2002 Volkswagen Jetta Car will not

KCIF05

MEMBER
2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA
2.0L
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
137,000 MILES

While driving on the freeway may steering wheel started shaking as if I had a flat tire. When I made a left turn I heard a CLANK, CLANK, CLANK. I pulled off to the side of the road and put it in park. When I put the car back in drive and gave it gas the wheels will not turn. I had it towed and it is sitting on a slight incline. I had to use the emergency brake because when the car was just in park it started to roll forward. Is this a transmission problem? I was told it could be the CV Joint (Driveshaft) or where the transmission connects to the axle. Please help!

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,871 POSTS

Everything you described does sound like the half shaft pulled out of the transmission, but the observation the car is not sitting level suggests there are worn suspension parts that were ignored for too long. Anything that allows the lower control arm to squirt out will cause the wheel bearing to pull the half shaft out of the transmission. In rare instances the shaft may be okay yet, but your mechanic knows the splines could be damaged or the inner joint could be pulled apart, so he will likely want to replace the shaft along with the rest of the repair.