NHTSA vehicle safety data

2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 33 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Volkswagen dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen owner complaints

Owners have filed 33 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen, describing incidents dated March 4, 2016 to December 29, 2024.

Most-cited components

Electrical System 15 complaints
Exterior Lighting 5 complaints
Engine 4 complaints
Fuel/Propulsion System 4 complaints
Suspension 4 complaints
Air Bags 2 complaints

Of the 33 complaints on file, 1 reports a crash and 3 a fire; across all 33 complaints, owners report 1 injury (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11633929 · Filed January 3, 2025
The f16 fuse in the engine bay that connects power to multiple exterior lights as well as the abs brake system melts and melts part of the fuse tray. This is the same thing that happens with the vw Tiguan in campaign am97. Look into am97 as this can ruin your abs brake system. This should be…
ODI #11552529 · Filed October 29, 2023
Vehicle’s electrical system shuts off as I am driving. This happened at night , almost caused a crash.
ODI #11537327 · Filed August 9, 2023
The car stalls in traffic and is slow to accelerate. The service department attributes the cause from a problem with a contaminated fuel system. However, the car has had a series of problems with the electrical system where I was told the "radio is draining the battery". The car would be parked…

Read all 33 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Engineering Analysis EA18-003: Air Bag Clockspring Failure
Open since April 18, 2018

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

Driver's Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Rupture

NHTSA #16V078000 · Air Bags — Frontal — Driver Side — Inflator Module · NHTSA notice

Reported February 10, 2016 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Potentially affected: 659,493 vehicles

Repair completion: 58.54% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Owners notified March 10, 2017 · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Recall group: Takata airbag inflators

Defect description

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Safety consequence

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Manufacturer remedy

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a second notification when parts are available. Volkswagen will notify owners again once parts are available. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen SW FWD

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

12% rollover risk

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control

5 investigations

33 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen.

Electrical System; Exterior Lighting; Service Brakes

ODI #11633929

Incident: December 29, 2024 · Filed: January 3, 2025

The f16 fuse in the engine bay that connects power to multiple exterior lights as well as the abs brake system melts and melts part of the fuse tray. This is the same thing that happens with the vw Tiguan in campaign am97. Look into am97 as this can ruin your abs brake system. This should be recalled and fixed. This picture is not mine but is exactly what happened.

Electrical System

ODI #11552529

Incident: September 13, 2023 · Filed: October 29, 2023

Vehicle’s electrical system shuts off as I am driving. This happened at night , almost caused a crash.

Electrical System; Fuel/Propulsion System

ODI #11537327

Incident: March 12, 2023 · Filed: August 9, 2023

The car stalls in traffic and is slow to accelerate. The service department attributes the cause from a problem with a contaminated fuel system. However, the car has had a series of problems with the electrical system where I was told the "radio is draining the battery". The car would be parked without the keys in the ignition and it failed to start and the cause being the radio draining the battery. The issue is both electrical and diesel engine related.

Suspension

ODI #11478915

Incident: August 6, 2022 · Filed: August 11, 2022

Going down the road - in town - at about 35 mph and I started to hear loud clanking while I felt as the rear of the car felt "stiff" all of a sudden. I parked the car as soon as I could to check it over. The rear passenger side coil spring just snapped as you'd break a pretzel... I have never seen a broken coil spring in any of the cars we owned over three decades. As I looked for information online, it seems that this MK6 generation of Volkswagen vehicles made in MEXICO were manufactured with springs that are PRONE TO FAILURE! Even the next generation MK7 especially vehicles manufactured between 2015-2019 had a RECALL for this exact failure - 42J5. - 56,000 vehicles including Golf hatchbacks, Golf SPORTWAGEN, Jetta sedans and Tiguan SUVS. How come VW didn't have a recall for the previous generation? Obviously this is manufacturing with below par parts.

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #11477382

Incident: December 5, 2021 · Filed: August 3, 2022

The contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the catalytic convertor warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the particle filter needed to be removed and reinstalled. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred and the vehicle was taken to a different dealer who determined that the particle filter needed to be checked and reinstalled. Additionally, the EGR cooler needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact had taken the vehicle back to the second dealer; however, the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Suspension

ODI #11475501

Incident: July 23, 2022 · Filed: July 23, 2022

While changing lanes we heard a twang sound and felt an impact in the floor boards. The left rear of the car was unloaded from weight shift when the noise and impact was felt. When I was able to check the car over, I found the left rear spring was broken. The vehicle only has roughly 85k miles. I have heard many other stories of this happening to others as well.

Electrical System; Fuel/Propulsion System

ODI #11468080

Incident: October 1, 2021 · Filed: June 7, 2022

At first we had to replace the intake manifold and then a month later we had to replace the catalytic converter and now it’s in the shop having the DLF filter , fuel pump , & fuel lines . All dealing with the diesel exhaust and fuel distribution. It’s leaking diesel fuel with strong odor of diesel to the point it makes you feel sick. The Volkswagen dealership never informed me of any recalls on my vehicle. The dealership is Flow Volkswagen Greensboro NC

Seat Belts

ODI #11376972

Incident: April 2, 2019 · Filed: November 29, 2020

THE RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT FAILS TO RETRACT. THE SEAT BELT WAS PULLED OUT TO BUCKLE AND FAILED TO RETRACT TO FIT THE PASSENGER. IT IS ALL THE WAY OUT AND CANNOT BE USED.

Electrical System

ODI #11376378

Incident: November 18, 2020 · Filed: November 25, 2020

STATIONARY VEHICLE LEFT STRANDED. ENGINE WASS IMMOBILIZED KEY NOT RECOGNIZED

Fuel/Propulsion System

ODI #11343980

Incident: May 1, 2019 · Filed: August 7, 2020

I HAVE BEEN GETTING HORRIBLE GAS MILAGE (250 PER TANK). THIS HAS BEEN FOR OVER A YEAR NOW OF TRYING DIFFERENT THINGS (DRIVING, FUELING, REPAIRS, ECT.).

Other Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen model years

Check your 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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