NHTSA Complaint #10776508 — 2010 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR INADVERTENTLY DISENGAGES THE DSG TRANSMISSION RESULTING IN NO POWER TRANSFER TO THE WHEELS. THE CAR ALSO DISPLAYS AN "ESP ERROR" (ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM) IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. ONCE THE CAR IS SHIFTED INTO PARK AND TURNED OFF, AND THEN BACK ON, THE PROBLEM IS RESOLVED TEMPORARILY. IT HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AND POSES DANGER FOR THE DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS. THIS INITIALLY HAPPENED 2 MONTHS PRIOR AFTER A HEADLIGHT BURNED OUT AND THE BULB STATUS LIGHT ON THE DASH CAME ON. THE TRANSMISSION DISENGAGEMENT EVENT OCCURRED ONCE OR TWICE BEFORE THE HEADLIGHT WAS REPLACED. AFTER REPLACING THE LIGHT BULB, THE TRANSMISSION ERROR APPEARED TO RESOLVE ITSELF. TWO MONTHS LATER, THE EVENT OCCURRED FOLLOWING THE FAILURE OF A VALVE STEM WITH TPMS SENSOR ON THE TIRE. THE REPAIR SHOP DID NOT HAVE ANY TPMS SENSORS IN STOCK AND REPLACED THE STEM WITH A RUBBER ONE. THIS RESULTED IN THE TPMS STATUS LIGHT BEING ON IN THE DASH. COINCIDENTALLY, WITHIN A COUPLE DAYS OF THIS, THE DSG TRANSMISSION /ESP ERROR RE-EMERGED. THIS TIME AROUND THE ERROR OCCURRED EVERY 5 TO 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING. THIS DISENGAGEMENT HAPPENED DURING CITY AND HIGHWAY DRIVING AT VARYING SPEEDS. DISABLING ESP AND DRIVING IN MANUAL MODE DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS LEAVES THE OCCUPANTS IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING THROUGH CONSTRUCTION ZONES AND OTHER AREAS WITHOUT ADEQUATE SHOULDERS ON THE ROAD. THE CAR IS UP TO DATE ON PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE. CAR IS AT 113,000 MILES. EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 109,000. NEITHER VW OF AMERICA OR WARRANTY COMPANY SAY THEY CAN ASSIST. DEALERSHIP SERVICE CANNOT SPECIFICALLY DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND SUGGEST EITHER MECHATRONIC UNIT REPLACEMENT ($2,000) MIGHT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. IF NOT, COMPLETE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT ($5,000) IS RECOMMENDED.