1998 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Power Train Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA GL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER WOULD NOT RELEASE OUT OF PARK BECAUSE THE BRAKE SENSOR FAILED. EACH TIME THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE GEAR SHIFT WOULD NOT MOVE OUT OF PARK. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT HER EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

Mileage: 130,000

WHILE DRIVING, SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *TT

WHILE BACKING UP THERE WAS A CLUNKING SOUND AND TRANSMISSION POPPED OUT OF REVERSE. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION LINKAGE.*AK

TRANSMISSION SLIPS BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD GEAR. THIS PROBLEM WAS FIRST REPORTED TO GOSSETT MOTOR CARS ON 05/06/98, AND HAS BEEN A RECURRING PROBLEM EVER SINCE. CRUISE CONTROL HAS FUNCTIONED PROPERLY THREE TIMES AND FAILED NUMEROUS TIMES. GOSSETT MOTOR CARS SAYS THERE IS NOT A PROBLEM.. *AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REPEATEDLY LIGHTS UP ON DASH. THE CAR DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY AND THE TACHOMETER EXHIBITS VERY HIGH RPMS. THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION WAS FINALLY REPLACED LATE FALL OF 2000 (REPLACED WITH A BRAND NEW ONE). THIS TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED IN JAN. 2001 AND WAS AGAIN REPLACED WITH A COMPLETELY NEW TRANSMISSION. NOW IN MARCH OF 2001 ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS AGAIN LIGHTING UP AND THE CAR DOES NOT SHIFT RIGHT. VW WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DOES NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT WHILE IT IS UNDER WARRANTY. WE OFFERED TO TAKE BLUE BOOK VALUE AS TRADE IN ON A NEW JETTA. MY CONCERN IS WHAT HAPPENS IF THE TRANSMISSION FAILS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS?

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REPEATEDLY LIGHTS UP ON DASH. THE CAR DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY AND THE TACHOMETER EXHIBITS VERY HIGH RPMS. THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION WAS FINALLY REPLACED LATE FALL OF 2000 (REPLACED WITH A BRAND NEW ONE). THIS TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED IN JAN. 2001 AND WAS AGAIN REPLACED WITH A COMPLETELY NEW TRANSMISSION. NOW IN MARCH OF 2001 ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS AGAIN LIGHTING UP AND THE CAR DOES NOT SHIFT RIGHT. VW WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DOES NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT WHILE IT IS UNDER WARRANTY. WE OFFERED TO TAKE BLUE BOOK VALUE AS TRADE IN ON A NEW JETTA. MY CONCERN IS WHAT HAPPENS IF THE TRANSMISSION FAILS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS?

ERRATIC, DELAYED SHIFTING BETWEN ALL GEARS. AFTER 2ND DIAGNOSIS REVEALED PROBLEM, A RESISTOR WIRE($8.50) WAS INSTALLED . PROBLEM FIXED, BUT AT A COST OF $128.00 TO ME. *AK

CONTINUAL PROBLEMS, SOME UNDIAGNOSED. UNSYMPATHETIC DEALERSHIP. REOCCURING PROBLEMS. MOST PROBLEMS OCCURRING AFTER LEASE/WARRANTY WERE UP. TOO MANY PROBLEMS FOR A CAR THAT IS ONLY ABOUT 2 AND A HALF YEARS OLD. DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE WHY BRAKE LIGHT IS ON, A/C NOT WORKING, ENGINE NOT STARTING ALTHOUGH STARTER WAS REPLACED, OR WHY ENGINE BEGAN SMOKING. ALL THE PROBLEMS APPEAR RELATED. THEY ALL OCCUR AT THE SAME TIME.THE CAR IS UNSAFE AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT NOW BECAUSE NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT.*AK

PERSISTENT PROBLEMS W/AUTO TRANSMISSION. SEVERAL PARTS WERE PREVIOUSLY REPLACED BUT PROBLEMS CONTINUE. SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE OF 4TH GEAR; STALLING; STRAINING, ETC. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK

WHEN TRYING TO PUT AUTOMOBILE IN REVERSE IT POPS OUT OF GEAR AND ROLLS BACKWARDS, DEPENDING ON THE ANGLE IT IS IN. *AK

CLUTCH-CENTERING SPRING FELL OUT.

FIRST INCIDENT WITH GEAR SHIFTER HAPPENED IN MARCH 1999 WHEN IT POPPED OUT OF FIRST, THIRD AND FIFTH GEAR WHILE DRIVING. THE GEAR SHIFTER RATTLED IMMENSELY. THE SECOND TIME, IT HAD BEEN HARD TO GET INTO FIRST AND THIRD GEAR AND WAS POPPING OUT OF FIRST GEAR IN PARTICULAR. PRIOR TO HAVING THE CAR FIXED, IT WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY DURING A STORM. THE CAR POPPED OUT OF GEAR AND ROLLED DOWN MY DRIVEWAY INTO A TREE. VOLKSWAGEN ADJUSTED THE SHIFTER (WHICH THEY ADJUSTED INCORRECTLY IN THE FIRST PLACE). THE THIRD TIME, (WHICH IS NOW) IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO GET IT IN FIRST GEAR. *AK

DRIVING 20MPH IT WAS HARD TO SHIFT AND CAR STALLED IN THE DRIVEWAY. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

GEAR SHIFT FAILED CAUSING SECOND GEAR TO BE HARD TO ENGAGE.

CLUTCH SPRINGS FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO BE VERY DIFFUCULT TO PUT INTO GEAR. NLM