Recalls: Volkswagen Mk.6 Jetta
Overview
Manufacturers, or importers, issue recalls for defects or faults which have the potential to cause injury. Generally, manufacturers will inform the original buyers if their vehicle is subject to a recall and of the steps required to remedy the defect or fault. Please note that the recalls below (if any) are for Australian-delivered vehicles only. Furthermore, the number of recalls should not be taken as an indication of a model’s reliability or its safety more generally.
Recalls: Volkswagen Mk.6 Jetta
2011 Volkswagen Mk.6 Jetta 2.0 TDI: fuel leak and fire hazard
In February 2012, a recall was issued for Volkswagen Mk.6 Jetta models fitted with 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engines and manufactured in 2011. In these vehicles, the engine’s fuel injection pulses could coincide with the natural frequency of the injector line, producing a resonance that creates additional stress in the fuel line. As a result, the injector line for the number two cylinder could develop small cracks and cause fuel to leak. In the presence of an ignition source, a fire could therefore result. To fix, Volkswagen installed an improved fuel injector line for the number two cylinder and vibration dampers on all of the injector lines (PRA 2012/13017).
2011 Volkswagen Mk.6 Jetta 7sp DQ200 DSG: loss of drive
In June 2013, a recall was issued for Volkswagen Mk.6 Jetta vehicles that were fitted with seven-speed DQ200 Direct Shift Gearboxes (DSGs) and manufactured prior to September 2011. In these vehicles, sulphur in the gear oil and an inorganic heat stabiliser in the plastic parts (iodine) of the mechatronic unit could cause metallic surfaces to suffer from electrolytic corrosion, particularly in conditions with high temperatures and humidity. Conducting particles could then settle between the circuit paths of the control unit and cause a short circuit and blow the gearbox fuse. If the fuse were to blow, the clutch would open and freewheel, resulting in a sudden and total loss of power to the wheels. Although other vehicle systems such as steering and braking would continue to function, the loss of power may pose a hazard to the occupants and other road users (PRA 2013/13626).
2013 model year Volkswagen Mk.6 Jetta 7sp DQ200 DSG: loss of drive
In November 2013, a recall was issued for 2013 model year Volkswagen Mk.6 Jetta vehicles with seven-speed DQ200 DSG transmissions. In these vehicles, electrolysis of sulphur constituents in the synthetic oil could cause them to separate and accumulate between electrical conductor paths. In turn, this could create a short circuit and blow the gearbox fuse, causing the clutch to fully open. While the majority of failures occurred on start-up when the vehicle was stationary, a failure when the vehicle was in motion would result in a sudden loss of power at the wheels. All other functions of the vehicle, however, would remain active. As part of the recall, the synthetic transmission oil was to be replaced with mineral oil (PRA 2013/13835).
2011-15 Volkswagen Mk.6 Jetta TDI: NOx emissions and defeat device
In October 2015, a recall was issued for 2011-15 Volkswagen Mk.6 Jetta vehicles with 2.0-litre EA189 diesel engines. According to the recall notice, ‘the emissions levels may not meet regulatory requirements when the affected vehicle is driven under normal conditions’ (see ‘Diesel engines: NOx emissions “defeat device”‘, below). For the 2.0-litre EA189 engine, a software update will be introduced which takes advantage of improved simulation of air currents inside the air intake system. Volkswagen aims to implement the software update from January 2016; the labour time for installing the updated software is around half an hour. Owners could determine if their vehicles were part of the recall by visiting volkswagendieselinfo.com.au (PRA 2015/14950).
2014-15 VW Jetta: loss of braking assistance (camshaft lobe shears off camshaft)
In April 2016, a recall was issued for 2015 and 2016 ‘model year’ Volkswagen Jetta vehicles that had 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engines. According to the recall notice, the drive cam for the vacuum pump could break such that there would be no vacuum assistance when the brakes were applied; this loss of power braking assistance would pose an accident hazard for the driver and other road users (PRA 2016/15332).
From AustralianCar.Reviews’ research, this recall was issued because high loads on the sintered cam – which drives the high pressure fuel injection pump and the vacuum pump – could cause the camshaft lobe to shear off from the camshaft. If this occurred,
- Vacuum pump power would be lost such that power braking assistance would not be available. The driver would therefore need to apply greater force to the brake pedal to reduce vehicle speed;
- The engine would enter ‘limp home’ mode which limited engine speed and power; and,
- The Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) would illuminate.
The affected cam drives were produced by ThyssenKrupp Presta Danville, LLC (located in Illinois, USA), and these cam drives were only used for Volkswagen vehicles produced in the USA and Mexico. While camshafts are normally machined from bar stock or cast from molten iron, Volkswagen chose to use modular sintered camshafts for the EA888 engine in which lobes were pressed on using heated powdered metal.
A production change was made to the material of the cam drive in June 2015, and vehicles with cam drives produced after this date are understood not to be susceptible to this problem. From the recall information lodged by Volkswagen with the American National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the recalled Volkswagen Jetta vehicles were manufactured from 12 November 2014 to 29 September 2015.
According to recall documents lodged with the NHTSA, the fix for this recall (23R1) was to update the engine control module (ECM) software. It is not understood, however, how a change to the ECM software will improve the durability of the camshaft lobe.
2009-15 model year Volkswagen Mk.5 and Mk.6 Jetta DSG: pressure accumulator crack and loss of power
In October 2019, recall campaign 35D8 was issued for 2009-15 model year Volkswagen Mk.5 and Mk.6 Jetta vehicles. Due to a production fault, a crack in the transmission’s pressure accumulator (within the mechatronics housing) could occur. If the pressure accumulator cracked, oil and pressure would be lost in the hydraulic system of the gearbox. If this occurred, the transmission of engine power would be interrupted, similar to depressing the clutch in a vehicle with a manual transmission – this increased the risk of a collision and injury to vehicle occupants. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2019/17886. AustralianCar.Reviews understands that the recalled vehicles had seven-speed DQ200 DSG transmissions.
2011-15 Volkswagen Mk.6 Jetta with 7sp DSG: loss of drive
In April 2020, recall campaign 34J5 was issued for Volkswagen Mk.6 Jetta vehicles that had seven-speed dual clutch (‘DSG’) transmissions. In these vehicles, a fluid leak could lead to a loss of pressure in the gearbox. This pressure loss could interrupt the transmission of power between the engine and gearbox, causing a loss of drive – this increased the risk of a collision and posed a hazard to both vehicle occupants and other road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2020/18258.
Problems and faults: Volkswagen Mk.6 Jetta
Overview
This section identifies potential problems, causes and fixes based on the experiences of owners and repairers, online sources and technical service bulletins. This information is provided solely for reference purposes and AustralianCar.Reviews recommends that only properly qualified persons carry out repairs or modifications. Furthermore, the number of items below should not be taken as an indicator of a model’s reliability or the frequency with which they may occur.
To report a problem or fault to the AustralianCar.Reviews team, please use the Contact Us form. Note that AustralianCar.Reviews does not offer advice on automotive problems or disputes; such enquiries will not receive a reply. For vehicles purchased from dealers after 1 January 2011, please see our Australian Consumer Law fact sheet.
2011-12 Volkswagen Mk.6 Jetta 147TSI: chain tensioner retainer failure
For 1.8 TFSI/TSI and 2.0 TFSI/TSI EA888 engines that were manufactured from 2008 to 1 May 2012, the chain tensioner retainer was susceptible to failure. If this occurred, the pistons and valves could collide and cause serious engine damage. The chain tensioners could fail as early as 30,000 kilometres and it is recommended that owners have the most recent chain tensioner retainer fitted as a preventative measure. For Australian deliveries, this included the Volkswagen Mk.6 Jetta 147TSI (engine code: CAWB) that was available from 2011 to 2012.
Background
The tensioner on the camshaft chain used oil pressure to maintain tension. When there was no or low oil pressure, the tensioner would fall back on its ratchet to maintain tension. The ratchet, however, could slip and release chain tension – this would cause the chain to move on the sprockets and skip a couple of teeth before sufficient oil pressure accumulated to tension the chain. By skipping teeth, the engine’s camshaft timing was altered and the ECU would continue to adjust camshaft timing – generally, this caused either rough running or the vehicle would not start. It is understood that if the chain skipped around six teeth, then the pistons could collide with the valves in the cylinder head such that the engine had to be rebuilt or replaced.
Symptoms
Symptoms of a failed chain tensioner retainer include:
- The engine won’t start;
- On start-up, there is a rattling noise from the engine bay for a few seconds (until sufficient oil pressure accumulated);
- Illumination of the ‘check engine’ light illuminated, potentially accompanied by camshaft timing errors; and,
- Misfires (if the valves are bent).
Retainer revisions
The part number for the original chain tensioner retainer was 06H 109 467 AB. While a revised chain tensioner retainer was first introduced in engines built from 17 May 2010 and a second revision was introduced for engines built from December 2011, it is the third revision of the retainer – part number 06K 109 467 K – which was introduced for engines built from 1 May 2012 which fixed the problem. For further information on this problem, please see Golf GTi UK Forum: Timing Chain Tensioner Failure.
1.4 Twincharger (TSI) engine: stretched timing chain
In an autobild.de article published in April 2012, a Volkswagen employee admitted that its 1.4 ‘Twincharger’ TSI engine was susceptible to stretched timing chains. According to Volkswagen, worn stamping tools caused:
- The holes in the chain links to miss the targeted manufacturing tolerances; and,
- Small burrs on the chain links that would cause abrasive wear to the timing chain.
If the timing chain stretched, the change in the engine’s camshaft timing could cause the valves and pistons to collide such that the engine would have to be re-built or replaced. A common symptom of a stretched timing chain is a rattling noise from the engine bay (see video below).
It is understood that the manufacturing defect was rectified for post-2012 1.4 TSI ‘Twincharger’ engines, though Volkswagen has not identified the production dates or engine codes of affected engines. As such, the 118 TSI CAVD in the Volkswagen Mk.6 Jetta may be susceptible to this problem. According to Volkswagen, the number of poorly manufactured chains was in the ‘low hundreds’.
Diesel engines: NOx emissions “defeat device”
Australian-delivered Volkswagen Mk.6 Jetta vehicles powered by 2.0-litre diesel engines that were available for sale from 2011 to 2015 had software in the electronic control module (ECM) that could sense – via sensors measuring the position of the steering wheel, vehicle speed, the duration of the engine’s operation and barometric pressure – when the vehicle was undergoing emissions testing. The ECM would then run a ‘dyno calibration’ to produce lower nitrous oxide emissions during testing. At all other times, the ECM would run a separate ‘road calibration’ which reduced the effectiveness of the emission control system, specifically the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) or the lean NOx trap.
Based on testing conducted by the EPA and the California Air Resources Board (CARB), NOx emissions for the ‘road calibration’ were 10 to 40 times higher than US standards – this led the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue a notice of violation under the Clean Air Act.As a result, these vehicles did not meet the environmental standards claimed by Volkswagen.
