NHTSA — Fuel/Propulsion System Problems

2012 Volkswagen Jetta (Page 1 of 3)

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
48,898 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.

2012 Volkswagen Jetta fuel system problems

fuel system problem

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2012 Volkswagen Jetta Owner Comments (Page 1 of 3)

problem #46

Jan 252022

Jetta

  • miles

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

The car it-€™s having severals issues such a fuel system injectors fuel -›½ï¸ gas leak also breaks and battery ðŸ"‹ alternador and much more this car was sold to me by a dealership looking for legal assistant that can help also it was on a accident but I don-€™t know when

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #45

May 252021

Jetta

  • miles
It first started around May 2021. The first symptom was gas or exhaust fumes in my cabin of the vehicle. Apart believed to be a fact it was the canister purge solenoid so I changed it out myself twice. The symptoms did not seem to go away so I decided to take it to a Firestone; after a week and a half they decided they didn-€™t know what it was so I was refunded. After that I took it to -€œCheckered Flag Volkswagen-€ in Virginia Beach. When I was diagnosed with the charcoal canister needed to be replaced. After that was changed I had to move the very next day to Alton Illinois. So I use the vehicle to move to Alton Illinois vehicle seem to be running fine but after the day the check engine light came back on was the same code. Shortly afterwards I started smelling the fumes again and I developed a cough and I have occasional headaches come from the fumes coming from either gas or exhaust inside the cab another vehicle through the vents. Since I moved I cannot return to the same dealership to further resolve this problem and now I am expected to pay for further service being done and continue to pay for the service already done by the last dealership. This is a safety hazard to me to drive like the and I have to pay for an unfinished job. I would like my money back and have the service taken care of without further costs.

- Alton, IL, USA

problem #44

Mar 062020

Jetta

  • 15,000 miles
Gas cap problem waring light on do to gas cap and gas leaking feums when gas tank is full can smell gas while driving

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #43

Jan 192020

Jetta

  • 80,000 miles

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

I was on my way to work at 3 am I jumped on the freeway and my vehicle lost acceleration and started sputtering back and forth I was able to pull aside to get away from the freeway the car then sped up on its own I put my foot on the pedal to see if I could slow it down it then drove normal about a block away from the freeway back toward my home it lost power again while driving very scary I noticed an epc light go on and off 2 times while driving when I finally got it home I turned the car in the on position and noticed the epc light staying on thank you for your time

- New River, AZ, USA

problem #42

Aug 212019

Jetta

  • 89,000 miles
Fuel line leak. This leak is not only occurring in diesel based engines. While driving the check engine light appeared as it appeared there was obvious stress on the vehicle causing the car to stall & the car struggled to maintain momentum prior to the stall. Seemed as if the car was not shifting correctly. Took the vehicle to be checked to discover there is a gas leak detected after a pressure test was performed. The vehicle has 89K miles on it.

- Tucson, AZ, USA

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problem #41

Apr 142019

Jetta

  • 159,000 miles
The engine shut off while traveling at 65mph on the highway. The high pressure fuel pump failed, causing the shutdown. Volkswagen of America had already issued an extension on the warranty for the high pressure fuel pump, but I'm beyond the mileage of the extension. I was fortunate to be in a rural area without a lot of traffic, but this could have been a major accident if I had been in traffic or even just in the left lane.

- Santa Clara, CA, USA

problem #40

Mar 172019

Jetta

  • 104,000 miles

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

High pressure fuel pump failure at 104K miles on 2012 VW Jetta tdi a fuel line was leaking, which as stated by the service manager at serra VW, appeared to be a manufacturer defect. The engine cover was rubbing the fuel line (grommet possibly) causing a leak. The fuel presumably leaks onto the serpentine belt weakening it, and causing it to fail and shred to pieces. Fuel line was replaced, as well as the serpentine belt. Car was tested and would not crank still. Service technician thought it could be the battery, though it had been replaced roughly a year and a half ago. Still, they discharged the battery, charged the battery, and tested the car, and it still would not crank. At this point it was thought the fuel filter may be an issue. Fuel filter was replaced, the car tested again, and again it would not crank. That is when the high pressure fuel pump was going to be replaced. Serra VW placed a warranty claim, which was declined, with the blame placed on the leak in the fuel line.the fuel pump is covered under the extended emissions system warranty as a result of the emissions recall due to unethical modifications of the company. I opened a customer service case, to investigate. They found no reason why the hpfp warranty would be declined. They relied on the word of the service manager, that stated a manufacturer defect causing the fuel line to leak was the cause for the fuel pump failure. At no point was there ever any indication of stalls, lack of power, or reduced power or 'missing' when the serpentine belt failed, indicating no issues with the hpfp prior to arriving at the dealership for service

- Trussville, AL, USA

problem #39

Jan 302019

Jetta

  • 55,225 miles
Jetta wouldn't start, called dealership and they said get it towed in, we have 12 other just like it, zero degree's outside, they told me about the inner cooler technical bulletin and they'd take of it, they said they would defrost it and look inside the turbo, they never did look inside the turbo they unhooked one tube and yeas moisture liquid came out they said not enough, that's not what they told me they were gonna do, its not a coincidence that 12 other cars are having the same problem, they didn't take care of it and made me pay for a new starter, totally unacceptable the 12+ other cars having the same problem. $84 towing and $480 for starter, they need to recall the turbo's causing the problems. Unacceptable

- Belleville, IL, USA

problem #38

Feb 072019

Jetta

  • 170,000 miles
Map sensor - repeating failure the manifold absolute pressure (map) sensor failure causes exponential safety issues while driving on highways and/or higher speeds that can result in death. After repeated replacement and repairs, continuous failure occurs. Stalling, power and steering issues occur at high speeds and/or on highways, putting driver at risk for a fatal collision. Personally, I have had the sensor replaced multiple times, including hoses and pumps on three different occasions. Soon thereafter, map sensor fails and has caused me to create almost a dozen collisions at high speeds, particularly on highways.

- Cambridge, MA, USA

problem #37

Sep 012018

Jetta

  • miles
Leak in the fuel system.

- Skokie, IL, USA

problem #36

May 222018

Jetta

  • 102,000 miles

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

While driving vehicle in parking lot, car sounded strange. As car moving through parking lot car completely stalled. Turned hazards on. Turned car off and attempted to restart car. Car would not restart and windows would not function. After a few minutes a nice gentleman offered to push car to safe location. Put car in neutral and steered as nice gentleman pushed car. Car lost all power steering at this time. Contacted nearest VW dealership, VW valencia. VW valencia stated shop and dealership would be shutting down and could not help me, directed me to nearest VW 14 miles away. Pregnant and with a 2 year old in the car decided it would not be safe to Venture out of my town. Called aaa. Aaa towed me to german hi tech Inc. German hi tech Inc determined fuel pump was to blame. Researched VW fuel pump recalls. Found recalls on passat and cc models. Contacted VW to determine if recall is extended to Jetta tdi. VW employee told me not at this time. Determined best course of action to have work completed in town if no guarantee of recall. Did file a complaint with VW.

- Saugus, CA, USA

problem #35

Sep 202016

Jetta

  • 45,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta. While driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle stalled without warning. Jim ellis Volkswagen (5901 peachtree blvd, atlanta, ga 30341) diagnosed that the fuel sensor failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the fuel sensor was replaced again; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer for hard and soft diagnostic tests; however, the failure could not be replicated. The manufacturer was contacted and did not assist. The failure mileage was 45,000.

- Evans, GA, USA

problem #34

Oct 092016

Jetta

  • 120,946 miles
My car broke down, I.e. a warning light emitted on the dash. I was able to pull my car over. I turned off the engine and the car would not restart. I had my car towed to the dealership. The dealership informed me my high pressure fuel pump failed and sent pieces of metal into my entire fuel system, and that everything except the fuel tank would need to be replaced. This is a $5400 repair per the VW dealership my car was towed to. VW of America issued a voluntary extended warranty on this fuel pump to 120K miles. My car broke down at 120,946 miles. I called VW of a to ask if they would cover at least part of my repair as I was not far outside of the warranty window (946 miles) - they said they would do nothing to help me. After talking to the service guy at the VW dealership, he told me he's had three other VW tdi's in there this month alone for the exact same problem. I also talked to another local VW mechanic shop to get another quote for the repair - the owner there said he "knows all about the problem." Thus, it seems that the fuel pump failure I experienced is happening on a large scale to several people who have the same car/fuel system I have. VW of America also knows about this problem, hence their voluntary extended warranty. It is my opinion that VW of America should have issued a recall for a defect, as opposed to an extended warranty. Both the VW dealership where my car currently is, as well as the local VW mechanic shop I spoke to, are in agreement that the high pressure fuel pump should have been recalled, but that VW of America got out of this costly option by issuing an extended warranty. Any help or insight into this issue that you can afford is greatly appreciated.

- Benson, AZ, USA

problem #33

May 152016

Jetta

  • 89,000 miles
The turbo on my 2012 Jetta sportwagon has failed at 89,000 miles and VW would not fix it. It cost me $3000 to fix. The particulate filter was dirtied as a result of the failure and VW will not replace it. It will cost me $2000 to fix it. I want full value for the car plus my $3000 back to fix the turbo. The turbo failed five months after VW completed the mandatory "service software update" required to get an approved smog check.

- Huntington Beach, CA, USA

problem #32

Apr 042016

Jetta

  • miles
Had car in for new tires and after I left the mileage went from mid 40S to mid 30S, no engine service light, no partical filter light, returned to dealer and didn't offer to check it. 24,000 miles. Is this something to do with dieselgate?

- Howards Grove, WI, USA

problem #31

Feb 022016

Jetta

  • 53,000 miles
On an afternoon in early February 2016, my 2012 VW Jetta tdi went into 'limp' mode after starting it and driving for less than two minutes out of my workplace parking lot. I was barely able to get it to the side of the road and stop, when it died completely and would not start again. The glow plug dash light came on. I had it towed to the dealer the next day and they diagnosed that the high pressure fuel pump (hpfp) had failed, blowing, metal shards throughout the entire fuel system. They performed a diesel fuel test, which 'passed', so all repairs were covered under warranty. The car had 53,000 miles on it at that point. Parts alone would have cost nearly $4000, and I was not shown what the labor costs would have been! I then discovered that this is a 'known' issue but not under recall, only an extended warranty period. Having the complete loss of power that limp mode resulted in, and being stranded for hours waiting for a tow, made me reconsider my purchase decision for this vehicle. I am very glad I was not on the freeway, as the failure could have been deadly in that driving environment. With the current diesel emissions scandal ongoing, I am 'stuck' with this vehicle, unless I want to take a drastic hit on private resale value; no one will take it in trade. This is a very dangerous problem that needs better resolution.

- Cortaro, AZ, USA

problem #30

Apr 132016

Jetta

  • 38,000 miles
My first concern is the seat belt warning light will not stop making an alarm noise. My seat belt is plugged in, and the alarm will not stop and the dashboard views it as un plugged as well. Clearly, it was plugged in. I tried to take it out, inserting it back in slow and fast. Neither was acknowledged by the system. Am I even safe"?? second, there is some sort of delay while driving. I just purchased the car in December 2015. In March 2016, the car has some sort of delay while I'm driving. Not during deceleration or acceleration. But in the 40 -50 mph range. I realize, maybe it has something to do with the turbo injection. It has started happening again sporadically a month later.... ??? please help with clarity on this issue. Is there fuel injection issues with tdi" okw

- Pensacola, FL, USA

problem #29

Feb 232016

Jetta

  • 71,000 miles
For over a year, my car was having hesitation issues. I kept calling my dealer and going in for regular service. At one point, my car started but then turned off two times. I kept getting different stories..."unable to replicate", "a faulty valve, code P2004." On my way to work 2/23/16, my car lost power on acceleration. The check engine light and the coil (tdi) light came on. I pulled over and turned off the car and waited. Then started the car again, began driving, and it happened again. I called the tow truck. Dealer service manager (fitzgerald - andrew) gave me the run around -- telling me that I put contaminated fuel in my car. I called sunoco and my, geico, immediately. The most upsetting part of all of this was how andrew approached the problem, exaggerated my involvement in it and arrogantly used his position to show blame to me -- never explaining this is an extended recall and why! I am now getting my fuel pump fixed under the warranty. But.... this should be a recall now. I know that this problem was on-going for me for a whole year, and I believe that it has damaged my car, and I cannot prove this. Please save other owners and recall this part.

- Owings Mills, MD, USA

problem #28

Nov 252015

Jetta

  • 72,000 miles
I was driving on a county road when I began to lose power. There was traffic behind me. My car began to shake and make a loud knocking sound as it countinued to coast. As soon as I was able to begin to pull to the shoulder, my car completely and violently died. It would not restart, leaving me stranded and causing upcoming traffic to avoid me. The dealership states it is high pressure fuel pump failure. The analysis of fuel shows a lubricity failure, which the dealership stated was due to metal shavings. It was negative for gasoline and has not been mis-fueled. There has been multiple reports of these failures, which cause the metal shavings to contaminate the fuel system. VW has extended coverage to these pumps, but does not take responsibility for the ongoing failures. "not passing the lubricity test" which appears to be caused from the pump failure itself, voids the extended coverage, causing thousands of dollars in repairs.

- Elba, AL, USA

problem #27

Aug 212015

Jetta

  • 63,000 miles
A woman and a young child departed a preschool on a clear, dry day. The vehicle shut down in the middle of the street 250 feet from the preschool without warning or any sign of trouble. The vehicle had run well to date. The driver attempted multiple times to restart the vehicle, but it shut down again within two seconds of starting. A good samaritan pushed the vehicle to the curb. The vehicle was towed to a Volkswagen dealer, where it was determined that the cause was diesel fuel system failure, necessitating total replacement. The fuel system in this make and model is a known problem, for which an extended warranty applies to 120,000 miles. The dealer had a fuel sample tested for contamination. Results were all statistically significantly within VW specifications. Volkswagen contends, however, that the fuel sample failed the test due to its own rounding error and refuses to honor its extended warranty.

- Charleston, SC, USA

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