Theyalldothat

First of all, i apologize in advance that my question has to do with a VW and not an Audi. However, I'm hoping I'll get some slack on this as I'm really just desperately looking for info on the VR6 and I would like to hear from experts on the subject which I assume I will find here! I have a 2000 Jetta GLX VR6 that has had a very nasty vibration around 1100 RPMs since new. If you hold the RPMs right around this problem point, the vibration is so bad that the whole car shakes. Of course the dealer's response is (you guessed it) 'they all do that.' This doesn't seem at all right to me. They are trying to tell me that armies of German engineers have built an engine with an inherent design flaw and can't figure out how to make an engine smooth across the entire working RPM band? I have a hard time with this. In all fairness, I don't have many other VR6's to compare with, so I can't verify this claim that 'they all do it.' So, I'm looking for feedback on this issue ... is this a known problem with the VR6? or am I getting the typical dealer run around here (my guess). What should I do? I've already called VW NA and lodged a complaint ... they simply recorded my problem and said they would call me back ...

Imolsify

people on the vwvortex forum might be able to help you out. <ul><li><a href="http://www.vwvortex.com">www.vwvortex.com</a></li></ul>

ArchAudi

Could also be caused by the exhaust system touching another part.

DocWyte

under the airbox and there's another one on the passenger side.

They're notorious for breaking. I was breaking my drivers side engine mount every 3-4 weeks in the GTI version of your car...

jn

My grandfather had a minor fender-bender years ago, and when the car idled, it was fine, and at mid to high rpms, it was fine, but at low rpms there was a sever vibration. Broken motor mount from the accident. It happens around that rpm range because the motor isn't putting out a lot of power, but when you give it more gas, the motor can't respond like to want it too. BAsically the motor is laboring, like you are in too high a gear. Long story short, check all motor mounts.

Mr. Spock

Your dealer is telling the truth. The VR6 has a rough spot just above idle. It's perfectly normal. You can ask about it in the VR6 forum on VWvortex. I would say that the vibration was light to moderate. It didn't "shake the whole car" like an earthquake, but I could definately feel it through the pedals, seat, and wheel.

That engine is SO nice everywhere else, I had no problems dealing with the slight vibration just above idle.

TimA4

My '93 VR6 had a V8 like rumble about that spot. Yours sounds more serious but it's a VR6 trait.

adc

I've had 2 VR6s, a 95 and a 96 (long story), but never experienced anything like that. Silky smooth. Suggest checking your engine mounts like others have said and go to a different dealer.

adc

Mr. Spock

95/96 VR6 is quite a different motor than the new one.

Theyalldothat

OK, 'shaking the whole car' may have been a bit extreme, but the vibration is very noticeable from any seat in the car and definitely the steering wheel and pedals. Also, I do agree that the VR6 engine is otherwise wonderfully smooth, but that's also what made me wonder if it was a problem or not. If it ultimately turns out that this is truly an inherent characteristic (flaw?), I probably could live with it (especially since it's really my fiancee's car, I'm currently leasing a 2000 M Roadster), but it's hard to accept that a motor with as much popularity and development as the VR6 (how many different products sport this motor? I think they're putting them in golf carts in Germany now!) could have such a design flaw at this stage of its lifecycle. The worst part of this ordeal, not suprisingly, is not the problem itself, but the incredibly poor treatment we received from the dealer. First it's 'we can't recreate the problem.' Then it's 'yeah, well they all do that.' The guy talked in circles, completely failed to aknowledge any issue whatsoever, and basically implied that we were complete idiots. This is in stark contrast to the treatment I received from my local BMW dealer (where I didn't even buy my car!) when I told them the roof leaked a little bit in a heavy rainstorm and they immediately replaced all the rubber seals on top of the winshield and the covertible top without me saying another word. Anyway, apparently the dealer received a call from VW USA following up on my complaint, because we got a call from the head guy over there who said that they can now recreate the problem and that they can also recreate it on some other VR6's but not all of them. So, they are willing to try replacing the front engine mounts, but he's not convinced that this will fix the problem because he claims he's tried it on other cars with no improvement. Anyway, at least they are now actually aknowledging an issue and are willing to attempt to do something about it. Thanks for all your replies and I'll keep you posted if anyone is interested.