2008 Volkswagen Jetta Driver assistance Problems

JUST AFTER I PURCHASED THE USED VEHICLE FROM A PRIVATE PARTY, I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MILES PER HOUR, WHEN THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING SLAMMED INTO SECOND GEAR, SENDING MY FACE INTO THE STEERING WHEEL, WHILE THE CARS TRAVELLING BEHIND ME HAD TO BRAKE TO AVOID COLLISION. I PULLED OVER, AND TURNED THE CAR OFF TO ASSESS THE REASON, TO NO AVAIL. WHEN I RE-STARTED THE CAR AND PUT IT IN GEAR, IT DROVE FINE UNTIL THE NEXT TIME I DROVE IT. THEN IT DID A REPEAT OF THE PREVIOUS ACTION, SENDING THE TRANSMISSION INTO SAFE MADE WITHOUT ANY NOTICE OR PROVOCATION, AND AGAIN, WHEN I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE IT DROVE PERFECTLY NORMAL WHILE I DROVE IT DIRECTLY HOME. WHEN I PERFORMED AN OBDII SCAN, IT GENERATED P0746 AS THE PROBLEM, WITH NO OTHER PROBLEMS BEING REPORTED. I AM REPORTING THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, IT COULD HAVE HAVE ENDED VERY BADLY HAD SOMEONE ELSE BEEN BEHIND THE WHEEL, SUCH AS A MOTHER WHO MAY BE DISTRACTED BY HER CHILDREN AT THE TIME, AND I FEEL THIS MATTER SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED ON THE HIGHWAY. PRIOR EXPERIENCE HAS TAUGHT ME THAT HIGHWAY ACCIDENTS SELDOM ONLY HAPPEN TO ONE VEHICLE AT A TIME, AND ALMOST ANYONE THAT EXPERIENCES THIS PROBLEM ON A HIGHWAY COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY TO MULTIPLE CARS AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

NHTSA ID

11407606

Incident

Sep 18, 2020

Mileage

183,219 mi

THE GEAR SELECTOR INDICATOR DISPLAY ON THE DASH IS FLASHING AND THE CAR IS DOING ITS OWN THING CHANGING GEARS. IT WILL NOT PROPERLY ACCELERATE CAUSING A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE ANYWHERE BUT ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR WAS PROPERLY ACCELERATING ON THE HIGHWAY BEFORE THE DISPLAY STARTING FLASHING AND THE CAR DOWNSHIFTED (INTO EITHER 3RD OR 4TH) AND REFUSES TO UPSHIFT AGAIN. I THINK THIS IS RELATED TO A MECHATRONIC UNIT FAILURE IN THE 2009-2010 RECALLS.

NHTSA ID

11092837

Incident

May 10, 2018

Mileage

160,000 mi

THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. UNENTENDENT ACCELERATION.

NHTSA ID

10928049

Incident

Nov 26, 2016

Mileage

147,165 mi

FUEL CUT-OFF/SURGING WHEN ACCELERATING AND TAPPING NOISE FROM ENGINE. ENGINE IS THROWING ENGINE CODES; A LOSS OF POWER IS PRESENT WHEN ACCELERATING. THIS OCCURS EVERY TIME I TRY TO ACCELERATE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE CAM FOLLOWER AND HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP ON ALL 2.0T FSI MOTORS FROM VW. MY CAM FOLLOWER HAS A HOLE IN IT (HAVE THE PART) AND THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP IS WORN DOWN (HAVE THE PART) BECAUSE IT HAS MADE CONTACT WITH THE CAM LOBE, WHICH HAS BEEN SCARRED (HAVE THE PART). REPLACEMENT REQUIRES A NEW CAM, HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, AND CAM FOLLOWER. THE DESIGN HOWEVER WILL REQUIRE CONSTANT INSPECTION OF THE CAM FOLLOWER TO AVOID MAJOR ENGINE FAILURE. ALL 2.0 T FSI ENGINES WILL EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM. VOLKSWAGEN HAS A TSB #2015153 DATED DECEMBER 16, 2009 THAT WARNS OF THIS PROBLEM UPON CEL LIGHT BEING SHOWN. BUT BY THEN THE DAMAGE WAS DONE, UPON FURTHER INSPECTION IT HAD A HOLE IN THE CAM FOLLOWER, WITH SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE CAM AND HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. REPAIR COST WAS OVER $2,000.00. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS I FOUND OUT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR MOTOR. SO MUCH SO THAT VOA EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO TEN YEARS AND 100,000 MILES JUST FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM. UNFORTUNATELY THEY USED VIN NUMBERS AND MY VIN NUMBERS IS AFTER THE CUTOFF POINT EVEN THOUGH IT'S THE EXACT SAME MOTOR WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS THE EARLIER VIN NUMBERED CARS. THEY NEED TO COVER THE AFFECTED MOTOR NUMBERS NOT THE VIN NUMBERS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10556179

Incident

Nov 21, 2013

Mileage

104,346 mi

WE HAD THE CAR IN THE BODY SHOP FOR A REPAIR! DENT IN THE REAR CORNER PANEL THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON A COUPLE DAYS LATER WE TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE BODY SHOP THEY TOOK IT THE COLUMBUS GA VW DEALER AND WERE TOLD THE CLOCK SPRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN WAS BAD AND THEY WERE GETTING QUITE A FEW CARS BACK FOR THE SAME PROBLEM.WELL IT TURNS OUT ALL YOUR ELECTRONICS HORN, RADIO,CRUISE CONTROL, AIR BAGS,DASH LIGHTS,ALL THE WIRES FOR THESE ANY MANY MORE ITEMS TRAVEL THRU THE CLOCK SPRING! THERE HAVING ALOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS ITEM WHY IS THERE NO RECALL? THEY HAD A RECALL ON THERE 2011 JETTA HONK YOUR HORN AND YOUR MOTOR MIGHT TURN OFF! THE CAUSE CLOCK SPRING! (SO THE BODY SHOP WAS TOLD NOTHING THEY DID CAUSED IT TO GO BAD THAT THEY JUST GO BAD). THE CAR IS FIVE YEARS OLD THEY DON'T JUST GO BAD!!!! BAD DESIGN MAYBE? MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY???? SAFETY FIRST!! OH YA AND THE HORN IS NOT WORKING! I GUESS THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL BE NEXT! THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME........[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10520618

Incident

Jun 4, 2013

Mileage

71,293 mi

2008 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA WOLFSBURG 2.0T FSI DSG (DIRECT SHIFT GEARBOX) WHILE PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS FROM A FULL STANDSTILL THERE WAS A VERY SIGNIFICANT DELAY IN THE RESPONSE OF THE DSG TRANSMISSION TO DRIVER THROTTLE INPUT. THERE WILL BE A 1-2-3 GO, (DELAY) THE CAR WILL THEN JERK FORWARD OUT INTO TRAFFIC THEN ONLY CREEP VERY SLOWLY FORWARD AT THIS POINT WHICH COMMITS THE CAR AND IT'S PASSENGERS TO THE MANEUVER OF TURNING INTO ACTIVE TRAFFIC PATTERN. THIS DELAY/JERK/THEN CREEPING FORWARD HAS CAUSED A FEW CLOSE CALLS WITH HAVING AN ACCIDENT FROM ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE POSSIBILITY OF TRAFFIC COLLIDING INTO THIS VEHICLE IS VERY HIGH AS THE CAR DOES NOT RESPOND TO DRIVER THROTTLE INPUT LEAVING YOU DEAD IN THE WATER UNTIL THE CAR FINALLY DECIDES TO MOVE ITSELF FORWARD. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHICH COULD VERY EASILY RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT INJURY OR DEATH. WHEN ONE PURCHASES AND DRIVES A CAR ONE WOULD EXPECT THE CAR TO PROPERLY RESPOND TO DRIVER INPUTS AND NOT BE LEFT IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC WITH A CAR THAT WONT RESPOND TO THE DRIVER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10297662

Incident

Sep 17, 2009

Mileage

7,800 mi

I AM SUBMITTING A COMPLAINT REGARDING MY 2008 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA, WOLFSBURG EDITION.WE PURCHASED THIS CAR 8-08 FROM A VW DEALER, IT WAS BRAND NEW. WITHIN SEVERAL MONTHS OF OWNING THE CAR, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE WHEN IN DRIVE, THE CAR WOULD LUNGE FORWARD. THE CONDITION KEPT GETTING WORSE AND BEGAN ALSO LUNGING FORWARD WHEN IDLING. I TOOK IT TO THE SERVICE DEPT. OF THE VW DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR. THEY SAID IT HAD TO DO WITH THE COMPUTER MEMORY IN MY CAR AND IT WAS MEMORIZING HOW I DRIVE AND IF I SWITCHED OVER TO ANOTHER DRIVER IT WOULD BE CONFUSED AND LUNGE. THIS IS WRITTEN ON MY RECEIPT FOR THE WORK: "ADVISE CUSTOMER TO ONLY DRIVE THE VEHICLE. IT IS ACTING AS IF TWO PEOPLE ARE DRIVING AND THE ADAPTIVE LEARNING IS CONFUSED. NO CODES STORED." MY CAR IS CONFUSED, THEREFORE THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE DRIVER???? SOUNDED SILLY TO ME, BUT I NEEDED MY CAR AND I ACCEPTED THAT EXPLANATION AND LEFT. THE CONDITION ONLY WORSENED. THE LUNGE OR SURGING FORWARD BECAME SO NOTICEABLE THAT IT WAS EMBARRASSING. MY HUSBAND SAID HE ALSO NOTICED IT LUNGING OR SURGING IN THE REVERSE GEAR AS WELL AS FORWARD AND IDLE. I RETURNED IT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE VW DEALERSHIP JULY 13, 2009. THEY HAVE DETERMINED THAT IT IS A FAULTY MECHATRONICS UNIT. THEY CANNOT EVEN GET THE PART UNTIL THE FIRST WEEK IN AUGUST. THEY TOLD ME THAT PROBLEMS WITH THE MECHATRONICS UNIT ARE RARE. HOWEVER, I DID MY OWN RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE VW JETTAS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. AND, THIS PART IS A BIT WEIRD...MANY OF THEM HAD TO WAIT WEEKS FOR THE PART. ONE PERSON REPORTED THAT THE "SURGING FORWARD" WAS SO BAD THAT HE HIT ANOTHER CAR. I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE THIS CONDITION COULD BE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS.IT IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING TO OWN A NEW CAR THAT HAS SOMETHING SO MAJOR WRONG WITH IT. AND IT WAS VERY UPSETTING TO FIND SO MANY OTHERS (ONLINE FORUMS) WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP AND CONSIDERATION OF THIS SITUATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10278484

Incident

Dec 31, 2008

WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 VOLKSWAGEN GLI SEDAN EQUIPPED WITH A DSG TRANSMISSION I HAVE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS EITHER WHILE ACCELERATING OR SLOWING HAD SUDDEN, ROUGH SHIFTS, AND AT TIMES HAVE BEEN LITERALLY BUCKED AROUND IN THE VEHICLE WHILE SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR WHEN LEAVING A STOP LIGHT. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE FEBRUARY 2009...POSSIBLY BEFORE, AND HAS BEEN INCREASING IN FREQUENCY. I HAVE ALSO HAD ROUGH SHIFTS DOWNSHIFTING AT TIMES CAUSING THE ESP TO BECOME ACTIVATED IN MY VEHICLE MAKING IT FEEL LIKE I AM LOSING TRACTION. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS AN OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION IN TO THIS AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MY STORIES ADDED TO THE INVESTIGATION. PE09-035. I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE ON THIS BEFORE AND THEY DENIED ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10278070

Incident

Jul 1, 2009

Mileage

10,000 mi

EXCESSIVE DRIVE BY WIRE THROTTLE DELAY. THROTTLE RESPONSE DELAYED APROX. 1-2 OR MORE SECONDS AFTER DEPRESSING THROTTLE PEDAL. THROTTLE DELAY CAUSING HAZARDOUS DRIVING SITUATIONS WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC ETC. THIS "DELAY" IS PROGRAMMED INTO THE CAR'S SOFTWARE BY DESIGN. UNSAFE, CAUSED NEAR MISS ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10243132

Incident

Aug 17, 2008

Mileage

2,100 mi