CarComplaints.com Notes: Digging through the long list of NHTSA complaints about a sudden loss of engine power and the high pressure fuel pump failing, it's never good to come across the "my car (with a cold engine) set itself on fire in the middle of the night" complaint.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
9 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
5 / 0
Average Mileage:
52,814 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2011 Volkswagen Jetta seat belts / air bags problems

seat belts / air bags problem

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2011 Volkswagen Jetta Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #30

Feb 022017

Jetta

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

On February 2, 2017, My car was stop in an intersection. A car coming in my direction swerved into my lane and hit me head on. The air bag was deployed, it exploded so violently that both of my hands were severly injured. There was a fracture in my right wrist. There was a laceration to the base of the thumb and my thumb finger almost fell off and required several stiches for my forefinger to be attached. The bones in my right arm was shattered into pieces and it required major surgery. My left arm requires a total of 4 surgeries. I have to undergo an eighteen (18) months of Physical Therapy for both my left and right hand. There was so much pain in my left arm and the doctor had to perfom an operation called "Proximal row carpectomy (PRC)". Proximal row carpectomy (PRC) is a motion-preserving treatment for the degenerated wrist. Three (3) very important bones in Proximal row carpectomy (PRC)surgery was removed. This surgery is done to alleviate (reduced) the pain in my arm. I was still lucky, fortunate that the car hit me in front. If my car was hit from behind, my upper body especially my head will be thrown forward and the explosion of the air bag would explode in my face and the xplosion could have killed me or break my neck. The exlposion of the air bag was very similar to the beirut explosion that was caused by ammonium nitrate which was sometimes used in the defected airbag. Very explosive. The air bag was supposed to protect me but in this case it caused tremedous damage to my both my left and right arm. After more than 5 years both of my hands have not fully recovered. It still hurts lifting some heavy object which I could easily lifted before the accident. I trully believe that the airbag is my car has a problem and it could be a Takata air bag that also need to be recalled. My neighbor-€™s teenage daughter is also driving the same year and model of my car and it always worry me to think what if the air bag is defected.

- Thousand Oaks, CA, USA

problem #29

Sep 282022

Jetta

  • miles
I have a clockspring issue in my 2011 Jetta, which was associated with the Volkswagen recall in 2015. I called VW of America and was told that my VIN was not one of the cars part of that recall, and they would not be able to assist me in fixing this issue. With this problem occurring and being associated with a recent recall, I feel as if Volkswagen should help me in fixing my vehicle as it is a safety issue.

- White Plains, NY, USA

problem #28

Sep 302021

Jetta

  • miles
Car horn stopped working followed by an airbag sensor light that won't turn off. Seems like the clock spring failed prematurely?

- San Diego , CA, USA

problem #27

Oct 312020

Jetta

  • 124,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My passenger air bag light went off on the dashboard and my horn no longer works. This all happened in the same month.

- Bay Shore, NY, USA

problem #26

Feb 112020

Jetta

  • 132,000 miles
Over a period of time with readjusting the driver's seat, it has disconnected or compromised the airbag wiring requiring a diagnostic test to confirm as well as removing the entire seat to clear the airbag light. Without doing so they may not properly disengage.

- Daphne, AL, USA

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problem #25

Jun 022017

Jetta

  • 50,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta. While the vehicle was parked on an incline, it rolled backwards. The contact stopped the vehicle with the emergency brake. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact also stated that the key fell out of the ignition when the vehicle was not in park or turned off. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 19V615000 (electrical system, steering). The contact called bozzani Volkswagen at 626-967-6325 (located at 528 S citrus ave, covina, ca 91723) and was confirmed that the parts were not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, in 2017, while driving approximately 40 mph, the contact's vehicle rear ended another vehicle that stopped abruptly. The air bags did not deploy. There was no warning indicator illuminated. A police report was filed. The contact sustained a concussion and struck her chest on the steering wheel. The contact also sustained neck and back injuries. Medical attention was received. The vehicle was damaged, but not totaled. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not assist. The contact was provided a case number. The cause of the failure was not determined. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

- Whittier, CA, USA

problem #24

Sep 062019

Jetta

  • 144,424 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I started up my car and was driving from work, all of a sudden I see a bunch of my warnings light appear on the dashboard all at the same time. I was driving in alexandria city and the care was in motion when the lights appeared. The tire pressure light, traction control, ABS, and even the air bag light. 3 different system have faults is a concern to my safety. I went to a mechanic twice and then the dealership, found out that the rear ABS sensor needs to be changed to get rid of ABS and traction control. After that was part was changed and the fault code was cleared the traction control and tire pressure still remained. Air bag light code was cleared too. After a month driving all of those same light reappeared again after I started up my car, I was stationary when the lights reappeared and was about to drive in city. The lights did not go away after driving. A big job needs to be done in which this is an manufacturer error which VW needs to take care of. I've spent close to $1100 of part and labor and this problem still remains. I am concerned for my safety if the electronic system might caused my air bags to deploy or traction control may not assist me while driving. The first incident occurred late July and the second occurred September 6.

- Alexandria, VA, USA

problem #23

Sep 012019

Jetta

  • 88,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta. While driving at an unknown speed, the ABS, traction control, brake, and air bag warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, but the mechanic was unable to retrieve a fault code. The mechanic, however, informed the contact that the failure may be due to the ABS control module. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 88,000.

- Mobile, AL, USA

problem #22

Feb 012019

Jetta

  • 52,000 miles
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.

- Kansas City, MO, USA

problem #21

Jan 012017

Jetta

  • 77,000 miles
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.

- Exton, PA, USA

problem #20

Jun 242019

Jetta

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When I purchase this car 2 days after I purchase the brake light came on flashing the car idles too high what could be wrong with

- Bowling Green, KY, USA

problem #19

Jul 092019

Jetta

  • miles
"takata recall" im having issues with the lights on dash when I press on break the oil lamp comes on. Then the traction control and ABS lights come on. The front right headlight works half the time and the same with breaks the lights come on when the want to. These are the only issues im having so far except the ac dont work and always goes out!

- Hanahan, SC, USA

problem #18

Sep 012018

Jetta

  • 80,000 miles
Passenger airbag is off even when someone is sitting in the seat. If someone does not have the seatbelt fastened in the passenger seat the bell and light will not come on.

- Spring Mills, PA, USA

problem #17

Jun 032018

Jetta

  • 90,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta. While the vehicle was stationary, the anti-lock braking system (ABS) failed. In addition, the air bag and traction control indicators illuminated when the vehicle was started. Gunter Volkswagen in fort lauderdale, Florida 33317 was made aware of the failure and diagnosed that the ABS failed to function properly. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.

- Dania Beach, FL, USA

problem #16

Mar 012017

Jetta

  • 98,000 miles
The passenger seat airbag sensor is no longer effective. This means that if I was to get into a collision, the car would not sense there is a passenger and the airbags on that side of the vehicle would not deploy. This sensor does not work at all, and there is an airbag warning light in the dash.

- Hillsboro, MO, USA

problem #15

Oct 202015

Jetta

  • 65,000 miles
Airbag light on, VW mechanic diagnosed steering wheel clock spring failure, and indicated the airbags may fail to deploy. This vehicle was not included in a previous recall for the same issue on the same make and model. The vehicle was stationary when the light appeared and the problem persist, VW dealers acknowledge issue but wont fix as this VIN's parts weren't covered by the same make and model recall.

- Minnetonka, MN, USA

problem #14

Jun 062016

Jetta

  • 70,000 miles
The airbag light went on with the car being in any type of accident. There was recall for this make and model and year for my car. However, the manufacturer decided that my particular car was not to be included for the recall.

- San Francisco, CA, USA

problem #13

Mar 232017

Jetta

  • 79,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta. While driving approximately 30 mph, another vehicle crashed into the contact's vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained whiplash, shoulder, back, and left knee injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a towing lot. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 79,000.

- Cottonwood Heights, UT, USA

problem #12

Dec 022016

Jetta 5-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 63,000 miles
The contact owned a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta. While the vehicle was stationary, it rolled back down a hill and crashed into a tree. The contact stated that the key was not in the ignition and there were no occupants in the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 63,000. Updated 02/15/2017 updated 7/16/18

- Gordo, AL, USA

problem #11

Jun 302016

Jetta

  • 22,000 miles
At 22,591 miles, I discovered the driver airbag, audio controls, horn, other electronics on steering wheel failed because of faulty clock spring. There is a recall notice for multiple VW models including my model and year, but the dealer and VW corporate told me my vehicle's VIN doesn't qualify for the recall. Here is the link to VW recall information regarding this issue: media.VW.com/release/1042/ this is dangerous, someone could get killed. How can this fail at only 22K miles and be normal wear and tear? it is obvious my VIN number should be included in this recall. I have contacted mark gillies 703-364-7104 mark.gillies@VW.com who is listed on the VW site. They still refuse to issue a recall for this VIN.

- Rutherford, NJ, USA

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