NHTSA Complaint #10317720 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

WHEN I START MY CAR, THE ENGINE IDLES INCONSISTENTLY AND THE CAR SHAKES OR STUTTERS. IF I BEGIN DRIVING NORMALLY ONE OF TWO THINGS WILL HAPPEN, EITHER THE ENGINE WILL STALL (HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY LATELY) OR THE CAR WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE IDLING PROBLEMS UNTIL IT WARMS UP. IN THE SECOND CASE, THE CAR WILL DRIVE NORMALLY FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES UNTIL I COME TO THE FIRST HILL. IF THE CAR DOWN SHIFTS WHILE GOING DOWN A HILL AT LOWER SPEEDS, THE ASR LIGHT WILL COME ON AND FROM THIS POINT ON THE CAR HAS A DIFFICULT TIME SHIFTING GEARS. THE SHIFTING IS ABRUPT AND THE ENGINE DOES NOT SOUND NORMAL. IF I STOP, TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON THE CAR APPEARS TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. TO AVOID THE ABOVE PROBLEM, I DO THE FOLLOWING WHEN FIRST STARTING MY CAR. I START THE CAR, TURN ON THE HEADLIGHTS AND REV MY ENGINE TO ABOUT 3000 RPM'S. I HOLD THIS RPM FOR ABOUT 30-60 SECONDS AND THEN I NOTICE THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER ONCE AND BECOME STRONGER AND THE ENGINE WILL THEN REV UP ANOTHER 500 RPM'S ON ITS OWN. AT THIS POINT I USUALLY DO NOT EXPERIENCE THE ASR PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. PROBLEM FIRST STARTED IN 2007 AND PERSISTED UNTIL 2010 WHEN IT WAS FINALLY REPAIRED. *TR