Other Engine Info: Fuel: Gas (50-St); Emissions Certification Test Group: GVGAV01.4VUP; Federal / California Emission Standard: ULEV II / Bin 5
Other Restraint System Info: Advanced Front Airbags
Plant City: Puebla
Plant Country: Mexico
Seat Belts All: Manual
Series: 1.4T S
TPMS: Indirect
Transmission Speeds: 5
Transmission Style: Manual/Standard
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2006
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE
JANUARY 2ND 2010 MY WIFE AND I WERE IN OUR 2006 VW JETTA TDI TRAVELING SOUTH ON THE KANSAS TURNPIKE FROM TOPEKA, KANSAS. THE VEHICLE WAS IN CRUISE AT 70MPH IT WAS 7:30AM CLEAR WITH TEMP OF MINUS 2 DEGREE'S. APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES SOUTH OF TOPEKA, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DROPPED DOWN TO 5TH GEAR A SUDDEN AND ABRUPT BANG NOISE WAS HEARD IT SEEMED THAT THE FRONT WHEELS LOCKED FOR A BRIEF MOMENT. MY WIFE HAD JUST UNCLIPPED HER SEAT BELT TO GET SOMETHING FROM THE BACK SEAT WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THIS LOCKING OF THE FRONT WHEELS SLAMMED HER AGAINST THE DASH AND FRONT DOOR POST. I REGAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND MANEUVERED IT TO THE SIDE OF THE TURNPIKE. THERE WAS A RATTLING IN THE TRANSMISSION AREA SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE WHEN I HAD IT AT A DEALERSHIP FOR TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE. I HAD ASKED THEM TO CHECK THE RATTLE? WHEN I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE IT WAS STILL RATTLING, I THOUGHT IT TO BE OK. HOWEVER AFTER THIS INCIDENT, I HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATING THE INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL FAILURES WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THE DSG TRANSMISSION, HOWEVER VW AMERICA HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. IF I HAD BEEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IT WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY CAUSED A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT, WHEN IT LOCKED UP THE FRONT DRIVE WHEEL, WE WERE LUCKY MY WIFE ONLY HAD A VERY BADLY BRUISED SIDE, ARM AND BACK. WE THEN SPENT TWO HOURS ON THE SIDE OF THE TURNPIKE IN FRIGID TEMPS AWAITING A TOW VEHICLE. WE WERE ENROUTE TO A MEDICAL FACILITY IN TEXAS FOR SURGERY ON BOTH OF MY WIVES EYES WE HAD NO TIME TO DO ANYTHING BUT CHANGE TO A MORE DEPENDABLE VEHICLE 2000 BUICK PARK AVE AND CONTINUE ON OUR JOURNEY. I EMAILED THREE VW OF AMERICA CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFICERS, WHO TURNED MY E MAIL REPORT OF THE INCIDENT TO A SUBORDINATE WHO WROTE THAT MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY COULD NOT HELP ME. 66,980 MILES. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS REPORTED CONDITION THAT IS GOING TO TAKE A FATALITY TO GET ACTION..I UNDERSTAND EUROPE SAFETY BOARD HAS ALREADY REQUIRED A VW RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM????????? *TR