What 399 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Volkswagen Jetta Hev

DIESEL EXHAUST SMELL ENTERS CABIN THROUGH INTERIOR CLIMATE CONTROL VENTS. SMELL IS ORIGINATING FROM REAR OF ENGINE, SMELL IS PURE UN TREATED DIESEL EXHAUST. DEALER HAS REPLACED SEVERAL COMPONENTS BUT TO NO AVAIL. UNABLE TO FIND ANY SIGN OF LEAK WITH SMOKE OR PRESSURE TESTING. SMELL ENTERS CABIN WHEN VEHICLE IS STATIONARY, WORSE WHEN COLD OR WHEN ENGINE IS IN THE MIDST OF A DIESEL PARTICULATE FILTER REGENERATION. VWOA SAYS NORMAL AND OPERATES LIKE OTHER VEHICLES. REFUSING TO SEND LEAD TECH OUT TO INVESTIGATE. I CURRENTLY OWN TWO OF THE SAME MODEL OF ENGINE AS IN THIS CAR AND OTHER CAR HAS NEVER SMELLED LIKE DIESEL EXHAUST IN 30,000+ MILES. THERE IS A SMALL LEAK IN THE EXHAUST SYSTEM THAT IS OBVIOUSLY HARD TO IDENTIFY. VWOA SAYS IT IS OK FOR ME TO BREATHE DIESEL FUMES. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10660416

2014 VW JETTA SUDDENLY STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. ENGINE STALLED AND HAD COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER, REDUCING STEERING AND BRAKING CAPABILITY, CREATING A DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITION LIKELY TO INCREASE CHANCES OF A CRASH. ALTERNATOR LIGHT CAME ON. WAS ABLE TO AVOID TRAFFIC AND GET OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD AND SHUT ENGINE OFF. WAS ABLE TO RESTART, MOVE CAR 10 FEET, AND STALLED AGAIN. RESTARTED AND DROVE STRAIGHT TO POINT OF SALE (DEALER QUIRK VW OF BRAINTREE, MASS). DEALER HAD CAR TWICE, FOR SIX DAYS TOTAL. DEALER SAID THEY WERE EVENTUALLY ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE CONDITION, BUT DID NOT FIND A PHYSICAL CAUSE. DEALER SAID THEY DISCOVERED A "SOFTWARE UPDATE" WAS AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND APPLIED THE UPDATE. DEALER SAID THE CAR WAS THEN "100 PERCENT" NOT AT RISK OF HAVING THIS ISSUE. TWO WEEKS LATER, ON AUGUST 9TH, CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR. COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD AND WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART. CAR WAS TOWED TO SAME DEALER (QUIRK VW) AFTER HOURS. NO NEW ACTION TAKEN YET. I PLAN TO ASK FOR A REFUND. THIS ISSUE HAS PUT MY LIFE IN DANGER AS WELL AS THAT OF MY PASSENGERS AND THE LIVES OF OTHER DRIVERS AROUND ME, AND I BELIEVE REPRESENTS A SERIOUS DEFECT IN THIS CAR. WITH UNEXPECTED STALLING AND LOSS OF CONTROLS WHILE DRIVING, I AM PUT AT THE MERCY OF OTHER DRIVERS TO AVOID MY CAR UNEXPECTEDLY AND AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE NEXT TIME THIS HAPPENS, I OR ANOTHER PERSON WON'T BE SO LUCKY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10621225

REF: NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE10034. REGARDING MY 2014 JETTA TDI (DIESEL): FUEL TANK WAS APPROXIMATELY 3/4 FULL. FILLED REMAINDER (APPROX. 1/4 TANK, 3.5 GALLONS) WITH ULSD AUTO DIESEL FUEL AT A SERVICE STATION IN PORTAGE COUNTY, OH. I NOTICED AN ALMOST IMMEDIATE LOSS OF APPROX. 4 MPG IN FUEL ECONOMY. AFTER RESEARCHING THE ISSUE ON VARIOUS VOLKSWAGEN TDI/DIESEL INTERNET DISCUSSION FORUMS (IN ADDITION TO VARIOUS CHEVY AND/OR FORD DIESEL PICKUP TRUCK INTERNET DISCUSSION FORUMS), THE SYMPTOMS SEEMED TO COINCIDE WITH DAMAGE TO THE BOSCH CP4 HPFP (HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP). SYMPTOMS INCLUDE: -- LOSS OF FUEL ECONOMY. -- MINOR HESITATION EVEN ON SMOOTH, LEVEL ROADS THAT GETS WORSE OVER TIME. -- PRESENCE OF METAL "FLAKES" OR "SHAVINGS" IN THE FUEL FILTER CANISTER AND OTHER PARTS OF THE FUEL DELIVERY/RETURN SYSTEM. -- I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE POINT OF PURCHASE (AN OFFICIAL VOLKSWAGEN DEALER), AND REQUESTED THEY PROVIDE ME WITH A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE FUEL FILTER AND FUEL FILTER CANISTER. THIS INSPECTION CONFIRMED THE PRESENCE OF NAKED-EYE-VISIBLE CONTAMINATING PARTICLES (SUSPECTED TO BE ALUMINUM METAL "FLAKES" OR "SHAVINGS") IN THE FUEL FILTER CANISTER, AND POSSIBLY OTHER PARTS OF THE FUEL DELIVERY/RETURN SYSTEM. DUE TO THE FUEL DELIVERY/RETURN SYSTEM DESIGN, THESE METAL "FLAKES" OR "SHAVINGS" CAN BE RE-INTRODUCED INTO THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP WITHOUT BEING TRAPPED BY THE FUEL FILTER, CAUSING FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE HPFP AND CASCADING CONTAMINATION (GENERATION OF ADDITIONAL METAL "FLAKES" OR "SHAVINGS"). ONCE FUEL FLOW THROUGH THE HPFP, FUEL ACCUMULATOR RAIL, AND INJECTORS BECOMES SUFFICIENTLY RESTRICTED BY CONTAMINANTS, THE HPFP CAN FAIL CATASTROPHICALLY, RESULTING IN A SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THIS, IN TURN, CAN LEAD TO A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF POWER STEERING. CASE OPENED WITH VW CUSTOMER CARE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10615821

THE CAR STALLS INTERMITTENTLY UPON INITIAL ACCELERATION. BROUGHT VEHICLE TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS FOR DIAGNOSTIC. THE RESPONSES WERE: "VEHICLE IS FOUND TO BE OPERATING NORMALLY WHEN COMPARED TO SAME OR SIMILAR TYPE VEHICLE." AND "COMPARE CAR TO A DIFF CAR, BOTH CAR ACT THE SAME." *TR

NHTSA ODI 10610660

VEHICLE IS SHUTTING DOWN DURING OPERATION. THREE TIMES NOW, THE CAR HAS SHUT OFF WHILE SITTING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE CAR WILL JUST STALL OUT. ODDLY, IT RESTARTS WITH EASE WHEN PLACED BACK IN PARK. IT WILL SOMETIMES SHUTTER WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, AS IF IT IS GOING TO STALL. IT HAS A GAS ENGINE, WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. DEALER RECENTLY ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM BY REPLACING A RELAY TO THE FUEL PUMP. UNFORTUNATELY, THE PROBLEM REMAINS. YESTERDAY, IT STALLED WHILE DRIVING ALONG A SIDE STREET. CAR IS BACK AT THE DEALERS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10610437

PURCHASED CAR NEW IN OCT. 12, 2013 WITH 23 MI ON IT. ON NOVEMBER 6, 2013 I WAS DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE 65 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING LOST ALL POWER TO THE VEHICLE; LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. ABLE TO PULL TO SIDE OF ROAD AND VEH STARTED RIGHT BACK UP. TOOK VEH TO DEALER THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. ON DEC. 14, 2013,VEH STALLED WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT WITH NO WARNING. STARTED BACK UP AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. ON FEB 18, 2014, VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AGAIN WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT AGAIN WITH NO WARNING. TOOK TO DEALER WHO PERFORMED A SYSTEM UPDATE AND ASSURED ME PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. ON MAY 31, 2014, POWER PORT FAILED. TOOK INTO DEALER THEY REPLACED FUSE. ONE WEEK LATER IT FAILED AGAIN. SERVICE ADVISOR SAID TO LEAVE THE PHONE CHARGER IN THE PORT THAT IT BLOWS FUSES WHEN PULLED OUT. ON JULY 2, 2014 VEHICLE SHUT DOWN ON ME AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY LOSING ALL POWER STEERING AND BRAKES-THIS TIME BARELY ABLE TO SAFELY GET TO SIDE OF ROAD. TAKING VEHICLE IN AGAIN TO DEALER TODAY. *JS

NHTSA ODI 10608605

STOPPED FOR PEDESTRIAN CROSSING THE STREET, NORMAL STOP, TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, STEPPED ON THE GAS AND NOTHING! CAR STALLED AND I COULD NOT MOVE. TRAFFIC WAS BACKING UP BEHIND ME AND THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE. PUT IT IN PARK, TURNED IT OFF AND ON, AFTER TWO MINUTES IT FINALLY WORKED WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS. DID THE SAME THING ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER...TWICE IN ONE DAY! TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THE SAME DAY IT HAPPENED FIRST, TOLD ME I HAD AN ENGINE SOFTWARE RECALL, SPENT TWO HOURS AT THE DEALER. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS "FIXED." TWO WEEKS LATER, AT A STOP SIGN AND THEN A RED LIGHT, DID THE SAME THING. BROUGHT IT TO ANOTHER DEAL THAT NIGHT, WHO TOLD ME THERE WAS NO LOANER CARS AVAILABLE, TOOK THE CAR FOR THREE DAYS! THEY CALLED BACK AND SAID THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM, THEREFORE THEY WERE GIVING ME BACK THE CAR. I DON'T FEEL SAFE!! HAVE HAD NUMEROUS OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR SINCE OCTOBER 2013, HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 8 TIMES IN 6 MONTHS.... NOW AFFECTED BY THE O-RING RECALL! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10597417

ON THURSDAY, MAY 29TH, I WAS DRIVING MY 2014 VW JETTA HYBRID SEL PREMIUM (~165 MILES ON ODOMETER) WHEN THE EPC AND BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH. AT THE SAME TIME, THE GAS ENGINE SHUT OFF. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO RESTART. SAME ISSUE HAPPENED TWO ADDITIONAL TIMES BEFORE I GOT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT MORNING. I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE MONDAY, JUNE 2ND, FROM THE DEALERSHIP (~387 MILES ON ODOMETER) STATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN WORKING ORDER AND THEY COULD NOT GET THE PROBLEM TO DUPLICATE. THE DEALERSHIP PUT APPROXIMATELY 200 MILES ON THE NEW VEHICLE TO DIAGNOSE IT. ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE (~393 MILES ON ODOMETER), THE VEHICLE DID THE EXACT SAME THING, EXCEPT THIS TIME I WAS IN A PARKING LOT. THE VEHICLE IS BACK AT THE DEALER AND THEY ARE HAVING AN ENGINEER COME AND DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10595735

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2014 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40-50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT A UNKNOWN SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 210.

NHTSA ODI 10585715

MORE THAN 10 TIME FOR THE PAST 4 MONTHS, CAR INTERMITTENTLY STALLED AT STOP SIGNS, TRAFFIC LIGHTS, OR EZPASS TUNNEL. IT HAPPENED WHEN THE CAR IS EITHER AT A COMPLETE STOP OR AT A VERY LOW SPEED. ONE TIME IT SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN ON A HIGHWAY DURING TRAFFIC JAM. TOOK TO DEALER FOR HALF DAY IN OCTOBER BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHY AND DID NOTHING TO FIX. *LN

NHTSA ODI 10559040

AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE, AFTER 20 MINUTES, ENGINE QUITS WHEN COMING TO A STOP. ENGINE ALSO HAS A HESITATION WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP. REPORTED TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA AND THEY OPENED A CASE NUMBER. THEY ALSO TOLD ME TO TAKE TO DEALER WHICH I DID AND THE DEALER KEPT FOR TWO DAYS BUT DID NOTHING TO FIX. RETURNED TO ME. I ASKED TO UPGRADE TO ANOTHER VEHICLE, BUT SALES MANAGER SAID THAT I WOULD "TAKE A BIG HIT". *TR

NHTSA ODI 10551989