Radio button coverings are "blistering" Is there maybe a recall or something on this? 2005.5 Jetta with radio that has black buttons. Radio is the 6-CD,AM,FM,SAT one.

Send the request via email through this site these guys can help or go back to dealer and get them to get it for you.
http://autoforum.classifieds1000.com/Volkswagen-Quantum/2007_VW_golf_radio_code
Below is procedure once you have the code:

* Turn on radio -- the word "SAFE" will be displayed.

* First press the MODE button and then press the SCAN button and hold them down simultaneously until "1000" appears in the frequency display. Release the buttons. Do not, under any circumstance, continue holding the buttons down or press them once again. This would cause the radio to take the number "1000" as the code number.

* Using the first four radio station buttons, enter the code number found on your Radio Card. Use button 1 to set the first digit of the four digit code, button 2 to set the second digit, etc. The first digit of a four digit code must be "1". If your code number has three digits, the first digit on display must be set blank.

* Once the code is shown on the display, press and hold the MODE button and SCAN button simultaneously until the word "SAFE" appears in the frequency display. Release the buttons. A radio station frequency will automatically be displayed. The radio will now play once again.

If, when cancelling the electronic lock-up, a wrong code number is entered by mistake, the word "SAFE" will appear in the frequency display first blinking, and then continuous.

You can now repeat the entire cancelling procedure but only once. The number of attempts will be shown in display.

If the wrong code number should be entered again, your radio will be locked up for approximately one hour. The radio will not play. Leave the radio switched on. After an hour, you can cancel the electronic lock-up as previously described.

This cycle, two attemps - one hour lock-up continues again. //

As for the knobs, if you can pull them right off the unit just go to a scrap yard and pull some off a lower mileage vehicle, doesnt need to be the same exact one alot of gms will share the same parts. or try a site like this https://www.autozone.com/collision-body-parts-and-hardware/radio-knob/gmc/yukon-xl-1500

With no CD in the radio press the recall button then press the tune/seek button up for hours down for seconds.

Press recall button on radio. Press the time/seek button up for hours, press it down for minutes change.

May just be the wiring of the car or maybe something is loose or became disconnected. If the radio has been removed then that's an easy problem to get. It may also be the anti-theft system. Some vehicles can be very difficult to install a stereo system or any other add-on because of the way it's wired for the anti-theft.
I have also heard that some of the Jettas had wiring problems that were hard to trace. I know someone who had one that was an early 2000 model.
Try to find out if there were any recalls about that, but I would probably just get another one installed at some place that's experienced with radio installations because they would know how to wire these thing in. Hope this helps

More than likely the only thing you can do for this situation is to replace this radio. If you have an extended warrenty see if this is covered. Otherwise you may just have to replace the radio. I would say if you want something newer and a little more stylish, look into getting an aftermarket radio installed. Or if you prefer to stay with an oem radio, then check your local salvage yards for prices on an oem radio for your vehicle and also take a look on eBay. eBay would most likely be the cheapest. If you do not know how to install it yourself then have the dealer do it for you or an audio shop. That way you only pay for labor charge and not labor and parts. Call both places and see who will do it for the best price. It's a simple task for either of them and they will both do it just as good. Hope this helps, good luck!

MB has ASR,  VW now has ESP.  You posted in Jetta TDI, but say you have a SL600.   Both are slip/traction control programs and both can be manually overridden by dashboard button.  When the ASR or ESP is locked out, the light will be on all the time, maybe you can just push the button?   When driving, if this light flashes on, then ASR/ESP is trying to help get the wheel that is spinning not to.  

If the light came on after replacing parts, or a repair job,  something may be wrong with the parts (non OEM), the service or a sensor may have been damaged.  

Check with dealer for a recall for your vehicle on brake switch ... vw had a recall on these around 2002-2005.

Step 11Seek and Scan buttons Press and hold the SEEK and bottom SCAN buttons until "1000" appears, this should just be a few seconds. Step 222Release the buttons and in put the code using the radio buttons. For example if your code is 1933, press the "1" button one time, then the "2" button 9 times, the "3" button 3 times and the "4" button 3 times. Step 33Then press and hold again the SEEK and bottom SCAN until the word SAFE appears. Step 44Release the buttons and the radio should start playing.

I have a Jetta 2005.5 and mine did this also plus the paint on the buttons on my electric windows were peeling off they replaced the radio and all the switches for the windows said it was a defect. hope this helps you

i had the same problem the only solution i found was to paint these peeled buttons