What 526 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta Hev

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP ON AN INCLINE, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THERE WAS A TWO SECOND DELAYED RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRONIC HILL START ASSISTANCE FEATURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE UNOCCUPIED VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE. FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000.

NHTSA ODI 10715916

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A HILL IN A PARKING GARAGE, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO RELEASE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS AND THE CONTACT HAD TO QUICKLY MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO AVOID CRASHING INTO OTHER VEHICLES. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A WALL. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES AND MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

NHTSA ODI 10670908

UPON RETURNING HOME ON SUNDAY 12/21 AT 3 PM, SMOKE WAS COMING FROM OUR GARAGE. WE OPENED THE GARAGE DOOR TO DISCOVERY MY CAR ON FIRE AND A GARAGE FULL OF SMOKE. WE CALLED 911 AND REQUESTED FIRE ASSISTANCE. WE THEN PROCEEDED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE USING 5 COMMERCIAL SIZE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES AND DRAGGED THE CAR FROM THE GARAGE. THE CAR HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR APPROXIMATELY 18 HOURS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10670597

CAR WAS ONLY UNDER MY POSSESSION FOR ONE YEAR AND SEVEN MONTHS... IT WAS LEASED BRAND NEW . 3/25/14-WHEN GOT INTO THE CAR TO GO TO WORK, CAR WOULD NOT START. DISCOVERED IT HAD NO BATTERY POWER. HORN STOPPED WORKING. PREVIOUS TO THIS, WEEK BEFORE THERMOSTAT LIGHT WAS GOING ON AND OFF. CAR WAS AT 14,030 MILES. VOLKSWAGEN ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE CAME AND BROUGHT VEHICLE TO NEAREST SERVICE CENTER WHICH IS ACTUALLY WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR. SERVICE CENTER CONFIRMED DEAD BATTERY. THE DEALERSHIP INCLUDING THE PERSON WHO SOLD ME THE VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO CHARGE ME $240 FOR IT AND CONSIDERED IT "WEAR AND TEAR LIKE THE TIRES," UNTIL I CALLED VOLKSWAGEN CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER RIGHT ON THE LOCATION WHO CONFIRMED THAT MY BATTERY WAS COVERED AT 24,000 MILES OR 2 YEARS WHATEVER CAME FIRST. VOLKSWAGEN SERVICE CENTER CONFIRMED THAT HORN WAS IN FACT INOPERABLE DUE TO BLOWN FUSE AND REPLACED IT. I WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE AGENT THAT THE THERMOSTAT LIGHT WAS DUE TO LOW ANTI-FREEZE AND IT WAS TOPPED OFF. IN ADDITION I REQUESTED I MULTI-POINT INSPECTION WHICH THEY CONDUCTED. SHORTLY AFTER RECEIVING THE CAR BACK ON 3/26/14, I NOTICED BY VOLTAGE ADAPTER WAS NOT WORKING. I ASSUMED IT TO BE A DEFECTIVE PHONE CHARGER SO I PURCHASED A NEW ONE. 4/8/14- I TRIED TO USE THE NEW CHARGER FOR MY PHONE IN EACH OF THE FRONT AND BACK ADAPTER SLOTS. THAT IS WHEN I REALIZED THESE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY ADAPTERS POSSIBLY AFTER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE NEW BATTERY ON 3/25/14. MY PLAN WAS TO CONTACT THE SERVICE CENTER AND SCHEDULE A CHECK UP AND HAVE THE ADAPTERS CHECKED BUT UNFORTUNATELY I NEVER WAS ABLE TO DO SO. THAT DAY I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT WHERE I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL INTO THE EXIT AND ENDED UP CRASHING INTO METAL GUARDRAIL.CAR HAD SHUT OFF AND. AIRBAG DEPLOYED. CAR WAS RULED AS A TOTAL LOSS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10584319

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGE WHEN APPLIED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL BODY REPAIR CENTER BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 23,000.

NHTSA ODI 10554799

HELLO, PURCHASED A VW JETTA SE ON 7/20/12 AND ALMOST 1 MONTH AFTER THE PURCHASE I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY AT APX. 50 MPH AROUND 5:30PM WHEN CAR HEADLIGHTS BLINKED AND CAR DIED (STALLED). ATTEMPTED TO RE-START A CAR WITHOUT ANY SUCCESS. SINCE VW DEALER WAS CLOSED ALREADY - CALLED A LOCAL AUTO SHOP AND THEY TOWED A CAR TO A SHOP TO FIND AN ISSUE. MECHANIC COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING OBVIOUS SO HE RE-SET A COMPUTER IN MY CAR AND HE WAS ABLE TO START IT. DROVE HOME. LATER IN THE EVENING - DROVE TO PICK-UP SOME FOOD AND ON THE WAY HOME (INSIDE A DEVELOPMENT) - WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT APX. 15-18 MPH - PRESSED BRAKES AND REALIZED I HAD NONE AND AT THE SAME TIME CAR STALLED AND SINCE IT WAS RAINING AND I WAS ALREADY SLIGHTLY TURNING LEFT - CAR SLID IN THE DIRECTION ON MY TURN AND RIGHT REAR TIRE HIT THE CURB, TIRE FALL OFF, CAR HIT A STREET SIGN AND AN ELECTRIC POOL (BOTH FELL TO THE GROUND) AND BROUGHT ME TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE GRASS. POLICE WAS CONTACTED AND A CAR WAS TOWED TO A NEAREST BODY SHOP. FILING A COMPLAINT WITH VW - WILL SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10471541

RECENTLY, I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH ON MY WAY HOME. I DEPRESSED MY BRAKE PEDALS TO STOP THE VEHICLE BECAUSE A VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 3-4 CAR LENGTHS FROM ME HAD COME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR AND FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. THIS RESULTED IN A MINOR ACCIDENT AND THE JETTA SE REAR-ENDED THE VEHICLE THAT HAD STOPPED ABRUPTLY. THE DAMAGE WAS TO MY FRONT BUMPER AND THE OTHER VEHICLES BUMPER. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, ABOUT A WEEK AGO, I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND A VEHICLE CUT ME OFF AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THE BRAKE WENT DOWN TO THE ROAD. THANKFULLY, I WAS NEXT TO THE SHOULDER ON THE HIGHWAY AND THIS IS HOW I AVOIDED THE ACCIDENT. ABOUT A MONTH AGO I WAS LEAVING WORK AND SOMEONE TURNED RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN AND I HAD TO MANEUVER THE CAR TO THE LEFT TURN LANE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. TWO TIMES I WAS LUCKY, UNFORTUNATELY THE 3RD TIME I WAS NOT AND THE ISSUE RESULTED IN A MINOR ACCIDENT. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THE VEHICLE. I HAVE A 3 YEAR LEASE. I AM TAKING THE CAR TO THE SHOP TOMORROW BECAUSE I DO NOT TRUST WHAT THE VW DEALER WOULD SAY TO PROTECT VW THAT NOTHING IS WRONG. I SEE THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THE TDI. THIS IS A JETTA SE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10464637

DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME FROM WORK FRIDAY 1/13, WEATHER WAS BELOW FREEZING CAUSING ICE BUILD UP. PARKED THE VEHICLE IN MY GARAGE ~45 DEGREES. ICE BEGAN MELT, AND WHEN TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE SATURDAY AFTERNOON IT TURNED 1/4 TURN AND THE ENGINE STOPPED. MY ASSUMPTION IS THAT THE ENGINE INHALED WATER CAUSING A HYDRO-LOCK, I CONTINUED TO TRY TO START THE VEHICLE A TOTAL 5 TIMES (IT TURNED OVER ONCE AND RAN EXTREMELY ROUGH AND DIED ONCE). THE LAST TIME TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE I SMELLED SMOKE, I POPPED THE HOOD TO FIND THE STARTER AND WIRING ON FIRE. I WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE RELATIVELY QUICKLY, CONSIDERING THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE ATTACHED TO MY HOUSE THIS COULD HAVE EXTREMELY CATASTROPHIC IF I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THE FIRE OUT. *** THIS IS THE SECOND TIME FOR THE HARD / NO START PROBLEM, THIS ONE HOWEVER RESULTED IN THE FIRE. VOLKSWAGEN WILL NOT FOLLOW THE BELOW TSB SINCE THE VEHICLE STARTED AFTER WIRING AND STARTER REPLACEMENT. ISSUE MIRRORS TSB # 21 11 06 / 2025464, WHICH INCLUDES ENGINE WILL NOT TURN OVER, "DEAD BATTERY" STARTER ACTION (DUE TO HYDRAULIC RESISTANCE IN CYLINDER), AND STARTER/ELECTRICAL FIRES (DUE TO STARTER OVERHEATING DURING ATTEMPTS TO START LOCKED ENGINE). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10445020