Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2000 Volkswagen Jetta owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I purchased this vehicle recently and have noticed a distinct diesel smell when idling or driving at low speeds. Smells strong like leaking diesel fuel. The car idles very rough and sometimes stalls when coming to a stop. There is a very bad odor whenever I enter the vehicle. I am concerned that the car will stall and I might be in an unsafe position during traffic. I think the clutch might be defective. It sounds very loud. The vehicle has 260,000 miles. Diesls are supposed to run forever but I feel like I bought a lemon.
I am requesting that the agency please investigate the performance of the ignition coil plugs on the model year 2000, Volkswagen, Jetta. I have experienced multiple stalling events and car not starting up after up or being parked after shutting off engine as a result of one or more ignition plus malfunctioning on my 2000 Volkswagen Jetta gl. As a result of the engine stalling and not starting when ignition is accelerated, I have also I experienced a loss of power steering and increased breaking efforts when I pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road. The car would not start when sitting for a while. After about 45 minutes or longer - I was able to start the vehicle although the engine operated at a reduced power. The vehicle will stall and will not start up for no reason at all. …
2000 Volkswagen Jetta vr6 was in the shop for new tires around 12/7 - an alignment test was performed. The car had about 65000 miles. It was purchased as a certified used vehicle at about 20000 from Volkswagen and was recently out of warranty. Nothing unusual arose during this work. The car behaved normally driving home, as it had for years prior. One day later, the clutch on the vehicle failed suddenly. Fortunately, the failure was first noticed backing out of a driveway and there was no hazard. The car was just barely drivable, and limped to the shop. I was told by the mechanic that the part should have lasted for at least 100K miles, and that the clutch parts "fell apart in pieces" on opening the clutch. He described it as a dangerous, potentially catastrophic, failure. Cost to repair was $900. Did not take the car to vw because of the very high cost of post-warranty repairs. …
One year after purchasing this vehicle from a private owner, today was the second incident I've had regarding the clutch and the fumes it emits. Six months ago I noticed the clutch slipping and immediately took it into a repair shop. On top of the slipping clutch, the coolant and emissions workshop and electrical became a problem. "stop coolant low" would always appear on my dash, however the coolant would be filled. The engine light also stayed on. The mechanic did all he could to fix it. Six months later, today, I'm having the same issue with this vehicle. Only difference is, I immediately became ill while driving and breathing in the fumes the vehicle emit. I became nausea, dizzy and vomited. This issue regarding the clutch is an ongoing digression to the vehicle and the safety and health of myself and other drivers. …
I have a 2000 vw Jetta tdi that I purchased new. The clutch started slipping and had to be replaced at 51,203 miles. According to tom sapelak, the service manager at the vw dealer, there is a rubber piece (mass dampener?) between the two plates of the flywheel. On my flywheel, this piece had 2.5" of movement, but the specs indicated that it should only move .1 mm. Even though the owners manual indicates that the 100,000 mile powertrain warranty for this vehicle was supposed to cover the flywheel, I was told that this failure was not covered under warranty. I had to pay $1381.08 for a new clutch kit (clutch, flywheel, clutch release bearing) and the labor to replace it. I do not belive that this failure could have been caused by driving habits. I had a 1985 vw golf diesel that had over 130,000 miles when I sold it, and I never had any problems with the clutch in that vehicle. …
I purchased a 2000 vw Jetta on 6/16/10. Two weeks after purchase, the vehicle began to have problems & since I have had the vehicle, it has had to have the following repairs: 2 fans, ABS sensor would come on & lock up the wheels, so the system had to be unplugged, coolant system had to be replaced, a transmission replaced & a certified transmission specialist found it had been taken out prior & 4 cyl parts were used in a 6 cyl vehicle, & thermostat had to be replaced. The cost of repairs to date are approx. $5,200 & I only paid $4,995 for the vehicle. This vehicle is not safe and should not have been sold in the condition it was in. The seller failed to disclose that the vehicle had underlying problems after I inquired several times. The business should be held responsible for selling an unsafe vehicle and I wonder how many other vehicles the business has sold like this. …
Clutch problems on Jetta 2000. Clutch failed on me why driving on the fl turnpike on Saturday 14, 2006. I was at the toll plaza and when I left my car went into gear as normal, when I put it in 4th gear I heard the engine rev high but my car began to slow down. I coasted off the first exit I saw and luckily, kept coasting right into an apartment complex. I called the dealership I bought the car from and they sent out a tow company to pick my car up. On Monday, May 15, 2006 I received a phone call from esserman international and I was told by the service dept that I had somehow activated the anti-theft on my car and they had disabled it and it was fixed. When I went to pick up my car, I was told that my car was not safe to drive because when they took my car to get washed the clutch failed again. I was told it was either the transmission or the clutch. …
Transmission failed. The dealer replaced the part. However, two weeks later the part failed again. The vehicle would not go into reverse. The transmission slipped and the vehicle had run into a pole at a gas station on the right front side. This problem remained the same. The engine light had come on along with the transmission problems. Other problems were: the tire pressure had to be reset on numerous occasions, rear pads, A/C was not cooling, glove box, power windows, console, power sunroof, interior trim, steering/suspension, driveability, trim electrical, sound system, and heating/cooling. The consumer did not report any damage to vehicle when she hit the pole.
All my transmission mount bolts have failed. The right mount bolts failure was noted when having my timing belt replaced at 60K. The front mount bolts were noted just prior to that when I heard noses that sounded like my clutch was failing. In this case the front bolt had been broken. The left side failure just occured, leading to my engine to drop out as I was moving. The result of one broken bolt and one dethreaded bolt, I'm not sure what order this happened. I am lucky that I was not killed as I was going slow when it happened.
Consumer stated that while driving on the highway, the vehicle began to vibrate. He had to pull to the side of the road and had the vehicle towed. The consumer was told by the mechanic that the transmission mounts broke and caused the engine to drop down. Consumer stated that the vehicle was fairly new and had only 42,182 miles on it, and this should not have happened.
Transmission complaints in other Jetta years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2000 Volkswagen Jetta?
NHTSA has 37 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2000 Volkswagen Jetta, 8% of the model year's 439 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (19 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2000 Volkswagen Jetta transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2000 Volkswagen Jetta, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2000 Volkswagen Jetta transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 51,000 miles, and 33% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.