Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||||
| TT-97-12-01 | 12/07/2012 | 10050944 | Volkswagen: no terminal 15 power, fault 02403-012. terminal 15 relay activation can be checked in measured value blocks for module that controls relay, and j519 vehicle electrical system control module. measured value block number varies | 02/12/2013 | |
| TB-94-10-02 | 08/09/2010 | 10036467 | Volkswagen: headlights may intermittently dim slightly at idle. the headlamps or inside lights intermittently dim slightly at idle speed. at idle speed the alternator voltage can fluctuate, as the alternator cannot fully compensate the f | 03/16/2011 | |
| 0604 | 01/30/2006 | 10019084 | Update programming (flashing) to correct air bag monitoring light on, passenger occupant detection system, dtc 02688 stored in memory. *nm | 02/10/2006 | |
| 0601 | 01/03/2006 | 10019087 | Heater, customer states heater output seems insufficient during very cold temperatures. *nm | 02/10/2006 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | |||||
| TB-09-10-02 | 08/09/2010 | 10035204 | Volkswagen: headlights may intermittently dim slightly at idle. at idle speed the alternator voltage can fluctuate, as the alternator cannot fully compensate the fluctuations. some electric consumers come on in cycles or have no constant | 02/11/2011 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY | |||||
| TB-09-10-02 | 08/09/2010 | 10035204 | Volkswagen: headlights may intermittently dim slightly at idle. at idle speed the alternator voltage can fluctuate, as the alternator cannot fully compensate the fluctuations. some electric consumers come on in cycles or have no constant | 02/11/2011 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION | |||||
| SAC-28F3/P1-REV | 08/01/2010 | 10036496 | Volkswagen: gasoline engine vehicles inspect, and if necessary, replace ignition coils. vehicles affected by this action may have ignition coils that could malfunction under certain conditions. models passat and wagon; golf; gti; jetta a | 03/23/2011 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING | |||||
| SA-97U3 | 01/01/2011 | 10038595 | Ready | 06/22/2011 | |
| SA-97U3 | 01/01/2011 | 10038595 | Volkswagen service campaign: see document search button for owner letter. resistance in the air bag system can cause the air bag light to turn on even though there is no problem. *rm | 06/22/2011 | |
| TB-94-10-02 | 08/09/2010 | 10036467 | Volkswagen: headlights may intermittently dim slightly at idle. the headlamps or inside lights intermittently dim slightly at idle speed. at idle speed the alternator voltage can fluctuate, as the alternator cannot fully compensate the f | 03/16/2011 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | |||||
| V97-11-04 | 04/20/2011 | 10040498 | Ready | 08/31/2011 | |
| V97-11-04 | 04/20/2011 | 10040498 | Volkswagen of america: 2005-2006 jetta. driver | 08/31/2011 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||
| 10/13/2011 | 71939 | 1 | |
| I have a 2006 vw jetta sd w/ 93,000 miles. i use this vehicle for work. the air bag fault light has been on for almost two years. i initially took the car to the david maus vw in south orlando. i was told by the repair rep kevin it would cost $400 to repair the connector located under the driver seat that relate to the air bag system. since my car was out of the warranty period, i was told i would have to bear this cost. i asked [xxx] how the connectors would become faulty since there is nothing ever stored under my driver seat and no one goes under the driver seat. [xxx] said that ??it just happens.?? i told him i was disappointed vw had made such a faulty car because of the many prior problems i had that fortunately were covered under warranty, e.g., esp light continually on; ignition coils recalled/replaced; asr light continually lit; trunk latch replaced, air conditioning vents broke, driver side door would not lock/unlock; and driver side button stopped working. after the warranty ended, the air bag light came on. i paid to replace the button for the side view mirrors because it broke off. [xxx] told me the button was cheap and they always break. a recall for the side air bag harness on seats were repaired on both sides on 3/30/11. in october, 2011 i told [xxx] i did not believe i should be responsible to pay for the repair of the air bag light as i believed it was a defect on vw part. i could not have caused the light to come on by driving the vehicle. i was informed by [xxx] that without this repair the airbag system was considered to be inoperable and unsafe. after review of the nhtsa complaints and an internet search, this airbag issue with this vehicle has been a known one for some time. vw has not issued a recall because they do not believe it is a large concern. i believe a recall should be issued due to the obvious safety concerns. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr | |||
| 10/13/2011 | 71939 | ||
| I have a 2006 vw jetta sd w/ 93,000 miles. i use this vehicle for work. the air bag fault light has been on for almost two years. i initially took the car to the david maus vw in south orlando. i was told by the repair rep kevin it would cost $400 to repair the connector located under the driver seat that relate to the air bag system. since my car was out of the warranty period, i was told i would have to bear this cost. i asked kevin how the connectors would become faulty since there is nothing ever stored under my driver seat and no one goes under the driver seat. kevin said that | |||
| 01/24/2013 | 180000 | ||
| First, vehicle's electronic locks stop responding to depresses from both remotes. replace the batteries to the remote and still the car will not respond. the only way to open the door is by manually inserting the key into the drivers side, which is the only manual keyhole, and turning left twice. once turn unlocks the driver's side door, another turn unlocks the passenger doors. after some time passenger doors stop responding to second turn. passenger doors do no lock when manually turning key the right from the driver side door, which is the only manual keyhole. the passenger doors that do not lock cause the alarm to go off when opened. depressing the silence alarm button on key fob does not silence alarm. the only way to silence alarm is by closing passenger door, closing driver side door and turning key right once to lock and left to unlock. doing so only control driver side door. after some time dashboard shows door open symbol even when all doors are securely closed and indicator light on door is off. dome light stays on while driving as if the doors are indeed open even though they are securely closed. at this stage the alarm system no longer works either by key fob depress nor by manually turning the lock in the drivers side door as described earlier. doors must be locked by opening each one manually and pressing the lock door button located on each passenger door. pressing the drivers side door lock does not lock passenger doors. all fuses are intact and no electrical issues reported. | |||
| 11/09/2012 | 70068 | 1 | |
| 2006 vw jetta, driving down street 11/09/12 door ajar light comes on, i stop to close doors and light goes off. i pull into work parking lot and get out of car as i click the key to lock the car, nothing. i then proceed to check the car.. nothing is working. cannot access gas cap to put gas in car, some lights may not be functioning properly, airbag light not on, door will not lock, window will not respond, no car alarm. drivers side of car has no power at all. i have no idea what is and is not working correctly. although i did look online and found hundreds of complaints with regard to a brown wire or wires too short inside the boot to the body connector. most people report that even after a vw fix, problem not resolved. car not acting properly and with electrical and having been in a vw car fire do not wish to repeat this scenario. i contacted vw customer care who politely told me this is not their problem and refused to escalate to a manager. since this just happened today i have not had an opportunity for vw to look at it, but will tomorrow as i have to find a way to put gas in car and see if they feel auto is safe to drive. i don't.. *tr | |||
| 11/09/2012 | 70068 | ||
| 2006 vw jetta, driving down street 11/09/12 door ajar light comes on, i stop to close doors and light goes off. i pull into work parking lot and get out of car as i click the key to lock the car, nothing. i then proceed to check the car.. nothing is working. cannot access gas cap to put gas in car, some lights may not be functioning properly, airbag light not on, door will not lock, window will not respond, no car alarm. drivers side of car has no power at all. i have no idea what is and is not working correctly. although i did look online and found hundreds of complaints with regard to a brown wire or wires too short inside the boot to the body connector. most people report that even after a vw fix, problem not resolved. car not acting properly and with electrical and having been in a vw car fire do not wish to repeat this scenario. i contacted vw customer care who politely told me this is not their problem and refused to escalate to a manager. since this just happened today i have not had an opportunity for vw to look at it, but will tomorrow as i have to find a way to put gas in car and see if they feel auto is safe to drive. i dont.. | |||
| 07/25/2012 | 79000 | 1 | |
| The driver's side window in my vehicle stopped working completely. when i took the vehicle to the dealer they told me the cause was a faulty driver's side door harness. there were several wires that were broken or about to break, and they suggested i replace it immediately. i was quoted over $400 for parts and labor. this issue was recalled on the earlier models, and then fixed on the 2008 and later models during production. however the 2006 and 2007 models are still affected by the problem. volkswagen has not issued a recall for this crucial part and continues to let its customers pay for the dangerous design flaw in these vehicles. warning to potential buyers: before purchasing a 2005.5 (newer body style), 2006, or 2007 jetta check to make sure this problem has been fixed. otherwise, you could wind up with your power windows, locks, mirrors, gas door, and trunk release no longer working when you need them to. also, i was told the vehicle would not pass inspection with this problem. it is a risk and a safety concern that should be recalled immediately. *tr | |||
| 07/25/2012 | 79000 | ||
| The driver's side window in my vehicle stopped working completely. when i took the vehicle to the dealer they told me the cause was a faulty driver's side door harness. there were several wires that were broken or about to break, and they suggested i replace it immediately. i was quoted over $400 for parts and labor. this issue was recalled on the earlier models, and then fixed on the 2008 and later models during production. however the 2006 and 2007 models are still affected by the problem. volkswagen has not issued a recall for this crucial part and continues to let its customers pay for the dangerous design flaw in these vehicles. warning to potential buyers: before purchasing a 2005.5 (newer body style), 2006, or 2007 jetta check to make sure this problem has been fixed. otherwise, you could wind up with your power windows, locks, mirrors, gas door, and trunk release no longer working when you need them to. also, i was told the vehicle would not pass inspection with this problem. it is a risk and a safety concern that should be recalled immediately. | |||
| 07/30/2012 | 130623 | 1 | |
| At 130,623 miles our jetta had to have the camshaft and lifters replaced. the lobes on the camshaft had completely worn off and the lifters had pitted. i feel like our diesel motor has aged prematurely and there is an underlying problem that vw is ignoring. this is a common problem for this model and year. we are having both replaced, but until the root of the problem is found there will be an issue again. vw must know of this problem. they stopped production of the tdi jetta in 2006. the 2006 was the last year before stopping production. why would they stop making a car that was in such high demand with the rising cost of diesel and gas. they knew of an issue in the car that they couldn't figure out. now they ignore the problem and continue to blame the customer for poor maintenance. the car is defective and vw needs to address the problem. *tr | |||
| 07/30/2012 | 73470 | 1 | |
| I was sitting in traffic in minneapolis mn. the light turned green, traffic moved and when i pressed on the accelerator, the engine sped up as if it was in neutral. the shift selector was in d for drive. the prndl indicator on the dash flashed red with all five letters illuminated. i tried turning off the ignition and turning it back on with the same results. no movement with engine accelerating. after being pushed into a parking lot by passersby, i tried again and the transmission worked as it was supposed to. after researching the problem on the internet, i find that it is a common vw problem and the nhtsa action number is pe09035 opened july 17, 2009 covering 2008 and 2009 models. my tdi is a 2006 model purchased in may 2007 because vw kept selling 2006 tdis in 2007. there were no 2007 vw jetta tdis. *tr | |||
| 07/30/2012 | 130623 | 1 | |
| At 130,623 miles our jetta had to have the camshaft and lifters replaced. the lobes on the camshaft had completely worn off and the lifters had pitted. i feel like our diesel motor has aged prematurely and there is an underlying problem that vw is ignoring. this is a common problem for this model and year. we are having both replaced, but until the root of the problem is found there will be an issue again. vw must know of this problem. they stopped production of the tdi jetta in 2006. the 2006 was the last year before stopping production. why would they stop making a car that was in such high demand with the rising cost of diesel and gas. they knew of an issue in the car that they couldn't figure out. now they ignore the problem and continue to blame the customer for poor maintenance. the car is defective and vw needs to address the problem. *tr | |||
| 07/30/2012 | 73470 | 1 | |
| I was sitting in traffic in minneapolis mn. the light turned green, traffic moved and when i pressed on the accelerator, the engine sped up as if it was in neutral. the shift selector was in d for drive. the prndl indicator on the dash flashed red with all five letters illuminated. i tried turning off the ignition and turning it back on with the same results. no movement with engine accelerating. after being pushed into a parking lot by passersby, i tried again and the transmission worked as it was supposed to. after researching the problem on the internet, i find that it is a common vw problem and the nhtsa action number is pe09035 opened july 17, 2009 covering 2008 and 2009 models. my tdi is a 2006 model purchased in may 2007 because vw kept selling 2006 tdis in 2007. there were no 2007 vw jetta tdis. *tr | |||
| 07/30/2012 | 130623 | ||
| At 130,623 miles our jetta had to have the camshaft and lifters replaced. the lobes on the camshaft had completely worn off and the lifters had pitted. i feel like our diesel motor has aged prematurely and there is an underlying problem that vw is ignoring. this is a common problem for this model and year. we are having both replaced, but until the root of the problem is found there will be an issue again. vw must know of this problem. they stopped production of the tdi jetta in 2006. the 2006 was the last year before stopping production. why would they stop making a car that was in such high demand with the rising cost of diesel and gas. they knew of an issue in the car that they couldn't figure out. now they ignore the problem and continue to blame the customer for poor maintenance. the car is defective and vw needs to address the problem. | |||
| 07/30/2012 | 73470 | 1 | |
| I was sitting in traffic in minneapolis mn. the light turned green, traffic moved and when i pressed on the accelerator, the engine sped up as if it was in neutral. the shift selector was in d for drive. the prndl indicator on the dash flashed red with all five letters illuminated. i tried turning off the ignition and turning it back on with the same results. no movement with engine accelerating. after being pushed into a parking lot by passersby, i tried again and the transmission worked as it was supposed to. after researching the problem on the internet, i find that it is a common vw problem and the nhtsa action number is pe09035 opened july 17, 2009 covering 2008 and 2009 models. my tdi is a 2006 model purchased in may 2007 because vw kept selling 2006 tdis in 2007. there were no 2007 vw jetta tdis. *tr | |||
| 07/14/2010 | |||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that the check engine light and a light indicated that the headlights were not functioning were illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a dealer and the dealer stated that sensors needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure continued. the manufacturer was notified and offered no assistance. the failure and current mileages were not available. | |||
| 07/14/2010 | |||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that the check engine light and a light indicated that the headlights were not functioning were illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a dealer and the dealer stated that sensors needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure continued. the manufacturer was notified and offered no assistance. the failure and current mileages were not available. sm. | |||
| 07/14/2010 | 0 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that on her instrument panel her check engine light and the warning light that informs her that her headlights are out illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the dealer stated they had to replace the sensors. the vehicle was repaired but the warning lights still illuminated. the manufacturer was contacted and they stated that they could exchange for another vehicle. the failure and current mileage was not available.jp | |||
| 05/17/2012 | 79000 | ||
| Drivers side door wiring harness has design flaw as reflected in numerous complaints documented on-line. representative examples may be found at following link. http://repairpal.com/volkswagen-jetta-2006. the design flaw poses an rescue hazard in event of accident, as non of the electrical door locks can be unlocked and windows cannot be lowered. access to gas tank to fill requires dismantling of trunk compartment for manual latch manipulation, which carries risk of cuts and bruises. repair costs $677.00. should be repaired or replaced by volkswagon at no cost to consumer. | |||
| 03/20/2012 | 72000 | ||
| The drivers side door electrical system does not work. the locks, windows, mirrors, trunk latch, gas tank latch, mirror defroster et al. in speaking the vw service reps they knew right away that the issue was a broken harness. they indicated it had failed in many other vehicles. however, in speaking with vw customer care they are not willing to accept responsibility for the known issue. but the doors can not be locked or unlocked, the door ajar light remains on and dings all the time, the interior lights are on night and day making visibility at night difficult and last but not least the windows cannot be put down. please address this as vw does not appear willing and this issue is everywhere with this model year and make. thanks! | |||
| 03/21/2012 | 85000 | ||
| The car alarm randomly arms itself while parked. the repair shop sees no error codes but we can see that the door ajar indicator randomly lights up while driving. oddly, the door open chime does not sound. | |||
| 10/20/2011 | 110000 | ||
| While traveling in rain at 70 mph with cruise control engaged the speedometer dropped to zero, the brake and abs/esp warning light came on and there where three chimes. a second later all went back to normal. this happened 6 times that day, and has happened at irregular intervals since at least 7 times. there is no correlation anymore between wet and dry conditions, cruise control does not have to be engaged, i do not have to be traveling at a constant speed. there are no trouble codes stored in the vehicles computer, and the local dealership is unable to help. | |||
| 05/13/2010 | 24406 | 7 | 08/17/2006 |
| Bought new vw jetta sedan on 08/17/06. on 05/13/10 took the car to the dealer because of car decelerating while driving i.e. dropping in seconds from 60 miles to 20 miles. it was taken to the dealer multiple times for the same problem. dealer answer unable to replicate problem until warranty of four years expired. the problem continues even after the carbon accumulated on the throttle was cleaned and the fuel pump was replaced. due to unsafe to drive, requested for the dealer to buy the car back as a lemon. the dealer refuses because the four yr warranty is over. other problems experienced with this vehicle during this period: air bags lights going off, air bag cover falling off, trunk opening on its own while driving, rain water leaking inside the lining of the car, screws coming off a door panel, doors falling off the hinges, emergency switch falling inside panel, fuel cap not locking, recalls. dealer recommending to replace the steering wheel column for 2,340. | |||
| 11/04/2011 | 104000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that the brake light would consistently stay on even when the ignition was turned off, causing the battery to drain. the dealer and manufacturer were notified, but denied any assistance with repairs to the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 104, 000. kmj | |||
| 11/04/2011 | 104000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that the brake light would consistently stay on (even when the ignition was turned off), causing the battery to drain. the dealer and manufacturer were notified, but denied any assistance with repair to the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 104, 000. nw | |||
| 10/10/2011 | 96080 | ||
| The wiring harness that runs from the engine compartment to the drives side door has cracking and broken wires. the service department states it needs to be replaced. they suggest it is not an isolated incident. wires with broken insulation after 6 years in a door harness that is designed to open and close multiple times daily seems to be a significant safety issue. are there other wire issues? is the wire (car built in mexico) an issue overall? | |||
| 07/01/2011 | 139000 | ||
| My wife was getting ready to go to work, when she opened the door of our jetta, smoke started coming out from under the drivers front seat. she bent down to see where it was coming from but all she saw a red glow coming from under the seat. this thing must have set and smolder all night because she didn't unlock the car that morning because she had left the car unlocked do to where we live no one is around for miles. inspector said that it was fault of (vw) the seat, but it will cost to much to sue vw. we almost lost our home, garage and our lives. we had the seat recall repaired but i think the repair was never made, the video is on youtube under jetta fire. one of my questions is why didn't a fuse blow before the car burnt to the ground. | |||
| 06/30/2011 | 64346 | ||
| Electrical harness in passanger side door leeds to intermittent electrical failures that can lead to safety issues. | |||
| 01/01/2010 | 90000 | ||
| The drivers side door electrical system does not work. the locks, windows, mirrors, trunk latch, gas tank latch, mirror defroster et al. in speaking the vw service reps they knew right away that the issue was a broken harness. they indicated it had failed in many other vehicles. however, in speaking with vw customer care they are not willing to accept responsibility for the known issue. i will let the safety experts determine the severity of this design failure but the doors can not be locked or unlocked, the door ajar light remains on and dings all the time, the interior lights are on night and day making visibility at night difficult and last but not least the windows cannot be put down. please address this as vw does not appear willing and this issue is everywhere with this model year and make. thanks! | |||
| 03/10/2011 | 70000 | ||
| Add one more 2006 jetta at 70000 miles in which the driver's side door harness broke loossing electrical power to all systems controled by door controls. | |||
| 01/02/2011 | |||
| 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 | |||
| 03/10/2011 | 29500 | ||
| 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. | |||
| 02/26/2011 | 85000 | ||
| Our 2006 volkswagen jetta definately has electrical problems they all do!!!! when we purchased ours 1 year ago it was winter and our trunk latch wouldn't work the 1st night we got it. we brought it back to the vw dealer and they replaced it - and the next day it did it again - then they told me it was because it was cold out that is why my trunk did not close. now after countless lights changed and the cadillac converter changed. my drivers side door light does not recognize my door is open and does not come on and it immediately got worse my two front windows are going up and down - my window lock switch is still on when the car is off - so i have to look up close and push again until the light is off. **********************took to vw they want $92 just to look at************recall recall my vw dealer told me today that there is an airbag recall on my 2006 jetta 2.5 why were we not notified that is definately a safety issue especially with my children!!! need to investigate electrical issues that is a safety concern | |||
| 07/11/2010 | 44000 | ||
| Bought used volkswagen jetta turbo. after one year of perfect functioning, the interior lights and air conditioning have totally stopped functioning. mechanic can't figure it out. additionally, trunk latch would not latch upon opening trunk. | |||
| 09/19/2010 | 50000 | ||
| I have a 2006.5 vw jetta tdi which i purchased new in summer 2006. starting in sept 2010 we have had an endless problem with door ajar sensor. while driving the dome lights and ajar light come on and off constantly. the alarm system arms itself and goes off when parked and the sensors stop working. i have had both door sensors changed along withlatch assembly to no avail , now the shop indicates it is the wiring harness. yesterday i received a letter from vw about other wiring harness problems associated with the side impact airbag system. (service action 97u3/t3) though they don't call it a recall. | |||
| 07/11/2010 | 44000 | ||
| Bought used volkswagen jetta turbo. after one year of perfect functioning, the interior lights and air conditioning have totally stopped functioning. mechanic can't figure it out. additionally, trunk latch would not latch upon opening trunk. | |||
| 09/19/2010 | 50000 | ||
| I have a 2006.5 vw jetta tdi which i purchased new in summer 2006. starting in sept 2010 we have had an endless problem with door ajar sensor. while driving the dome lights and ajar light come on and off constantly. the alarm system arms itself and goes off when parked and the sensors stop working. i have had both door sensors changed along withlatch assembly to no avail , now the shop indicates it is the wiring harness. yesterday i received a letter from vw about other wiring harness problems associated with the side impact airbag system. (service action 97u3/t3) though they don't call it a recall. | |||
| 07/11/2010 | 44000 | ||
| Bought used volkswagen jetta turbo. after one year of perfect functioning, the interior lights and air conditioning have totally stopped functioning. mechanic can't figure it out. additionally, trunk latch would not latch upon opening trunk. | |||
| 09/19/2010 | 50000 | ||
| I have a 2006.5 vw jetta tdi which i purchased new in summer 2006. starting in sept 2010 we have had an endless problem with door ajar sensor. while driving the dome lights and ajar light come on and off constantly. the alarm system arms itself and goes off when parked and the sensors stop working. i have had both door sensors changed along withlatch assembly to no avail , now the shop indicates it is the wiring harness. yesterday i received a letter from vw about other wiring harness problems associated with the side impact airbag system. (service action 97u3/t3) though they don't call it a recall. | |||
| 01/24/2011 | 116332 | ||
| My 2006 vw jetta 2.5 l has had the passenger side seat warmer catch fire and cause holes in my seat. as i dropped off one of my children to school today i noticed a black hole with glowing orange embers in the seat! i touched it and realized my seat had caught on fire! thank god my child was already out of the car and was wearing a heavy coat and wasn't burned by it. definitely a huge safety issue and i'm lucky no one was injured! | |||
| 10/01/2010 | 78000 | ||
| The car doesn't recognize that the door is open. the interior lighting does not come on and the notification that the headlights remain on is not functional. this has left me with a dead battery twice. also, the car alarm rearms itself if the engine is not started within 30 seconds. i believe this is a safety issue in that the lighting is not functional which is a security concern at night. | |||
| 12/10/2010 | 112321 | ||
| 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. there is no manual release for the fuel 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. | |||
| 10/01/2010 | 78000 | ||
| The car doesn't recognize that the door is open. the interior lighting does not come on and the notification that the headlights remain on is not functional. this has left me with a dead battery twice. also, the car alarm rearms itself if the engine is not started within 30 seconds. i believe this is a safety issue in that the lighting is not functional which is a security concern at night. | |||
| 12/10/2010 | 112321 | ||
| 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. there is no manual release for the fuel 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. | |||
| 10/01/2010 | 78000 | ||
| The car doesn't recognize that the door is open. the interior lighting does not come on and the notification that the headlights remain on is not functional. this has left me with a dead battery twice. also, the car alarm rearms itself if the engine is not started within 30 seconds. i believe this is a safety issue in that the lighting is not functional which is a security concern at night. | |||
| 12/10/2010 | 112321 | ||
| 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. there is no manual release for the fuel 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. | |||
| 10/01/2010 | 78000 | ||
| The car doesn't recognize that the door is open. the interior lighting does not come on and the notification that the headlights remain on is not functional. this has left me with a dead battery twice. also, the car alarm rearms itself if the engine is not started within 30 seconds. i believe this is a safety issue in that the lighting is not functional which is a security concern at night. | |||
| 12/10/2010 | 112321 | ||
| 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. there is no manual release for the fuel 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. | |||
| 11/30/2010 | 49778 | ||
| I got into the car and went to open the rear doors for my two children and put them in the car. they got in the car and the door open alarm continued even after the door was closed. i reopened and closed the door and it finally stopped. the next time i opened the door the windows would not go down, the locks did not work and i could not adjust the mirrors. i went to the dealership and they have said it was the wiring harness between the door and the car. a wire had broken and they ordered a replacement harness. after investigating the issue, i see their are a lot of people with the 2006 vw jetta tdi with the same issue. i see this as a safety issue, due to the fact that in an emergency i would struggle with exiting the car with my two children. it also means an exposed wire is a regular occurrence with the vehicle. | |||
| 11/22/2010 | 60000 | ||
| Break light switch failure | |||
| 11/10/2010 | 12000 | ||
| My volkswagon jetta tdi regularly stopped working, about once every six months beginning when it was less than 6 months old. under warranty the dealership fixed it the first time by replacing a relay they said, but not really because it continued to happen. the second time when it was about a year old and still under warranty, the dealership said by the time it was towed to them it had begun working again so they couldn't fix it. they said unless it was not working when they had it in their shop they couldn't fix it, although they could see something had happened. it would simply stop working or not start. after the warranty ran out i began taking it to a vw trained mechanic who also told me he couldn't fix it because it was intermittent and would start working again before the tow truck got it to his shop. he said it was due to one of the several computers not talking to one of the other computers. he could see a record in the car that something had been not working, but the car ran by the time it got to him. toward the end, it would die on the highway and i feared for my life and that of the children who rode in my car. i traded it in, already not working again, for a new car that i felt i could trust. through out all this, i could not contact anyone at vw except someone who told me they were sorry, but vw could not do anything for me. the problem started happening when the car was new and continued to happen and was never resolved. it was dangerous to drive. the date below is merely the latest incident. | |||
| 05/22/2010 | 58500 | ||
| 2006 jetta tdi 58,229 miles today / purchased from 2nd owner at 53k miles 34mpg in town / 42.5mpg highway wife driven with light foot. oil change and fuel filter replaced at 53k miles background: car was purchased early dec 2009, with in 2 weeks it was at the dealer for a non start issue. car was garaged over a 3 day weekend and not driven at all. monday my wife goes to start it and it will not start, after telling me i try for 3 minutes to get it started and it finally starts. taken to dealership and they find no issues, they blame cold start as the culprit. this is a bs call as the car was and is always garaged at 50+ degrees f. roughly 3 weeks later the same situation happens and the car goes back to the dealer. to no avail they still could not replicate the issue nor find a solution. the no start issue/ hard start issue seemed to progress from sitting for 3 days and not starting to randomly multiple times a week not starting. they still cannot find a solution. i firmly believe this is a fuel issue. on to today's issue: first noticed 3 weeks ago while attempting to pass a car on the interstate at 70mph (around 4k rpm), the car down shifted and stuttered rather then increasing speed. i thought it was a 1 time issue until i started noticing it more and more. now it happens frequently and more pronounced starting at even 35mph/3400 rpm in 3rd gear. from 10am tuesday to 5pm friday our jetta was back at the dealership because of a stutter/power loss issue. they did replace the fuel filter today as well as test the fuel (which tested fine), the egr valve was cleaned with a carb cleaner. the service manager drove the car often and has been able to replicate the power loss / stutter, however they cannot find anything wrong. they called the vw tech line multiple times and still no fix once again. car died several times today. turning onto the highway the car stuttered and then .5 miles later it died at 45mph in traffic. pulled over and cranked for 3 minutes. | |||
| 04/22/2010 | 90000 | ||
| There is a defect within the wiring harness that causes most of the vehicle electronics to shutdown and occasionally stops the vehicle while driving. i can provide pics of the wiring issue if needed. the issue usually occured when driving in very wet conditions. after the first time it happened, the problem grew worse as the wiring was chafed more & more over time. the jetta tdi's should be recalled to have the harness checked & repaired before someone dies in a car crash. | |||
| 04/10/2010 | 51000 | ||
| Brittle wiring insulation located in the doors. wiring on a 2006 vw jetta, after 50,000 miles the use of electronics and lights on drivers door failed. inspection of the wiring harness showed cracked wiring insulation, chaffed wiring and broken wires where the electrical harness were subject to movement from the door operation. | |||
| 12/01/2009 | 100000 | 1 | |
| 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. there is no manual release for the fuel 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. the wire insulation and strands appeared to be brittle, which raises concerns about other wiring in the vehicle. this wiring was inside a protective rubber boot, integral to the harness, between the cabin and door. there was no moisture or debris within the boot when it was opened to inspect the wiring. *tr | |||
| 11/16/2006 | 86702 | 1 | |
| An ongoing problem with a 2006 volkswagen jetta 1.9l tdi automatic dsg with 87,000 miles. a video of it in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lsex_-b_o0 while driving, the car will go into neutral and all the dashboard lights will come on with different sounds. changing the shifter into p, n, d, r, s (sportmode) does nothing. changing into the tiptronic mode does nothing. this is one incident of a series of incidents that have been happening sporadically for the past year, but this has been happening on and off since before thanksgiving 2009. we've been on the phone with volkswagen of america and they have no solution. the dealership (paradise volkswagen 760-200-4000) has done numerous repairs to the car including: misc diagnosis 12/28-?? new steering rack 12/6-12/22 sensor and electrical module 12/1-12/16 misc diagnosis on 11/16-11/20 we feel very unsafe in the car - what if it happened on the freeway? *tr | |||
| 08/14/2009 | 42000 | 1 | |
| Driving on i-95 in jacksonville, fl, it was raining with some pounding (approx. 1 inch of water) on the roadway. i was maintaining a speed of 35-45 mph when the epc and traction control warning lights illuminated on the dashboard. at first the car behaved normally but after about 5 minutes it lost power and would not accelerate above 1500 rpm. fortunately i was able to quickly take an exit ramp off the freeway and coast into a gas station, the car continuing to refuse to accelerate. i turned the car off and waited for about 5 minutes. i started up again and drove around the gas station and things seemed normal again, although the epc light was still illuminated. stopped again and waited another 5 minutes. upon starting up again, both warning lights were gone and the car behaved and accelerated normally. this defect could have caused me to get stopped in traffic on a busy freeway possibly causing a crash and injuries. i was very lucky that it happened where it did and i was able to pull off to safety. *tr | |||
| 05/14/2007 | 60000 | 1 | |
| Vehicle trunk unlatches while vehicle is standing or in motion, with or without the engine running. items in trunk may spill onto highway, causing accident or injury. *tr | |||
| 01/10/2009 | 56500 | 1 | |
| To whom it may concern: i purchased a 2006.5 volkswagen jetta tdi in september of 2006. i believe that i have found a major manufacturing defect that can cause fire, an accident, or both. it surely is a major safety issue, a danger to the driver, all passengers, and other cars as well. when driving the vehicle, the car has total loss of power . after a failed repair attempt by my dealer, i took it upon myself to investigate the problem. i found that the main engine feed harness has major wire chafing causing wires to contact each other, potentially causing fire. this also causes the car to stall with all power lost. i directed myself to the tdi forum where many vw enthusiasts and service tech's gather to talk about their cars. i quickly found many other owners finding the same problem. bare wires rubbing together. i have reason to believe that vw is aware of the problem as well. the only way to properly correct the problem is a new engine harness, with a larger loom, or padding around the wires. *tr | |||
| 09/13/2005 | 83000 | 1 | |
| Power train, electrical and trim problems. *tr | |||
| 09/12/2008 | 34038 | 1 | |
| Steering wheel is failing electrically. air bag fault in passenger side, no horn or other wheel controls. real/unrealized safety hazard(s) due to non working electronics in steering wheel. *tr | |||
| 08/03/2008 | 59400 | 1 | |
| The brake light stays on and will not turn off resulting in a dead battery and a very unsafe condition while driving. i drove for a half a day without knowing the light was staying on. a couple of people honked at me, but i did not know why. i also could not figure out why my cruise control did not work. i figured out the brakelight switch was not working when i came out of home depot after dark and i thought i left my lights on. it turned out it was the brakelight switch. i called a volkswagon repair shop and they said there was a recall on it and i should not have to pay. when i called volkswagen dealer service to repair it, they denied any recall. i did a little search on the internet and i now see they have a history of brakelight switch failures on jettas and beetles. they told me my vehicle is out of warranty also as it has 59,400 miles on it and it is a 2006 jetta tdi. i bought this car thinking it will go 250,000 miles with no problems and am saddened by this type of treatment for a safety issue which they have a history of. i have driven many cars over 250,000 miles without a brake switch failure. it seems volkswagen does not know how to remedy the failures on the mexican made vehicles on something as simple as a brake light switch which should be designed for a near infinite life since it is a safety issue. it is not like a fan switch. i am probably one of the first to see the failure as i have put on an unusually high amount of miles, but most of them are highway miles. when i get it repaired, i can get the old part. i hope to get it repaired tomorrow. *tr | |||
| 06/22/2008 | 71000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2006 vw jetta tdi with approximately 70,000 miles on it. this auto was purchased to be used primarily as a commuter car for my wife and i. last week we suddenly started seeing the dashboard warning air bag fault. upon taking it to the local vwoa dealership to have this investigated we were informed that there was a vwoa technical bulletin (that evidently had been out for some time) which indicated that some connector(s) located under the driver's seat that are related to the air bag system would need to be replaced. this is not a maintenance item nor anything that we could have caused but vwoa is indicating that due to the auto not being within the warranty (4 year and/or 50,000 miles as we've been told) that we will now have to pay approximately $400 to have this repaired. we were further informed by the vwoa service that without this repair the airbag system was considered to be in an unstable state and could potentially not activate the airbag when needed or possibly activate at an inappropriate time. the vw dealer also said that vwoa considers this to be so unsafe that they issue a free rental and require the repair to be made before releasing the auto again....but only if you're under warranty. vwoa did manage to come through with some good will assistance (their words) by providing $200 towards the repair. this airbag issue has been a known issue with the 2006 vw jetta (maybe other years as well i'm not sure) for some time. vwoa indicates that this issue is not a major concern and is therefore no recall has been issued. i have read several complaints on nhtsa and other sites that seem to indicate that this is a larger issue than vwoa states. i think a recall should be issued due to the obvious safety concerns involved with the airbag system. hopefully there will be before any injuries and/or fatalities occur. *tr | |||
| 06/23/2008 | 30235 | 1 | |
| I purchased a 2006 jetta attracted by an extensive list of features and conveniences that i wanted as a consumer. one of this features included the automatic window opening via remote control, feature that is not normally seen on vehicles of its class and price. volkswagen did an update to the software to this vehicle and without my consent took that option out. i paid for that convenience and vw cant even tell me why it was removed from the computer. the dealer cant tell me either because according to them they don't even know what's on the software update. in any case i need to be compensated by this inconvenience or the software needs to be retrofitted to get me this option back. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2006 | 1 | 05/03/2006 | |
| Consumer complaint concerning the 2005-2006 a5 jetta inaccurate speedometer reading. *ts the speedometers reads 4-5 mph higher than the vehicle's actual speed. *nm | |||
| 08/08/2006 | 0 | 1 | 04/22/2006 |
| Speedometer is not accurate and in time i found this to be a safety issue. at first it was trucks running up on my rear bumper beeping horns at me. so when i discovered the speedometer was registering slow, i sped up. but then how much you can not tell and i find myself breaking when i see a patrol car. i was maybe 1 or 2 over but yet you just do not know. its a distraction that i find may cause a safety issue while driving. vw does this to conform to a european standard. this could be easily calibrated out as the cars computer is aware of the correct speed as vw claims the odometer is not affected. unecessary breaking or a road raged truck driver are safety issues. *nm | |||
| 02/14/2006 | 11 | 1 | 02/14/2006 |
| The speedometer incorrectly reflects the rate of speed at which the vehicle is traveling. this can be verified by using a gps unit which will accurately reflect the true speed at which the vehicle is traveling. in general, the vehicle's speedometer reflects a speed that is 5-7 mph greater than the vehicles actual speed. for example, while driving on the highway, the speedometer displays the rate of speed as 70 mph, when the vehicle is actually traveling only 64 mph. you can visit the website http://www.tdiclub.com or http://www.vwvortex.com and view the forums to verify that this is an issue with all new vw jetta vehicles and possibly other vw models. i as well as other jetta owners would like to have this issue corrected so that our speedometers accurately reflect the rate of speed at which we are traveling. *nm | |||
| 12/01/2005 | 0 | 1 | 11/07/2005 |
| Speedometer is 5.3% fast. not a huge safety problem unless you do a lot of freeway driving and are constantly being passed by irate drivers because you are doing 70 instead of 75 mph. i took the vehicle in and was told it is within spec (5.3%)???? the dealer also said they could replace parts but it would not change the calibration. vw of america tech department was aware of the problem but said it was within spec. the speedometer is all electronic with a speed sensor - this problem could be easily corrected with a quick software fix. not only did i pay $27000 for a new car that will not give me the correct velocity but i suspect vw of america has used a highly accurate digital speedometer and have knowingly calibrated it at the upper end of the limit in order to publish improved mileage numbers (46 mpg) should be more like 40. *jb | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY | |||
| 07/12/2007 | 3 | 11/20/2005 | |
| Vehicle failed to start on multiple occasions due to insufficient battery charge. owner observed brake lights including chmsl would come on independently while the vehicle was parked, shut off, and unoccupied with no brake pedal application. no other lights were on at the same time interior, headlights, turn signals were on. this was presumably the cause of the battery drain issue. on multiple occasions after jump starting the vehicle owner observed loss of power while trying to accelerate. input to the accelerator was momentarily ineffective and had trouble maintaining highway speed. the engine did not stall and no fault codes were generated. power was restored after a few seconds, but the symptoms would occur several times during a drive. vehicle was brought to a volkswagen dealership service facility (lindsay vw in sterling, va) on 7/13/2007. the owner described the above symptoms to the service advisor. the owner was called later on the same date and told that the dealership could not verify the claim and that no repair was performed. took car to a different dealer (fairfax vw) who correctly diagnosed the problem as a faulty brake light switch. the repair part is the same part used in the recall. the car was fixed under warranty and the repair invoice even states recall on it but the dealer says my car is not part of the recall and i never received notification. | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - IGNITION | |||
| 01/23/2008 | 80000 | 1 | |
| I couldn't put my keys in the ignition. i tried all spare keys and they didn't work. if your window is open, you can close it by putting your key in the driver side door to use the window switch.....dealer did not know this...??? go figure (sales) 2006 jetta tdi. *tr | |||
| 02/27/2006 | 1000 | 2 | 02/01/2006 |
| On 2/1/06 i leased a new 2006 jetta only to have the engine not start on 2/27/06. i was stuck in a gas station parking lot with a dead cell phone awaiting a tow truck for 1.5 hrs. the car was brought to the dealership and they had no idea what was wrong with it. later that day they told me possibly a fuel pump but weren't sure and that i should arrange for a rent-a-car. they had the car for 3 days and when i picked it up they stated it was a program that needed to be updated and everything is fine. it is now a week and a half later and the ignition key wouldn't turn in the ignition. i continued to switch between my alarm key and mechanic key until it finally turned and started. once on the road the car died in mid drive. the engine completely turned off while doing about 25mpg. thank god there was no one around me, the car came to a stop and restarted immediately and driven back to work. leaving work the car didn't turn over at all. you could hear the cranking of the engine but was not turning over, the same problem as before. the car is now at the dealership again, no loaner car was given to me and there was several complaints already underway. another problem is the cars engines sound. when the car is initially started in the morning it is a hard loud rough sound that gives after a minute or so. *jb | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - WIRING - REAR COMPARTMENT/TRUNK | |||
| 03/04/2006 | 10207 | 1 | 02/23/2006 |
| I have a 06' jetta it has 10,000 miles on it and has had several problems. 1. stero broke after 2 mo. and 6 cd's were stuck in damaged cd player and i still have not recieved them back like i was told after 4 months of being fixed. 2.paint was peeling off front bumper, was repaired. 3. back center console would not stay in place. 4.steering wheel makes sqeaking noise when turned to the right. 5.hazard button fell into dash. 6.paint is now peeling again. 7.chrome on wheel is peeling. 8.a brand new transmission had to be put in after 3 attempts of fixing it vw tech support told the valencia service department to just replace it. 9.when replacing the transmission the service department noticed that the drive shaft which is holding the axel spinndeles and wheels altogether to the steering wheel. the bolt was stripped and tech support said it was a factory malfunction and unsafe to drive unless fixed .we came to find out the squeaking noise from the steering wheel was due to this problem. *nm | |||