1996 Volkswagen Jetta Transmission Problems

ON SEPT 2, 2005 AND SEPT. 6, 2005, UNDER TWO CIRCUMSTANCES INVOLVING QUICK ACCELERATION WITH MODERATE LOAD (TWO ADULTS AND ONE KID. ABOUT 50 LB LOAD IN TRUNK), THE ENGINE KEPT HIGH REVVING AFTER THE GAS PADDLE HAD BEEN FULLY RELEASED, THUS PULLING FORWARD HARD UNINTENTIONALLY; IT KEPT SO DOING FOR SECONDS, EVEN AFTER BRAKING WAS APPLIED FOR THE FIRST FEW SECONDS, AND PUMPED. IT RECOVERED BACK TO NORMAL RESPONSIVENESS AFTER HARD BRAKING FOR AT LEAST FIVE SECONDS IN THE FIRST INCIDENT AND ABOUT THREE SECOND IN THE SECOND. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE CRUISE CONTROL NEVER WORKED SINCE THE PURCHASE IN 1996.

I HAVE NOW HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN MY ONE OWNER AUTOMATIC JETTA, THREE TIMES. MY LAST TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED 35,000 MILES AGO, AND I NOW NEED TO SPEND 1,700 DOLLARS TO REPLACE IT. *NLM

THERE IS A CRACK IN VALVE BODY WHICH CAUSES TRANSMISSION TO BURN OUT.*AK

TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. WOULD MAKE WHINNING NOISE, FLUID WOULD BE LEAKING. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC TRIED TO REPAIR IT. CLAIMED WOULD WORK FINE. TRANSMISSION SEIZED UP, AND VEHICLE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK

THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED CONTINUED PROBLEMS WITH HARD SHIFTING, THE TRANSMISSION COOLER RUPTURED INTERNALLY AND WAS REPAIRED, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SHIFT ERRATICALLY, FINAL DIAGNOSIS IS TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY, PCM AND ECM, HOWEVER THE PARTS ARE ON BACKORDER, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING HELP. *MJS

SINCE I BOUGHT MY CAR, I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WHERE THE CAR WILL SHIFT HARD WHEN CHANGING GEARS(2ND-3RD, 3RD-4TH ECT.). I HAVE HAD THE CAR GO THROUGH DIAGNOSTIC TESTING SEVERAL TIMES WHICH REVEALED THAT AN ADJUSTMENT HAD TO BE MADE TO THE TRANSMISSION. THESE ADJUSTMENTS SEEM TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS AND THEN THE CAR WILL SLIP BACK INTO POOR SHIFTING MODE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS DEFECTIVE BUT THE DEALERSHIP AND VW OF AMERICA CLAIM THAT THESE DIAGNOSIS' ARE NOT CONSIDERED FAILURES BY THE MANUFACTURER AND THEREFORE REPLACEMENT IS NOT WARRANTED. IT IS EXTREMELY INCONVENIENT FOR ME TO HAVE THESE ADJUSTMENTS MADE PERIODICALLY. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A PROBLEM THAT IS NOT BEING PERMENANTLY CORRECTED.

BOLTS THAT HOLD AXLE IN PLACE ON DRIVER'S SIDE TO WHEEL HAVE FALLEN OFF. DEALR HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WAS DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY AND VEHICLE FAILED TO GO PAST 45MPH. WOULD NOT CHANGE INTO EITHER 3RD GEAR. *AK TRANSMISSION FAILED AND REPLACED. *YH

TRANSMISSION JUMPS WHEN SWITCHING FROM 1ST TO 2ND, AND 2ND TO 3RD, TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED BY DEALER AT 43K, HOWEVER PROBLEM IS RECURRENT.*ET

TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 43000, LINKAGE IS STILL NOT CORRECT. NLM

THE CV JOINTS DISINTERGRATED, CAUSING AXLE TO SEPARATE FROM THE DRIVETRAIN. ALSO DESTROYING THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

I AM DUBIOUS ABOUT THE SAFETY OF A WELL MAINTAINED CAR WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILS IN THE FIRST 6 MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER'S SERVICEMAN JUMPS THE BATTERY AGAINST OWNERS MANUAL RECOMMENDATIONS AND BLOWS THE INTERNAL FUSE FOR THE RADIO AND SETS OFF THE AIRBAG SENSOR (NEITHER REPAIRED BY THE DEALER AT NO CHARGE. ALSO,) TIRES NEEDING REPLACEMENT AT LESS THAN 20,000 MILES - LOCK CYLINDER FALLLING OUT OF DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR- AND ALL THE POWER LOCKS FAILING, RESULTING IN HAVING TO GO TO THE DEALER JUST TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. *AK

TRANSMISSION CLUTCH PACK FAILED. *ET

DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY FAILED, CAUSING PIECES OF INTERNAL COMPONENTS TO CUT THROUGH DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING ON TRANSMISSION CASE. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE IN THIS VEHICLE. FIRST CAUSED VEHICLE TO BE IMMOBILIZED IMMEDIATELY IN TRAFFIC. SECOND AND MOST RECENT, RENDERED VEHICLE UNABLE TO MOVE UNDER IT'S OWN POWER, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. ALSO, SINCE TRANSMISSION CASE WAS PENETRATED IN NO LESS THAN SIX LOCATIONS, GEAR OIL WAS RELEASED ONTO ROADWAY, CAUSING AN IMMEDIATE HAZARD FOR OTHER DRIVERS. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN AMONG OTHER OWNERS OF THIS AND SIMILAR MODELS. THERE IS SPECULATION AMONG ENTHUSIASTS THAT IT IS DUE TO THE USE OF RIVETS INSTEAD OF BOLTS TO SECURE THE RING GEAR (CROWN WHEEL) IN THE DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY. THIS IS APPARANTLY A COST-CUTTING MEASURE. VOLKSWAGEN MAKES AVAILABLE A KIT THAT INCLUDES BOLTS TO REPLACE THOSE RIVETS. STANDARD VW WARRANTY REPAIR PROCEDURE FOR SUCH A FAILURE CALLS FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION WITH A REBUILT UNIT, BUT THE REBUILT UNITS ALSO USE RIVETS INSTEAD OF BOLTS. FOR THIS FAILURE, VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA'S DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER IS DENYING WARRANTY REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE OF AFTERMARKET (NON-VW) PARTS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE WHICH ARE NOT RELATED TO THE TRANSMISSION. *AK

THE MULTI-SHIFT SWITCH THAT CHANGES THE GEARS AUTOMATICALLY WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN AT 60 MPH, SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO THE 3RD GEAR, CAUSING A POWERFUL DOWNSHIFT IN THE SPEED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML

TWO WIRES OF THE REAR DEFROSTER DO NOT WORK WHICH OBSTRUCTS VIEW--AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CLICKS LOUDLY WHEN SHIFTING GEARS--RADIO/CASSETTE PLAYER BECOMES EXTREMELY HOT WHILE DRIVING--WHEELS MAKE FUNNY VIBRATING NOISE AT CERTAIN SPEEDS--PAINT JOB ON BODY OF VEHICLE HAS BEEN SCRATCHING AND PEELING EASILY

ENGINE RUNS AT HIGH RPMS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS AT REST. TRANSMISSION JERKS VIOLENTLY WHEN SHIFTED INTO GEAR.

MULTIPLE TRANSMISSION FAILURES. DEALER AND VOLKSWAGON AMERICA REFUSE TO RECOGNIZE STATE AND FEDERAL LEMON LAWS.

TRANSMISSION FAILURE CAUSING HESITATION AND JERKING WHEN SHIFTING.

WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE JUMPS OUT OF GEAR . THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

TRANSMISSION MODULE FAILED.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE'S REAR WHEEL AND AXLE ASSEMBLY FELL OFF. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING (60) MPH AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT.*AK

WHEN BACKING IN REVERSE, NOTICED LOUD SQUEALING NOISE, DLR HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT AND CONCLUDED IT'S NORMAL. *AK