What 586 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hev

IN 12/2014 I STARTED REALIZING ISSUES WITH AUTO-TRANSMISSION IN THE MORNING WHEN I START THE CAR. THE ISSUE CONTINUED TO HAPPEN EVERY SINGLE DAY. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT ONLY HAPPEN FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.

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MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND RUNNING. I TRIED TO REVERSE AND THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT ENGAGE. MY CAR MADE HORRIBLE GRINDING NOISES AND WOULD NOT MOVE IN ANY GEAR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IMMEDIATELY CAME ON. THE CAR ONLY HAS 68,000 MILES AND THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME TODAY THAT IT WOULD COST $9,000 TO REPAIR IT. I'D GONE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ALL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE UP TO THAT POINT. THE CAR HAD A RECALL ON THE GEARBOX FLUID, AND I BELIEVE THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE IS A RESULT OF THAT INITIAL MISTAKE FROM VW. I'VE READ FORUMS AND BLOGS FROM MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME TRANSMISSION FAILURE EARLY ON.

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THE WIPER MOTOR AND THE FLUID WASHER PUMP ARE ILL ENGINEERED AND HAVE A TENDENCY TO BURN OUT VERY QUICKLY. BOTH THE WIPER MOTOR AND FLUID WASHER PUMP ON MY JETTA HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $1,000. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE IN A CAR THAT IS LESS THAN 4 YEARS OLD, AND UNDER 58,000 MILES. EITHER THE DESIGN OF THE SYSTEMS IS POOR, OR VW IS USING INFERIOR PARTS THAT QUICKLY ARE OBSOLETE. IT IS NOT SAFE TO HAVE CARS THAT WIPER MOTORS BURN OUT THAT QUICKLY (AND WITHOUT NOTICE) AND IT IS ALSO NOT SAFE TO HAVE FLUID PUMPS THAT WEAR OUT THAT QUICKLY. IT AFFECTS VISIBILITY AND DRIVING SAFETY.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT MADE A RIGHT TURN AND HEARD A SNAP SOUND. THE CONTACT CONTINUED DRIVING AND HEARD A RATTLING NOISE EMERGING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE COIL SPRING FAILED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN BECAUSE IT COULD CAUSE MORE DAMAGE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT A THUMPING NOISE STARTED APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AND HALF AGO. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,300.

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THE CAR IS A 2013 VW JETTA HYBRID WITH 64,189 MILES ON IT , BUT ONLY 4 YEARS OLD. THE CAR STARTED TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ITS OWN CHARGING SYSTEM WHILE STOPPED DURING DRIVING THE VEHICLE. IT WOULD NOT IDLE PROPERLY. I TOOK IT IN TO TOMS RIVER VW AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, WHICH WOULD COST $ 9,000 TO REPLACE. THEY SAID THEY WOULD TRY TO GET ME "FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE" FROM VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA. I WAS LEFT IN THE DARK FOR FOUR DAYS TILL I ECIEVED A PHONE CALL FROM ONE, ASHLEY, (NO LAST NAME GIVEN) AND SHE SAID VW WAS OFFERING 75% OF COST. I TOLD HER THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND ASKED TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE ELSE. SHE KEPT REFUSING, THOUGH SHE DID SAY SHE WAS "SORRY THIS WAS HAPPENING". I WANT VW TO REPLACE THIS PART. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING. THIS CAR WAS NEVER WORKED ON OR TAKEN ANYWHERE BUT TO A VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP. VW DOES ADMIT THAT THERE IS A MECHANICAL DEFECT IN THESE TRANSMISSIONS, IN THE HYBRIDS. MY DAUGHTER AND SON IN LAW WHO PURCHASED THE CAR AND MYSELF HAVE SEEN ONLINE THAT THESE CARS WERE RECALLED. THE EXACT DATE, I FIRST NOTICED THIS I DO NOT REMEMBER, BECAUSE I ACTUALLY THOUGHT THAT MAYBE IT WAS JUST BAD FUEL. I FILLED IT TWO TIMES WITH PREMIUM GASOLINE TO SEE IF THAT WAS IT. THEN I CALLED MY VOLKSWAGEN DEALER. ONE TIME IT ACYUALLY SHUT OFF ON ME AT A LIGHT , AS WELL.

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KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WON'T TURN OFF CAR.

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IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN CAR OFF. ONLY WAY TO SHUT IT OFF WITH FORCE APPLIED TO THE KEY...WENT TO DEALER THOUGHT IT WAS THE KEY , BUT OTHER KEY DID SAME THING. IGNITION SWITCH MAY BE FAULTY.

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LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN ZELDIN ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TRANSMISSION RECALL. *LD DESPITE THE CONSUMER TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE RECALL REPAIR, THE TRANSMISSION STILL FAILED. VOLKSWAGEN REFUSED TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. *JB

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IN THE PAST YEAR, THE HEADLIGHTS (NOT DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS) HAVE GONE OUT INTERMITTENTLY ON TWO OR THREE OCCASIONS, ONE WHILE DRIVING AND THE OTHERS WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE. SO FAR IT'S JUST BEEN ONE AT A TIME, BUT IT MADE IT REASONABLY HARDER TO SEE WHILE DRIVING. IF BOTH GO OUT TOGETHER, THIS COULD BE BAD! THE VW DEALER FOUND A BURNT OUT BULB BUT CANNOT DETERMINE ANY OTHER REASON AFTER TROUBLESHOOTING. THEY SAID THE BULB FILAMENTS ARE VERY CLOSE AND GOING OVER A BUMP COULD SHORT IT. THAT'S BAD DESIGN WITH SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. ALSO, MANY OTHER JETTA OWNERS COMPLAIN ONLINE ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM.

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THERE IS EXCESSIVE CONDENSATION IN MY PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT. THIS ISSUE LOWERS THE HEADLIGHT VISIBILITY THE DEALER SAID THIS IS NORMAL AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED AFTER 30 MINUTES OF THE LIGHTS BEING ON. THE ISSUE STILL OCCURS AND IS CONSISTENT. THE ISSUE OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND IN MOTION.

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WHEN I TRY TO TURN OFF MY CAR THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR MONTHS. AS MANY PEOPLE THAT ICE SEEN WITH THIS ISSUE THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL OR BUY BAKING THE VEHICLES.

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I BOUGHT A NEW 2013 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 2.5L SE. WE PURCHASED THIS CAR AS A THIRD VEHICLE FOR MY TWO TEENAGE CHILDREN TO USE. MY SON WAS HOME FROM COLLEGE AND USED IT TO COMMUTE TO A DAILY INTERNSHIP DURING THE SUMMER OF 2016 WHEN HE NOTICED THAT ON TWO OCCASIONS IT LOST POWER ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE HE WAS TRAVELING 60 MILES PER HOUR. THAT FALL I TOOK MY DAUGHTER TO DO HER DRIVERS TEST IN THE JETTA. IT LOST POWER TWICE EN-ROUTE TO THE FACILITY AND LOST POWER AN ADDITIONAL THREE TIMES WHILE I DROVE IT HOME. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER A FEW DAYS LATER AND IT LOST POWER SEVERAL TIMES ON THE WAY. I COMPLAINED TO DICK DEAN (THE DEALER WE BOUGHT IT FROM) AND TO VOLKSWAGEN ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. I TOLD THEM THAT THIS SITUATION THREATENED THE SAFETY OF MY TWO CHILDREN. THE DEALER CLAIMS THAT THEY COULDN'T GET THE CAR TO MIMIC THE COMPLAINT. DICK DEAN AND VOLKSWAGEN OFFERED ME A FEW THOUSANDS DOLLARS OFF ON A NEW JETTA. I TOOK THE OFFER BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY FACTOR OF MY CHILDREN. I THINK IT IS THE HEIGHT OF IRRESPONSIBILITY OF BOTH ORGANIZATIONS FOR NOT STANDING BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT GIVEN THE SERIOUS NATURE OF THIS COMPLAINT. WHEN I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE I FOUND NUMEROUS OTHER CUSTOMERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT ABOUT THE 3013 JETTA. I AM SHOCKED THAT THIS COMPANY IS ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR, FORCING A CUSTOMER TO PAY FOR A NEW CAR WHEN THERE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE INVOLVED. THIS CAR HAD AROUND 20,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME AND WAS STILL UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY!

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HORN WORKS INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING A SAFETY ISSUE IF IT IS UNAVAILABLE WHILE DRIVING. HORN WORKS 1 DAY (VIA STEERING WHEEL AND ALARM/LOCK ACTIVATION), BUT DOES NOT THE NEXT DAY. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING ON MY VEHICLE FOR 2-3 MONTHS. *TR

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WHILE DRIVING UP HILL ON A CITY STREET TRAVELING AT 40 MILES PER HOUR THE ENGINE LOST POWER. FORTUNATELY TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AT THE TIME AND I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BEFORE THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER AND LATER WOULD NOT RESTART.. IF THIS WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, I WOULD HAVE BEEN DISABLED IN TRAFFIC LANES CREATING A HAZARD FOR MYSELF AND OTHERS. VARIOUS WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AT THE TIME THE ENGINE LOST POWER. I LATER FOUND OUT THE PROBLEM WAS A 'CATASTROPHIC' HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR WHICH VOLKSWAGEN HAS BLAMED ON INCORRECT OR POOR FUEL. THIS WAS NOT THE CAUSE THE PUMP FAILURE IN MY VEHICLE AND POINTS TO PROBLEMS WITH THE PART ITSELF. I LEARNED THAT VOLKSWAGEN PROVIDED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMPS, BUT ONLY UP TO THE 2012 MODEL YEAR. (MY VEHICLE IS A 2013 MODEL.) MY VEHICLE HAD 70,657 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME THE PROBLEM OCCURRED.

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CAN NOT REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION. EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.

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IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN OFF RESULTING IN HAVING TO LEAVE THE CAR RUNNING FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. FEATURES BUILT IN TO THE CAR DID NOT PERMIT ME TO LOCK THE CAR WHILE THE KEY WAS IN IGNITION. THE CAR HAD TO BE LEFT RUNNING WITH NO WAY TO LOCK THE CAR TO PREVENT THEFT OR CHILDREN FROM ACCESSING THE CAR. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. *TR

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MY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED AND BENT 14 VALVES. ALL 4 CYLINDERS HAD ZERO COMPRESSION. VOLKSWAGEN REPRESENTS IN THE WARRANTY AND MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES THAT THE TENSIONING SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO LAST FOR ABOUT 120,000 MILES WITHOUT THE NEED FOR REPAIRS. IN FACT, ACCORDING TO THE PLAINTIFF, OWNERS ARE PROVIDED MANUALS THAT DO NOT SHOW ANY TIMING CHAIN SYSTEM INSPECTION OR MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES AT ALL.

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A FAILED TENSIONER CAUSING THE TIMING CHAIN TO SNAP AND BEND THE VALVES.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,094.

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THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP BROKE LEAVING METAL SHAVING IN MY FUEL TANK. I HAD THIS REPLACED AT 38K MILES AND NOW IT IS BROKE AGAIN AT 78K. VW EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR 2006-2012 VEHICLES FOR 10 YRS OR 120K MILES. BUT SINCE MY VEHICLE IS A 2013 THEY WILL NOT COVERED IT. I BELIEVE THEY ARE STILL USING THE SAME FAULTY FUEL PUMP FOR THE 2013. *TR

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WHILE DRIVING THROUGH HIGH WIND, THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR PLASTIC PROTECTOR FELL OFF. THE AC UNIT NEEDED COMPLETE REPLACEMENT COSTING 1600 AND NOW THE IDEAL WHILE TURNING ON CAR IS VERY HIGH. SOUND ALMOST LIKE IT DID WHEN I HAD TO TAKE IT IN FOR THE ELECTRICAL RECALL IN THE LAST YEARS. DOORS ARE SQUEAK WHEN OPENING AND CLOSING. AND WHILE DRIVING A NOISE THAT SOUND LIKE CHAINS RATTLES THROUGH OUT THE CAR WHICH IS A VERY IRRITATING SOUND. *TR

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CAR JOLTS ON FREEWAY. DRIVER SIDE MIRROR PROTECTOR FELL OFF. AS A RESULT OF TRYING TO GRAB FALLEN OFF PIECE OVER EXTENDED ARM INJURY. DUE TO EXTENDING ARM OUT WINDOW

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KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION WHEN TURNING OFF ENGINE WHEN I PARK

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THE HORN STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING AND TRYING TO WARN ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS COMING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY TOWARDS MY VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD. THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS A FAULTY HORN BUT I WAS CHARGED TO HAVE IT REPLACED SINCE IT MUST BE WORKING TO PASS INSPECTION. WITHOUT A HORN THERE IS NO WARNING FOR OTHER MOTORISTS OR PEDESTRIANS. OTHER JETTA OWNERS ARE ALSO HAVING THIS ISSUE AS I NOTICED ONLINE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD REVERSE WHILE IN THE DRIVE POSITION. THE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.

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