NHTSA Complaint #10458007 — 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

I AM HAVING WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE A SERIOUS, BUT INTERMITTENT, SAFETY PROBLEM WITH MY 2011 JETTA SPORTWAGON TDI. THERE IS ALSO WHAT MAY BE A RELATED ISSUE WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTING AT LOW SPEED. OCCASIONALLY WHEN I ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN/TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE ENGINE DOES NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE MOVEMENT. WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND PRESS ON THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR MOVES AHEAD UNDER WHAT I BELIEVE IS IDLE POWER BUT AS I TRY TO ACCELERATE, IT IS LIKE THE GAS PEDAL IS NOT CONNECTED TO THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE IS RUNNING BUT WON'T REV AND MOVE THE CAR. I USUALLY END UP ABOUT A THIRD OF THE WAY INTO THE INTERSECTION WITH A CAR THAT IS SEEMINGLY STALLED (ENGINE STILL RUNNING HOWEVER). THE CAR BEHIND ME THEN HAS TO BRAKE AND IF I HAPPENED TO BE TRYING TO CUT INTO MOVING TRAFFIC, I AM NOW A TARGET FOR THE CROSS TRAFFIC. I REPORTED THIS TO SELLING DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT EARLY IN MY OWNERSHIP EXPERIENCE OF THIS CAR AND WAS TOLD DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, THAT IS NORMAL, IT'S A TRANSMISSION THING. PERHAPS THERE IS A LINK TO THE TRANSMISSION AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS IS A PROBLEM AREA AS WELL. WHEN DRIVING SLOWLY, AROUND 20-25 MILES PER HOUR, THE TRANSMISSION CAN'T SEEM TO DECIDE WHAT GEAR IT SHOULD BE IN. IT KEEPS BOUNCING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN GEARS CAUSING A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE SURGING. THE SURGING PART I CAN WORK AROUND BY SHIFTING TO SPORT MODE. THIS MODE MIGHT ALSO HELP THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM BUT I DON'T HAVE GOOD EXPERIENCE YET TO CONFIRM. *TR