volkswagen jetta Problems

volkswagen jetta 2012 Complaints

AIR BAGS

at approximately 425 miles, the vehicle airbag system is now malfunctioning (airbag system lights and error) out of nowhere requiring in depth diagnosis by the manufacturer.

Reported in: GRAND PRAIRIE TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW587AJ6CM

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

tl* the contact owns a 2012 volkswagen jetta tdi. the contact stated that while driving 25 mph, he depressed the brake pedal to the floor, but the vehicle failed to stop properly. the failure occurred on multiple occasions. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer. the manufacturer was not notified. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 600 and the current mileage was 1500.

Reported in: CANONBURG PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJ0CM

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

my wife was driving our 2012 jetta tdi and it went into limp mode on the highway, losing nearly all power. we took it to the dealer and the problem had gone away. it occurred again the next day and we took it in again. they ended up replacing the high pressure fuel pump. my fuel pump did not fail catastrophically as others have, but it still failed. this is a systemic issue with common rail vw diesels and is something that i feel should be investigated further and a recall should be issued. i was lucky that my particular pump did not fail catastrophically and just supplied low fuel pressure and that i'm still under warranty, but complete loss of power at highway speeds seems to be a safety concern and vw should definitely issue a recall for this part.

Reported in: NIANTIC CT || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJ5CM

POWER TRAIN

upon entering an on-ramp and also accelerating around a turn, experienced no response to depression of gas pedal. basically car had serious lag before taking off. worried about safety issue when trying to get out of someone's way. very unpredictable in occurrence and do not want to have a wreck. also experienced "stuttering" around 30 mph as if vehicle did not know which gear to get into. this happens frequently and creates a physical shutter of vehicle felt by driver and passengers.

Reported in: SAN ANGELO TX || Crash: N || VIN #:

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Reported in: SAN ANGELO TX || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Reported in: SAN ANGELO TX || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2012 jetta tdi manual, the first occurrence happened after traveling on a downhill grade when i came to a complete stop at the stoplight the car started to shutter and acted like it was going to stall. this exact incident happened several times a month for no rhyme or reason. the car has now started to do the same thing more frequently and will now stall out. it used to be on cold starts and would happen within the first 10 miles of driving. it now does it anytime you are driving. i tried to start the car after work three days ago and when i started the car it shuttered and stalled, i attempted to start the car three more times before it finally stayed started. while driving home the car acted up again at the stop light shuttering and acting like it was going to stall out. the car had to be towed to the dealership. the dealership can't figure out the problem. i am scared that i will be out in the intersection or worse be on the expressway and the car will stall out and i will end up getting hit.

Reported in: LAWRENCEBURG IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJ4CM

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

Reported in: LAWRENCEBURG IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJ4CM

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

48 hrs after driving off dealer lot, "diesel ' odor thru fan and idle at stop signs/lights, dealer notified told it would go away after broke in, continued w/o improvement, took to dealer, stated checked everything no problem, bring back may be animal or something blocking exahust (within days). returned told seal was broke just under intake manifold, pics sent to volkswagen,, called to check status only to be told "turbo cracked." 2 weeks later car picked up, stated all recalls performed prior to driving off lot nov 26,2011, still havent been provided with documentation. concerned for safety, as well as nausea associated with odor in cabin.

Reported in: SPRING ARBOR MI || Crash: N || VIN #:

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Reported in: SPRING ARBOR MI || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

drove the vehicle home from work friday 1/13, weather was below freezing causing ice build up. parked the vehicle in my garage ~45 degrees. ice began melt, and when trying to start the vehicle saturday afternoon it turned 1/4 turn and the engine stopped. my assumption is that the engine inhaled water causing a hydro-lock, i continued to try to start the vehicle a total 5 times (it turned over once and ran extremely rough and died once). the last time trying to start the vehicle i smelled smoke, i popped the hood to find the starter and wiring on fire. i was able to extinguish the fire relatively quickly, considering the vehicle was parked in my garage attached to my house this could have extremely catastrophic if i wouldn't have been able to get the fire out. *** this is the second time for the hard / no start problem, this one however resulted in the fire. volkswagen will not follow the below tsb since the vehicle started after wiring and starter replacement. issue mirrors tsb # 21 11 06 / 2025464, which includes engine will not turn over, "dead battery" starter action (due to hydraulic resistance in cylinder), and starter/electrical fires (due to starter overheating during attempts to start locked engine).

Reported in: BROOKSVILLE KY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJ8CM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: BROOKSVILLE KY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJ8CM

POWER TRAIN

tl* the contact owns a 2012 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that the windshield wipers failed to operate properly while driving in rainy weather. the vehicle also failed to accelerate on another occasion.the vehicle was taken to the dealer but the manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired and the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 77 and the current mileage was 1500.

Reported in: BOCA RATON FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

VISIBILITY

Reported in: BOCA RATON FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

first compliant number-10442730 i am reporting yet another occurrence with this car. i have had this car at the dealer several times for the same issue. the dealer fixed a check valve because the fuel rail pressure was too low. approx. 1600 miles after it was fixed the car started to do the exact same thing shuttering and stalling. the car is now back at the dealership and they are telling me that it is the fuel that we are using in my car. they took a fuel sample and also drove the car 300 miles and can't find anything wrong with it. i do not want to drive this car any longer for fear of being in a wreck. the car has stalled on my 3 times in the past month. vw doesn't seem to think this is a big deal i have had this car for less than 6 months and the car has been in the shop several times i am paying for my car to sit in the shop! i want my money back. i will not know anything about there fuel sample test for three weeks.

Reported in: LAWRENCEBURG IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJ4CM

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

2012 vw jetta tdi sportwagon 10408 miles. flashing glow plug light, and car would not go over 40 mph. dealer replaced the fuel pressure gauge. day after repair both the glow plug light and check engine light came on, would not go over 40 mph. dealer then replaced the hpfpump per vw tech recommendations. fuel (diesel) was checked on both repairs and not found to be faulty. a known issue with this car, though supposedly "fixed". my concerns are for additional failure, potentially leaving us stranded or on a freeway going 40mph.

Reported in: CHAPEL HILL NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPL7AJ9CM

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

without warning, the engine shut down while driving down a busy road. check engine and glow plug warning light came on. was just able to coast to the shoulder of the road. car would turn over, but engine would not start. car towed to dealer. was told there was a catastrophic failure of the high pressure fuel pump, and metal shards were found throughout the fuel system. vw replaced the entire fuel supply system (including fuel tank) and fuel injection system. i can provide list of parts, if needed. *js

Reported in: RED OAK TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJ3CM

ENGINE

on 9 march 2012, i bought a vw tdi jetta sportswagen with automatic transmission. from the time i took possession of the vehicle, the transmission bucked, hesitated, and lunged. i took the car back to the dealership on 26 april to have it examined, but they said that it was ?normal? and there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. i told them that if that was normal, i was surprised that anyone would want to buy one. after 2 months of this, i took the car back and exchanged it for one with a manual transmission. i believe the so-called automatic transmission (which is really a manual transmission with 2 clutches controlled by a computer) is inherently dangerous.

Reported in: ABERDEEN MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPL7AJ4CM

POWER TRAIN

Reported in: ABERDEEN MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPL7AJ4CM

VISIBILITY

i purchased a new volkswagen jetta tdi in 2012. i am unable to adjust the left outside mirror so that it does not have a blind spot. that blind spot allows a car slowly passing in the left lane to be out of view of the inside mirror but not yet in view of the left outside mirror! the pillar separating the two doors on the driver side is located so that a driver cannot see a car in the described blind spot.

Reported in: MONTGOMERY AL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPL7AJ3CM

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

when fueling with diesel, some diesel pump handles don't fit into fill nozzle. while attempting to refuel vehicle. fuel will spilled over onto person filling, ground and vehicle. you are unable to safely fill vehicle without spilling fuel.

Reported in: HUMBOLDT SD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ2CM

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl* the contact owns a 2012 volkswagen jetta sportwagen. the contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a stop, the vehicle would not respond. after a few seconds, the vehicle accelerated rapidly. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis but the failure could not be duplicated and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure recurred numerous times and became intermittent. the manufacturer was notified of the issue but offered no assistance to the contact. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were 700.

Reported in: ROCKVILLE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPL7AJ0CM

COMMUNICATIONS:BACK UP ALARM

reverse lights on both driver and passenger side of vehicle are not working with 580 miles on the car and after 1 month of ownership.

Reported in: HESPERIA CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

reverse lights on both driver and passenger side of vehicle are not working with 580 miles on the car and after 1 month of ownership.

Reported in: HESPERIA CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTS

reverse lights on both driver and passenger side of vehicle are not working with 580 miles on the car and after 1 month of ownership.

Reported in: HESPERIA CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE: FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS

per service advisor rattle occurs from rear deck on vehicles equipped with "fender" sound system and they have a "campaign" to fix the problem but not on this model year.

Reported in: HESPERIA CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

SUSPENSION

per service advisor rattle occurs from rear deck on vehicles equipped with "fender" sound system and they have a "campaign" to fix the problem but not on this model year.

Reported in: HESPERIA CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

SERVICE BRAKES

recently, i was going approximately 35mph on my way home. i depressed my brake pedals to stop the vehicle because a vehicle at approximately 3-4 car lengths from me had come to an abrupt stop. the brake pedal went all the way down to the floor and failed to stop the vehicle properly. this resulted in a minor accident and the jetta se rear-ended the vehicle that had stopped abruptly. the damage was to my front bumper and the other vehicles bumper. this is not the first time this happened, about a week ago, i was on the highway and a vehicle cut me off and the same thing happened. the brake went down to the road. thankfully, i was next to the shoulder on the highway and this is how i avoided the accident. about a month ago i was leaving work and someone turned right in front of me and the brake pedal went all the way down and i had to maneuver the car to the left turn lane to avoid an accident. two times i was lucky, unfortunately the 3rd time i was not and the issue resulted in a minor accident. i do not feel safe in the vehicle. i have a 3 year lease. i am taking the car to the shop tomorrow because i do not trust what the vw dealer would say to protect vw that nothing is wrong. i see that others have had similar complaints online about the tdi. this is a jetta se.

Reported in: MIAMI FL || Crash: Y || VIN #: 3VWDX7AJ5CM

POWER TRAIN

vehicle has vibration over 50 mph. it is felt through out car. after several attempts to diagnose, dealer states that its characteristic. i have tested several other vehicles of the same lineage and disagree. it is either dual mass flywheel or outer axle failure, however dealer states unless vw authorizes, they will not repair. vehicle is within warranty.

Reported in: BRIMFIELD MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ2CM

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

vehicle was traveling at 25 mph, suddenly lost power and died. *js

Reported in: SANTA MONICA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPL7AJ6CM

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

vehicle was traveling at 25 mph, suddenly lost power and died. *js

Reported in: SANTA MONICA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPL7AJ6CM

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

high pressure fuel pump failed. took to dealer and they repaired and said they are having problems with them.

Reported in: FRIENDSWOOD TX || Crash: N || VIN #: VW

SERVICE BRAKES

hello, purchased a vw jetta se on 7/20/12 and almost 1 month after the purchase i was driving on a local highway at apx. 50 mph around 5:30pm when car headlights blinked and car died (stalled). attempted to re-start a car without any success. since vw dealer was closed already - called a local auto shop and they towed a car to a shop to find an issue. mechanic could not see anything obvious so he re-set a computer in my car and he was able to start it. drove home. later in the evening - drove to pick-up some food and on the way home (inside a development) - while making a left turn at apx. 15-18 mph - pressed brakes and realized i had none and at the same time car stalled and since it was raining and i was already slightly turning left - car slid in the direction on my turn and right rear tire hit the curb, tire fall off, car hit a street sign and an electric pool (both fell to the ground) and brought me to a complete stop on the grass. police was contacted and a car was towed to a nearest body shop. filing a complaint with vw - will see what they have to say.

Reported in: MORGANVILLE NJ || Crash: Y || VIN #: 3VWDP7AJ3CM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: MORGANVILLE NJ || Crash: Y || VIN #: 3VWDP7AJ3CM

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

after less than 3 minutes of operation, the vehicle can stall under a specific set of circumstances. the incidences (13 and counting in 2 months) always occur when in second or third gear at ~30-35 mpg. the driver is slowing down (as to stop at a red light) and then accelerates (light changes to green). about 2-3 seconds after acceleration begins the engine stalls and must be restarted. the engine just cuts out during acceleration.

Reported in: BURNSVILLE MN || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: BURNSVILLE MN || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE

Reported in: BURNSVILLE MN || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE

driving at about 50 mpg, engine control malfunction and engine light both came on at once and vehicle lost power all of the sudden. at this happened on the highway while passing a vehicle it could have ended in an accident.

Reported in: ORLANDO FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPL7AJ8CM

POWER TRAIN

the car will occasionally shutter upon acceleration.

Reported in: CHESTER SC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPL7AJ9CM

SUSPENSION

the car will occasionally shutter upon acceleration.

Reported in: CHESTER SC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPL7AJ9CM

ENGINE

picked up the car from the dealer on 10/03/12 at 11:00 a.m. it was new---had 47 miles on the odometer. drove it to work and then arrived home at 6:45 that evening with odometer reading 81 miles. as i was parking the car in the garage i put it into reverse to back it into the spot and then switched the gear(this is a automatic transmission) to drive to straighten out. the car continued to move backwards in reverse and if i had not had my foot on the brake i would have crashed into the concrete wall of the garage. tried to put the car back into drive--the gear shift was stuck in reverse. i turned off the car and of course, could not start it again because the car was in reverse. the electrical panel on the dashboard continued to read that the car was in park. tow truck driver arrived and he had to manually pull the cable wire in the engine while the car was running to change gears and get the car to start. this is a very serious problem---the dealer and volkswagen claim it has been fixed by simply tightening a clasp on the transmission cable. why was the clasp loose? i maintain this is a design flaw. if i had been trying to make a u turn in traffic or park on the street the result could have been horrific. . i am petrified to drive the car again and the dealership and volkswagen want to sweep this incident under the rug. please investigate and prevent this from happening to someone else. thank you

Reported in: WASHINGTON D.C. DC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDP7AJ0M4

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: WASHINGTON D.C. DC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDP7AJ0M4

POWER TRAIN

Reported in: WASHINGTON D.C. DC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDP7AJ0M4

TIRES

tl* the contact owns a 2012 volkswagen jetta tdi equipped with hankook optimo h725a tires, line size 205/55r16, dot#r1grpdyh2411. the contact stated that while driving 35mph there was a popping noise and the tire started loosing air. after the vehicle was merged to the shoulders, the contact noticed that the rear driver tire�s side wall blew out. the contact mentioned that this was the second tire within eight months that had this failure. the failure caused damages to the wheel well. the tire was replaced and the spare tire was installed. neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified. the vehicle failure mileage was 20,865.

Reported in: THORNTON CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ4CM

POWER TRAIN

new volks jetta 2012. purchased new from volks dealership with approx. 40 miles on vehicle at time of purchase. since day one and continuing through today with 12,000 miles on odometer, transmission lurches and jerks, either slipping in and out of gear or seemingly not able to figure out which gear to be in. usually occurs while trying to maintain a constant speed. for example, while in school zone with 20 mph speed limit, car will lurch, jerk and shudder, sometimes violently with the symptoms described above. additionally, when coming to a stop at a stop light for instance two conditions frequently present. 1. after coming to a complete stop, transmission is still in the process of downshifting. in other words, once completely stopped, you can feel the transmission still shifting down through the last couple of gears. 2. after coming to a complete stop at a light, when attempting to accelerate, car is not in gear and requires depression of gas peddle before car will engage in first gear. all of the above are dangerous situations. dealer continues to insist that transmission is "learning" my driving habits.

Reported in: OLD FORGE NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ8CM

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Reported in: OLD FORGE NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ8CM

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

volks 2012 jetta tdi. at highway speed of approx 55-60 mph, with cruise control engaged, transmission seemed to come out of gear, engine revved and tachometer red-lined, vehicle began to slow, but obviously not loose power as evidenced by tachometer and high rpm's on engine. after tachometer red-lined, tachometer then began to drop and at about 5,000 rpm, transmission shifted a couple of times and then operation of vehicle was back to normal. oddly, cruise did not have to be reset and seemed unaware of the event that had just occurred. entire event occurred in the span of about 5 seconds. took vehicle to dealer. service documentation says "we scanned for faults and had a sporadic fault for gear shift control module. performed test plan and found no problems. we cleared faults." another service showed the error code with verbiage something to the effect of "lost communication with gear shift control module." dealer would not replace gear shift control module and stated that if it happens again, return and they will replace. clearly this is a safety issue, particularly when it occurs on a highway at highway speeds with congested highway traffic and clearly could have resulted in an accident.

Reported in: OLD FORGE NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ8CM

POWER TRAIN

Reported in: OLD FORGE NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ8CM

TIRES

driving back from the birmingham airport on 20/59 west to tuscaloosa driving 68 mph in a leased 2012 volkswagen jetta equipped with hankook optimo h725a tires, line size 205/55r16 91h, dot# 1grp dy h2 the vehicle starting pulling hard left. i decelerated to pull off onto the right shoulder of the road. i noticed in rear view and then side mirror black debris coming from the left side of the car as i pulled off onto the right shoulder. after the vehicle was merged to the shoulder, the contact noticed that the rear driver tires side wall blew out. then took pictures of what was left hanging from the tire. the failure caused damages to the wheel well. the tire was replaced by road side assistance and the spare tire was installed. both the dealer quality mazda volkswagen and the tire manufacturer were notified. the vehicle failure mileage was 7522. neither the dealer nor manufacture offered any reason for the failure or to offer any assistance in replacing the tire. suggested buying another tire.

Reported in: TUSCALOOSA AL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDX7AJ9CM

VISIBILITY/WIPER

tl* the contact owns a 2012 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that the front windshield cracked without warrant. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the technician explained that the failure was the result of a rock striking the glass. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance since they would need a dealer to verify the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 12,000.

Reported in: LONG BEACH CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDP7AJ1CM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

i was driving at about 45 miles an hour and the vehicle suddenly lost power steering and all power. without power steering it was difficult to get all the way over to the side of the road. the vehicle was towed by roadside assistance and to the nearest vw dealership who evaluated the problem. the dealership indicated that the main fuse had melted and blown out the entire fuse box and the alternator cable had melted. the repair invoice indicates: "found alternator cable at fuse box melted, replaced fuse panel, alternator cable and fuse on front of fuse panel. replaced wiring harness. tested battery and charging system and road tested car. " i believe this is a fire hazard.

Reported in: EASTON PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWML7AJ7CM

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2012 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated while driving approximately 10 mph, the vehicle suddenly stalled and the vehicle began to idle excessively. the contact was able to be restart the vehicle it began to function normally. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be replicated. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was unavailable. the vin was not available.

Reported in: BELGIUM WI || Crash: N || VIN #:

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

car lost power and coasted to the side of the road . towed to vw dealer . no fuel pressure . removed fuel filter , full of metal . fuel pumps , filter , lines and injectors replaced under warranty. not a miss fueling issue.

Reported in: RAMSEY NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJ8CM

ENGINE

Reported in: RAMSEY NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJ8CM

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

driving at 45 mph city highway speed, in traffic, & stopped at a red light. light turned green, accelerated, car suddenly lost power & warning light came on. turned onto a side street, turned off engine & looked up the warning light in the owner's manual. "engine pre-heat" warning, solid, not flashing. restarted car, light was out, resumed normal travel on highway, but light came back on and check engine light also came on. both solid. contacted dealer & was told to bring in the car. during trip to dealer glow plug light resumed flashing & car lost power on hills. tech removed fuel filter, found metal filings, said hpfp had failed & filled fuel system with metal particles. repairs estimated @ >$7,000. dealer originally said repairs would be covered under warranty, then 2 days later said they would not be covered under warranty. no possibility of gasoline contamination. purchased car expressly to fuel it with 100% vegetable oil based biodiesel. dealer knew intent & sold the car for this express purpose. still working with dealer & vw to resolve warranty issues.

Reported in: LAKE HAVASU CITY AZ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJ0CM

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2012 volkswagen jetta tdi. the contact stated that after starting the vehicle, it suddenly stalled. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the technician diagnosed that the inter cooler failed and was clogged with ice on both the inlet and outlet sides. which caused the engine to seize. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered to assist with repair costs. the vehicle was repaired. the failure and current mileage was 13,050. updated 03/15/13*lj updated 04/22/2013 *js

Reported in: HELLER TOWN PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ6CM

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

2012 volkswagen jetta tdi. consumer writes in regards to engine failure in cold weather. *smd the dealer installed a modification to the turbo charger intercooler. *jb

Reported in: HARLEYSVILLE PA || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

when making a broken u-turn in an attemp to enter a parking space, the vehicle got stuck in reverse and would not shift to park or drive. because the vehicle was stuck in reverse, once the car was shut off, it was impossible to re-start. if this had happened in a busy intersection, the results could have been fatal. the two truck driver immediately recognized the issue as a frequent one with 2012 or 2013 vw jettas. he said that the shift cable in these vehicles is unstable and can become loose, resulting in a complete loss of ability to shift the car from reverse to drive and vice versa. the technician at vw spent 5 minutes putting the shift cable back in place, which has solved the problem for now. this appears to be a design defect with vw jettas and i would recommend that the agency contact vw to find out what is being done to rectify the defect. i have contacted vw as well to inform them of this safety issue.

Reported in: ATLANTA GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDX7AJ0CM

SEAT BELTS

lh rear seat belt and rear center seat belt receptacles can be damaged by folding rear seat into the fully flat position as described in the owners manual. when folded to fully flat position there is insufficient clearance between floor and folded seat backs. belt receptacles can rub against each other and be broken from having seats in this position. vw representatives have informed this type of damage is not covered by the factory warranty.

Reported in: DERWOOD MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWML7AJ2CM

SEAT BELTS

rh rear seat retractable belt froze and was inoperable. when rh rear seat was in the fully flat folded position, the inertia portion of the seat belt located inside the seat back froze and would not release. while there was no passenger and the belt was not buckled due to the seat being folded for use of the cargo space, by freezing the rear seat could not be returned to the normal upright position for passenger use. seat belt was diagnosed as defective by dealer and replaced under warranty after 1 month delay in part availability.

Reported in: DERWOOD MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWML7AJ2CM

ENGINE

i was on an approximately 6 hour road trip. approximately 100 miles from my home, my 2012 volkswagen jetta tdi was being driven at approximately 70 mph on the highway. the glow plug light on the instrument cluster began flashing. vehicle then went into "limp mode", slowing to approximately 45 mph on the highway. i was able to make it to the next exit off the highway, and come to a stop at the off ramp stop sign. the vehicle then stalled, and would not restart. this left my wife and i stranded 100 miles from home. vehicle was towed back to the dealership, where the vehicle was purchased. mechanic at dealership stated the high pressure fuel pump "exploded", sending metal shards throughout the vehicle's fuel system. dealership states this may be caused by "contaminated fuel". a small amount of online research revealed this is a common problem with volkswagen tdi engines.

Reported in: ARLINGTON TN || Crash: N || VIN #:

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Reported in: ARLINGTON TN || Crash: N || VIN #:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: ARLINGTON TN || Crash: N || VIN #:

SEAT BELTS

tl* the contact owns a 2012 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that the rear passenger and center seat belts were tearing. the vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the technician was unable to diagnose the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered to pay for the cost of parts. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 16,500 and the current mileage was 17,608.

Reported in: FAYETTE CITY PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ9CM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

cpsc:i1340048a. 2012 volkswagen. consumer stated that vw made a software change to the car which caused it to race dangerously when the brake was released or put in first gear. *ln

Reported in: PALMETTO BAY FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

i was driving on the interstate on moderate traffic at about 35 mph when all of a sudden the car stalled and the steering wheel and brakes got really hard. i had to use the emergency brake to stop the car because the brakes wouldn't work. my jetta has the automatic transmission and it was set on "manual with no clutch" when it happened. the thing is i wasn't even touching that when the car stalled. that first incident happened less than 2 weeks after i'd gotten the car fresh off the dealership. i didn't want to admit that there was something wrong with the car because i was excited to have a new car. i've owned the car for almost a year now and it has happened at least 7 other times. now i realize this is very dangerous because when the car stalls the steering wheels gets very hard and it makes it almost impossible to move the steering wheel or use the brakes. i'm not happy.

Reported in: EL PASO TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW2K7AJ2CM

SERVICE BRAKES

Reported in: EL PASO TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW2K7AJ2CM

ENGINE

Reported in: EL PASO TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW2K7AJ2CM

ENGINE

tl* the contact owns a 2012 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the vehicle stalled as the power steering system malfunctioned. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer for a diagnostic test. the diagnostic test did not provide any defect codes nor did the vehicle stall while the dealer test drove the vehicle. the contact did not call the manufacturer. the failure mileage was 28,884. the vin was not available.

Reported in: MADERA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDP7AJ2CM

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

on 5/31 we filled our tdi after getting 515 miles on our previous tank of fuel. 5/31 was my last diesel fillup in my tdi before my issue came about. at that visit on 5/31 we added 14,207 gallons of fuel to our 14.5 gallon tank. about 12 days passed from our last fillup and after 405 miles or 3/4 of a tank of fuel usage since our last fuel up on 5/31 we went on sunday 6/9 to start our vehicle.it started and then quickly died. we then tried to turn the vehicle over again and it would turn over but the engine would not ignite seemed to be a fuel issue to my husband) but in all efforts he tried to jump our vehicle .... no fix. on monday we called for a tow we arrived to the dealership and the dealership got our car into the shop... diagnostics stated that we had gasoline in our diesel vehicle... at no time did we ever or have ever put gasoline in our car we have had this car for almost 29k miles and are other diesel product owners. we were blamed over and over again that we put gasoline in our car but thankfully we saved the receipt of our last fill up that stated we did put diesel in our vehicle the dealership stated they had to drain our fuel tank and replace our fuel filter.... this would be at a cost of almost $300. we stated to them we wanted a sample of the fuel drained and they did give us this. our argument to the dealership was why would our vehicle now decided not to start or run after ¾ of a tank of fuel and almost 420 miles on the tank of fuel. it seems very odd. the dealership was very quick to pass the buck to the gas station reading the reports and complaints i am not the only one this has happened to. volkswagen owners state that there are known issues of the fuel system in the dsg tdi and still has not been recalled. i feel like i may also be another victim of this blinded known corporate problem. someone needs to be held accountable.

Reported in: BLAINE MN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ1CM

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

received a letter from volkswagen america for "service action campaign code: 20t8 subject: certain 2009-2012 model year vehicles with tdi� clean diesel engine install misfueling guard may 21, 2013" to install the misfueling guard vw part #5k0 201 400. made an appointment with jim ellis volkswagen located at 1860 cobb pkwy s marietta, ga 30060 ph: (770) 955-6565 to install the misfueling guard. after the fuel guard was installed, discovered that none of the diesel fuel nozzles at area fueling stations in atlanta, ga and charleston, sc fit the misfueling guard because the nozzles are too small to deactivate the lock-out mechanism. car can only be refueled with extreme difficulty by very slowing trickling in diesel fuel to avoid triggering the fuel pump back-pressure auto-shutoff safety feature. requires 10 to 15 mins to partially fuel the car and diesel fuel will foam and run out of the fuel tank neck. contacted volkswagen america and jim ellis to remove the misfueling guard, who as of this writing, are refusing to do so per vw america directives. instead, the dealer provided a diesel fuel nozzle adapter 000-072-709 with latex gloves, which is not suitable for the average non-mechanically oriented driver and a huge inconvenience that significantly diminishes the value and utility of the vehicle. part must not be lost and carefully wiped dry and kept clean after each use. a new driver may not be aware of or understand how to use the nozzle adapter. neither vw america nor jim ellis advised me the misfueling guard would not fit a great number of diesel fuel nozzles commonly found at area refueling stations prior to having it installed. had i known this, i would not have allowed the misfueling guard to be installed.

Reported in: WOODSTOCK GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPL7AJ5CM

VISIBILITY/WIPER

i was driving north on interstate highway 55 in memphis, tennessee, (around 9:15am ct on june 26, 2013) towards riverside drive (downtown memphis) when all of the sudden i heard a loud boom/crash sound on the roof of my volkswagen jetta (2012, which i owned for 1 week!) and glass shattered and fell all over me and the inside of my car. i was not under an overpass or behind any trucks or cars, so i was completely terrified and did not know what happened. i was crying and shaking and pulled off the highway to s parkway and called 911 to file a report. after speaking with the police, a nearby witness (who happened to work for a car dealer) my boss and my boyfriend, everyone agreed the sunroof had some sort of defect that caused it to shatter/combust/explode. the glass was all sticking straight up and there was no sign of an object in or on the car. my bf brought the car to the vw dealership and they are inspecting it and repairing it while i am in a rental car. i am scared to drive in a car with a sunroof now and do not feel safe. vw drivers beware.

Reported in: MEMPHIS TN || Crash: N || VIN #:

STRUCTURE:BODY

Reported in: MEMPHIS TN || Crash: N || VIN #:

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

(this car is a jetta tdi diesel, tdi option is not available in pull-down list above) after exiting highway, i smelled diesel fuel. parked at destination and observed fuel leaking from under hood and pooling on ground. tow truck was called & was told to get fire dept there to clean up spill. fire dept spread material on ground and opened car hood. we could see spray marks of fuel from injector or lines, spray marks down passenger side of car from splashing up on highway drive i was told to not start car and keep persons away from car until tow truck came. when vehicle was put on tow truck bed, more fuel gushed out from underbody of car. car has been serviced only at vw dealer, last date of 4/12/13. this happened when i was approx 50 miles from home on a saturday night, so the vehicle was towed to a vw dealer in that town (grand rapids, mi). upon checking fuel gauge in car, it was down 1/8 to 1/4 of a tank further than it should have been.

Reported in: NORTON SHORES MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ9CM

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

2013-07-19 - driving at 25mph, engine becomes unresponsive, error light comes on, engine stops completely, loss of steering and brake power, was able to coast to side street. vehicle would not restart. had to call a tow truck. vw service team manager asserts metal shavings in fuel injector indicate contamination of fuel system. does not indicate what driver behavior could prevent this, nor does he disclose publicized tdi high pressure fuel pump problems. most recent fueling 2013-07-17. fuel receipt reads: 12.99 gallon diesel 2 pump #10 with two days of uneventful driving prior to fuel pump failure, suggests misfueling not responsible.

Reported in: CHEVY CHASE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPL7AJ2CM

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

the 2012 vw jetta 2.5 has a vehicle defect in which upon a need for acceleration, the car stalls out. while the engine continues to run; the vehicle does not move. this vehicle has failed on three separate occasions nearly causing accidents each time. vw refuses to acknowledge the defect even though other vw owners have documented this defect in a variety of websites regarding the product.

Reported in: MESA AZ || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE

Reported in: MESA AZ || Crash: N || VIN #:

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

around noon time this past saturday my son was returning from a neighborhood store and the car stalled at the roadside about 1/2 mile from home. he called and reported the cel and "coil" light blinking on the instrument panel. i was able to start the car, confirming the same lights were blinking and drove the rest of the way home. at home i called the vw service rep and made an appointment that same afternoon. we proceeded to take the car in a short while and it stalled again enroute - would not restart & had to call for a tow. after telling the vw service mgr what had happened he immediately called for a mechanic to bring some tool and proceeded to take the top of the fuel filter housing. as he suspected there were small filings of metal in the fuel filter housing. he then told me there was an issue with the some hpfp failures and they would be replacing it with one from another mfgr. he also said vw dealt with resolving this issue by replacing the entire fuel system. i am reporting this issue because i have read multiple instances on the internet of this happening and vw reporting that in many cases owners had contaminated the fuel system with gasoline. i fuel all the cars for our family and have never put gasoline in our jetta's fuel system. i have all our fuel receipts from this year, and up till a few months ago had all our 2012 receipts as well. my wife is the high-use driver of this vehicle. i think i'm very fortunate this didn't happen to her on the freeway during her commute to/from work.

Reported in: SANTEE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ8CM

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

my wife and i were merging into traffic at highway speeds when the 2012 volkswagen jetta sportwagen tdi engine stalled. i was able to get the car off the road onto a grass embankment before a semi truck passed within inches of driver side. the car would not restart. we called vw roadside assistance and were towed to the nearest vw dealership. upon mechanic inspection, i was advised that the fuel system had failed, specifically the high pressure fuel pump. the repair required the entire fuel system to be replaced, as shards of broken metal and debris contaminated the fuel tank, pumps, lines, filters, etc. vw agreed to make the expensive repairs under warranty (estimate $6k) but not without advising me that they were not liable to make repairs under warranty due to "diesel fuel contamination". i was advised to purchase fuel from "reputable" diesel fuel stations without being asked where i bought gas (shell and gulf near my home). vw asked mechanic to pull 1 liter fuel sample for testing at vw. mechanic reports the sample pulled appeared to be a clean diesel fuel sample. he left the sample out overnight to settle and look for phase separation of water/fuel. he saw no separation in the morning. i have loved my diesel car, but vw has not yet satisfied me with their customer service. my safety and reliability concerns have been very much discounted, and i have been made to feel like this was my fault.

Reported in: ROCKVILLE MD || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPL7AJ4CM

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

as i accelerate to merge onto the freeway, i suddenly realized that i didn't have any power to speak of, which was quite alarming. this had never happened before. i was able to gain enough speed to get on the freeway, but i instantly turned on my hazard lights realizing that i could not gain enough speed to keep up with the flow of traffic. shortly thereafter, my glow plug light came on, and i drove my car 1 mile to the nearest off ramp. when i came to a complete stop my engine light came on, and i drove 1 mile to my scheduled doctor's appointment. i parked my jetta with plans to address the matter after my appointment. when i returned to my car, it would not start, and i called aaa to tow my car to the nearest vw dealership. as i mentioned, this had never happened before, and i was in absolute shock because i love my clean diesel, and i have encouraged 4 other friends to buy the exact same model!!! after leaving the car at the vw dealership, i began to do some research online about the issues people are having with the bosch high pressure fuel pumps in the vw clean diesels. honestly, this has deeply changed how i feel about my car, and worries me greatly! it is incredibly dangerous to have a car completely lose power! :( from what i understand, vw is "suggesting" that hundreds of people have put gas in their diesel engines. my husband has had a jetta diesel wagon for 12 years and has over 200, 000 miles on it, so we are well versed in the use of diesel. we have never put gasoline in our diesel cars!!! we are incredibly disappointed in the way vw is handling this issue. to suggest that hundreds of loyal, devoted diesel fans that have purchased their cars are at fault is an enormous mistake, as is suggesting that consumers are not buying "quality diesel." take that up with the refineries and gas stations, volkswagen, not your loyal customers.

Reported in: SANTA BARBARA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWML7AJ9CM

ENGINE

our 2012 jetta sportwagen 2.5 se has suffered from intermittent stalling for the past 4 weeks. the stalling occurs shortly after starting the cold engine. this stalling has occurred while in traffic resulting in a serious safety concern. it appears that this issue is experienced by a number of 2012 jetta sportwagen owners. here are potential causes of the stalling per other owners: ecu wiring harness crank sensor throttle body engine management system coolant leak migration fuel pump fuel filter our vehicle is currently at the dealer. we are extremely concerned that this intermittent stalling issue if not resolved will result in injuries or fatalities.

Reported in: LA JOLLA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDP7AJ1CM

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

i have a vw jetta tdi. the diesel high pressure fuel pump went bad while i was driving 70 mph on the highway. lost all acceleration, had to coast 2 lanes over to get to shoulder. had to have vehicle towed in to dealer for service.

Reported in: BRADENTON FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ9CM

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

i was trying along at 50 mph and the globe diesel light came on and the engine light came an. i kept trying to drive it to get to a safe place to leave my vehicle to get it towed. vw could not determine if was fuel contamination or faulty fuel pump. i couldn't move the car when i got to a stop. if this is a known issue to the vw company why are they trying to blame the consumers that i put the wrong fuel in my vehicle. vw installed the fuel guard which was a recall, and covered the rest of the parts but now i am left with a year old car that i hope has no longer further issues due to vw not recalling and fixing an issue with the fuel pump.

Reported in: PADDOCK LAKE WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ3CM

ENGINE

Reported in: PADDOCK LAKE WI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ3CM

ENGINE

car stalls. it is a 6 speed manual transmission. tdi. continually stalls. have also had 2 instances of brake going to floor board.

Reported in: BARBOURSVILLE WV || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

the high pressure fuel pump failed and destroyed the entire fuel system of the car.

Reported in: MILFORD NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ2CM

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

the high pressure fuel pump failed and destroyed the entire fuel system of the car.

Reported in: MILFORD NJ || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ2CM

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

was on my way to work one morning while in the middle of my drive going 60mph my diesel glow plug light started to blink and the check engine light came on along with loss of power to my vehicle. had to manage to avoid traffic and pull over to the side of the road and figure out what was wrong. ultimately had car towed to vw dealership where i purchased car from . they looked over the car, test drove it and stated they didn't see anything wrong with it and reset the mil and i was on my way. the next day on my way to work again , glow plug light starts to blink along with check engine light on and loss of power to my vehicle. have car taken back again and this time they state it was a bad fuel pump over the fuel tank and replace it and reset the mil and got my car back. that same day on my way home from work the lights come on again for a third time with loss of power to my vehicle. take car back and this time they replace high pressure fuel pump. haven't had any issues with it since but i suspect this is something that is occurring in alot of vw's from this year and felt the need to report it.

Reported in: EASTON PA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJ7CM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

while my daughter was sitting at a stop light in a left hand turn lane, all of the dash lights began to flash. she thought if she turned the car off and restarted it, it would clear. she could not restart the car, the hazard lights would not turn on, the back doors would not unlock , the radio could not be turned off and it was pitch dark. thank god, a man with a family pushed her car to out of the left hand turn lane and into a gas station parking lot across the street. upon my husband and my arrival, we could not open the trunk either to allow the tow truck driver access to the tow hook. we leased this car due to its safety features of our college age daughter. hazard lights should work regardless of what's going on with the vehicle. had someone reared ended the vehicle due to no hazard lights, passengers in the back would not have been able to exit the vehicle. or if it had caught fire to only way to exit would be through the two front doors. we were told by the vw dealer that it was a controller that went out and that he has never heard this happening before. i'm writing to vw to let them know that if this is true for all vw products, it is a design flaw that jeopardizes everyone that buys or leases one.

Reported in: NEWARK CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW2K7AJ7CM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

leaving work i had started my car let the car idle down put it in drive and it slammed into gear after taking off the car shifted into 3rd gear and no higher after noticing this i pulled over put the car in park and tried shifting through the gears and it continued to slam into drive and reverse so i turned the vehicle off and started it back up at that point the mil was on and the service wrench was light up. called me dealership they had the car towed to a volkswagen dealership upon their diagnoses they said it could be a wiring issue possible a transmission control module issue upon further investigation the transmission control module had been warrantied previously (as i am the second owner of the car).

Reported in: TICONDEROGA NY || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

Reported in: TICONDEROGA NY || Crash: N || VIN #:

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

vw jetta tdi rear tank pump has no filter sock and fuel starved to high pressure aluminum pump without high pressure filter or manifold. no sign of metal shavings! cost of repair 10000.00 i phoned vw america as car was in warranty and they emailed back and said they would contact me and this did not happen.i had to pay the bill but my insurance covered me for most cost.lost 4 days of work and had to rent a car.this car is unsafe and i feel terrible saying this as i am a diesel lover. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Reported in: BAYFIELD MI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJ8CM

SERVICE BRAKES

tl* the contact owns a 2012 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, the brakes failed to engage when applied. the contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the rear of another vehicle. there were no injuries and a police report was not filed. the vehicle was taken to a local body repair center but was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileage was 23,000.

Reported in: ROY UT || Crash: Y || VIN #:

VISIBILITY/WIPER

wiper blades stop working as the linkages freeze up in freezing cold wet weather when there is no excessive visible ice at the base of the wiper arm. the only solution so far has been to bring the car into a heated shop to un-freeze the wipers. happens every time it rains, then get a hard freeze.

Reported in: NORTHAMPTON MA || Crash: N || VIN #:

VISIBILITY/WIPER

wiper blades stopped working. i brought the car to the dealership and was told they were frozen. i didn't believe it but i took the car home and waited it out but it kept happening. the day before new years eve they completely went out and had to find another way home since it was sleeting out. i got the car back to the dealership and complained to the manager they checked it out and told me that the switch needed replacing they got the part in and replaced it. the next day they stopped working again. this is a year old car, completely ridiculous.

Reported in: COUNTRYSIDE IL || Crash: N || VIN #:

VISIBILITY:SUN ROOF ASSEMBLY

i was traveling down the highway this afternoon going 70 mph. all of a sudden, my mother and i heard a loud boom, it sounded like a gunshot. glass from the sunroof suddenly covered us, the front seating area and the back seat. we were the only car in the highway, there was no evidence of any external object being thrown at my vehicle and the sunroof glass s pushed up, indicating that the explosion happened from inside the vehicle. i've read of several instances of this happening and feel this is a real safety hazard. lucky, i didn't lose control and we were just shaken up, but this issue needs to be addressed. all of my windows were up, the sunroof was closed, there's no reason for something like this to happen on a car that isn't even two years old.

Reported in: NEW CUMBERLAND WV || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW1K7AJ9CM

FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL

on thursday, january 16, 2014, at about 1145 hours, i was traveling sb i-15 in the number one lane, in murrieta, ca in my 2012 volkswagen jetta tdi, with my cruise control set at approximately 77 miles per hour. without any prior warning, a warning light on my dashboard (later identified as the glow plug light) began to flash and i simultaneously lost power. luckily, i was able to merge over to the winchester rd. off ramp. as i slowed and came to a stop, my vehicle stalled and i was unable to restart it after numerous attempts. i was stranded in the center lane of a three lane off ramp where numerous vehicles nearly rear ended me. i immediately called 9-1-1 for assistance. as a result, a highway patrol unit arrived within several minutes to prevent me from being in an auto accident. i telephoned my insurance company after calling 9-1-1 in order to be towed to murrieta volkswagen. several hours later i received word from the dealership that they found numerous shards of metal in the high pressure fuel pump (hpfp) and gas line. the dealership also informed me that they would be submitting a claim to volkswagen in order to repair the damages, which have been initially quoted at $4000.00. they also told me they would need at least a week to repair the vehicle. i have read numerous accounts online where tdi owners have complained of the exact same issues: finding shards of metal in their fuel filters as well as experiencing a failure of the hpfp. no one else should have to endure the dangerous situation i found myself in yesterday, let alone the expense i am facing if volkswagen denies the claim the dealership is filing on my behalf. please help all of us. this is a widespread issue that volkswagen has not corrected with their tdi clean diesel engines. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Reported in: MURRIETA CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ0CM

TIRES

conti pro contact (continental tire): the tires came installed on a 2012 vw jetta 2.5 le. at 27,000 miles the front right tire blew out while driving. the problem was a torn sidewall. the tire was replaced with another conti pro contact. at 53,216 miles the front left tire blew out while driving. once again the problem was a torn sidewall.

Reported in: VICTORVILLE CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

tl* the contact owns a 2012 volkswagen jetta sport wagon tdi. the contact stated that the vehicle abnormally accelerated. the failure was recurring. the vehicle was taken to a dealer, who advised that the cruise control switch and steering column computer chip needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. the vehicle was not further repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the problem. the approximately failure mileage was 7,281.

Reported in: PROVIDENCE RI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWML7AJ8CM

STEERING

Reported in: PROVIDENCE RI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWML7AJ8CM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: PROVIDENCE RI || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWML7AJ8CM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

my vw jetta from 2012 has issues with the horn not working properly when there a heavy rain and humidity. when driving in the rain the horn becomes extremely low or won't work at all. have been to the vw service center and gotten this replaced. the issue persists. this is not safe when having to alert a driver or pedestrian.

Reported in: MIAMI LAKES FL || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE

my jetta diesel engine was hydro-locked due to water being pulled into the engine from the intercooler. volkswagen has a tsb (technical service bulletin) published for this exact problem (frozen intercooler) - yet is only implementing or offering this tsb to customers on an as needed basis. in many cases - this is way too late. this is a known problem at volkswagen -- and by not offering this tsb to all vw customers -- catastrophic engine damage can occur - if the right weather conditions are met. for my vehicle, when starting up my car - at the end of the day, to leave and return home --> when starting the car - it acted as if the battery was dead. at this point, water was ingested into the 3rd cylinder, the piston rod of the 3rd cylinder was bent, and engine damage was done. vw should not be offering this tsb to all tdi (turbo diesel engine) owners who could be affected by the tsb. catastrophic engine damage by neglecting to perform a known tsb is creating a very dangerous situation on the roads.

Reported in: WENDELL NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJ9CM

SERVICE BRAKES

we were traveling at highway speed on i-95 south in virginia on a family vacation with a three year old and a 6 year old in the vehicle. traffic came to an abrupt stop and my wife, who was driving at the time, screamed that the pedal went to the floor. i immediately told her to start pumping the brakes and downshift and i grabbed the hand brake. amazingly, we were able to control the vehicle enough to and limp off the next exit. we had the vehicle towed to the nearest vw dealer. at the local vw dealer the problem was diagnosed as a front left flexible brake line failure due to a missing hose routing bracket on the strut tower. the non routed hose assembly as making contact with the inside of the front rim and eventually wore through the reinforcement. the abrupt stop was enough to finally burst the assembly. the service manager blamed me for the omission of the bracket and i was forced to pay $495.71 for the repair. we have since taken this up with volkswagen customer care and they reimbursed us for the repairs. upon complaining further they gave us a $1000.00 customer loyalty certificate for the lease or purchase of a new vehicle which has expired and is worthless at this point in time. the question i have is how could this defect or omission of the bracket have gone through a quality inspection at the factory, a pre-delivery inspection, and two scheduled dealer services without catching an issue like this?

Reported in: STOW OH || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWML7AJ3CM

AIR BAGS

i was sold a brand new 2012 volkswagen jetta without a passenger airbag. additionally, there were multiple other defects with the vehicle, and by definition, i was sold a lemon. i've tried bringing the vehicle back to the dealership on multiple occasions to repair the problems, and they have yet to be able to correct the issues. the dealership installed a new airbag which has malfunctioned on more than a few occasions, resulting in the airbag light coming on and causing faults in the terminals leading to the tail lights and shorts in the dashboard.

Reported in: LITTLETON CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW1K7AJ5CM

SEAT BELTS

Reported in: LITTLETON CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW1K7AJ5CM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: LITTLETON CO || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW1K7AJ5CM

SEATS

this incident has happened twice. first incident was when i encountered a herd of deer on a rural road. i was traveling at highway speed of 55 mph and had to suddenly brake and de-accelerate to avoid a collision. the folding back seats flopped down in the de-acceleration. similarly the same maneuver occurred on an urban freeway. i had to de-accelerate to avoid a collision at 65 mph and the same event occurred. if there were passengers or a heavy load in the rear area behind the back seats, they could have been thrown against the front seats or an object from the rear could have flown forward and hit the front seat passengers. i am sure that the seats were properly latched.

Reported in: SAN FRANCISCO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPL7AJ7CM

ENGINE

i purchased my car 1 year ago has approximately 27k on it now bought it with 1000 miles on it after a month after purchasing my vehicle i started in some wobbling rumbling noises coming from the left front of my car i took up a drive with the technician the technician heard the sound they had my car for four days didn't even give me a loaner and i missed school because so. after 4 days they came up with no conclusion he told me to bring it back when it gets worse i brought my car back several times and after everything look for the fifth time they told me that my tires are feathering i was wondering why they tell me that now i'm not after the first two times. i then took it to the tire dealership and several other second party dealerships when they told me my tires are fine along with one of the volkswagen dealerships. i am now having performance issues with my excelerator hesitated it seems like it's gurgling and seeming to have troubles accelerating now. my miles per gallon has dropped from 42 to 38. i am here in a whoooing noise when i'm returning the wheel all the way right and reversing and it's coming from the left side left front side where the original noise was, vw told me it's normal. i'm also hearing the same issues must like everybody else's with this car with accelerating i'm hearing weird cranking noise through the ac vent which is a normal at high rpm's. just recently i had a put my foot all the way down to the four with my brakes to stop the car and i don't know why. i'm also hearing the same issues like everybody else with my windows it's really not loud and noisy after about 50 mph. the dealership is yet to come up with clear answer to my issues they just told me to buy tires and they weren't even sure if the new tires would fix the issue or not. they also tell me i won't be covered in the future if something happens. vw needs to be investigate.

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

POWER TRAIN

when starting from a full stop in drive mode "d" i pressed the accelerator and the car responded with almost zero power to accelerate. it just rolled forward as though i wasn't pressing the accelerator at all moving 1 to 2 mph. after 5 seconds of pressing the accelerator and the rpm climbing slowly, it would achieve normal driving power. even at speeds of 20-30mph the initial response upon hitting the accelerator was the same lagging response. applying the gas pedal felt like starting from a stop with a manual transmission in 5th gear. i stopped the vehicle several times, even shutting off the car, without any change in the behavior during my 10 minute drive. after leaving the car off for half hour the problem didn't yet return.

Reported in: EASTHAMPTON MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPP7AJ2CM

ENGINE

Reported in: EASTHAMPTON MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPP7AJ2CM

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

Reported in: EASTHAMPTON MA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPP7AJ2CM

VISIBILITY/WIPER

while driving home after a snowstorm, my wipers suddenly stopped working. because of it, i could not clean my windshield and had to keep pulling over and pouring windshield washer fluid down my front window so that i could see. it is very dangerous in maine in the winter time to have this happen as we often encounter wet/snowy roads and you must depend on your windshield wipers and fluid system to work properly and keep your windshield clear. i took my car into the vw dealer (o connors in augusta maine). . they determined there was no power coming out of the wiper switch to the pump. first they replaced the wiper/washer switch which did not fix the problem. then they had it for another full day and determined the "body control module" was not working. they had to order the part. it cost $1041 dollars to replace the module, part # 5co-937-087-e-z09 control unit. when i finally picked it up i was told that 5 other vw owners had their cars in for the same exact problem that week. one owner was standing there in the customer service area and he told me the same thing happened to his 2013 jetta. the shop rep said they were seeing a lot of these since the cold weather set in. my car is in excellent condition and was only 20 months old when this happened. there has got to be a major defect for this many new cars to have this happen to them. i wish you would investigate.

Reported in: SOUTH PORTLAND ME || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWBP7AJ8CM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: SOUTH PORTLAND ME || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWBP7AJ8CM

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

when i drove home at 7pm on wednesday, i stopped the car and shifted to park. but i couldn't turn the key off from ignition. the key was just locked in the on position and the engine just kept running. i drove around and tried it again. but i still couldn't shut the engine. i called the police officer and my insurance company, but none of them can help me with this situation. the engine kept running for an hour and almost 40 minutes until i accidentally turned it off. i was calling my friend and tried it again, after almost two hours it stopped.

Reported in: STOCKTON CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDP7AJ0CM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Reported in: STOCKTON CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDP7AJ0CM

STEERING

car was only under my possession for one year and seven months... it was leased brand new . 3/25/14-when got into the car to go to work, car would not start. discovered it had no battery power. horn stopped working. previous to this, week before thermostat light was going on and off. car was at 14,030 miles. volkswagen roadside assistance came and brought vehicle to nearest service center which is actually where i bought the car. service center confirmed dead battery. the dealership including the person who sold me the vehicle attempted to charge me $240 for it and considered it "wear and tear like the tires," until i called volkswagen customer service number right on the location who confirmed that my battery was covered at 24,000 miles or 2 years whatever came first. volkswagen service center confirmed that horn was in fact inoperable due to blown fuse and replaced it. i was informed by the service agent that the thermostat light was due to low anti-freeze and it was topped off. in addition i requested i multi-point inspection which they conducted. shortly after receiving the car back on 3/26/14, i noticed by voltage adapter was not working. i assumed it to be a defective phone charger so i purchased a new one. 4/8/14- i tried to use the new charger for my phone in each of the the front and back adapter slots. that is when i realized these was something wrong with my adapters possibly after the replacement of the new battery on 3/25/14. my plan was to contact the service center and schedule a check up and have the adapters checked but unfortunately i never was able to do so. that day i was involved in a car accident where i was unable to turn the steering wheel into the exit and ended up crashing into metal guardrail.car had shut off and. airbag deployed. car was ruled as a total loss.

Reported in: BRONX NY || Crash: Y || VIN #: 3VWDP7AJ4CM

STRUCTURE:BODY

Reported in: BRONX NY || Crash: Y || VIN #: 3VWDP7AJ4CM

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL

Reported in: BRONX NY || Crash: Y || VIN #: 3VWDP7AJ4CM

WHEELS

just had been a little over 2 months, before i started to hear and notice a unusual noise coming from the front driver side of my car. i started to hear a constant rumbling, grinding noise while driving. didn't think of it much at the moment, but notified the dealership and they just told me to bring it back if it worsens. i took my car in this day for my first 10k service. they supposedly did a multipurpose inspection and even stated everything is fine and normal (remember this, for my next multiple complaints will further into this problem).

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

STEERING

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

i went on a road trip prior to this visit, and had a scary issue with my car where it hesitated several times while driving, it was hesitating like it was out of gas but i just filled it up with of course the recommended gas which is diesel. after a couple of minutes it stopped, which i found to be unusual cause its to new to be doing this. then i started to hear and notice that unusual noise coming from the front driver side of my car again but a little louder than before, it was annoying me so bad. i was hearing a constant rumbling, grinding noise while driving, the rougher the road the louder the noise, when i hit a bump the noise went with the bump, the smoother the road it was less loud but still there. i took it to vw and they had told me they scanned it and found no faults with the hesitation issue, than i took a ride with a technician who did hear the noise i was hearing, the technician even noted it on my papers. we then took out a similar vehicle but i could not hear the same noise, so the technician advised me to take it back again if it gets worse. i had told the technician it is not normal, no new car should be making these noises. not to mention the person who had sold the car to me never thanked me for the purchase as well as told me to never talk to him again, when all i was trying to do was to get some help from him, but he had treated me like garbage and made me fend for my own. on this visit they had supposedly done a multipoint inspection on my vehicle, and once again stated everything to be normal, nothing stating about my tires.

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

ENGINE

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

WHEELS

20k service had been performed on my car, again i notified vw that the noise is progressively getting worse and that i can no longer stand it. i also notified them of newer issues that have never happened before starting to happen, but they told me lets fix this issue first before moving on. this noise that had been happening for awhile now has now progressively gotten louder and now making noises when i am turning, something it had never done before. they did a check, and all of the sudden told me that my tires is the cause of the whole thing. they had told me my tires are cupped and feathered, which seem pretty odd considering when i purchased the vehicle the tire where brand new and pretty good (hankook). it did not make sense to me because if it was my tires and if they were doing proper multipurpose inspections they would have caught this when rotating my tires. it really seemed like they couldn't figure it out so they just advised me to buy some brand new tires, or try to call the manufacture about replacements, well i did that and hankook said feathered tires has nothing to do with tire but with the mechanics of the car. they had notified me that the only way tires get bad is if the mechanics of the car. the manger word for word told me this "there is a reasno why your car is so cheap, maybe you should buy $2,000.00 tires, maybe the noise might go away", which infuriated me, because he is suppose to be the manager, but yet treats me with total disrespect and told me "we are done with this, we will not look into it anymore". this manager was rude and down right wrong to treat me like so (kearny messa vw, don't ever go there). i felt lost and scared knowing that they won't help me no more even though i still have my warranty.

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

ENGINE

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

WHEELS

once again i had to waste more school time and gas money, after my last 20k visit on my car the noise was driving me more and more insane, i tried ignoring the issue and turning the music up, but the noise had started to progressively getting to the point where i could here it even with music on, than on top of that i started to hear new and unusual noise that had never occurred before, i started to hear sporadic high pitch noises from the center console when i was at high rpm's or whenever hitting on the gas, it would start off low pitch than high pitch, than would rattle, the noise sounded like it was coming from the engine. i had shown the same technician a video recording of it, and he was baffled he also even heard the noise himself. i also notified them that when driving at high speeds it would sound like a door was open, even my guest i have had in it complained to me that it sounds like the doors are open. the service rep tried treating me like a fool and rolled my back window down a little than brought me outside and said this is why you are hearing the wind noise, and i had told her i was watching you the entire time you had rolled the window down, and than she tried to tell me she didn't even though i watched her do it, this place treated me like i was crazy, and disrespected me in-front me , and i also noted that some rubber seals were coming off the door edges, which should not be happening, making me feel like this car wasn't well put together and could run into possible future issues. once again vw told me that there is nothing wrong with my car you are just hearing stuff, and kicked me out the door with no explanation at all.

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

ENGINE

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

i had taken my vehicle to a new vw in el cajon, where i had a new issues pop up with my a/c. my a/c was not blowing as cold as it should have been. when driving i would notice my a/c go from cold to warm a lot. it would randomly do it all throughout the day, i was never getting constant cold air. i brought it in and notified the dealership of the issue and even pointed out a wire that seemed to me to be a odd because wire was showing, they told me don't worry we will take care of this issue. they did not do so they told me that they could not duplicate the issue and said everything was normal, even though i knew it was not because i was the one experiencing this issue. it seemed to me once again they did little as they could to actually help me and get this they supposedly did another multipoint inspection and did not say anything about my tires, something vw kearny mesa said to be cupped and feathered, but yet they did not catch this.

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

WHEELS

after my last visit with the a/c, i maybe thought that this dealer ship would help me out (vw el cajon) unlike (vw kearny). i had told them what has been going on with this rumbling noise that had started off faint but now is progressively gotten worse and is affecting other parts, because the noise now picks up when turning. they told me they would find it, took it out on a test drive with several mechanics and they all tried to play me and told me they could not hear anything even though the mechanic rep did hear it. than they did a inspection and could not figure it out it seemed to me because they than just came to a conclusion that my tires where cupped and feathered as vw kearny told me. i asked them if they do multipoint inspections every time i bring my vehicle in and they said yes, than i asked how come you did not catch this before, they could not come up with a answer and just said please sign the paper. so what i did next was took it to several tire dealerships as well as a new vw, all of which told me my tires is not what is making that noise. i really feel like vw is avoiding this issue with me tell my warranty expires to than tell me that there is a problem.

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

STEERING

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

SUSPENSION

after a new issue happened again in the same general area of the issue with my car that had been happening pretty much since purchasing the car. the noise that has been occurring now at this point, is still the same rumbling, throbbing noise (similar to a bearing going out or bad), but now is causing more and more issues such as the rattling noises coming from the engine through the a/c exhaust, which happens hear and there something i tell the dealership, but yet they tell me that can't do anything even i showed them the video. well now i bring in my car to the vw dealership on another issue that had started happening on the same side as the original noise that has been progressively getting worse and seems to be affecting and causing new issues. this new issues occurs when reversing my car out without using breaks just my clutch, i turn my wheel all the way to the right and reverse out, to hear a wooooo noise they is loud and not normal, but yet here comes vw to tell me they could not repeat the issue, even though once again i had video as well as audio evidence of it, they would not help me. my miles are now higher and it really seems they don't care and treat me like i am crazy. i really think there is something truly wrong with my car because of these new noises occurring and getting worse.

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

STEERING

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE

on the afternoon of april 30th, 2014 while the vehicle was ideal at a stop light the vehicles power steering and a/c gave out. after inspecting the engine, it was determined the belt tenstoner broke due to a faulty bolt that should've secured this part. this incident happen 6 days after taking it to a local authorized volkswagen service dealership . as a consumer and driver i feel a formal safety investigation must take place because a part such as this snapping off endangers my life and the life of the general public. this should become a major concern because volkswagen negligence to detail puts all drivers at risk of major injury and or death.

Reported in: MIAMI FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDX7AJ2CM

ENGINE

Reported in: MIAMI FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDX7AJ2CM

STEERING

Reported in: MIAMI FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDX7AJ2CM

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

the car had been driven all day with no problems. we parked for almost two hours and when starting the engine, it sounded loud, like a typical diesel (ours had always been very quiet). drove out of the parking lot and merged onto the freeway. the yellow glow plug light started to flash (engine control malfunction) and the car engine died. we had to perform an emergency maneuver to pull over to the right hand lane and were able to coast into a parking lot. the car was towed to a vw dealer. we are on vacation and 1,500 miles from home. the dealer has informed me that they will need to replace the entire fuel pump and fuel line system due to fuel contamination(?). we have always been extremely conscientious and have only purchased major name brand diesel. the service manager informed me that this has happened 4 times in the last two years. we are on vacation and 1,500 miles from home, the repairs will take a week.

Reported in: AUSTIN TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPL7AJ7CM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

approached a red light - was 2nd car from light. just as i stopped the light changed to green and when i stepped on the gas to go the car cut off. this happened again about 5 days later and then today i was going slowly through a shopping complex parking lot and the engine cut off again. i had my car in for an oil change a few days after the 2nd incident and had them check it out but was told everything was ok. i was told about 8 or 9 mos ago there was a recall on the ecm and the dealer checked it out and assured me all was ok just like they assured me there was nothing wrong when they checked it out after the call stalled out on me.

Reported in: VENICE FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW2K7AJ6CM

SERVICE BRAKES

midnight, driving back from a friends house. my 16 month old (or rather new) jetta se 2012, shakes up when i turn on ignition. i give it 2-3 seconds to calm down. it doesn't. instead, the epc light goes on. then the check engine light. hmm... weird. those weren't on like 2 hours back, or ever infact. being the smart techie that i am, i try the highly technical solution to any problem that i don't quite understand - i try to turn it off and on again. the same god awful shaking and stuttering. but no epc light. i think to myself, maybe this is just a transient thing. try to pull out of the parking space, and there it is ... the [xxx] epc and check engine light. but my home's only a mile away, maybe things get better on the way there. you know, its a new car (bought 16 months back, brand new, and has ~7600 miles on it). but no, as i try to "drive" the piece of [xxx], it starts shaking more violently when i get to 25 miles and hour. so, i pull over, and a quick google search tells me to stay below 20 mph and get it to a dealer asap. so i get the car towed, and the next day the dealer tells me its a faulty ignition coil that has been replaced and tested and things should just work. but i'm scared to get in that car again. what if this would've happened farther away from my house. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Reported in: FREMONT CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDP7AJ9CM

ENGINE

Reported in: FREMONT CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDP7AJ9CM

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Reported in: FREMONT CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDP7AJ9CM

ENGINE

accelerating up from a stop sign vehicle would not shift. pushed on accelerator and vehicle lost all power and went into limp mode. could have resulted in accident if i had been merging on a very busy highway. had vehicle towed to dealership and they found a engine code but are unable to duplicate and want to return vehicle back to me without resolving defect.

Reported in: WOLCOTTVILLE IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ6CM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

engine light and ecm (engine control malfunction) light both come on. have taken this new car in 6 times in 2 years, and the lights are on, yet again. after vw replaced sensors (four times), and wiring (module), and harness....all under warranty, this is still a problem. and i do not know if it is a safety defect or not. i want to know that before a crash, fire, or fatality happens. please....if this is happening to your vehicle, make it known to this site. thanks.

Reported in: ALTO GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJ2CM

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Reported in: ALTO GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJ2CM

ENGINE

Reported in: ALTO GA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJ2CM

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

tl* the contact owns a 2012 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated while driving various speeds, an unusual noise and vibration emitted outside of the vehicle. the failure occurred whenever the accelerator pedal was engaged. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who was unable to duplicate the problem. there was a recall related to the failure under the nhtsa campaign id number 11v490000 (fuel system, diesel) however, the vin was not included. the manufacturer was notified of the defect. the failure mileage was unavailable.

Reported in: LEMON GROVE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

AIR BAGS

the clock spring in the steering wheel failed. also referred to as the steering column electronic control module. the failure illuminated the airbag warning light and all the steering wheel switches and horn stopped working. it was just over the 50,000 mi warranty so dealer would not repair.

Reported in: PURCHASE NY || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW5A7AJ1CM

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

my car has aprox 39k miles. hearing a metallic grinding sound in my engine while driving. took it to a vw dealer. they told me it's a high pressure fuel pump failure and that not to drive it as is. 1 week later, picked up my "repaired" car to only have a howling sound coming from engine within 1 hour of picking it up. brought the car back next day and was told it's the auxillary fuel pump failing. that was replaced. picked up my car yesterday and today i have a high pitched howling sound again from the same part of my engine. returning the car again to vw tomorrow. i am afraid to drive my car. apparently this a common problem with vw tdi high pressure fuel pumps. car can die on me any time. so far repairs covered under power train warranty. this is looking like a lemon to me.

Reported in: PALM BEACH GARDENS FL || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ3CM

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

tl* the contact owns a 2012 volkswagen jetta. the contact stated that while driving 70 mph, the vehicle reduced in speed and stalled without warning. the vehicle was unable to restart. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the high pressure fuel pump failed as a result the fuel pump and the fuel system needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 12,000.

Reported in: LIVERMORE CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPL7AJ5CM

AIR BAGS

i went to passenger side of parked vehicle, opened door, and adjusted seat position backwards slightly. the next morning i started car and after several miles of driving , the solid (non-blinking) airbag light came on. i called 2 dealers in area who told me to bring it in immediately for a $900 to $1000 repair. i had fault diagnosed by professional as a passenger side curtain airbag fault to the igniter - short to ground. i will not pay for this repair which is obviously a defective part that should be recalled. my airbag system is now deactivated.

Reported in: CHESTERTON IN || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VW3L7AJXCM

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

key will not turn to shut engine off , turn key forward like starting car , then release key so it springs back and remove key. defect, could not shut car off while pumping gas, had to wait till i was home to lookup on internet how to turn key off.

Reported in: HILLSBOROUGH NC || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDP7AJ4CM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

car ignition will not turn off. was told by a dealership that it was the steering column lock and sheer bolts would need to be replaced

Reported in: WEATHERFORD TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDX7AJ5CM

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

car ignition will not turn off. was told by a dealership that it was the steering column lock and sheer bolts would need to be replaced

Reported in: WEATHERFORD TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDX7AJ5CM

STEERING

car ignition will not turn off. was told by a dealership that it was the steering column lock and sheer bolts would need to be replaced

Reported in: WEATHERFORD TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDX7AJ5CM

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

the 2012 jetta tdi sportwagen was working perfectly as we drove to a local concert in the park. after stopping for approximately 2.5 hours for the concert my wife, eight-month old child and i started the vehicle to head back home, at this time the vehicle started and was working properly. after driving approximately one-mile i pushed the accelerator to go over a small bridge and the vehicle had almost no power then the glow pug lights and the check engine light came on. i then pulled into a parking lot to shut off the vehicle to be sure we were safe and did not cause any damage to the vehicle. after a minute i tried to restart the vehicle and all seemed ok again for about a 1/2 mile and then the same problem occurred, very low power glow pug light and check engine light came on. we were only two miles from home so as the engine temp was good i continued home on surface streets with little power and made it home. called our local dealer and drove to them the next day, they seemed to know the issue when i called and as expected, the same issue as so many others! the high pressure fuel pump, (hpfp) had failed and metal shavings were strewn throughout the fuel system. volkswagen replaced the entire fuel system under warranty but the real issue remains. when will the nhsta or volkswagen step up to recall vehicles and correct this chronic problem! i am fortunate that my family was not injured but reading many others statements it will only be a matter of time before someone is killed or seriously injured as a direct result of the fuel pump failure problem. there was a 1/2 tank of fuel and this was definitely not a fueling problem. i personally and always fuel the vehicle, use major chain brands and always diesel!

Reported in: HUNTINGTON BEACH CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWPL7AJ0CM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

tl* the contact owns a 2012 volkswagen jetta. while driving 70 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the contact was able to successfully move the vehicle off the highway by shifting into neutral. the dealer was unable to duplicate or diagnose the failure. the manufacturer was notified. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 10,000.

Reported in: HOUSTON TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDP7AJ9CM

ENGINE

Reported in: HOUSTON TX || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWDP7AJ9CM

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

33,600 miles with no problems at all on vw tdi sportwagen. los angeles to lake havasu, az friday, afternoon july 11, 2014, 300 miles in 110 degree weather. parked for 2 hours, drove to market. glow plug light came on, engine stumbled, died, no restart. walked to 2nd home. next day - no start, called vw, towed 150 miles to las vegas, rented car in az for weekend and drive back to la. lv vw dealer says "out of fuel". reply "impossible, only drove 300 miles". on monday, dealer calls to say it may take a week, it is the fuel pump and he is working on getting coverage for work from vw. reply "still under warranty, why wouldn't vw cover". no answer. on wednesday calls to say have to order parts, metal particles in the fuel system, may be longer.(final count 11 days from failure to repair). with additional days on rental, out of state drop of fee, hotel room, etc. about $800 in outlay (not counting time to travel to las vegas to pick up car and back to la).

Reported in: PLAYA DEL REY CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWML7AJ5CM

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

with no prior indication, the engine glow plug light began flashing while driving on the highway. within few minutes, the engine light came on and car started to loose power. engine noise pitch changed, and was able to pull the car of the main freeway and barely made it to the dealership. as soon as we made it to the dealer parking lot, the engine cut off. diagnostic of the car showed that the car suffered a catastrophic hpfp failure which caused debris contamination throughout the entire fuel system. 4 days later, the engine had its hpfp, fuel lines, injectors, and auxiliary pump replaced. fuel tank was flushed and cleaned out from debris. cost under warranty was $5500. the dealer said that they've had 50 cars exhibiting similar conditions. cause of the failure is under investigation by vw. as owners, we have no clues what to do or when this will re-occur again which does not give me ant sense of confidence. i always fill at the same chevron station so it is not the quality of the diesel.

Reported in: CERRITOS CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

ENGINE

Reported in: CERRITOS CA || Crash: N || VIN #:

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

my car is a 2012 vw jetta tdi, clean diesel. i was driving from san diego ca to las vegas nv. it was over 100 degrees. i was traveling on interstate 15 north about 70 miles per hour. 80 miles from las vegas, glow light indicator came on, car lost power. i pulled over and car stalled, would not restart. called vw, told them about the glow light indicator. they agreed to tow the car to lv. we sat on the road side for more than 4 hours in 100+ degree heat. vw repaired the car in 6 days, no cost to me except rental car. cause was described as 'metal shavings in fuel system' later referred to as high pressure fuel pump failure. vw replaced the entire fuel system (injectors, lines, filter, fuel pump etc). however at this time i do not know if the same type of hpfp was used or a newly redesigned one. i am trying to clarify that. this is obviously a design flaw of some type. it can not be caused by bad fuel. the fuel filter would have caught any metal shavings. any metal in the fuel downstream of the fuel filter had to come from the car itself. not only that, having followed the recommended maintenance schedule for my car, my fuel filter was replaced at 20k miles. http://pics.tdiclub.com/data/516/2012_jetta.pdf similar complaint (nhtsa action number : ea11003) does not seem to cover 2012 models so i am filing this one instead.

Reported in: SAN DIEGO CA || Crash: N || VIN #: 3VWLL7AJ7CM

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