Total Complaints
41 filings
VOLKSWAGEN JETTA SPORTWAGEN · model year
41 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2011VOLKSWAGENJETTA SPORTWAGEN carries 41 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 3 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall Not Rated/5 rating, with Not Rated/5 front crash, Not Rated/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2011 JETTA SPORTWAGEN is electrical system with 15 filings, followed by exterior lighting (5) and fuel/propulsion system (4). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 3 investigation files overlapping the 2011 JETTA SPORTWAGEN, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
41 filings
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 15 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 5 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 4 |
| SUSPENSION | 4 |
| ENGINE | 3 |
| AIR BAGS | 2 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal
The f16 fuse in the engine bay that connects power to multiple exterior lights as well as the abs brake system melts and melts part of the fuse tray. This is the same thing that happens with the vw Tiguan in campaign am97. Look into am97 as this can ruin your abs brake system. This should be recalled and fixed. This picture is not mine but is exactly what happened.
The f16 fuse in the engine bay that connects power to multiple exterior lights as well as the abs brake system melts and melts part of the fuse tray. This is the same thing that happens with the vw Tiguan in campaign am97. Look into am97 as this can ruin your abs brake system. This should be recalled and fixed. This picture is not mine but is exactly what happened.
The f16 fuse in the engine bay that connects power to multiple exterior lights as well as the abs brake system melts and melts part of the fuse tray. This is the same thing that happens with the vw Tiguan in campaign am97. Look into am97 as this can ruin your abs brake system. This should be recalled and fixed. This picture is not mine but is exactly what happened.
Vehicleâs electrical system shuts off as I am driving. This happened at night , almost caused a crash.
The car stalls in traffic and is slow to accelerate. The service department attributes the cause from a problem with a contaminated fuel system. However, the car has had a series of problems with the electrical system where I was told the "radio is draining the battery". The car would be parked without the keys in the ignition and it failed to start and the cause being the radio draining the battery. The issue is both electrical and diesel engine related.
The car stalls in traffic and is slow to accelerate. The service department attributes the cause from a problem with a contaminated fuel system. However, the car has had a series of problems with the electrical system where I was told the "radio is draining the battery". The car would be parked without the keys in the ignition and it failed to start and the cause being the radio draining the battery. The issue is both electrical and diesel engine related.
Going down the road - in town - at about 35 mph and I started to hear loud clanking while I felt as the rear of the car felt "stiff" all of a sudden. I parked the car as soon as I could to check it over. The rear passenger side coil spring just snapped as you'd break a pretzel... I have never seen a broken coil spring in any of the cars we owned over three decades. As I looked for information online, it seems that this MK6 generation of Volkswagen vehicles made in MEXICO were manufactured with springs that are PRONE TO FAILURE! Even the next generation MK7 especially vehicles manufactured between 2015-2019 had a RECALL for this exact failure - 42J5. - 56,000 vehicles including Golf hatchbacks, Golf SPORTWAGEN, Jetta sedans and Tiguan SUVS. How come VW didn't have a recall for the previous generation? Obviously this is manufacturing with below par parts.
The contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the catalytic convertor warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the particle filter needed to be removed and reinstalled. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred and the vehicle was taken to a different dealer who determined that the particle filter needed to be checked and reinstalled. Additionally, the EGR cooler needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact had taken the vehicle back to the second dealer; however, the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Mileage: 80,000
While changing lanes we heard a twang sound and felt an impact in the floor boards. The left rear of the car was unloaded from weight shift when the noise and impact was felt. When I was able to check the car over, I found the left rear spring was broken. The vehicle only has roughly 85k miles. I have heard many other stories of this happening to others as well.
At first we had to replace the intake manifold and then a month later we had to replace the catalytic converter and now itâs in the shop having the DLF filter , fuel pump , & fuel lines . All dealing with the diesel exhaust and fuel distribution. Itâs leaking diesel fuel with strong odor of diesel to the point it makes you feel sick. The Volkswagen dealership never informed me of any recalls on my vehicle. The dealership is Flow Volkswagen Greensboro NC
At first we had to replace the intake manifold and then a month later we had to replace the catalytic converter and now itâs in the shop having the DLF filter , fuel pump , & fuel lines . All dealing with the diesel exhaust and fuel distribution. Itâs leaking diesel fuel with strong odor of diesel to the point it makes you feel sick. The Volkswagen dealership never informed me of any recalls on my vehicle. The dealership is Flow Volkswagen Greensboro NC
THE RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT FAILS TO RETRACT. THE SEAT BELT WAS PULLED OUT TO BUCKLE AND FAILED TO RETRACT TO FIT THE PASSENGER. IT IS ALL THE WAY OUT AND CANNOT BE USED.
Mileage: 96,230
STATIONARY VEHICLE LEFT STRANDED. ENGINE WASS IMMOBILIZED KEY NOT RECOGNIZED
Mileage: 90,000
I HAVE BEEN GETTING HORRIBLE GAS MILAGE (250 PER TANK). THIS HAS BEEN FOR OVER A YEAR NOW OF TRYING DIFFERENT THINGS (DRIVING, FUELING, REPAIRS, ECT.).
Mileage: 97,000
REAR SPRING BROKE SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY. *TR
Mileage: 62,000
BOTH REAR SPRINGS BROKE WITHOUT WARNING (AT SEPARATE TIMES). THIS CLEARLY SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, AS I HAVE SINCE DISCOVERED THAT IT'S A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE. *TR
Mileage: 93,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 50 MPH AND THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES THAT REQUIRED ANY TRANSPORT BY AMBULANCE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED PENDING AN OFFICIAL RULING FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TOW YARD. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.
Mileage: 117,000
IT ALL STARTED WITH A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. APPARENTLY THE CAR JUMPED TIMING AND THE CRANKSHAFT WENT BAD. THIS CAUSED COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE JETTA. I BELIEVE A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IS NEEDED.
Mileage: 68,676
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA SPORTWAGEN. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ACTIVATED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME FAILURE AS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V196000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
Mileage: 120,000
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND I SMELLED BURNING PLASTIC. I REACHED BEHIND MY BACK AND BURNED MY FINGER. I PULLED OFF AND LOOKED AND SAW A HOLD AND MELTED SEAT. THE BACK OF MY COAT WAS MELTED AS WELL. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A VW DEALER TO BE INSPECTED AND IT WAS CAUSED BY A WIRE SHORTING OUT. THERE IS A CASE NOW OPEN FOR ME WITH VW. WAITING TO HEAR IF THEY WILL PAY TO FIX THE SEAT.
Mileage: 180,000
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.