NHTSA Complaint #10196727 — 2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

I OWN A 2002 JETTA 1.8T AND STARTED HAVING SOME INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH SHIFTING FROM PARK INTO REVERSE OR 1ST AND 2ND GEARS, PAUSING OR JERKING INTO GEAR. THE PROBLEM STARTED A COUPLE MONTHS AGO WHEN THE CAR HAD ABOUT 52,000 MILES ON IT AND WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BY ABOUT 5 MONTHS. THE PROBLEM BECAME INCREASINGLY FREQUENT AND I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER YESTERDAY AND WAS TOLD THAT I NEED A WHOLE NEW TRANSMISSION. THEY SAID THE TRANSMISSION FLUID BUNT AND HA DEBRIS IN IT". I HAVE ALWAYS DONE THE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE , AT THE DEALERSHIP, NO LESS, AND HAVE NEVER ABUSED THE TRANSMISSION IN ANY WAY. THE CAR ONLY HAS 54,000 MILES ON IT! THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE DEALERSHIP CALLED VOLKSWAGEN AND STATED HE REALLY WENT TO BAT FOR ME ,AND THAT VOLKSWSGEN HAS AGREED TO COVER 65% OF THE REPAIR, WHICH IN THE RANGE OF $5,000+. SO I WILL STILL BE PAYING AT LEAST $1750.00 TO REPLACE A FAIRLY YOUNG TRANSMISSION. I FEEL VW MUST KNOW THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION TO EVEN OFFER TO PAY FOR PART OF THE REPAIR, AND JUDGING BY THE OTHER COMPLAINTS THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN READING OTHER COMPLAINTS AND IT SEEMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS PAINTED WITH A METALLIC PAINT THAT DISINTEGRATED WITH HIGH HEAT/TEMPERATURES AND THAT IT BROKE DOWN, FLAKES OFF AND DAMAGED THE TRANSMISSION. THIS HAS TO BE A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. *AK