2006 TDI Jetta Problems – Can Diesel Be Still a Good Choice?

We all remember that Volkswagen made good cars some years ago. You know, that wonderful Touareg, beautiful Tiguan, big Passat, and all-purpose Jetta. Today, we'll focus on a Jetta and we'll be mainly speaking about the diesel version of the Jetta. European drivers know more generations of the Jetta than the Americans. And we'll cover the 2006 Jetta with the TDI engine.

First of all, we want to tell you that we consider this car to be a really good vehicle that is reliable and practical. But we'll try to find as many problems as possible because this is what our today's article is about.

So, we'll be speaking about the following:

1. 2006 Jetta TDI - was it actually a good car?
2. What are the main problems of the Jetta TDI engine?
3. What's the longevity of the vehicle?
4. Is it expensive to maintain a 2006 VW Jetta TDI?

Let's get started!

The Jetta TDI - is it actually a good choice?

Please bear in mind that we are speaking about the fifth-generation Jetta that was produced between 2005 and 2010. The vehicle that was made after that is completely different and it deserves a separate article.

The Jetta was offered with a 2.5-liter V6 engine (actually the most popular option in the US), a 2-liter turbocharged version for sport trims, and also with a TDI diesel engine. The 2-liter diesel engine was not the best in Volkswagen's lineup, but it was a traditional engine for the US market up until it got into a problem with emissions.

So, here's what we can say about this engine:

• it's a powerful 140-horsepower engine with not a bad driving that you will love;
• it has great torque and can actually tow a trailer if you need this;
• the diesel is extremely economical, it shows 30 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway;
• the engine is really durable, experts say that the engine can go 300,000 miles;
• there aren't many minor issues during all lifetime, so it's not expensive to maintain;
• the engine construction is relatively simple and it can be repaired quite easily;
• these engines work smoothly, not like many vibrating diesel engines of that era.

We can keep on telling you good things about the legendary Volkswagen diesel engine, but we are here to talk about its problems. And believe us, the Jetta TDI had a lot of problems. Some of them are easy to locate and repair while some problems can be fatal for your vehicle.

We are going to show you what are the weakest links in this engine and what you should look at if you want to buy a 2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI.

How many miles will the Jetta TDI go?

We've said that some experts predict that the engine will go around 300,000 miles. But let's say, these predictions are very optimistic. We would say that the longevity of the engine is around 200,000 miles but with the possibility to repair the block and go another 100,000 miles.

If you need to repair the block, you will have to invest a lot of money. Although the construction of the TDI engine is very simple, not many specialists are ready to take this engine for a thorough repair. And the parts are traditionally expensive for German cars.

But anyway, the life expectancy is better than with many other diesel engines you can get on the market for used cars. If you can find a 2006 Jetta TDI with less than 150,000 miles, it can still be a good purchase.

What are the main problems with the 2006 Jetta TDI?

Although. The 5-gen Jetta was equipped with some types of diesel engines during its lifetime, all of them had basically the same problems. But we don't recommend the 2005-2006 engines - they had more minor problems than the engines that were produced later.

We will create a certain list of problems that have been registered many times with these cars. And you will have a full understanding of what can happen with this diesel engine which is usually considered reliable.

1. TDI turbocharger problems

TDI engines by Volkswagen were equipped with different kinds of turbines, but none of them was extremely reliable. A turbocharger can say goodbye to you at 150,000 miles and you will have to repair it or even buy a new one.

These turbochargers usually fail because of bad oil or dirty air filters. The turbocharger doesn't like dirt and its geometry can change a little killing the entire part very quickly.

You will feel a lack of power, vibrations, bad engine rotation, and poor acceleration, and you will probably see the check engine light on the dashboard.

2. Oil consumption

The Jetta TDI engine loves oil. You should only use original oil or at least look at the manufacturer's recommendations. And even with the original oil, the vehicle will start consuming oil at 80-100 thousand miles or a little later.

The normal consumption is about 1 liter per 500 miles. If the engine burns more than that, your TDI engine probably has problems with valve seals and/or piston rings.

3. Cracked cylinder head

If you see the antifreeze level dropping fast, you should check the cylinder head. 2005 and 2006 Jetta TDI engines had this problem even after slight overheating. Once overheated, the head could just crack and the antifreeze would flow away slowly through the crack.

Replacing the head is the only thing you can do in this situation. Unfortunately, the Jetta TDI engine is not the cheapest one when you need to change the head.

4. 2006 Jetta TDI Camshaft problems

The camshaft and lifters usually fail between 120,000 and 150,000 miles. You should control them and replace the camshaft together with the lifters once you detect the problem. Otherwise, the engine will burn a lot of oil and it will not be efficient at all.

Also, the worn-out camshaft will significantly increase fuel consumption. So, it's actually cheaper to repair your TDI engine. Thank goodness, the construction of the head is simple and the repair will not be long and expensive.

5. Jetta TDI transmission problems

If you buy a Jetta with a manual transmission, you are not going to have any problems at all. But the automatic transmissions (the dual-clutch ones) weren't that reliable. These 6-speed DSG transmissions need good maintenance and still, they will fail at 150-200K miles.

The worst part of these transmissions is the clutch. It costs like it's made of gold and it doesn't work for too long. But compared to other dual-clutch transmissions, the 6-speed DSG is not bad. It has a so-called wet clutch and it works much better than the 7-speed DSG used in Golf models.

6. 2006 Jetta TDI flywheel problems

We would say that this part is not very problematic, but drivers write in their reviews that they needed to replace the flywheel. Actually, it works under high pressure and it needs to be changed at 180,000 miles or a little later. It's not that expensive and hard to replace, so we would say it's just some kind of a maintenance issue.

7. TDI engine oil leaks

The main problem here is the turbocharger. Once it starts leaking, you should pay attention to it and go to a repair shop. Otherwise, the turbocharger will not get optimal oil pressure and will be broken very soon.

Oil leaks are not common in other places for this engine, so pay attention to the turbocharger. If you see oil leaks, control the level of oil because a low level will not always result in a special light turning on the dashboard. The light will turn on when it's too late.

8. 2006 VW Jetta TDI injector problems

The last serious and expensive problem we want to outline is the injector problem. You could think that it's easily solved - just clean the injectors or replace them and keep on driving. But with a diesel engine, it doesn't work like that.

The diesel injectors are extremely sensitive because they work with extremely high pressure of fuel. Once they get broken, you have to buy a set of new injectors which are not cheap, let's say so.

The injectors can't be cleaned if they are clogged. Usually, it happens around 100,000 miles or a little later depending on the quality of fuel you buy.

Final words

We've outlined some main problems that the 2006 Jetta TDI engine can have. Also, you should remember that the high-mileage diesel Jetta will get on your nerves with its EGR valve, catalytic converter, excessive oil consumption, and all other things that you don't want to deal with in a car.

And still, we can't say that a 2006 Jetta TDI is a bad car and you should avoid buying it. It's a superb vehicle, so if you find one with low mileage, you can still try your luck. Besides, these cars are not expensive now and they are very comfortable and economical, so they have some important advantages, too.