2005 Volkswagen Jetta

TL*THE CONTACT LEASED A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE VEHICLE IS A DRIVE BY WIRE VEHICLE AND THERE IS NO MECHANICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ACCELERATOR AND THE ENGINE. THE DRIVE BY WIRE IS PART OF THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE CONTACT IS A TWO FOOT DRIVER AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT MODIFIED. WHILE ACCELERATING, THE VEHICLE FAILS TO MOVE FORWARD. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED DUE TO AN INTENTIONAL COMPUTER PROGRAM, WHICH PREVENTS SIMULTANEOUS BRAKING AND ACCELERATING IN ORDER TO PREVENT STRAIN TO THE DRIVE TRAIN. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS NO REPAIR AVAILABLE TO PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING. ON OCCASION, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AGAINST TRAFFIC OR TRYING TO MERGE, THE VEHICLE FAILS TO MOVE FORWARD. WHEN THE VEHICLE DOES MOVE FORWARD, IT ACCELERATES AT HIGH SPEEDS, APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH AND CAN BE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THERE HAVE BEEN 15 OR MORE NEAR CRASHES. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE COMPUTER INTERLOCK BETWEEN THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDALS WERE FEDERALLY MANDATED. THIS DELAY IS TO PREVENT A CRASH IF THE ACCELERATOR SENSOR FAILS IN THE OPEN POSITION. ON NOVEMBER 7, 2007, THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE VOLKSWAGEN MANUFACTURER DROVE THE VEHICLE AND DUPLICATED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR WHEN DRIVING WITH TWO FEET OR ONE FOOT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 13,850. EQ-10209410-4200. 12/12/07. UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT NOTICED A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR EMANATING FROM HER VEHICLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY CHANGED THE AIR FILTER; HOWEVER, THE REPLACEMENT WAS ONLY A TEMPORARY SOLUTION. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE SMELL INTENSIFIED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND COULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,635 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 24,000. UPDATED 01/09/08. *LJ THE COSUMER WAS INFORMED THE SMELL WAS FROM THE ENGINE COOLANT. UPDATED

AFTER DRIVING FOR 40 MINUTES IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, I WAS SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE CAR SHUT OFF, THE BATTERY INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHED FOR A FEW SECONDS AND WENT OUT. AFTER ABOUT 2 MINUTES, THE CAR STARTED WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE BATTERY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE APPROACHING A STOP AT 70 MPH, THE CONTACT PLACED THE CLUTCH IN AND IT FAILED TO RELEASE. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO DRIVER ERROR. THE CLUTCH WAS REPLACED AND THE DEALER DID NOT CHARGE FOR LABOR. THE PART COST $1,800. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER AND THEY HAVE NOT YET DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE OF THE SECOND FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

20K MILES, NOTICED REAR GRINDING SOUND WHEN BRAKING. SOUND SEEMED TO DISSIPATE AFTER A FEW HUNDRED FEET OF BRAKING. HOWEVER, IT TURNS OUT THAT THE GRINDING SOUND WAS THE REAR PADS HAVING BEEN WORN DOWN TO THE RIVETS. I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE THE REAR ROTORS AND REAR PADS, AT 20K MILES. THIS IS VERY UNUSUAL. SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO 60K MILES ON REAR PADS, PERHAPS AS SOON AS 30K ON FRONTS. *TR UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF UPDATED 12/12/07

CLUTCH COMPLETELY FAILED AT 35,000 MILES, SUDDENLY ON A HIGHWAY (THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE, IT WOULD JUST REV REALLY HIGH). I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY LOCAL VW DEALER. THE VW DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO FAULTY VW PARTS; FAILURE WAS DUE TO A WORN CLUTCH, WHICH I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH VW OF AMERICA. I WAS SUSPICIOUS OF THIS DIAGNOSIS, SINCE THE CLUTCH FAILED SO SUDDENLY & IN ALL OF MY YEARS OF DRIVING MANUAL TRANSMISSION CARS (16 YEARS), I HAVE NEVER NEEDED TO REPLACE A WORN OR DAMAGED CLUTCH. THE DEALER REPLACED THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY, WHICH COST ME $2,070. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS REPAIR IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, & THAT HE WOULD SHOW ME THE WORN CLUTCH WHEN THE REPAIR WAS FINISHED. WHEN I PICKED UP THE REPAIRED CAR, I ASKED TO SEE THE CLUTCH & FLYWHEEL (FOR SIGNS OF WEAR & HEAT MARKS). THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION; THEY WERE ALREADY DISPOSED OF & IN THE GARBAGE DUMPSTER. AFTER READING SO MANY COMPLAINTS MADE BY EXPERIENCED MANUAL TRANSMISSION DRIVERS ABOUT VW CLUTCHES WEARING PREMATURELY, I BELIEVE THAT THIS CASE MAY BE DUE TO A DEFECTIVE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY, WHICH SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I'VE READ ON VW TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS THAT FAULTY PRESSURE PLATES AND/OR FLYWHEELS IN THESE NEWER JETTAS HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO CAUSE DAMAGE & EXCESSIVE PREMATURE WEAR TO THE CLUTCH. IN MY CASE, I WASN'T ABLE TO INSPECT THE OLD CLUTCH ASSEMBLY FOR OTHER SIGNS OF MECHANICAL FAILURE (SINCE THE DEALER DISPOSED OF THE OLD PARTS BEFORE I HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THEM). SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT VW CLUTCHES, I HOPE THEY ISSUE A RECALL & REIMBURSE THE MANY CUSTOMERS THAT HAVE NEEDED TO REPLACE THEIR CLUTCHES SO SOON. I AM NOT HAPPY ABOUT HAVING TO SPEND $2,070 TO REPAIR A FAULTY CLUTCH IN A CAR THAT IS ONLY 2 YRS OLD. FOR MY NEXT CAR PURCHASE, I AM CONSIDERING BUYING FROM A DIFFERENT CAR COMPANY. *JB

MY CAR A 05.5 VW JETTA TDI HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE DEALER SINCE MAY 24,07 WITH THE SAME TROUBLE. LOSS OF POWER. INTERMITTENTLY, MOST OF THE TIME WITH OUT ANY INDICATION OR NOTICE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO CROSS THE STREET. IF CARS ARE COMING AND YOU PULL OUT INTO THE STREET AND YOUR CAR HAS LOST ITS POWER AND YOU DO NOT EXPECT IT. YOU END UP CROSS WAYS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WITH ON COMING TRAFFIC HAVING TO BRAKE AND WAIT FOR YOU TO GET OUT OF THEIR WAY. THIS HAPPENS RANDOMLY SO YOU CAN'T PREPARE FOR IT. IT ALSO WILL LOSE POWER WHILE YOU ARE CRUISING DOWN THE ROAD AND NEED TO PUSH YOUR ACCELERATOR DOWN, AND FIND OUT THAT NOTHING IS HAPPENING, AND YOU MAY HAVE TRY SOME OTHER EVADECIVE MOVE. I NO OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH SAME THE CAR, HAVING THE SAME ISSUES AND DEALER HAVE NOT FIXED THEIR CARS EITHER. *TR