2009 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen Recalls & Complaints

Incident: September 11, 2026 · Filed: September 11, 2026

at or around 6:52pm on 9/11/2026, what I assume is the seatbelt pretensioner deployed while I was driving down a smooth road. absolutely no potholes or anything of the sort, I was just regularly driving down the road and it snapped and tightened up onto my chest, started smoking inside, and injured the left side of my neck. I have a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen 2.5 SE. I don't understand what happened, but this is a clear safety concern, and this absolutely terrified me. I immediately pulled over and checked under and around the car, there was nothing.

Incident: November 22, 2023 · Filed: January 22, 2024

While driving the vehicle, suddenly and without warning it downshifted, went into limp mode and became stuck in second gear. Fortunately, I was driving on a secondary road with little traffic. Had I been on a major road or highway, its likely I would have been rear ended resulting in injury/death. I have taken vehicle to dealership where it has been confirmed it is the DSG transmission caused by a faulty Mechatronics unit. I am being told the entire transmission needs to be replaced. Had VW recalled and fixed the problem earlier, I would not need a new transmission now. VW is refusing to pay for cost to replace it. After speaking with VW service representatives and mechanics, it is well known by VW this could happen. There have been recalls in other countries - Australia, Singapore, Japan, China, etc. to replace faulty unit/transmission because it caused deaths. VW only did an extended warranty for cars in the USA. My vehicle is beyond that warranty.

Incident: September 27, 2023 · Filed: November 11, 2023

Random unwanted braking action during driving and dangerous steering force to the right side.I had to use both hands and force to keep car on the road on the interstate. No fault codes found VW Dealership could not find any Problem.They replaced the ABS Modem to a cost of $2669 but the problem remains.The brakes lock up when just backing up on my driveway too.I have read on the VW forums that a lot of people are having the same problems on 2009, 2012,2013 Jetta.I am afraid to take the car on the road and especially on the interstate again!

Incident: September 7, 2022 · Filed: September 7, 2022

The car had an ignition problem. I could not turn the car off using the key. For many years it is had a problem of not always being able to easily start the car with the key. But time time I could not turn the car off without pulling a fuse. Obvious safety issues if a car won't turn off and basically useless vehicle. It had not been inspected by others, but online I found this problem is not uncommon. There where no warning messages of the problem prior to failure. As mentioned before, for years it has been difficult to turn on. First time I could not turn it off.

Incident: July 15, 2020 · Filed: September 11, 2020

I PURCHASED A 2009 VW JETTA GLI 4 DOOR CAR AND LESS THAN 1 DAY LATER THE EPC, ABS LIGHTS CAME ON AND MANY OF THE GAUGES WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY (SPEEDOMETER, FUEL, ETC.) THE SENSORS WERE FIXED AND THE USED DEALERSHIP THAT SOLD ME THE CAR HAS HAD IT OFF AND ON, IN AND OUT OF THE SHOP FIXING THOSE THINGS, SAID THE ABS MODULE NEEDED REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT IS ON THE RECALL FOR REPLACEMENT AND THAT THE LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP WOULD FIX IT FREE OF CHARGE. THE VW DEALERSHIP TOLD MY HUSBAND AND I TODAY THAT THE CODE DIDN'T MATCH TO REPLACE THE ABS MODULE. I LOOKED THE VEHICLE UP IN THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE RECALL BY VIN # AND FOUND IT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE DAY 1. IT IS NOT SAFE AS THE CAR HAS DECELERATED IN FREEWAY TRAFFIC, BRAKES FAILING AND NOT WORKING PROPERLY IN TRAFFIC AND IS GOING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. MY HUSBAND AND I ARE NURSES AND WE TAKE SAFETY OF OURSELVES, FAMILIES, AND OTHERS VERY SERIOUSLY. WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION AND/OR HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE US. THANK YOU [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Incident: July 13, 2019 · Filed: July 13, 2019

KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION WHEN TURNING OFF THE ENGINE.

Incident: May 24, 2019 · Filed: May 29, 2019

ABS, ESC INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, AND WITH BRAKE INDICATOR FLASHING AND AUDIBLE SOUND. DIAGNOSED AT CAPISTRANO VW AS FAILURE OF ABS CONTROL MODULE. REPAIR DECLINED DUE TO $2,500 COST, BUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES INDICATE THIS SHOULD BE COVERED IN SAFETY RECALL 45F2, NHTSA CAMPAIGN 16V913 (ALTHOUGH VIN NOT INDICATED AS PART OF RECALL ACCORDING TO NHTSA RECORDS). WILL FOLLOW UP WITH DEALERSHIP. NHTSA SHOULD NOTE OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS TO CAUSE MANUFACTURER TO EXPAND NUMBER OF AFFECTED VEHICLES. VW'S RESPONSE APPEARS TO BE INADEQUATE SO FAR.

Incident: May 11, 2019 · Filed: May 14, 2019

VEHICLE HAS 100,088 MILES ON IT. ON 5/11/2019 THE ABS MODULE WENT BAD. UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN RECALL NUMBER 16V913000 THE ABS MODULE SHOULD BE REPLACED. VOLKSWAGON ON 5/14/19 RAN MY VIN # AND SAID NO RECALL APPLIED. THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE MODULE DESPITE THE APPLICABILITY OF YOUR RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER. THE VEHICLE IS NOW IN A MECHANIC'S GARAGE AND IS INOPERABLE AS COMPUTER CODE 01130 APPLIES. THE ABS WARNING LIGHT AND FLASHING BRAKE LIGHT APPEARED WHILE I WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY AND HAD JUST STARTED UP THE CAR.

Incident: August 27, 2018 · Filed: September 4, 2018

MY CAR IGNITION ARE CONTINUE FAILING ON ME. SOMETIMES IT WORKS AND SOME TIMES WAS NOT WORKING. THE KEYS GOT STUCK IN THE IGNITION. WE CAN'T TURN OFF THE ENGINE.SOME TIMES WE CAN'T TURN ON THE ENGINE. I'M AFRAID ITS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT IGNITION WILL FAIL DURING DRIVING.

Incident: June 1, 2014 · Filed: June 7, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA SPORTWAGEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RETRACTORS FOR THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS FAILED TO PROPERLY EXTEND TO ACCOMMODATE ADULT PASSENGERS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTOBARN VOLKSWAGEN OF MT. PROSPECT (333 WEST RAND ROAD, MT PROSPECT, ILLINOIS 60056, (847) 392-6300) WHERE THE SEATS BELTS WERE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.