NHTSA Complaint #10568444 — 2008 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

WHILE MERGING ONTO THE FREEWAY, AS I REACHED 60MPH THE CAR LUNGED AND THE ENGINE BEGAN REVVING OVER 6000RPM. IT FELT LIKE THE CAR WAS STUCK IN 3RD GEAR. THE GEAR/DRIVE MODE DISPLAY LED BEGAN FLASHING CONSTANTLY. THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT UP TO A HIGHER GEAR SO I MOVED INTO SLOWER LANES AND KEPT THE CAR AT ABOUT 5000RPM/55MPH UNTIL IT WAS SAFE TO STOP. THE CAR GEARED DOWN AS I DECELERATED BUT APPEARED TO SKIP A GEAR AND LUNGED AT EACH SHIFT. I TRIED SWITCHING BETWEEN DRIVE AND SPORT MODE BUT THERE WAS NO CHANGE. WHEN I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP I DISCOVERED THE REVERSE GEAR DID NOT ENGAGE. IT SIMPLY WENT INTO NEUTRAL. I SHUT THE CAR DOWN, WAITED A MINUTE AND STARTED IT AGAIN. IT NO LONGER HAD ANY VISIBLE PROBLEMS OR ERROR MESSAGES. I LATER LEARNED THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE DSG TRANSMISSION AND IS REFERRED TO AS THE 'DSG FLASH OF DEATH'.