NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
115 reports11,000 miles · Jul 23, 2009
Power Train
THE DSG TRANSMISSION IN MY 2008 VW R32 SOMETIMES PERFORMS VERY UNPREDICTABLY. SPECIFICALLY, WHEN DOWNSHIFTING IT SOMETIMES DISENGAGES FOR SEVERAL SECONDS DURING WHICH I HAVE NO ABILITY TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE. ALSO, IN REVERSE GEAR THE GEAR TAKES A LONG TIME TO ENGAGE, THEN IF BACKING UP-HILL, SEEMS TO "SLIP". I WOULD HATE …
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THE DSG TRANSMISSION IN MY 2008 VW R32 SOMETIMES PERFORMS VERY UNPREDICTABLY. SPECIFICALLY, WHEN DOWNSHIFTING IT SOMETIMES DISENGAGES FOR SEVERAL SECONDS DURING WHICH I HAVE NO ABILITY TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE. ALSO, IN REVERSE GEAR THE GEAR TAKES A LONG TIME TO ENGAGE, THEN IF BACKING UP-HILL, SEEMS TO "SLIP". I WOULD HATE FOR THIS TO HAPPEN IN A SITUATION IN WHICH I AM TRYING TO BACK OUT OF THE WAY OF DANGER. I AM ALSO CONCERNED BECAUSE THESE TRANSMISSIONS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR OR REPLACE IF PROBLEMS WORSEN AFTER WARRANTY PERIOD HAS EXPIRED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10278064
10 miles · Jul 23, 2009
Power Train
2008 R32 MECHATRONIC DSG PROBLEMS.. BEEN TO DEALER AND CONFIRMED PROBLEM... DEALER SAID IT IS BACK ORDERED IN GERMANY AND IT IS OK TO KEEP DRIVING IT BECOMES UNDRIVABLE LET THEM KNOW "WHAT EVER THAT MEAN". *TR
NHTSA ODI #10278048
21,000 miles · Jul 23, 2009
Power Train
IT IS A COMMON DRIVING ISSUE WITH MY MY2008 VOLKSWAGEN R32 EQUIPPED WITH A DSG TRANSMISSION. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN ACCELERATING AT LOW SPEEDS THE CAR WILL LURCH AND THEN IT APPEARS THE DSG DISENGAGES AND THE CAR COASTS AS IF IT IS IN NEUTRAL AND THIS IS IN EITHER D OR S MODE. ALSO WHEN DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT SPEED, OCCASI…
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IT IS A COMMON DRIVING ISSUE WITH MY MY2008 VOLKSWAGEN R32 EQUIPPED WITH A DSG TRANSMISSION. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN ACCELERATING AT LOW SPEEDS THE CAR WILL LURCH AND THEN IT APPEARS THE DSG DISENGAGES AND THE CAR COASTS AS IF IT IS IN NEUTRAL AND THIS IS IN EITHER D OR S MODE. ALSO WHEN DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT SPEED, OCCASIONALLY WHEN I GO TO ACCELERATE WHEN CHANGING LANES TO PASS A SLOW INDIVIDUAL, THE DSG APPEARS TO DISENGAGE WHILE THE THROTTLE IS DEPRESSED AND THEN COAST MOMENTARILY LIKE IT IS IN NEUTRAL IN D, S, OR M MODE AND THEN FINALLY IT WILL REENGAGE. THIS OCCURS EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE CAR INCLUDING TODAY. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10278043
15,000 miles · Jul 23, 2009
Power Train
THE CAR WAS PURCHASED WITH ~2000 MILES ON IT. WHEN COMING TO A NEAR STOP, AND THEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE HARD AROUND A CORNER, ON 4 OCCASIONS THERE WAS A LOUD BACKFIRE, AND THE CAR WOULD STALL COMPLETELY. THE CAR HAD TO BE STOPPED AND RESTARTED EACH TIME. AT ~25000 MILES, A VW TECHNICIAN AND FRIEND PERFORMED A "BASIC SETTING…
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THE CAR WAS PURCHASED WITH ~2000 MILES ON IT. WHEN COMING TO A NEAR STOP, AND THEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE HARD AROUND A CORNER, ON 4 OCCASIONS THERE WAS A LOUD BACKFIRE, AND THE CAR WOULD STALL COMPLETELY. THE CAR HAD TO BE STOPPED AND RESTARTED EACH TIME. AT ~25000 MILES, A VW TECHNICIAN AND FRIEND PERFORMED A "BASIC SETTINGS" ON MY DSG TRANSMISSION. SINCE THEN, I HAVE HAD NO FURTHER ISSUES, OTHER THAN A SLIGHT CLUNK WHEN APPLYING THROTTLE BEFORE COMING TO A FULL STOP. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10278041
12,000 miles · Jul 23, 2009
Power Train
MY 2008 VW R32 HAS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WHEN STARTING OR STOPPING, IT HAS A CLUNK AND JOLT WHEN STARTING TO GO (MAINLY AT STOPLIGHTS). IT SEEMS LIKE IT DOESN'T FIND THE GEAR FOR A COUPLE SECONDS AND WHEN IT DOES, IT JOLTS YOU FORWARD. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10278026
18,000 miles · Jul 23, 2009
Power Train
WHEN REVERSING IT IS CHOPPY/JERKY, AS IF I AM PUMPING THE ACCELERATOR. THE SAME HAPPENS WHEN IN TRAFFIC AT LOW SPEEDS. ALSO SOMETIMES THE CAR IS SLOW TO ACCELERATE AS IN THE RPMS'S INCREASE BUT THE CAR IS NOT GOING ANY FASTER. I AM STATIONED IN GERMANY AND THE DEALER HAS A DSG MECHETRONICS UNIT ON BACK ORDER FOR THE LAST 2 MONTH…
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WHEN REVERSING IT IS CHOPPY/JERKY, AS IF I AM PUMPING THE ACCELERATOR. THE SAME HAPPENS WHEN IN TRAFFIC AT LOW SPEEDS. ALSO SOMETIMES THE CAR IS SLOW TO ACCELERATE AS IN THE RPMS'S INCREASE BUT THE CAR IS NOT GOING ANY FASTER. I AM STATIONED IN GERMANY AND THE DEALER HAS A DSG MECHETRONICS UNIT ON BACK ORDER FOR THE LAST 2 MONTHS. THE DEALER IS THE IS THE ONE WHO DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND INFORMED ME OF THE PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS DONE THIS SINCE DAY 1 SO I ASSUMED IT WAS NORMAL. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10278022
20,209 miles · Jul 22, 2009
Power Train
IN MY 2008 VW R32, WITH THE DSG TRANSMISSION DURING LOW SPEED ACCELERATION THE CAR BUCKLES KIND OF LIKE IF DRIVING A MANUAL AND YOU DON'T PUSH IN THE CLUTCH AND THEN DEPRESS IT QUICKLY, BASICALLY IT HAS HAD ROUGH SHIFTING, AND ROUGH CLUTCH ENGAGEMENT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10278013
28,000 miles · Jul 22, 2009
Power Train
MY VEHICLE IS A 2008 VW R32 EQUIPPED WITH A COMPLEX TRANSMISSION SYSTEM CALLED "DSG". THE EVENTS THAT ARE LEADING UP TO A FAILURE ARE; VEHICLE JERKING WHILE TAKING FROM A STOP, ENGINE SPEED DROPPING AND CAR LURCHING FORWARD ALL IN A SUDDEN WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE IN A TRAFFIC OR A LIGHT OR ANY OTHER STOP SITUATION. THE OTHER …
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MY VEHICLE IS A 2008 VW R32 EQUIPPED WITH A COMPLEX TRANSMISSION SYSTEM CALLED "DSG". THE EVENTS THAT ARE LEADING UP TO A FAILURE ARE; VEHICLE JERKING WHILE TAKING FROM A STOP, ENGINE SPEED DROPPING AND CAR LURCHING FORWARD ALL IN A SUDDEN WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE IN A TRAFFIC OR A LIGHT OR ANY OTHER STOP SITUATION. THE OTHER DAY AT THE LIGHTS I ALMOST HIT THE VEHICLE INFRONT OF ME BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO ACCELERATE SMOOTHLY BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. CAR WAS TAKEN TO VW SERVICE AND TOLD THAT IT IS NORMAL BEHAVIOR FOR THIS KIND OF TRANSMISSION WHICH IS AN UNACCEPTABLE SOLUTION FOR THIS SERIOUS ISSUE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10278011
10,500 miles · Jul 22, 2009
Power Train
RECENTLY MY 2008 VW R32 EQUIPPED WITH THE DSG TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN SUFFERING A JERKINESS AND HARSHNESS IN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE WHILE SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE AND VICE VERSA. SOMETIMES THE CAR TAKES TIME TO REACT AND THEN DOES IT IN AN UNPRECEDENTED AND ABRUPT WAY. ALSO WHEN THE CAR COMES TO A C…
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RECENTLY MY 2008 VW R32 EQUIPPED WITH THE DSG TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN SUFFERING A JERKINESS AND HARSHNESS IN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE WHILE SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE AND VICE VERSA. SOMETIMES THE CAR TAKES TIME TO REACT AND THEN DOES IT IN AN UNPRECEDENTED AND ABRUPT WAY. ALSO WHEN THE CAR COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP, SOMETIMES WHEN I GET ON THE ACCELERATOR Y TAKES TIME FOR THE CAR TO START ACCELERATING. BOTH OF THESE SCENARIOS HAPPEN QUITE OFTEN, AND POSE A SAFETY CONCERN, SINCE IT CAN CAUSE ME TO BACK UP INTO AN OBJECT OR EVEN GET STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF CROSS-TRAFFIC. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10278008
13,000 miles · Jul 22, 2009
Power Train
MY 2008 VW R32 HAS AN ISSUE WITH THE DSG TRANSMISSION. IT LURCHES WHEN STARTING AND STOPPING, MAKES HARD SHIFTS FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND FROM 2ND TO 1ST. ON OCCASION IT HAS SELECTED NEUTRAL RATHER THAN THE NEXT GEAR, CAUSING THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN IN TRAFFIC AND MAKE DRIVERS BEHIND HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO AVOID HITTING ME. WHEN THIS HAPPE…
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MY 2008 VW R32 HAS AN ISSUE WITH THE DSG TRANSMISSION. IT LURCHES WHEN STARTING AND STOPPING, MAKES HARD SHIFTS FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND FROM 2ND TO 1ST. ON OCCASION IT HAS SELECTED NEUTRAL RATHER THAN THE NEXT GEAR, CAUSING THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN IN TRAFFIC AND MAKE DRIVERS BEHIND HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO AVOID HITTING ME. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE ONLY WAY TO FORCE THE TRANSMISSION TO SELECT A GEAR IS TO MOVE THE SELECTOR LEVER INTO S OR N THEN BACK INTO D. I TRIED GETTING THE ISSUE LOOKED AT AND FIXED BY VW BUT THEY CLAIM THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. I FEAR THAT EVENTUALLY I'M GOING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10278007
Official recalls
2Mar 20, 2009
VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 5,000 MY 2008 R32 (5TH GENERATION) VEHICLES. WHEN CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS ARE ACCOMPANIED BY HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES, THE FUEL TANK VENTILATION VALVE MAY NOT REMAIN FULLY CLOSED. IF THIS HAPPENS, LIQUID FUEL MAY ENTER THE FUEL TANK VENTING SYSTEM AND MIGRATE INTO THE EVAPORATIVE SYSTEM, SATURATING THE CARBON CANISTER. SHOULD THIS OCCUR WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE MAY EXPERIENCE PERFORMANCE ISSUES (I.E., VEHICLE JERKING) AND THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER COULD ILLUMINATE. FUEL COULD LEAK FROM THE EVAPORATIVE SYSTEM LEAK DETECTION PUMP FILTER.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A FUEL LEAK, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK VENTILATION VALVE WITH AN IMPROVED VALVE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 2, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.
Sep 24, 2007
CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." SOME VEHICLES MAY NOT HAVE HAD A REQUIRED CAP INSTALLED WHICH DISABLES THE HEADLIGHT HORIZONTAL AIM AND SOME VEHICLES MAY CONTAIN A CAP THAT DISABLES THE VERTICAL AIMING SCREW.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: NONCOMPLIANCE CAN INHIBIT PROPER HEADLAMP AIM ADJUSTMENT FOR ROADWAY ILLUMINATION, IMPROPERLY AIMED HEADLAMPS COULD CAUSE REDUCED ROAD VISIBILITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR THE PRESENCE OF A CAP IN THE SOCKET OF THE LOW BEAM HORIZONTAL AIMING SCREW AND INSTALL ONE IF MISSING, AND INSPECT FOR THE PRESENCE OF A CAP IN THE SOCKET OF THE VERTICAL AIMING SCREW AND IF PRESENT, THE CAP WILL BE REMOVED. THE RECALL WILL BEGIN ON OCTOBER 31, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE09035 · Vehicle Stall/loss Motive Power
Opened Jul 17, 2009 · Closed Nov 19, 2009
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:manual Transmission
THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH DIRECT SHIFT GEARBOX (DSG) TRANSMISSIONS, WHICH FEATURE A 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC GEARBOX WITH TWO WET RUNNING CLUTCHES (DUAL CLUTCH) IN WHICH THE CLUTCH MECHANISM AND GEAR CHANGES ARE ELECTROHYDRAULICALLY OPERATED BY A MECHATRONIC CONTROL UNIT.THE DSG MECHATRONIC CONTROLLER INCLUDES EXTENSIVE SELF DIAGNOSTIC FUNCTIONS AND STRATEGIES TO ENSURE SAFE OPERATION AND PREVENT SYSTEM/COMPONENT DAMAGE IN THE EVENT OF COMPONENT FAILURES OR HARSH OPERATING CONDITIONS.THE BASIC HIERARCHY OF FAULT MODES INCLUDES SOME THAT ONLY RESULT IN THE STORAGE OF A DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) AND CAUSE NO LOSS OF FUNCTION, SOME THAT STORE A DTC AND REDUCE VEHICLE OPERATION TO A LIMP HOME MODE, AND SOME THAT STORE A DTC AND CAUSE AN INTERRUPTION OF MOTIVE POWER (I.E., OPEN CLUTCH).THE DRIVER IS ALERTED TO THE LATTER TWO MODES BY THE DASH GEAR POSITION INDICATOR (PRNDS) FLASHING. ONE OF THE CONDITIONS THAT RESULTS IN INTERRUPTION OF MOTIVE POWER IS EXCESS GEARBOX TEMPERATURE.THE SYSTEM INITIALLY RESPONDS TO INCREASED GEARBOX TEMPERATURE BY RAMPING DOWN ENGINE TORQUE.IF THE TEMPERATURE KEEPS RISING THE MECHATRONIC UNIT RESPONDS BY OPENING THE CLUTCH.IN A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT SUBMITTED TO NHTSA ON AUGUST 20, 2009, VOLKSWAGEN DESCRIBED A POTENTIAL DEFECT IN THE WIRING HARNESSES OF THE DSG GEARBOX TEMPERATURE SENSORS USED IN APPROXIMATELY 16,000 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2009 AND 2010 VOLKSWAGEN (EOS, JETTA AND GTI) AND AUDI (A3 AND TT/TT ROADSTER) VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DSG TRANSMISSIONS AND BUILT FROM SEPTEMBER 2008 THROUGH AUGUST 2009 (NHTSA RECALL NO. 09V-333, VOLKSWAGEN RECALL NO. 37E3/S7 AND AUDI RECALL NO 37E4/J7). VOLKSWAGEN PROVIDED THIS DESCRIPTION OF THE DEFECT, THE WIRING HARNESS OF A TEMPERATURE SENSOR IN THE DSG MAY HAVE CONNECTOR WIRES THAT WERE INSUFFICIENTLY CRIMPED BY THE CONNECTOR SUPPLIER DURING A LIMITED PRODUCTION PERIOD.WITH INSUFFICIENTLY CRIMPED CONNECTOR WIRES, A TEMPERATURE SENSOR HAS THE POTENTIAL TO FALSELY DETECT A HIGH GEARBOX OIL TEMPERATURE, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO ABRUPTLY SHIFT TO NEUTRAL.IF THIS HAPPENS, THE SELECTOR LEVER POSITION INDICATOR WITHIN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL FLASH.IN ADDITION, THE DEPRESS BRAKE PEDAL INDICATOR LIGHT WILL BE ILLUMINATED, ALERTING THE DRIVER TO APPLY THE BRAKES.IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, THE ABRUPT SHIFT TO NEUTRAL COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.VOLKSWAGEN ESTIMATED THAT LESS THAN ONE PERCENT OF THE RECALLED VEHICLES MAY CONTAIN THE DEFECT CONDITION. ODI IDENTIFIED 40 COMPLAINTS THAT APPEAR TO BE RELATED TO THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR DEFECT CONDITION DESCRIBED BY VOLKSWAGEN.VOLKSWAGEN RECEIVED 139 COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THE CONDITION, WITH 7 INVOLVING VEHICLES REPORTED TO ODI, RESULTING A 172 TOTAL COMPLAINTS TO ODI AND VOLKSWAGEN.ALL OF THESE COMPLAINTS INVOLVE THE MY 2009 AN 2010 VEHICLES SUBJECT TO RECALL 09V-333. ODI ALSO IDENTIFIED COMPLAINTS OF HARSH/JERKY SHIFTING IN SOME VOLKSWAGEN VEHICLES WITH DSG.VOLKSWAGEN ATTRIBUTED THIS CONDITION, WHICH TYPICALLY OCCURS AT VERY LOW SPEEDS, TO EXCESSIVE WEAR IN THE BUSHINGS OF THE TWO SOLENOID VALVES IN THE MECHATRONIC UNIT THAT CONTROL CLUTCH OPERATION.VOLKSWAGEN DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT THE THIS CONDITION IS A SAFETY DEFECT BECAUSE THE CHANGES IN SHIFT QUALITY DEVELOP GRADUALLY OVER TIME, DO NOT CAUSE A LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER AND HAVE NOT RESULTED IN ANY FATALITIES, INJURIES OR SERIOUS CRASHES (THERE WERE THREE REPORTED PROPERTY DAMAGE INCIDENTS RESULTING IN MINOR BODY DAMAGE IN VERY LOW SPEED, PARKING MANEUVERS).VOLKSWAGEN ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM IN THE FIELD WITH A CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES THE REPLACEMENT OF POTENTIALLY AFFECTED MECHATRONIC UNITS AS WELL
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