Hi all,
Our '02 Jetta Wagon has had a clutch failure - specifically, the clutch won't disengage completely. My first guess was clutch master/slave cylinder, but my dealer says they check out fine and that there are no leaks. They say that it's a mechanical failure in the clutch mechanism (throwout bearing, pressure plate, etc.).
The car has 47,xxx miles on it. The '02 came with a 50,000 mile "bumper to bumper" warranty. The dealer says that VW considers a clutch a wear item and that it is not covered under warranty. I can understand a worn out clutch falling under the "wear item" heading, but not a mechanical failure. IOW, the clutch is "broken" and not "worn."
VW Customer Care is closed today, but I'll be calling them on Monday morning. Anyone have any tips for dealing with them on this?
The dealer wants $85 now for the diagnosis, and $550 to take it apart and see what's going on. The cost for the clutch kit from VW is $930! In speaking with the service writer at the dealer, he says that there is some likelyhood that VW might be willing to help out some (maybe warranty the parts, but not the labor), but that they will insist on having the dealer take it apart first. $550 is a bunch of money to risk on a "maybe" when I could just replace the clutch myself for whatever the cost of an aftermarket clutch is.
Any thoughts?
thanks, Craig