2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen: problems, recalls and reliability
1 recall and 33 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is electrical system (35% of complaints); the 2009 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Feb 2016
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 33 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“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.”Owner report · Electrical System · Dec 2024
“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.”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Mar 2023
“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.”Owner report · Suspension · Jul 2022
Show 7 more owner reports
“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”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Oct 2021
“Both rear springs broke without warning (at separate times). This clearly seems to be a manufacturing defect, as I have since discovered that it's a very common occurrence. *tr”Owner report · Suspension · Apr 2020
“Tl* the contact owned a 2011 volkswagen jetta. The contact stated that the while driving on the highway at 50 mph and the vehicle rear ended another vehicle. No further information was available. The frontal air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries that required any transport by ambulance. A police report was filed and the vehicle was totaled pending an official ruling from the insurance company. The dealer and manufacturer had not been contacted yet. The vehicle was towed to tow yard. The failure mileage was 117,000.”Owner report · Air Bags · Aug 2019
“It all started with a check engine light. Apparently the car jumped timing and the crankshaft went bad. This caused complete and total engine failure. This is a common problem with the jetta. I believe a class action lawsuit is needed.”Owner report · Engine · Jun 2019
“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.).”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · May 2019
“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.”Owner report · Seat Belts · Apr 2019
“Tl* the contact owns a 2011 volkswagen jetta sportwagen. While driving various speeds, the windshield wipers activated without warning and the vehicle intermittently stalled. There were no warning indicators illuminated. An independent mechanic diagnosed that the electrical system needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle exhibited the same failure as listed in NHTSA campaign number: 11v196000 (electrical system). The failure mileage was 120,000.”Owner report · Electrical System · Apr 2019
When filing, owners marked a crash in 1 of these complaints and injuries in 1 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 1 campaign
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.
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.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2011 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Jetta Sportwagen by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen reliable?
NHTSA has 33 owner complaints and 1 recall campaign on record for the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen. The most complained-about area is electrical system (35% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 80,000 miles or less.
Does the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen have open recalls?
1 recall campaign has been issued, the latest concerning air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.