What 639 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Hev

AT 22,591 MILES, I DISCOVERED THE DRIVER AIRBAG, AUDIO CONTROLS, HORN, OTHER ELECTRONICS ON STEERING WHEEL FAILED BECAUSE OF FAULTY CLOCK SPRING. THERE IS A RECALL NOTICE FOR MULTIPLE VW MODELS INCLUDING MY MODEL AND YEAR, BUT THE DEALER AND VW CORPORATE TOLD ME MY VEHICLE'S VIN DOESN'T QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL. HERE IS THE LINK TO VW RECALL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ISSUE: HTTP://MEDIA.VW.COM/RELEASE/1042/ THIS IS DANGEROUS, SOMEONE COULD GET KILLED. HOW CAN THIS FAIL AT ONLY 22K MILES AND BE NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR? IT IS OBVIOUS MY VIN NUMBER SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. I HAVE CONTACTED MARK GILLIES 703-364-7104 MARK.GILLIES@VW.COM WHO IS LISTED ON THE VW SITE. THEY STILL REFUSE TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS VIN.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

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THE CLOCK SPRING GOT DEBRIS IN IT, PUSHING THE RIBBON OFF THE GUIDE WIRES AND CAUSING A KINK. THIS CAUSES A FAULT IN THE AIRBAG CONTROLS AS THERE IS UNRELIABLE CONNECTIVITY WITH THE COMPUTER. THUS, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN TURNS ITSELF OFF. VW VOLUNTARILY RECALLED 420,000 CARS FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM, INCLUDING SOME VEHICLES WITHIN OUR SAME YEAR AND MODEL. FROM VW'S RECALL NOTICE: ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE STEERING WHEEL CLOCK SPRING COULD BECOME CONTAMINATED WITH LONG HAIR OR LONG FIBERS WHICH MAY CAUSE A DISPLACEMENT OF THE INTERNAL GUIDE LOOPS. WHEN THE GUIDE LOOPS ARE DRAGGED OUT OF POSITION, THEY MAY APPLY TENSION TO THE INTERNAL FLAT CABLE AND CAUSE IT TO TEAR. SHOULD THE CABLE TEAR, THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION TO THE DRIVER'S FRONT AIRBAG MAY BE LOST, CAUSING THE AIRBAG MONITORING INDICATOR LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. IN A CRASH THAT WARRANTS A DRIVER FRONT AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT, THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY, LEADING TO A RISK OF DRIVER INJURY. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR VEHICLE, VERBATIM. OUR VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF THE AFFECTED RECALL. I WAS TOLD BY A VW TECH THAT OUR VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL BECAUSE THE PART INCLUDES A COMPUTER MODULE FOR THE HIGHLINE DISPLAY. THIS CONTROLS ALL STEERING COLUMN-MOUNTED BUTTONS (RADIO, ETC), AND MUST BE MANUALLY REPROGRAMMED FOR EACH MODEL IT'S INSTALLED IN. THE PART COST INCREASES FROM $115 TO $375 AND THE LABOR FOR INSTALLATION INCREASES FROM $100 TO OVER $400. SO BY NOT REPLACING THE HIGHLINE MODULES, VW WILL SAVE SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS. MEANWHILE, PEOPLE ARE RIDING AROUND WITHOUT FUNCTIONING AIRBAGS BECAUSE VW CAN'T DESIGN A STEERING COLUMN THAT KEEPS LONG HAIR FROM GETTING TANGLED IN THEIR CLOCK SPRINGS. THE DESIGN FLAW ISN'T IN THE CLOCK SPRING ITSELF BUT IN THE STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY THAT CAN'T BLOCK DEBRIS FROM GETTING DOWN INTO THE CLOCK SPRINGS TO BEGIN WITH.

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IN A ACCIDENT WHERE I WAS STOPPED AND HIT IN THE REAR AND PUSHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. HEAVY FRONT AND REAR DMG AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, JUST SOME SMOKE CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE DASH LIKE IT WAS ON FIRE

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I OWN A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA THAT WAS DIAGNOSED BY A VW DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE AIRBAG CLOCK SPRING FAILURE THAT IS IDENTICAL TO YOUR RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V483000. MY AIRBAG LIGHT REMAINS ON AT ALL TIMES AND WILL NOT DEPLOY IF NEEDED. THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP HAS INFORMED ME THAT MY VIN AND THAT THIS VEHICLE'S MAKE AND MODEL WERE NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL-YOUR CAMPAIGN STATES OTHERWISE, PLEASE HELP OR ADVISE. VOLKSWAGAN

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AIRBAG ICON COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY, DIAGNOSIS SHOWS DRIVERS AIRBAG HIGH RESISTANCE, RESETTABLE. FIX IS CLOCK SPRING REPLACEMENT. VOLKSWAGEN DEALER SAYS VIN ISN'T IN CURRENT RECALL BUT IS PROBLEM IS VIRTUALLY THE SAME ERROR AS OTHER SPORTWAGENS RECALLS AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE NOT TO MENTION THE COST.

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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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THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, VEHICLE DRIVEN BY 22 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER FOR COLLEGE. 02/05/13, 9332 MILES, AIRBAG SYSTEM WARNING LAMP CAME ON, DEALER REPLACED PASSENGER "SIDE" AIRBAG, CONNECTORS AND WIRES REPAIRED. 06/03/14, 17,960 MILES, AIRBAG SYSTEM WARNING LAMP CAME ON, DEALER CLEARED FAILURE CODE. 06/24/14, 18,520 MILES, AIRBAG SYSTEM WARNING LAMP CAME ON, DEALER REPLACED PASSENGER "FRONT" AIRBAG. 08/12/14, 19,785 MILES, AIRBAG SYSTEM WARNING LAMP CAME ON, DEALER REPLACED PASSENGER "FRONT" AIRBAG AND REPAIRED/MODIFIED WIRING HARNESS. 09/03/14, 20,750 MILES, AIRBAG SYSTEM WARNING LAMP CAME ON, DEALER RAN NEW WIRES FOR T5 CONNECTOR. 09/26/14, 21,870 MILES, AIRBAG SYSTEM WARNING LAMP CAME ON, PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED NET. CONSIDERING REPLACING THIS VEHICLE AS I DON'T BELIEVE IT IS SAFE FOR MY DAUGHTER TO DRIVE DUE TO FAULTY ENGINEERING OF THE AIRBAG CONTROL SYSTEM. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON THE FRONT END AND WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A LACERATION TO THE FOREHEAD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR A CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE WAS REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 29,000. UPDATED 07/02/13*LJ

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VEHICLE WAS ENTERED WITH A PASSENGER. AFTER IT WAS STARTED, AN ALERT WAS HEARD ALONG WITH A DASH BOARD WARNING INFORMING ME THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH AIRBAG SYSTEM. THE A/C ALSO BECAME INOPERABLE. VW DOES NOT HAVE THE REPLACEMENT PARTS READILY AVAILABLE AND WILL HAVE THE VEHICLE FOR SOME TIME. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 25 MPH WHEN THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A WALL AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO BE INSPECTED. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN A FRONTAL CRASH, ONLY IF THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM THE SIDE OR THE REAR. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 30 MPH AND CONTACT CRASHED INTO A WALL. NO ONE WAS INJURED DURING THE CRASH BUT THE AIRS BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

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DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE I CAME TO THE END OF SOME SCARIFIED PAVEMENT. WHEN I WENT ACROSS THE END OF THE SCARIFIED PAVEMENT, THE RIGHT SIDE AIRBAGS WENT OFF. THE DEALER INSPECTS UNDER THE CAR AND FINDS A SMALL SCRATCH ON THE TRAILING ARM MOUNT AND SAYS THE CAR WAS BOTTOMED. ONLY PROBLEM IS THE SCRATCH IS NOT ON THE BOTTOM OF THE MOUNT AND IS EVEN ABOVE THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE WHICH ROUTES BENEATH THE MOUNT. THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE DOES NOT HAVE ANY DAMAGE OR SCRATCHES ON IT. ALSO, WHY WOULDN?T THE FRONT AIRBAGS GO OFF INSTEAD OF THE SIDE? IF THE CAR HAD BOTTOMED ON THE PAVEMENT OR ON THE LIP OF THE PAVEMENT WHERE THE SCARIFIED PAVEMENT ENDED, THE MARK ON THE TRAILING ARM MOUNT WOULD HAVE DAMAGE FROM THE INITIAL POINT OF CONTACT AND SCRAPE ALONG THE LEADING EDGE OF THE MOUNT UNTIL WHATEVER HIT IT HAD CLEARED UNDER THE MOUNT AND IT WOULD HAVE LOOKED A LOT WORSE. ANYWAY THE DEALER WANTS $4000 TO FIX THE AIRBAGS, NOT INCLUDING A NEW SEAT COVER SINCE THEY DON?T MANUFACTURE IT ANYMORE. IF YOU WANT A PICTURE OF THE IMPACT MARK LET ME KNOW. IT?S VERY MINISCULE. ALSO, AFTER THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT, THERE WERE NOT ANY TIRE, RIM, OR ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS. IN COMPARISON, IN MY 1997 GOLF, MY SON HIT A BAD POTHOLE LAST SPRING THAT POPPED THE TIRE, BENT THE ALLOY RIM, AND WHACKED THE ALIGNMENT BUT THE AIRBAG DID NOT GO OFF. IF YOU NEED ANY OTHER INFORMATION FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. *TT

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