have read several complaints on nhtsa and other sites that seem to indicate that this is a larger issue than vwoa states. i think a recall should be issued due to the obvious safety concerns involved with the airbag system. hopefully there will be before any injuries and/or fatalities occur.

Reported in: WENTZVILLE MO || Crash: N || VIN #: 1FMFU16L33L

AIR BAGS

Reported in: WENTZVILLE MO || Crash: N || VIN #: 1FMFU16L33L

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

my car began leaking oil after last change at bert smith volkswagen in st. petersburg florida. checked underneath car and found transmission casing and flywheel housing cracked. took pictures but according to bert smith volkswagen this is just dirt and grease stains, they cannot show me another car with the same "stains".

Reported in: ST. PETERSBURG FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRF71KX6M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

Reported in: ST. PETERSBURG FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRF71KX6M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

i complained to the vw dealer about my a/c in my jetta gli. they told me their was nothing wrong twice. now my ac doesn't work anymore. when i complained my car was still under warranty.

Reported in: JONESBORO GA || Crash: N || VIN #:

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

the brake light stays on and will not turn off resulting in a dead battery and a very unsafe condition while driving. i drove for a half a day without knowing the light was staying on. a couple of people honked at me, but i did not know why. i also could not figure out why my cruise control did not work. i figured out the brakelight switch was not working when i came out of home depot after dark and i thought i left my lights on. it turned out it was the brakelight switch. i called a volkswagon repair shop and they said there was a recall on it and i should not have to pay. when i called volkswagen dealer service to repair it, they denied any recall. i did a little search on the internet and i now see they have a history of brakelight switch failures on jettas and beetles. they told me my vehicle is out of warranty also as it has 59,400 miles on it and it is a 2006 jetta tdi. i bought this car thinking it will go 250,000 miles with no problems and am saddened by this type of treatment for a safety issue which they have a history of. i have driven many cars over 250,000 miles without a brake switch failure. it seems volkswagen does not know how to remedy the failures on the mexican made vehicles on something as simple as a brake light switch which should be designed for a near infinite life since it is a safety issue. it is not like a fan switch. i am probably one of the first to see the failure as i have put on an unusually high amount of miles, but most of them are highway miles. when i get it repaired, i can get the old part. i hope to get it repaired tomorrow.

Reported in: SAHUARITA AZ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K66M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: SAHUARITA AZ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K66M

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

my 2006 jetta 2.5 has an intermittent accelerator hesitation. it can occur when the engine is cold or hot. it seems to occur when it is rolling free at near 5 to 10 mph, and when the accelerator is pressed nothing happens for a second or two. then it catches and goes.

Reported in: NEKOOSA WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDF71K76M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Reported in: TOLEDO OH || Crash: N || VIN #:

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

steering wheel is failing electrically. air bag fault in passenger side, no horn or other wheel controls. real/unrealized safety hazard(s) due to non working electronics in steering wheel.

Reported in: LEXINGTON KY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81K06M

STEERING

steering wheel is failing electrically. air bag fault in passenger side, no horn or other wheel controls. real/unrealized safety hazard(s) due to non working electronics in steering wheel.

Reported in: LEXINGTON KY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81K06M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

steering wheel is failing electrically. air bag fault in passenger side, no horn or other wheel controls. real/unrealized safety hazard(s) due to non working electronics in steering wheel.

Reported in: LEXINGTON KY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81K06M

POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY

at 23,000 miles, without warning, no initial signs of concern, clutch fails, depressed to the floor without the ability to return. my misfortune happened exactly how the other numerous complainants did. found vw technical bulletin #2016615 dated 11/05/07 described as 'clutch, friction material flaw' (sachs manufactured only) notes only sachs clutch plates are affected by this flaw and therefore only issues with the sachs clutch plate will be covered under this technical bulletin. there are no known friction material flaws with luk clutch plate or pressure plate.' bulletin extends the warranty on these parts an extra 4 years / 50000 miles. my clutch plate happens to be a luk...after reading the scores of complaints about clutches going out at 10-50k miles, i don't know what's true anymore...my suspicion is that maybe the problem is really with the luk manufactured clutch plate and that the technical bulletin was issued covering the sachs brand to avoid having to warrant the luk brand. updated 09/18/08. *jb

Reported in: ANCHORAGE AK || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWSF71K06M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

i had a 2006 vw jetta tdi. my wife was on her way to work when she went to take off from a stop sign and the clutch stuck to the floor as the car sat in the middle of the intersection. as all the rest of the complaints go with this car the dealer paid for the parts and i had to pay $1000 dollars of labor. within the 2 weeks our car was in this dealer 3 other 2006 jetta tdi came in with the same problem. it wasn't a walk in the park to have vw pay for at least half. also it took the dealer 2 weeks to get this job done. this is a problem that volkswagen needs to take care of. another thing i was told by vw of america was that this is a wear and tear item and not part of the drive train warranty. if a part has any movement on a car it goes through wear and tear. so if a piston ring breaks and locks the motor up is that covered or is that wear and tear. we have learned our lesson and will never buy volkswagen ever again. by the way only 50,000 miles on car.

Reported in: DANA IL || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

on a return trip from new hampshire to connecticut on interstate 91 in my 2006 vw jetta tdi, i depressed the clutch and the pedal became stuck at the floor. i worked to free it, but being unable to do so, coasted to the side of the road. with no ability to put the vehicle in gear, we (myself and my family) were stuck in a dangerous location. i was able to free the pedal, but the clutch no longer worked and we had to wait there for assistance. the vehicle had less than 50,000 miles and i was told that the clutch assembly needed to be replaced, though there was little wear on the clutch surface. with some investigation on the internet, i found that this appears to be a very common problem and i believe it is a safety problem that should be corrected by vw.

Reported in: CANTON CENTER CT || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

2006 vw jetta tdi (turbodeisel) with dsg transmission: when car is parked on inclined surface with front end lower than rear end, car will not smoothly engage reverse gear. vehicle transmission will either not engage reverse gear at all, or without any warning will abruptly engage and catapult vehicle in reverse 4 to 5 feet even when gradually increasing engine revs. this is dangerous safety issue when backing out into parking lot lanes with oncoming traffic. also, vehicle continues to roll forward or reverse approximately 6 inches depending on incline when placed in park position and after brake released.

Reported in: ARLINGTON TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K96M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

my 2006 tdi, vw jetta: about 6 months ago i began hearing clunking noise related to transmission/clutch. on friday october 17 on interstate highway 35e clutch failed completely. the vehicle has 67,000 miles on it.

Reported in: STACY MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K46M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

dual mass flywheel (dmf) failure at 28,000 miles. symptom: very rough vibration when letting clutch out and when shifting. clutch does not show any abnormal slippage. wife is scared to drive the car with our kids after reading about related failures and possible loss of vehicle control. dealer won't cover cost. private repair facility diagnosed this and said minimum $1,800 to do the repair, and that vw has known about the issue for a while. fortunately, the vehicle still drives well when clutch is engaged, so i guess i'll continue to take my chances for a while longer until something more catastrophic happens and we're forced to make the repair.

Reported in: BARRINGTON NH || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

a 2006 volkwagen jetta 1.9 tdi model which i currently own is now disabled due to an oversight in torque management in the clutch/ dual mass flywheel design originally intended for a less powerful powerplants. in my particular instance the flywheel has disintegrated shattering the transmission housing/casing. this alone is a serious danger due to the high rate of speed of these flying cast aluminum fragments let alone the complete loss of vehicle movement on possible busy routes. currently i've been told that the warranty will not cover the repair due to owner abuse! my jetta has never been modified as long as i have owned it or been driven irresponsibly. this vehicle has less than thirtyone thousand miles logged and has suffered catastrophic drive line failure due to poor engineering, no i've been told vw's mis engineering is my"the consumers" responsibility!

Reported in: WATERLOO IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K66M

PARKING BRAKE

vehicle is a 2006 vw jetta with a safety issue with brakes the vehicle rear brakes wear out at about 25,000 to 30,000 miles do to grabbing from the e brake design vehicle does not have a censor or a metal tab on the brake pads to indicate brakes need to be replace.

Reported in: CHATSWORTH CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRG71K66M

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE

the volkwagen tdi 1.9l engine when coupled to the dsg( direct shift gear) transmission has an extremely high failure rate of the dmf (dual mass flywheel). failures have occurred between 10k and 100k miles. the internal construction of the flywheel is improper and will separate leading to the total failure of the unit. when the unit fails it causes a very specific and potentially deadly set of circumstances. the dmf can separate and then fracture into large shrapnel type pieces. this shrapnel will the cause the transmission and possibly the engine to seize. when the seizure occurs is causes the front tires to lock and subsequent loss of control of the vehicle resulting in possible injury or death. the shrapnel can also cause the failure of the transmission case resulting it the loss of pressurized transmission fluid. this fluid can contact the turbocharger and result in an under hood fire. catastrophic engine failure is common as well. vwa(volkswagen of america) is aware of this problem and has redesigned the dmf. the new design has not failed. the dmf has been recalled in the european union as a safety concern . vwa has been successful in not covering this repair under even it's standard warranty. no voluntary recall has been issued. i currently have an example of the failed part available. this model has the potential to cause injury or death on a large scale if not addressed.

Reported in: NEWARK TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K06M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Reported in: NEWARK TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K06M

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

the rear brakes prematurely wore out on my 2006 vw jetta tdi. this occurred at 27,000 miles and the brakes were down to metal with no brake material left on the pads which in turn ruined the rotors. the dealer had to replace the pads and rotors at a cost of $341 to me plus tax. since front brakes do 70-80% of the work the rear brakes should not have worn out this early, certainly not before the front brakes. this indicates a problem with the front brakes that the dealer and manufacturer refuse to acknowledge. i could see the premature failure of the rear brakes or increased braking force on the rear brakes being the potential cause for an accident and potentially injury.

Reported in: SUGAR HILL GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K16M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

the check engine light came on, but only after causing serious damage to the engine, which was not covered under warranty on a two year old car. i pulled over immediately and had the car towed to the dealer. the exhaust converter had to be replaced. it failed the day after i picked it up. i took it back, they replaced it and it failed again. i am now on my fourth one. vw says they know it's a problem, but still made me pay to have it replaced.

Reported in: SANDY OR || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

2006 volkswagen jetta tdi 5 speed manual with 42k miles. while driving on an exit ramp and attempting to downshift, the clutch failed and the pedal went to the floor. the car would not move and was impossible to engage any gear. the car was not showing any signs of failure before this. it had to be towed to the local vw dealership.

Reported in: OLD BRIDGE NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K06M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

car had a defective flywheel, a dangerous situation if failure were to happen at highway speeds! other country has recalled same problem!

Reported in: WEST GREENWICH RI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K36M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

my 2006 vw jetta with tdi diesel engine has clutch slipping after only 48,000 miles. the problem is a defective dual mass flywheel leads to premature clutch failure. this has been addressed by volkswagen technical service bulletin, and is documented by many cases. my volkswagen service dealer is not agreeing to cover the repair under warranty. he says the technical service bulletin does not apply to my vehicle. in many cases this defect has led to sudden complete clutch failure. i'm concerned the car may fail at any moment.

Reported in: ATLANTA GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K26M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

took my 06 jetta tdi w/ dsg transmission to my vw dealer due to vibration and noise issue. dealer diagnosed dual mass flywheel catastrophic failure which punctured transmission housing. damage estimated at $7500. mileage is 82k.

Reported in: WENTZVILLE MO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81K36M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

dual mass flywheel failed at 70,000 miles. grease leaked out of flywheel and was all over bell housing. was unable to rotate flywheel access holes to get access to retaining bolts and had to cut flywheel off. the clutch friction plate had plenty of usable surface left and (based on comparison with new replacement) could have gone about double the miles.

Reported in: MONTICELLO MN || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

vw dealer at last service says my 2006 vw jetta tdi needs to have dmf, dual mass flywheel replaced. after researching on-line it appears to be a problem with many vw's with dsg transmission, and worthy of possible re-call. the car has an intermittent accelerator hesitation. it can occur when the engine is cold or hot. it seems to occur when it is rolling free at near 5 to 10 mph, and when the accelerator is pressed nothing happens for a couple seconds, then it catches and goes. i have had a couple near miss accidents and do not let other family members drive car because of safety and reliability concerns. updated 06/08/10 *bf the consumer stated since filing this complain in dec 2008 on the dsg transmission, he also had to replace the dual mass flywheel for $1,681.62 at aamco transmission. he also learned that the mechatronix unit in the same dsg transmission needed to be replaced as well. updated 06/09/10.*jb

Reported in: AFTON MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K56M

TIRES

continental conti pro tire failure. between 12,000 and 30,000 all 4 of our conti pro tires have failed. all they say is sorry we cant help. someone needs to get continental n/a attention and have them recall these tires before someone dies or is injured for life. we have tired several times to reason with continental to no avail, and even vw has tired, with no luck. please take a look at all your tires.

Reported in: CUMBERLAND FURNACE TN || Crash: N || VIN #:

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

total brake failure. vehicle has issue draining batteries--2006 car--currently on 3rd battery. when battery is close to failure, vehicle has strange electrical problems such as trunk releasing and brakes not working. last incident was coming to a stop sign. when the brake petal was pushed, no response. luckily there was no car was in front of me and i went through the stop sign. incidents have been reported to two vw dealerships and to regional rep. they do not feel there is a problem.

Reported in: SKANDIA MI || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE

power train, electrical and trim problems.

Reported in: OAKVILLE 00 || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

power train, electrical and trim problems.

Reported in: OAKVILLE 00 || Crash: N || VIN #:

INTERIOR LIGHTING

power train, electrical and trim problems.

Reported in: OAKVILLE 00 || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

power train, electrical and trim problems.

Reported in: OAKVILLE 00 || Crash: N || VIN #:

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

my 2006 vw jetta 2.5l required a brake and rotor change at only 20,000 miles. the next brake change had to be done again at 36,000 miles. i have checked a lot of forums and other jetta owners are complaining the same. vw dealers keep on saying that there is nothing wrong with the brakes and its my own driving style that causes this.

Reported in: BRONX NY || Crash: N || VIN #:

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. while driving approximately 55 mph on normal road conditions, the trunk door unlatched unexpectedly and without assistance. the driver pulled over to the side of the road, but the trunk failed to close tightly. the failure occurred intermittently and more frequently in cold weather conditions. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the failure was related to a defective latch system. the technician stated that the latch defect was a common failure with this vehicle. the failures occurred on forty separate occasions. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was unavailable and the current mileage was 70,000.

Reported in: CLIFTON FORGE VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K96M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

i couldn't put my keys in the ignition. i tried all spare keys and they didn't work. if your window is open, you can close it by putting your key in the driver side door to use the window switch.....dealer did not know this...??? go figure (sales) 2006 jetta tdi.

Reported in: BURLINGTON 00 || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K16M

VISIBILITY

this vehicle design allows for poor rear visibility in general; however, it is amplified in low light situations with the combination of high rear head rests, a glare on the back glass from the third brake light, and if you have a rear spoiler this makes for a really bad combination. nighttime visibility in a jetta is the equivalence of wearing a blind fold. oh and the salesman neglected to mention that the all weather package included a trunk that will not shut or stay shut in cold weather. even the replacement latches need replacing. vw is making big bucks on the consumer hoping to save a few dollars with fuel economy. vw not only fails to address or acknowledge the defects with these vehicles, but to exacerbate the situation they attempt to lock you -the consumer into their monopoly, for example:keyless remotes in which the batteries are only replaceable by vw dealers, a synthetic vw oil, a very costly trunk latch, that with my experience you end up replacing annually...the list goes on. whatever happened to old fashioned customer service? to sum it up my jetta has alot of bugs...not to worry, i'm sure vw has patented the pesticide, just hope i'm able to afford that-can use the money i'm saving in fuel economy.

Reported in: CLIFTON FORGE VA || Crash: N || VIN #:

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

Reported in: CLIFTON FORGE VA || Crash: N || VIN #:

VISIBILITY

2006 volkwagen jetta tdi vehicle mileage 16,000 windshield wiper/washer system the 2006 volkswagen jetta is equipped with an engine compartment mounted washer fluid reservoir and hood mounted washer fluid spray nozzles. in the area of the right hood hinge there is a flexible hose section in the plumbing of the system to allow for opening of the engine compartment hood while maintaining washer system plumbing integrity. the hose was separated where it bends between the engine area and hood, making the washer fluid system inoperable. dealership repaired with a connector. after about the third use, fluid system would not work again. upon examination, it was found that the brittle flexible hose had cracked completely in two just above the new connector.

Reported in: DUNCAN OK || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

i paid $1300 in repairs even though complaining of symptoms leading up to my failure while still under warranty. after repair i have discovered this is a common failure for my vehicle which could easily lead to catastrophe should failure occur at speed. i first reported a shudder when clutch engaged which dealer claimed was within vw's specs. the shudder grew worse then a "loose pebbles" noise was heard at idle. when the dealer heard this noise, they referenced a tsb and diagnosed an impending dual mass flywheel failure. i was fortunate to discover before the failure(which was immanent) as the failure would have destroyed the $6000 dsg transmission and if it occurred at speed could lock up the drive train.

Reported in: GEORGETOWN KY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K76M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

to whom it may concern: i purchased a 2006.5 volkswagen jetta tdi in september of 2006. i believe that i have found a major manufacturing defect that can cause fire, an accident, or both. it surely is a major safety issue, a danger to the driver, all passengers, and other cars as well. when driving the vehicle, the car has total loss of power . after a failed repair attempt by my dealer, i took it upon myself to investigate the problem. i found that the main engine feed harness has major wire chafing causing wires to contact each other, potentially causing fire. this also causes the car to stall with all power lost. i directed myself to the tdi forum where many vw enthusiasts and service tech's gather to talk about their cars. i quickly found many other owners finding the same problem. bare wires rubbing together. i have reason to believe that vw is aware of the problem as well. the only way to properly correct the problem is a new engine harness, with a larger loom, or padding around the wires.

Reported in: TYNGSBORO MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K06M

SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC

the brake light switch began to fail at ~ 60,000 miles. brake lights would remain on at times without brake being pressed. brake lights would come on at night randomly and drain battery. intermittent at first becoming more common. purchased new brake light switch from dealer. the same switch has been a problem for vw in prior year model cars and resulted in a recall for some models.

Reported in: GENESEO NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K66M

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

this letter is to express my dissatisfaction with rear brake performance on my 2007 jetta. the summary is extremely rapid rear pad wear, while then front, which have the wear sensor, remain unscathed. this is a known issue and the dealer admits its part of a ?safe braking? design that tries to make the car squat rather than dive. the problem is, this is an unconventional method of brake application (rear biased when physics has the fronts normally doing more work), combined with a conventional brake design that has smaller parts and no wear sensors in the rear. the result of this ?safety feature? is that i can expect to wear out rear pads faster than front, in as little as 9-10k miles. the problem is a reasonably minded person would not come to this conclusion, and the lack of a rear pad wear warning system creates a potential safety issue. the user manual does not warn that rear pads may wear faster, and in fact indicates they should be inspected each 10 k, or when the front wear sensor illuminates. both of these cases may be too late, leading at best to expensive repairs when the rotors are damaged, or worse, to unpredictable braking in an emergency. if i have my car inspected at 10k, and the rears are still serviceable, i do not believe they would make it to 20k. the dealer admits its a common complaint, and that there is nothing than can be done. i feel this is a design defect and that pressure should be applied for a real fix. i am not alone: http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f16f1f6/11 http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080205103511aa06feq http://rabbitownersclub.com/vw/showthread.php/12-000-mile-and-my-11363.html http://www.myvwlemon.com/ubb/forum1/html/000342.html http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?p=803924 http://rabbitownersclub.com/vw/showthread.php/excessive-rear-brake-dust-6947.html http://www.carcomplaints.com/volkswagen/jetta/2005/brakes/premature_rear_brake_and_rotor_replacement.shtml.

Reported in: CANYON COUNTRY CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRG71K86M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

i own a 2006 jetta tdi with 70,450 miles and just spent over $2,000 and four days of car rental replacing a dual mass flywheel. the vehicle began making noises and jerking at slow speeds when it turned 48,000 miles. i took it to the dealer where i bought it and they ran a "computer test" and found no problem. they test drove it found the same verdict and said "that's how jetta diesels run." i asked them to check the transmission and they wouldn't because if they didn't find anything wrong, then they'd be out the money and i'd have to pay for it. they made some adjustments and returned the car. the noise gradually got louder, but after several regular maintenance visits, no a problems were noted. finally the noise and jerking was too much and i sent it in. the service manager immediately said it was the flywheel and needs to be replaced. he said "we've done a lot of them". my flywheel was the defective sachs type as described in the tsb. unfortunately, my power train warranty expired at 50,000 miles and the bill was mine. grrrrr!!

Reported in: KATY TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71KX6M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

power train:clutch assembly: took car in for 70k service and serp belt squealing. got a call back from dealer saying that in addition to the serp belt needing replaced, they found the flywheel needed replaced and it would cost $2100. never had any problems with this car, have got every service recommended in manual that came with car (which i bought brand new). furious at the $2100 the dealerships wants to charge me, i did some research and found that there have been an alarming number of other people that have this same problem. car is a automatic, not clutch, but has the slapstick option, i hate driving clutch, thus never switch over to clutch......so, how can the flywheel that has an internal clutch need replaced? manufacture default? i have not had work done yet, i am taking to 2 other places to get opinions and will take pictures of damage or documentation purposes. i do not drive the car in a "racing" style, i drive 60 miles round trip a day to work and home on county highways as i live in the country. so if i never use the clutch option and keep it in automatic mode at all times, how can the internal clutch have a problem? the dealer warned me that i cannot let the problem go on and must get fixed immediately or risk damage to the transmission and/or damage to myself & others driving on the road.

Reported in: CLINTON IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K06M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

in march 2009 i took my 2006 vw jetta tdi in for its normal service point at 90k. i was asked by the dealer if i could bring the car back in because of a noise that was heard coming from the transmission. the dealer reported that they found nothing wrong. on may 28, 2009 i had a catastrophic failure of the dual mass flywheel in the dsg transmission.

Reported in: EPHRATA PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K56M

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

the battery current was low in my 2006 volkswagen jetta and it caused a fault code. the dealer is saying 3,500 dollars to fix this. the fault code is making my airbags not work.

Reported in: GREENFIELD IN || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

while driving a 2006 volkswagen jetta 2.0t with the dsg transmission the vehicle cut power (as if it was out of gas), only to regain power 2-5 seconds later. it was very hot, around 100 to 110 and i was driving on the freeway. it happened two or three more times but did not occur once the outside temp went below 90 deg.

Reported in: IDAHO FALLS ID || Crash: N || VIN #:

AIR BAGS

nothing specifically happened leading up to the event but at around 52000 miles. the passenger airbag on/off indicator would no longer show that anyone was sitting in the passenger seat. the orange/yellow airbag light also has been illuminated constantly since then. i had the dealer run diagnostics in it to determine the error code. initially they said that it was a faulty connector in the wiring, but that was discovered to not actually be the cause. upon further inspection it was determined to be a faulty weight sensor in the passenger seat. be agreed to cover the labor on it at first when it was thought to be a faulty wiring connector but when it was found to be the weight sensor they have not returned the dealers calls.

Reported in: ST. LOUIS MO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K86M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

dual mass flywheel failure on 2006 vw jetta tdi with dsg transmission. research shows this is not an isolated incident. recalled in other countries. dangerous and very expensive situation. worthy of investigation and recall. thanks

Reported in: AFTON MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K56M

POWER TRAIN

Reported in: AFTON MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K56M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

i have a 2006 jetta tdi, failure occurred on interstate i - 65 on 7/1/09 i heard a pop as if something fail out from under the car , all the oil dropped out of the vehicle all over the interstate for approximately 1 to 2 miles. nothing has been done to correct the failure.

Reported in: GOODLETTSVILLE TN || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

clutch completely failed, as well as flywheel. no warning, just a catastrophic failure. fortunately, at a stop light, so no one was injured. however, if this had happened while driving down the road, could have resulted in death. although this failure is occurring quite frequently (in cars with as little as 400 miles on them), manufacturer has done nothing to remedy situation, either to correct it or to come up with a new design. currently awaiting response from manufacturer, but no resolution to date.

Reported in: RICHMOND TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K76M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

2006 vw jetta turbodiesel with dsg transmission at 27k miles shifting unpredictably at highway speed. repaired by dealership, mechantronic failure. failed again at highway speed one month later, causing potential injury do to failure. six months later, flywheel explodes knocking hole in transmission and causing the vehicle lose all power and the engine to die.

Reported in: FULTON MO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K16M

POWER TRAIN

i have a jetta tdi 2006 dsg. the dual mass flywheel ripped apart. this took out the transmission and caused the car to be inoperable. it coasted to the side of the road. the was no indication of a problem prior to failure. the failure was sudden and catastrophic. vw replaced the dual mass flywheel and transmission. they told me the old part was going back to germany for inspection. i have no idea of when it will fail again, next time it may cause a crash or death. i have been reading about this, and a lot of drivers of this type of vehicle have this issue of the flywheel ripping apart. a flywheel ripping apart under the stress of the drive train should be rare, but in this vehicle it is not. it seems the high torque output of the diesel engine is causing additional stress on the flywheel, thus breaking it apart. there should be a recall. also, the dsg transmission is a hybrid trans, it operates like an auto transmission, but mechanically is more like a manual, but it is not the manual version which is also offered in the jetta tdi.

Reported in: WOODHAVEN MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K96M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

when i bought my 2006 vw jetta tdi the dsg transmission worked fine. at about 50,000 miles the transmission has progressively become rougher and rougher and is now bordering on unsafe. when i start moving from a complete stop the car jerks back and forth making it frightening to pull out into traffic. also the car slams into the lower gears when downshifting. sometimes when i press the gas pedal from a stop the car hesitates for a few seconds before slamming into gear. when backing up it is hard to control because of the surging. unfortunately my car is out of warranty and i cannot afford to spend $3000 to pay for vw to fix this know defect in the dsg transmission.

Reported in: AURORA CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81K26M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

prior to the event listed below, we noticed that the car was not performing as it normally would. we were stopped at a traffic signal, light turned green proceeded to accelerate, car moved 10 feet, rpm went high and it was as if the car was in neutral. had enough momentum to reach the side of the road. prnd was lit up and flashing and the power steering system symbol had erratic flashing. tried park, neutral, reverse nothing happened. put the car in park and shut off engine. restarted engine and it allowed us to drive off. went approximately 10 miles driving at about 55 mph, thought we seen an animal and let off the accelerator. upon trying to accelerate, incident described above happened again, this time a check engine light appeared. before calling the dealer we did a search and came across this site. our vehicle had a dsg transmission service (for a cost of $286.75) at 43,703 miles and the car now has 71,491 miles. this vehicle also has a problem at times, that was reported to the dealer on june 5, 2007 and nothing was done about it, on cold start up, putting it in gear and having a very severe jerking, almost to the point that it might stall the engine. this is a 2006 vw jetta tdi w/dsg transmission. the model selection on following page only listed a gli for selection.

Reported in: OWOSSO MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K46M

AIR BAGS

air bag default- to many times since i purchased my vehicle back in september of 2006. i have taken my car in 6 times on 11/06, 1/07, 9/08, 10/08, 12/08 and 7/09. 5 times to vw of hayward and 1 time to modesto vw. i feel my life is always at risk not knowing if my airbags will work if i am in a car accident.

Reported in: PATTERSON CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDG71K76M

AIR BAGS

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that both of the air bag lights illuminated on the dashboard and the middle console. the dealer stated that the passenger occupancy module produced a faulty code, which indicated that the seat, sensor pad, and module needed to be removed. through research, the contact discovered that numerous other consumers were experiencing the same failure. he believes that this is a manufacturer defect that should be recalled. the air bags would not deploy in the event of a crash. the failure mileage was 74,000 and current mileage was 75,000. updated 08/28/09. *lj the dealer told the consumer there was a low voltage signal sent from the battery that caused a malfunction in the passenger air bag module. updated 08/31/09.*jb

Reported in: GREENFIELD IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRF71K46M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

hi i boughtmy 06 tdi jetta 2 yrs ago it had 39,800 miles on it and now i see why it was traded in at 40,000 it needs a 560.00 service that i was not told about. my fault for not reading the whole manual . i was told by dealer that the dsg would need to be serviced at 100,000 miles and it would be good. i brought the car in for clattering noise several times and was told it was normal the car hesitated often and shifted poorly but since it was at the dealer i figured it was normal. the clatter got worse and by this time it was about due for its 100000 mile service but before i could get it in one day driving home from work it soulded like a bucket or bolts feel out from my car the clatter became severe and soon after the car left me sit on the side of the highway.i describe the problem and clatter noise to the dealer and all of a sudden they knew the problem exactly. they tell me its probably the clutches and it can't be rebuilt and then the service manager at young vw laughing a little tells me that i missed two services on the tranny when i bought the car with 39800 and then the car was brought in several times and no one ever told me their might be a problem until now the car sits and i need 5000.00 dollars to fix it. this transmission is a piece of �!@#$%�. i don't know how many times i almost got side swiped trying to pull out into traffic quickly from a dead stop.

Reported in: SCIOTA PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K76M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

mass flywheel and clutch assembly failure. another volkswagen clutch problem to add to the list. why is the united states not doing anything about this like other countries have. are we not the most caring country in the world, i mean look how much money this government dishes out to people who don't deserve it. (car manufacturers who cant even make good on manufacturer defects. other countries issued vw to fix the problems. i even read a letter on this website that the problem did not find its way to the us because it was only in the passat. well the jetta's, beetle's, gli's and the golf's all have the same transmission that they are referring to in the letter. i mean the government in charge now wants us to be supported by the government so why does the government not do anything to protect us. they are to many cases like mine all over this site and the internet for ya'll not to do something. took the car in for service then was dropped with the 3900.00 dollar repair bill for this.

Reported in: LAMPASAS TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K96M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

i noticed a noise coming from my engine/drivetrain along with severe engine shaking. i immediately took the vehicle to the mechanic and was informed that there were several "technical service bulletins" regarding the flywheel and clutch in my vehicle. all of the bulletins acknowledged known problems with the flywheel and clutch parts. after removing the transmission to inspect the problem further it was discovered that the flywheel disintegrated causing $3800 in damage. the manufacturer was contacted by the repair facility and refused to cover the repair charges.

Reported in: MONTGOMERY TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K46M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

sudden transmission failure. while driving at various speeds, several times the transmission lost the gear and went to neutral. the car lost power and had to come to a complete stop. two times this occurred at highway speed where i had to make aggressive maneuvers to avoid a collision.

Reported in: CIBOLO TX || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

knocking sound from passenger front, brought vehicle into dealer, they said they didn't hear any knocking. less than a month later it got extremely worse, i took it to another shop & was told it was something serious & needed to have dealership look at it. when i returned to the dealership they took 2 days to tell me what the issue was after having to remove engine, i was told it was the flywheel & clutch had to be replaced because the flywheel damaged the clutch. very expensive repair & after being told about this website & seeing all these complaints i called vw & they refused to acknowledge this issue even with all these complaints.

Reported in: APACHE JUNCTION AZ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71KX6M

PARKING BRAKE

the rear brake pads, on the vehicle side with the emergency brake cable attached, wear very prematurely. the dealer indicated this type of vehicle has faulty brake adjusters. they would not replace under warranty. this is a severe safety hazard.

Reported in: RANDLEMAN NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT81K96M

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Reported in: RANDLEMAN NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT81K96M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

the vehicle exhaust gas recirculation cooler leaks exhaust after 50,000 miles, exposing the vehicle occupants to exhaust gases. although the egr system is purely for emissions control, the dealer refused to fix the part under the covered emissions warranty. this problem can cause the death of the occupants of the vehicle.

Reported in: RANDLEMAN NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT81K96M

AIR BAGS

the car airbag light illuminates randomly. dealer indicates system must be reset for a charge of $80 each time. dealer refuses to repair problem under warranty. air bags may not deploy in an accident.

Reported in: RANDLEMAN NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT81K96M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

vehicle air conditioning condensate drain tube is not secured from the factory. tube will pop loose and fill vehicle carpet with stagnant air conditioning water. dealer refuses to acknowledge obvious factory defect as no fastener was found to be in the tube fastener tab. dealer refuses to repair problem.

Reported in: RANDLEMAN NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT81K96M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

vehicle trunk unlatches while vehicle is standing or in motion, with or without the engine running. items in trunk may spill onto highway, causing accident or injury.

Reported in: RANDLEMAN NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT81K96M

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

driving on i-95 in jacksonville, fl, it was raining with some pounding (approx. 1 inch of water) on the roadway. i was maintaining a speed of 35-45 mph when the epc and traction control warning lights illuminated on the dashboard. at first the car behaved normally but after about 5 minutes it lost power and would not accelerate above 1500 rpm. fortunately i was able to quickly take an exit ramp off the freeway and coast into a gas station, the car continuing to refuse to accelerate. i turned the car off and waited for about 5 minutes. i started up again and drove around the gas station and things seemed normal again, although the epc light was still illuminated. stopped again and waited another 5 minutes. upon starting up again, both warning lights were gone and the car behaved and accelerated normally. this defect could have caused me to get stopped in traffic on a busy freeway possibly causing a crash and injuries. i was very lucky that it happened where it did and i was able to pull off to safety.

Reported in: COLUMBUS OH || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: COLUMBUS OH || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

tl*the contact has a 2006 volkswagen jetta. he stated that the vehicle was surging from second gear and also became hesitant and wasn't shifting gears when it should have been. while driving 70mph going up a hill he lost all power to the vehicle and it felt as if it was in neutral. after losing power it took about five seconds to reset it self. the warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel with codes. the vehicle was taken to a dealer the codes where removed. he was informed that the failure occurred from the usg in the transmission. the vehicle is currently at the dealer being worked on. the failure mileage was 68,000 bl

Reported in: JEFFERSON MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWCT71K46M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

i owe a 2006 volkswagen jetta that i have been back and forward for a licensed dealership reporting that my car shuts off completely while driving. iit have been during this about june 2007 and it has been to dealership about 6 times for this same thing i took it in april 2008 and they told me i need a new engine after several of months letting them diagnose the problem. i am paying car note for a car i can not drive. i seen good morning america and they say it is only 2009-2010 models when i have a 2006 they has shut off on me in traffic in birmingham, al , mobile, and mississippi. i call volkswagen they told me that they could not help me because of my mileage they can only give me a 1000 dollars towards another volkswagen. i told them that i will not buy another. at 1st they told me that i need and o2 sensor and the next time they could not find anything until they reported that it was my engine. i feel it is not fair for me to pay for a engine because i have brought the car to them on 5 occasion and i call to report the car shut off in montgomery, al on march 19, 2008 and they told me to have it tow to the dealership in mississippi who was familiar with car. i was starting it for the tow truck to take to dealer and the car we haywild.

Reported in: BIRMINGHAM AL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRF71K66M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

i have a 2006 volkswagen jetta tdi. recently, i have been experiencing transmission issues. the vehicle losses power in the transmission in the upper gears. consequently, i lose power while on the interstate at higher speeds. this has caused me to have to take evasive action to avoid causing crashes from cars behind me. i have taken the car to volkswagen as it is under warranty. the warranty company has made unreasonable demands that the dealership has not been able to fulfill. after a week, i have now taken it to aamco to have the transmission serviced. i believe it is the same transmission that has been recalled on the 2009 and 2010.

Reported in: TAMPA FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K56M

POWER TRAIN

2006 volkswagen jetta tdi -- dual mass flywheel failure. part has been recalled in australia, but not the us. vw dealers refuse to take concerns seriously.

Reported in: SCOTT DEPOT WV || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K86M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

my 2006 vw jetta tdi has a dsg transmission. this transmission has slipped out of gear twice while traveling on the interstate at interstate speeds. this is an automatic type transmission and should not be slipping out of gear. this has not resulted in an accident but i was required to move across 3 lanes of traffic only under my current forward momentum. luckily i was able to do so without incident.

Reported in: MURFREESBORO TN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81KX6M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

2006 jetta gli with dsg gearbox, repeated transmission clunking (in automatic mode) when downshifting from 2nd to 1st, and harsh thunking in first gear from a stop engine revs up but car will not move for 1 to two seconds then thunk and car surges forward. also thunking when shifting gear selector into reverse. has occurred intermittently and often since oct 2007. poses dangerous situation at intersections and in stop and go driving with potential intermittent loss of forward motion and sudden forward surging affecting the safe driveability of the vehicle couple of times narrowly missed running into the vehicle in front of me due to sudden lurching of the vehicle. dealer replaced transmission temperature sensor in late 2008, but problem recurred and persisted afterwards. after few more incidents and visits to dealer through jun 2009 was informed mechatronics unit was faulty and would be replaced. waited 42 days with car left with dealer for new part to be delivered from factory " due to backlog' , in meantime car was recalled for transmission bolt replacement/inspection. finally received "fixed" car with new mechatronics unit and problem recurred the same day three miles away from the dealership in stop and go traffic. was told that transmission 'needed to re-learn my driving pattern" and to drive it around for a while to see if the issue would go away. issue subsequently recurred repeatedly over a one week period especially when moving from a stop, with engine revving up then a sudden thunk and forward surge of vehicle. returned vehicle to dealer last week still waiting for resolution.

Reported in: ISSAQUAH WA || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE

2006 volkswagen jetta, all buttons on the radio are defective, the plastic buttons are bubbling and deforming and peeling.

Reported in: AUBURNDALE FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K66M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

2006 vw jetta tdi w/ 14,000 miles approaching a yield, the clutch was depressed. the clutch stuck to the floor of the vehicle causing the vehicle to loose all transmission function. the vehicle coasted to the side of the road and was towed to the dealer. it has been identified that some sachs clutch components have a developmental (friction material) flaw which cause premature clutch disc wear.the dealer determined the transmission failure was due to driver error. friction material flaw on clutch plate or pressure plate which leads to burnt, shredded, or missing clutch plate material on clutch plate. this should be covered by my warranty. especially since there is only 14,000 miles. this problem has been reported by hundreds of 06 tdi owners and vw continues to accept responsibility for their flawed equipment.

Reported in: MANCHESTER NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K46M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

car was on a terminal access ramp at an airport, at less than 20mph when it suddenly lost all motive power with the engine still running. the "p-r-n-d-1-2" on the instrument cluster was flashing on and off and the transmission seemed to be stuck in neutral regardless of where the automatic transmission selector was placed. car had to be towed to a vw dealer and was diagnosed with a defective/ failed "mechatronic unit" car remained at dealership for six (6) weeks waiting for parts. car was returned on 09-23-2009 and appears to operate normally.

Reported in: FLOWER MOUND TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K76M

SUSPENSION:FRONT

transmission lurch forward, sometimes skip the shifts,also shifts are delayed or eng rev,too high and downshifthing it kicks 2 to 1and there's a clunking noise.

Reported in: DENVER CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWWJ71K96M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

transmission lurch forward, sometimes skip the shifts,also shifts are delayed or eng rev,too high and downshifthing it kicks 2 to 1and there's a clunking noise.

Reported in: DENVER CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWWJ71K96M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. while driving 75 mph the transmission slipped into neutral gear. a technician concluded that the transmission was performing normally. he then added that driving long distances in warmer weather conditions could cause the failure. the failure mileage was 42,000. the current mileage was 47,000. updated 10/21/09. *lj updated 10/20/09*jb

Reported in: IDAHO FALLS ID || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWKJ71K36M

VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that while driving 45 mph, the glass of the rear windshield shattered. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, and a technician concluded that the rear-view mirror and windshield needed to be replaced. however he added that no replacements parts were available because the component was redesigned. the failure mileage was 50,200. the current mileage was 50,230.

Reported in: COLONIA NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K46M

VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:INTERIOR

Reported in: COLONIA NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K46M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

1st complaint odi #10278262 filed on 7/24/09 for 2006 jetta tdi: "prior to the event listed below, we noticed that the car was not performing as it normally would. we were stopped at a traffic signal in a construction zone, light turned green proceeded to accelerate, car moved 10 feet, rpm went high and it was as if the car was in neutral. had enough momentum to reach the side of the road. prnd was lit up and flashing and the power steering system symbol had erratic flashing. tried park, neutral, reverse nothing happened. put the car in park and shut off engine. restarted engine and it allowed us to drive off. went approximately 10 miles driving at about 55 mph, thought we seen an animal and let off the accelerator. upon trying to accelerate, incident described above happened again, this time a check engine light appeared. before calling the dealer we did a search and came across this site. our vehicle had a dsg transmission service (for a cost of $286.75) at 43,703 miles and the car now has 71,491 miles. this vehicle also has a problem at times, that was reported to the dealer on june 5, 2007 and nothing was done about it, on cold start up, putting it in gear and having a very severe jerking, almost to the point that it might stall the engine." update 10-3-09: for fear of having another occurrence, the car was towed (70+ miles) to dealer in late august, diagnosis was it needed a new mechatronics unit. delivery time for part was over a month. talked to mechanic at vw, he recommended to not drive the car for safety reasons. late september was notified part was in, towed car a second time (70+ miles) to dealer where mechatron unit was replaced, at a cost to me of $1,826.10. some repair cost was picked up by vw. so far 100+ miles since repair - seems to be fine. this has not been a very pleasant experience. it is a serious safety issue and we just hope this resolved the issue.

Reported in: OWOSSO MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K46M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

on my 2006 volkswagen passat the cam follower has worn through and damaged the cam shaft lobe that drives the pump. this is a known issue that has affected many vw passats. it is a safety hazard as it can cause the engine to stall there for if a person is in the flow of traffic it could cause a crash to occur. volkswagen has issued a tsb on the issue but will only perform this service if the computer shows a specific check engine light and only if still under the manufactures warranty. volkswagen should at the least be required to inform people that the cam follower should be checked for wear at a regular intervals to prevent a possible accident.

Reported in: MURFREESBORO TN || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

2006 vw jetta tdi transmission and motor failures.

Reported in: MARSYVILLE, OH || Crash: N || VIN #:

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

2006 volkswagen jetta 54000 miles 5 speed manual transmission. i was driving and while exiting a freeway offramp i depressed the clutch to disengage the transmission. clutch pedal went to the floor and would not come back up and it did not disengage the transmission. the car would not stop, as i could not put the car in neutral. very dangerous!

Reported in: ALAMO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K76M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

Reported in: ALAMO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K76M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

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.

Reported in: TIPTON IA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K86M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

an ongoing problem with a 2006 volkswagen jetta 1.9l tdi automatic dsg with 87,000 miles. a video of it in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lsex_-b_o0 while driving, the car will go into neutral and all the dashboard lights will come on with different sounds. changing the shifter into p, n, d, r, s (sportmode) does nothing. changing into the tiptronic mode does nothing. this is one incident of a series of incidents that have been happening sporadically for the past year, but this has been happening on and off since before thanksgiving 2009. we've been on the phone with volkswagen of america and they have no solution. the dealership (paradise volkswagen 760-200-4000) has done numerous "repairs" to the car including: misc diagnosis 12/28-?? new steering rack 12/6-12/22 sensor and electrical module 12/1-12/16 misc diagnosis on 11/16-11/20 we feel very unsafe in the car - what if it happened on the freeway?

Reported in: PALM SPRINGS CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K66M

STEERING

Reported in: PALM SPRINGS CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K66M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

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.

Reported in: SPRINGFIELD MA || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

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.

Reported in: WICHITA KS || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K66M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

2006 volkswagen jetta is equipped with brake light switch part number 3b0 945 511 which was the subject of a recall (recall 07v063000) in 2003-2005 passat and passat wagon.

Reported in: BRIDGETON NJ || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

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.

Reported in: GRAND PRAIRIE TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K86M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

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.

Reported in: HARDWICK NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81KX6M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

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?????????

Reported in: TECUMSEH KS || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K26M

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE

Reported in: TECUMSEH KS || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K26M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

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

Reported in: HILLSBORO OR || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K86M

TIRES

i noticed that the side walls of my continental tires on my 2006 vw jetta were cracked(there were 25k miles on the tires). i reported this to continental -mr. carl walker. i replaced the tires with bridgestones. i still have the originals. i was told to take the tires to merchant's tire on woodfied road in gaithersburg, md and have them inspected and the tread depth measured. i did this immediately after speaking to mr. walker. the sales rep. at merchant's called mr. walker after inspection while i was present and told him that the sidewalls were indeed dangerously cracked on all 4 tires and that the tread depth was almostlike new. i was promised 60% compensation for the continental tires by continental's rep.carl walker ( claim # 244382) - phone #7045834819 -in october but have received nothing. these tires are unsafe and it is only luck that prevented a serious accident due to their failure. vw says they have no jurisdiction over continental even though they supply tires to thousands of vw vehicles. it seem that vw and continental want to ignore the problem for me and i assume all other owners of these tires.

Reported in: LAYTONSVILLE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPF71K16M

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

the airbag light on my 2006 vw jetta came on during 2006. i never received notification from vw of a defect but when bringing my car in for maintenance, the dealer said there was a "notice" of a defect in the underseat sensor and/or wiring. on 6/27/06 my car had a driver side front in crash. the air bags did not go off. the body shop said that there was probably not enough damage to set off the airbags. shortly after getting my car out of the shop (2+ months because vw parts are not readily available) the airbag light is back on. i've brought my car in for maintenance at the vw dealer but they have never mentioned the airbag light which is plain sight. i worry about the safety of my family, friends and myself. to add insult, the electronic switch on the trunk operates off and on, the trunk does not latch unless slammed repeatedly, and within the last week the driver's electric window has ceased to function.

Reported in: SAINT ROSE LA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 3VWRT71K56M

POWER TRAIN

volkswagen jetta tdi dual mass flywheel coming apart on direct shift gearbox transmission. prior to possible loss of power accident, replaced the dmf. this is a known problem in europe and australia; the dmf was a recall item.

Reported in: SMITHFIELD VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K36M

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that the driver's door where the hinges were located exhibits defective engineering within the wiring harness. several of the wires were broken between the body of the vehicle and the door. the driver side window did not operate and the power door locks did not function due to the broken wires. he took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the wiring harness needed to be replaced and they could not assist with repair expenses since the warranty was no longer valid. the contact was certain that replacing the wiring harness would not remedy the failure since the wiring harness was being damaged by the opening and closing of the door. he wrote the manufacturer but received no assistance there as well. the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. the current mileage was approximately 52,500. the failure mileage was approximately 51,000.

Reported in: EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K36M

STEERING

whenever the outside temp reaches 82 or above and i am stuck in traffic, i lose my powersteering (electric). this has happened since day 1 when i purchase the vehicle on 11/1/2006. i have been to the dealer 3 times. each time they acknowledge that the computer shows the failure but will not remedy the condition unless the idiot light is on when i arrive.

Reported in: BLAIRSTOWN NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K16M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, she heard a noise coming from the front end of her vehicle. when the vehicle was parked and turned off, the vehicle would not re-start. there were no warning lights prior to or after the failure. a local mechanic inspected the vehicle and stated that the dual mask fly wheel (connected to the crankshaft on the engine) had a large hole (size of a silver dollar) in it. she called the manufacturer but was told that there was nothing they could do about the failure. the vehicle was repaired by the mechanic. the current mileage was approximately 79,990. the failure mileage was 78,750.

Reported in: OWINGSVILLE KY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K26M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

several wires in the wiring harness between the passenger compartment and driver door have failed, making it impossible to operate windows, door locks, release fuel door, and release trunk from driver door. there is no manual release for the fuel door. the failed wiring also results in a constant door ajar indication on the instrument panel and illumination of the front dome and entry lamps. the wire insulation and strands appeared to be brittle, which raises concerns about other wiring in the vehicle. this wiring was inside a protective rubber boot, integral to the harness, between the cabin and door. there was no moisture or debris within the boot when it was opened to inspect the wiring.

Reported in: WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS WV || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRF71K36M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

2006 jetta tdi 2/ 68k began shuddering at stop lights. dealer claims the two-piece flywheel and clutch assembly is a weak design. owner reports online claim loss of clutch (pedal falling to floor) while driving. my car will not be operated until repaired for the sake of safety.

Reported in: SUMMERVILLE SC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT81K76M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

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

Reported in: POWHATAN VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K06M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Reported in: POWHATAN VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K06M

AIR BAGS

the passenger side airbag experiences a computer fault every 3 months or so, needing to be reset. indicator light for passenger airbag show airbag is not functioning while airbag fault is registering and until reset at dealer. this has happened three times. it costs ~$200 to fix each time. vw now offers a "suggested" software fix that costs $200. the costs of these significant safety issues should be fixed at cost to vw. the dealer says they have seen many cars with this issue and hopes a recall will be issued? shouldn't there be a law requiring dealers to report trends they see?

Reported in: CHICAGO IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81K96M

AIR BAGS

tl* the contact owns 2006 volkswagen jetta. while driving approximately 40 mph the contact crashed into a nearby truck causing the contacts vehicle to roll over, however the air bags did not deploy during or after the crash. the vehicle was destroyed and the contact sustained minor injuries.the vin was not available. the failure mileage was approximately 39,000.

Reported in: MANCHESTER MO || Crash: Y || VIN #:

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact was driving approximately 15 mph, when an opposing vehicle caused a head on collision. the air bags did not deploy upon impact. the contact was injured; however, the seat belt was worn during the crash. the vehicle was destroyed and towed to a collision center. the failure mileage was 125,201. the current mileage was 125,201.

Reported in: BREINIGSVILLE PA || Crash: Y || VIN #: 3VWRF81K96M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

at 72k our 2006 vw jetta tdi began to make a loud intermittent rattle in the engine compartment. the dealer says the flywheel failed it is a dual-mass flywheel that i see sometimes fragments, damaging the housing or even the transmission. we had no fragmenting but consider flywheel failure a serious safety defect. vw dealer wants to install a new dmf!

Reported in: MT. LAUREL NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K76M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

brittle wiring insulation located in the doors. wiring on a 2006 vw jetta, after 50,000 miles the use of electronics and lights on drivers door failed. inspection of the wiring harness showed cracked wiring insulation, chaffed wiring and broken wires where the electrical harness were subject to movement from the door operation.

Reported in: SOLDOTNA AK || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K16M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

2.0t engine with dsg triptronic transmission. i've noticed, this occurs when the car has been driven for about an hour (give or take) and it happens in stop and go traffic. this occurs usually during a stop light/stop sign or stop and go traffic. as you have come to a complete stop and release the brake pedal to start moving (in other words no pedal being pressed) the car tends shift/jerk before you press the accelerator. in many occasions, you need to slam the brakes so the car doesn't launch itself to hit a car/traffic in front of you. this "acceleration/launch/trans jerk" last about 1-3 seconds at that point you hear some "metal clunk or some type of metal hitting noise". in one instance, the car's shift indicator went blank and the car didn't respond in highway traffic. pulled to the side, and car was normal again. there is serious accident potential with this problem. i see there are a lot of complaints with this transmission from other owners (from seeing complaints on this website) including a neighbor 2006 jetta with dsg transmission & friend who has a 2007 gti with a 2.0t engine & dsg trans-both have same problem. i really hope someone does and finally look into this problem and help us consumers and most importantly, before someone becomes hurt. car is currently at dealer, however, they say they can't find nothing wrong with it.

Reported in: CICERO IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWKJ71K76M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact heard a rattling noise in the transmission. he took the vehicle to an authorized dealer where he was informed that the dual mass flywheel needed to be repaired. the vehicle had not been repaired when the complaint was filed. the failure mileage was approximately 104,000. the current mileage was approximately 106,000.

Reported in: OLD SAYBROOK CT || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K66M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

i purchased the 2006 volkswagen jetta tdi from a private owner 6 months ago. there was a sound apparent when i purchased it but i thought it was typical for a diesel vehicle, after 6 months of driving i took it to my mechanic and was told that the dmf (dual mass flywheel) was failing. i've done research online to find that the dmf manufactured by sachs that volkswagen uses in their 2000 and later models have a high rate failure after in as little as 10,000 miles. causing complete transmission or engine failure of varying degrees. the cost for this repair can range between $2000.00 - $8000.00. not only is the expense high due to a manufacturer defect in the flywheel, but the risk is even higher, causing hesitation in acceleration when pulling out into traffic or sudden wheel lock and loss of control at any given moment while traveling. it is highly recommended that this problem be address for the safety and concern of any volkswagen vehicle owner with this defective flywheel.

Reported in: AKRON OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K06M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

there is a defect within the wiring harness that causes most of the vehicle electronics to shutdown and occasionally stops the vehicle while driving. i can provide pics of the wiring issue if needed. the issue usually occurred when driving in very wet conditions. after the first time it happened, the problem grew worse as the wiring was chafed more & more over time. the jetta tdi's should be recalled to have the harness checked & repaired before someone dies in a car crash.

Reported in: BLAIRSTOWN NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K16M

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. while driving at various speeds, the contact heard noises within the vehicle was idling. when driving, he noticed that the transmission was not shifting properly. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership where the dual mass fly wheel was repaired. the contact referenced recall 09v164000 (power train: driveline: driveshaft) as related to the failure he experienced. the current mileage was approximately 68,000. the failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

Reported in: JAMES CREEK PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWCT71KX6M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

while driving a 2006 vw jetta diesel, all power was lost to the drive wheels with the prnds display on the dashboard flashing. car has 46,000 miles on it. this has been referred to as a false neutral. i was able to coast to the road side, turn off the car and restart it with normal function of 300 yards then problem repeated requiring a tow to the dealer. a failure of the mechatronix unit in the dsg was discovered and part replaced. a similar issue had occurred at around 10, 000 miles , was looked at by the dealer with no issue found.

Reported in: WEST PALM BEACH FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

2006 jetta tdi 58,229 miles today / purchased from 2nd owner at 53k miles 34mpg in town / 42.5mpg highway wife driven with light foot. oil change and fuel filter replaced at 53k miles background: car was purchased early dec 2009, with in 2 weeks it was at the dealer for a non start issue. car was garaged over a 3 day weekend and not driven at all. monday my wife goes to start it and it will not start, after telling me i try for 3 minutes to get it started and it finally starts. taken to dealership and they find no issues, they blame cold start as the culprit. this is a bs call as the car was and is always garaged at 50+ degrees f. roughly 3 weeks later the same situation happens and the car goes back to the dealer. to no avail they still could not replicate the issue nor find a solution. the no start issue/ hard start issue seemed to progress from sitting for 3 days and not starting to randomly multiple times a week not starting. they still cannot find a solution. i firmly believe this is a fuel issue. on to today's issue: first noticed 3 weeks ago while attempting to pass a car on the interstate at 70mph (around 4k rpm), the car down shifted and stuttered rather then increasing speed. i thought it was a 1 time issue until i started noticing it more and more. now it happens frequently and more pronounced starting at even 35mph/3400 rpm in 3rd gear. from 10am tuesday to 5pm friday our jetta was back at the dealership because of a stutter/power loss issue. they did replace the fuel filter today as well as test the fuel (which tested fine), the egr valve was cleaned with a carb cleaner. the service manager drove the car often and has been able to replicate the power loss / stutter, however they cannot find anything wrong. they called the vw tech line multiple times and still no fix once again. car died several times today. turning onto the highway the car stuttered and then .5 miles later it died at 45mph in traffic. pulled over and cranked for 3 minutes.

Reported in: LINCOLN NE || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K96M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: LINCOLN NE || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K96M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

at approximately 79k miles my 2006 vw jetta tdi began to rattle loudly in the engine compartment at idle and low rpms. significant engine shudder also. the dealer reports that the dual-mass flywheel and pressure plate have failed. flywheel failure is a serious safety defect. this is a known issue and vw has replaced this flywheel with a more reliable design. believe this dmf has already been a safety recall in europe and australia, but being called normal wear and tear in the u.s.

Reported in: FREDERICKSBURG VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K76M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

failure of dsg transmission and dual mass flywheel on 2006 volkswagen jetta tdi.

Reported in: AFTON MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K56M

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

2006 vw jetta 2.5l value edition my car is at 60,000 miles and i have changed the brakes 3 times already. now the brake pad warning light is on again. i have already spent 1,000 dollars in fixing the brakes. checking different web forums, and a lot of jetta owners are complaining about the same problem.

Reported in: BRONX NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPG81K76M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

clutch failure, problem disengaging clutch.

Reported in: AMES IA || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

driving home on country road in the pouring down rain when at about 50 mph the engine rpm revved, dash warning lights lit, flashed and rang. the prnd was flashing. luckily a driveway was nearby to get out of traffic. knew at this point what had happened because we had the very same thing happen in october of 2009. megatronics unit had failed and was replaced at a cost of $1900. called dealership for appointment on june 8th. happened again 5 times on way to dealership. told from diagnostic test that it had a bad steering angle sensor and gateway module. no parts were available. had to take car 70+ miles back home. the car malfunctioned on the way home in a construction zone. felt it was unsafe to drive any further. stopped at a different dealership. left car for them to diagnose. found a second bad megatronics unit. replaced under warranty from the first replacement. i feel that this car needs to be recalled for the safety concern that the vehicle loses power at any given time, in any road situation you can think of. you cannot always be prepared to react to this. you have no power to get out of harms way. the only way to correct this is to shut the car off and restart and hope it works. previous odi #10286197.

Reported in: OWOSSO MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K46M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

the engine began chattering while idling. it has 80k miles. the chattering became worse so i took it to the local dealer. the transmission housing was cracked, the flywheel broken and slip kit cracked. it was leaking oil from the transmission. total repair will be more than $6000 and take more than 6 weeks to complete the repair. the parts dealers are having a hard time finding a flywheel. i have had the car serviced at the dealer since i bought it.

Reported in: ELYSBURG PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST81K76M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

flywheel issue in a 2006 vw jetta tdi.

Reported in: HUNTINGDON PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K06M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

purchased a 2006 vw jetta tdi, used, with 61,800 miles. clutch felt weird to me when i purchased the car but thought it was normal. less then two weeks after purchase i noticed gears slipping. the dealership diagnosed worn clutch disk and damaged throw-out bearing. a properly manufactured clutch assembly should not fail at 61,000 miles, if ever. from what i've read it may be due to bad design of the dual mass flywheel, which over-heats the disk and causes damage. this is a serious issue which may cause sudden loss of control of your vehicle while driving down the highway. many drivers are not "in-tune" with their vehicle and may not recognize the problem until a serious accident like this does happen. the issue is rampant, and seems it may be inevitable for most 2006 vw builds. http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=137014.

Reported in: EL DORADO KS || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K36M

POWER TRAIN

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the transmission shifted into neutral gear while driving. the manufacturer stated that his vin was not included in recall 09v333000 power train: automatic transmission. the vehicle will be repaired. the failure mileage was 91,000 and the current mileage was 91, 5000.

Reported in: BRANDON FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K06M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

vw jetta tdi 2006, mileage 177 000km on aug 5, 2010, i heard a strange noise from the engine /transmission, as i was driving on the hwy. and i also felt vibration at 120-130km /h. i pulled into a vw dealership to check it out. the service advisor took the car for a test drive and told me that there is a noise coming from the flywheel, but nothing serious. the very next day on aug 6,2010 while driving in the city i heard more and louder noise from the trans. an at i drove slowly for about 7km. into another vw dealer. at this point after a they raised the car on the hoist they told me that the springs from the flywheel are broken and the flywheel needs to be changed. they told me that this is common issue due to wear and tear. the replacement part ( the flywheel) will cost about $900cnd. and the labor they told me would be 8h which is $800 so to total cost is $2100. i do not think that this a normal to have the flywheel broken just like that. i also won an oder car which i drove over 400 000 and never had problems with the flywheel. please advise on what are my options at this point. thank you

Reported in: MILTON 00 || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE

fabric headliner on interior roof of 2006 vw jetta is separating, sagging down so that i cannot see out of rearview mirror. apparently this is common defect w/the car- the glue separates after only a few years.

Reported in: AMSTERDAM NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPG71K96M

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the vehicle experienced various recurring failures since the date it was purchased. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on numerous occasions where the battery was replaced, throttle valves were cleaned, the recirculation valve was replaced, the engine fan control module was replaced, the fuel pressure sensor was replaced, the crank case breeder valve was replaced, the high pressure fuel pump was replaced, and the cam shaft follower was replaced. the vehicle was also repaired under the recall 09v164000, power train driveline, driveshaft and had the sunroof drained due to water leakage. the failure mileage was 16,257 and the current mileage was 47,000.

Reported in: ARLINGTON VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWMJ71K36M

POWER TRAIN

Reported in: ARLINGTON VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWMJ71K36M

VISIBILITY:SUN ROOF ASSEMBLY

Reported in: ARLINGTON VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWMJ71K36M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Reported in: ARLINGTON VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWMJ71K36M

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

the 2006 jetta gli headliner fabric is having shrinkage and falling off. the car interior looks ugly the vw dealer is charging $1100.00 to change the whole headliner.

Reported in: SNELLVILLE GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWWJ71K46M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

tl* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact was driving 25 mph when the vehicle abnormally decelerated and would not respond to the contact's attempts to drive forward or in reverse. the contact was unable to move the vehicle and it was towed to an authorized dealer. the dealer advised that the transmission would need replacing. a diagnostic was performed but produced no failure codes. the manufacturer offered to cover one half of the repair costs. the vehicle was not repaired. the current and failure mileage was 68,000.

Reported in: KENSINGTON MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K66M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

the dmf flywheel on 2006 volkswagen jetta tdi comes apart. mine separated and was scraping so i stopped driving it until i received the new flywheel and clutch. it started with a scraping sound that happened more frequent everyday and a little louder. after 5 days i realized it was coming from the flywheel. there are numerous problems with these i have found on freds tdi page. most were from a different flywheel manufacturer and i was surprised to see mine was made by sachs these can cause serious damage to a vehicle if it breaks apart. this car seems really well made and is alot of fun to drive. i have been real happy with it but think this should not have happened and could be dangerous.

Reported in: ALEXANDRIA VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71KX6M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

i have a 2006 vw jetta equipped with a dsg automatic transmission. i have a flywheel that is failing. this can cause the car to lock up and cause an accident. i notice while searching online that this is a very common problem with this model jetta. i think that this should be examined and vw should have to make this right.

Reported in: LAWRENCEBURG KY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K56M

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

we have had several incidents with our 2006 volkswagen jetta 2.5 where we would lose power and the vehicle stalls out. our 2006 jetta is a gasoline 5-cylinder with automatic transmission and has only 45,000 miles. in june of 2010 we first noticed the stalling issue when driving home and it stalled out while pulling into the driveway. after sitting for about 10 minutes we were able to pull it into the garage. the second incident occurred on friday 7/30/2010, while driving home from work (30 mile commute) at 45-55 mph the jetta started to intermittently lose power before the engine completely stalled. note: i was still traveling at 55 mph when the engine stalled. it would restart and began experiencing the same issue multiple times. we towed the car to our local volkswagen dealership. they ran diagnostics and did not find any error codes from the car's computer. they replaced the battery thinking that it might have been an electrical issue. we picked up the car on tuesday 8/3/2010 in the morning. while driving home from work that same day (30 mile commute) the engine began experiencing the same issue, intermittently losing power while traveling on the interstate at 70-80 mph. after exiting the interstate the symptoms continued to get worse and the engine completely stalled in the middle of an intersection almost causing a multi-car accident. after multiple attempts to restart and repeated engine stalls i was able to get the vehicle to gas station where it was towed to the volkswagen dealer for a 2nd time. only good news of this story, the vw mechanic was able to reproduce the engine stall issue after test driving the jetta for about 45 minutes. vw dealer reported the result to vw manufacturer tech support. vw dealer kept the car for more than 1 week to run more tests per vw tech support. ultimately replaced the fuel pump and fuel filter. no more occurrences in the last two weeks...but am literally holding my breath while driving.

Reported in: OOLTEWAH TN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRF71K96M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Reported in: OOLTEWAH TN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRF71K96M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

2006 vw jetta tdi with dsg automatic transmission: while slowing down approaching a stoplight vehicle transmission failed to stay in gear acting like it was in neutral. vehicle had flashing lights on dashboard behind gear-shift indications. after several attempts to re-engage transmission, gears finally engaged and vehicle was driven to side of highway. turned vehicle off, waited several minutes and restarted vehicle and it operated normally. owner's manual said to contact dealer as soon as possible if this happens. dealer said code was pb1819-valve body failure. vehicle mileage: 72,500.

Reported in: LEDGEWOOD NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K86M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. while driving 40 mph there was a warning light that illuminated stating there was a failure with the vehicle. she drove the vehicle to the dealer who stated that the light that illuminated was an engine light. he was told that the radiator cooling fan need to be replaced. the dealer replaced both fans for $975 at her expense. the fans were not under warranty or recall. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 39,400. updated 12/7/10 *cn

Reported in: WILMINGTON DE || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPF71K06M

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

my jetta would stall and we were almost involved in serious accidents. we brought it to dealer and they told us it was fixed and it happened again. i asked for a replacement and they refused. problem has not occurred recently, however we were almost killed. unsure of dates, however dealer has records.

Reported in: BRONX NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRG81KX6M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

2006 vw jetta with dsg transmission. vehicle lurched and lost power as if gas had been switched off or transmission was unexpectedly disengaged from engine. this occurred on very hot day, 100+ degrees, while driving on the interstate. vehicle regained power 2-3 seconds after loss. this happened 4 to 5 times on a 400 mile drive. one time occurred while passing and forced me to take action and cancel my pass of the slower moving vehicle. this has occurred in the past but it was only on a very hot drive about a year or two ago.

Reported in: IDAHO FALLS ID || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWKJ71K36M

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

tl* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta tdi. the contact was driving 25 mph when he applied the brakes and they did not respond. the vehicle was rear ended by another vehicle. the air bags did not deploy until after the crash had already occurred. the contact sustained abrasions from the air bag deployment. in addition, the air bags fractured the front windshield. a police report was available. also, the air bags cracked the windshield. the contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the current and failure mileage was approximately 96,000.

Reported in: MESA AZ || Crash: Y || VIN #: 3VWFT71KX6M

AIR BAGS

Reported in: MESA AZ || Crash: Y || VIN #: 3VWFT71KX6M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

1 clutch pedal when depressed stays down. 2 intermittent 3 , fly wheel damage, return bearing damage, cost of repair $2400.00.

Reported in: SNELLVILLE GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWWJ71K46M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

2006 volkswagen jetta tdi dual mass flywheel is failing. sound from bell housing getting louder. other owners report drivetrain lockup when failing. problem appears to be higher than normal incident rate.

Reported in: MOORESVILLE NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K46M

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE

Reported in: MOORESVILLE NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K46M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

i'm in the midst of getting a dsg transmission repaired and it could cost as much as $4000. the transmission began making "grinding" noises, and i was told that there are bearings that will need to be replaced. i know through various vw forums that there have been recalls on this transmission and i would like vw to back up their product.

Reported in: IONIA MI || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE

Reported in: IONIA MI || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

on 3 separate occasions, my 2006 volkswagen jetta 2.5 has stalled out while moving. first 2 occasions (occurring a few weeks apart) occurred immediately after start-up in parking lot. engine stalled, loss of power steering, power brakes, battery light comes on, radio and lights stay on. dealer keeps car for 1 week first time, 1 month second time. no codes pulled, no replication of problem, dealer returns car to me. 3rd time the engine stalled happened approx 1 month after dealer returned car while moving on highway. approximately 50-60 miles per hour. nearly caused multi-car wreck. car stalled in center lane with not enough power or steering to move to side. dealer now has car for 3rd time, still no idea what problem may be. car restarts immediately after stall with no issues. working with dealer, vw regional manager, and vw of america. still no problems found, but terrified for car to be returned to me. driving on highway daily. next highway stall may not be so lucky.

Reported in: OVERLAND PARK KS || Crash: N || VIN #:

SEATS

i was sitting in my (drivers) seat and noticed a faint burning smell followed by pain (burning) in my right side. i got home and found a burn hole in the back of the seat. something burnt through the seat and burnt my clothes and gave me a small blister. neither of us smoke. after a few times i believe it is the seat heater. if it's off it doesn't burn you. a mechanic told us this is common and to followup on it.

Reported in: BRADFORD 00 || Crash: N || VIN #: TVWST71K56M

AIR BAGS

while my daughter going home in 2006 jetta vw, hit by a car from behind and was dragged into another car in front. all car in accident except ours (jetta 2006) deployed the airbag. as our car got most hit in front and back non of the airbags was deployed. my daughter was taken to er by metro ems for injuries.

Reported in: PROSPECT KY || Crash: Y || VIN #: 3VWPF81K46M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly shifted into reverse; the vehicle had a dsg transmission. the contact turned the vehicle on and off which reset the problem. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the problem could not be repaired because the transmission was sealed. the contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 88,530. updated 01/14/11*lj

Reported in: TOOLER GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWWJ71K76M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

my volkswagen jetta tdi regularly stopped working, about once every six months beginning when it was less than 6 months old. under warranty the dealership fixed it the first time by "replacing a relay" they said, but not really because it continued to happen. the second time when it was about a year old and still under warranty, the dealership said by the time it was towed to them it had begun working again so they couldn't fix it. they said unless it was not working when they had it in their shop they couldn't fix it, although they could see something had happened. it would simply stop working or not start. after the warranty ran out i began taking it to a vw trained mechanic who also told me he couldn't fix it because it was intermittent and would start working again before the tow truck got it to his shop. he said it was due to "one of the several computers not talking to one of the other computers". he could see a record in the car that something had been not working, but the car ran by the time it got to him. toward the end, it would die on the highway and i feared for my life and that of the children who rode in my car. i traded it in, already not working again, for a new car that i felt i could trust. through out all this, i could not contact anyone at vw except someone who told me they were sorry, but vw could not do anything for me. the problem started happening when the car was new and continued to happen and was never resolved. it was dangerous to drive. the date below is merely the latest incident.

Reported in: FORT WHITE FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K26M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

transmission is my vehicle is faulty. it shifts funny and sometimes when i pull out in traffic, there is considerable lag like all power is loss for a short period of time. also, the dmf in this transmission is known to have problems. i've been told they were recalled in australia, but not the us. that is insane...consumer safety my [xxx]. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Reported in: AWENDAW SC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWCT81K86M

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

i recently purchased a used, low mileage 2006 vw jetta and soon after i noticed the headliner began to bubble, sag, and tear away from the c-pillars i knew that this was not normal for a four-year-old car and that this could quickly turn into a safety hazard if left ignored. should the headliner continue to bubble and sag into the driver's line of sight this could become a serious motor vehicle hazard. i began to read around online and discovered, to my shock, news about the commonality of this issue to hundreds of owners. so, surely volkswagen is already aware that this is a mass is�sue and would certainly want to take action to correct it, right? i am writing because i genuinely love this car, but feel that there is a serious motor vehicle defect within the headliner assembly, glue or the way the fabric liner was cut, possibly too short. i want to get my headliner repaired, but honestly do not feel that i should be fully responsible for low quality craftsmanship put into the headliner of a four year old vehicle. i'd like for volkswagen to petition to have this item recalled citing the potential safe hazards it can cause due to loss of sight while driving. also, i'd like for you to contact me in order to make the proper arrangements to have mine replaced. i am also sending this letter to volkswagen�s consumer complaints department, consumer affairs, and the national highway traffic safety administration for their review. the consumer stated within one week of owning the vehicle, he noticed a vibration in the steering wheel. it was determined the rotors needed to be replaced. soon after, the radio and window buttons began to peel as if they had been sitting out in heat. updated ivoq 12/22/10*jb the consumer also stated the wiring in the driver's side door was defective. the exterior side mirror turn signals did not function properly. the wiring harness inside the boot of the driver's door showed signs of wear. the consumer stated 2 out of the 11 wires were broken, including the ground wire. updated 06/07/11

Reported in: CHICAGO IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWSF71K76M

VISIBILITY

Reported in: CHICAGO IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWSF71K76M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

Reported in: CHICAGO IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWSF71K76M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

brake light switch failure.

Reported in: WEST HARTFORD CT || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPG71K36M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

brake light switch failure.

Reported in: WEST HARTFORD CT || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPG71K36M

SEATS

recently my beloved 2006 jetta 2.5's power driver side seat has been moving on its own while i am actively driving!! i was on my way home the day after thanksgiving when my seat started to shift on its own.. i was driving in nj on the parkway traveling 75 mph.. my seat moved forward which put pressure on my foot on the gas than moved backwards atleast 6 inches .. leaving me both unaware i was traveling 90mph!! and unable to brake.. because i couldn't reach the brake pedal.. while i was trying to fix my seat and panicking .. i looked in my mirror and realized i was being pulled over by a state trooper. i advised him of the situation and he didn't wanna hear it.. i plan to fight this ticket in court because this was not* my fault.. however i am grateful i wasn't involved in something more severe like an accident.. the car is being towed to the dealership i bought it from and i strongly advise anyone who has had the same issue to complain to vw because this is a deff!!!!! safety hazard and will kill someone.. and i forgot to mention that i also had my 6 yr old son in the car.. this is a problem!

Reported in: TOMS RIVER NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDG71K46M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2006 vw jetta tdi has excessive wear on the camshaft with 96,000 miles on it.

Reported in: POTOSI MO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K06M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

the dual mass flywheel on the 2006 vw jetta tdi has excessive noise coming from the transmission. flywheel is bad and needs to be replaced.

Reported in: POTOSI MO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K06M

AIR BAGS

airbag fault indicator displayed. fault remained. brought to dealer. wiring harness has a known issue under the passenger seat that was repaired. $250.

Reported in: STEVENS POINT WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K36M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

i got into the car and went to open the rear doors for my two children and put them in the car. they got in the car and the door open alarm continued even after the door was closed. i reopened and closed the door and it finally stopped. the next time i opened the door the windows would not go down, the locks did not work and i could not adjust the mirrors. i went to the dealership and they have said it was the wiring harness between the door and the car. a wire had broken and they ordered a replacement harness. after investigating the issue, i see their are a lot of people with the 2006 vw jetta tdi with the same issue. i see this as a safety issue, due to the fact that in an emergency i would struggle with exiting the car with my two children. it also means an exposed wire is a regular occurrence with the vehicle.

Reported in: PEBBLE BEACH CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81K96M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

dsg automatic transmission unexpectedly shifts into neutral while driving. it has happened about six times after the car had 30,000 miles on it.

Reported in: GARRETT PARK MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWXJ81K76M

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

2006 vw jetta trunk will not latch shut, trunk button on key doesn't work to open and the trunk light on dash states that its open. when went to shut the slamming it really doesn't help, it'll latch when it eventually. the trunk open light on dash will be on when the trunk is closed and i can't open it. middleton ford stated that its part of the issue with jetta's and will not cover it, even though i just bought the car from them two months ago. there should be a recall on all jetta's to get this fixed and for it to be covered considering its a design flaw of vw.

Reported in: MILTON WI || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

check engine light codes p0302/p2293 intake camshaft, cam follower, high pressure fuel pump, low pressure fuel sensor, air intake hose, sparks plugs.

Reported in: VICKSBURG MS || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWXJ81K76M

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

check engine light codes p0302/p2293 intake camshaft, cam follower, high pressure fuel pump, low pressure fuel sensor, air intake hose, sparks plugs.

Reported in: VICKSBURG MS || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWXJ81K76M

SEAT BELTS

driver's side seat belt stuck out and won't retract.

Reported in: MAUMEE OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K76M

POWER TRAIN

2006 vw jetta tdi with dsg automatic transmission, dual mass flywheel failing, vw dealers keep in stock because high number of failures, mechatronic unit failing when driving, vehicle will reach 3rd gear then suddenly downshift to 1st gear. resulting in a hard jerk. gear shift indicators on dash will start to flash, shutting off vehicle and restarting will reset unit but as soon as you get to 3rd gear problem reoccurs. known issue with 2007 -2009 dsg transmissions vw extended warranty to 10 years or 100,000 miles on these transmissions but fail to acknowledge the issue with 2006, contacting vw will respond with only we're sorry. also expect long delays in getting a mechatronic unit.

Reported in: MARYSVILLE WA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K16M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

69,000 mile clutch failure seems to be common place but no recall or offer to assist in the cost of repairs.

Reported in: LAKELAND FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

there are acknowledged transmission failures in the 2003-2008 vw jettas. they hard shift from 1/2 and 2/3. this causes the vehicle to be unpredictable during acceleration, especially during merging which is extremely dangerous. vw sent notices of "warranty extensions" to 7 years or 100,000 miles. however, this does not cover a majority of effected vehicles. 2003's would already be over 7 years old and an average mileage. owner-[xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Reported in: RIVERSIDE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRG71K76M

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

driver's side wiring harness failure - several wires in the wiring harness between the passenger compartment and driver door have failed, making it impossible to operate windows, door locks, release fuel door, and release trunk from driver door. there is no manual release for the fuel door. the failed wiring also results in a constant door ajar indication on the instrument panel and illumination of the front dome and entry lamps. safety systems may be compromised if the onboard computer believes the door is ajar.

Reported in: OWINGS MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K16M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: OWINGS MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K16M

POWER TRAIN

tl* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta tdi. the contact stated while driving approximately 50 mph, the clutch suddenly failed by depressing to the floor board and causing the vehicle to become inoperable. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where the contact was awaiting a diagnosis of the failure. the vehicle was not yet repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

Reported in: FORREST VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K16M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

2006 vw jetta tdi : re: critical clutch failure on highway that could cause serious crash. clutch complete failed at 62,000 miles - clutch went to floor and would not pop back out. completely unusable and stuck in traffic and unable to shift gears. had to have vehicle towed to dealer. 46 other complaints of this same issue at www.aboutautomobile.com/complaint.2006/volkswagen/jetta/clutch.

Reported in: FOREST VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K16M

VISIBILITY

the windshield wipers failed after being stuck to the windshield. the motor did not have time to burn out as it was instantaneous when i accidentally hit the wand when starting the car. it seems as if the wipers seized immediately when experiencing the resistance from the ice. there was very little ice, in fact, i didn't even have to scrape the windshield. it is a safety concern as i was preparing to drive home during a snow storm. the mechanism should be able to withstand more resistance.

Reported in: FORT COLLINS CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K06M

INTERIOR LIGHTING

the car doesn't recognize that the door is open. the interior lighting does not come on and the notification that the headlights remain on is not functional. this has left me with a dead battery twice. also, the car alarm rearms itself if the engine is not started within 30 seconds. i believe this is a safety issue in that the lighting is not functional which is a security concern at night.

Reported in: FORT COLLINS CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K06M

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

Reported in: FORT COLLINS CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K06M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: FORT COLLINS CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K06M

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE

a rattling noise was heard from the engine area starting at about 50,000 km. i thought at first it was a loose exhaust component. the car has been maintained since new by a dealer here in eastern canada. my request to check the noise at each dealer service did not identify the problem. i did not press the issue because it could only be heard at idle, outside the car. well after the car was out of warranty, i discovered the source of the noise to be the dual mass flywheel. this turns out to be a widely known problem and the dealer should have identified it for a warranty replacement. i have ordered a new oem flywheel (not from vw) and will be replacing it myself, as i did with the faulty camshaft last year (also a well known deficiency in this vehicle). this is a manufacturing defect that could result in serious injury or death and should be the subject of a recall.

Reported in: BADDECK 00 || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Reported in: BADDECK 00 || Crash: N || VIN #:

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

the trunk of my 2006 volkswagen jetta turbo will randomly open while driving and/or parked. this has happened while i have been driving on several occasion blocking the visibility from my rear view mirror. the trunk will also close, however, the car/dashboard recognizes the trunk as being open; disabling the ability to opening the trunk with the keyless entry and within the car. i notice this issue usually occurs more frequently when the weather is colder.

Reported in: FOX RIVER GROVE IL || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID

Reported in: FOX RIVER GROVE IL || Crash: N || VIN #:

SEATS

my 2006 vw jetta 2.5 l has had the passenger side seat warmer catch fire and cause holes in my seat. as i dropped off one of my children to school today i noticed a black hole with glowing orange embers in the seat! i touched it and realized my seat had caught on fire! thank god my child was already out of the car and was wearing a heavy coat and wasn't burned by it. definitely a huge safety issue and i'm lucky no one was injured!

Reported in: RIDGELY MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWSF71K46M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: RIDGELY MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWSF71K46M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

tl the contact owns a 2006 vw jetta. the contact stated while the gear was in drive position the instrument panel illuminated and gear independently shifted into neutral, he experienced the failure numerous times while driving at low speed, but was able to avoid crashing. the vehicle was taken to the dealer whom performed a diagnosed. the failure was located at the transmission which needed to be replaced. the manufacturer advised they were not aware of the failure, and offered minimal assistant towards the purchase of a new vehicle, or the new transmission. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure and the current mileage were 84,000.

Reported in: PACE FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K46M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

i have a 2006 .5 vw jetta tdi which i purchased new in summer 2006. starting in sept 2010 we have had an endless problem with door ajar sensor. while driving the dome lights and ajar light come on and off constantly. the alarm system arms itself and goes off when parked and the sensors stop working. i have had both door sensors changed along with latch assembly to no avail , now the shop indicates it is the wiring harness. yesterday i received a letter from vw about other wiring harness problems associated with the side impact airbag system. (service action 97u3/t3) though they don't call it a recall. *ln

Reported in: APO AE || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K36M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

at 83,000 miles our volkswagen jetta tdi 2006 utterly failed with a cam shaft and lifters failure. this is a well known problem with the jetta. - vw refused to acknowledge it. within 3000 miles of the repair the turbo was completely destroyed - most likely from metal fragments in the oil from the cam lifter problem. they did nothing to clean the system with the first repair - which clearly led to the complete failure of the engine on the second repair. again vw refuses to acknowledge the problem.

Reported in: COLORADO SPRINGS CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K86M

INTERIOR LIGHTING

bought used volkswagen jetta turbo. after one year of perfect functioning, the interior lights and air conditioning have totally stopped functioning. mechanic can't figure it out. additionally, trunk latch would not latch upon opening trunk.

Reported in: FREDERICK MD || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

Reported in: FREDERICK MD || Crash: N || VIN #:

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

Reported in: FREDERICK MD || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: FREDERICK MD || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

the dual mass flywheel has failed on my car. if this would have happened at high speed it could cause the transmission and engine to seize thus locking the front wheels and causing loss of control/serious vehicle damage. there is widespread information about this on the internet documenting the failures, some of which have destroyed the vehicles transmission and engine in the process. volkswagen of america is aware of this problem and has issued a recall in europe but refuses to do anything about it in the us. i am forced to replace this part myself since vw will not cover this part despite the fact that they now have an upgraded replacement part as they know the original is defective.

Reported in: ESTACADA OR || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K46M

SEAT BELTS

the seat belt light has come on on the dashboard and will not go away when the seat belt is on..

Reported in: HUNT VALLEY MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWSF71K76M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

while driving on the interstate the car suddenly began to shake while accelerating. at slow speeds the car would stall and could not be driven safely. when i took it to the vw dealer they informed me a camshaft had worn prematurely and caused the rocker arm to break which destroyed a fuel injector and the valve cover. total cost to repair $6,000. the car was 1000 miles beyond the powertrain warranty (60,000) so vw paid half the cost of the repair. however, the car never ran correctly again and they could not tell me why. i traded the car in after the repair. after i had this problem i researched the issue and found it to be very common. if you google "camshaft wear in pump duse tdi engines" you will find a great deal of information on this problem. in many cases such a severe problem did not occur, but this problem could cause the engine to seize completely. i insisted that the dealer return the failed parts to me, but they refused because it was considered a warranty repair. i did see the worn camshaft lobe and it looked identical to those pictured in cases reported online in forums. i truly believe that this is a major flaw and should be addressed by a complete recall. this could be very dangerous.

Reported in: ASHEVILLE NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K46M

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

sudden deceleration or loss of power mainly at highway speeds but occasionally in town. this lasted for only a few seconds and the car regained power. there were scary situations on the interstate highways but no accidents or injuries occurred. this occurred intermittently over several months but the dealer was not able to either duplicate the problem or identify any components that were faulty. after much persistence and frustration on my part, the dealer eventually identified a faulty �tandem fuel pump� and a faulty component of the transmission (mechatron). both components were placed on february 17, 2010 and i have had any problems since that time. jetta tdi.

Reported in: GAINESVILLE FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K16M

POWER TRAIN

Reported in: GAINESVILLE FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K16M

AIR BAGS

tl* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that the passenger air bag warning light illuminated on an intermittent basis. the vehicle was inspected by the dealer who advised her that the sensor would need to be replaced. the dealer advised that if the air bags were not replaced, they would not deploy in the event of a crash. the vehicle was repaired but the warning light continued to illuminate intermittently. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was approximately 10,000.

Reported in: DUDLEY MA || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

my car is a 2006 vw gli. the transmission was rebuilt 3 months ago and cost me a fortune, and now this. i just heard from my transmission technician that my mechatronic unit needs to be replaced in the dsg transmission. many, many vw and audi buyers have had to have these replaced. i have had to drive various "loaners" so that i can get to work etc. vw should have to back up their product and make it right with us vw buyers. *ln

Reported in: IONIA MI || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

vibrating noise was heard from motor at idle and would stop under acceleration. stopped vehicle and motor rattled loud. turned motor off and it would not start. broken springs were noted laying on undercover.

Reported in: WESTMINSTER MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K56M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Reported in: WESTMINSTER MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K56M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

the overhead cam on my 06 vw jetta tdi failed causing extensive engine damage. this is a common occurrence with this year and model vehicle. the manufacture does not acknowledge a problem. i changed the engine oil per the owners manual at 10k intervals using only vw 505.01 spec engine oil, acquired from the dealership.

Reported in: ALBUQUERQUE NM || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

our 2006 volkswagen jetta definitely has electrical problems they all do!!!! when we purchased ours 1 year ago it was winter and our trunk latch wouldn't work the 1st night we got it. we brought it back to the vw dealer and they replaced it - and the next day it did it again - then they told me it was because it was cold out that is why my trunk did not close. now after countless lights changed and the cadillac converter changed. my drivers side door light does not recognize my door is open and does not come on and it immediately got worse my two front windows are going up and down - my window lock switch is still on when the car is off - so i have to look up close and push again until the light is off. **********************took to vw they want $92 just to look at************recall recall my vw dealer told me today that there is an airbag recall on my 2006 jetta 2.5 why were we not notified that is definitely a safety issue especially with my children!!! need to investigate electrical issues that is a safety concern.

Reported in: BIDDDEFORD ME || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated while driving 40 mph the vehicle would not shift gears. whenever the gears shifted, the vehicle would stall. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer who performed a diagnostic test and stated that the automatic transmission needed to be replace. there was also a massive oil leak in the engine. the manufacturer was contacted and informed him to take the vehicle back to the dealer for the repairs and it would be covered under the warranty. the failure mileage was 67,000 and the current mileage was 69,000. updated 04/12/11*lj the consumer no longer owns the vehicle. updated 04/29/11

Reported in: ELMWOOD PARK NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWSG71K46M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Reported in: ELMWOOD PARK NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWSG71K46M

POWER TRAIN

while driving on a divided highway changed from 3rd to 4th gear. vehicle clutch engaged odd and upon slowing to a red light vehicle would not shift properly. attempted to go at green light and clutch gave out midway through intersection and stalled car. got vehicle going before a collision. had vehicle towed to local vw dealership (performance, omaha) who told me that the luk clutch was not a warranty item and the recalls only applied to sacs. vw of america (the rep had only worked with vw for 3 months) seemed to be clueless and only backed up dealers assessment. dealer informed me that many vw come in with less than 30k miles and clutch problems which is a poor and dangerous design to have it fail before 80k miles. clutch linkage was found to be the problem and was broken, one hard shift due to a broken linkage caused the clutch plate to shred. total charge quoted $2200 out of pocket for a manufacturer design flaw.

Reported in: BELLEVUE NE || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWXJ71K66M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

driver's side wiring harness failure - several wires in the wiring harness between the passenger compartment and driver door have failed, making it impossible to operate windows, door locks, release fuel door, and release trunk from driver door. the failed wiring also results in a constant door ajar indication on the instrument panel and illumination of the front dome and entry lamps. safety systems may be compromised if the onboard computer believes the door is ajar. vw states that this is a problem that they are familiar with, yet the cost for repair is over $400.

Reported in: WHEELING IL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWXJ71KX6M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

i was leaving for a trip from milwaukee to madison to start a long weekend vacation. i was i-94 traveling 65 mph when my vehicle's epc light came on and the engine died. this rendered me useless on a busy highway fearing for my safety. the car died in the middle of heavy traffic due to it being the end of the work day. the timing chain broke on the vehicle while in motion causing engine interference and requiring a replacement. no assistance was provided by vw stating it was fault of operator error. independent company that put replacement engine in stated this malfunction could not have been caused by no adhering to preventative maintenance or operator error as car manufacturer previously mentioned.

Reported in: STURTEVANT WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWXJ71K96M

STEERING

sub-frame shifting causing a popping noise when turning. leads to loose steering, wander, and severe flexing of front end when going over bumps. due to weak sub-frame bolts, contributing to lower control arm wear.

Reported in: BELLVILLE TX || Crash: N || VIN #:

SUSPENSION:FRONT

Reported in: BELLVILLE TX || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

in the past year we have felt nothing but disappointment and frustration with our jetta. the most concerning issue to us is that all controls and power on the driver side door do not work. we are unable to put down any windows from the driver�s side door, unlock or lock any doors, open the gas cap or open the trunk. the blinker on the driver�s side mirror does not work, the safety light at the bottom of the driver�s side door does not work when the door is opened, there is no control of the child safety locks, and the driver�s side and passenger side mirrors cannot be adjusted. i know that volkswagen takes great pride in the safety of its vehicles, and as one can see, with the loss of power to the driver�s side door a substantial amount of these features are useless. i shutter to wonder if the airbags in the car are also on same wiring as the driver�s door. these are all huge safety concerns to us. and now, within the past two weeks the trunk sporadically won�t close and the battery is loosing its charge, which we know may be a normal maintenance issue, but it is just one more thing. it feels as if there is a new issue every week! . we now feel �stuck� with this vehicle that we are unable to afford to fix. so we avoid driving it as much as possible because we don�t believe it is safe to drive our family with two young children around in. in addition to the safety concerns, the car cannot be driven through a drive through restaurant or a tollbooth since the driver�s side window will not come down. i�m sure this is not the reputation volkswagen wants for its vehicles. we are very disappointed and feel helpless. i have read this complaint repeatedly on this website and wonder why this has not been recalled? please help!

Reported in: MAYVILLE NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRF71K96M

POWER TRAIN

vehicle has 74,000 & the transmission failed on the highway with no prior issues or warnings. vw of america has refused to help because it is out of warranty however i know they are having serious issues with the typtronic and many transmissions have failed between 50k-70k miles. i was told this vehicle was already recalled in austrailia.

Reported in: SARASOTA FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWCT71K46M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

add one more 2006 jetta at 70000 miles in which the driver's side door harness broke losing electrical power to all systems controlled by door controls.

Reported in: IOWA IA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K26M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

very strong exhaust/foul smell inside vw jetta car upon rapid acceleration this smell occurs very often (several times a day) when the car accelerates rapidly (for example, when passing another car etc.) we've being trying to resolve this issue for a long time: changed filter, vw said it was the catalytic converter and changed it, but the smell came back. this strong smell is causing my kids to cough and is unbearable. vw is now refusing to do anything further and every time i ask the local dealer to diagnose it, they charge me a large fee and do not solve this issue.

Reported in: SAN JOSE CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ignition key will not go in the key hole. it is as if you are trying to start some other car. it happened at parking lot without any warning.

Reported in: SNELLVILLE GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWWJ71K46M

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

ignition key will not go in the key hole. it is as if you are trying to start some other car. it happened at parking lot without any warning.

Reported in: SNELLVILLE GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWWJ71K46M

POWER TRAIN

tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. while accelerating from a stop the vehicle began to violently jerk momentarily before shifting into gear. once the vehicle shifted into gear a cloud of dark black smoke was seen coming from the exhaust. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they were unable to diagnose the failure. the failure recurred intermittently. the failure mileage was 48,000 and the current mileage was 77,000.

Reported in: PORT ORCHARD WA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K46M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

vw has changed the diesel engines (tdi) starting with approximate year 2004 until 2007, when they stopped selling tdi to meet emission requirements. to save money and licensing fees to bosch they have changed from common rail system made by bosch (feeds the diesel fuel to engine with very high pressure) to vw system called tdi pd: pump duse (or pump-nozzle injection). to accommodate the injectors inside the engine, they have changed the specs and dimensions of many parts, including the camshaft. the camshaft inside this engine has the added role to drive the pd lifters, apart from valve lifting and closing. i own this type of car vw jetta 2006 tdi, and the camshaft wore off at 80,000 miles, and yes it was out of warranty and it costs $3000. apart from the costs, which accrues to aprox $3000 per 50,000 to 80,000 miles rendering this car a liability cost to the owners (a long term owner will have the price of car doubled by added bills to change the camshafts many times. this impacts drastically financially many families depending on this car), without the possibility to fix it permanently and for once . i have changed the camshaft and now at 115000 miles it starts to shows signs of wear, like last time. not changing gears in time, car is shaking. the effect gets worse, until when the camshaft lobes wears off more, and results in valves not opening and closing in right sequence and time, and engine will stall, like mine did on my street. as well i was on highway and car will not operate and respond to acceleration pedal input, maximum pedal input was giving only 40mph, exposing me to a stampede of cars from behind in a dangerous situation unable to control the car. i have explained the situation to vw and they deny any: wrongdoing, design flaw, fault or liability. according to tdiclub.com there is up to 20% failure of the engines via camshaft wear of lobes. i trust you will investigate and request vw to address:safety+financial impact to tdi pd owners.

Reported in: BARRIE, ON, L4M 6R3 CANADA 00 || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71KX6M

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

Reported in: BARRIE, ON, L4M 6R3 CANADA 00 || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71KX6M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

tl* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that while idling, the transmission exhibited a loud rattling noise. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and an independent auto shop for diagnosis and they both informed the contact that the transmission dual fly wheel was defective. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 80,000. updated 05/24/11*lj updated 06/06/11

Reported in: HIGHPOINT NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K46M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

driving to work at 65mph for over 1 hour with out any problems. turned off highway and into turn lane. car shifted hard and drive indicator lights on dash began to flash. drove into parking lot in first gear. i have searched the internet and there are a lot of problems with the dsg transmission on the vw. have not had a chance to have the car looked at yet.

Reported in: CARTHAGE NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K96M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

the dual mass flywheel on the 2006 vw jetta tdi has excessive noise coming from the transmission. flywheel is defective and needs to be replaced.

Reported in: WOODBURY CT || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

when driving down road, transmission went into neutral and engine nearly redlined. car would no longer move forward or reverse. car had to be towed to a service center. the mechatron controller for the transmission had to be replaced. the car had a dsg transmission. we were lucky it was not on a busy road and highway speeds when it occurred.

Reported in: HUXLEY IA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81K46M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

the drivers side door electrical system does not work. the locks, windows, mirrors, trunk latch, gas tank latch, mirror defroster et al. in speaking the vw service reps they knew right away that the issue was a broken harness. they indicated it had failed in many other vehicles. however, in speaking with vw customer care they are not willing to accept responsibility for the known issue. i will let the safety experts determine the severity of this design failure but the doors can not be locked or unlocked, the door ajar light remains on and dings all the time, the interior lights are on night and day making visibility at night difficult and last but not least the windows cannot be put down. please address this as vw does not appear willing and this issue is everywhere with this model year and make. thanks!

Reported in: SYKESVILLE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K06M

VISIBILITY

Reported in: SYKESVILLE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K06M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

Reported in: SYKESVILLE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K06M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

i was to service my 2006 volkswagen jetta tdi with dsg transmission. i took off the lower engine cover and found a bunch of different size broken spring laying on cover. i notice that at several different spots that something had been rubbing thru the trans housing at several locations. i took the car to a independent vw shop. i was told that the flywheel had broken and cause the transmission to rub on housing. i was told not to drive car because the transmission housing could separate from the engine and possible cause great bodily harm or death to myself or whomever else may be near. i called a volkswagen dealer and was told it was a very common problem with the volkswagen tdi with the dsg transmission. why isn't something being done or how many people need to die because of this. the estimated repairs are close to 8000.00-10000.00 for a new dsg transmission and a flywheel to be installed. thank you for any help or reply.

Reported in: VAN DYNE WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K46M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

there is a distinct delay when taking the car from park to drive or reverse which causes very harsh engagement. it makes it a challenge to safely maneuver the car in close quarters. sitting at a red light the car will lurch forward when letting off the brake and hitting the throttle. this happens at start up and at running temperature. when this first began to happen the problem would go away after a transmission service but would soon return. now it is present at all times whether the service has been performed or not. the problem only occurs when the car is at a stop and you start to move the vehicle, forward or reverse. all other shifting responses seem to be normal. again the problem only exists when starting from a complete stop. from what i can read this seems to be a recurring problem with the dsg transmission.

Reported in: ORO VALLEY AZ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K86M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

i took my 2006 vw jetta tdi, 5 sp, 40k miles to the vw dealership for its 40k service on 5/27/11. after the service was completed, i started the car and noticed it was running very rough (the car wasn't running rough when i dropped it off for service). my service rep took the car back to the service technician who checked all the filters and re-bled the fuel filter to remove any air bubbles that may have been trapped, which did not fix the issue. the service technician took the cover off the engine and identified the that the camshaft is wearing. maintenance on this car is completed every 5k miles and serviced by the dealership it was purchased from.

Reported in: MESA AZ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K16M

POWER TRAIN

our vw has a dsg transmission. we have heard a strange sound since about october, 2010. it was finally diagnosed as a dual mass flywheel failure. the dealer refused to do anything. vw finally agreed to pay for 1/2 the repair parts and we had to pay all of the labor. we obtained data on the internet that due to problems with this dsg transmission, vw had extended the warranty on all dsg or s-tronic transmissions for 10 years/100k miles. the dealer told us we were wrong! we believe that we have a vw with a defective transmission and ask that you require vw to make the repairs under warranty and that you, please, add this complaint to those that you may already have.

Reported in: TEMPE AZ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT81K76M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

2006 volkswagen jetta cooling fan stopped working at just over 50k miles and 2 months out of warranty. vw of america will not cover this (as it it out of warranty). it seems to be a common problem for many customers.

Reported in: LIBERTYVILLE IL || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

i have a 2006.5 jetta tdi with a dsg transmission and 130,000 miles. my car has had all transmission service completed at the dealership. my incident began at a red light. when i went to hit the gas, my car did not move. the engine revved but nothing. i turned the car off. once i started it again, i was able to get to my destination. when i went to leave, it did it again at a stop sign. i was again able to turn off my car and restart. it moved approximately 20 ft into intersection, then nothing. i turned if off two more times and finally made it through intersection (approximately 40 ft through). while in drive (going approx. 20 mph), the car shifted into neutral, all lights on instrument panel were blinking, just as before. i sat for a few minutes, then i tried to drive home again in the manual gear shifting mode. i made it approximately 1/2 mile when it shifted into neutral again (going approx. 40 mph) and lights blinking. i had to call a tow truck to take me to the dealership. heaven forbid i had been going faster and this happened or someone had hit me in the intersection as i tried to turn across traffic. i understand there is a recall for 2007-2009 transmissions and extended warranty. i suggest expanding this to include all models with dsg transmissions since they obviously have dangerous reliability problems.

Reported in: RUTHER GLEN VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K66M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

electrical harness in passenger side door leads to intermittent electrical failures that can lead to safety issues.

Reported in: BLACKWOOD NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRF71K96M

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that the vehicle would intermittently stall while driving at various speeds. the vehicle would also intermittently hesitate to accelerate when the accelerator pedal was depressed. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they were unable to diagnose the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 21,000 and the current mileage was 66,000.

Reported in: SUGAR LAND TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWSF71K26M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

the engine in our 2006 tdi dsg began to exhibit rough idling. at a certain point it became evident something was wrong. the vehicle has always been serviced by a vw dealership at the specified intervals (i call them the $400 oil changes). i could hear what sounded like an intake valve popping and could feel a pulsation in the turbo intake hose. i checked on some of the forums and was shocked to learn of the early camshaft failure problem common to the pd engines. it seems that vw narrowed up the intake and exhaust cam lobes by about 30% to make room for the injector lobe, and tried to compensate for this inadequate design by mandating "special" oil (which i can only hope our dealer used each time the oil was changed). it turns out though, that a critical can wear additive in this oil, zddp, in sufficient quantities can cause early failure of the catalytic converter (an item which has a longer warranty period than the engine). it seems that the zddp only exists in sufficient quantity in vw "special" oil to get through the engine warranty period, while at the same time protecting the converter from warranty failure. i bought an after market cam kit and installed it myself, saving nearly $3000 in the process. since then we've put another 60k miles, using mobil td truck 5w40 oil... so far so good. i think this whole situation is disgraceful at best and vw should be responsible for all pd camshaft failures to a period significantly longer than the 80,000 km warranty. the primary reason we paid 32k for a compact sedan was the reputed longevity of the diesel engine. this failure, along with the dual mass flywheel fiasco has made our purchase of this silver colored lemon anything but a good investment. until vw faces up to their moral responsibilities in this matter i would caution anyone considering this make of vehicle. *kb

Reported in: BADDECK 00 || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

Reported in: BADDECK 00 || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

tl* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated the windows and doors failed to unlock, and the windows would not roll up or down. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who performed a diagnostic test that indicated the failure was caused by the drivers door wiring harness. the wires were to short and caused the wiring rubber boot, door locks, and windows to fail. the dealer replaced the driver and passenger door wiring harness. the failure mileage was 76,000 and the current mileage was 83,000.

Reported in: GRAND RAPIDS MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K06M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

tl* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta tdi. the contact stated after having her transmission flushed by the dealer, they notified her that the vehicle would no longer shift into reverse. the vehicle was not repaired. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who advised her that she would need to replace the transmission since it was faulty. the manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. the failure and current mileage was approximately 90,000.

Reported in: LIMERICK PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K56M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

the dual mass flywheel has failed on my car. if this would have happened at high speed it could cause the transmission and engine to seize thus locking the front wheels and causing loss of control/serious vehicle damage. there is widespread information about this on the internet documenting the failures, some of which have destroyed the vehicles transmission and engine in the process. volkswagen of america is aware of this problem and hasn't issued a recall . i am forced to replace this part myself since vw will not cover this part despite the fact that they now have an upgraded replacement part as they know the original is defective. cst to repair at dealership $1600.

Reported in: CANTN MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K66M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

tl* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta tdi. the contact stated that while driving at highway speeds, the clutch suddenly failed and depressed straight to the floor. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer and they advised the contact that the clutch needed to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer had not been notified. the failure and current mileages were approximately 63,000. the vin was unavilable.

Reported in: BOSTON MA || Crash: N || VIN #:

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

tl* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta diesel. the contact stated that the high pressure fuel pump was malfunctioning and causing the vehicle to stall. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic, who stated that the fuel pump had metal shavings inside of it that were clogging the fuel injector. the mechanic also stated that the entire fuel system needed to be cleaned and the high pressure fuel pump and injectors needed to be replaced. the contact notified the manufacturer and filed a complaint. the manufacturer informed the contact that there were no recalls, but they were aware of the failure. the contact stated that the stalling could lead to a crash. the failure mileage was 55,000.

Reported in: MORGANTON NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K36M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

tl* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. while driving approximately 5 mph the contact heard a grinding noise. the sound could be heard at different speeds intermittently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing where the technician stated the transmission had to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 30,000. updated 09/21/11 *bf the consumer stated the new transmission arrived in two weeks and was replaced. updated 10/05/11

Reported in: FORT SMITH AR || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K86M

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

the dual mass flywheel has failed on my car. if this would have happened at high speed it could cause the transmission and engine to seize thus locking the front wheels and causing loss of control/serious vehicle damage. there is widespread information about this on the internet documenting the failures, some of which have destroyed the vehicles transmission and engine in the process. volkswagen of america is aware of this problem and hasn't issued a recall . i am forced to replace this part myself since vw will not cover this part despite the fact that they now have an upgraded replacement part as they know the original is defective. cst to repair at dealership $2000.

Reported in: RIO WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K56M

STEERING

tl* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated when the electric steering wheel failed the vehicle became uncontrollable and stalled. the failure occurred on a daily basis. the vehicle was rendered undriveable. a warning light illuminated intermittently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated there were no related recalls. the manufacturer was notified and stated the warranty expired and offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 36,000 and the current mileage was 103,000.

Reported in: RENO NV || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K36M

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

vehicle manual transmission failure, pushed clutch foot pedal clear to floor, would not spring back. on a busy road, able to pull off the road.

Reported in: HILLIARD OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRF71K56M

POWER TRAIN

my cars transmission did not respond to the accelerator input- the car seemed to be stuck in neutral but the indicator was in the drive position - this happened while at speed and i had to maneuver out of traffic to get off to the side of the road - i was almost hit as i could not accelerate the car because of this problem. the car needed to be towed away for repair.

Reported in: CANTON GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWST71K56M

SEATS

my wife was getting ready to go to work, when she opened the door of our jetta, smoke started coming out from under the drivers front seat. she bent down to see where it was coming from but all she saw was a red glow coming from under the seat. this thing must have set and smolder all night because she didn't unlock the car that morning because she had left the car unlocked do to where we live no one is around for miles. inspector said that it was fault of (vw) the seat, but it will cost to much to sue vw. we almost lost our home, garage and our lives. we had the seat recall repaired but i think the repair was never made, the video is on youtube under "jetta fire". one of my questions is why didn't a fuse blow before the car burnt to the ground. *kb

Reported in: CLAREMORE OK || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: CLAREMORE OK || Crash: N || VIN #:

SEAT BELTS

driver front seat belt failed, re-tractor locked, and the seat belt will not pull out or retract. *kb

Reported in: LONGVIEW WA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K56M

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

driver front seat belt failed, re-tractor locked, and the seat belt will not pull out or retract. *kb

Reported in: LONGVIEW WA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K56M

SEAT BELTS

tl* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that the driver side seat belt failed to extend. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the manufacturer was contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 60,000.

Reported in: LONGVIEW WA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K56M

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

the instrument cluster, gear indicator, odometer, radio, outside temperature, compass, mpg, speed monitor and controls all the lighting features on car has failed. according to the service manager i deal with he told me that he has seen many of these clusters fail in 2005,06 jetta's and passat's. the cost to replace is $650+ i feel this is a known manufacturing defect that vw does not want the public to know about. i can't read my odometer or even read what gear i am in. it is a safety concern. can you help with this. i feel sorry for all the other vw owners that have a failed instrument cluster. *tt

Reported in: BINGEN WA || Crash: N || VIN #: VIN: 3VWDT8

TIRES

i purchased a 2006 vw jetta in late 2008, early 2009. the car was brand new and sat in the showroom for two years. after of driving for 1 1/2 years, the tire sidewalls began to separate. continental made the adjustment and i replaced the tires thinking that sitting in a showroom for that much time, they probably dry rotted. today, i am having to replace all four tires again after 13 months for the same reason, sidewall separation. reading the complaints on this site and others, it appears there is a serious issue here for sidewalls on continental tires. the size is 225/45r 17. the tires are contipro contact.

Reported in: HOLLISTER CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDG71K76M

POWER TRAIN

clutch broke in the car it is a know defect with the type clutch's this car was built with volkswagen is aware of the defects and issued a tsb in 2007 1 year after my car was built but the sold the car as a certified pre-owned vw with the known defective parts. the parts now broke and vw is refusing to repair the defective parts. there are thousand of vw jettas affected by these bad parts. *tt

Reported in: ALVERDA PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K36M

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT

volkswagen jetta 2006 headliner fabric failure. separation of headliner fabric from headliner, creating a visibility obstruction. possibly a danger to the drivers visibility. clear manufactures defect due to the amount of research done online. a substantial amount of owners have the same complaint. i have contacted volkswagen directly. they have yet to initiate a mass recall on 2006 volkswagen jetta headliners, despite the numerous complaints brought to light by owners. *kb

Reported in: VIRGINIA BEACH VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWSF71K86M

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Reported in: VIRGINIA BEACH VA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWSF71K86M

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

the wiring harness that runs from the engine compartment to the drives side door has cracking and broken wires. the service department states it needs to be replaced. they suggest it is not an isolated incident. wires with broken insulation after 6 years in a door harness that is designed to open and close multiple times daily seems to be a significant safety issue. are there other wire issues? is the wire (car built in mexico) an issue overall?

Reported in: DENVER CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRT71K16M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

originally purchased in 2007. complained about the car - when shifting it would excel and jerk after shifting. then as time went on i would be driving and the jetta would hesitate as if a fuel was not getting to the engine. i took my car in for regular oil changes and regular maintenance. i live in a rural area and drive just highway miles and have approx. 121,000 miles on it. i purchased this vw as i anticipated it to last a lot longer than a regular vehicle. when i took it in for the last oil change and the intermittent hesitation was really bad i was told it would cost me anywhere from $7500 to $8000 to fix. and i still owed $9000! i asked if it was covered under the warranty. of course the warranty expired in july...but nothing was found all the previous times i had brought my car in for service. and vw's regional rep and hq was contacted and both were apologetic that vw could do nothing about fixing my car. looking at the internet - i found that nationwide and up to canada other individuals with less mileage have had the same issue and individuals were seeking arbitration against vw. i understand vw does not have a recall or anything considering this is a recurring problem. all they can offer is $1000 to buy another vw!!! their nerve! totally dishearten with vw.

Reported in: LOS LUNAS NM || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWCT81K16M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

tl* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that when starting the vehicle, there was a loud rattling noise coming from the hood area. the contact researched and found that the dual mass fly wheel could possibly be defective. the dealer was made aware of the defect, but did not diagnose the vehicle. the manufacturer was not contacted and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 91,000 and the current mileage was 94,000.

Reported in: SUNBURY NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWCT71K46M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

at 64k miles, the check engine light came on and my engine started struggling to drive even at a snails pace. the timing chain was the issue and was replaced for approximately $2500. approximately 10 months later, the engine light came on again, same issue. once again, it was replaced (this time under warranty). *tt

Reported in: TORONTO PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRF31K66M

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

tl* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that the brake light would consistently stay on even when the ignition was turned off, causing the battery to drain. the dealer and manufacturer were notified, but denied any assistance with repairs to the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 104, 000.

Reported in: ANTIOCH CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3BWPG71K76M

POWER TRAIN

dsg transmission stutters (jerks) from a stop or to a stop. it also occurs less noticeably at highway speeds. the lurches from a stop feels like it is going to leave the car dead in the middle of the road.

Reported in: PROVINCETOWN MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDT71K86M

STEERING

tl* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that the steering wheel would become inoperable while driving. the dealer and manufacturer were notified, but denied any assistance with repairs to the defect. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 66,000.

Reported in: NEW CASTLE DE || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPF71K86M

POWER TRAIN

vehicle stopped moving after stopping at the traffic light. engine starts but car will not move . shift position indicator flashing. vehicles towed to the volkswagen garage. needs mechatronics transmission module replaced . almost $2300 repair .

Reported in: LONGMONT CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWMJ71KX6M

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

the transmission is slipping between 3 and 4 gear and between 4 and 5 gear.

Reported in: CALIMESA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRG71K86M

POWER TRAIN

the transmission is slipping between 3 and 4 gear and between 4 and 5 gear.

Reported in: CALIMESA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWRG71K86M

POWER TRAIN

while traveling at a speed of 45mph at 5:40pm on 12/15/11 my '06 jetta tdi suddenly stopped driving. it sounded as though the car had slipped into neutral. this happened on hwy 83 in delafield. hwy 83 is one of the busiest highways in wisconsin. we were unable to pull out of traffic and were stranded in the left of the 2 lanes. our hazards were turned on as traffic started to pull around us we were calling aaa for a tow. within 5 minutes of the stall we caused a 5 car pile up. of the 5 cars, 2 were totaled. 2 other had significant damage. one had minor. we sustained no damage as we were not hit. car was towed to a transmission repair shop where they found the dual mass flywheel to have caused the failure. $4,500 - $5,000 estimated repair from that shop. $5000 "minimum" from hall imports of brookfield. how many more people's lives will you allow to be jeopardized before you do something about this transmission problem? i am horrified that i caused an accident of this size! vw stopped making tdi's after 2006...why? did they realize there was a problem? are you going to wait until someone is killed before you take action? i am going to research class action lawsuits to see if this group of vw owners has a case against vw. and what is the nhtsa's responsibility to take this further than just accepting complaints?

Reported in: WALES WI || Crash: Y || VIN #: 3VWDT71K76M

AIR BAGS

bought new vw jetta sedan on 08/17/06. on 05/13/10 took the car to the dealer because of car decelerating while driving i.e. dropping in seconds from 60 miles to 20 miles. it was taken to the dealer multiple times for the same problem. dealer answer "unable to replicate problem" until warranty of four years expired. the problem continues even after the carbon accumulated on the throttle was cleaned and the fuel pump was replaced. due to unsafe to drive, requested for the dealer to buy the car back as a lemon. the dealer refuses because the four yr warranty is over. other problems experienced with this vehicle during this period: air bags lights going off, air bag cover falling off, trunk opening on its own while driving, rain water leaking inside the lining of the car, screws coming off a door panel, doors falling off the hinges, emergency switch falling inside panel, fuel cap not locking, recalls. dealer recommending to replace the steering wheel column for 2,340.