2011 Volkswagen Jetta Exterior lighting Problems

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

NHTSA ID

11496902

Incident

Dec 5, 2022

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

NHTSA ID

11389226

Incident

Jan 12, 2021

Mileage

130,445 mi

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 ID

11382782

Incident

Nov 30, 2020

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 ID

11364648

Incident

Oct 1, 2020

Mileage

135,000 mi

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 ID

11300579

Incident

Jan 18, 2020

Mileage

101,000 mi

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 ID

11297940

Incident

Aug 11, 2015

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 ID

11241454

Incident

Jan 1, 2017

Mileage

77,000 mi

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 ID

11209137

Incident

May 9, 2019

Mileage

120,000 mi

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 ID

11155934

Incident

Nov 29, 2018

Mileage

85,000 mi

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 ID

11124715

Incident

Jul 18, 2018

Mileage

75,000 mi

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 ID

11074565

Incident

Mar 9, 2016

Mileage

60,000 mi

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 ID

11014225

Incident

Aug 6, 2017

Mileage

84,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10909558

Incident

Sep 24, 2016

Mileage

40,000 mi

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 ID

10907988

Incident

Sep 4, 2015

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 ID

10898404

Incident

Oct 1, 2015

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

NHTSA ID

10894485

Incident

Jun 15, 2015

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 ID

10837842

Incident

Feb 23, 2016

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 ID

10820256

Incident

Jan 14, 2012

Mileage

93,000 mi

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 ID

10809028

Incident

Oct 30, 2015

Mileage

90,000 mi

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 ID

10786166

Incident

Oct 26, 2015

Mileage

70,000 mi

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 ID

10745555

Incident

Jul 30, 2015

Mileage

72,300 mi

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 ID

10722896

Incident

Jun 1, 2015

Mileage

60,000 mi

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 ID

10714692

Incident

May 1, 2015

Mileage

114,000 mi

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 ID

10683935

Incident

Jan 5, 2015

Mileage

62,000 mi

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 ID

10672239

Incident

Dec 1, 2014

Mileage

46,000 mi