2006 Volkswagen Rabbit Recalls & Complaints

Incident: March 4, 2013 · Filed: March 12, 2013

MY CAR IS A 2006 AND AFTER ONE OF MY FUEL UPS WITH THE WIFE WE SMELLED GAS, THOUGHT IT WAS NOTHING MAYBE SOME GAS ON MY HAD OR SOMETHING. DURING THE WEEK WE STILL GOT SMELLS OF GAS OFF AND ON, WELL THE SMELL WAS SO STRONG THAT MY WIFE WAS GETTING HEADACHES FROM IT. I LOOKED UNDER THE CAR TO SEE FOR FUEL LEAK, AROUND THE GAS TANK BUT NOTHING. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V621000 WHICH STATED ,"RABBIT VEHICLES MAY HAVE A SMALL PLASTIC TAB LOCATED ON THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR THAT MAY CHAFE AGAINST AN UNDERHOOD FUEL SUPPLY LINE." SO I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND FOUND EXACTLY WHERE IT WAS AS STATED ABOVE, ONLY MY CAR IS A 2006 AND NOT "MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 RABBIT VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L ENGINES" SO IT IS A 175 DOLLAR COST TO ME. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A FIRE WITH MY WIFE IN THE CAR AS SHE IS THE MAIN DRIVER OF THAT CAR, GOOD THING I DO NOT HAVE KIDS YET. *TR

Incident: March 11, 2013 · Filed: March 11, 2013

WHILE DRIVING NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A DULL PAIN BEGINNING IN MY BACK, LOOKED AT THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT AND NOTICED THAT SEAT HEATER SHORTED OUT AND LEFT DIME SIZED HOLE IN UPHOLSTERY AS WELL AS DISCOLORING PIECE OF CLOTHING I WAS WEARING. *TR

Incident: November 1, 2012 · Filed: November 24, 2012

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER 2006 VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT ON US 98 PREPARING TO ENTER I-4 WHEN THE VEHICLE ENTERED LIMP HOME MODE (EPC LIGHT & CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON) RPMS WENT TO OVER 3000 AND VEHICLE REFUSED TO GO ABOVE 25MPH, SHE WAS ALMOST KILLED BY THE SEMI THAT WAS BEHIND HER ON US 98 LUCKILY THE SEMI SWERVED TO AVOID HER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND PER THEIR DIAGNOSTICS THE CAM POSITION SENSOR, AIR BAG SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT AND BATTERY WERE SHOWING CODES BUT THEY ASSURED US THAT THE PROBLEM THAT CAUSED LIMP HOME MODE WAS THE CAM POSITION SENSOR PROBLEM AND REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF OVER 700.00 WITHOUT CHANGING BATTERY OR AIR BAG SENSOR, FOUR DAYS LATER THE SAME PROBLEM RETURNED THE DEALERSHIP STATED TO BRING VEHICLE BACK FOR RE-DIAGNOSTICS AND IF THE CAM POSITION SENSOR IS BAD THEY WILL CHANGE IT FREE, I REPLACED THE BATTERY AND VEHICLE WORKED FINE FOR ANOTHER DAY THEN SAME PROBLEM RESURFACED. AFTER THIS HAS HAPPENED I CAN ONLY SAY I WILL NEVER BUY OR RECOMMEND A VOLKSWAGEN AGAIN. I GOGGLED THE PROBLEM AND IT IS LISTED ALL OVER THE INTERNET FORMS BUT VOLKSWAGEN REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A PROBLEM. IT IS NOT ONLY THEIR RABBIT IT IS HAPPENING IN MANY OF THEIR VEHICLES SOME WITH LESS THEN 3000 MILES AND THEY HAVE BOUGHT THOSE VEHICLE BACK FORM THE CUSTOMERS TO COVER UP THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DESIGN FAILURE IN THEIR DRIVE BY WIRES SYSTEM EPC SYSTEMS. HOPEFULLY THEY HAVE SOME REALLY DEEP POCKETS BECAUSE IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE GET HURT OR KILLED.

Incident: August 9, 2012 · Filed: August 13, 2012

ON TWO SEPARATE INCIDENTS I HAD MY AIR BAGS LIGHT CAME ON. I BROUGHT IT TO THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALER AND THEY FIXED THE WIRES UNDER THE SEAT THE FIRST TIME AT NO CHARGE THE SECOND TIME I WAS CHARGED $100.00. THE PROBLEM WAS THE SAME BUT ON BOTH SEATS FIRST, WAS THE PASSENGERS SEAT THE SECOND TIME, WAS THE DRIVERS SEATDRIVER SEAT. I CONTACTED CUSTOMER CARE AT VOLKSWAGEN AND THEY SAID DUE TO THE AGE AND MILEAGE (2006 WITH 69000 MILES ) THE COST WONT BE COVERED I FEEL THAT SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE (INTERNET) THEY SHOULD BE A RECALL AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS. *TR

Incident: December 3, 2011 · Filed: December 4, 2011

WHILE IDLING CAR AFTER STARTING, SEAT WARMER WAS TURNED ON. DRIVERS SIDE INSIDE BACK WARMER SHORTED OUT AND CAUSED A GRAPE SIZE BURN HOLE IN CLOTH SEAT. *TR

Incident: July 17, 2009 · Filed: July 22, 2009

I HAD SUSPECTED THAT MY DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL ON MY MANUAL 2006 RABBIT W/ 24K WAS BEGINNING TO FAIL BECAUSE I HEARD/FELT SOMETHING SHAKING AROUND IN THE BELL HOUSING OF THE VEHICLE 1 OUT 10 TIMES THAT I WOULD DEPRESS THE CLUTCH PEDAL IN 1ST GEAR. THE SHAKE HAD BEEN PRESENT SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR BUT IN THE PAST YEAR IT HAD GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. SO I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP WHEN MY CAR BEGAN SHIFTING POORLY. THE GEAR WOULD ENGAGE RIGHT WHEN I LIFTED MY FOOT OFF THE CLUTCH PEDAL. IT WOULD NOT GO INTO 2ND GEAR. THE CAR WOULD SHAKE AND VIBRATE AT IDLE AND MAKE A TICK OVER NOISE WITH ENGINE REVS UP. AS MY SHIFTS GOT WORSE AND WORSE I DECIDED TO TAKE THE NEXT EXIT AND FIND A SAFE SPOT TO STOP THE CAR. I HAD THE CAR TOWED IN THE REST OF THE WAY. THE DEALER DROPPED THE TRANSMISSION AND FOUND MY DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL WAS STINKING AND IT HAD ALSO SHREDDED THE CENTER BUSHING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLYWHEEL. BOTH THE CLUTCH DISC AND PRESSURE SHOWED NO DAMAGE AND THE VWOA REPLACED MY DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE IT HAD SHOWN NO SIGNS OF ABUSE LIKE HEAT SPOTS OR CLUTCH DUST. *TR

Incident: January 7, 2007 · Filed: December 29, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT. WHEN STARTING OFF FROM A STOPPED POSITION AND THE CONSUMER STEPS ON THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE MOVES FORWARD ABOUT TEN FEET AND THEN DIES NO RESPONSE FROM THE ACCELERATOR. IN THE SAME POSITION AS WHEN STARTING FROM A STOPPED POSITION. THE CAR STAYS IN HESITATION MODE FOR A PERIOD OF 2-5 SECONDS, THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATOR RAPIDLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,000. UPDATED 02-18-09 UPDATED 02/18/09. *JB

Incident: November 5, 2007 · Filed: November 16, 2008

2006 VW RABBIT, 2.5L, 5 CYL. HAS BEEN STALLING INTERMITTENTLY WHILE IDLING, OVER AND OVER AGAIN SINCE BUYING THIS CAR BRAND NEW IN 2006. I PREFER NOT TO GIVE MY VIN # FOR CONFIDENTIALITY REASONS. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS POSTS ON FORUMS ONLINE, INCLUDING VW EMPLOYEES WHO OWN THE CAR AND CLAIM VW OF AMERICA IS PRETENDING LIKE THEY DON'T KNOW OF SUCH AN ISSUE WHEN IT HAS OCCURRED MANY TIMES. MY CAR HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER MANY TIMES AND THEY SAY ITS FINE, WELL I DON'T THINK IT IS AND I HAVE 2 LITTLE KIDS THAT RIDE IN THIS CAR ON A DAILY BASIS. *TR

Incident: October 20, 2008 · Filed: October 26, 2008

2006 VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT. HIGH MOUNT CENTER THIRD BRAKE LIGHT IS INACCESSIBLE. BULB IS BLOWN OUT AND I CANNOT ACCESS TO REPAIR IT. *TR

Incident: October 12, 2008 · Filed: October 24, 2008

THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT. MY 06 VW RABBIT HAS BEEN STALLING SINCE APPROX. THE SECOND MONTH THAT I HAD IT (BOUGHT 06/06). IN AUGUST 08 AFTER CONTINUALLY COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS ISSUE MY CAR FIRST STARTED TO SPUTTER "LIKE THE TIMING WAS OFF" WHILE DRIVING (NOT THE FIRST TIME FOR SPUTTERING BUT IT USUALLY DOES IT WHEN IDLE, NOT DRIVING). I TOOK THE CAR INTO DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG EVEN THOUGH THE CAR SPUTTERED 3 TIMES ON MY WAY BACK HOME. THE VERY NEXT MORNING THE CAR STARTED TO SMOKE VERY BAD, SMELL LIKE GASOLINE, AND A LIGHT WAS FLASHING ON THE DASHBOARD. I BURNED A 1/4 TANK OF GAS DRIVING APPROX 10 MILES TO DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP HAD THE CAR FOR TWO+ WEEKS AND HAS SINCE REPLACED THE 02 SENSOR, FUEL INJECTORS, ETC. HOWEVER APPROX 2+ WEEKS AFTER GETTING THE CAR BACK IT STALLED AGAIN. THE CAR IS ALSO OCCASIONALLY MAKING A STRANGE KNOCKING NOISE BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL (WHICH HAS ALSO BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM) AND OCCASIONALLY THE TAILPIPE IS "BACKFIRING" NOT LIKE A LOUD BOOM BUT LIKE A RELEASE OF AIR (WHICH HAD ONLY HAPPENED TWICE BEFORE AND NOW HAPPENS MORE OFTEN). I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH HOW BAD MY NERVES HAVE BECOME WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC WHICH IS WHAT I DO AT LEAST TWICE A DAY. THE CAR MOSTLY STALLS WHEN THE CAR IS IDLE (I.E. SITTING AT LIGHTS, SITTING IN TRAFFIC, PARKING SPACES). BECAUSE THE ISSUE IS SPORADIC I CANNOT GET ANYONE TO TAKE THIS MATTER SERIOUSLY BECAUSE I HAVE NO WAY TO PROVE IT SINCE THE CODES CLEAR AFTER THE CAR IS RESTARTED AND VW DOES NOT HAVE A BLACK BOX TO RECORD THE INCIDENTS. I HAVE FOUND SITES WITH PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AND GETTING THE SAME RESPONSE FROM THE DEALERSHIPS. I THINK THIS UNSOLVED MYSTERY WITH THE STALLING IS MAKING THE WEAR AND TEAR ON MY ENGINE WORSE BECAUSE MY CAR NO LONGER RUNS THE SAME AND PROBLEMS JUST KEEP GETTING WORSE. I DON'T WANT TO WAIT FOR THE WARRANTY TO RUN OUT BEFORE MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS SHOW THEMSELVES. *TR