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VW Jetta TDI

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Comments

  • moeandmomoeandmo Member Posts: 11
    This issue has been "fixed" 3 times since last August, when the recall came out . We have even spoken to VW (nationally) direct, and they have been in communication with the dealership. (We have a case number) The last two times the car was in, the dealership kept it for a week. When you have a problem, and you keep doing exactly the same thing to fix it over and over and over, you would think you would realize that you need to try something else.

    On Oct 6, when the car was brought in after the first incident, the paperwork says "Campaign Temp sensor" and "Update Programming"...that's pretty much all it says. No part # is listed.

    On Nov. 23, the paperwork says "Customer had S7 Campaign update performed and is still having concerns......etc." "Made sure of all updates on vehicle...no codes....test drove for 59 miles and condition never occurred"

    On Jan 20, the paperwork says "Ran GFF-no codes stored--reset basic settings..test drove 302 miles...ran VTA...check mechatronic switch...all ok. AT no point in any of these service report has there been a part # for any part that was replaced.

    We have a VW case number. This past saturday, when it happened yet again, TWICE, and depressing the brake didn't "reset" it, pressing on the gas pedal caused severe "bucking", thus had to pull off of the road, shut off the car and start again.

    Nowhere in the paperwork we have is there anything about a replacement of a heat sensor or wiring harness, (no pat numbers are listed) but that might perhaps have been part of the October work done, right after our first problem, and right after the recall went out.

    We have recently posted on the NHTSA site, but so far have gotten no feedback from there.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    edited March 2010
    I believe the campaign Temperature sensor is the culprit part. It is indicating the transmission is getting too hot. And it goes to neutral. Are you in a very warm climate or towing a trailer? They may have put a defective sensor in and it is still failing. That does not sound like a good situation. Just keep documenting it till they get it fixed. Do not forget to have the 40K mile transmission service done. Do not want to give them a chance to deny your warranty.

    I would not hold my breath hearing anything from the NHTSA. Both of them are busy with Toyota recalls for UA. :shades:
  • moeandmomoeandmo Member Posts: 11
    We're a long way from the 40K service. This car has only 8K on it.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I'd give them one more chance and then start talking lemon law. I like the idea of photographing the dash as well since they've not experienced the problem.
  • dwpcdwpc Member Posts: 159
    With the SD card slot, I don't really need the iPod connector, but I've been wondering if the USB connection might be of any use in the future for something new. Can the touchscreen operate as a generic control interface for other things?

    Salesman told me it can be dealer installed.
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    Does the 100K warranty for the DSG apply to ALL 09 TDI's, or just the ones affected by the recall?
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    hello shrifty.

    I understand that you would want to mount the laser-jammer infrared-xmitters as close as possible to the places where laser-operators are trained to aim:

    1 - front license plate
    2 - as close to each headlight as possible
    also, i hope your car is black. that will help too.
    3 - rear license plate

    if you obscure the license plate at all, or the headlights, that is probably a violation of the vehicle code in any state.
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    Hey Moe!
    I recommend you investigate the lemon-law in your state and apply it if possible. They testdrove your car for THREE HUNDRED miles one time.
    That's ridiculous.
    They should extend your new-car-warranty by that many miles now, in the event you keep the car until 12,300 miles, that is.
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    Hi Elias, thanks for the input. On the front end of the Jetta, directly below the headlights and above the lower grill there appears to be a spot that can be punched out. What is this area for? I don't think I have ever seen anything mounted in this space. Would it be possible to mount the sensors in there?

    As for the color of my car, I can't recall what term VW uses but it is the "Flamboyant" Blue in 09. :)
  • eliaselias Member Posts: 2,209
    you are most welcome, shrifty. I bet that blue color looks fantastic.
    I don't know of anything else that goes in those wide parallelogram shapes below the headlights. Unfortunately I have nothing good to say about the idea of intentionally cutting holes in a car as you propose.

    One great advantage of a laser jammer in the rear is it should screw up the annoying Audis & Benzes & Nissan SUVs that use laser rangefinder for the "follow the guy ahead cruise-control" setting.
    How would the laser-rangefinder-cruise vehicles respond to a xmitter/ jammer?
    Would they disable themselves?
    Would they accelerate madly and crash into the back of your car?
    Would they automatically start driving 55, even if you were pulling away at 80 mph ahead of them?
    (Me and that California Sikes dude with the Prius both want to know these answers!)
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I believe if you punch that section out, there will be a spot to screw-in a hook for recovery purposes. The hook (eye-bolt) should be in the tool kit with the spare tire. I would say you could mount it there but I'd want it to be easy to remove in case you need recovered.
  • farmertullfarmertull Member Posts: 14
    My 2010 Jetta has a punch out hole that you screw a steel tow hook. I live in a rural area with lots of snow. I asked where the tow hooks were and the salesman pulled out a screw in tow hook. I cant remember where it is..I will have to look in the manual. I believe there is a punch out in the rear.
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    On the 09, the eyebolt will screw in behind the black plastic grill on the passenger side of the vehicle, once removed. I found this out 2 days after I bought the car and needed to be towed. :(
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    There is also an area in the rear, I checked into that as well. I believe it is also on the right side of the vehicle, it pops off quite easily.
  • longo2longo2 Member Posts: 347
    On my 2006 Jetta you squeeze the black plastic grill that covers the Fog Lamp spots in the front grill. By putting the pressure on it by hand it will come off and the spot for the big screw in eye bolt is behind it. You can put the grill back on with the eye bolt still in place, it just looks like crap.
    I have always thought that the Jetta needed a spot to hook up a tow rope or chain in the center of the front, like making a skid plate with reinforced hole that would take a hook.
    With the tow hook on the passenger side of the vehicle, it limits it's use, or if VW really thought it through they would have put it in both front locations.

    Had my 06 in for it's 80,000 mile DSG fluid and filter change this morning, total bill with tax, was $297.00

    The old filter off the DSG looked totally black and polluted. This is it's second fluid change.
    While I was waiting in the place they did sell one new Jetta TDI..rolled out a new 09' white with beige cloth interior. Must say the new 2010 grills do look much classier, and the 2010 Platinum White color (metallic beige?) is stunning.
  • dwpcdwpc Member Posts: 159
    The first oil change at 20K miles? For a turbodiesel with a turbo spinning at astronomical RPM? Seems nuts to me. Has VW broken through some filter technology barrier? Syn oil or not, its going to be saturated with soot. Has anyone investigated this. It breaks all the diesel rules about religious and frequent oil changes. (I've had two diesels; one had 275K the other 425K miles when I sold them.)

    Mini-rant: I don't understand why every VW showroom doesn't have a display with a reasonably sized sample of all paint selections. It seems like dealers only stock black, white, and silver cars. What's with the drabness? I've been to three and have yet to see the white-gold, red, or blue on a car. And I don't like picking from a 1" picture in a brochure. I envy Beetle buyers their many great color choices.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I agree with your rant. I want to see the White Gold color. I was at a large VW dealership looking at the new Sportwagen TDI. They had six of them on the lot. Two white, two black, and light & dark silver colors. They did not have a single car on their lot in that white gold color. I love the Gecko Green on the Beetle. I almost bought one for the color. If they had it with TDI and DSG I would.
  • tifightertifighter Member Posts: 3,591
    I have a favor to ask of anyone with a sportwagen. Can you tell me the height dimensions in the cargo area, floor to interior ceiling? I've been considering one of these; thanks...

    23 Civic Type-R / 22 MDX Type-S / 21 Tesla Y LR / 03 Montero Ltd

  • dwpcdwpc Member Posts: 159
    I don't have the dimension, but remember that there is a lip of an inch or so on the floor at the tailgate. The interior is higher than the door opening. Have you tried the VW website specs?
  • tifightertifighter Member Posts: 3,591
    Yeah, I looked; they only list volume in cubic feet...

    23 Civic Type-R / 22 MDX Type-S / 21 Tesla Y LR / 03 Montero Ltd

  • jogousajogousa Member Posts: 402
    It's 29" high (and 41" wide).
  • jogousajogousa Member Posts: 402
    edited March 2010
    Sebring95 and Shrifty - there is nothing there, under those sections. Just high density styrofoam - part of the energy absorbing front bumper.

    Definitely not the the spot for screw-in hook - there is only one spot for that hook and that is in the rear (right rear bottom part of the bumper). The front area under those sections is just too high to have the hook attachment.
  • jogousajogousa Member Posts: 402
    edited March 2010
    There is no room to mount anything under those sections other than maybe some stripe with LED.

    It's filled with high density styrofoam as part of the front bumper. You could cut some out but you could compromise safety in case of a frontal crash as there might be some airbag impact sensors in that area.
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    Good to know. So I guess the cut-out look is for... decoration?

    There are actually two spots for the hook, with one in the front as well. It is an odd place to have one, but it does exist. I don't have the manual handy for a page reference, but if you look at the black grill section under the passenger headlight, you will see the screw(s) to remove this piece. The eyebolt goes in there.

    I completely agree, this is not the place to put one, but VW did. :)
  • jogousajogousa Member Posts: 402
    Yeah.. you are right, there is one area for front tow hook up front way down below, as you have described. Isn't that also the place, where you could mount auxhiliary fog lights?
  • dwpcdwpc Member Posts: 159
    I've kept an AutoTrader alert for my current vehicle's model so I can see how others are pricing that car online. This morning I received an alert for a new listing and it was MY CAR; VIN and all! A local VW dealer appraised it for trade-in last week, we didn't make a deal. They priced it at top-dollar too!

    They're clearly fishing for interest but I'm not sure how to respond. I'm tempted to send them an e-mail telling them they just lost a sale. I notified AutoTrader of the unauthorized listing, for all the good that will do. What would you do?
  • tifightertifighter Member Posts: 3,591
    It's 29" high (and 41" wide)

    Great! Thanks for your help!

    23 Civic Type-R / 22 MDX Type-S / 21 Tesla Y LR / 03 Montero Ltd

  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    My evil mind....send someone in to buy it. Someone REALLY interested. Make sure they leave with the dealership knowing they want YOUR car. Sit back and wait and see if they contact you and then you can play hardball. If someone is willing to pay list on it....they might give you more. It's a long-shot but if they want to play crooked....I'd try to work it to my advantage. If it doesn't work, I wouldn't buy beans from them.
  • shriftyshrifty Member Posts: 255
    From the images I found online, it appears that is correct, the fog lights do go there. I don't recall, but are fog lights installed at the factory at all?
  • bpeeblesbpeebles Member Posts: 4,085
    Careful here... on the TDI, the reason the factory does not even offer foglights in those areas is because of the INTERCOOLER INTAKE.

    Be careful to not alter the airflow into the intercooler... you will adversly affect turbocharger performance. (thusly engine performance)
  • jogousajogousa Member Posts: 402
    edited March 2010
    WOW - that's good to know. Adding fog lights in those areas was on my future "wish" list. So much for that idea.... So, all those VWs with fog lights there that I see on the road are not Tdis?
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I'm not sure if they still do it for this generation, but the prior had a fog-lamp available that was built into the headlamp. It was a Euro only option from the factory, but pretty easy to install. Just needed the Euro headlamp assemblies and a new switch. They were quite effective in the fog as well.

    I assume they don't offer them here because most US buyers don't have a clue when to use fog lamps anyway.
  • fho2008fho2008 Member Posts: 393
    You nailed it......I see people with em on all the time.....and I'd say around here you MIGHT need to use em ten days a year, not every time you drive at night.
  • cosmocosmo Member Posts: 203
    The stock plastic grills on U.S. are solid, allowing no air flow. The grills included in the Jetta fog light kit, available through dealers and aftermarket suppliers, are true vents that allow air flow through the grills. Check out photos of current European stock Jetta TDI models on the Internet. Most are equipped with fog lights.

    The fog lights are mounted on metal brackets behind the plastic grills. The hole for the tow bolt is to the far left of the right grill, while the fog light sits behind the far right of the right grill. It's not a problem.
  • jogousajogousa Member Posts: 402
    Have you installed those yourself? I have a wiring diagram that calls for fog lights wiring hook up in the engine compartment fuse box, some drilling, etc.etc. not to mention a new headlight/foglight combination round switch in the cabin. I am playing with the idea to install those ever since I bought my Tdi Wagon a year ago.
  • dwpcdwpc Member Posts: 159
    As an Audi owner, I was attracted to the A3 TDI. Better and more substantial looking than the VW, I think. But beyond that subject view, I'm simply astounded by the price spread between two models of the same compact platform. The baseline VW TDI is substantially better equipped; cold weather pkg, Bluetooth, roof rails; and the similarly equipped A3 is roughly 25% higher. A lot to pay for a little leather and sound proofing. And if Audi resale follows its usual path, in five years the VW will be probably be worth more than the A3. Am I missing something?
  • cosmocosmo Member Posts: 203
    No, you are not. Actually, the A3 TDI's specifications are more like the Golf TDI's than the Sportwagon's, and the price gap is even greater when compared to the Golf. Audi's are luxurious, though, and you can add some pricey options that are not available on the VW's.
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    Are you missing something?

    Golf TDI with cold weather package, moonroof, adaptive Xenon lights, Dynaudio, Nav or no Nav depending on preference is a better value than the Audi A3 TDI unless you really love the A3 TDI and leather seating.

    Golf TDI has better, more sporting seats than the Jetta, firmer suspension than Jetta, and a higher level of options available than Jetta.

    Highly recommend driving Jetta Sedan, Jetta Wagon, Golf, and Audi A3 to see which one best suits you.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I sat in the new 2010 Jetta Sportwagen. It was very comfortable. The only VW seats I liked better are the Golf GTI. My question, if it is a Jetta Sportwagen here and a Golf Estate in the UK. Do they have the same seats as the Golf TDI sold here. They did not have a Golf TDI to check out. They sell before they are unloaded here.

    Another plus for the Sportwagen over the A3 is the VW has 10 more inches in length. More room for stuff. And over an inch better ground clearance.

    Another question is why Edmund's still show pictures of the 2009 Sportwagen under the 2010 listing? The new one is so much more appealing to me than last years model.
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    Seats in the Golf TDI are not the same as the Jetta/Golf Wagon. If you like the GTI seats, you will like the Golf TDI seats better than Jetta TDI seats.

    Seats in the Jetta Sedan are same as those in the Jetta Wagon.
  • dwpcdwpc Member Posts: 159
    I wasn't really aware of the additional length of the Sportwagen until I opened the A3 rear door. Its a huge reduction in rear space. Its no wonder that so few A3s are sold.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    For me the ultimate would be the Audi A4 Allroad TDI sold in the EU. It uses the same 2.0L engine as the A3 and Sportwagen. The A3 would be a nice little commuter or traveling salesman's vehicle. Just too close to the ground for my taste. Too hard getting out of for me. The A4 wagon is slightly bigger than the Sportwagen.
  • dwpcdwpc Member Posts: 159
    I was more curious than interested in the A3. I've had an A6 for 9 years and its been the most expensive car to maintain I've ever owned (incl. 2 MBs). They say "Never keep an Audi past its warranty." but the double-whammy is the horrific beating they take on resale value. Can't afford to keep 'em; can't afford to trade 'em. My Audi lesson is well learned.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Probably good that Audi does not offer anything I would want then. I am beginning to think keeping any vehicle past warranty is not wise. The cost of repairing the cheapest Toyota or Honda can be a killer.

    I would jump on the Sportwagen TDI if it had just a little better ground clearance.
  • jogousajogousa Member Posts: 402
    edited March 2010
    Well, after 1 year of TDI Sportwagen ownership, I got used to it (ground clearance). I have installed those rubber spacers in both rear coils and the car does not bottom out anymore with the hitch installed, when carrying bicycles. Cornering and ride hasn't changed. I read somewhere that the low clearance design is on purpose; the car sits better/lower on US "autobahns" (lower air drag).

    It's fun car to drive, plenty of power and torque. Ample space behind rear seats and with Yakima roof box on top, great car for camping. Seats are firm but comfortable on long trips.

    6 speed manual is just flawless. Brakes are adequate, ABS works well. Cabin is driver friendly and controls are well designed (after you get used to them, as they slightly differ from Japanese controls).

    The only 2 issues I have are:

    The moonroof - too much heat built up in Fl climate - but now, with Yakima roof box I carry my own "shade".

    Headlights don't turn off automatically, when you remove the ignition key. There is a warning chime but the volume is too low to hear it. I wonder if you can increase the chime volume - have to ask the dealer, net time I am there for a service.

    Items replaced: rear wiper blade (not under warranty); rear door lock remote module (replaced under warranty); defective PIAA ultra bright H7 bulb (replaced all 4 OEMs with PIAAs, when I bought the car last February).
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I remember your post and links to the rubber spacers. I would to that for sure if I bought one. I want either the white or white gold color. No moon roof. Still leaning toward the DSG for the wife. They have one in stock right now and are willing to deal. I want to see the White Gold. Not sure if they have sold any of the Sportwagens in that color.
  • jogousajogousa Member Posts: 402
    My TDI is "candy white" ... not sure if VW has the same colors nowadays.

    I would stay away from panoramic sunroof - unfortunately, I did not have a choice then... also, my car came with 17" wheels but I asked the dealer to switch them and had 16" installed instead - that was a good move, in my opinion, in a long run.
  • moparbadmoparbad Member Posts: 3,870
    White Gold is quite striking. Not what I expected from the name, thought it was silver until a comparison with Reflex Silver car could be made side to side.

    If I were buying today White Gold would be my top choice.
  • jogousajogousa Member Posts: 402
    Good news for TDI owners. PepBoys now sells VW approved oil (502 00 through 507 00). It's their Mobil 1 Fully Synthetic - 5W 30 ESP Formula - in 1 liter plastic bottles (oil is made in/imported from Belgium). You can buy 5 bottles @ $ 6.00 each (special discounted pricing).
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