I HAVE A VW JETTA 2005 THAT HAS THE 2.5 ENGINE. FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS STARTED SHIFTING GEARS BY ITSELF IN HARD SHIFTS, MOSTLY FROM 1ST TO 2ND AT ODD TIMES. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM IN THE VWS AND REQUIRED A TRANSMISSION REBUILD. (I'VE HEARD THAT A NUMBER OF TIME). I HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT AT A COST OF $4,000 TO END THE PROBLEM. *TR
2005 Volkswagen Jetta powertrain problems
moderate 77 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500
Complaints
77
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Avg fix
$2,500
What owners are reporting 10 most recent
HARD SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR AND FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. PROBLEM CAUSES CAR TO VIOLENTLY JERK AND POSES A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE OR STOP. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE BOLTS FROM THE DRIVESHAFT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WERE LOOSE. THE ENGINE WAS ON BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND INFORMED HIM THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
I WROTE TO YOU ABOUT A MONTH AGO ABOUT RECALLING THE 2005 JETTA. NOTHING CAME OUT OF IT. IT IS MY FIRM BELIEF THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION. GOOGLE THE PROBLEMS WITH THE 2005 JETTA AND YOU WILL SEE TONS ABOUT COMPLAINTS REGARDING THEIR TRANSMISSION WOES. PLEASE BE OBJECTIVE IN YOUR INVESTIGATION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.
WE HAVE A 2005.5 VW JETTA AND HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING HARD SHIFTING WHILE DRIVING FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND HALF . MORE RECENTLY THE GEARS ARE STALLING TO SHIFT WE WERE DRIVING IN A LOCAL STREET WHEN OUR CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO 4TH GEAR THE ENGINE WOULD REV BUT WOULD NOT SHIFT. IT IS VERY UNSAFE FOR THIS TO HAPPEN WHEN YOU ARE ON BUSY ROADS OR MERGING ON TO HIGHWAYS ETC. WE HAVE NOT USED OUR CAR SINCE …
THERE IS A LONG RUNNING ISSUE WITH THE 2005 1/2 VW JETTA V TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY THAT IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN THE TRANS GETS HOT SITTING IN TRAFFIC. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS IN AND OUT OF GEAR OR SHIFTS VERY HARD OR WILL NOT SHIFT AT ALL AND MAY CAUSE A REAR END ACCIDENT AS THE JETTA DOES NOT SHIFT. VW AMERICA DOES KNOW OF THE PROBLEM AND ISSUED A EXTENDED WARRANTY TO 100,00…
WE ASKED OUR DEALERSHIP TO ACQUIRE IT FOR US AFTER OUR 2004 TDI WAS TOTALED. CURRENT VEHICLE IS A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED WE PURCHASED APRIL 25, 2006 WITH 10583 MILES ON IT. PREVIOUS OWNER WAS VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA. ON JULY 2, 2006 WHILE ON VACATION THE CLUTCH COMPLETELY FAILED AFTER DRIVING SEVERAL MILES IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC IT STARTED SMOKING AND THEN THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE CLU…
WE HAVE A 2005 JETTA TDI AUTOMATIC. THIS CAR WAS BOUGHT NEW AND HAS BEEN SERVICED AT EVERY INTERVAL BY VW. WE HAVE HAD A COMMON CONCERN ABOUT THE CAR MOVING FORWARD IN DRIVE IN ERRATIC FASHION WHEN COLD AFTER ABOUT 6 MONTHS. WE INFORMED VW ABOUT THIS CONCERN AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. LAST WEEK MY WIFE WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND THE CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. WE TRIED EV…
TRANSMISSION FAILS TO ENGAGE INTO THIRD GEAR, THEN ENGINE REVS UP, THEN SLAMS INTO GEAR. TRANSMISSION STAYS IN THIRD GEAR REGARDLESS OF SPEED. TRANSMISSION STAYS IN FIFTH GEAR REGARDLESS OF SPEED. *TR
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 77 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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