NHTSA Complaint #10639294 — 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

THIS 2011 VW SPORTWAGEN TDI (DIESEL)WOULD EASILY STALL IN FIRST GEAR. SINCE THE FIRST TEST DRIVE WE WERE TOLD AT THE DEALERSHIP, THIS MANUAL TRANSMISSION TAKES GETTING USED TO. I HAVE A FRIEND WHO OWNS A 2011 GOLF TDI WITH A SIMILAR ISSUE. HOWEVER, EVEN THOUGH I BECAME MORE ACCUSTOMED TO DRIVING IT, I WOULD STILL STALL IN FIRST GEAR...SOMETIMES IN INTERSECTIONS. I MENTIONED THIS TO THE SERVICE ADVISOR, DURING SEVERAL SERVICE VISITS AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST THE WAY THESE CARS ARE. EVERY TIME A SERVICE ADVISOR WOULD TEST DRIVE MY CAR THEY'D STALL IT. THEY NEVER LOOKED INTO IT. AT 89,000 THE DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL HAD TO BE REPLACED. AT THIS POINT THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I WENT TO AND INDEPENDENT MECHANIC (THAT I TRUSTED)AND ASKED HIM TO NOT ONLY REPLACE THE DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL, BUT THE CLUTCH PLATE AND THROW OUT BEARING AS WELL. HE SAID THE CLUTCH PLATE AND THROW OUT BEARING LOOKED FINE. I SAID SINCE WE HAVE THIS APART I DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY CHANCES. SINCE REPLACING THE PARTS WITH ORIGINAL VW PARTS IT DRIVES LIKE A NORMAL MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAR SHOULD...I NO LONGER STALL THIS CAR IN 1ST GEAR. ONE CAN CHECK ON LINE AND SEE OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. BESIDES THE EXPENSE IT IS ALSO DANGEROUS. I'M SURPRISED THERE ISN'T A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. ON SEPTEMBER 19TH I SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT FLYNN VW, AND ASKED HIS ADVICE ABOUT DEALING WITH VW AND HE REITERATED THAT THE MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS ON THE DIESELS (TDI) WERE LIKE THAT. HE STATED HE STILL STALLS WHEN DRIVING THE DIESEL VWS. HOWEVER HE SAID THE GAS ENGINES DIDN'T SEEM TO STALL LIKE THE DIESELS. *TR