RoadVitals

1999 Volkswagen Jetta Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
26
Latest Aug 5, 2004
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
7%
of 349 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Volkswagen Jetta submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 26 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming transmission

The 25 most recent of 26, in the owner's own words

Transmission
Filed Aug 5, 2004

I WAS DRIVING UP 24 NORTH, DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MILES PER HOUR. WHILE IN THE FAST LANE, MY ABILITY TO ACCELERATE JUST STOPPED. MY ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN, HOWEVER, MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT DRIVING ON THIS HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR SO I WAS ABLE TO COAST OVER TO THE BREAK DOWN LANE. VOLKSWAGEN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED IN MY CAR. MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE WERE ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING SIGNS OR INDICATIONS THAT THIS PART WAS GOING TO FAIL. HAD I BEEN ON THIS HIGHWAY DURING A BUSIER TIME OF THE DAY, MY CAR COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT DUE TO THE FAULTY PART.*AK

NHTSA ID
10086271
Incident
Jul 23, 2004
Mileage
77,681 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 4, 2004

THE CAR WILL TURN ON, BUT WHEN I PRESS ON THE BRAKES AND TRY TO TAKE THE CAR OUT OF PARK IT WILL NOT MOVE, AND THE EPC LIGHT COMES ON. *AK

NHTSA ID
10086208
Incident
Aug 4, 2004
Mileage
69,200 mi
Transmission
Filed May 27, 2004

THE CARS TRANSMISSION DID NOT LOCK IN THE PARK POSITION AND ROLLED IN THE CURB JUST MISSING ANOTHER CAR. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SAFETY(FOR THE PARK POSITION) LOCK FAILED AND WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO PLACE THE CAR IN PARK. *MR

NHTSA ID
10073254
Incident
May 22, 2004
Mileage
69,950 mi
Transmission
Filed Oct 27, 2003

PIN IN TRANSMISSION COMING OUT, CAUSING LEAK, REPLACED TRANSMISSION/CLUTCH DISK, PRESSURE PLATE AND THROWOUT BEARINGS. VW HONOR WARRANTY BECAUSE I WAS SECOND OWNER. ORIGINAL WARRANTY 100,000 OR 5YRS. DEALER STATED THEY NEVER SAW A PIN WORKED ITS WAY OUT THAT WAY. THEY THOUGHT VW SHOULD HAVE COVERED PROBLEM. MILLEAGE AT TIME 68,299 . *AK

NHTSA ID
10043681
Incident
Sep 8, 2003
Mileage
68,299 mi
ElectricalTransmission
Filed May 24, 2003

I HAVE A 1999 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. ON MARCH 24, 2003 MONDAY MORNING I WAS DRIVING WITH IN THE CITY IN SAN RAMON, CA AND SUDDENLY WITH A NOISE MY CAR STOPPED. MY ENGINE WON'T START AT ALL AFTER THAT AND IN THE END I HAD TO CALL AAA TO TOW MY CAR. AAA TOWED MY CAR TO THE NEAREST AUTO CENTER, WHERE AFTER THE COMPLETE INSPECTION "BOB AUTO TECH" TOLD ME THAT THE CRANK SHAFT OF MY CAR WAS BROKEN. I WAS SHOCKED AND SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT, AND I COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT. MY CAR IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD, AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF BY ME BY REGULAR SERVICING AND OIL CHANGE AND ALWAYS AT VW AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIPS/WORKSHOPS. I ENDED UP PAYING UP BILLS WORTH $3194.82 FROM MY POCKET AS IT WAS NOT COVERED BY THE INSURANCE ALSO. I WOULD KINDLY REQUEST YOU TO LOOK INTO THE MATTER AND HELP ME WITH MY DISTRESS AND FINANCIAL PAIN. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10019212
Incident
Mar 24, 2003
Mileage
70,339 mi
Transmission
Filed Feb 3, 2003

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE MAKING IT HARD TO GAIN CONTROL. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PH

NHTSA ID
10006155
Incident
Jan 30, 2003
BrakesEngineTransmission
Filed Jul 25, 2002

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. *YH *CB

NHTSA ID
566753
Incident
Jun 18, 2002
Transmission
Filed Apr 25, 2002

TRANSMISSION COMPUTER SYSTEM AUTOMATICALLY THROWS INTO 3RD GEAR.*AK

NHTSA ID
8008649
Incident
Mar 5, 2001
TransmissionVisibility
Filed Oct 6, 2001

THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO APPARENT CAUSE- DEALER REPLACED. FUEL FILLER DOOR WOULD NOT OPERATE- DEALER CHARGED $13 TO OPEN THE DOOR SO THAT IT COULD BE FUELED AND PROVIDED AN ESTINATE OF REPAIR FOR $100+. TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ENGAUGE PROPERLY. ESPECIALLY FROM STOP SIGNS WHEN THE CAR IS COLD. THE DELAY CAUSES THE ENGINE TO REV AND THE CAR TO START WITH A JERK AFTER SEVERAL SECONDS. THERE IS ALSO A SIMILAR PROBLEM WHEN THE CAR SHIFTS FROM 1ST TO 2ND. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT WHICH ADDS TO THE FRUSTRATION AND DANGER THAT THIS PROBLEM IS CAUSING. THE DEALER HAS OFFERED TO CHECK THE PROBLEM FOR A FEE OF $69 ALTHOUGH THE CAR IS WELL WITHIN THE POWER TRAIN COVERAGE THAT VW PROMISED WHEN THEY SOLD THE CAR.

NHTSA ID
752980
Incident
Oct 1, 2001
Transmission
Filed Jun 24, 2001

WE BAGAN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THIS CAR WITHIN WEEKS AFTER BUYING IT, IT WAS SHIFTING OUT TO HARD AND SLIPPING. WE TOOK THE CAR TO CROWN VOLGSWAGEN IN BIRMINGHAM, AL IN APRIL 2001 WE WERE NOT SATISFIED AND THEN TOOK THE CAR TO QUALITY VOLGSWAGEN IN TUSCALOOSA, AL WHERE THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. THE CAR DDROVE NORMAL FOR ABOUT ONE MONTH THEN WE BEGAN NOTICING THE SAME PROBLEMS AGAIN WITH THE TRANSMISSION. ON 06-24-2001 THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN ONLY GOING INTO DRIVE AND NO OTHER GEARS. ALSO ON MAY 11, 2001 THE REAR WINDSHIELD EXPLODED AND CRACKED FOR NO APPARENT REASON WE HAD TO PAY FOR REPLACING IT. ALSO ON 06-20-2001 THE WATER/FLUID LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING ON THE DASHBOARD WE ALSO HAD THIS FIXED. WE WOULD DESPERATELY LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU CONCERNING THIS COMPLAINT. ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN OFFER US WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU - MARTHA PARE. *AK

NHTSA ID
747325
Incident
Jun 20, 2001
Transmission
Filed Jun 5, 2001

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED TO ENGAGE INTO FOURTH GEAR WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY, AND WILL KICK OUT OF FOURTH GEAR INTO THIRD GEAR WHILE DRIVING. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE ,AND PERFORMED PROBLEM REOCCURRED TWO DAYS LATER. *AK THE DEALER REPLACED THE SENSOR FIRST AND LATER ON ADDED A PARALLEL CABLE. *YH

NHTSA ID
889771
Incident
May 20, 2001
Transmission
Filed Apr 24, 2001

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND WILL NOT SHIFT INTO GEARS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
886580
Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Apr 23, 2001

WHEN SHIFTING GEAR INTO REVERSE AND STEPPED ON BRAKES TO STOP VEHICLE , AND THEN PUT IT IN DRIVE, VEHICLE ROARED UP, AND THERE WAS A DELAY IN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE INTO DRIVE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED BY CONSUMER.*AK WHEN GEAR WAS SHIFTED FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE ROLLS BACK ABOUT 2 FEET BEFORE MOVING FORWARD. THE CONSUMER'S INTERNET RESEARCH RESULT INDICATED THAT OTHER CONSUMERS OF THIS MAKE OF VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. *YH

NHTSA ID
886444
Incident
Apr 23, 2001
EngineTransmissionVisibility
Filed Jan 23, 2001

VEHICLE RUNS OUT OF OIL EVERY 1500 MILES, AND THE TRANSMISSION IS VERY JERKY. *AK WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE STREAKING BECAUSE WIPERS WERE SEPARATING. INSTRUMENT PANEL CUP HOLDER LOOSE ON TIGHT SIDE. THE STICK SHIFT VIBRATES IN 3RD GEAR DUE TO SELECTOR SHAFT FAILURE. *YH

NHTSA ID
878873
Incident
Jan 22, 2001
Transmission
Filed Oct 11, 2000

THE SAFETY FEATURE KEEPS CAR FROM BEING SHIFTED OUT OF PARK. THIRD TIME FOR REPAIR. *AK

NHTSA ID
734033
Incident
Aug 8, 2000
Transmission
Filed Sep 28, 2000

DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAS, IN ESSENCE SAID, "THERE IS NOTHING FURTHER WE CAN DO FOR YOU" "YOU SIMPLY GOT STUCK WIT 2 BAD TRANSMISSIONS. JUST LIVE WITH IT AND HOPFULLY YOU AND NO ONE ELSE WILL GET SERIOUSLY INJURED." NICE CAR COMPANY! LAST VW I CAN TELL YOU THAT!! *AK

NHTSA ID
732750
Incident
Jul 25, 2000
Transmission
Filed Sep 28, 2000

BOTH DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAS, IN ESSENCE, TOLD ME TO JUST SIMPLY "GO AWAY" "YOU GOT STUCK WITH 2 BAD TRANSMISSIONS AND THERE IS NOTHING FURTHER WE CAN DO FOR YOU. LIVE WITH THE PROBLEM AND HOPEFULLY NO ONE WILL BE INJURED." NICE CAR COMPANY. LAST VW I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT!!*AK

NHTSA ID
732748
Incident
Jul 25, 2000
Transmission
Filed May 30, 2000

WHILE SWITCHING GEARS FROM REVERSE INTO DRIVE, VEHICLE HESITATES FOR ABOUT 5- 10 SECONDS, WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
862670
Incident
Jan 1, 1999
AirbagsDriver assistanceEngine+1 more
Filed May 3, 2000

VEHICLE BURNS OIL (DOING SO FOR 9 MOS NOW), DEALER HAS BEEN RUNNING "TEST" ON CAR FOR 4 MOS. SAID MAY HAVE TO REPLACE ENGINE. AIR BAG LIGHT ON FIRST DAY OWNING, TOLD TO WAIT 2WKS FOR AN APPT AT WHICH WAS TOLD CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE. TRANSMISSION DIFFICULT TO SHIFT/ACCELERATION (MAKING TURNS, ENTERING HIGHWAYS, ETC.)

NHTSA ID
722235
Incident
Aug 1, 1999
Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Apr 11, 2000

WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT ANY SPEED VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. ALSO, TRANSMISSION SHIFTED GEAR ROUGHLY. *AK

NHTSA ID
860138
Incident
Apr 11, 2000
Transmission
Filed Mar 11, 2000

TRANSMISSION STILL HAS PROBLEMS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN FIXED SINCE THEY BEGAN. *AK

NHTSA ID
719967
Incident
Jul 15, 1999
Transmission
Filed Mar 1, 2000
Crash reported

VEHICLE ROLLS FORWARD WHEN ON THE SLIGHTEST GRADE WHEN PUT IN REVERSE, IT TAKES 3-5 SECONDS TO ENGAGE AND EVEN AFTER IT ENGAGES IT WILL ROLL FORWARD. I ALMOST HIT A MOTHER AND CHILD WALKING INFRONT OF THE CAR WHEN IN A PARKING SPACE, THE SECOND TIME THE VEHICLE PLUNGED INTO A POLE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
719518
Incident
Feb 1, 2000
Transmission
Filed Feb 17, 2000

WHEN VEHICLE IS PLACED ON AN INCLINE OR WHEN THE SURFACE IS NOT LEVELED, AND WHEN PLACING VEHICLE IN REVERSE, VEHICLE WILL ROLL ABOUT 2-3 FEET. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER, PROBLEM REPAIRED. *AK.ET.

NHTSA ID
857137
EngineTransmission
Filed Feb 10, 2000

VEHICLE HAS EXCESSIVE ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION AND LOSS OF COOLING AT THE SAME RATE, WHICH COULD CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE/FIRE AND AIR POLLUTION. OWNER HAS CONTACTED DEALERSHIP TWO TIMES ABOUT THE PROBLEM. ALSO, GEAR SELECTION AND ENGAGEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION ARE SLOW TO RESPOND TO INPUT. DEALER SAYS THAT THESE PROBLEMS ARE NORMAL. *ML

NHTSA ID
856688
Incident
Oct 10, 1999
BrakesTransmission
Filed Feb 1, 2000

POSSIBLE TREANSMISSION FAILURE HAS RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE GOING INTO A MODE WHERE IT REMAINS IN 3RD GEAR AND WILL NOT GO INTO OVER-DRIVE. THE RPM'S ALSO BECOME SPORADIC. NLM

NHTSA ID
550629
Incident
Jan 11, 2000

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Data on this page last refreshed .