2011 Volkswagen Jetta: engine and transmission complaints
ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
38%
211 of 549 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
38% of relevant owner complaints on the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.
Better than 56% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 90 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 33%).
The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.
What owners reported
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE10/03/2016CRASH2 INJURED
2011 VW JETTA TDI FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. AS CAR SLOWED DUE TO TRAFFIC, THE COIL (GLOW PLUG?) LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN CAR CAME TO COMPLETE STOP DUE TO TRAFFIC, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR STOPPED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THERE WAS NO TIME FOR ME TO MOVE TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY DUE TO TRAFFIC CONGESTION SO I…
ENGINE10/15/20121 INJURED
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THE EXHAUST TIP WAS EXTENDED BEYOND THE ORIGINAL LENGTH OF THE FACTORY-INSTALLED EXHAUST PIPES. AS A RESULT, THE EXHAUST PIPES BURNED A CHILD'S LEGS ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON ONE OCCASION BUT THE DEALER DID NOT R…
POWER TRAIN07/27/2011CRASH1 INJURED
TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED FROM PARK INTO REVERSE WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE THEN BEGAN TO REVERSE UNCONTROLLABLY AND CRASHED INTO A SMALL PATIO BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. THE CONTACT THEN JUMPED FROM THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW AND SUS…
Three of 211 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Recall campaigns on this model year (11)
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Volkswagen Passat, 2018 Tiguan LWB, 2007-2009 Jetta Sedan, 2011-2013, 2015 and 2019 Jetta, 2013 J…
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2019 GTI, 2015-2016 and 2018-2019 Golf, 2012-2019 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2017-2019 Golf S…
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan,…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta
Ask the seller whether the engine has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many engine faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the engine.
11 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A engine already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history
report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition
of any individual vehicle. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.
