NHTSA — Electrical System Problems

2006 Volkswagen Jetta (Page 1 of 6)

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
91,444 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2006 Volkswagen Jetta electrical problems

electrical problem

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2006 Volkswagen Jetta Owner Comments (Page 1 of 6)

problem #102

May 012020

Jetta

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

There has been tampering done to my vehicle how do I assure safety and have it investigated and have a repair man look over the vehicle after the theft?

- Anchorage, AK, USA

problem #101

Jul 182020

Jetta

  • 115,000 miles
The driver's side window stopped working. The problem was traced back to a faulty wiring harness in the door hinge. This is a very common VW issue, and many other online complaints reference a wire harness that is too short. I repaired the severed wires with butt connectors. After the repair was completed, the airbag light came on. I inspected the whole airbag system (connectors, wiring, fuses, etc.) to no avail. The airbag light is still illuminated on the dashboard. Again, others have complained of this same issue when fixing a VW's window (I.e., fix the window and the airbag light illuminates). The two issues should not be connected, and this is a major safety concern for me.

- Seattle, WA, USA

problem #100

Nov 242019

Jetta

  • 119,500 miles
Car will not turn off - key gets stuck in ignition when turning off the engine. Have to push the steering wheel in forcefully to be able to turn key and engine off.

- Cathedral City, CA, USA

problem #99

Nov 142018

Jetta

  • 54,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2006 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that the vehicle's battery was replaced three times within a year. The new battery was replaced within a month. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the radio caused the battery to fail. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called york Volkswagen (3475 E market St, york, pa 17402, (717) 755-1015) and was informed that there was no guarantee that they could repair the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated that he could not drive the vehicle because the key failed to insert into the ignition switch. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for the ignition failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000. The VIN was not available.

- York, PA, USA

problem #98

Jun 012017

Jetta

  • miles
Jetta driver side door wiring harness issues creating the following problems: Driver window switch inoperative, fuel door switch inoperative, door ajar light is on, door lack switch inoperative. Vehicle is parked when this problems are present. There has been technical service bulletins issued to some 2006 Jetta owners but no to everyone been affected by this problem. An example of this can be found here: Https://www.youtube.com/watch?V=P1eq5xl-zpm this perfectly describes the issues mentioned above.

- Centennial, CO, USA

problem #97

Nov 072018

Jetta

  • 121,000 miles
So inside of my vehicle I am unable to open my trunk by flipping the trunk switch. My left passenger door is unable to function properly. The windows won't toll down, the door is unable to lock and it's stressful because my car got broken into because of it. My right mirror turn signal doesn't function any more when I signal right it signals really fast and it's only signals using my headlight and tail light signals. Sometimes there is a kick to my car when I'm driving and in a couple of occasion when I start my vehicle my car revs up on it's own. Just a bunch of issues it's stressful..

- Pullman, WA, USA

problem #96

May 202016

Jetta

  • 92,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The driver door wiring harness is to short and in time the wires break where the wires go from the body into the door. There was a recall for the 2005 and 2004 years for this problem.

- Salem, OR, USA

problem #95

Jul 102018

Jetta

  • 111,000 miles
While driving the vehicle at approximately 65 mph the driver seat started to move forward on its own towards the steering wheel in which I was unable to control the driver seat it would not reversenearly causing a serious accident. I also noticed that the vehicle horn no longer works due to some sort ofelectrical issue. The issue took place while I was driving on a major highway.

- Camp Springs, MD, USA

problem #94

Jan 242018

Jetta

  • miles
Electrical harness in driver's door manufactured 2 inches too short wires broken no way to adjust driver's mirror passenger side mirror open trunk open gas cap open drivers window or any other windows nor to lock or unlock doors. When switching drivers the other driver cannot adjust the mirrors it's a safety hazard along with all the other inabilities of these switches not working in that door. Volkswagen knows about the problem but will not do anything about it there are thousands of thousands of cars with this problem! just go online and see all the complaints.

- Oak Hill, FL, USA

problem #93

Jan 012018

Jetta 4-cyl Diesel

  • 163,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Volkswagen Jetta. During a routine inspection, the vehicle failed to pass emissions inspection. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the signal from the ECU and transmission module indicated that there were two pins that were defective and needed to be repaired. Colonial Volkswagen (89 turnpike rd, West borough, MA) was contacted regarding the failure, but they refused to assist the contact. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 163,000.

- Littleton, MA, USA

problem #92

Jan 112017

Jetta

  • 180,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2006 Volkswagen Jetta. While driving various speeds, the instrument panel indicators remained illuminated. Also, while driving on an incline, the transmission would downshift. Furthermore, the battery would drain overnight and the vehicle would fail to start. The contact called the lee summit Volkswagen dealer (located in lee summit, mo, (816) 600-4224) where an appointment was scheduled for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not offer any assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.

- Kansas City, MO, USA

problem #91

Jun 012016

Jetta

  • 175,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced multiple electrical failures that included the headlights shutting off while driving, the door sensors erroneously indicating the doors were opened (which also caused an audible warning chime to activate), and the floor lights illuminated while driving. In addition, the driver side door locks and windows would not operate, the turn signals would no longer operate, and the air bag sensor illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failures. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 175,000.

- Eight Mile, AL, USA

problem #90

Nov 062016

Jetta

  • 155,000 miles
Key gets stuck in ignition when turning off the engine.

- El Dorado Hills, CA, USA

problem #89

Aug 302016

Jetta

  • 191,000 miles
My car has some shifting problems when in motion.my car has a jerking motion that it does when going into gears and when slowing down its rough going down gears.

- Harrisburg, PA, USA

problem #88

Apr 062016

Jetta

  • 193,000 miles
My Volkswagen Jetta tdi 2006 got the prnds flash of death, and I found out it was the mechatronic unit when I took it to the shop. I was driving on the highway going 75mph when the flashes started to occur. I couldn't give my engine any power and I started to decelerate at a quick pace, and the vehicle behind me almost hit me. This is a major saftey issue for me and for all other occupants on the highway, because my faulty car could have caused a major accident, that could have resulted in many injuries. I want to bring this attention to the NHTSA to, provide me with more information as to why the vehicle is faulty, and the amount of trouble I would be in if I didn't manage this situation like I did to protect myself and everyone else.

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #87

Jun 152011

Jetta

  • 100,000 miles
Originally, the turbo would lose boost and the engine would lose power. After some time, particularly during wet weather, the car will suddenly vibrate, jolt, and then the engine warning chime sounds. The tachometer drops to zero, the oil pressure light comes on, the stability control shuts off, the glow plug lights flash, rear window defroster will not work, cruise control wont work, and if the car is shut off it will not restart. This is particularly dangerous during snow or rain, as the car loses traction control during weather in which it is most important to have. Also, if the car dies and is on the shoulder of the road, during rain or snow, there is poor visibility and it increases the risk of someone hitting the disabled car. I have seen many mentions of this same effect happening on other 2006 tdi models, and it seems to be a recurring issue with this particular model and engine type. The root cause appears to be an electrical harness that runs in the engine compartment chafing over time, which happens outside of the warranty period, but causes significant safety concerns with its failure mode.

- Bordentown, NJ, USA

problem #86

Jul 052013

Jetta

  • 120,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Volkswagen Jetta. While driving at various speeds, the parking warning light illuminated intermittently. In addition, the air bag warning light illuminated and the fuel tank leaked intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000. The VIN was not provided.

- Penngrove, CA, USA

problem #85

Dec 012015

Jetta

  • 50,000 miles
My vehicle has had previous electrical issues as they pertain to the driver side door and window and its connection to its power draw and battery. In 2014, there was an extended warranty placed on my particular vehicle for replacement and repair of the window/door motor mechanics and wiring harness. I am now experiencing recurring issues and my brand new battery's charge will not hold - often beyond 24 hours as a failure is causing a power draw to drain the car's battery.

- Philadelphia, PA, USA

problem #84

Dec 282015

Jetta

  • 249,000 miles
My VW Jetta has had issues losing electronic power steering on and off, typically when it rains or the roads have been salted and it is slushy or snowing. This last week I was driving and I lost traction control, cruise control, tachometer, ABS brakes and oil pressure. The car would not idle. Researching the issue, I found there may be an issue with the wiring harness. I inspected the harness and discovered that several wires have been chafed by the plastic loom and worn through the insulation, exposing the wires. I also discovered that the positive cable to the starter had chafed and worn through the ground wire insulation creating a potential hazard to short the battery.

- Dekalb, IL, USA

problem #83

Dec 132011

Jetta

  • miles
About 4 years ago, I took my Jetta to the Volkswagen dealer in regard to front airbags recall. The light would not go off. They repaired it, but after a year the light came back on and stayed on. When I call the dealer, I was told I would have to pay for an inspection of the car before they can determine if it is defective or not. It seems to me they did not fix the problem and I should not have to pay for it. Also my horn want off, one day, and the only way I was able to stop it, was to pull the fuse out. When I put the fuse back, the horn would not work. Nothing wrong with the fuse.. my yellow engine light keep coming on, especially when I use my A/C and there is a very strange smell in the car. I only have 55000 miles on this car. And to top it all, while driving the car, I got a icon lighting up in regard to my coolant. The little black tube that connects to the reservoir had slipped off and all the antifreeze fell out of it onto the engine. Owning a Volkswagen is a real nightmare, had Honda before, put over 130000 miles on it and never had any problem.will definitely never buy Volkswagen again and will not recommend it. To anyone

- Rancho Cucamonga, CA, USA

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