What 639 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Hev

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY SHUT OFF AND FAILED TO ILLUMINATE AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE LIGHT BULBS IN ORDER TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BCM MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

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WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR LOST POWER. WE WERE ON A RURAL ROAD SO WE COULD PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY, IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON A FREEWAY WE COULD HAVE BEEN IN DANGER OF BEING REAR ENDED. ONCE STOPPED THE CARE WOULD NOT RESTART. HAD TO BE TOWED TO VW DEALER. THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED. *TR

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I WAS OPERATING THE CAR ON A HIGHWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN REDUCTION IN POWER AND THE DASH DISPLAYED A FLASHING GLOW PLUG LIGHT AND SOLID CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF. THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART AND WAS TOWED TO A VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THE CAUSE WAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE (HPFP); IT TOTALLY CAME APART AND DISTRIBUTED METAL THROUGHOUT THE FUEL SYSTEM. INJECTOR PUMP (DIESEL), INJECTORS, INJECTOR LINES, PRIMARY FUEL LINES, AND PRIMARY FUEL PUMP. THE CAR ONLY HAS 54,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

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I PURCHASED A USED 2011 VW JETTA SPORTWAGEN TDI ON MONDAY, JULY 28, 2014 AND 5 DAYS LATER ON AUGUST 2ND, THE CAR DIED. I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR MOSTLY ON THE HIGHWAY AND THEN SOME MODERATELY WINDING FOOTHILL ROADS. I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND WHEN I ACCELERATED INTO THE INTERSECTION THE ENGINE ABRUPTLY DIED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE ENGINE TURNED OVER WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED, BUT IT WOULDN'T START. FORTUNATELY, PEOPLE IN THE VEHICLES BEHIND ME HELPED PUSH MY CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT WAS TOWED TO A NEARBY REPAIR SHOP SPECIALIZING IN FOREIGN CARS FOR EVALUATION. THEY FOUND THE DIESEL FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED AND THEY SAID THERE ARE METAL SHAVINGS THROUGHOUT THE FUEL SYSTEM. *TR

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WHILE DRIVING, I SMELLED A BURNING SMELL FROM OUTSIDE THE CAR. HAD THE SAME OCCURRENCE ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS ON A PREVIOUS VEHICLE WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE STICKING CALIPERS, SO IMMEDIATELY I CHECKED THE BRAKES. WHAT I FOUND WAS THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM THE REAR DRIVER SIDE AND THE RIM WAS VERY HOT. *TR

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I BOUGHT A 2011 JETTA IN FEBRUARY 2011. TODAY, I AM TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT 'SOME WIRES' LOCATED UNDER THE SPARK PLUGS ARE SHORT-CIRCUITING AND NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $830 + TAX. NOW, WHY ARE THERE 'SOME WIRES' UNDER THE SPARK PLUGS THAT ARE NOT SUFFICIENTLY INSULATED? AND, WHY ARE 'SOME WIRES' UNDER THE SPARK PLUGS ANYWAY? I WAS GOING DOWN I-24 AT 55 MPH AND THE CAR 'CUT OFF'! THE ONLY THING THAT SAVED MY LIFE IS THAT IT WAS RUSH HOUR AND THE TRAFFIC WAS BUMPER TO BUMPER. I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!!! SUCH A DESIGN OF 'SOME WIRES' UNDER THE SPARK PLUGS IS NOT GOOD CRAFTSMANSHIP OR PROFESSIONAL DESIGN. THE VEHICLE IS NOT EVEN PAID FOR AND I HAVE TO REPLACE 'SOME WIRES' UNDER THE SPARK PLUGS ALREADY. I THINK THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF THE VEHICLE CUTTING OFF WHEN DRIVING AT FULL SPEED, IN TRAFFIC ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. EVERYONE WITH A 2011 JETTA NEEDS TO BE MADE AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS SAME 'INSTANT SHUT DOWN OF ENGINE' HAPPENING TO THEM. THERE WAS NO WARNING SUCH AS THE ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON OR THE CAR STALLING WHEN TRYING TO START THE ENGINE. IN FACT, SOME ONE MAY BE DISILLUSIONED WHEN CAR RESTARTS AND DRIVES LIKE THERE IS NOTHING TO IT!!! IT TOOK THE DEALER 2-DAYS TO FINE THE PROBLEM SO EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE MADE AWARE OF THIS GROSS DANGER!! *TR

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THE 2011 VW JETTA TDI MAIN SOURCE OF COMMUNICATION IS THROUGH THE RADIO (DELPHI PREMIUM 8). I WAS DRIVING AND THE RADIO COMPLETELY WENT OUT AFTER A POP. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND AS A 2011 AUTOMOBILE, THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING 3 YEARS AFTER A NEW CAR IS PURCHASED. THIS IS A LARGE SAFETY HAZARD WHILE DRIVING AND NOT HAVING THE VEHICLES MAIN COMMUNICATION ACCESSIBLE. PLEASE LOOK MORE INTO THIS. THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THIS RADIO MODEL. *TR

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KEY STUCK IN IGNITION MULTIPLE TIMES HAVING GREAT DIFFICULTY TURNING ON AND OFF CAR. PROBLEMS APPEARS TO OCCUR ON A MORE FREQUENT BASIS, CAR DEALERSHIP INDICATED NOT A PROBLEM WHILE UNDER WARRANTY TOLD JIGGLE THE KEY WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM. PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AS MY WIFE CAN'T DRIVE THE CAR FOR FEAR OF BEING STUCK, SHE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM JULY 6, 2014 AS SHE HAD TO WALK HOME. TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, MOVING THE TRANSMISSION IN AND OUT OF GEAR AND MOVING THE KEY AROUND WILL EVENTUALLY ALLOW THE KEY TO MOVE INTO A ON/OFF POSITION.

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DRIVER SEAT BELT LATCH FAILURE. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT CANNOT BE ENGAGED IN THE LATCH, SOMETHING BROKE INSIDE THE LATCH MECHANISM. THE SEAT BELT IS NOT FUNCTIONAL!! *JS

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CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY, REQUIRING THE PEDAL TO BE COMPLETELY DEPRESSED TO ACHIEVE ANY ACCELERATION EVEN TO LOW SPEEDS. AT THIS POINT, A BRAKE WARNING LIGHT APPEARED FOR THE FIRST TIME. VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO DEALER, JIM ELLIS VW IN THE ATLANTA AREA WHO TESTED THE MODEL AND DETERMINED THE ABS MODULE HAD FAILED. AFTER REPLACING THE ABS MODULE THE BRAKES LOCKED DURING A TEST DRIVE BY THE SERVICE STAFF. SUBSEQUENTLY THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER WERE REPLACED. OWNER BELIEVES THAT THIS EARLY FAILURE OF SO MANY COMPONENTS ON A NEWER, VERY LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE LIKELY REPRESENTS MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY. *JS

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THIS COMPLAINT IS FOR THE 2011 VW JETTA SPORTWAGON TDI . THERE IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT THAT CAUSED THE FUSE BOX UNDER THE HOOD TO MELT. THIS CAUSED MOST OF THE LIGHTS ON THE EXTERIOR TO FAIL, WHICH INCLUDED THE HEADLIGHTS, TAILLIGHTS, BRAKE-LIGHTS, ECT. THERE WERE RECALLS ON SIMILAR MODELS, BUT NOT THIS SPECIFIC CAR. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS CAR TO PREVENT POTENTIAL INJURIES. *TR

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SINCE THE END OF MARCH, 2014, MY 2011 JETTA HAS COMPLETELY SHUT OFF WHILE IN IDLE. UNTIL RECENTLY IT HAS SHUT OFF WHILE IN DRIVE AT LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE BEGINS BUCKING AND HAVING LITTLE HICCUPS, AND THEN IT JUST SHUTS OFF, SOMETIMES ABLE TO GET IT TO RESTART, OTHER TIMES IT DOES NOT TURN RIGHT BACK ON. I HAVE ALREADY HAD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED, AND THE CRANK SENSOR, AND HAVE PAID HUNDREDS IN TESTING THUS FAR. I AM EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED AT THIS POINT. THE CAR HAS BEEN TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS, TWICE EACH, AND THE FIRST TIME IT WENT IN ANYWHERE WAS A LOCAL AUTO SHOP, BUT EVERY TIME SINCE IT HAS GONE TO AN AUTHORIZED VW DEALER. NO ONE CAN SEEM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH MY CAR. THIS IS A VERY SCARY SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED, AND READING OTHER PEOPLES COMPLAINTS IT SEEMS I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO IS HAVING ISSUES WITH THEIR CAR SHUTTING OFF. *TR

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GLOW PLUG LIGHT STARTED BLINKING, THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. SHIFTING BECAME ERRATIC. PULLED INTO A SERVICE STATION, AND ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF, IT WOULDN'T RESTART. AFTER BASIC CHECKS, THE FUEL PUMP WAS PULLED FOR INSPECTION AND METAL SHAVINGS WERE FOUND. IN RESEARCHING THE REPAIR, THE INDEPENDENT STATION SUGGESTED PUTTING THINGS BACK TOGETHER, AND HAVING IT TOWED TO THE DEALER, AS IT WAS SUSPECTED TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE BOSCH HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. IN FACT IT WAS, AND WHILE THE CAR WAS TWO MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY, THE DEALER WENT AHEAD AND COVERED THE REPAIR UNDER THE UNRELATED DRIVETRAIN WARRANTY. I CONSIDER MYSELF INCREDIBLY LUCKY THAT THIS WASN'T 15 MINUTES EARLIER, WHEN I WAS TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, ON AN INCREDIBLY FULL FREEWAY. IT COULD'VE BEEN A MAJOR ACCIDENT IF I HAD SUDDENLY LOST POWER. CONSIDERING THERE ARE ENTIRE WEBSITES DEVOTED TO TRACKING THIS ISSUE, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL. *TR

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WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE CAR SPUTTERED, AND HESITATED WHILE LOSING POWER. REGAINED POWER BRIEFLY THEN SPUTTERED, LOST POWER AND ENGINE CUT OFF COMPLETELY. STARTED ENGINE AFTER LETTING SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES DROVE HOME OK. HAPPENED AGAIN A WEEK LATER AND TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP. DEALER DIAGNOSED IT AS FAULTY IGNITION COIL AND ARCING. *TR

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DRIVING AT 45 MPH, ENGINE DID NOT STALL BUT LOST POWER. MOTOR STALLED AFTER ABOUT 10 SECONDS. AFTER PUTTING IN NEUTRAL AND ROLLING TO A STOP THE MOTOR WOULD NOT RESTART. AFTER TOWING TO LOCAL VW DEALER, WAS TOLD THE MECHANICAL FUEL PUMP FAILED. THEY SAID IT WAS 4-5 THOUSAND JOB BUT VW WAS PICKING UP THE REPAIR AND NOT CHARGING IT OUT TO OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY. WAS GIVEN A LOANER CAR UNTIL REPAIRS ARE MADE. NO INDICATION OF HOW LONG. IS THIS AN ADMISSION BY VW THAT A SERIOUS PROBLEM EXISTS WITH TDI MODELS? *TR

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HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE. ALWAYS FUELED UP WITH ULTRA LOW SULFUR DIESEL. *TR

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CAR WAS RUNNING SMOOTH AND PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AND THEN WOULDN'T TURN OVER. BATTERY POWER WAS FINE, HOSES WERE FINE(VACUUM OK) AND THEN IDENTIFIED THAT FUEL MIGHT BE THE PROBLEM, USED MULTIMETER TO IDENTIFY THAT FUEL PUMP UNDER BACK SEAT WAS DEAD AND PROMPTLY ORDERED A NEW ONE AND REPLACED IT. NOT EXPECTED FOR A CAR WITH 45,000 MILES AND A 2011 DIESEL BUT THIS IS APPARENTLY A COMMON PROBLEM. HAD IT IN FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AT THE DEALER TOO. *TR

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I WAS IN THE DRIVE THRU OF MC DONALDS THEN CAME A TERRIBLE RATTLE FROM UNDER THE CAR, 10 SECONDS LATER THE CAR TURNED OFF. TURNED IT BACK ON AND GLOW PLUG LIGHT WAS FLASHING PARKED THE CAR IMMEDIATELY. TURNED IT BACK ON AND HAD LITTLE TO NO POWER THEN CAME TO A HALT, TRIED TO TURN IT BACK ON AND WOULD NOT START. HAD IT TOWED TO VW THERE LOOKING AT IT I'M WAITING ON A RESPONSE. THIS IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN THIS EARLY. I ALWAYS HAD IT SERVICED AT THE DEALER. ON TIME. HELP US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FROM THE OTHER COMPLAINTS MY STRESS HAS HIT A LIMIT. IF IT COSTS 10K TO FIX. THEN I COULD OF BOUGHT A BMW OR WHATEVER. 24K + 10K = 34K I'M SAD :( *TR

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THE VEHICLES GLOW PLUG LIGHT STARTED FLASHING, THE CAR STARTED RUNNING SLUGGISH, I QUICKLY PULLED INTO A GAS STATION. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART IT, IT WOULD CRANK BUT NOT START. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC, WHO AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION DISCOVERED THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILED AND SENT METAL SHAVINGS THROUGHOUT THE FUEL SYSTEM. LINES, INTAKE, FUEL INJECTORS ALL HAVE BEEN AFFECTED. I AM BEING QUOTED SEVERAL THOUSANDS TO REPAIR. THIS SHOULD SIMPLY NOT HAPPEN, I SEE IT AS FAULTY ENGINEERING! *TR

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GLOW PLUG & CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON , ENGINE DIED 30 SECONDS LATER. WOULD NOT RESTART, TOWED TO DEALER, DIAGNOSED HPFP CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, METAL DEBRIS IN FUEL SYSTEM. WHOLE FUEL SYSTEM REPLACED, TANK THROUGH TO INJECTORS. NO WARNING OF FAULT CONDITION WITH NO TIME TO PULL OFF TO SIDE OF ROAD, LEFT STUCK IN MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY. *TR

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WHILE DRIVING THROUGH TOWN 35 MPH MY TDI SPORTWAGON GLOWPLUG LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED INTO A PARKING LOT WITHIN SECONDS AND PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN PARK. THE CAR SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS NOT FIRING ON A CYLINDERS. I TURNED THE CAR OFF. AFTER THAT IT WOULD NOT START BACK UP. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, IT HAS TO DO WITH THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. THIS MADE THINGS UNSAFE AND THEIR ARE NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF LEAKS/ CORROSION/ OR SIGNS OF WEARING. THE MALFUNCTIONING FUEL SYSTEM CAUSED MY CAR TO FAIL AND STALL IN A BUSY INTERSECTION. THE FUEL SYSTEM SHOULD BE RECALLED. AT LEAST THE PUMP SYSTEM. *TR

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MY CAR HAS HAD 3 STALLS WITHIN 3 MONTHS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY. SINCE THEN I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT AND PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE AND THE CAR STALLED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *TR

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WENT TO PASS A VEHICLE AND I FELT A SURGE THEN A SIREN SOUND STARTED COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF ENGINE. WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP IT WAS A VACUUM ISSUE AND IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. WHEN I GOT TO DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A BLOWN TURBO. WONDERING IF THIS IS TIED TO THE INCIDENT I HAD WITH THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILING AROUND 100K. TOO MANY MAJOR CATASTROPHIC ISSUES WITH THIS CAR. I'VE BEEN QUOTED 15,000 FOR REPAIRS ON A CAR I'M STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON AND ONLY COST 28K TO BEGIN WITH. *TR

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DRIVING ON SURFACE STREET AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. IN 2011 JETTA SPORTWAGEN TDI WITH ONLY 23000 MILES ."SERVICE NOW! " WARNING CAME ON AND CAR IMMEDIATELY STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND WOULD NOT RESTART. HAD TO BE TOWED TO VW DEALER, HAS BEEN THERE 5 DAYS SO FAR WAITING FOR HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT. FROM INVESTIGATION, THIS IS NOT AN OBSCURE EVENT, IS KNOWN TO OCCUR WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR TDI (DIESEL) ENGINES. IF THIS OCCURRED ON A HIGH SPEED FREEWAY, I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN STRUCK AND KILLED WHEN CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED. *TR

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2011 JETTA HAS A RECALL (11V196000) FOR ELECTRICAL/FUSE WIRING. WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED THE PROBLEM THAT THE RECALL IS 4.WE HAVE NO ALARM HORN "CHIRP" OR HORN. WE CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THE RECALL DID NOT INCLUDE THE TDI MODEL YET WE ARE HAVING THE PROBLEM THE RECALL IS 4. *TR

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