2005 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Complaints

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. WON'T SHIFT FROM SECOND TO FIRST. OR FIRST TO SECOND. IF ENGINE IS VERY HOT IT WILL MOST TIMES BUT NOT AT ALL IF COLD OR WARM. *TR

3 OCT 2011: THIS VEHICLE'S FLYWHEEL ASSY FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 85,000 MILES. FORTUNATELY, THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE I WAS AT A VERY LOW RATE OF SPEED IN A NON-CONGESTED AREA. AFTER THE EVENT, I HAVE COME TO REALIZE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON DSG TRANSMISSIONS AS INSTALLED ON A VARIETY OF VW MODELS. VW DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE INTERESTED IN DISCUSSING THIS ISSUE FOR MODEL YEARS 2005 / 2006. I AM ONE OF THE LUCKIER ONES AS I REGULARLY MAKE LONG DISTANCE - INTERSTATE TRIPS WITH FAMILY IN-TOW. VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO ACCEPT FULL FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO NOT ONLY TAKE CARE OF CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SUCH LOW-TIME FAILURES BUT, ALSO, EXPAND ANY RECALL THAT MAY BE IN-PLACE FOR LATER MODELS SO AS TO PREVENT POTENTIAL LIFE-THREATENING ACCIDENTS WITHIN THE OVERALL DRIVING POPULATION. I HAD BEEN DRIVING A "TIME BOMB" FOR ALMOST 5 YEARS AND, TO DATE, VOLKSWAGEN OF NORTH AMERICA HAS ONLY ISSUED A LIMITED RECALL FOR LATER MODELS, THE 2008-2010, I BELIEVE. THIS EPISODE WILL COST AT LEAST $3000.00 USD AND NONE OF IT IS COVERED BY VOLKSWAGEN. WHAT IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS AND HOW DO I KNOW THAT MY REPLACEMENT DSG TRANSMISSION WILL NOT BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THIS HAPPENING AGAIN CAUSING POTENTIAL VEHICLE, PROPERTY, AND PERSONAL DAMAGE IN THE FORM OF A VEHICLE "MISHAP".??? *TR

2005.5 VW JETTA, 2.5L 5 CYL ENGINE. CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER GUIDELINES. VEHICLE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY WHEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS LIT STEADY, NOT FLASHING. STARTED TO LOSE POWER AND WAS DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN SPEED. PULLED OFF ROAD AND IDLE WAS VERY ROUGH. TURNED CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND IDLE WAS WORSE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL LIT AND NOT FLASHING. VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE GRINDING NOISE FROM DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WAS DIFFICULT TO MOVE VEHICLE UNDER ITS OWN POWER AND HAD CAR TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP. REPAIR SHOP FOUND TROUBLE CODE P1340 AND AFTER MORE DIAGNOSTIC THAT TIMING WAS INCORRECT. CAM TIMING WAS VERY FAR OFF AND STRETCHED TIMING CHAIN SUSPECTED. COMPRESSION TEST REVEALED BENT VALVES AS WELL. LOCAL INDY MECHANIC AND LOCAL VW DEALER HAVE BOTH SEEN THIS ISSUE SEVERAL TIMES WITH 2005.5 AND 2006 MODEL JETTA AND RABBIT VEHICLES WITH THE 2.5L ENGINE, AND SEVERAL OTHER SIMILAR FAILURES ARE OUTLINED IN SEVERAL PLACES ONLINE. THE FAILURE OF THE TIMING CHAIN WAS VERY SUDDEN AND COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN NEW JETTA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN THE POWER WINDOWS AND TURN SIGNALS FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTING FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT BOTH A WIRING AND CRASH HARNESS WAS NEEDED TO RESOLVE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

CAMSHAFT FAILURE CAUSING ALL ASSOCIATED/CONNECTING PARTS TO ALSO FAIL. NEVER DEVIATED FROM SPECIFIED MANUFACTURES REQUIRED OIL (505.01). THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN PROBLEM, THAT IS COMMON ON ALL THESE DIESEL ENGINES (BRM), OF WHICH THE MANUFACTURE WILL NOT CORRECT AND THE OWNER IS REQUIRED TO CORRECT AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE AT A COST OF $2000 PLUS. *TR

OWN A 2005 VW JETTA, BROUGHT INTO DEALERSHIP TODAY WITH 106K MILES ON IT AND NOW THEY ARE SAYING THE TIMING CHAIN HAS JUMPED. THIS SOUNDS LIKE IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM, SO WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A BURNING WAX ODOR EMITTING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING VENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND REPLACED THE CARPET. THE ODOR RETURNED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER BUT NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD ONLY OCCUR DURING SUMMER MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED $1500 TOWARD THE PURCHASE OF A NEW VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NO REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

FRONT END CRASH INTO A STOPPED VEHICLE ON COUNTY HIGHWAY. APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH TO 40 MPH. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED BY INSURANCE PROVIDER. SEAT BELT STRAINING UPON BODY, THAT TOOK FULL FORCE OF STOP NO OTHER ABSORPTION OF IMPACT ENERGY. VEHICLE KEPT ENERGIZED EVEN AT THE SALVAGE STORAGE AREA WHEN KEYS WERE INSERTED NO ELECTRICALLY SAFETY RELAYS DISENGAGED THE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

WIRING HARNESS BETWEEN THE BODY AND THE DOORS FLEXES DURING OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE DOOR. THE WIRE COATING BECOMES BRITTLE WITH AGE AND CRACKS CAUSING STRESS POINTS IN THE WIRE LEADING TO BREAKAGE OF 1 OR MORE WIRES IN THE HARNESS LEADING TO INOPERABLE CONTROLS AND ELECTRONICS IN THE DOOR, POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL SHORT, AND POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. THIS FAILURE TENDS TO OCCUR AFTER A COUPLE YEARS OF USAGE. THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE FAILED AT 65,000 MILES. USUALLY THE DRIVER'S DOOR FAILS FIRST AS IT IS USED MOST FREQUENTLY. THIS EQUIPMENT INCLUDES BUT MAY NOT BE LIMITED TO WINDOW CONTROLS, DOOR LOCKS, DOOR OPEN SENSOR, AIR BAG SYSTEM CRASH SENSOR, TRUNK RELEASE SWITCH, FUEL DOOR RELEASE SWITCH, DOOR MIRROR ADJUSTMENT, MIRROR TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR, MIRROR HEATING ELEMENT. WIRING HARNESS MUST BE REPLACED WHICH COSTS APPROXIMATELY $150-$200. HARNESS SHOULD BE REDESIGNED WITH LONGER WIRES TO AVOID STRETCHING OF THE WIRE AND WIRE COATING MATERIAL CHANGED TO AVOID BRITTLENESS WITH AGE AND WORK HARDENING. *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE RETURNING HOME AFTER SHOPPING. CAR WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP. DIAGNOSIS WAS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF ENGINE DUE TO A TIMING CHAIN JUMP ON A 72K MILE, 2.5 LITER, 2005 VW JETTA TWO MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE. *TR