What 639 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Hev

MY CAR STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY AS I WAS DRIVING. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH MY EPC LIGHT. THE CAR FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO BREAKDOWN ON THE INTERSTATE. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE CAR OFF THEN TURNED IT BACK ON AND IT WAS FINE. I DROVE A LITTLE WAYS DOWN THE ROAD AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED, SO I TOOK IT TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED L HAD A BAD IGNITION COIL WITH THE CODES 351,300,301,304,130. THEY REPLACED THE PART AND ALMOST EXACTLY A YEAR LATER 7/6/2015 I'M HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM.

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WHILE DRIVING, RADIO/CD/HANDS FREE TELEPHONE DIED. SCREEN FLICKERED AND THEN WENT BLANK, NO POWER TO ALL THESE FUNCTIONS. VW REPAIR SAID THIS MODEL OF RADIO INSTALLED ON THIS YEAR VEHICLE WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND THAT THE RADIO UNIT IS DEAD AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED ($668 PLUS TAX FOR A REPLACEMENT BY DEALER). PLUS AN INSTALL FEE. AN UNGODLY PRICE FOR A REPLACEMENT RADIO THAT IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS AND THREADS OUT WHICH WARRANT A RECALL. I USE THE HANDS FREE CONSTANTLY FOR WORK AND NOT BEING ABLE TO WILL MAKE ME HAVE TO USE THE PHONE IN AN UNSAFE MANNER. SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT. UPDATE 9/15/15*CW

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HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE.

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IN THE PROCESS OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE ALONG WITH ALL SYSTEMS IN THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WITH NO WARNING. THERE WAS NO ELECTRICAL POWER WHATSOEVER IN THE CAR AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING IN THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT A NEW BATTERY WAS INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 2-3 WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. THE CAR HAD SHUT DOWN ON TWO PREVIOUS OCCASIONS, BUT WAS PARKED AT THE TIME. IN EACH INSTANCE ELECTRICAL POWER WAS RESTORED IN APPROXIMATELY 40 MINUTES WITH NO ACTION TAKEN. THE CAR WAS GIVEN TO THE VW DEALER WHERE VW SPECIALISTS EXAMINED THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. AFTER 3 DAYS THEY WERE 90% POSITIVE THAT A MODULE IN THE STEERING COLUMN HAD FAILED. VW OF AMERICA DID NOT FEEL THAT THE FAILURE WAS A MANUFACTURES DEFECT NOR THE FACT THAT THE CAR SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY WHILE BEING DRIVEN CONSTITUTED A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM.

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THE CAR LOSES POWER, STALLS THEN IT DIES. AT TIMES IT SPEEDS UP, AND STALLS DIES WITHOUT WARNING. LOSES ALL POWER, FOUND RECALL IN REFERENCE TO THIS ISSUE. VIN# MATCHES SERIES, MATCHES DATE, AND PLACE WHERE THE CAR WAS MADE, EXCEPT FOR THE LAST FEW DIGITS. RECALL 11V19600, AND VW WILL NOT REPLACE HARNESS TO ELECTRCIAL FUSE AND CIRCUIT BREAKER. I NEED TO HELP TO GET THIS RESOLVED. I HAVE BEEN BATTLING THE DEALER AND VW OF AMERICA SINCE 03/20/2015 UNTIL TODAY 06/26/2015

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS HAVING A FAILED PASSENGER OCCUPANT DETECTION CONTROL MODULE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE GLOW PLUG LIGHT ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE EXITING THE HIGHWAY AT 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STRUCK A POTHOLE AND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE BRAKE ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE BRAKE CALIPER WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE WHEEL AND LOCKED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT LATCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE BULB FAILURE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED SPORADICALLY INDICATING THAT THE EXTERNAL LIGHTS WERE FAILING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUSE PANEL HAD THERMALLY OVERHEATED, MELTED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

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TOUCH SCREEN RADIO DIED INEXPLICABLY, WEIRD KNOCKING SOUND FROM SPEAKERS

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RADIO STOPPED WORKING, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE'S BLUETOOTH TO STOP WORKING. THE CONTACT'S CITY HAS A HANDS FREE LAW FOR SAFETY. IN THE COLD WINTER MONTHS, THE RADIO AND BLUETOOTH FAILURE PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM BEING ABLE TO GET ANY UPDATE INFORMATION. THE CONTACT CHANGED THE FUSES, BUT THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 8/19/15*CN UPDATED 9/30/12 *JS

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WHILE DRIVING, RADIO/CD/HANDS FREE TELEPHONE DIED. BLANK SCREEN, NO POWER. ALL FUSES FINE. AFTER REMOVING RADIO AND CHECKING WIRING /GROUND, AUTO STEREO REPAIR GUY SAID THAT THE RADIO UNIT IS SHOT AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED ($600 PARTS BY DEALER) OR REPAIRED FOR MORE. 2011 CAR HAS JUST OVER 300000 MILES. RIDICULOUS

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I LOVE THIS CAR BUT FOR THE LAST YEAR I HAVE BEEN REPLACING LIGHTS BULBS EVERY THREE MONTHS. NOW I HAVE RUNNING LIGHTS GOING OUT, NO TURNING SIGNALS, TAIL LIGHT FLICKERS, THERE IS SOMETHING THAT IS WRONG WITH THE ELECTRICAL WIRING IN THIS CAR.

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WIFE CAME HOME AND SAID RADIO NOT WORKING. FROM THE RESEARCH I HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT. IT'S DONE. HAVE TO GET A NEW OR AFTERMARKET UNIT. CAN'T BELIEVE I AM THE ONLY ON WITH THIS PROBLEM.

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I WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH VARIOUS LIGHT BULBS GOING OUT. IT TURNED OUT TO BE A FUSE THAT HAD MELTED THE FUSE PLATE. I AM LUCKY THAT IT HAD NOT STARTED A FIRE. MY DEALER REPLACED THE FUSE PLATE AT A COST OF 372 WHICH VW IS REFUSING TO REIMBURSE ME FOR. I KNOW OTHER VW MODELS HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND HAVE BEEN RECALLED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. LOOSING YOUR HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT OR A VEHICLE FIRE ARE SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES. *TR

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HPFP CATASTROPHIC FAILURE STARTED VEHICLE AND WHILE DRIVING EXPERIENCED LOSS OF POWER. DIESEL GLOW PLUG ILLUMINATED AND MFD MESSAGE READ "SERVICE NOW". STALLED AT TRAFFIC LIGHT AND WOULD NOT RESTART. TOWED TO VW OF CORPUS CHRISTI THE NEXT DAY. VW REPAIRED AT THEIR COST. NEVER FUELED WITH ANYTHING BUT DIESEL. REPAIR TICKET INDICATED THAT 'DIESEL LOOKED OK". I WAS FORTUNATE THAT THIS DID NOT OCCUR AT HIGHWAY SPEED. I BELIEVE THAT THE COMPLAINT WAS CLOSED TOO EARLY BY THE NHTSA AND IS NOT DUE TO MISFUELING AS YOU HAVE BEEN CONVINCED BY VW BUT RATHER A DESIGN FLAW IN THE HPFP. I HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN THIS BRAND AND THE NHTSA DUE TO THIS ISSUE. *TR

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HORN STOPPED WORKING FUNCTIONING. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE DOOR LOCKS ON THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOCK AND UNLOCK INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

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DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 55MPH, STARTED SWITCHING LANES AND STEPPED ON THE GAS TO ACCELERATE. THE CAR SPUTTERED AND THE ENGINE VIBRATED. THE CAR FELT LIKE I WAS GOING TO STALL DRIVING IN THE HIGH-SPEED LANE. THE YELLOW CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND EPC LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. SWERVING BACK INTO THE LOWER SPEED LANE I COULDN'T EVEN KEEP THE CAR AT 55MPH. I HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE HIGHWAY TO SEE IF I COULD MAKE SENSE OF IT. AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR AND THEN BACK ON, THE LIGHTS WENT OFF AND THE CAR WAS FINE. I TOOK IT TOO THE MECHANIC AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG AFTER $85.00 DIAGNOSTIC. THE CAR RAN FINE FOR 2 DAYS UNTIL THE SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AGAIN. THIS OCCURRED ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY ABOUT EVERY 1-2 DAYS FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS. THREE TRIPS TO THE MECHANIC WITHIN THOSE 2 WEEKS AND WITH EACH VISIT THERE WAS A COMPUTER CONNECTED TO THE CAR AND A FULL SYSTEMS DIAGNOSTIC REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. IT BECAME DANGEROUS FOR ME TO DRIVE THE CAR AND EVEN MORE SO TO DRIVE IT ON THE HIGHWAY. AFTER THE SECOND WEEK THE LIGHTS FINALLY CAME ON AND STAYED ON AND THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE ENGINE MISFIRING IN 2 OF THE CYLINDERS. THE MECHANIC CHANGED WITH THE IGNITION COIL ON 12/15.2014. THE ENGINE RAN COMPLETELY FINE WITHOUT ANY ISSUES UNTIL LAST WEEK, 3/19/2015. AT 3 MONTHS AND ONLY 28,000 MILES ON THE CAR THE SAME PROBLEM STARTED TO REOCCUR WHILE GETTING ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM 40-45MPH. IT STARTED JUST AS IT DID BEFORE INTERMITTENTLY AND ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER THE ENGINE AND EPC LIGHTS WERE ON PERMANENTLY AGAIN. AFTER THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE SAME COMPONENT WE CHANGED THE SAME PART AGAIN. I AM EXPECTING TO BE CHANGING IT AGAIN IN 3 MORE MONTHS, IF I STILL HAVE THE CAR. *TR

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MY VW HAS HAD PROBLEMS SINCE A WEEK AFTER I BOUGHT IT. WHILE GOING 1500 RPM'S AROUND 15-25 MPH MY CAR CHUGS AND STALLS. I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO VW 4 TIMES, AND A PERSONAL MECHANIC. EACH TIME VW SAID THERE WAS A EITHER A COMPUTER ISSUE AND THAT THEY HAVE FIXED IT OR SAID THERE WAS NO ISSUE. THEY COMPLETELY RESET MY CARS COMPUTER BACK TO FACTORY SETTINGS DUE TO THEM SAYING THAT MY CAR LEARNED MY DRIVING STYLE. THIS DIDN'T HELP. YEARS LATER I AM STILL HAVING THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE ALMOST GOTTEN IN A FEW CAR ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THE STALLING/CHUGGING PROBLEM. I HAVE AN INFANT AND CAN'T HAVE MY FAMILY CAR CAUSING SUCH PROBLEMS. *JS

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4:45 AM AT 45 MPH, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED THEN TWO DASH LIGHTS SHOWED UP, I PULLED OVER TO CHECK WHAT THEY MEANT. ONE SAID PRE GLOW BEFORE START UP; IF FLASHING MALFUNCTION IN THE DIESEL ENGINE, THE OTHER WAS THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION WHICH SAID EMISSION MALFUNCTION. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO LOCAL GARAGE THEY DETERMINED IT WAS A FUEL PUMP ISSUE AND SHOWED ME ALL THE METAL SHAVINGS IN THE FUEL METERING VALVE. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO VW AS THERE ARE MANY BULLETINS ON THE PROBLEM. *TR

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I WAS ON ROUTE 95 IN FLORIDA DRIVING AT NIGHT AND A CAR HAD CUT IN FRONT OF ME I HONK MY HORN AND THEN BOTH OF MY HEADLIGHTS BLEW. I HAD TO PUT FLASHERS ON AND GET OFF NEXT EXIT TO FIND A AUTO PARTS STORE WHERE THEY CHANGE BOTH HEADLIGHT BULBS. I THEN CHECKED FOR RECALLS ON MY CAR FOUND OUT THAT THE HORN WAS FAULTY AND THAT IT COULD CAUSE ELECTRONIC MALFUNCTION AND SHUT ENGINE OFF. HEADLIGHTS ARE WORKING NOW BUT MY HORN DOES NOT WORK. CONTACTED VW ABOUT RECALL AND THEY SAID THAT SINCE I HAD HIGH MILEAGE. THAT I HAD NO WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE AND THAT I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. *TR

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OUTSIDE TEMP WAS 3 DEGREES F, APPROX 0730 ON 16FEB15 I HAD BEEN ON SHIFT THE CAR HAD NOT BEEN STARTED FOR 48 HRS. I STARTED THE CAR, AND WENT BACK INSIDE THE WORK BUILDING FOR APPROX. 5 MIN. WHEN I WENT BACK TO THE CAR I NOTICED A LARGE FLUID SPILL EMANATING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. AFTER REQUESTING ASSISTANCE FROM A CO-WORKER IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS ACTIVATED LARGE AMOUNTS OF DIESEL FUEL WAS SPURTING FROM THE TOP-FRONT PORTION OF THE FUEL PUMP. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN LEFT OFF, IS CURRENTLY AWAITING TOW, DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR ESTIMATES. *TR

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TRAVELING ALONG AT HIGHWAY SPEED. CAR SPUTTERED AND DIED. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND BE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. APPARENTLY THERE IS A WELL-KNOWN DESIGN FLAW IN THE INTERCOOLER INTAKE PIPE ON ALL VOLKSWAGEN TDI (DIESEL) ENGINES SINCE 2009 THAT CAUSES MOISTURE TO DEVELOP IN THE INTERCOOLER INTAKE PIPE DURING COLD WEATHER. IF ENOUGH MOISTURE COLLECTS IN THIS PIPE, IT WILL GET CHANNELED TO THE ENGINE AND BE FED INTO THE CYLINDERS, CAUSING THE CAR TO SPUTTER AND STALL EXACTLY AS MINE DID - OR TO SIMPLY NOT START ON COLD DAYS. OTHER SIDE EFFECTS OF THIS, ARE SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE. VW IS WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, AND HAS ISSUED A TSB ABOUT IT. "TSB# 21 11 06 / 2025464 FROZEN AIR CHARGE COOLER" AND THERE IS A REPAIR PART THEY HAVE ALREADY DESIGNED - # COLD WEATHER IC KIT 1K0-198-803-B... HOWEVER, THE PART IS ONLY MADE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST AND AT OWNER EXPENSE IF OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE; THIS IS HUGE SAFETY HAZARD AND A DESIGN FLAW THAT VW NEEDS TO CORRECT FOR ALL OWNERS. THIS SITUATION ALSO, APPARENTLY DOES NOT THROW ANY CODES TO THE VEHICLE COMPUTER, AS THERE ARE NO SENSORS OF ANY TYPE IN THIS INTERCOOLER PIPE. THE ONLY WAY TO DETERMINE THAT THIS IS THE CAUSE, IT TO PUT THE VEHICLE UP, AND REMOVE ONE END OF THIS HOSE AND SEE IF WATER OR 'SLUDGE' DRAINS OUT OF IT, AND THIS PIPE WOULD PROBABLY BE DESTROYED IN ANY FRONT-END COLLISION, AS IT'S FAR FORWARD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE IS A TON OF INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ALL OVER THE INTERNET. HERE IS A LINK TO JUST ONE OF THE ARTICLES I FOUND AFTER THIS HAPPENED TO ME. HTTP://FORUMS.THECARLOUNGE.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?5574701-TDI-INTERCOOLER-ISSUE-DESIGN-FLAW. *TR

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