2013 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA HYBRID Complaints

THE CAR IS A 2013 VW JETTA HYBRID WITH 64,189 MILES ON IT , BUT ONLY 4 YEARS OLD. THE CAR STARTED TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ITS OWN CHARGING SYSTEM WHILE STOPPED DURING DRIVING THE VEHICLE. IT WOULD NOT IDLE PROPERLY. I TOOK IT IN TO TOMS RIVER VW AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, WHICH WOULD COST $ 9,000 TO REPLACE. THEY SAID THEY WOULD TRY TO GET ME "FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE" FROM VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA. I WAS LEFT IN THE DARK FOR FOUR DAYS TILL I ECIEVED A PHONE CALL FROM ONE, ASHLEY, (NO LAST NAME GIVEN) AND SHE SAID VW WAS OFFERING 75% OF COST. I TOLD HER THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND ASKED TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE ELSE. SHE KEPT REFUSING, THOUGH SHE DID SAY SHE WAS "SORRY THIS WAS HAPPENING". I WANT VW TO REPLACE THIS PART. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING. THIS CAR WAS NEVER WORKED ON OR TAKEN ANYWHERE BUT TO A VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP. VW DOES ADMIT THAT THERE IS A MECHANICAL DEFECT IN THESE TRANSMISSIONS, IN THE HYBRIDS. MY DAUGHTER AND SON IN LAW WHO PURCHASED THE CAR AND MYSELF HAVE SEEN ONLINE THAT THESE CARS WERE RECALLED. THE EXACT DATE, I FIRST NOTICED THIS I DO NOT REMEMBER, BECAUSE I ACTUALLY THOUGHT THAT MAYBE IT WAS JUST BAD FUEL. I FILLED IT TWO TIMES WITH PREMIUM GASOLINE TO SEE IF THAT WAS IT. THEN I CALLED MY VOLKSWAGEN DEALER. ONE TIME IT ACYUALLY SHUT OFF ON ME AT A LIGHT , AS WELL.

LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN ZELDIN ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TRANSMISSION RECALL. *LD DESPITE THE CONSUMER TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE RECALL REPAIR, THE TRANSMISSION STILL FAILED. VOLKSWAGEN REFUSED TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. *JB

I FIRST TOOK THIS CAR TO THE DEALER IN LATE 2015 TO REPORT AN UNUSUAL DRIVING CHARACTERISTIC I HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED IN OVER 40 YEARS OF DRIVING. WHEN INCHING FORWARD OR BACKWARDS IN THIS CAR, THERE IS A "JERKY" UNEXPECTED, TEMPORARY SURGING OF THE VEHICLE. THE EXPERIENCED VW MECHANIC ATTRIBUTED THIS TO A "DRY CLUTCH" THAT OPERATES MUCH LIKE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WHEN SLIGHTLY RELEASING THE BRAKE TO MOVE SLOWLY EITHER FORWARD OR BACKWARDS, THE CAR HAS BEEN PROGRAMMED TO "RELEASE" THE CLUTCH AND MOVE FORWARD -- SINCE MOST OF THE TIME WHEN THE BRAKE IS RELEASED THAT IS WHAT THE DRIVER INTENDS. HOWEVER, IF YOU ARE JUST RELEASING THE BRAKE TO INCH FORWARD OR BACKWARDS, AS WHEN PARKING, THE SUDDEN SURGE FEELS VERY UNEXPECTED AND DANGEROUS. IN AUGUST 2016, WE NOTICED A LARGE POOL FLUID UNDER THE FRONT OF THE CAR. AFTER DRIVING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE MECHATRONIC DRY CLUTCH UNIT HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE NEW MECHATRONICS UNIT WAS INSTALLED, UNDER WARRANTY AND WITHOUT ANY COST TO US, WE REALIZED TWO DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTICS NOT EXPERIENCED BEFORE: 1) THE DASHBOAD DISPLAYED THE GEAR THE CAR WAS IN FOR THE FIRST TIME, I.E., D1, D2 THROUGH D7. THAT FEATURE HAD SIMPLY NEVER WORKED BEFORE, UNBEKNOWST TO US AT THE TIME; 2) THE CAR DROVE WITH MORE POWER, AND IT APPEARS BETTER GAS MILEAGE AS WELL SO FAR. THE SERVICE REP MENTIONED THAT THE MECHANIC HAD TO SEE THE PHYSICAL MECHANTRONICS UNIT FIRST, BECAUSE IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO TELL BY VIN # ALONE IF IT IS THE CORRECT PART. THE CONCLUSION I HAVE DRAWN IS THAT THE WRONG MECHATRONICS UNIT WAS INSTALLED ON OUR CAR ORIGINALLY, WHICH CAUSED NOT ONLY BAD DRIVING CHARACTERISTICS, BUT ALSO DID NOT REGISTER THE GEAR THE CAR WAS IN ON THE DASHBOARD READOUT. I HAVE A REMAINING QUESTION WHAT OTHER DAMAGE THIS CAUSED TO THE CAR, AND HOW VW INTENDS WILL HANDLE THAT IN THE FUTURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE HORN FAILED TO OPERATE WHEN DEPRESSED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

I'M REALLY FRUSTRATED HERE WITH VOLKSWAGEN IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR JANUARY THE CAR'S BEEN IN THE SHOP MORE THAN I'VE BEEN AT THE DOCTOR. AT FIRST IT WAS THE WATER PUMP FOR THE TURBO THEY HAD TO BE REPLACED THEN TWO WEEKS AFTER I GOT THAT REPAIRED IT WAS THE BRAKE SENSOR THEN A WEEK AFTER THAT IT WAS THE VACUUM PUMP FOR THE BRAKES, AND THE WORK DOESN'T STOP FROM THERE IT SEEMS LIKE FROM THERE I HAD TO GET A REPAIR KIT IT'S A SEAL THAT GOES BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ENGINE INCLUDING THE DUAL CLUTCH FOR THE HYBRID AND ENGINE TRANSMISSION. AS OF TODAY MAY 13TH 2016 I WAS JUST TOLD THAT VOLKSWAGEN IS GOING AHEAD AND REPLACE THE ENTIRE COMPLETE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THE SAME ERROR CODE CAME UP FROM THE LAST REPAIRS THAT WERE DONE THERE'S BEEN ROUGHLY AROUND $12,000 REPAIRS EITHER PAID BY THE INSURANCE EXTENDED WARRANTY OR VOLKSWAGEN. I'VE PAID OUT OF POCKET ROUGHLY AROUND $500 PLUS RENTAL INSURANCE THAT I HAD TO GET BECAUSE OF GET ANOTHER CAR TO MOVE AROUND. I HAVE FILED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS WITH VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA TO HAVE THE CAR REPLACED BUY THEM AND THEY CONTINUE TO DENY LEFT AND RIGHT SAYING THAT I SHOULD BE GOING THROUGH THE WARRANTY REPAIRS. IT SEEMS LIKE NO MATTER WHAT REPAIRS ARE DONE TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRED AND 4000 MILES LATER THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURS THERE'S DEFINITELY A SAFETY CONCERN THERE IN THE SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT I CAN'T DRIVE FAR ENOUGH OR TAKE A SMALL LITTLE VACATION WITH THE FAMILY WITHOUT HAVING SOME TYPE OF CONCERNED IF MY VEHICLES IN IT DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.

WE OWN A VW JETTA HYBRID HAVE APPROX. 70K MILES. VW HAS ADVISED WE NEED TO REPLACE A MECHATRON UNIT TO THE COST OF APPROX. $2000. HAVE BEEN READING THAT THERE ARE MASSIVE ISSUES WITH THIS PART AND THAT THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. PLEASE ADVISE.

CAR WAS RUNNING FINE, BUT AS WE DROVE DOWN THE FARM TO MARKET ROAD THE TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED (PERMANENTLY) AND WE COASTED TO A STOP. THE CAR HAD BEEN REPAIRED UNDER THE 2013 RECALL CAMPAIGN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALER WANTS $6,000 TO REPAIR EVEN THOUGH IT HAS THE SAME SYMPTOMS MENTIONED IN THE 2013 CAMPAIGN.

I WAS DRIVING ON A 2 LANE STREET WHEN THE CHECK HYBRID FLASHED ON MY DASH. THE CAR STILL CONTINUED TO DRIVE NORMAL ON ENGINE POWER BUT WOULD NO LONGER SWITCH INTO HYBRID MODE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CLUTCH THAT SWITCHES THE ELECTRIC MOTOR TO THE TRANSMISSION WAS BAD AND THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I FOUND THAT ODD BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION RAN FINE WHEN RUNNING ON THE GAS ENGINE ONLY. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD NOT BE UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE MY CAR HAS 73000 MILES AND THE POWERTRAIN COVERAGE ENDS AT 60000. I STATED THAT I THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE HYBRID WARRANTY WHICH IS 100000 MILES. ALSO BECAUSE IT WAS THE CHECK HYBRID WARNING LIGHT THAT CAME ON AND NOT THE CHECK ENGINE. TO NO AVAIL THE DEALER WOULD NOT BUDGE. THE CAR IS AT THE WAITING ON A NEW TRANSMISSION TO ARRIVE. I FIND THE WHOLE SITUATION IRONIC THAT THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACE AND IT IS NOT COVERED GIVEN THE RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED ABOUT THE CONTAMINATED TRANSMISSION FLUID. (RECALL WAS DONE) AND THE FACT THAT I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM VOLKSWAGEN WITH UPDATED MAINTENANCE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER CHANGE INTERVALS JUST 4 WEEKS BEFORE THE PROBLEM OCCURRED.

THE BRAKES CONSTANTLY SQUEAL WHEN BRAKING. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO SOUTH COAST SANTA ANA VW 3 TIMES AND BROUGHT THE CAR IN AND THEY INSIST THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES AND THAT IT'S JUST PART OF THE MATERIAL THEY MANUFACTURE THE BRAKES WITH. THEY CLAIM THAT THE SQUEALING IS NORMAL AND CAUSED BY BRAKE DUST. THE RESULT OF THE FAULTY BRAKES IS LOSS IN STOPPING POWER. THE CAR ALSO HAS BEEN LUNGING OR WHAT FEELS LIKE SLIPPING GEARS WHEN I ACCELERATE OR DECELERATE. IT 'S A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WHEN DRIVING ON BOTH SURFACE STREETS AND STOP AND GO TRAFFIC THAT CREATES AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. THE CONDITION SEEMS TO PERSIST MORE WHEN STARTING FROM A COLD START. VOLKSWAGEN SOUTH COAST DEALER IN SANTA ANA CLAIMS TO BE UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE ISSUE, BUT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE IT COUNTLESS TIMES AS WELL AS OTHER DRIVERS.

AT 45 MILES PER HOUR ON A FOUR LANE STREET THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. THE CAR CONTINUED TO FUNCTION ON LITHIUM ION BATTERY WITH EPC AND BATTERY ICONS LIT, UNTIL THE CHARGE WENT TO ZERO AND ALL ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS INCLUDING GAUGES CEASED. THE CAR WAS DEAD BUT ROLLING. I HAD A QUARTER MILE WITH NO TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF ME TO STOP, LUCKILY I DID 15 FEET BEFORE A RED LIGHT AT AN INTERSECTION. AFTER MISSING TWO LIGHTS I WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND DRIVE WITH DIMINISHED PERFORMANCE (LITTLE POWER) TO MY DEALERSHIP THAT WAS 1 MILE AWAY. THIS IS NOT HOW MY SERVICE INVOICE WAS WRITTEN UP. IN WRITING THEY PUT "STALLED AT LIGHT". I AM ATTACHING AN EMAIL FROM THE SERVICE MANAGER STATING THAT NO PROBLEMS COULD BE FOUND.