2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen
Common Problems
Ranked from 191 federal NHTSA complaints. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.
13 Common Problems
Ordered by how often owners reported each one to NHTSA. The bar shows how common a problem is relative to the most-reported on this vehicle. Expand any problem to see the federal complaint IDs.
- 1
High pressure fuel pump failure
48complaintsHigh severityFuel systemThe high pressure fuel pump failed, causing the engine to stall or lose power.
$500–$1,100est. fuel pump replacement · 2–5 hrs laborGet local quotes - 2
Exterior lighting failure due to electrical system issues
33complaintsSafety riskElectricalThe exterior lights, including headlights and taillights, fail to work properly, reducing visibility and safety.
$100–$900est. lighting assembly repair · 0.5–2 hrs laborGet local quotes - 3
Engine Stall During Operation
31complaintsSafety riskEngineThe engine randomly stalls while driving, putting the driver at risk of an accident.
$150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotes - 4
Radio failure
30complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe radio stopped working without any apparent reason.
$200–$1,500est. infotainment unit service · 0.5–3 hrs laborGet local quotes - 5
Service brake system failure causing vehicle rollback
18complaintsSafety riskBrakesSeveral owners reported that their vehicles rolled back while parked, causing damage to other vehicles.
$150–$1,000est. brake system diagnosis + repair · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 6
Engine stall at idle due to fuel system failure
15complaintsSafety riskFuel systemThe fuel system fails, causing the engine to stall at idle, which could lead to a dangerous situation.
$150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotes - 7
Steering failure due to electrical system malfunction
15complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe steering fails to work properly, causing the vehicle to pull to one side and potentially lose control.
- 8
Fuel system malfunction
8complaintsMedium severityFuel systemThe fuel system malfunctioned, causing the engine to stall and lose power, and in some cases, the fuel lines to leak gasoline.
- 9
Airbag failure
7complaintsHigh severityElectricalThe airbags failed to deploy during a collision.
- 10
Engine check light and emission malfunction
5complaintsMedium severityEngineThe engine check light and emission malfunction warning lights illuminated, indicating a fuel system issue.
- 11
Headlight bulb failure
5complaintsMedium severityOtherOwners frequently experienced premature failure of headlight bulbs, requiring multiple replacements.
$100–$900est. lighting assembly repair · 0.5–2 hrs laborGet local quotes - 12
Automatic transmission failure
2complaintsMedium severityTransmissionThe automatic transmission failed, causing the car to roll back on inclines and difficulty in shifting gears.
$2,500–$5,500est. transmission rebuild/replacement · 8–16 hrs laborGet local quotes - 13
Engine stalling at high speeds due to glow plug light flashing
2complaintsHigh severityFuel systemThe glow plug light flashed and the engine stalled at high speeds, causing the vehicle to enter limp mode and lose power.
$150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotes
Other years & sources
Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls. Problems are clustered and ranked from the complaint record; occurrence counts reflect corroborating complaints, not total incidence. Vehicle image is illustrative. Repair-cost figures are typical U.S. independent-shop ranges (parts + labor) for the class of repair shown — actual quotes vary by region, engine, and diagnosis; always confirm with a local shop.