2006 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Complaints

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.

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. *TR

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. *TR

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. *TR

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. *TR

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! *TR

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. *TR

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. *TR

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. *TR

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.