2008 Volkswagen JETTA problems and owner complaints

I DRIVE A 2008 VW JETTA WOLFSBURG EDITION EQUIPPED WITH THE DSG (DIRECT SHIFT GEARBOX) TRANSMISSION. AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT 1000 MILES I STARTED TO NOTICED VERY HARSH 2 TO 1 DOWNSHIFTS AND SURGING WHILE IN DRIVE. BY THE HARSH DOWNSHIFT I MEAN WHEN SLOWING DOWN COMING TO A STOP WHEN THE GEARBOX WOULD SHIFT FROM 2ND GEAR DOWN INTO 1ST GEAR I WOULD ALWAYS EXPERIENCE A LOUD METALLIC "CLUNK" NOISE. IN REGARDS TO THE SURGING WHILE IN DRIVE I MEAN WHEN AT A DEAD STOP AND YOU GIVE EVEN/SLIGHT PEDAL PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR WOULD …

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10276011 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IT DROVE PERFECTLY NO HESITATION NO PROBLEMS WHAT SO EVER. OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE I WILL PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE PRESS THE ACCELERATOR AND THE CAR WILL HESITATE AND THEN LURCH BACKWARDS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT OCCURS 1 OUT OF EVERY 25 TIMES. SINCE IT DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL OF THE TIME I REALLY HAVE KNOW IDEA HOW MY VEHICLE WILL REACT WHILE BACKING. ALSO MORE RECENTLY OCCURRING IS WHILE DOING HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND TRYING TO PASS A VEHICLE I WILL ACCELERATE THE V…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10276374 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE BRAKES JERKED WHEN THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE DRIVER'S FOOT WAS KNOCKED OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED A SECOND TIME TO APPLY THE BRAKES, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AND CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN INSPECTED BY THE DEALER. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 7,300.

Owner-reported narrative. 7,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10220180 at NHTSA ↗

EXCESSIVE REAR BRAKE WEAR. BRAKE NEEDED REPLACING AT 12K. CAR IS A 5-SPEED MANUAL AND BRAKES ARE USED VERY LITTLE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10246563 at NHTSA ↗

MY 2008 VW JETTA WAS GIVING BURNT SMELL/FUMES. LOSS OF POWER IN GEAR WITH IN 1 MILE RADIUS WAS DIFFICULT TO MOVE. HAD TO TOW TO VW DEALERSHIP

Owner-reported narrative. 24,689 miles reported. Look up ODI 10322502 at NHTSA ↗

BELIEVE IT IS THE AIRBAG SENSOR THAT IS MALFUNCTIONING. HAVE HAD IT RESET ABOUT FIVE TIMES AND WITHIN A FIVE TO SIX WEEKS, THE AIRBAG LIGHT GOES ON AGAIN. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THE VW HAS HAD ISSUES WITH ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. OF COURSE, THE WARRANTY IS OVER. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 600,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10436508 at NHTSA ↗

THIS VEHICLE (2008 VW GLI) SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER SB-69-11-01 AS WELL. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT HAS COME UP. VW JETTA GLI IS A SPECIAL MODEL BASED ON THE VW JETTA 2008. I THINK THERE IS AN OVERSIGHT FOR NOT PLACING THIS SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE UNDER SB-69-11-01. GLI IS ESSENTIAL A SPORTS MODEL UPGRADE OF JETTA MODEL, WHY ISN'T THIS VEHICLE COVERED BY THE SAME TSB? MAKE / MODELS: MODEL/BUILD YEARS: VOLKSWAGEN / EOS 2007-2008 VOLKSWAGEN / GTI 2006-2008 VOLKSWAGEN / JETTA 2005-2008 VOLKSWAGEN / NEW BEETLE 2004-2008 VOLKSWAG…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,125 miles reported. Look up ODI 10453356 at NHTSA ↗

THE CAR HAD BEEN PROPERLY LOCKED; THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT TURNED AFTER PARKING TO ACTIVATE THE WHEEL LOCK; ON RE-ENTERING THE LOCKED CAR, USING THE CORRECT KEY, THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE KEY COULD NOT BE INSERTED INTO THE STEERING COLUMN IGNITION KEY SLOT. NOTHING HAD BEEN DONE TO DAMAGE THE SLOT; OUR 2ND KEY WAS ALSO USED, BUT IT ALSO COULD NOT BE INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION KEY SLOT. VW SERVICE ADVISED THEY HAD ONLY SEEN THE PROBLEM ONCE BEFORE, AND THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER 6 MILES AWAY. MY REASON TO CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY MATTE…

Owner-reported narrative. 15,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10411168 at NHTSA ↗

THE CAR'S OWN KEYS COULD NOT BE INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION. THE DUST CAP INSIDE THE IGNITION CYLINDER/ SWITCH WAS BLOCKING THE KEY FROM ENTERING. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED BECAUSE OF THE IGNITION KEY NOT ABLE TO ENTER THE IGNITION SWITCH. ALSO THE TRANSMISSION COULD NOT BE MOVED FROM PARKING BECAUSE OF THE ABOVE REASON. AS A RESULT, WE WERE ALL STRANDED ON THE ROAD FOR SEVERAL HOURS BECAUSE THE CAR KEYS COULD NOT BE INSERTED TO THE IGNITION. HAD TO TOW THE CAR TO VW DEALERSHIP AND THE DEALERS WANTED TO CHANGE THE ENTIRE IGNITION SWITCH. …

Owner-reported narrative. 47,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10463154 at NHTSA ↗

DIFFICULTY FILLING GAS TANK WHILE AT PUMP. THE AUTO SHUT-OFF KICKS IN AFTER PUTTING IN A FEW CENTS WORTH OF GAS MAKING FILL-UP FRUSTRATING AND TIME CONSUMING. TOOK TO VW DEALERSHIP. THEY SPENT A DAY INVESTIGATING AND COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM SO THEY KEPT IT OVERNIGHT AND CALLED VW TO WALK THEM THROUGH TROUBLESHOOTING. VW SAYS THE FUEL TANK IS NOT VENTING PROPERLY AND THE ONLY WAY TO FIX IT IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FUEL TANK ($1500 FOR THE PARTS). VW REFUSED TO PAY BECAUSE CAR WAS 1400 MILES BEYOND ITS WARRANTY. THEY CLAIM SITUATION IS NO…

Owner-reported narrative. 51,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10253191 at NHTSA ↗

THE FOLLOWING RELATES TO A 2008 JETTA 2.0L WOLFSBURG EDITION SEDAN. THREE TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH THE VEHICLE HAS SUDDENLY LOST MOTIVE POWER, WITH THE ENGINE QUICKLY DROPPING TO 0 RPM, WITH ALL 3 INCIDENTS OCCURRING DURING BUSY TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT, THE CAR WAS ABLE TO RESTART, AND WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER. A FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR WAS REPLACED. TWO WEEKS LATER, THE EXACT SAME INCIDENT OCCURRED, BUT THE CAR COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER, AND THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. WHILE IN THE SHOP, THE DEA…

Owner-reported narrative. 26,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10381073 at NHTSA ↗