2009-2010 Jetta TDI buying checklist and guide page 2 - includes prices for sedan and sportwagen (station wagon) reviews, and invoice, MSRP price
For page 1, click here: 2009-2010 clean diesel Jetta checklist page 1. This is page 2
Virtual walkaround, dealer invoice option sheets, and more ordering info
Note for Canadian buyers: the TDI is available in different trim levels than in the US. The US TDI is based off the SE trim level with a few more things. Canadian TDI are available in trendline (base w/cloth seats) comfortline (midlevel, similar to SE but with cloth seats), and highline (similar to SEL, N/A in US TDI). The differences in trim are the leather interior, stereo, the sportwagen is available with the multifunction steering wheel in the highline trim and standard or non availability of the panoramic sunroof.
In Canada there is no rear 115V outlet in the rear of Golf wagons. US Jetta wagons do have these.
Below left: 2010 VW Jetta walkaround, below right wagon walkaround
You must use 507.00 VW spec engine oil. Because this is a new spec oil, you must order it from an online supplier or from the dealer. DO NOT trust the dealer to comply with this requirement, even under their 3 years/36,000 mile free maintenance program! Dealer techs are busy and often make mistakes! Especially in states which did not have previous generations of TDI due to emissions, the number of TDI coming through the dealer garage is small compared to the number of gassers and many dealers have made this mistake in the past! Always check with the exact tech working on your car which oil he is using. If your engine experiences early wear, it probably won't show up until after the warranty period has expired and you will be stuck with the repair bill! Turbodiesels need a certain specification oil to suspend soot and engine blowby and deal with biodiesel use, all while keeping the engine and turbo lubricated. Until there is further evidence and testing for oils other than 507.00 VW spec, I strongly suggest sticking to the owner's manual suggestion. Not using this spec oil may give the dealer grounds to not honor warranty claims on the engine. Don't let them tell you that another oil is OK to use because it's you who has to prove any problem down the road, not them! Some common oils that are VW 507.00 spec are Castrol SLX Professional LL03 (VW# gvw 052 195 m2), Motul specific VW 507.00, Total Quartz Ineo 5w30 507.00, and Mobil 1 ESP Formula 5W-30.
Here is the TSB which lists engine oils approved by VW - right click, save as
or click to view (scroll down to the bottom for 507 oils)
If you want a new diesel station wagon, your only choice is the 2009 or 2010 VW Jetta TDI. The only other years for TDI wagons were 1996-1997 and 2004-2005 Passat, and 2002-2005 Jetta. Cargo space in the sportwagen with seats up is 33 cubic ft, 67 cubic ft with seats down + a roof rack.
In the US, the 2009 sportwagen does not have a multifunction steering wheel (buttons to control radio volume, cycle display modes such as mpg, miles left, trip miles travelled), but the sedan does. This feature was added to all 2010 Jetta TDI sedans/wagons and Golf TDI in the US. To control the trip computer, mpg display, etc., you use a steering column mounted stalk with the 2009 sportwagen. You can swap a steering wheel from any 5th generation (mk5) VW with the multifunction steering wheel into the sportwagen. See 1000q: MFSW and paddle shifter steering wheel swap FAQ for Jetta for more details, prices, and procedures and how to add paddle shifters to a DSG car. This doesn't apply to 2010 models because they came with a MFSW and the electronics were slightly different.
All transmissions (DSG and manual) are now 6 forward speeds, 1 reverse. Older transmissions on 5th generation Jetta TDI were 5 speed on the manual. None come with paddle shifters on the steering wheel but it is possible to swap a steering wheel with paddle shifters onto a DSG car, see the above link.
Pictured below is
the multifunction display plus (MFD+) for 2010. The main difference is the
position of the clock and white instead of red dipslay. The
wagons and Golf are similar except the instruments are in pods.
See 1000q: 2009-2010 changes to see the
2009 model,
2010 Jetta TDI sedan get 9w3 bluetooth. This has outgoing phone call capability, phone book download, and voice control. 2010 Jetta sportwagen TDI get 9w2 bluetooth. This is talk only, no phonebook. See 1000q: VW 9w2 9w3 Bluetooth FAQ for more details. Canadian wagons do not get any bluetooth in any trim. Because of the number of complaints VW Canada may be willing to negotiate the price for adding the bluetooth module to make it work.
Major Options are rear side airbags, Media Device Integration for ipod, 17" alloy wheels, RNS510 GPS navigation system, sunroof on the sedan, panoramic sunroof on the sportwagen. The TDI is equipped similar to the mid level gasoline Jetta, the SE (S is base and SEL is highline option model). Unfortunately, you can't order SEL or Jetta GLI equipment on a TDI. You cannot get a power memory driver's seat, dual zone climatronic (auto climate control), leather seating, or HID headlights on a 2009 2010 TDI.
Minor options are equipped at the port or dealer and include rubber floor mats, carpet floor mats, mud flaps, roof racks, front or rear spoilers, etc.
Vinyl (leatherette) seats are standard on the TDI (Canada has cloth seats standard, leather on highline trim). No 2009 TDI is available with leather seating in the US or power seats although gas 2009 Jettas and the older 2005.5-2006 Jetta TDI may have it optioned. Since many dealer ads are calling the vinyl interior leather, I want to repeat that no 2009 TDI has leather from the factory. The advantage of vinyl seats (leatherette) is lower cost and greater durability. Leatherette will not dry and crack the same way leather can but in the author's opinion, it feels like rubber. The advantage of leather is a higher quality feel. The disadvantage of leather is that it should be kept out of strong sunlight to prevent drying out and should be regularly cleaned and conditioned to keep soft. In the end, unless you are sitting naked on the seats you probably wouldn't notice the difference unless someone told you it was vinyl. If you do want leather seats on your 2009, any leather seat from another 5th generation Jetta or Golf is direct swappable and they all have side airbags. Make sure to check airbag system compatibility before swapping seats! Other options are the plaid sport seats from the GLI/GTI or sport seats from the R32 Golf.
For 2009 sedan and wagon:
Direct bolt-on OEM HID headlights from the GTI/GLI can be purchased for
$1300 from sites such as ecstuning or tmtuning. My personal choice is
the Hella Dynabeam for $1100. It's not the OEM HIDs but is made by the same manufacturer (Hella) and is high quality. It also turns 15o
into turns and costs a little less than OEM. You can also purchase used
HID housings online. Do not attempt to use the stock non-HID housings with
a "xenon light kit from ebay". HID bulbs must be matched to
their projector and housing to prevent dangerous glare and blinding oncoming
traffic. See 1000q: HID swap for detailed
installation instructions
For 2010 Jetta wagon:
Since they changed the bumper and headlights for 2010, you need to get
headlights from a 2010 Golf TDI or GTI which had xenon headlights. Control
module compatibility is not yet known.
The RNS-510 GPS navigation system is all new and is not available on the loyal
edition. It is touch screen based, color, and uses a hard drive. The
older A5 Jetta and loyal edition 2009 TDI uses an older disc-in-the-headunit
system. All
TDI for 2010 have optional or standard bluetooth. Aftermarket add-on accessories for
the RNS 510 include back up cameras, AV input, and DVD players. Many of
these add-ons are VW Euro only parts or were options on more expensive
models. Pictured
below is the newer RNS510 navigation. See 1000q:
RNS 510 FAQ for more info on the touchscreen headhunt. Note that dual zone climatronic is
shown because this picture is of a gas Jetta, it also has the multifunction steering
wheel (standard on sedan, N/A on sportwagen). See the
below pictures for invoice and retail pricing of the options.
Here is a picture of the interior of a 2009 demo sedan. It comes with
premium satellite radio, DSG transmission, and standard multifunction steering wheel w/TDI badge.
Later non-demo/loyal cars have a blank badge like the above picture instead
of the TDI badging. 2010 Jetta TDI and
2010 Golf TDI will get a new steering wheel and touchscreen
radio.
The panoramic sunroof is available only on the jetta sportwagen. It
really opens up the feel of the car but I do not prefer it. The large sunroof will
slightly increase
cabin noise
and reduce handling compared to a car with no sunroof. Pictured below are the sunroof
open with shade closed and sunroof closed with shade open.
Here is a youtube video of the panoramic
sportwagen sunroof in action (skip to 3:30 to see)
Estimated mileage by third party testing is 38 city, 44 highway for the
TDI.
Over 50 mpg highway
has been confirmed in real world driving but don't expect this unless you do all
highway driving and drive slowly and smoothly. EPA testing is rated at
29/40 but has always proven low on previous TDI. Expect about 40 mpg in mixed real world driving and as always, your mileage
may vary! Major factors effecting mileage
include individual driving style, car build quality variations, and fuel quality. Also expect
mileage to increase during engine break in
by as much as 10-15%. Part of the lower expected mileage compared to earlier
TDIs is heavier weight, emissions treatments, and a more powerful/thirsty engine. EPA testing
methods were also changed but this
penalized real world vs. EPA est. diesel car mileage.
All Jettas come with head curtain, front, and side airbags. Lower rear side airbags are the only optional airbags. ABS, stability and yaw control are standard.
Color samples
(campanella white pictured above in demo, some very early build cars are
campanella white,
later cars are candy white)
platinum grey--------------------graphite blue w/tinted windows (metallic and darker than grey)
salsa red w/optional 17" avington wheels----laser blue (2009 exclusive
color) w/standard (on the sedan) 16" bioline wheels
reflex silver w/tinted windows---------------uni black
Non priority items, other VW quirks, dealer computer setup, and misc things to know about the 2009 or 2010 VW TDI
Power modifications
I would wait until the warranty expires and power tuning matures for this engine
before trying it on my own car. Because of more sophisticated engine
management and the totally new emissions control system, the greatest power
modification available right now for the 2.0L TDI CBEA engine is chip tuning.
Early chip tuning is producing an estimated 160 hp and 290 lb-ft torque.
After you shut off the engine or are stopped at a light: if you hear the engine fan running AND you smell something overheating at the tailpipe, this is the diesel particulate filter (DPF) burning off accumulated soot. If the DPF doesn't get hot enough during a highway run or normal driving, it injects some fuel to burn off trapped particulates. If you shut off the engine in the middle of a filter regeneration cycle you may notice some odor while it burns off. It appears that it does a hot regen cycle about once every 300-3000 miles depending on use.
Make sure to tell all drivers of your car to only put diesel in the fuel tank! If someone accidentally puts gasoline in it, stop as soon as safety allows and tow it to a mechanic! The owner's manual should say to only use Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD). Check the pumps for the ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) sticker. About 99.5% of all retail pump diesel sold in the US is ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) but you may find a rare pump that isn't. Even if the sticker on the fuel pump doesn't say it's ULSD, all major refineries in the US/Canada have been making pretty much only ULSD and are required to make only USLD by 6/1/2010, so if the pump doesn't say ULSD it's almost certainly ULSD or diluted enough so that it shouldn't cause any serious problems. After 12/01/10, by law, you can only find non ULSD for cars in Mexico/South America. California has been only ULSD or years.
Some dealers will fill up your fuel tank as a favor, make sure they put diesel in it! The car keys will get passed to a few people like the car washer or tech when it's in for service so it's not necessarily the salesperson's or mechanic's fault. I suggest a note taped to the "gas cap" while it's at the dealer.
Some have had defective high pressure fuel pumps. This is supposedly
linked to a certain production range but VW isn't saying much about it. If you open the fuel filter
canister at the 20,000 mile change interval and see tiny metal flakes, your fuel
pump is disintegrating. It should immediately be brought to the
attention of the dealer while under warranty. After that, keep your fuel
receipts in case they accuse you of putting gasoline in the car. Diesel
fuel is an oil and lubricates the fuel system. The entire fuel system must
be replaced because the flakes have already damaged the injectors and pumps.
See 1000q: how to replace the fuel filter for tips
on opening the filter canister.
When it's colder than 48oF, wait at least 1 second after turning the key to "on" before turning the key to "start" and starting the engine. This lets the glow plugs turn on and warm up. The "wait to start" glow plug indicator light normally goes out in less than 1 second and could be on as long as 4-5 seconds when it's below freezing.
The heated side view mirrors only work if the outside air temp is below 68oF. The earlier design side view mirrors were on if the power window switch is set to the middle position and often burned out.
The new common rail engine uses a timing belt and will need a deluxe/full timing belt change every 120,000 miles. This includes changing all idler pulleys/rollers, water pump, timing belt tensioner, and timing belt. If you do it yourself, parts should cost about $400. Since many VW dealers are not yet experienced with diesels and the new TDI engine, ask around for a TDI expert before going to the dealer. Dealers not experienced with TDI engines have damaged engines in the past due to lack of experience and bad techs. Expect to pay about $900-1,300 at the dealer for this service.
The 2009 and newer TDI use a 120,000 mile timing belt but it cannot be used on the 2005-2006. The 2009 and newer TDI engines are totally different and the belts are not compatible. A common rail engine has smoother power delivery and isn't driving the fuel injection pump at the timing belt. The rattling sound of diesel combustion on older engines is from jerky combustion. Although the engine flywheel dampens this motion, it does slightly pull on the timing belt. The longer interval may also be from slightly different materials and parts.
Some owners report an engine hiccup when warm or engine shudder when at half application. So far VW has not come out with a fix but it's believed to from the EGR (exhaust gas system) cycling.
Some dealerships, even luxury car dealerships, do a bad job detailing new cars due to sloppy and fast work. Bad detailers can even damage your new car's finish. I recently saw a new car at a dealer with a plastic gas tank strapped to the hood to advertise it's fuel economy! This is unacceptable because it put a bunch of fine scratches into the paint. I recommend washing, claybar, and then waxing your new car yourself. This removes the corrosive railroad dust if they came by rail, saltwater spray/sand while sitting at the port, and road detritus during transport. See detailing tips at 1000q: washing and wax your car , 1000q: claybar your car. While you shouldn't apply wax to a freshly painted or repaired panel, the factory paint is cured and baked in an oven and had plenty of time during transport.
Because of the newer technology on the mk5 cars, there are many car settings that must be set up during new delivery. CAN BUS technology cars (mk5 VW) come from the factory in sleep mode to prevent battery drain. Sometimes these settings are never configured (dealer error) or reset later. Some examples are the power seat and the power windows/sunroof remote functions. The window pinch protection can even be turned off. These options can be adjusted with a VCDS diagnostic tool (used to be called vag-com) or the dealer can do it. These also happen when you disconnect the battery. Once clue is that the yellow steering wheel symbol showing steering sensor problems and ESP stability control malfunction lights are on. To reset window pinch protection and reset steering and ESP, see 1000q: reset pinch protection and steering sensors.
Another example is the electric power steering. The steering rack is electric and does not use hydraulic fluid. This saves energy. It can be adjusted to give more or less assist and give you lighter or heavier steering. See 1000q: steering assist for more details.
Many German cars have fast speedometers. However, the speedometer error on some cars is as high as 10%. It should be corrected by the dealer. See 1000q: high speedometer reading correction for the procedure. The odometer reading should be correct for warranty and maintenance purposes because the signal is not passed through the speedometer correction factor. In addition, most users report that the fuel economy meter is fairly accurate.
The key uses an anti-theft device called an immobilizer. You can only have new keys programmed at the dealer, the few rare independent locksmiths who have the equipment, or with a few aftermarket solutions. See 1000q: immobilizer FAQ for more details. The issue is that although the key can unlock the door, an unprogrammed key won't let the engine stay running. For this reason, avoid ebay keys until you shop around for the dealer price. Also avoid used keys because the new immobilizer chips can only be programmed once. In other words, you may be able to reuse old parts from a used key but the chip inside the key will only work for 1 specific car. If you want to attempt key programming, see 1000q: a5 Jetta key FAQ.
Apply the parking brake when parking! It's good practice with any car but it is important on VWs because this sets the rear caliper self adjusters. It's best to apply the brake before going into park (auto trans) or first/reverse gear (manual trans) to put stress on the brake instead of the transmission internals.
Safely raise the rear of the car and spin each rear wheel by hand. Stay to the side and don't get under the car or put your hand in a position where it could be crushed if the car falls! Some cars come from the factory with misadjusted parking brakes. Light scraping and touching on the brake rotors is normal, resistance is not normal and should be adjusted by the dealer.
It's normal for the windshield wipers to move a little when you start or shut off the car. By occasionally moving the wipers, they last longer by not getting bent in one position. To change the windshield wipers, press the wiper lever after you shut off the car and they will go up to the service position. They should not be over $50 for a pair at the dealer.
You can't use truck stop high flow fueling nozzles on the mk5 cars. The high flow fueling nozzles are larger and flow much faster to fill a semi's large fuel tank. Because the larger high flow nozzle won't fit in the TDI fuel tank opening, some fuel can splash out. Try to find and use the small diesel nozzles. You may hear of venting or a ventectomy, this does not apply to this generation of TDI.
I recommend applying a UV-resistant laminate or headlight protector on the headlight lenses. This will prevent pitting and yellowing of the plastic on your new headlights. This is not a VW specific issue because all modern headlights on US cars use DOT approved plastic lenses instead of glass. A paint protecting clear vinyl film over the front of the car is also a good idea but is more expensive than a headlight protector. Professional installation is required and it will prevent chipping of the front. While it does slightly reduce the look of the paint, it's not noticeable at all unless you are closely inspecting it and prevents damage to the paint which is noticeable from a distance. It does not damage the paint at all but cannot be applied to a repainted area or else it can pull off the repainted area.
You may also want to tint the windows. Auto glass blocks UV light but even clear or light tint will block a lot more UV light. Tinting the side windows helps prevent aging of the interior, aging of your skin, adds privacy, and in the event of the window shattering, controls glass particles by holding them to the stick-on film. Tint darkness can come in clear, all the way to dark limo tints, check your local laws for any restrictions. Use only simple soap and water on window tint, never use ammonia based cleaner on the interior of the window where stick-on tint film is applied.
Do not add aftermarket rustproofing since it will void the factory rust warranty. Cars are dipped in anti-rust zinc and have a few layers of paint to prevent rust. While it could still happen and the rust warranty only covers certain kinds of rust, the best thing to do is to wash your car regularly, including the undercarriage. See 1000q: car detailing index for tips on how to avoid scratches and swirl marks from car washing. The best thing to do is to avoid automatic car washes unless they are "touchless".
You can add a backup camera, bluetooth, parallel parking assist, and more to the RNS-510 GPS system. If you do not have the RNS510, you can add it to any 2009 Jetta TDI. See 1000q: RNS 510 FAQ for more info on the touchscreen headunit GPS.
Expected longevity of the exhaust particulate filtering system is not yet known but all emissions equipment is covered under warranty under federal emissions laws. Removal will certainly set off a check engine light but there will probably be aftermarket solutions to this.
Exclusive to TDI (not on gas models), is an electric heating strip in the air vent to help warm up the cabin on cold winter mornings. Auxiliary air heater Z35 is inside the climate control assembly and has a 100 amp fuse in the fuse box under the hood. It won't blow hot air but lukewarm air is better than nothing and it will help prevent your frozen breath from obscuring the windshield on super cold mornings.
The air conditioned glove box barely cools at all so don't expect chilled champagne. The cooler is just a tube from the air duct instead of a true refrigeration unit. If you need food or medicine to stay cool, get a portable plug in cooler.
There are a few reports of paint flaking off the front plastic bumper unrelated to road or parking damage on early A5 TDIs. This is a defect and should be corrected by the dealer. Since the last gen TDIs were made in 2007 (sold as 2006), they should have fixed this issue by now.
The front sway bar on the TDI is 21mm the rear is 18mm. This is the same as the non GLI Jetta.
Intake valves are 26.6mm, exhaust valves are 26mm.
It's a rare problem, but it's possible for the plastic dust cover on the ignition key slot to jam. Try turning the steering wheel to unlock it and if that doesn't work, try pushing while tilting the key towards the front of the car to push the cover to the side. You could also use a pick. Never lubricate a lock cylinder with wet oil, only use a graphite lubricant.
Transmission issues - A5 body jettas tend to be the most reliable yet, but the 2005.5-2006 models had some issues with the transmissions and flywheel. There is no long term information on the 2009+ Jetta.
Towing is limited to 1000 lbs, 200 lbs tongue weight. The original rating was 1650 lbs but has since been lowered for unknown reasons.
Although the DSG (automatic) transmission (introduced with the 2004 New Beetle TDI) has it's drawbacks, it's still a good automatic compared to previous ones. Shifting is lightening fast and very smooth. However, if you want better mileage and reliability, nothing beats a regular manual transmission. Please read 1000q: DSG FAQ for maintenance, quirks, and other common issues with the DSG transmission.
Some people report hesitation from a stop when the car has a DSG transmission. This is reported to be worst when you are stopped, foot on brake, and quickly step hard on the accelerator pedal. This is believed to be from the DSG clutches slipping. To minimize it, after you take your foot off the brake, wait before stomping on the go-pedal hard or gently press the pedal before pressing it harder.
Some early A5 Jetta TDI used defective clutches which were replaced under recall. Some dual mass flywheels (see 1000q: clutch FAQ for more details) failed or decided to liberate themselves from the engine with spectacular results. The flywheel was revised and this should no longer be as prominent.