What 639 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Hev

RANDOM EXTERIOR LIGHTS WERE NON-FUNCTIONAL WITH MULTIPLE DASHBOARD NOTIFICATION ERRORS. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT A BAD FUSE HAD SHORTED OUT AND MELTED THE FUSE BOX CAUSING THE PROBLEM. FUSE BOX MUST BE REPLACED DUE TO OVERHEATING OF BAD FUSE. REPAIR PLACE SAID THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH VOLKSWAGEN AND CERTAIN MODELS HAD ALREADY BEEN ISSUED A RECALL.

NHTSA ODI 10745555

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.

NHTSA ODI 10722896

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

NHTSA ODI 10714692

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

NHTSA ODI 10683935

EXTERIOR LIGHTS KEPT GOING OUT - FIRST THE FRONT LEFT LOW BEAM AND THEN THE HIGH BEAM, THEN THE RIGHT SIDE FRONT LIGHTS, THEN REAR BRAKE LIGHTS - RIGHT, THEN LEFT. PROBLEM DIAGNOSED AS A FUSE PLATE - "FOUND 30AMP FUSE THAT CONTROLS LIGHTS THAT ARE OUT IS MELTED AND BLOWN" KNOW THIS WAS PART OF A RECALL FOR OTHER VIN #S FOR THE 2011 JETTA BUT BELIEVE THE PART WAS FLAWED/HAD A DEFECT AND VW WON'T STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10672086

RIGHT SIDE HEADLIGHT STOPPED WORKING. I TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO CHANGED THE LIGHT BULB. ONE DAY LATER, THE RIGHT SIDE HEADLIGHT STOPPED WORKING AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10672239

I PURCHASED A USED 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA IN JULY 2012 WITH APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MILES. 6 MONTHS LATER I NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS WAS OUT. I LOOKED UP THE REPLACEMENT BULB AND PURCHASED A H7 HALOGEN BULB FOR APPROXIMATELY $25. A FEW MORE MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD THE OTHER HEADLIGHT WENT OUT, AGAIN, I PURCHASED THE REPLACEMENT BULB AT PRICE POINT OF $25. SINCE THEN I HAVE REPLACED EACH HEADLIGHT AT LEAST TWO MORE TIMES. WITH THAT SAID, I AM NOW COMING TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THERE HAS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE JETTAS HEADLIGHTS. I'VE NOTICED OTHER JETTA'S ON THE ROAD WITH HEADLIGHTS OUT AS WELL. IN MOST CARS LIGHTS LAST AT LEAST YEAR OR MORE. I RECALL IN A PREVIOUS VEHICLE I REPLACEMENT THE LIGHTS ONCE AND THAT WAS AFTER 3 MAYBE 4 YEARS, AND THESE WERE ALL DAY RUNNING LIGHTS. THE COST TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WOULD BE $149 AND THAT IS JUST TO LOOK AT THE CAR. THAT WOULD BE UNFAIR FOR ME TO PAY $149 EVERY TIME THE LIGHT GOES OUT BECAUSE OF AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10667802

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT DIAGNOSED THAT A FUSE MELTED AND DAMAGED THE FUSE BOX. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V569000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

NHTSA ODI 10663757

HEADLIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS AND LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS ALL WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH A TODDLER IN THE CAR. NUMEROUS WARNINGS FLASHED ON THE CAR. TRACKED DOWN THE PROBLEM TO A MELTED FUSE CONNECTION ON THE FUSE PLATE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, NEXT TO THE BATTERY. THE FUSE (F16) WAS ALSO MELTED. I REPLACED THE FUSE AND EVERYTHING IS NOW WORKING, BUT SINCE THE PLATE IS STILL MELTED, I'M CONCERNED THE ISSUE WILL REOCCUR. I CALLED VW AND APPARENTLY THERE IS A SERVICE ACTION (97AM) TO FIX THIS EXACT ISSUE FOR JETTA SEDANS AND GTIS BUT NOT JETTA SPORTWAGENS. SINCE I'M HAVING THE SAME ISSUE, I BELIEVE THAT THIS SERVICE ACTION SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO 2011 JETTA SPORTWAGENS AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10663629

TURNED MY VEHICLE ON AND HEARD THE RADIO POP AND HAS BEEN USELESS EVER SINCE. THE RADIO IN THIS VEHICLE CONTROLS EVERYTHING. I HAVE TALKED TO VWOA AND SEVERAL OTHER VW REPAIR SHOPS AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME THIS IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM AND I MUST PAY FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND REPAIR MYSELF. I AM VERY DISPLEASED WITH THE QUALITY OF PARTS AND SERVICE IN THIS VEHICLE. ALSO THE WAY EVERYONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS BUT LIES ABOUT IT REALLY GETS ON MY NERVES. ITS NOT RIGHT THAT A MULTI BILLION DOLLAR COMPANY CAN CONTINUE TO DO THIS TO PEOPLE LEGALLY. I HOPE THAT THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE AT YOUR ORGANIZATION THAT CAN MAKE THIS RIGHT. I HAVE FOUND SO MANY DIFFERENT WEBSITES, BLOGS , FORUMS. AND DISAPPOINTED PEOPLE THAT HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE INCLUDED JUST A FEW OF THE ONES I HAVE FOUND WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN. HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2010/VOLKSWAGEN/JETTA/ELECTRICAL_SYSTEM/PROBLEM.ASPX HTTP://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T36009_DS552583 HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/VW_JETTA.HTML HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/REVIEWS/VOLKSWAGEN/JETTA/R51763/COMMENTS/PAGE-23/ HTTP://FORUMS.EDMUNDS.COM/DISCUSSION/6721/VOLKSWAGEN/JETTA/VW-JETTA-ELECTRICAL-PROBLEMS/P9 HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/VOLKSWAGEN/JETTA/2011/ACCESSORIES-INTERIOR/RADIO_STOPPED_WORKING.SHTML HTTP://WWW.MOTORTREND.COM/CARS/2011/VOLKSWAGEN/JETTA/RECALLS/ HTTP://FORUMS.FOURTITUDE.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?5801721-RCD-510-JUST-STOPPED-WORKING HTTP://WWW.TRUEDELTA.COM/VOLKSWAGEN-JETTA/PROBLEMS-280 HTTP://JETTAJUNKIE.COM/VW-JETTA/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?45226-HELP-RADIO-AND-CIG-OUTLETS-STOPPED-WORKING-2011-TDI HTTP://VOLKSWAGENOWNERSCLUB.COM/VW/SHOWTHREAD.PHP/23920-2009-JETTA-SW-PROBLEMS-IN-RADIO-CIRCUIT-%28FUSE-8%29. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10649246

MY EXTERNAL LIGHT MALFUNCTION INDICATOR WENT ON. I STOPPED AND SAW THAT THE LEFT RUNNING LIGHT AND THE RIGHT LOW BEAM LIGHT WERE OUT. I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON 2 HOURS LATER THE INDICATOR WAS OFF AND ALL THE LIGHTS WERE WORKING. TODAY I GOT THE WARNING AGAIN AND IT CYCLED THROUGH TO SHOW MULTIPLE EXTERNAL LIGHTS NEEDING REPLACEMENT. IT APPEARS THIS IS THE MELTED FUSE BOX ISSUE. I SEE THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON SOME VWS. IS THE 2011 JETTA TDI RECALLED FOR THIS? *TR

NHTSA ODI 10644193

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.

NHTSA ODI 10626409

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

NHTSA ODI 10607800

ALL OF A SUDDEN, I WOULD TURN ON MY CAR AND MOST OF THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK, INCLUDING HEADLIGHTS, HIGH BEAMS, BRAKE LIGHTS, BLINKERS, AND DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. IT WAS DANGEROUS TO SUDDENLY DRIVE WITHOUT LIGHTS WHEN IT WAS NIGHTTIME OR CHANGING LANES WITHOUT WORKING BLINKERS TO ALERT OTHER DRIVERS. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO GET IT CHECKED OUT AND APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE IN RECENT VW CARS, THAT THE FUSE BOX IS MELTING THE FUSES. I READ MORE ABOUT IT ONLINE AND SOME PEOPLE DESCRIBED PROBLEMS WITH OTHER KEY PROCESSES FAILING LIKE POWER STEERING. I CAN'T BELIEVE VW HASN'T MADE A RECALL ON THIS BECAUSE IT HAPPENS TO SO MANY OF THEIR CARS AND REQUIRES AN EXPENSIVE PART REPLACEMENT. ALSO THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO HAPPEN TO OTHERS IN THE 10000 MILES BEYOND THE WARRANTY OF A CAR IN 36000 MILES. THAT IS BEING UNFAIR AND DISHONEST TO CUSTOMERS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10568724

WHILE DRIVING THE 2011 VW JETTA ON 1/5/14 DURING RAIN SHOWERS I SWITCHED THE WIPERS ON (WHICH I HAD PREVIOUSLY USED APROX 5 MINS BEFORE) & NOTHING HAPPENED, THEN I REALIZED THAT THE TURN SIGNALS WERE ALSO NOT WORKING INCLUDING THE HAZARD FLASHERS.. UPON REACHING MY HOME AT REDUCED SPEEDS IN ORDER TO SAFELY MAKE IT HOME I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE THE NEEDED REPAIR TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE, THINKING THE ISSUE WAS A BLOWN FUSE, BUT AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION NO BLOWN FUSES ARE PRESENT & AT THE CURRENT TIME VW SERVICE DEPT. DENIES THAT ANY PART OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS FAULTY & ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM IS STILL CURRENTLY NOT FIXED. ALONG WITH OTHER ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS SUCH AS THE POWER WINDOWS & DOOR LOCKS NOT FUNCTIONING DUE TO THIS ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION THE VEHICLE WILL NOT CRANK & START USING THE IGNITION SWITCH. I FEEL THIS PROBLEM IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT VW NEEDS TO ADDRESS & OFFER A RECALL BEFORE SUCH A MALFUNCTION RESULTS IN A FATAL INCIDENT DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO CLEARLY SEE THE ROADWAY DURING RAINY CONDITIONS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10559071

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE HEADLIGHTS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUSE BOX WAS OVERHEATING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,100.

NHTSA ODI 10553321

ALL FINE IN THE MORNING, PARKED IN A PAVED LOT AT WORK. LEAVING IN THE AFTERNOON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER TOLD ME A LIGHT WAS OUT. BY THE TIME I WAS LEAVING THE PARKING LOT THE FOLLOWING WERE NOT WORKING: LEFT: FONT SIDE, REAR TURN. RIGHT: HEADLIGHT, DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT, FRONT TURN, REAR TAIL. LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS. A FRIEND IS AN ASE MASTER TECH. THIS IS WHAT HE FOUND: "SO TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE FUSE IT APPEARS TO BE ''COOKED'' ON ONE SIDE. THIS WOULD INDICATE HEAT ON ONLY ONE SIDE OF THE FUSE. I THINK WE CAN AGREE THIS IS NOT A FUSE ISSUE, BUT A WIRING OR SUPPLY ISSUE. WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WHEN YOU TRY AND RUN TO MANY AMPS THROUGH TOO SMALL A WIRE IT CREATES EXCESS HEAT I WOULD VENTURE THAT VW PUT TOO SMALL A WIRE ON ONE SIDE OF FUSE 16. THE FUSE BLOCK IS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IN FR OF THE BRAKE BOOSTER. THE 16 FUSE IS TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE BLOCK AND THE BURNT SIDE WAS TOWARDS THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. I AM NOT SURE HOW WORRIED I WOULD GET ABOUT THIS, BUT SIMPLY PUT A FEW 30AMP FUSES IN THE GLOVE BOX. YA THERE IS AN ISSUE THERE, BUT THE FIRST ONE LASTED 39K." I HAVE THE FUSE. AT LEAST ONE OTHER PERSON HAS HAD A SIMILAR ISSUE: HTTP://FORUMS.TDICLUB.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=355338&PAGE=3. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10550349

THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE INDICATING THAT A HEADLIGHT, SIDE LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHT, AND REAR LIGHT WERE OUT. I INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND ALL LIGHTS WERE WORKING. THE INDICATER HOWEVER KEPT COMING ON. UPON TAKING INTO THE SHOP TO CHECK ON THE REPAIR I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE FUSE BOX IN THE VEHICLE WHICH GETS "HOT" AND SHORTS THE BOX OUT. VW IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED TO WARRANT A RECALL. WHEN I ADVISED THAT THIS MAY RESULT IN A POSSIBLE FIRE OR SHORTING OUT OF THE SYSTEM - MAYBLE CAUSING A STALL I WAS TOLD "IT COULD HAPPEN.". THE FUSE BOX WAS REPLACED WHICH COST $785.27. FORTUNATELY, THIS BOX IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY OF THE REPAIR BECAUSE I AM HAVING THE PROBLEM AGAIN FOR A SECOND TIME. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10537544

I WAS DRIVING AND I TRIED TO HONK MY HORN BECAUSE A TRACTOR TRAILER WAS MERGING IN MY LANE. MY HORN WOULD NOT SOUND AND I HAD ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND THEN LATER THAT EVENING IT STARTED TO DRIZZLE AND MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE NOT WORKING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10535646

VEHICLE HAS NO FUSE DIAGRAM AND LIGHTER FUSE REPEATEDLY BLOWS.UNABLE TO GET HELP ON LEASED VEHICLE WITHOUT PAYING FOR SERVICE. I UNFORTUNATELY CANNOT ACCESS SIMPLE FUSES WITHOUT HAVING A DIAGRAM. I WAS PUT IN HARMS WAY BY ACCIDENTALLY REMOVING BRAKE LIGHT FUSE. I AM NOT ABLE TO FIND A DIAGRAM ON THE INTERNET OR VW WEBSITE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10511624

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

NHTSA ODI 10504656