2010 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Complaints

NOTE TO ENGINEERS INVESTIGATING 2009-2010 VW JETTA HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMPS: I AM A SEMI-RETIRED AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEER THAT INVESTIGATES INSURANCE CLAIMS. I CURRENTLY HAVE ONE OF THESE ISSUES WITH METAL FLAKES APPEARING ON THE FILTERING SCREEN FOR THE HPFP LOCATED UNDER THE PRESSURE TRANSDUCER. OBVIOUSLY, THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN BUILDING FOR SOME TIME IN ORDER FOR THIS AMOUNT OF METAL FLAKES TO ACCUMULATE (VEHICLE WOULD BARELY RUN--IDLED TO DEALER). THIS IS NOT AFFECTING JUST VW'S. I SEE THE SAME ISSUE IN DODGE, GM, FORD, AUDI, AND MANY OTHER MODELS. THE PROBLEM LIES WITH THE ULTRA-LOW SULFUR FUEL. SULFUR IS A LUBRICATING MOLECULE UNDER HIGH PRESSURE APPLICATIONS. PROBLEMS BEGAN CROPPING UP AFTER SWITCH TO ULTRA-LOW SULFUR FUEL. THE OLDER LOW-SULFUR FUEL WOULD STILL LUBRICATE. THE FIX IS TO EITHER HARDEN THE PUMP FACES TO A MUCH HIGHER DEGREE SUCH THAT NO LUBRICATION IS REQUIRED. OR, ADD A 5% MIX OF BIODIESEL TO THE PETRODIESEL TO RESTORE LUBRICITY TO FUEL. SOME ADDITIVES ALSO ACCOMPLISH THIS SAME LUBRICATING EFFECT. I HAVE NOW HANDLED AROUND 40 CASES OF DIFFERING MAKES WHERE THIS SAME ISSUE CROPS UP. HOWEVER, I ONLY SEE THE CASES WHERE AN INSURANCE CLAIM IS FILED WITH AN INSURANCE CARRIER. IN ALL CASES, I GO BACK TO THE STATION WHERE THE CUSTOMER FUELS THE VEHICLE TO OBTAIN SAMPLE. THIS IS TO RULE OUT CONTAMINATED FUEL BEING DISPENSED AT A FILLING STATION. SO FAR, NO CONTAMINATION FOUND FROM FILLING STATIONS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKES BEGAN TO MAKE A SQUEAKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION WHO STATED THAT THE LEFT BRAKE PAD HAD WORN DOWN TO 25% WHILE THE RIGHT BRAKE PAD HAD ONLY WORN DOWN TO 75%. THE MECHANIC DID NOT KNOW WHY THE LEFT BRAKE PAD WORE DOWN FASTER THAN THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

CAR BROKE DOWN ON HIGHWAY. TOWED TO DEALER AND WE WERE TOLD THERE WERE METAL SHAVINGS THROUGHOUT FUEL SYSTEM AND THAT IT WOULD COST $6000 TO REPAIR. WE NOTICED THAT NHTSA HAS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION (EA11003) FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM. LINK: HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/CARS/PROBLEMS/DEFECT/DEFECTSUMMARY2.CFM?INV_ID=20944&TYPE=VEHICLE&TYPENUM=1&CMPT_ID=158&PROD_ID=728769&MAKE=VOLKSWAGEN&MODEL=JETTA%20SPORTWAGEN&MODEL_YR=2010 THANK YOU. *TR

2010 JETTA SEDAN TDI --> FUEL LEAK --> DAY PRIOR RAN NORMAL. WENT TO START AND DID NOT START. THOUGHT WAS THE BATTERY. CHARGED EMERGENCY STARTER FOR 4HR AND ATTEMPTED AGAIN WITH NO AVAIL. CALLED A FRIEND WHO IS A DIESEL MECHANIC TO HELP START IT. HOOKED TO HIS TRUCK AND STILL NO START. I NOTICED WET UNDERNEATH THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL AND THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT SINCE IT WAS PARKED ON THE STREET, SO WATER POSSIBLY. IT STARTED TO SNOW. WENT AND PURCHASED A NEW BATTERY. INSTALLED THE BATTERY, AFTER BATTERY INSTALL STILL DID NOT START. ATTEMPTED 2 MORE TIMES. SINCE IT WAS NOT THE BATTERY HE BEGAN TO LOOK ELSEWHERE WHILE I ATTEMPTED TO START AND YELLED AT ME TO STOP. I GO TO THE FRONT OF THE AUTO AND HE SHOWS ME WHERE THE DIESEL IS PULSATING OUT AND THAT IS WHY IT IS NOT STARTING, IT IS NOT GETTING TO THE ENGINE. I THEN LOOK AROUND THE CAR AND WITH THE SNOW, I THEN NOTICE A LONG GREEN PATH OF DIESEL FUEL ALONG THE ROAD. I CALLED VW, PAID THE 84$ TO TOW TO VW DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT LOOK AT IT UNTIL A WEEK LATER. MY CONCERN IS THE GAS LEAK. I SHOULD TECHNICALLY HAVE OVER 54K ON THE VEHICLE, I AM NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THOSE OTHERS FOR SALE ON THE MARKET. I AM NOT UPSET SINCE NO BODILY HARM WAS DONE, HOWEVER THE LEAK IS IN GREAT AMOUNT. I DO RECALL A COUPLE OF DAYS EARLIER THAT I WAS GOING THROUGH GAS QUICKER. I FILL 1X A MONTH, WITH 4 DAYS I WAS THROUGH A QUARTER OF A TANK BUT IT DID NOT CLICK. THIS IS ME NOTIFYING YOU OF MY GAS LEAK. THE CAR NEVER STARTED AND THERE WAS NO FIRE BUT THERE IS CONCERN DUE TO THE LEAK. MY MECHANIC FRIEND STATED THAT HE HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE PART WAS CALLED THAT WAS SHOOTING OUT THE FUEL AND TO TAKE TO A AUTHORIZED VW DEALER WHICH I DID. I STILL HAVE 5 DAYS TILL THEY CAN EVEN LOOK AT MY CAR. *TR

DRIVING AT ABOUT 40 MPH WITH ABOUT 1/4 TANK OF GAS WHEN CAR STARTED TO SPUTTER AND RUN ROUGH. THE GLOW PLUG INDICATOR LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING AND I PULLED INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT WHERE I SHUT THE CAR OFF. I RESTARTED THE CAR AND PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING LOT BUT CAR IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND LOSE POWER AGAIN SO I PULLED INTO A GAS STATION LOT WHERE THE CAR REFUSED TO RESTART. CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND GOT CAR TOWED TO AUTOBARN IN COUNTRYSIDE (WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR). TRIED TO RESTART CAR AGAIN AT DEALERSHIP AND NOTICED THE FUEL GAGE WAS READING "EMPTY", MEANING FUEL HAD LEAKED OUT SINCE THE CAR DIED. DEALER CALLED ME THE NEXT DAY SAYING MY HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED AND MY ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM FROM THE GAS TANK ON UP TO THE INJECTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND DEALER WAS VERY HELPFUL AND DID THE JOB IN FOUR DAYS, DURING T-GIVING WEEK, WHICH I WAS VERY SATISFIED WITH. I ALWAYS GET MY DIESEL AT BP AMOCO'S OR MOBILES AND MAKE SURE TO USE HEAVILY TRAFFICKED STATION TO HAVE THE BEST CHANCE OF GETTING FRESH FUEL. I AM NOT COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE CAR AND HAVE CONSIDERED TRADING IT IN DUE TO VW CORPORATE'S SEEMING INDIFFERENCE TO THE PROBLEM, WHICH IS WELL DOCUMENTED ONLINE AND THERE ARE MANY MANY CASES SIMILAR TO MINE. SHORTLY AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR I NOTICED THAT ALL THE FUEL STATIONS IN MY AREA WENT FROM 5% BIODIESEL TO 20% BIODIESEL. I ASKED THE DEALER AT THE TIME ABOUT IT BECAUSE THE OWNERS MANUAL STATES VW WILL NOT WARRANTY THE CAR IF ANYTHING MORE THAN 5% BIODIESEL IS USED. THE DEALER SAID VW WOULD WARRANT IT AND A WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM VW CAME IN THE MAIL SHORTLY THEREAFTER. I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER IF THE HIGHER BIODIESEL PERCENTAGE LED TO THE FAILURE. *TR

VEHICLE: 2010 VW JETTA TDI (DIESEL) ENTERED HIGHWAY AND ACCELERATED UP TO APPROX 40 MPH THEN VEHICLE STARTED TO STALL. A LOUD RATTLING NOISE WAS HEARD THEN "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" CAME ON. WE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER TO SHOULDER AND TURNED ENGINE OFF. (ENGINE DID NOT STALL OUT/OFF BY ITSELF, WE TURNED ENGINE OFF AFTER PULLING OVER) ATTEMPTS TO RE-START ENGINE FAILED. STARTER WOULD TURN ENGINE OVER BUT IT WOULD NOT START UP. SUBSEQUENTLY WE USED A DIAGNOSTIC CODE TOOL WHICH INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH FUEL PRESSURE. WE HAD 1/2 TANK OF DIESEL SO WE DID NOT RUN OUT OF FUEL. BATTERY WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO TURN OVER ENGINE AND ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS STILL WORKED. WE BELIEVE THIS MAYBE AN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL PUMP FAILING. *TR

I DRIVE A 2010 VW JETTA SPORTWAGEN TDI AND TWO DAYS AGO, WHILE DRIVING ~75 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. I WAS ON A HIGHWAY AND THIS PUT MY LIFE IN GREAT DANGER. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR SAFELY TO SERVICE. THEY SAID I HAD USED BAD DIESEL. THEY FLUSHED THE FUEL AND CHANGED THE FUEL FILTER AND CHARGED ME $700. THE NEXT DAY, THE SAME THING HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY. I LOST POWER AND AGAIN MY LIFE WAS IN GREAT DANGER. TWICE, MY VW LET ME DOWN...NEARLY GRAVELY! SADLY, THE DRAMA CONTINUES. THE CAR IS NOW AT A NEW REPAIR SHOP. NEITHER REPAIR SHOP KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. BUT FROM A SIMPLE INTERNET SEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THE PROBLEM: THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. THIS IS VERY CLEARLY RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: EA11003. *TR

WHEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN CAR STALLS. DASH PANEL LIGHTS GO OUT AND BATTERY WARNING LIGHT FLASHES AND CAR SHUTS OFF. CAR HAS TO BE COMPLETELY STOPPED,IGNITION TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION AND PUT INTO PARK, BEFORE IT CAN RESTART. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS. YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO PULL OVER. THE CAR JUST DIES! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ACCELERATION POWER AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 11V490000 (FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,000.

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE TODAY (DECEMBER 5, 2013), AT +15 DEG F (MORNING LOW WAS -22 F), THE GLOW PLUG LIGHT BEGAN BLINKING AND A WARNING BELL RANG, SIGNIFYING "CHECK ENGINE". THE ENGINE STARTED IMMEDIATELY AND CONTINUED TO RUN BUT HAD NO POWER ABOVE 2,000 RPM. THIS IS THE SECOND (APPARENT) HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE ON THIS VEHICLE, THE FIRST OCCURRING ON AUGUST 20, 2013 AT ~55,000 MILES, AT HIGHWAY SPEED, WITH THE SAME LOSS OF POWER SYMPTOM AND "CHECK ENGINE" INDICATION. THAT INCIDENT WAS LUCKILY WITHIN TEN MILES OF THE DEALERSHIP AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL WAS NOT CONTAMINATED AND THAT THE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED AND THEN REPLACED IT UNDER THE ORIGINAL POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. PRIOR TO THAT FIRST FAILURE THE CAR WAS EXPERIENCING SLIGHT 'MISSING' DURING ACCELERATION OR STEADY SPEED IN THE 2100-2500 RPM BAND. THE SAME MISSING WAS OCCURRING SOON AFTER THE FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT, PRIOR TO THE CURRENT FAILURE. I AM THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAS EVER FUELED THE VEHICLE AND THERE IS 0% CHANCE THAT THE FUEL CURRENTLY (OR EVER) IN THE VEHICLE CONTAINED ANY GASOLINE OR BIODIESEL, UNLESS A GAS STATION WAS SELLING CONTAMINATED FUEL. THE DEALER ALSO INSTALLED THE PREVENTIVE FILLER RECEPTACLE THAT DOES NOT ALLOW A GAS HOSE NOZZLE SOON AFTER THE FIRST FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED, DURING A NORMAL OIL CHANGE SERVICING. AS OF THIS WRITING, ON THE AFTERNOON OF DECEMBER 5, 2013, THE DEALER'S SERVICE AGENT HAS REQUESTED THAT I DRIVE APPROXIMATELY 220 MILES OVER A HIGH MOUNTAIN PASS, TO DELIVER THE CAR FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. *TR