Ok, I've had the fishbite symptoms since my engine had to be replaced, and I just noticed that my D doesn't idle very well -- it is constantly going from ~550 - 650 rpms, fluctuating every 1-2 seconds. My wife's 16 year old 127k mile vw beetle hasn't given me a single issue in the last 20k miles, while the 88k mile D has been nothing but problems for the last 20k miles.

If someone has an idea on the idle issue, I'll certainly try just about anything.

 

The electronically controlled timing is behind both symptoms.
And having your D updated programing won't fix it either.

 

Aside from trading it in towards a new VW Touareg, what would fix it? I'm quite sure this is the last FCA product I'll own.

 

I have no real clue on what will fix it. I've had the latest software update installed and I have used every kind of fuel additive to see if that would help. None have worked.
I have read adding a performance tune package would do it.
But, I don't want to go that route. I want to keep my money and keep the D original in performance. And getting rid of the D is not an option either, at least now at this time.

 

I kept my 2000 D SLT for 135,000 miles. Went thru 2 batts. When the batts started to fail, wonky idle was one of the symptoms of their eminent failure.