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2010 Volkswagen Jetta

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Jetta years

Owner complaints for the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta are substantially higher than the model-year median of 68.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

779 reports with mileage · 73 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 233 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Diesel. Review the 166 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 122 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

23 crash reports5 fire reports10 injury reports

Power Train complaints

111 reports
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380 miles · Sep 23, 2010
Power Train

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO HESITATE IN A JERKING MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. IN ADDITION, ON A SEPARATE OCCASION THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND THE…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO HESITATE IN A JERKING MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. IN ADDITION, ON A SEPARATE OCCASION THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND THE GEARS WOULD NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A PROBLEM. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V333000 (POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). THE RECALL SPECIFIED THAT THE VEHICLE MUST BE MANUFACTURED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 2008 AND AUGUST 2009. THE VEHICLE PRODUCTION YEAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE IDENTICAL SAFETY DEFECT AS MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 380. UPDATED 01/04/11*LJ THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY REPLACED A FAULTY COMPUTER CHIP. THE VEHICLE IS NOW OPERATING AS DESIGNED. UPDATED 01/10/11.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10357213

100 miles · Sep 13, 2010
Power Train

I'VE A 2010 VW JETTA WAGON TDI, IT STALLS OUT, MOSTLY AT LOW IDLE AND ON HILLS SOMETIMES. IT ALSO DOESN'T ENGAGE SOMETIMES IN FORWARD AND ONCE IT DOES IT LURCHES. I'VE BEEN TOLD IT'S THE SHIFTING AND THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. I TOOK THE CAR IN THREE TIMES TO HAVE VW LOOK AT IT AND THEY SAID THERE WERE NO ISSUES AL…

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I'VE A 2010 VW JETTA WAGON TDI, IT STALLS OUT, MOSTLY AT LOW IDLE AND ON HILLS SOMETIMES. IT ALSO DOESN'T ENGAGE SOMETIMES IN FORWARD AND ONCE IT DOES IT LURCHES. I'VE BEEN TOLD IT'S THE SHIFTING AND THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. I TOOK THE CAR IN THREE TIMES TO HAVE VW LOOK AT IT AND THEY SAID THERE WERE NO ISSUES ALL THREE TIMES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10355426

4,500 miles · Sep 7, 2010
Power Train

1. THE DSG TRANSMISSION IN MY JETTA SPORT WAGON WAS UN SAFELY LURCHING FORWARD AND SHIFTING HARSHLY FROM DAY ONE. 2. THE FAILURE HAPPENED WHEN TRYING TO MERGE ONTO THE FREEWAY AND IT WOULD NOT SHIFT AND WAS SLOWING AS IF SOMETHING WAS WRONG. AFTER TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE, I TRIED TO START IT AGAIN HOPING IT WOULD RESET. TH…

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1. THE DSG TRANSMISSION IN MY JETTA SPORT WAGON WAS UN SAFELY LURCHING FORWARD AND SHIFTING HARSHLY FROM DAY ONE. 2. THE FAILURE HAPPENED WHEN TRYING TO MERGE ONTO THE FREEWAY AND IT WOULD NOT SHIFT AND WAS SLOWING AS IF SOMETHING WAS WRONG. AFTER TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE, I TRIED TO START IT AGAIN HOPING IT WOULD RESET. THE TRANSMISSION WAS LOCKED AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. 3. I AM WAITING FOR PARTS TO ARRIVE FROM GERMANY BUT STILL DO NOT HAVE THE CAR BACK AND TO BE HONEST, DON'T WANT IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10354342

5,925 miles · Aug 27, 2010
Electrical SystemFuel System, DieselPower Train

2010 VW SPORTWAGON DSG STALLED AT TRAFFIC SIGNAL. HD TO SHIFT INTO PARK AND TURN IGNITION OFF LOCKING STEERING WHEEL, AND THEN BACK ON TO RESTART ENGINE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10352434

25 miles · Aug 19, 2010
Fuel System, DieselPower Train

2010 JETTA TDI MANUAL TRANSMISSION--CLUTCH STALLS DANGEROUS DUE TO NEW CLUTCH RESPONSE COMBINED WITH DIESEL TURBO LAG. WHEN I PURCHASED MY NEW CAR, THE SALESMAN AT VW OF LANGHORNE, PA, WAS CERTAIN THAT I WOULD "KILL THE CLUTCH" ON THE FIRST DRIVE AS HAD ALL OTHER PEOPLE WHO PURCHASED A MANUAL 2010 TDI. THE CLUTCH RESPONSE IS SOM…

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2010 JETTA TDI MANUAL TRANSMISSION--CLUTCH STALLS DANGEROUS DUE TO NEW CLUTCH RESPONSE COMBINED WITH DIESEL TURBO LAG. WHEN I PURCHASED MY NEW CAR, THE SALESMAN AT VW OF LANGHORNE, PA, WAS CERTAIN THAT I WOULD "KILL THE CLUTCH" ON THE FIRST DRIVE AS HAD ALL OTHER PEOPLE WHO PURCHASED A MANUAL 2010 TDI. THE CLUTCH RESPONSE IS SOMEHOW DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER CAR AND AFTER ADDING THE "DIESEL TURBO LAG," IT MAKES FOR A DANGEROUS FIRST ACCELERATION. TO MY SALESMAN'S SURPRISE, I DID NOT STALL THE CAR WHEN I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT. HOWEVER, I HAVE SINCE STALLED IT SEVERAL TIMES IN TRAFFIC. WHEN THE CLUTCH STALLS, DRIVER MUST COMPLETELY TURN OFF IGNITION AND TURN IT BACK ON BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO CLUTCH-DRIVE AGAIN. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AMONG 2010 MANUAL TDI OWNERS AND ONE FREQUENTLY DISCUSSED BECAUSE IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. SOME OWNERS ON "TDI CLUB" LIST SERVER ARE CHANGING OUT THEIR OWN CLUTCHES TO STAY ALIVE. I AM AN EXCELLENT "STICK" DRIVER WITH 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN MANY VEHICLES. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS CLUTCH ISSUE BEFORE PEOPLE GET KILLED. IT'S NOT MY DRIVING PROBLEM OR MY PARTICULAR CAR'S PROBLEM--IT IS A PROBLEM WITH ALL 2010 MANUAL TDI CLUTCH STARTS. I CANNOT LET ANYONE ELSE DRIVE MY CAR, EVEN MY OWN HUSBAND (WHO DRIVES A 2003 MANUAL TDI GOLF), BECAUSE I AM AFRAID HE WILL GET KILLED PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC AS CLUTCH STALLS ARE FREQUENT WITH THE 2010 MANUAL TDI JETTA MODEL--EVEN AFTER YOU GET USED TO IT. I PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 2001 MANUAL TDI JETTA AND DROVE IT FOR 10 YEARS WITH NO CLUTCH COMPLAINTS. I STALL THE 2010 CLUTCH AT LEAST ONCE PER DAY. WHEN MY HUSBAND HAS ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE IT, HE STALLED IT FIVE TIMES IN A ROW THE FIRST DRIVE, AND IN SUBSEQUENT DRIVES STALLS IT EVERY OTHER PULL OUT. THE PROBLEM IS MOST DANGEROUS WHEN LEAVING A DRIVEWAY, PARKING LOT, OR MAKING A LEFT TURN WITH WHAT WOULD NORMALLY BE ENOUGH SPACE IN THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC, BUT WHAT IS NOT ENOUGH WHEN THE CLUTCH STALLS THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10350541

3,500 miles · Jul 29, 2010
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS VERY SLOW TO INCREASE IN SPEED UNTIL THE CONTACT RELEASED HIS FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE CONTACT THEN DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE DEALER ADVISED…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS VERY SLOW TO INCREASE IN SPEED UNTIL THE CONTACT RELEASED HIS FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE CONTACT THEN DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT HE WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE TYPE OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 3,500.

NHTSA ODI #10346067

2,400 miles · Jun 14, 2010
Power Train

2010 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI(DIESEL) SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES TO ME WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE USUALLY START UP AFTER WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. VEHICLE HAS APPROX 2800 MILES. ONE TIME IT HAPPENED IN A MAJOR HIGHWAY INTERSECTION. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VW WHERE REPAIRS WHERE SUPPOSEDLY…

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2010 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI(DIESEL) SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES TO ME WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE USUALLY START UP AFTER WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. VEHICLE HAS APPROX 2800 MILES. ONE TIME IT HAPPENED IN A MAJOR HIGHWAY INTERSECTION. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VW WHERE REPAIRS WHERE SUPPOSEDLY MADE. REPAIRS MADE WERE 02 SENSOR AND COMPUTER UPDATE. A FEW DAYS LATER VEHICLE SHUT DOWN ONCE AGAIN WHILE DRIVING AFTER THE VW "REPAIRS". THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A PATTERN TO THE INCIDENCES. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT VW UNDERGOING TESTS. ANOTHER ODD THING IS THAT THE FACTORY BLUETOOTH STEREO HAS NOT WORKED SINCE THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10336340

1,190 miles · Jun 1, 2010
Power Train

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) I PURCHASED A NEW 2010 VW JETTA SE ON 1/28/10. VIN [XXX] . CURRENT MILEAGE ON VEHICLE IS LESS THAN 1300 MILES. CAR HAS A AUTOMATIC - DSG TRANSMISSION. IN MID MAY OF 2010 I BEGAN HAVING SEVERE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION LOCKING IN…

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INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) I PURCHASED A NEW 2010 VW JETTA SE ON 1/28/10. VIN [XXX] . CURRENT MILEAGE ON VEHICLE IS LESS THAN 1300 MILES. CAR HAS A AUTOMATIC - DSG TRANSMISSION. IN MID MAY OF 2010 I BEGAN HAVING SEVERE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION LOCKING INTO 3, 4 GEARS WHILE IN DRIVE ESPECIALLY WHEN ENTERING TRAFFIC FROM A START.. THIS CREATES A SEVERE POWER REDUCTION FROM A START AND CAN BE LIFE THREATING, AND CAUSE INVOLVEMENT IN BROAD SIDE ACCIDENT WHILE ENTERING THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. TRANSMISSION ALSO JOLTS AND BOLTS WHEN DRIVING, AND WHEN PLACING IN REVERSE OR DRIVE FROM A START. THE CAR HAS SHIFTED IN NEUTRAL ONCE WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE HAD AT LEAST 15 OCCURRENCES SINCE MAY 12TH. WHEN THE SITUATION HAPPENS I HAVE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND STOP AND WAIT FOR A SAFE CONDITION TO PULL OUT IN THIRD (LOCKED) GEAR. I CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AT WILL IT JUST OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING. SOMETIMES THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO RESET TO NORMAL IF YOU TURN OFF THE IGNITION AND WAIT 5-10 MIN BEFORE RESTARTING. VW/AUDI HAVE HAD NUMEROUS REPORTS OF PROBLEMS WITH THIS DSG TRANSMISSION. HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY 2008 GTI AND THE METRONICS WHICH VW SENT OUT A SAFETY BULLETING AND REPLACED THE UNIT LAST JULY. THIS PROBLEM IS FAR WORSE THAN ROUGH SHIFTING IT'S LIFE THREATING. HAD A REAL SCARY INCIDENT YESTERDAY, LOCKED INTO THIRD AND THEN JUMPED INTO NEUTRAL, HAD TO COAST TO BURM. CAR IS CURRENTLY TODAY IN THE DEALERSHIP AS I WILL NOT DRIVE IT UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS CORRECTED. THEY WILL INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM AND CHECK FOR ERROR CODES ETC. I DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE DEALERSHIP HAVE BEEN A CUSTOMER SINCE 2000 AND HAVE OWNED 6 VW'S SINCE. THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE DSG TRANSMISSIONS IN VW'S THEY ARE NOT SAFE. I HAVE ALSO ADVISED VW AT THEIR CUSTOMER CARE SITE AND WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING???? INCIDENT DATE IS THE START OF THE PROBLEM I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR ASSISTANCE WITH THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10334009

3,500 miles · May 25, 2010
Power TrainCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND UNOCCUPIED, THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY AND CRASHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THEY WOULD TAKE THE LIABILITY FOR THE DEFECTIVE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR, BUT THE CONTACT WOULD BE LIABLE FOR THE STRUCTUR…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND UNOCCUPIED, THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY AND CRASHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THEY WOULD TAKE THE LIABILITY FOR THE DEFECTIVE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR, BUT THE CONTACT WOULD BE LIABLE FOR THE STRUCTURAL DAMAGES CAUSED BY THE CRASH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS A FUNCTION WHERE THE KEY COULD BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WITHOUT THE VEHICLE BEING PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD TAKE THE LIABILITY OF THE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE THAT WAS CAUSED BY THE MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 3,500.

NHTSA ODI #10332154

4,000 miles · May 8, 2010
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

I HAVE A JETTA TDI 2010 SPORT WAGON THAT HAS SIGNIFICANT PAUSE WHEN THE THROTTLE IS HELD CONSTANT. RANDOM BUT HAPPENS EVERY DAY. BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY KNEW OF THE PROBLEM BUT DON'T KNOW WHY THIS IS HAPPENING AND WILL CALL US IF THEY COME UP WITH A FIX! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10329377

Official recalls

4

16V913000 · Electronic Stability Control (esc); Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip

Dec 20, 2016

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Volkswagen Jetta A5 Sedan, 2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen, Eos, GTI, Rabbit and Audi A3 vehicles, and 2010 Volkswagen Golf A6 vehicles. The Antilock Brake System (ABS) control unit may fail during ABS or Electronic Stability Control (ESC) activation, possibly causing a loss of vehicle control.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A loss of vehicle control can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the ABS control module software to improve the module's self-testing abilities. Any module that fails the new diagnostic test will be replaced. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began February 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electronic Stability Control (esc)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Volkswagen Jetta A5 Sedan, 2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen, Eos, GTI, Rabbit and Audi A3 vehicles, and 2010 Volkswagen Golf A6 vehicles. The Antilock Brake System (ABS) control unit may fail during ABS or Electronic Stability Control (ESC) activation, possibly causing a loss of vehicle control.

Consequence: A loss of vehicle control can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the ABS control module software to improve the module's self-testing abilities. Any module that fails the new diagnostic test will be replaced. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began February 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Volkswagen Jetta A5 Sedan, 2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen, Eos, GTI, Rabbit and Audi A3 vehicles, and 2010 Volkswagen Golf A6 vehicles. The Antilock Brake System (ABS) control unit may fail during ABS or Electronic Stability Control (ESC) activation, possibly causing a loss of vehicle control.

Consequence: A loss of vehicle control can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the ABS control module software to improve the module's self-testing abilities. Any module that fails the new diagnostic test will be replaced. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began February 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.

11V490000 · Fuel System, Diesel

Oct 3, 2011

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL 2009-2012 JETTA AND JETTA SPORTWAGEN VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 2008 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2011, MODEL YEAR 2010-2012 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 2009 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2011, AND MODEL YEAR 2010-2012 AUDI A3 VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 2009 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2011, THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH A 2.0L TDI COMMON RAIL DIESEL ENGINE/CLEAN DIESEL ENGINE. THE FUEL INJECTION PULSES COULD COINCIDE WITH THE NATURAL FREQUENCY OF THE INJECTOR LINE #2, IN SPECIFIC LOAD AND RPM CONDITIONS. THIS RESONANCE CREATES ADDITIONAL STRESS IN THE FUEL LINE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: DUE TO THE RESONANCE CONDITION, INJECTOR LINE NUMBER 2 COULD DEVELOP SMALL CRACKS WHICH COULD LEAD TO FUEL LEAKAGE. LEAKING FUEL IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, MAY LEAD TO A FIRE.

Remedy: VOLKSWAGEN WILL INSTALL AN IMPROVED FUEL INJECTOR LINE FOR THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER ON CERTAIN VEHICLES AND WILL INSTALL VIBRATION DAMPERS ON ALL OF THE INJECTOR LINES. VOLKSWAGEN AND AUDI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS TO HAVE THE VEHICLES REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING NOVEMBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

10V621000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Dec 10, 2010

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2010 JETTA, NEW BEETLE, NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE, MODEL YEAR 2009 JETTA SPORTWAGEN AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 RABBIT VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L ENGINES. THE JETTA, JETTA SPORTWAGEN, AND RABBIT VEHICLES MAY HAVE A SMALL PLASTIC TAB LOCATED ON THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR THAT MAY CHAFE AGAINST AN UNDERHOOD FUEL SUPPLY LINE. THE NEW BEETLE AND THE NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A FASTENING CLAMP ON A HYDRAULIC HOSE OF THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM THAT MAY BE LOCATED IN AN IMPROPER POSITION WHICH COULD CAUSE CHAFING AGAINST AN UNDERHOOD FUEL SUPPLY LINE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF CHAFING OCCURS, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A FUEL LEAK TO DEVELOP. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE THE UNDERHOOD FUEL LINE. ADDITIONALLY, DEPENDING ON THE VEHICLE MODEL, DEALERS WILL EITHER REMOVE THE PLASTIC TAB FROM THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR, OR INSPECT THE POSITION OF THE FASTENING CLAMP AND ADJUST THE RELATED FASTENING CLAMP INTO THE CORRECT POSITION. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 31, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

09V333000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Aug 20, 2009

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 2008 AND AUGUST 2009. THE WIRING HARNESS OF A TEMPERATURE SENSOR IN THE DIRECT SHIFT GEARBOX (DSG) MAY HAVE CONNECTOR WIRES THAT WERE INSUFFICIENTLY CRIMPED. WITH INSUFFICIENTLY CRIMPED CONNECTOR WIRES, A TEMPERATURE SENSOR HAS THE POTENTIAL TO FALSELY DETECT A HIGH GEARBOX OIL TEMPERATURE, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO ABRUPTLY SHIFT TO NEUTRAL. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE SELECTOR LEVER POSITION INDICATOR WITHIN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL FLASH. IN ADDITION, THE "DEPRESS BRAKE PEDAL" INDICATOR LIGHT WILL BE ILLUMINATED, ALERTING THE DRIVER TO APPLY THE BRAKES.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE ABRUPT SHIFT TO NEUTRAL COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: VOLKSWAGEN WILL REPROGRAM THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WITH UPDATED SOFTWARE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 20, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

4

EA18003 · Air Bag Clockspring Failure

Opened Apr 18, 2018 · No close date supplied

Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags; Air Bags:frontal; Air Bags:frontal:driver Clockspring/spiral Cassette

In August 2015, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) launched Safety Recall 15V-483 to address the loss of the protection provided by the front driver air bag in several models due to the failure of the clockspring.Debris entry into the steering wheel hub can result in contamination and ultimately failure of the clockspring in 2010-2014 Model Year (MY) CC, Passat, Eos, Golf, GTI, Tiguan, Jetta and Jetta Sportwagen models.Contamination of the clockspring can cause the ribbon cable to tear resulting in loss of the electrical connection to the front driver air bag and any steering wheel mounted controls.The loss of the electrical connection to the front driver air bag will result in illumination of the air bag warning light and will prevent operation of the front driver air bag in a crash of sufficient severity requiring a commanded deployment.In November 2017, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Recall Query (RQ17-009) after the agency received 90 complaints alleging failure of the clockspring in the subject models.Several of the complaints allege failure of the clockspring after receiving the recall remedy.The majority of the complaints allege the same failure mode without being included in the original recall, 15V-483.In its March 2018 response to ODI's Information Request under the Recall Query, Volkswagen provided approximately 700 consumer complaints and field reports on the recalled vehicles.These reports allege clockspring failure similar to the NHTSA reports described above.To date, NHTSA has received approximately 154 allegations of clockspring failure since the recall has launched.The total of 852 reports shown in the table above eliminates 6 duplicative reports received by ODI and the manufacturer.An Engineering Analysis has been opened to further evaluate the scope and effectiveness of the remedy associated with 15V-483 and perform a thorough review of the design changes implemented by Volkswagen and its suppliers to address this issue.The ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.NHTSA.gov under the following ODI identification numbers: 11080741, 11079877, 11079805, 11079124, 11076709, 11076645, 11076297, 11076249, 11076133, 11075756, 11075726, 11075358, 11075259, 11075055, 11074920, 11074565, 11073090, 11072745, 11072457, 11072089, 11071933, 11071880, 11071630, 11071592, 11067396, 11067061, 11066738, 11066601, 11066511, 11065909, 11065871, 11065262, 11064701, 11064564, 11064544, 11064531, 11063961, 11063501, 11063095, 11062772, 11062464, 11062353, 11062344, 11061463, 11061310, 11061311, 11060735, 11058154, 11057519, 11057477, 11057341, 11056793, 11056243, 11056063, 11055639, 11054279, 11052812, 11052678, 11052384, 11052228, 11051336, 11051155, 11051074, 11048803, 11047037, 11044226, 11043653, 11039142, 11033893, 11033330, 11032548, 11025475, 11025356, 11024647, 11023423, 11020570, 11020312, 11019415, 11019067, 11015441, 11015431, 11014595, 11014016, 11013709, 11013415, 11012596, 11011753, 11006668, 11006521, 11006307, 11006181, 11005301, 11003865, 11001780, 11001783, 11001334, 10994184, 10993360, 10993524, 10992490, 10985926, 10983678, 10981220, 10980831, 10980941, 10980549, 10979418, 10971152, 10967344, 10967155, 10959968, 10958624, 10957279, 10956488, 10949129, 10947562, 10945122, 10936498, 10936543, 10933950, 10927311, 10925421, 10924034, 10915612, 10915569, 10911171, 10902066, 10898733, 10896537, 10896510, 10895526, 10893938, 10891686, 10864967, 10863742, 10861984, 10851242, 10822505, 10821562, 10818403, 10795068, 10794402, 10788738, 10787804, 10782544, 10780725, 10780145, 10779145, 10776477, 10775448, 10763492, 10763423, 10763289, 10762670, 10760644, 10758777, 10749901, 10748922

Additional source detail variants (3)

Air Bags:frontal:driver Clockspring/spiral Cassette

In August 2015, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) launched Safety Recall 15V-483 to address the loss of the protection provided by the front driver air bag in several models due to the failure of the clockspring.Debris entry into the steering wheel hub can result in contamination and ultimately failure of the clockspring in 2010-2014 Model Year (MY) CC, Passat, Eos, Golf, GTI, Tiguan, Jetta and Jetta Sportwagen models.Contamination of the clockspring can cause the ribbon cable to tear resulting in loss of the electrical connection to the front driver air bag and any steering wheel mounted controls.The loss of the electrical connection to the front driver air bag will result in illumination of the air bag warning light and will prevent operation of the front driver air bag in a crash of sufficient severity requiring a commanded deployment.In November 2017, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Recall Query (RQ17-009) after the agency received 90 complaints alleging failure of the clockspring in the subject models.Several of the complaints allege failure of the clockspring after receiving the recall remedy.The majority of the complaints allege the same failure mode without being included in the original recall, 15V-483.In its March 2018 response to ODI's Information Request under the Recall Query, Volkswagen provided approximately 700 consumer complaints and field reports on the recalled vehicles.These reports allege clockspring failure similar to the NHTSA reports described above.To date, NHTSA has received approximately 154 allegations of clockspring failure since the recall has launched.The total of 852 reports shown in the table above eliminates 6 duplicative reports received by ODI and the manufacturer.An Engineering Analysis has been opened to further evaluate the scope and effectiveness of the remedy associated with 15V-483 and perform a thorough review of the design changes implemented by Volkswagen and its suppliers to address this issue.The ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.NHTSA.gov under the following ODI identification numbers: 11080741, 11079877, 11079805, 11079124, 11076709, 11076645, 11076297, 11076249, 11076133, 11075756, 11075726, 11075358, 11075259, 11075055, 11074920, 11074565, 11073090, 11072745, 11072457, 11072089, 11071933, 11071880, 11071630, 11071592, 11067396, 11067061, 11066738, 11066601, 11066511, 11065909, 11065871, 11065262, 11064701, 11064564, 11064544, 11064531, 11063961, 11063501, 11063095, 11062772, 11062464, 11062353, 11062344, 11061463, 11061310, 11061311, 11060735, 11058154, 11057519, 11057477, 11057341, 11056793, 11056243, 11056063, 11055639, 11054279, 11052812, 11052678, 11052384, 11052228, 11051336, 11051155, 11051074, 11048803, 11047037, 11044226, 11043653, 11039142, 11033893, 11033330, 11032548, 11025475, 11025356, 11024647, 11023423, 11020570, 11020312, 11019415, 11019067, 11015441, 11015431, 11014595, 11014016, 11013709, 11013415, 11012596, 11011753, 11006668, 11006521, 11006307, 11006181, 11005301, 11003865, 11001780, 11001783, 11001334, 10994184, 10993360, 10993524, 10992490, 10985926, 10983678, 10981220, 10980831, 10980941, 10980549, 10979418, 10971152, 10967344, 10967155, 10959968, 10958624, 10957279, 10956488, 10949129, 10947562, 10945122, 10936498, 10936543, 10933950, 10927311, 10925421, 10924034, 10915612, 10915569, 10911171, 10902066, 10898733, 10896537, 10896510, 10895526, 10893938, 10891686, 10864967, 10863742, 10861984, 10851242, 10822505, 10821562, 10818403, 10795068, 10794402, 10788738, 10787804, 10782544, 10780725, 10780145, 10779145, 10776477, 10775448, 10763492, 10763423, 10763289, 10762670, 10760644, 10758777, 10749901, 10748922

Air Bags:frontal

In August 2015, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) launched Safety Recall 15V-483 to address the loss of the protection provided by the front driver air bag in several models due to the failure of the clockspring.Debris entry into the steering wheel hub can result in contamination and ultimately failure of the clockspring in 2010-2014 Model Year (MY) CC, Passat, Eos, Golf, GTI, Tiguan, Jetta and Jetta Sportwagen models.Contamination of the clockspring can cause the ribbon cable to tear resulting in loss of the electrical connection to the front driver air bag and any steering wheel mounted controls.The loss of the electrical connection to the front driver air bag will result in illumination of the air bag warning light and will prevent operation of the front driver air bag in a crash of sufficient severity requiring a commanded deployment.In November 2017, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Recall Query (RQ17-009) after the agency received 90 complaints alleging failure of the clockspring in the subject models.Several of the complaints allege failure of the clockspring after receiving the recall remedy.The majority of the complaints allege the same failure mode without being included in the original recall, 15V-483.In its March 2018 response to ODI's Information Request under the Recall Query, Volkswagen provided approximately 700 consumer complaints and field reports on the recalled vehicles.These reports allege clockspring failure similar to the NHTSA reports described above.To date, NHTSA has received approximately 154 allegations of clockspring failure since the recall has launched.The total of 852 reports shown in the table above eliminates 6 duplicative reports received by ODI and the manufacturer.An Engineering Analysis has been opened to further evaluate the scope and effectiveness of the remedy associated with 15V-483 and perform a thorough review of the design changes implemented by Volkswagen and its suppliers to address this issue.The ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.NHTSA.gov under the following ODI identification numbers: 11080741, 11079877, 11079805, 11079124, 11076709, 11076645, 11076297, 11076249, 11076133, 11075756, 11075726, 11075358, 11075259, 11075055, 11074920, 11074565, 11073090, 11072745, 11072457, 11072089, 11071933, 11071880, 11071630, 11071592, 11067396, 11067061, 11066738, 11066601, 11066511, 11065909, 11065871, 11065262, 11064701, 11064564, 11064544, 11064531, 11063961, 11063501, 11063095, 11062772, 11062464, 11062353, 11062344, 11061463, 11061310, 11061311, 11060735, 11058154, 11057519, 11057477, 11057341, 11056793, 11056243, 11056063, 11055639, 11054279, 11052812, 11052678, 11052384, 11052228, 11051336, 11051155, 11051074, 11048803, 11047037, 11044226, 11043653, 11039142, 11033893, 11033330, 11032548, 11025475, 11025356, 11024647, 11023423, 11020570, 11020312, 11019415, 11019067, 11015441, 11015431, 11014595, 11014016, 11013709, 11013415, 11012596, 11011753, 11006668, 11006521, 11006307, 11006181, 11005301, 11003865, 11001780, 11001783, 11001334, 10994184, 10993360, 10993524, 10992490, 10985926, 10983678, 10981220, 10980831, 10980941, 10980549, 10979418, 10971152, 10967344, 10967155, 10959968, 10958624, 10957279, 10956488, 10949129, 10947562, 10945122, 10936498, 10936543, 10933950, 10927311, 10925421, 10924034, 10915612, 10915569, 10911171, 10902066, 10898733, 10896537, 10896510, 10895526, 10893938, 10891686, 10864967, 10863742, 10861984, 10851242, 10822505, 10821562, 10818403, 10795068, 10794402, 10788738, 10787804, 10782544, 10780725, 10780145, 10779145, 10776477, 10775448, 10763492, 10763423, 10763289, 10762670, 10760644, 10758777, 10749901, 10748922

Air Bags

In August 2015, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) launched Safety Recall 15V-483 to address the loss of the protection provided by the front driver air bag in several models due to the failure of the clockspring.Debris entry into the steering wheel hub can result in contamination and ultimately failure of the clockspring in 2010-2014 Model Year (MY) CC, Passat, Eos, Golf, GTI, Tiguan, Jetta and Jetta Sportwagen models.Contamination of the clockspring can cause the ribbon cable to tear resulting in loss of the electrical connection to the front driver air bag and any steering wheel mounted controls.The loss of the electrical connection to the front driver air bag will result in illumination of the air bag warning light and will prevent operation of the front driver air bag in a crash of sufficient severity requiring a commanded deployment.In November 2017, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Recall Query (RQ17-009) after the agency received 90 complaints alleging failure of the clockspring in the subject models.Several of the complaints allege failure of the clockspring after receiving the recall remedy.The majority of the complaints allege the same failure mode without being included in the original recall, 15V-483.In its March 2018 response to ODI's Information Request under the Recall Query, Volkswagen provided approximately 700 consumer complaints and field reports on the recalled vehicles.These reports allege clockspring failure similar to the NHTSA reports described above.To date, NHTSA has received approximately 154 allegations of clockspring failure since the recall has launched.The total of 852 reports shown in the table above eliminates 6 duplicative reports received by ODI and the manufacturer.An Engineering Analysis has been opened to further evaluate the scope and effectiveness of the remedy associated with 15V-483 and perform a thorough review of the design changes implemented by Volkswagen and its suppliers to address this issue.The ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.NHTSA.gov under the following ODI identification numbers: 11080741, 11079877, 11079805, 11079124, 11076709, 11076645, 11076297, 11076249, 11076133, 11075756, 11075726, 11075358, 11075259, 11075055, 11074920, 11074565, 11073090, 11072745, 11072457, 11072089, 11071933, 11071880, 11071630, 11071592, 11067396, 11067061, 11066738, 11066601, 11066511, 11065909, 11065871, 11065262, 11064701, 11064564, 11064544, 11064531, 11063961, 11063501, 11063095, 11062772, 11062464, 11062353, 11062344, 11061463, 11061310, 11061311, 11060735, 11058154, 11057519, 11057477, 11057341, 11056793, 11056243, 11056063, 11055639, 11054279, 11052812, 11052678, 11052384, 11052228, 11051336, 11051155, 11051074, 11048803, 11047037, 11044226, 11043653, 11039142, 11033893, 11033330, 11032548, 11025475, 11025356, 11024647, 11023423, 11020570, 11020312, 11019415, 11019067, 11015441, 11015431, 11014595, 11014016, 11013709, 11013415, 11012596, 11011753, 11006668, 11006521, 11006307, 11006181, 11005301, 11003865, 11001780, 11001783, 11001334, 10994184, 10993360, 10993524, 10992490, 10985926, 10983678, 10981220, 10980831, 10980941, 10980549, 10979418, 10971152, 10967344, 10967155, 10959968, 10958624, 10957279, 10956488, 10949129, 10947562, 10945122, 10936498, 10936543, 10933950, 10927311, 10925421, 10924034, 10915612, 10915569, 10911171, 10902066, 10898733, 10896537, 10896510, 10895526, 10893938, 10891686, 10864967, 10863742, 10861984, 10851242, 10822505, 10821562, 10818403, 10795068, 10794402, 10788738, 10787804, 10782544, 10780725, 10780145, 10779145, 10776477, 10775448, 10763492, 10763423, 10763289, 10762670, 10760644, 10758777, 10749901, 10748922

PE11023 · Diesel Fuel Injector Line Leakage

Opened Aug 2, 2011 · Closed Dec 2, 2011

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Diesel

By letter dated October 3, 2011, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VW) notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that it will conduct a safety recall to address a defect in approximately 168,275 model year (MY) 2009-2012 Volkswagen Jetta, Jetta Sportwagen, Golf, and Audi A3 vehicles equipped with the 2.0L TDI Common Rail Clean Diesel engine (NHTSA Recall No. 11V-490).The recalled Jetta and Jetta Sportwagen vehicles were built from May 2008 through September 2011, the Golf vehicles were built from May 2009 through September 2011, and the Audi A3 vehicles were built from September 2009 through September 2011.According to Volkswagen, in U.S. applications of the above cited TDI vehicles including engine codes CJAA and CBEA, the fuel injection pulses could coincide with the natural frequency of the injector line #2 in specific load and RPM conditions.This resonance creates additional stress on the fuel line which a small number of parts (based on the statistic spread of line strength) cannot withstand over its lifetime.As a contributing factor, VW indicated that a supplier used tube material with scratch marks from a grinding process during certain production periods.Lines manufactured in these periods were installed in vehicles produced in the following 10 months:December 2008, January-February 2009, October 2009, March-April 2010 and September-December 2010.Injector lines using this material exhibit a significantly higher failure rate.Dealers will replace injector line #2 in all vehicles built in these months.In addition, as a precautionary measure, all recalled vehicles will have vibration dampers installed on all four fuel injector lines.Analysis of NHTSA complaints, VW complaints, VW field reports and warranty claims found allegations of injector line leakage in 443 subject vehicles.The leaking line was not identified in 62 of the vehicles.For the 381 that did provide information about which injector lines were leaking and/or replaced, 358 (94%) involved an injector line #2 leak/repair.Almost three-quarters of the injector line #2 leak/repair incident vehicles were built in the 10 months identified by VW, which accounted for approximately one-quarter of the recalled vehicles.The failure rate for injector line #2 in vehicles built in the 10 months affected by the supplier line scratching issue is 6.0 incidents per thousand vehicles (IPTV).The failure rate for injector line #2 in other production months of recalled vehicles is 0.8 IPTV.The leak/repair rates for the other injector lines are all well under 1 IPTV.The action taken by Volkswagen is sufficient to resolve the issues raised by this investigation. The agency will continue to monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances. Accordingly, this investigation is closed.

EA11003 · High-Pressure Fuel Pump Failure

Opened Feb 7, 2011 · Closed Mar 27, 2015

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Diesel; Fuel System, Other:delivery:fuel Pump

The Office of Defects Investgation (ODI) opened EA11-003 on February 7, 2011, based on 160 complaints to ODI and Volkswagen involving high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failures in model year (MY) 2009 through 2010 Volkswagen Jetta and Golf and Audi A3 TDI vehicles and questions regarding fuel sample results provided by Volkswagen as part of its response to PE10-034.During EA11-003, ODI analyzed design information, field experience and test data for MY 2009 through 2012 Volkswagen Jetta, Golf and Touareg and Audi A3 and Q7 vehicles equipped with TDI engines. Volkswagen has not identified any design or manufacturing defects in the subject TDI Clean Diesel pumps and has stated that the subject pumps were designed, tested and approved for use in the United States market, with substantial design margins for fuels that are out of specification.Volkswagen believes that misfueling with gasoline is the primary cause of HPFP drivetrain failures in the field.Only the Q7 vehicles were built with misfuel protection devices.In May 2013 Volkswagen initiated a service campaign to install misfuel protection devices in all MY 2009 through 2012 Jetta, Golf and A3 vehicles.Volkswagen implemented misfuel protection devices in all of the subject models beginning in MY 2013. ODI?s analysis of HPFP drivetrain failure incidents indicates that most failures do not result in engine stall while driving and, when pump drivetrain failure does result in stall while driving, it is usually preceded by numerous warning symptoms (e.g., glow plug warning lamp, chime, limp mode, and driveability symptoms).The failure data for the subject vehicles show relatively low stalling rates (less than one percent at three years in service) for each of the pump designs used in the subject vehicles.There have been no reports of crashes, injuries or fatalities related to the alleged defect. Based on these facts, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted.For additional information, see the closing report in the document file for EA11-003.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Fuel System, Diesel

The Office of Defects Investgation (ODI) opened EA11-003 on February 7, 2011, based on 160 complaints to ODI and Volkswagen involving high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failures in model year (MY) 2009 through 2010 Volkswagen Jetta and Golf and Audi A3 TDI vehicles and questions regarding fuel sample results provided by Volkswagen as part of its response to PE10-034.During EA11-003, ODI analyzed design information, field experience and test data for MY 2009 through 2012 Volkswagen Jetta, Golf and Touareg and Audi A3 and Q7 vehicles equipped with TDI engines. Volkswagen has not identified any design or manufacturing defects in the subject TDI Clean Diesel pumps and has stated that the subject pumps were designed, tested and approved for use in the United States market, with substantial design margins for fuels that are out of specification.Volkswagen believes that misfueling with gasoline is the primary cause of HPFP drivetrain failures in the field.Only the Q7 vehicles were built with misfuel protection devices.In May 2013 Volkswagen initiated a service campaign to install misfuel protection devices in all MY 2009 through 2012 Jetta, Golf and A3 vehicles.Volkswagen implemented misfuel protection devices in all of the subject models beginning in MY 2013. ODI?s analysis of HPFP drivetrain failure incidents indicates that most failures do not result in engine stall while driving and, when pump drivetrain failure does result in stall while driving, it is usually preceded by numerous warning symptoms (e.g., glow plug warning lamp, chime, limp mode, and driveability symptoms).The failure data for the subject vehicles show relatively low stalling rates (less than one percent at three years in service) for each of the pump designs used in the subject vehicles.There have been no reports of crashes, injuries or fatalities related to the alleged defect. Based on these facts, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted.For additional information, see the closing report in the document file for EA11-003.

Fuel System, Other:delivery:fuel Pump

The Office of Defects Investgation (ODI) opened EA11-003 on February 7, 2011, based on 160 complaints to ODI and Volkswagen involving high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failures in model year (MY) 2009 through 2010 Volkswagen Jetta and Golf and Audi A3 TDI vehicles and questions regarding fuel sample results provided by Volkswagen as part of its response to PE10-034.During EA11-003, ODI analyzed design information, field experience and test data for MY 2009 through 2012 Volkswagen Jetta, Golf and Touareg and Audi A3 and Q7 vehicles equipped with TDI engines. Volkswagen has not identified any design or manufacturing defects in the subject TDI Clean Diesel pumps and has stated that the subject pumps were designed, tested and approved for use in the United States market, with substantial design margins for fuels that are out of specification.Volkswagen believes that misfueling with gasoline is the primary cause of HPFP drivetrain failures in the field.Only the Q7 vehicles were built with misfuel protection devices.In May 2013 Volkswagen initiated a service campaign to install misfuel protection devices in all MY 2009 through 2012 Jetta, Golf and A3 vehicles.Volkswagen implemented misfuel protection devices in all of the subject models beginning in MY 2013. ODI?s analysis of HPFP drivetrain failure incidents indicates that most failures do not result in engine stall while driving and, when pump drivetrain failure does result in stall while driving, it is usually preceded by numerous warning symptoms (e.g., glow plug warning lamp, chime, limp mode, and driveability symptoms).The failure data for the subject vehicles show relatively low stalling rates (less than one percent at three years in service) for each of the pump designs used in the subject vehicles.There have been no reports of crashes, injuries or fatalities related to the alleged defect. Based on these facts, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted.For additional information, see the closing report in the document file for EA11-003.

PE10034 · High Pressure Fuel Pump Failure (hpfp)

Opened Aug 26, 2010 · Closed Feb 8, 2011

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Diesel

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) and Volkswagen (VW) have received a total of 160 complaints and field reports alleging incidents of engine stall and/or loss of power that appear to be related to high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failures in certain model year (MY) 2009 through 2010 Volkswagen Jetta and MY 2010 Volkswagen Golf and Audi A3 vehicles equipped with TDI clean diesel engines.Approximately half of the reports indicate that the failure resulted in an engine stall incident, with many of these alleging stall incidents at highway speeds in traffic with no restart.There has been one minor crash alleged to have resulted from HPFP failure in the subject vehicles.In response to ODI's information request for PE10-034, VW indicated that it had found no defect related to motor vehicle safety with relation to the TDI Clean Diesel fuel system at issue in this investigation and attributed problems with HPFP failure to operation with gasoline contaminated diesel fuel.Volkswagen stated that even a small amount of gasoline in the diesel fuel may disrupt the necessary lubrication required and may cause the HPFP to fail.In response to concerns that fuel contamination was the major cause of HPFP and related fuel system failures, VW issued a Technical Service Bulletin in May 2010 (VW TB V011011 2023624 and Audi TB A011008 2023360-1), with instructions to inspect the diesel fuel for vehicles requiring fuel system service that have symptoms associated with HPFP failure.The bulletin states that fuel system damage incurred by use of fuel not complying to ASTM-D-975 Grade 2 S15 (B5 or less biodiesel content) standards will not be covered under warranty. Volkswagen also provided information about 121 mis-fueling incidents reportedly acknowledged by consumers or dealers and test results for about 50 diesel fuel samples taken from complaint vehicles in late-August through early-October 2010.The mis-fueling incidents include about 20 reports involving incorrect fueling by dealer sales or service personnel and generally report symptoms such as rough running, stalling and/or no start within a few miles of refueling the vehicle with gasoline.Volkswagen indicated that the testing of fuel samples from complaint vehicles found that nearly 90 percent contained high amounts of gasoline.Volkswagen implemented design changes for the HPFP in May 2008, September 2009 and November 2010 to improve the robustness of the pump when used with poor quality fuel.ODI analysis of HPFP failures identified from all sources shows failure rates of 0.53% for MY 2009 vehicles and 0.11% for MY 2010 vehicles.This investigation has been upgraded to an Engineering Analysis (EA11-003) to continue to investigate the issues with mis-fueling and HPFP design identified during the Preliminary Evaluation.