NHTSA Complaint #10223831 — 2006 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI 5-SPEED WITH 39,000 MILES. MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN MEXICO IN JANUARY OF 2006, AND I PURCHASED IT IN JUNE OF 2006. THIS WEEK, THE CLUTCH STARTED SLIPPING AND IT WARRANTED A VISIT TO THE LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT INFORMED ME THAT MANY 2006 VW JETTA TDI 5-SPD VEHICLES WERE MADE WITH A DEFECTIVE CLUTCH PLATE, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE MY TRANSMISSION TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT MY VEHICLE HAD THE DEFECTIVE PART. THEY INFORMED ME THAT IF MY VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE THE DEFECTIVE PART, THEY WOULD CHARGE ME NEARLY $500 IN LABOR FEES FOR REMOVING THE TRANSMISSION FOR INSPECTION. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE MY VEHICLE INSPECTED TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT HAS THE DEFECTIVE PART, NOR SHOULD I HAVE TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE WHEN THIS CLUTCH HAS BEEN FAILING PREMATURELY. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS CLUTCH PLATE ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. I ALSO FOUND 88 PAGES ON ONE FORUM ALONE (HTTP://FORUMS.TDICLUB.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=137014) ABOUT THIS PART AND THE CLUTCH/FLYWHEEL ASSEMBLY FAILING PREMATURELY. MANY OF THESE PEOPLE WERE FORCED TO PAY FOR A NEW CLUTCH AT A COST OF OVER $2000.00. SOME WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THIS CLUTCH PLATE AND THE CORRESPONDING ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN RECALLED BECAUSE OF SAFETY CONCERNS IN MANY COUNTRIES EXCEPT FOR THE UNITED STATES. I FEAR HAVING MY CLUTCH FAIL WHEN I NEED THE ENGINE TO BE ENGAGED. IF I WERE TO HAVE A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER, IT COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND ENDANGER MYSELF AND THE OCCUPANTS OF MY VEHICLE. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO BRING THIS PROBLEM TO THE SURFACE, AND PROMPT AN INVESTIGATION BY THE NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE? THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS NEED TO BE RECALLED AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. IT SEEMS THAT NHTSA IS IGNORING THIS MATTER AT THE CONSUMER'S EXPENSE, AND THE AUTOMAKERS BENEFIT. *TR