There are 50 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2006 Volkswagen Jettain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
THERE ARE SOME MOUNTING BRACKETS, SUSPENSION BRACKETS, NUTS AND BOLTS ASSOCIATED TO THE OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE THAT HAVE BROKE MORE THAN ONCE PLEASE CONTACT ME AND I WILL GIVE U FURTHER DETAIL.[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).. *TR
MY CAMSHAFT AND LIFTERS WENT BAD AND WERE REPLACED IN 2015. IT WAS JUST AROUND 100,000 MILES. THEN I FOUND OUT TODAY THAT THEY WERE BAD AGAIN. MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE MECHANIC IS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND LOOKING AT THE VOLKSWAGEN TDI FORUM, THAT YEAR IS PARTICULARLY BAD. THIS CAMSHAFT FAILURE CAUSED A LOSS OF POWER ON THE INTERSTATE DURING A HEAVY TRAFFIC TIME, BOTH TIMES. FIRST INCIDENT WAS ON I-240 IN ASHEVILLE MIDDAY. SECOND TIME WAS TRAVELLING WEST ON I-40 NEAR MORGANTON, NC IN EVENING TRAFFIC. LOSS OF POWER, SMOKING. I COULD BARELY GET OFF THE EXIT. I WAS LUCKY NOT TO HAVE IMPEDED TRAFFIC, BOTH TIMES.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE JULY OF 2015, GOING ABOUT 70 MPH, MY 2006 VW JETTA SHOOK AND LOST ALL POWER. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS OR ANY LIGHTS AT THAT MATTER CAME ON. PRIOR TO THIS I WOULD NOTICE THAT TAKING OFF SOMETIMES THE TURBO WOULDNT KICK IN AND I WOULD HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO POWER WHILE GETTING UP TO SPEED. THIS ALSO HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY AND ONCE OFF OF THE FREEWAY I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THEN ON AND WAS LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED. AFTER I LOST ALL POWER THE SECOND INCIDENT, I TOOK IT INTO THE SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT 2 CYLINDERS WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED. HAD TO SPEND 2400 DOLLARS TO HAVE A NEW MOTOR PUT IN AND NOW THE THING IS HAVING PROBLEMS AGAIN. BATTERY LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND OFF WITHIN A SECOND AND THERE IS A LOUD TICKING NOISE WHILE IDLING. SOUNDS LIKE A LOUD VACUUM IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE DRIVING IT. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS OR TEMPERATURE GAUGE INCREASES ARE PRESENT. WHILE RESEARCHING RECALLS I NOTICED THERE WERE SOME FOR THE YEAR OF MY JETTA SO WANTED TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON.
THIS CAR HAD A DEFECTIVE CAMSHAFT AND LIFTERS. DEALER REFUSES TO REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY 2 YEARS AGO, NOW ITS GETTING WORST AND I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO REPAIR IT. *TR
PURCHASED A "PRE-OWNED CERTIFIED" 2006 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA AFTER HITTING 90,000 MILES THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND CV BOOT NEED TO BE REPLACED. *TR
WAS GETTING HEAD ACHES WHEN DRIVING THE CAR AND SITTING IN TRAFFIC OR AT A STOP LIGHT. SMELLED A SULFUR LIKE SMELL FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. COULD HEAR LOUD BLOWING SOUNDS ON ACCELERATION. DEALERSHIP FOUND AN EXHAUST LEAK IN THE BACK OF THE DIESEL MOTOR FROM THE EGR COOLER ASSEMBLY. THE ENGINE WAS BLOWING SOOT IN TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND IT COULD BE HEARD AND SMELLED THROUGH THE FIREWALL. THIS IS A DIESEL SO THE EXHAUST CONTAINS CARCINOGENIC CHEMICALS. DIESEL EXHAUST CONTAINS A NUMBER OF POTENTIALLY TOXICOLOGICALLY RELEVANT ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ACCORDING TO THE EPA THAT HAVE HUMAN HEALTH HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH EXPOSURE. THE EGR COOLER IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE 8 YEAR 80K FEDERAL EXHAUST EMISSION WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH IT IS A MANDATED PART OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AS PART OF THE EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION SYSTEM. A SHAFT GOING THROUGH THE WALL OF THE EGR COOLER CONNECTING TO A BUTTERFLY VALVE USED TO DIVERT THE EXHAUST GASES IN TO THE COOLER HAS A FAULTY SEAL THAT WILL FAIL AND ALLOW THE EXHAUST GAS TO EXIT THE EXHAUST IN TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND GET IN TO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THIS IS NOT ONLY AN EPA VIOLATION BUT A HEALTH HAZARD TO EVERY VW TDI OWNER OR PASSENGER. TO REPAIR THE ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE EGR COOLER HAS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST TO THE OWNER OF $1000. VW CUSTOMER CARE WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THE PRODUCT BUT DID REALIZE THE ISSUE AND OFFER REPLACEMENT IN THE FIRST 2 YEARS OR 24K MILES. MOST ISSUES OCCUR AT 70K TO 120K MILES BECAUSE OF A POORLY DESIGNED PART. *TR
DRIVING ALONG THE ROAD AND COOLANT SUDDENLY FLUSHED OUT OF CAR. WATER PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED ALONG WITH TIMING BELT. OIL LEAKS IN MULTIPLE PLACES ARE STARTING TO APPEAR. I WONDERED WHY I WAS GOING THROUGH SO MUCH OIL. MECHANIC ALERTED ME TO THE POOR DESIGN AND BUILD AND TOLD ME TO CHECK OF OPEN RECALLS AND SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *TR
I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM A SHORT TRIP(<5 MILES) WHEN MY CAR COMPLETELY STOPPED GOING ON A BUSY STREET. I WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE CAR OUT OF THE WAY ON COMING TRAFFIC. I HEARD A LOUD POP PRIOR TO ITS LOSING POWER. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK WHO TRIED TO JUMP CAR BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC WHO HAD SOLD THE CAR TO ME AND I WAS TOLD THAT ONE OF THE PISTONS HAD RUPTURED THE ENGINE BLOCK. THEY HAD NO EXPLANATION ABOUT WHY THIS HAD HAPPENED. THE CAR HAD BEEN SERVICED( OIL CHANGE, VALVE REPAIR, TIMING BELT REPLACEMENT, WATER PUMP REPLACEMENT) ABOUT 500 MILES BEFORE. *TR
DURING A HEAVY RAIN, AND WHILE SLOWING TO APPROACH A STOP , MULTIPLE EMERGENCY WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED IN THE DASH DISPLAY. LOW OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR ADVISED TO SHUT OFF ENGINE IMMEDIATELY, GLOW PLUG INDICATOR FLASHED, AND TACHOMETER WENT TO ZERO (EVEN THOUGH ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING). I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, CHECKED OIL (LEVEL WAS FINE), BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. TOWED BACK HOME, AND 30 MINUTES LATER, ENGINE STARTED. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AT ANY TIME. PROBLEM RECURRED AGAIN IN HEAVY RAIN SEVERAL WEEKS LATER. EXAMINED WIRING HARNESS AND FOUND TWENTY INDIVIDUAL WEAR POINTS IN THE WIRES WHERE THE INSULATION WAS WORN ENOUGH TO EXPOSE THE COPPER STRANDS. THERE WERE NUMEROUS OTHER WEAR POINTS WITH NO COPPER VISIBLE, BUT ALL OF THE INSULATION WEAR MATCHED THE CORRUGATION OF THE RIBBING IN THE PLASTIC WIRE LOOM COVERING. CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE WEAR POINTS REVEALED THE MOST PREVALENT AND SERIOUS BARE WIRE CONDITIONS WERE IN THE AREA OF THE HARNESS SUPPORT CLAMPS. VERY CONCERNED REGARDING OTHER SIMILAR POTENTIAL WEAR PROBLEMS THAT COULD RESULT IN ENGINE FAILURE OR FIRE. *TR
CAM SHAFT AND LIFTER INFERIOR QUALITY!!WHAT HAS HAPPENED ACCORDING TO OTHER OWNERS OF TDI'S THAT I HAVE TALKED TO IS THAT THE CAMSHAFT AND LIFTERS HAVE FAILED. THEY WERE BUILT INFERIOR AND BREAKDOWN. THIS CAUSES A LOT OF CONFUSION WITH MECHANICS TRYING FOR ENDLESS HOURS TO FIGURE OUT WHY ITS SMOKING. WITH A LOT OF RESEARCH I FOUND OUT THAT THE CAMSHAFT AND LIFTERS ARE INFERIOR AND BREAKDOWN. WHY DOES VOLKSWAGEN DO THAT TO PEOPLE, IT COST ME SO MANY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS REPLACING TURBO, MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR TO REBUILDING THE ENGINE FOR GOD SAKE TO FIND THAT IT IS THE CAM AND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS. *TR
A RATTLING SOUND BEGAN TO COME FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT SHORTLY AFTER PASSING 85,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. SCANNED THE COMPUTER AND FOUND SEVERAL CODES FOR MISFIRES AND VACUUM LEAKS ON THE VEHICLE ECU. TOOK IT TO A SHOP AFTER PERFORMING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE DID NOTHING TO SMOOTH OUT ENGINE OPERATION. SHOP SHORTLY CONTACTED ME BACK WITH A QUOTE OF THE TIMING CHAINS WERE COMING APART AND THE ENGINE WAS SEVERELY OUT OF TIME. AFTER SOME RESEARCH ONLINE THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE EARLY 2.5L MK5 JETTA ENGINE. *TR
ENTIRE CAMSHAFT HAS TO BE REPLACED, CAR IS INOPERABLE. THIS IS APPARENTLY A KNOWN ISSUE BUT VW OF AMERICA WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS OR HELP WITH THE REPLACEMENT COST, WHICH IS SUBSTANTIAL. *TR
VW IS VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE DEFECT REGARDING CAMSHAFT FAILURE IN THE ENGINE, RESULTING IN HIGH REPAIR COSTS AND DANGEROUS LOSS OF POWER THAT COULD RESULT IN A COLLISION. VW SOUTHTOWNE IN UTAH CALLED THE ENGINE "EXPERIMENTAL" BASICALLY ADMITTED THAT VW KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND ONLY BUILT THE ENGINE FOR 1.5 YEARS AS A RESULT. THEY ONLY RESPOND THAT THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND IS THE CONSUMERS PROBLEM TO PAY FOR A $4000 REPAIR ONTO OF PAYING FOR THE LOAN ON THE CAR. *TR
THE OIL PAN IN THE ABOVE MENTIONED VECHILE THAT I OWN HAD TO BE CHANGED DUE TO A DESIGN PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER HAD PUT A ALUMINUM PAN WITH A STEEL BOLT. THE STEEL BOLT OVER THE YEARS CORRODED THE PAN NECESSIATING A REPLACEMENT OF THE PAN. FITZGERALD AUTOMALL (410-224-3480) IN ANNAPOLIS MD REPLACED THE PAN FREE OF LABOR BUT CHARGED ME FOR THE OIL PAN. THEY DID INFORM ME THAT IT WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM THAT VW HAS SINCE RECTIFIED IN THE NEWER MODELS AND THAT I HAD TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER FOR REIMBURSEMENT. WHEN I CONTACTED VW, THEY REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME STATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THEY INFORMED IT WAS UNDER THEIR DISCRETION TO RECTIFY THE DEFECT IN NEWER MODELS AND WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR OLDER MODELS. IN MY OPINION VW SHOULD REIMBURSE ME AND ALSO RECALL ALL THEIR VEHICLES WITH THIS ISSUE TO BE ADDRESSED APPROPRIATELY. PLEASE CONTACT ME AT THE ABOVE ADDRESS IF SOMETHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS OR NOT.[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
VEHICLE LOST POWER. ENGINE BECAME LOUDER. CAR SHUDDERS UNDER ACCELERATION. CAMSHAFT FAILURE. CAMSHAFT MUST BE REPLACED. KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS CAR. *TR
ENGINE LOSS OF POWER, BLACK SMOKE FROM EXHAUST AND PINGING NOISE FROM ENGINE VEHICLE STALLED A FEW TIME IN TRAFFIC ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT WITH OTHER VEHICLES DRIVING VEHICLE TO WORK, STARTED MAKING NOISE AND DECIDED TO DRIVE TO VW DEALERSHIP. DEARLERSHIP FIRST DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A BAD CLUTCH. UNDER MY RECOMMENDATION CAMSHAFT WAS INSPECTED AND FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE AS WELL AS THE LIFTERS THAT CONTACT THE CAMSHAFT. DEALER SAYS THIS IS NOT A VW PROBLEM AND WAS SURPRISED TO SEE A PROBLEM WITH THE CAMSHAFT. IF YOU LOOK ON THE INTERNET, MANY TDI VW OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT BEING RECONGIZED BY VW AND IS COSTING OWNERS A LOT OF MONEY IN REPAIRS AS WELL AS CREATING UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS FOR OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A LOUD NOISE EMITTED FROM THE DRIVE TRAIN WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATED. THE NOISE SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING WAS BANGING UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE FLY WHEEL WITHIN THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.
WENT TO START CAR WAS MISFIRING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TOWED TO A SHOP THE TOLD ME MY TIMING CHAIN JUMPED AND IT WAS 2500 DOLLARS TO FIX. *TR
CAMSHAFT BEGAN KNOCKING AROUND 100,000 MILES. MANY OTHER '06 JETTA TDI HAVE HAD PREMATURE CAMSHAFT FAILURES AS WELL. KNOCKING INTENSIFIED JUST BEFORE 101,000 MILES. TOOK IT TO MECHANIC WHO WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE ISSUE, AS HE HAS SEEN MORE THAN HIS SHARE. HE SAID THE EARLIEST FAILURE HE HAS SEEN WAS AT AROUND 40,000 MILES. I HAD TO GO TO GREAT EXPENSE TO REPLACE CAM FOLLOWER, CAMSHAFT AND CAM BEARINGS. IT ALSO CAUSED PREMATURE WEAR ON MY LIFTERS, WHICH I EXPECT I'LL HAVE TO DO SOON, AS THEY ARE STARTING TO "TICK". I LOVE MY TDI, AND HAVE MADE SURE ALL SERVICE WAS DONE PROMPTLY. I AM FRUSTRATED THAT VWAG HAS DENIED THERE IS A PROBLEM. IF ENOUGH PEOPLE COMPLAIN, THEN THEY WILL HAVE TO ADMIT THAT POOR ENGINEERING IS THE CAUSE OF THE PREMATURE CAMSHAFT FAILURES THAT ARE PLAGUING PUMPED USE OWNERS. *TR
ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT AND COULD NOT RESTART THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE CRANKED BUT WOULD NOT START. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND RE-OCCURRED EVEN AFTER THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND FILTER. AFTER ONLY 40 MILES AND ONE DAY OF DRIVING IT IS AT THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. *JS
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026