Home · 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Hev · Complaints

What 639 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Hev

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (639)Crash / fire / injury (43)Electrical system (200)Fuel system (96)Engine (93)Fuel System, Diesel (82)Transmission & drivetrain (55)Lights (46)Airbags (38)Brakes (28)Engine & cooling (26)Speed control (26)

46 of 639 complaints match · Lights · clear filters · page 1 of 2

Jan 3, 2025Electrical systemLightsBrakes

The f16 fuse in the engine bay that connects power to multiple exterior lights as well as the abs brake system melts and melts part of the fuse tray. This is the same thing that happens with the vw Tiguan in campaign am97. Look into am97 as this can ruin your abs brake system. This should be recalled and fixed. This picture is not mine but is exactly what happened.

NHTSA ODI 11633929

Dec 10, 2022Electrical systemLights

Lights coming on by themselves while in park position and draining the battery. Replaced battery 3 times in the last 7 months.

NHTSA ODI 11496902

Jan 21, 2021SteeringLights

MY LIGHTS FAILED ABRUPTLY. WHEN DRIVING MY CAR PULLS TO THE RIGHT.

NHTSA ODI 11389226

Dec 9, 2020Electrical systemLightsWheels

I BOT W/ ONLY 40,000 MILES APPROX. I DRIVE ALOT. ITS ABOUT 70,000 NOW. ONE TIRE SENSOR IS OUT AND THE PERSON AT FRIRESTONE SAID THEYLL GO OUT AGAIN AND ITS HARD TO KNOW WHICH TIRE IT IS. THE ELE TRICAL IS A MESS. I FINALLY TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC. IT IS DEFNITELY ELECTRICAL. THIS CAR IS NOT A GOOD VALUE AS EVERYTHING BREAKS ON IT AND I DONT SPEED AND ADD ADDITIVES AND B\'BABY" IT. I'M 62. IT HAS TO LAST. BUT IT IS NOT. I SEE THERES RECALLS FOR IT CONCERNING ELEECTRICAL, YET THE DEALER SAYS NO NEVER HA DA RECALL. THE NIGHT HALF MY LIGHTS WENT OUT WAS AFTER THANKSGIVING AS I WAS TRAVELING THE GRAPEVINE IN CAL. I WAS LUCKY NOT TO BE IN AN ACCIDENT

NHTSA ODI 11382782

Oct 16, 2020Lights

THE LOW BEAMS ON DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE HAVE FAILED 12 TIMES AND REQUIRED ME BUYING NEW H7 BULBS. THEY HAVE ON 3 OCCASIONS WENT OUT SIMULTANEOUSLY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY. THE REAR TAIL LIGHT ALSO RANDOMLY TURNS OFF, REQUIRING OPENING AND SHUTTING THE TRUNK TO GET IT TO COME BACK ON OR SHUTTING OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTING IT TO GET THE TAILLIGHT BACK ON. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE 30K MILES, MY VEHICLE NOW HAS 135K.

NHTSA ODI 11364648

Jan 20, 2020Electrical systemLights

DRIVER SIDE OF MY JETTA LIGHTING WENT OFF , I WENT ONLINE TO SEE WHAT CAN BE WRONG WITH IT AND I SEE MANY PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, THATS UNSAFE, SHOULD BE RECALLED, ITS NOT A FUSE OR LIGHT BULBS ,SO ITS THE WIRE IN, I THINK THIS IS NO SAFE TO BE DRIVING AND SHOULD BE CHECK , LIKE I SAY ITS MANY PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, THANKS

NHTSA ODI 11300579

Jan 8, 2020LightsElectrical system

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER SON WAS DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE AND THE HORN BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HERITAGE SUBARU OWINGS MILLS, 9808 REISTERSTOWN RD, OWINGS MILLS, MD 21117, (888)553-0026 TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEADLAMP WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE THEN WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CLOCKS SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V196000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 11297940

Aug 3, 2019LightsAirbags

PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT RANDOMLY CAME ON BECAUSE OF SOME SORT WIRING ISSUE. HEADLIGHT BULBS CONSTANTLY SHORT OUT. I'VE HAD TO CHANGE ATLEAST 10 BULBS IN LESS THAN A YEAR. HEADLIGHTS GO OUT AND TAILIGHTS... THESE ARE 2 SEPERATE ISSUES. BUT IF YOU GOOGLE IT, THEY ARE BOTH COMMON ISSUES. IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE ON MY CAR FOR YEARS, BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE I COULD REPORT IT.

NHTSA ODI 11241454

May 21, 2019Lights

PREMATURE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT BULB FAILURE. THE LOW BEAM H7 BULBS FAIL AFTER JUST 2 TO 3 MONTHS OF USE. I HAVE USED OEM BULBS, SYLVANIA BULBS OF EVERY LEVEL, AND THE BULBS STILL FAIL AFTER A SHORT TIME. DOING A QUICK ONLINE SEARCH WILL SHOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH EVEN NEWER (SAME BODY STYLE) JETTAS.

NHTSA ODI 11209137

Dec 4, 2018Lights

LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS GO DARK WITHIN A YEAR AT BEST. I HAVE REPLACED HEADLIGHT BULBS AT LEAST 6 TIMES SINCE I'VE OWNED IT. I RECENTLY REPLACED ONE BULB AND THE NEXT DAY IT WAS OUT. UPON INSPECTION, THE BULB DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE 'BURNED-OUT'. OTHER LIGHTS FUNCTION, INCLUDING THE LOW-BEAM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11155934

Sep 6, 2018Electrical systemLightsCrash

MY HORN AND FRONT RIGHT PARKING LIGHT BOTH STOPPED WORKING AT THE SAME TIME. I NOTICED THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE SAME MAKE/MODEL/YEAR AS MY CAR, BUT MY VIN IS NOT INCLUDED. I WILL NEED TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED AND PAY FOR IT, HOWEVER, I DO HOPE VW AND NHTSA SEES THIS IS A PROBLEM AND EXPAND THE RECALL TO INCLUDE MORE MODELS.

NHTSA ODI 11124715

Feb 23, 2018Electrical systemLights

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS OR WHILE PARKED, THE HORN FAILED TO OPERATE WHEN PRESSED. ALSO, THE HEADLIGHTS INADVERTENTLY FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WITHOUT WARNING. LEITH VOLKSWAGEN OF RALEIGH (4005 CAPITAL HILLS DRIVE RALEIGH, NC 27616, (833) 827-4410) WAS CONTACTED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED DUE TO THE DIAGNOSTIC FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BECAUSE THE CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER WAS BUSY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. *TT *TR

NHTSA ODI 11074565

Aug 10, 2017Electrical systemLightsElectronic Stability Control (esc)

PURCHASED 2011 VW JETTA CAR RECENTLY FOR MY DAUGHTER. IT DROVE OK FOR A SHORT WHILE BUT THEN LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING. FIRST THE RADIO TURNED OFF, THEN SEVERAL LIGHTS TURNED ON ON THE DASH AND THE STEERING BECAME HARD. FINALLY THE CAR TURNED OFF. I MANAGED TO PULL OFF THE FREEWAY. AFTER THIS, IT WOULD NOT START. WE TESTED THE BATTERY BUT IT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR BUT THAT ALSO DID NOT WORK. NOW I AM READING ABOUT MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS SAME MODEL BY OTHER OWNERS. I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THIS BE INVESTIGATED AS A RECALL SINCE THERE ARE TOO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THAT SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED. HERE IS THE WEBSITE: HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/VOLKSWAGEN/JETTA/2011/ELECTRICAL/ELECTRICAL_SYSTEM.SHTML

NHTSA ODI 11014225

Mar 30, 2017Electrical systemLights

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY SEVERAL MESSAGES STARTED TO APPEAR IN REFERENCE TO FAILED LIGHTS. I LOST SIGNAL LIGHTS, HEADLIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS. REPLACING THE LIGHTS DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. AT THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME THAT THE FUSE BOX WAS BURNED OUT AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ON 3/24/2017.

NHTSA ODI 10969635

Sep 25, 2016Lights

BOTH LOW BEAM LIGHTS WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME. CHECKED ALL FUSES NONE BURNT. CHANGED THE BULBS STILL OUT.

NHTSA ODI 10909558

Sep 19, 2016Electrical systemLights1 injury

I HAVE ISSUES WITH THE HEADLIGHTS. EVERY OTHER MONTH MY HEADLIGHT GOES OUT. WHEN I DROVE OFF THE LOT I HAD ONE HEADLIGHT. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS. WHEN I CHANGE IT THE OTHER SIDE GOES OUT. I KNOW THATS NOT NORMAL. AND THEN ONE DAY I HAD BEEN RUNNING ARRENDS AND MADE A STOP . I WAS WEARING FLIP FLOPS THAT DAY. WELL WHEN I WENT TO TURN AROUND IN MY SEAT TO GET WHAT WAS BEING HANDED TO ME FROM MY GIRLFRIEND I BURNED MY THREE LITTLE TOES ! !!! I IMMIEATELY WENT UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL <DASH> AND SEEN IT WAS A PIPE NOT COVERED.I HAVE HAD MANY CARS AND I HAVE NEVER FELT ANY THING SO HOT UNDER A DASH.I HAD THREE BLISTERS.EACH TOE HAD A TINY BLISTER.THATS WHEN I SEEN ALL THE RUST EVERYWHER OR ANYWHERE THERE IS METAL IS COVERED WITH RUST.THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE REAR END .I NOTICED AFTER I TOOK IT IN THAT THE TIRES DIIDNT LOOK EVEN IN THE BACK.DRIVER SIDE TIRE BOWS INWARD ON THE TOP SIDE AND THE OTHER SIDE DOESNT. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WELL THATS ALWAYS ON . .AND WHEN I CHECKED THE AIR FILTER IT SMELLED LIKE IT WAS IN AN ELECTRICAL FIRE .MY HORN SOUNDS DEFECTIVE.BARELY HEAR IT. AND THE WINDSHEILD WIPER HAS ALOUD NOISE WHEN OPERATING.

NHTSA ODI 10907988

Aug 25, 2016Electrical systemLights

MY CARS LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS UNEXPECTEDLY STOPPED WORKING AFTER BRINGING IT INTO THE WEST BROAD VOLKSWAGEN OF RICHMOND, VA FOR A SAFETY RECALL. I THOUGHT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A CHANCE THAT THEY BOTH BURNED OUT SIMULTANEOUSLY AND HAD THE LIGHT BULBS CHANGED, BUT STILL NO LUCK. I ALSO PURCHASED A NEW LIGHT SWITCH FOR MY DASH AND IT STILL DOES NOT WORK. I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT AND DO NOT HAVE A LOT OF MONEY TO SPEND ON BLIND DIAGNOSES. MY DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS WORK AND MY HIGH BEAMS, JUST NOT MY LOW BEAMS. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH ONLINE AND HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH MANY VOLKSWAGEN JETTA DRIVERS FROM THEIR STANDARD MODELS, THROUGH SE-SEL, AND UP INTO THE TDI TRIMS. I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS, BECAUSE IT IS UNSAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE DURING DUSK AND IF I EVER NEED TO DRIVE AT NIGHT I AM FORCED TO USE MY HIGH BEAMS.

NHTSA ODI 10898404

Aug 9, 2016Lights

MY VW JETTA BLOWS WHITE SMOKE ON START UP. IT FILLS MY GARAGE WITH WHITE SMOKE.

NHTSA ODI 10894485

Jul 19, 2016Electrical systemLights

RIGHT FRONT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY (HIGH & LOW BEAM, TURN SIGNAL, DRL), RIGHT REAR TAILLIGHT, THIRD BRAKE LIGHT, LICENSE PLATE LIGHT AND LEFT REAR TURN SIGNAL ALL STOPPED WORKING AT THE SAME TIME. DASH INFORMATION CENTER REPORTED ALL OF THESE LIGHTS NEED TO BE CHECKED. AFTER 1.5 HOURS OF TROUBLESHOOTING WITH A FLUKE MULTI-METER, I FOUND A POST ON TDI FORUMS REFERENCING CAMPAIGN 97AM TO CHECK THE FUSE PANEL UNDER THE HOOD, POSITION F16, 30AMP FUSE FOR MELTING. I CHECKED THIS FUSE AND THE FUSE PANEL AND FUSE IS MELTED. I CONTACTED THE VW DEALERSHIP THAT VERIFIED THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS ISSUE PERTAINING TO MY VIN. I THEN CONTACTED VW CUSTOMER CARE WHO ALSO SAID THERE IS NO RECALL OR SAFETY ISSUE AND THEY WILL NOT CORRECT IT BASED ON NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ISSUE ON THE 2009 - 2012 JETTA SPORTWAGENS. VW ADVISED ME TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE VW DEALERSHIP FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSIS BUT ADVISED I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY CHARGES TO FIX THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 10885809

May 27, 2016LightsFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA SPORTWAGEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHTS, DIRECTIONAL TURNING SIGNAL LIGHTS, AND THE LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUSE PANEL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS MELTED WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,351.

NHTSA ODI 10871199

Mar 22, 2016Electrical systemLights

MY LIGHTS BEGAN FAILING WITHOUT WARNING. FRONT HEADLIGHT, REAR TAIL LIGHT, LICENSE PLATE LIGHT, DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS, BACK UP LIGHTS. IN TOTAL, 7 LIGHTS FAILED WITHIN MINUTES. VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON AND MOVING ON A CITY STREET. WARNING LIGHTS INSIDE THE VEHICLE TOLD ME THAT LIGHTS FAILED WHEN I USED THEM (SIGNALS, BRAKES, HEADLIGHTS, ETC). DROVE DIRECTLY TO DEALERSHIP TO REPAIR/REPORT PROBLEM. RESEARCH TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A COMMON ISSUE AND A NHTSA RECALL ON 2009 AND 2010 MODELS. OUR 2011 DID NOT HAVE A RECALL ON IT, BUT ISSUE WAS IDENTICAL. CONTACTED VW CUSTOMER SERVICE. CASE #160222423. THEY AGREED TO PAY 75%.

NHTSA ODI 10850968

Feb 23, 2016Lights

SINCE 2012 I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ALL EXTERIOR LIGHTS INCLUDING BREAK AND TAIL LIGHTS. MY HEAD LIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST AT 8 TIMES OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS OR SO. VW CLAIMS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG AND ITS MY FAULT BECAUSE I AM NOT REPLACING THEM WITH THEIR BRAND AND BUYING THEM ELSEWHERE.

NHTSA ODI 10837842

Jan 14, 2016Electrical systemLightsEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S HORN AND RADIO DID NOT FUNCTION, THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR, AND THE WINDOWS FUNCTIONED INDEPENDENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WOULD LOSE POWER, THE AIR BAGS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING, AND THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS WERE MALFUNCTIONING. THE EPC AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER MALFUNCTION WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 93,000.

NHTSA ODI 10820256

Dec 8, 2015Electrical systemLights

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE EXTERIOR HEAD LIGHTS AND THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TAIL LIGHT BECAME INOPERABLE AS THE LIGHTS OUT ERROR MESSAGE DISPLAYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ODI 10809028

Oct 26, 2015Lights

I HAVE OWNED A 2011 JETTA SINCE IT WAS RELEASED AND THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD TO HVAE THE HEADLIGHTS REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS NO MATTER WHAT SIDE OR BRAND OF BULB AND THERE IS NO INDICATION AS TO WHY.

NHTSA ODI 10786166

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Working with the data? Download all 639 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 26, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Hev verdict →