Hi Everyone, I am new here, but a long time reader. I have owned my 2015 Jetta SE TDI since summer 2017. Recently it started having a problem, and has been at the dealer going on two weeks now. I was hoping to get your thoughts on the matter.
2015 Jetta TDI, 61,000 miles. I was on vacation in northern Michigan a few weeks ago, on a two lane highway, came up on a slight hill. Cruise control on, going about 70 mph. The car begin to jerk, it felt like someone was hitting the brake pedal. No CEL or lights coming on. I turned cruise off, pulled off, and kept going, and it kept happening. I pulled off again, turned the car off and on, and the problem didn't happen again. I went 60 miles to my destination, where I was for three days, city driving, and it didn't act up again until I left town. I was on the freeway, doing 75 ish, no cruise control, and it started up again. I had 400 miles to go to get home, so I pulled off, turned off and on, and it was good for another 350ish miles until I was on a ramp from one freeway to another, very steep incline, and it started acting up really badly. Glow plug light flashing, foot all the way into the pedal and it was going about 40 mph, but accelerated in surges, not corresponding to how I had my foot on the gas pedal. I managed to pull over, 20 miles from home, restart, and all was good until the next day at a red light, I start to go off the light, and it does the same thing again, will barely move, and when it does it is super jerky, glow plug flashing, and I have to restart. I take it into the dealer the next morning.
The dealer I took it to has always been my go to. I had a relative who worked as a regional sales manager for many years (no longer) and always said this dealer had the best service. They have always done good by me. Service manager tells me they can't get the car to act up. He took it all over under different conditions. Finally after taking it to a spot with a big hill, had the computer hooked up, he got it to throw four codes, three of which were the same code, for the turbo.It did not light up any warning lights, and he said he wouldn't have seen any codes if he did not have the computer hooked up. After a week and one day total at the dealer, they tell me that they found a super small hole in the intake hose (I apologize if thats not what its called) near the turbo. Was not found under the smoke test, that he had to use soapy water in a spray bottle to see it. Replaced that and I picked up the car on Wednesday. I drove home and all was good until I got to my street, turned on from 25 mph or less, and it starts feeling like someone is tapping the brake again. No warning lights. So I took the car back Thursday to the dealer. I talked to him yesterday, he said no codes stored, and it hasn't acted up.
The dealer seems at a loss for what is going on. I am not really sure what to think. I like the car a lot, but this is not its first problem. If I can't get a resolution from the dealer, am I able to contact VW at all for help? It was purchased CPO. Also I am paying for a dealer loaner while its in there. They did work with me, when I picked it up the last time, he only charged me 3 days and I had the loaner for 9. Just hoping someone here has some ideas. It almost feels like a transmission problem, but the dealer said it should throw a code. And sometimes it gives a flashing glow plug light, sometimes nothing. Thanks everyone!
2015 Jetta TDI, 61,000 miles. I was on vacation in northern Michigan a few weeks ago, on a two lane highway, came up on a slight hill. Cruise control on, going about 70 mph. The car begin to jerk, it felt like someone was hitting the brake pedal. No CEL or lights coming on. I turned cruise off, pulled off, and kept going, and it kept happening. I pulled off again, turned the car off and on, and the problem didn't happen again. I went 60 miles to my destination, where I was for three days, city driving, and it didn't act up again until I left town. I was on the freeway, doing 75 ish, no cruise control, and it started up again. I had 400 miles to go to get home, so I pulled off, turned off and on, and it was good for another 350ish miles until I was on a ramp from one freeway to another, very steep incline, and it started acting up really badly. Glow plug light flashing, foot all the way into the pedal and it was going about 40 mph, but accelerated in surges, not corresponding to how I had my foot on the gas pedal. I managed to pull over, 20 miles from home, restart, and all was good until the next day at a red light, I start to go off the light, and it does the same thing again, will barely move, and when it does it is super jerky, glow plug flashing, and I have to restart. I take it into the dealer the next morning.
The dealer I took it to has always been my go to. I had a relative who worked as a regional sales manager for many years (no longer) and always said this dealer had the best service. They have always done good by me. Service manager tells me they can't get the car to act up. He took it all over under different conditions. Finally after taking it to a spot with a big hill, had the computer hooked up, he got it to throw four codes, three of which were the same code, for the turbo.It did not light up any warning lights, and he said he wouldn't have seen any codes if he did not have the computer hooked up. After a week and one day total at the dealer, they tell me that they found a super small hole in the intake hose (I apologize if thats not what its called) near the turbo. Was not found under the smoke test, that he had to use soapy water in a spray bottle to see it. Replaced that and I picked up the car on Wednesday. I drove home and all was good until I got to my street, turned on from 25 mph or less, and it starts feeling like someone is tapping the brake again. No warning lights. So I took the car back Thursday to the dealer. I talked to him yesterday, he said no codes stored, and it hasn't acted up.
The dealer seems at a loss for what is going on. I am not really sure what to think. I like the car a lot, but this is not its first problem. If I can't get a resolution from the dealer, am I able to contact VW at all for help? It was purchased CPO. Also I am paying for a dealer loaner while its in there. They did work with me, when I picked it up the last time, he only charged me 3 days and I had the loaner for 9. Just hoping someone here has some ideas. It almost feels like a transmission problem, but the dealer said it should throw a code. And sometimes it gives a flashing glow plug light, sometimes nothing. Thanks everyone!
