NHTSA Complaint #11010559 — 2012 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILED AFTER ONLY 80,200 MILES. UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, ACCELERATING AFTER A STOP, THERE WAS A NOTICEABLE "CLUNK" SOUND AFTER SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR, AND THEN A CONTINUOUS LOUD RATTLING SOUND IN ALL THE GEARS 2ND-5TH. VEHICLE REMAINED DRIVABLE THOUGH WITH A CONTINUOUS CLATTERING SOUND IN 2ND-5TH GEARS AND WITH A SLIGHT SHUDDERING WHILE IN MOTION. VEHICLE HAD RECENTLY RECEIVED REGULAR 80,000 SERVICE. NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM EXISTED UNTIL IT WAS MANIFEST IN THIS FAILURE. VEHICLE REMAINED DRIVABLE THOUGH NORMAL SPEEDS ENOUGH TO TAKE TO DEALERSHIP APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES AWAY. DIAGNOSIS WAS A PROBLEM IN THE GEARBOX NECESSITATING A REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION. GIVEN THE RELIABILITY OF MOST MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS, I CONSIDER THIS FAILURE TO BE PREMATURE IN COMPARISON TO ITS EXPECTED SERVICE LIFE, AND THEREFORE MOST LIKELY DUE TO SOME DEFECT IN THE UNIT. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN FOR SERVICE TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. WILL PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION ONCE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RETURNED.