2011 Volkswagen Jetta Body & Structure Problems

Your car didn't fully engage in park after you exited the vehicle, causing it to roll down a hill and hit a tree. You've confirmed this is a known recall issue, but Volkswagen has refused to investigate further or accept responsibility. There were no warning lights before this happened.

I took my son to a birthday party. We were both out of the car for 30-45 minutes when my son wanted to get something out of the backseat. When he opened the back passenger side door, black smoke came pouring out of the car. Upon further inspection, the driver's door was on fire. It appears to have started in the door panel wiring harness - where the window control buttons are.

LEFT SIDE DOOR LATCH MALFUNCTION: UNABLE TO OPEN DOOR FROM LEFT REAR EVEN WHEN CHILD PROTECTION IS DISABLED. COULD BE A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN NEEDING TO EXIT VEHICLE. FAULTY DOOR LATCH ISSUES ARE WELL KNOWN TO OCCUR. THE LATCH ON THIS VEHICLE HAS MALFUNCTIONED FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS. 05

WIND NOISE COMING FROM DRIVER SIDE DOOR.

TWO EXISTING RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THEM UPDATED AS COMPLETE IN THE SYSTEM. THEY ARE: NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: OPENS NEW WINDOW TAKES AWAY FROM VIN LOOKUP SECTION> 11E036 RECALL DATE: SEPTEMBER 7, 2011 MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER: 26G9 AND NHTSA RECALL NUMBER: OPENS NEW WINDOW TAKES AWAY FROM VIN LOOKUP SECTION> 14V656 RECALL DATE: APRIL 7, 2015 MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER: 42G8 I HAVE ATTACHED A PRINTOUT FROM THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP THAT SHOWS THE INSPECTIONS AND IF NECESSARY CORRECTIVE ACTIONS WERE TAKEN TO ADDRESS BOTH.

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). SUBJECT:2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA [XXX] NON-COMPLIANCE WITH FMVSS STANDARD NO. 206 DOOR LOCKS AND DOOR RETENTION COMPONENTS - PASSENGER CARS REQUEST FOR DOOR LATCH REPAIR REIMBURSEMENT THE FRONT RIGHT DOOR LATCH OF MY DAUGHTER'S VW RECENTLY BECAME INOPERATIVE. THE DOOR SIMPLY DID NOT LATCH WHEN CLOSED AND WOULD FREELY SWING OPEN. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE CLOSEST DEALER, TOM WOOD VW OF NOBLESVILLE, IN. ON MAY 13, 2017. IN DISCUSSION WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER, [XXX], HE STATED THAT VW WOULD NOT COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR. ESPECIALLY SINCE THE MILEAGE WAS 101,000. I MENTIONED TO [XXX] THAT THE DOOR LATCH IS PART OF THE FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS, (FMVSS STD. 206) AND THAT THOSE STANDARDS ARE NOT LIMITED TO MILEAGE OR WARRANTY. A VEHICLE SHOULD MEET THOSE STANDARDS FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. WE PAID FOR THE REPAIR AT A COST OF $512 (SEE ATTACHED REPAIR INVOICE RECEIPT). IN PREPARATION OF THIS LETTER I ENTERED IN A CHAT WITH VW CUSTOMER CARE. THE VW REP, WHILE SYMPATHETIC TO THE SITUATION, STATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN WITHIN THE MILEAGE REQUIREMENT OF 50,000 MILES. I STATED THAT THIS ISSUE WAS A FMVSS COMPLIANCE ISSUE AND THAT SUCH A REPAIR SHOULD NOT BE LIMITED TO MILEAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE DOOR DOES NOT STAY SHUT AND SWINGS OPEN FREELY. MY DAUGHTER'S CAR HAD TO BE REPAIRED. IT WAS NOT A MATTER OF CHOICE IN THAT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, AND MOST LIKELY ILLEGAL TO DRIVE. I PAID FOR THE REPAIR. I AM REQUESTING THAT VW REIMBURSE ME FOR THE COST OF $512. *DL

STANDING WATER IN THE WHEEL WELLS TRACED TO SUNROOF DRAINAGE HOSES NOT ATTACHED TO DRAINS BECAUSE THE CLIPS MEANT TO HOLD THE HOSE IN PLACE MALFUNCTIONED AND ALLOWED THE HOSE TO "BACK OUT" OF PLACE. THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY APPARENT AS CAR IS USUALLY KEPT GARAGED. BODY SHOP, INTERNET DISCUSSIONS AND DEALERSHIP HAVE ALL REPORTED THEY BELIEVE THIS IS DUE TO A VW DESIGN FLAW. THIS IS NOT A RESULT OF CONSUMER NEGLECT, MILEAGE OR AGE OF CAR. THE CARPETING AND SOUND-DAMPENING UNDER PAD ARE TO BE REPLACED DUE TO MOLD AND MILDEW CONCERNS. TO REPAIR, THE HOSES WILL BE RECLAMPED INTO PLACE. TOTAL REPAIR COST ~$1700. VW WILL COVER PARTS CITING "PART FAILURE," BUT DECLINES TO COVER LABOR COSTS. PURCHASE OF "PLATINUM" LEVEL EXTENDED WARRANTY WITH NEW CAR WILL COVER ONLY 1/3 THE LABOR. *TR

MY CLEAR COAT BEGAN PEELING LAST YEAR, I MADE THE MISTAKE OF WAITING TO DISCUSS IT WITH VOLKSWAGEN UNTIL THIS YEAR, NOW THEY ARE SAYING MY WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED WHICH WE HAD BOUGHT THE 6 YEAR PLAN AND THAT THE CLEAR COAT IS NOT THEIR ISSUE ANYMORE PLUS A SPOT ON MY REAR FENDER IS DARKENING EVERY TIME I WASH MY CAR. I'VE SPOKEN WITH 4 SEPARATE BODY SHOPS AND ALL OF THEM HAVE SAID THAT BOTH ISSUES ARE IN FACT A MANUFACTURE ISSUE AND THAT I NEED TO GO BACK AND KEEP TRYING TO GET THEM TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FAULT. A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH WILL BRING UP SEVERAL VOLKSWAGEN OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND SAME YEAR MODEL, I'VE FOUND ONLY ONE THAT WAS SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THEIR CAR FIXED. I HOPE THAT MY STORY HELPS OTHERS, BECAUSE THEY ARE BASICALLY JUST IGNORING IT WITH ME. *TR

THE LATCH ON THE DRIVER SIDE HAS BECOME LOOSE. AS I WAS DRIVING OVER SPEED BUMPS, I NOTICED THE DOOR WOULD RATTLE HARD. I PULLED TO THE SIDE AND NOTICED THE LATCH ATTACHED TO THE CAR WAS LOOSE. I TIGHTENED UP THE SCREWS AND THE DOOR WAS ABLE TO CLOSE TIGHTLY AGAIN. A FEW WEEKS LATER, THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AGAIN. I TIGHTEN THE SCREWS, BUT THIS TIME, THE DOOR CANNOT CLOSE FULLY. THIS IS WORRISOME, BECAUSE WHAT IF THE DOOR SWINGS OPEN AS I AM DRIVING? THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN! *TR

THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE WE WERE STOPPED. I WAS TRYING TO GET MY 3 YEAR OLD OUT OF THE CAR WHEN THE DOOR WOULDN'T UNLOCK. BECAUSE WE HAVE CHILDREN, WE ALSO USE THE CHILD SAFETY LOCKS TO PREVENT THE DOOR FROM OPENING FROM THE INSIDE. THE LOCKS HARE REPEATEDLY FAILING TO EITHER LOCK OR UNLOCK. WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT THERE WOULD BE AN EMERGENCY SITUATION IN WHICH THE DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK AND MY CHILD (OR CHILDREN) WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT. A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH SHOWS THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH SOME OF THE VOLKSWAGEN DOORS. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE CHILD SAFETY LOCKS ENGAGED, THIS BECOMES MUCH LESS OF AN ISSUE. HOWEVER, THESE LOCKS COULD LEAD TO A VERY UNFORTUNATE SITUATION WITH A SMALL CHILD IN THE BACK SEAT, UNABLE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR IT WOULD NOT LATCH. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE DOOR HAD TO BE TIED SO THAT IT WOULD NOT OPEN DURING OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,800. RETURNED BY USPS. 2ND ATTEMPT ON 1/14/2013 FIALED. *KB

THE FACTORY INSTALLED LIP SPOILERS THAT COME WITH 2011 JETTA OR LATER ARE ONLY ATTACHED USING GLUE. IT IS NOT SECURED WITH ANY HOOKS OR SCREWS. SO THE LIP SPOILER AT THE BACK OF MY JETTA HAS STARTED TO COME OFF. IN MY OPINION THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THE LIP SPOILER CAN COME APART AT ANY TIME. SO IF I AM ON THE ROAD OR ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE LIP SPOILER COMES APART, IT MAY CAUSE DAMAGE OR INJURIES TO CARS BEHIND ME. I TOOK THIS ISSUE TO THE VW DEALERSHIP AT DULLES, VA. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DENIED WARRANTY SERVICE TO REPAIR THE LIP SPOILER. THEY EVEN TRIED TO CLAIM THAT I HAD SOMEHOW BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHICH IS NOT TRUE AT ALL. I BELIEVE VW IS TRYING TO COVER THIS ISSUE UP AND I REQUEST NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY, THERE WAS A LOUD WIND SOUND INSIDE THE VEHICLE AS IF THE EXTERIOR WIND WAS BLOWING IN THROUGH THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS. THE WINDOWS IN THE VEHICLE WERE CLOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE AIR WAS ENTERING THROUGH THE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO MAKE ANY REPAIRS BECAUSE THE FAILURE WAS CONSIDERED A DESIGN FLAW. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,900. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 5/9/11 *CN UPDATED 06/20/11

2011 JETTA SPORTWAGEN TDI REAR HATCH HAD A LEAK CAUSING TAILGATE TO FILL WITH WATER. BROUGHT BACK TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES. 1ST TIME-REPLACED WINDOW AND SEAL 2ND TIME-REPLACED THIRD BREAK LIGHT AND GASKET 3RD TIME-SAID THERE WAS A BAD WELD AND REPLACED ENTIRE TAILGATE. THE LEAK RESULTED IN A HIGH AMOUNT OF MOISTURE BEING IN THE CAR, NOW HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. VW WILL NOT EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON THE ELECTRONICS, THAT GOT WET. *TR