Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 26 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 26, in the owner's own words
I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT STARTED POURING RAIN. I TRIED TO TURN ON MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON THE VW JETTA 2011 AND THEY DID NOT MOVE. I LOST VISIBILITY IN SECONDS AT 50MPH AND THANK GOODNESS, WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER BEFORE ANYONE WAS HURT BUT IT WAS TERRIFYING AND A CLOSE CALL. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DON'T WORK IN THE COLD, APPARENTLY, WHICH TO ME SEEMS VERY DANGEROUS!
STOPPED WORKING. WIPER MOTOR MALFUNCTION. BLADES STOPPED MID SWIPE, SITTING ON THE WINDSHIELD.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUN ROOF GLASS CRACKED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT PLACED PLASTIC OVER THE SUN ROOF TO COVER THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V615000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE AIR BAG OFF WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. AFTER TWO MONTHS, THE RADIO AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. A DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.
1) SEATBELT INDICATOR SOUNDS WHEN DRIVES BELT IS CONNECTED AND IS THE ONLY ONE IN THE VEHICLE; NO ONE OR ITEMS ARE IN ANY OF THE OTHER SEATS (SAME ISSUE AS IN THE 2006 JETTA). 2) WIPER MOTOR FAILED - WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY WHEN FUNCTIONING. 3) HEADLINER IS SEPARATING AND DROOPING IN REAR AND OBSTRUCTING THE VIEW THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR (SAME ISSUE AS IN THE 2006 JETTA). 4) IGNITION COIL'S AND MAP SENSOR ARE CONTINUOUSLY FAILING (SAME ISSUE AS IN THE 2006 JETTA).
TAKATA RECALL MY WINDSHEILD WIPERS DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. ONLY TOP SPEED WORKS. SPEED 1 AND 2 DO NOT WORK, ONLY 3.
WIPERS DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY IN COLD TEMPERATURES. IN VERY COLD WEATHER, THEY WILL OFTEN TAKE 3-5 MINUTES BEFORE MOVING ONCE TURNED ON. IN COOL TEMPERATURES THEY WILL OFTEN RUN AT A VERY SLOW PACE. CHANGING WIPER BLADES HAS NO EFFECT/IMPACT. THIS IS A WIPER ARM AND/OR WIPER ARM ASSEMBLY ISSUE AND WIDESPREAD THROUGHOUT ONLINE REPORTS. VW SHOULD BE FORCED TO ISSUE A RECALL.
DEFECTIVE LIGHT SWITCH THAT CONTROLS THE HEADLIGHTS, DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT LOW BEAMS AND HIGH BEAMS. DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT NO LONGER WORK, LOW BEAMS ARE SO DIM THEY ARE NO LONGER EFFECTIVE.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS NOT FUNCTIONING WHEN VEHICLE IS IN 18 DEGREE AND BELOW TEMPERATURES FOR A FEW HOURS. WIPERS WORK FINE ONCE VEHICLE IS HEATED UP IN GARAGE OR OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES RISE ABOVE 18 DEGREES. REPLACEMENT WIPER MOTOR ASSEMBLY WAS DIAGNOSED AND REQUIRED TO CORRECT MALFUNCTION. WOULD LIKE VW TO REIMBURSE THE $537.03 OUT OF POCKET COSTS TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE/FAULTY PART. HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR SAME ISSUE ONLINE. THANKS AND HOPE VW IS LISTENING!
IF THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE GOES BELOW APPROXIMATELY 15 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, THE WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE. THIS CAN HAPPEN WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED, OR DURING OPERATION. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND FROM INDICATIONS ON THE INTERNET, IS A KNOWN SAFETY PROBLEM.
WITHIN THREE TO FOUR DAYS I'VE HAD TWO DOOR WINDOWS BLOW OUT WHILE DRIVING. NOTHING HIT THE WINDOWS. ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE OTHER TIME I WAS DRIVING ONTO THE INTERSTATE RAMP GOING APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES/HOUR. THIS IS BAFFLING!
WHEN PARKED OVERNIGHT WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER TEENS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK THE NEXT MORNING. IF I WARM THE CAR UP FOR 20 MINUTES OR SO AND THEN LET IT SIT FOR ANOTHER HALF HOUR THEN THEY WILL USUALLY WORK. THIS HAS HAPPENED FOUR OR FIVE TIMES FROM 12/2016 - 2/2017. SEEMS WORSE IF IT HAS BEEN SNOWING OR ICING OVERNIGHT. WHEN THEY ARE WORKING THERE ARE NO SIGNS OF HESITATION OR SLOW MOVEMENT. THE FACT THAT IT IS RANDOM SEEMS UNUSUALLY DANGEROUS. SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY OR MOVING DOES NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE. CAR HAS 52000 MILES. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REPORTS FROM OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS ISSUE. SHOULD WARRANT AN INVESTIGATION.
WHEN VEHICLE SUBJECTED TO COLD TEMPERATURES (BELOW FREEZING) THE WIPER MOTOR STOPS WORKING. WHEN VEHICLE PLACED IN WARM GARAGE WIPERS WORK AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS OVER THE LAST YEAR. WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED BY VW DEALERSHIP. NEW MOTOR IS A NEW PART NUMBER. IT APPEARS THE OLD WIPER MOTOR DESIGN MAY HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE ALLOWING MOISTURE TO ENTER WHERE DRIVE SHAFT ENTERS MOTOR. NEW WIPER MOTOR HAS IMPROVED RUBBER SEAL IN THIS AREA.
WHEN COLD, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WON'T WORK UNTIL IT WARMS UP ENOUGH. IF YOUR DRIVING AND IT GETS COLD, LIKE DURING SNOWSTORM, THEY QUIT WORKING. I HAVE LOOKED ONLINE AND HAVE ENCOUNTERED MANY INSTANCES OF THIS. THE COST IS AROUND $500 TO $1000 FOR PARTS AND LABOR FOR..., MAYBE THE MOTOR, MAYBE THE WIPER TRANSMISSION, MAYBE BOTH. NONSENSE! THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE DO SOMETHING AND ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM IS OCCURRING WITH DIFFERENT VEHICLES OVER MANY YEAR MODELS. JUST DO AN ONLINE SEARCH FOR WINDSHIELD WIPER PROBLEMS AND NARROW THE RESULTS TO WIPERS WON'T WORK WHEN ITS COLD. DEALER SAYS WE'VE NEVER ENCOUNTERED THAT. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT IF THEY KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE TO REPLACE. PLEASE HELP. PEOPLE ARE IN DANGER. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND HORN FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V196000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA WITHOUT FILING A CASE NUMBER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.
MY HORN DOES NOT CONSISTENTLY WORK. WHEN I'M DRIVING IT ONLY WORKS SOMETIMES DUE TO BELIEVED TO BE FAULTY ELECTRICAL. MY DOOR LOCKS DO NOT ENGAGE. A NOISE SOUNDS BUT THEY DO NOT ENGAGE CAUSING SAFETY ISSUE. MY WIPER BLADES DO NOT ALWAYS WORK CORRECTLY NOR DO THEY SPRAY WIPER SPRAY CAUSING VISIBILITY ISSUES. MY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS FAULTY CAUSING ONE DOOR TO STAY UNLOCKED UNLESS LOCKED WITH KEY. MY ALARM SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK. MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW DOES NOT PROPERLY WORK AND WILL STOP IN THE DOWN POSITION. THE SAME DOOR IS HAVING LOCKING ISSUE. THERE IS KNOWN RECALL FOR OTHER 2011 MODELS ON ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. I CALLED VW AND THEY SAID MY VIN WAS NOT AFFECTED BY THE RECALL. I'M HAVING THE SAME ISSUES AS OTHER JETTA OWNERS WITH SAME YEAR MAKE AND MODEL AND WITH ACTIVE RECALL BUT VW REFUSES TO FIX MY CAR. I COULD GET INTO ACCIDENT DUE TO FAULTY HORN, FAULTY DOOR LOCKS, FAULTY VISIBILITY AND WIPERS THAT DO NOT WORK PROPERLY. MY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS CLEARLY FAULTY IF ALL OF THESE ISSUES ARE FAILING AT ONCE. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO FIRESTONE AND THEY SAID FAULTY COMPUTER ISSUES NEED TO BE FIXED BY VW. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FUEL INJECTOR SYSTEM FAILED. FOUR INJECTORS, THE FUEL RINGS, THE IGNITION COIL, AND THE WIRES WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILED. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000. UPDATED 01/12/16*LJ; 04/19/18*JB *CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONTAL WINDSHIELD WIPERS SEIZED AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY SHUT OFF AND FAILED TO ILLUMINATE AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE LIGHT BULBS IN ORDER TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BCM MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.
MY WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID SENSOR CAME ON, AND IT DOES NOT TURN OFF. I DID SOME READING ONLINE, AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A SYSTEMIC ISSUE. MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS WERE FROM PEOPLE WHO USED RAINX WASHER FLUID. APPARENTLY IT CAUSED CORROSION TOO QUICKLY. NOW, I DON'T WANT TO USE MY WASHER FLUID AS OFTEN, SO THAT I CAN MAKE SURE THAT I DON'T RUN OUT WHEN I NEED IT. MY VISIBILITY DURING DRIVING IS AFFECTED BY THIS. *TR
WHILE DRIVING THE 2011 VW JETTA ON 1/5/14 DURING RAIN SHOWERS I SWITCHED THE WIPERS ON (WHICH I HAD PREVIOUSLY USED APROX 5 MINS BEFORE) & NOTHING HAPPENED, THEN I REALIZED THAT THE TURN SIGNALS WERE ALSO NOT WORKING INCLUDING THE HAZARD FLASHERS.. UPON REACHING MY HOME AT REDUCED SPEEDS IN ORDER TO SAFELY MAKE IT HOME I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE THE NEEDED REPAIR TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE, THINKING THE ISSUE WAS A BLOWN FUSE, BUT AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION NO BLOWN FUSES ARE PRESENT & AT THE CURRENT TIME VW SERVICE DEPT. DENIES THAT ANY PART OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS FAULTY & ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM IS STILL CURRENTLY NOT FIXED. ALONG WITH OTHER ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS SUCH AS THE POWER WINDOWS & DOOR LOCKS NOT FUNCTIONING DUE TO THIS ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION THE VEHICLE WILL NOT CRANK & START USING THE IGNITION SWITCH. I FEEL THIS PROBLEM IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT VW NEEDS TO ADDRESS & OFFER A RECALL BEFORE SUCH A MALFUNCTION RESULTS IN A FATAL INCIDENT DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO CLEARLY SEE THE ROADWAY DURING RAINY CONDITIONS. *TR
I WAS DRIVING AND I TRIED TO HONK MY HORN BECAUSE A TRACTOR TRAILER WAS MERGING IN MY LANE. MY HORN WOULD NOT SOUND AND I HAD ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND THEN LATER THAT EVENING IT STARTED TO DRIZZLE AND MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE NOT WORKING. *TR
WE WERE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE 93 APPROX 5 MILES SOUTH OF EXIT 11 IN HOOKSETT, NH NORTHBOUND. THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE LIKE A GUNSHOT. I SWERVED INTO THE LEFT LANE AND BY THE TIME I GOT THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL MY WIFE AND I WERE COVERED IN GLASS AND OUR EARS WERE RINGING. WE LOOKED UP AND THE SUN ROOF HAD EXPLODED OUT/UPWARDS FROM THE BEST WE COULD TELL. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT THE CAR WAS DRY AND IT WAS CLEAR OUT. THERE WAS NO ICE OR SNOW ON THE ROOF. THE WINDOWS WERE ALL CLOSED AND THE SUN SHADE WAS OPEN. THE HEAT WAS NOT ON IN THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS ROUGHLY 40 DEGREES F OUTSIDE. WE IMMEDIATELY GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY AT THE NEXT EXIT (11) AND PULLED INTO A PARK AND RIDE LOT TO INSPECT DAMAGE. AS EXPECTED THE WINDOW BROKE OUTWARDS, WITH APPROX 33% OF THE GLASS MISSING IN A HOLE IN THE MIDDLE, THE REST SHATTERED AND FALLING OFF IF YOU TOUCHED IT. *TR
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA SEDAN DSG TDI 2011. VEHICLE AS MADE HAS A TWO SECOND HOLD FOR KEEPING THE CAR FROM ROLLING BACKWARDS ON INCLINES. HOWEVER THE CAR OWNERS MANUAL REQUIRES A SLOW ACCELERATION WHICH ALLOWS THE CAR TO ROLL BACKWARDS RISKING HITTING THE CAR OR PEDESTRIAN BEHIND YOU ESPECIALLY IN DRIVEWAYS WITH INCLINES ENDANGERING SMALL CHILDREN BECAUSE OF VISIBILITY. THE ONLY WAY TO OVERCOME THIS SAFETY DEFECT IS TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO HOLD VEHICLE UNTIL RPMS INCREASE ENOUGH TO ENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION. THE FRONT AND REAR WINDSHIELDS HAVE A BLUR, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD EXTENDS FROM THE BOTTOM TO APPROXIMATELY SIX INCHES UP THE GLASS AND THE REAR GLASS HAS DISTORTION THROUGHOUT. THIS CAUSES EYE STRAIN, WATERING, AND HEADACHE WHEN SUBJECTED TO FOR AN HOUR OR MORE OF TRAVEL AND IS ESPECIALLY BAD IN BRIGHT SUNLIGHT CAUSING AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. DEALER ADMITTED DISTORTION BUT REFUSED TO REPAIR ALONG WITH MANUFACTURER. THE CAR STALLS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MOVE FORWARD FROM A STOP RESULTING IN AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE VEHICLE WHEN TRYING TO CROSS LANES OF TRAFFIC. THE CAR WILL NOT REACH ITS MAXIMUM RPM AS INDICATED IT SHOULD DO BY OWNERS MANUAL FOR PASSING OR MERGING INTO TRAFFIC RESULTING IN UNSAFE VEHICLE OPERATION IN MULTIPLE INSTANCES. THE DEALER ACTUALLY MADE THIS WORSE THEN WOULD NOT CORRECT. THE VEHICLE ALSO DOES NOT HAVE PARKING LIGHTS AS REQUIRED BY SOME STATE STATUES AND SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN CERTIFIED FOR SALE IN THE USA. *TR
WHILE DRIVING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD RANDOMLY CREEP UP THE WINDSHIELD AND WHEN THE WIPERS GOT ALL THE WAY TO SERVICE MODE, ALL THE DOORS WOULD UNLOCK. THE RADIO WOULD FADE IN AND OUT AND THE WHEN ADJUSTING THE SOUND ON THE RADIO LOUD CRACKING, POPPING AND STATIC SHOULD WOULD COME FROM THE RADIO SPEAKERS. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .