2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP EXPLODED DUE TO FUEL CONTAMINATION AND AS A RESULT, THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000. *TR

WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS COME ON UNTIL YOU GO CRANK THE CAR. THE DEALER COMPLETED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND HE SAID EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT OK....THIS IS NOT NORMAL AND MY CONCERN WOULD BE WILL IT EVENTUALLY AFFECT THE BATTERY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH AND APPLYING THE BRAKES IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID ANOTHER MOTORIST, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUEL INJECTOR LINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 33,000.

DANGEROUS AND HARROWING CLUTCH/FLYWHEEL FAILURE (NEAR-NEW 2011 JETTA WITH 39,000 MILES) WITHOUT WARNING AT 55 MPH WHEN I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO DOWNSHIFT FROM 5TH GEAR WHILE BRAKING, STALLING MY CAR IN TRAFFIC AT SPEED. I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. CAR WAS TOWED TO VW DEALERSHIP THAT TODAY TELLS ME THE FLYWHEEL AND CLUTCH WERE DAMAGED WITH REPAIRS ESTIMATED AT $2,500. AN INVESTIGATION OF THE NTSB SITE SHOWS THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED WITH OTHER 2011 JETTA OWNERS. A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET GENERALLY TURNED UP HUNDREDS OF IDENTICAL OR NEAR-IDENTICAL REPORTS OF CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL FAILURES FOR 2006 TO 2013 JETTAS. MANUFACTURER'S RESPONSES HAVE BEEN, ACCORDING TO JETTA OWNERS, VARIED, WITH SOME PEOPLE REPORTING FREE REPAIRS AND OTHER REPORTING LARGE OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS. INTERESTINGLY, CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL FAILURES ARE, ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH (AVAILABLE TO ANYONE WHO CARES TO LOOK FOR IT ONLINE) BEING COVERED BY TECHNICAL BULLETINS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION BUT NOT IN THE UNITED STATES. MY CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN AND MAINTAINED PER MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, WITH DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD THE CAR TOWED FOR REPAIRS ACKNOWLEDGING VERBALLY THAT THESE COMPONENTS SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER. A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ISSUED BY VW IS PAYING FOR SOME FLYWHEEL PARTS UNDER SOME CIRCUMSTANCES BUT NOT FOR ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE CLUTCH THAT OFTEN OCCURS, PER THE DEALERSHIP, WHEN THE FLYWHEEL FAILS. LABOR COSTS ARE NOT COVERED, AND THEY ARE ESTIMABLE. *TR

WE WERE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 93 APPROX 5 MILES SOUTH OF EXIT 11 IN HOOKSETT, NH NORTHBOUND. THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE LIKE A GUNSHOT. I SWERVED INTO THE LEFT LANE AND BY THE TIME I GOT THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL MY WIFE AND I WERE COVERED IN GLASS AND OUR EARS WERE RINGING. WE LOOKED UP AND THE SUN ROOF HAD EXPLODED OUT/UPWARDS FROM THE BEST WE COULD TELL. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT THE CAR WAS DRY AND IT WAS CLEAR OUT. THERE WAS NO ICE OR SNOW ON THE ROOF. THE WINDOWS WERE ALL CLOSED AND THE SUN SHADE WAS OPEN. THE HEAT WAS NOT ON IN THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS ROUGHLY 40 DEGREES F OUTSIDE. WE IMMEDIATELY GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY AT THE NEXT EXIT (11) AND PULLED INTO A PARK AND RIDE LOT TO INSPECT DAMAGE. AS EXPECTED THE WINDOW BROKE OUTWARDS, WITH APPROX 33% OF THE GLASS MISSING IN A HOLE IN THE MIDDLE, THE REST SHATTERED AND FALLING OFF IF YOU TOUCHED IT. *TR

WHILE DRIVING TO AN EARLY MORNING APPOINTMENT, I NOTICE A BURNING SMELL WITHIN 5 MINUTES OF STARTING THE CAR. I SOON SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE UPPER RIGHT CORNER OF THE DASHBOARD. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. AT THAT POINT I SAW A FLAME APPEARING AT THE FRONT END OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE ROCKER PANEL. PLASTIC AT THE BASE OF THE ROCKER PANEL HAD MELTED AND I COULD SEE ELECTRICAL WIRES. I TRIED TO STAMP OUT THE FIRE, BUT IT WAS GROWING RAPIDLY AND I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR. WITHIN SECONDS, THE FLAMES WERE SEVERAL FEET HIGH. I CLOSED THE DOOR AND CALLED 911. THE FLAMES EVENTUALLY EXTINGUISHED THEMSELVES IN THE CLOSED CABIN. THE FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED AND OPENED THE DRIVERS DOOR. MOST OF THE DASHBOARD ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, AND THE HEADLINER WERE MELTED. THERE WAS A LOT OF EXPOSED BARE WIRE VISIBLE. THE TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME WAS 34 DEGREES F, AND THIS WAS THE FIRST TRIP OF THE DAY. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HEATER WAS TURNED ON HIGH, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ON, AND THE RADIO WAS ON. NO OTHER OPERATOR CONTROLLED ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS WERE ON. THERE HAD BEEN NO PREVIOUS ELECTRICAL INCIDENTS WITH THIS CAR, NOR WERE THERE ANY AFTERMARKET ELECTRICAL ITEMS INSTALLED ON THE CAR. THE WEATHER WAS DRY. THIS JETTA IS A TDI MODEL (DIESEL). *TR

APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AGO, MY ENGINE BEGAN TO GIVE A CLEAR SENSE OF THE CAR SHUDDERING OR ROCKING BACK AND FORTH. WHILE SOMETIMES THE FEELING WOULD OCCUR EVEN WHEN STOPPED AT A LIGHT, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE TIME THIS OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT CONSISTENT LOW SPEEDS. IN ALMOST ALL CASES, I WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN A CONSISTENT SPEED AROUND EITHER 13PMH OR 30 MPH. EVENTUALLY, I FOUND THE ROCKING MOTION VERY EASY TO REPRODUCE. I'D SET THE CAR TO 30 MPH VIA CRUISE CONTROL AND DRIVE DOWN A STRAIGHT ROAD WITH VERY SLIGHT UPWARD AND DOWNWARD SLOPES. WHILE IT HAPPENS EVEN ON FLAT GROUND, I FOUND THAT A SLIGHT DECLINE IS MOST LIKELY TO REPRODUCE THE FEELING. MY BEST GUESS IS THAT THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY THE FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM/TRANSMISSION IS TRYING TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT DIESEL NEEDS TO BE SUPPLIED TO THE ENGINE. THE FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM SEEMS TO ALMOST CUT OUT BECAUSE GIVING DIESEL WOULD PRODUCE A SPEED TOO HIGH, AND THEN IT COMES BACK ON SUDDENLY, BECAUSE GIVING IT NO DIESEL WOULD CAUSE THE CAR TO SLOW TOO MUCH. WHILE SOMETIMES THIS IS SIMPLY A NUISANCE, I HAVE HAD ON MANY OCCASIONS FELT THAT IT WAS A GENUINE SAFETY HAZARD SINCE I COULDN'T PREDICT HOW THE ENGINE WOULD REACT. THIS IN COMBINATION WITH OVERLY STRONG ENGINE BREAK WHEN LETTING OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR AND DELAYED ACCELERATION WHEN STEPPING ON THE PEDDLE THAT CAN CAUSE INCONSISTENCIES AND SAFETY HAZARDS WHEN MANEUVERING IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY. I'VE MENTIONED THIS PROBLEM EVERY SINGLE TIME I'VE TAKEN MY CAR IN FOR IT'S REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. THE VEHICLE HAS A DIESEL DSG ENGINE, AND AS I'VE BEEN TOLD BY SERVICE TECHNICIANS AND REPRESENTATIVES, SOME OF THE THINGS LIKE STRONG ENGINE BREAKING ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS TYPE OF ENGINE. HOWEVER, THE CAR'S ROCKING MOTION CERTAINLY GOES BEYOND ANYTHING THAT COULD REALISTICALLY BE CONSIDERED NORMAL AND SAFE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA EQUIPPED WITH HANKOOK OPTIMO H725A TIRES, LINE SIZE 205/55R/16H. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING A TIRE ROTATION PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE AT A LOCAL TIRE SHOP, THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED HIM THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WERE CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT PROVIDE FURTHER ASSISTANCE SINCE THE TIRES WERE NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

I HAD JUST EXITED THE HIGHWAY, WHEN THE ENGINE DIED AT 35 MPH. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART AFTERWARDS. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS CONTAMINATED WITH METAL SHAVINGS. THIS APPEARS TO BE ANOTHER CASE OF FAILURE OF THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WITH THE 2.0 TDI ENGINE. ONLY DIESEL FUEL HAS *EVER* BEEN USED IN THE VEHICLE. AS PER VW'S TSB, THE DEALER TESTED THE FUEL AND INDICATED THAT IT WAS OK. VW COVERED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM UNDER WARRANTY. OTHERWISE, THIS WOULD HAVE COST APPROXIMATELY $10K. *TR

TDI DIESEL JETTA WITH 30,000 MILES BY ORIGINAL OWNER WAS BEING DRIVEN 35 MPH CITY SECONDARY STREETS, VEHICLE ABRUPTLY LOST POWER. COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD. POLICE WERE CALLED, THEY ASCERTAINED THAT LOCATION WAS SAFE ENOUGH UNTIL TOW. TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER SAID FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO DEALER A FEW DAYS BEFORE FOR 30,000 MILE SERVICE. DIESEL FUEL ALMOST ALWAYS PURCHASED AT SAME 3 YR OLD BUSY STATION, AND CAR WAS RUNNING ON SAME TANK OF FUEL AS WHEN IT WAS SERVICED. THERE WAS NO WARNING OF PROBLEMS, NO HESITATION, NO LOSS OF POWER, NO WARNING LIGHTS BEFORE TOTAL SHUTDOWN OF ENGINE. ON A FREEWAY, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS. *TR