This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Had a half a tank of fuel from mobil drove 30 miles without any problems prior to parking car in garage for 30 min. Left for work and car stalled out at an intersection. Started up after 3rd attempt to start, ran really rough and died within seconds if accelerator wasn't depressed. Almost made it home before dying for good on a hill. Had towed to dealership (the only place it has had work done)who is now telling me there was water in fuel, ice in the fuel filter, evidence the fuel tank had been removed in the past(without my knowledge), and that the hpfp failed and requires total replacement of fuel system. Currently waiting to hear if VW will cover under warranty.
Vehicle lost power and stalled at busy intersection. Glow plug flashing and engine check light on. Towed into dealership who then accused of "fuel contamination". incurred costs of towing and rental because of "contamination" claims. Estimated cost of parts: $9,384.85. Volkswagen of America not honoring their warranty. 27,274 miles. Over 10,000 dollars in costs. Car is not fixed.
Failure was proceeded by unusual noise from under the hood, a series of warning lights, and finally the car just stopped. High pressure fuel pump failure. Caused 7000 dollars damage to fuel system. Numerous parts replaced. None of the parts are available.
The contact owns a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact was driving approximately 25 mph when there was a slight loss of engine power and the glow plug warning indicator light illuminated. The warning indicator remained illuminated until the engine was turned off. The contact was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they detected that improper fuel was consumed in the fuel tank. The vehicle was then towed to another dealer for a second opinion and the technician informed that the fuel system would need to be replaced. The repair was performed on the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000. Updated 04/12/11 updated 04/13/11
While driving 2009 Jetta tdi with approximately 60K miles, glow plug lights flashed and then resulted in engine failure and all power loss while driving approximately 70mph on highway. Vehicle was then towed to local VW dealership. At first we were told there may have been contaminated fuel that caused this problem. Once a mechanic looked at it we were told there were shards of metal through the fuel lines and in the engine, resulting in repairs upward of $10,000. We are currently waiting to see if the extended warranty we purchased with the vehicle will cover this damage. Furthermore we optioned a reprinted receipt showing diesel was the last fuel put in this vehicle, from a reputable fuel provided, who is will to let this fuel be tested.
- Kankakee, IL, USA
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The contact owns a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta diesel. The contact stated that within moments after starting the vehicle it stalled without warning. The contact was able to restart the vehicle but the failure recurred. After applying a pre- heater to the fuel lines, the contact was able to restart the vehicle successfully. The failure persisted only during cold weather. The VIN was unavailable. The failure mileage was 25,000 and the current mileage was 29,000. The consumer was informed he would have to add fuel additives to get the started. The consumer stated no where in the manual did it state that. Updated 02/02/11 the consumer stated during an unusual cold day, when he attempted to start the vehicle, it immediately died. He stared it again, and it ran for a few seconds, then started missing severely and would die again if he hadn't stayed on the throttle. The consumer stated the high pressure fuel pump disintegrates, filling the entire fuel system with metal bits, and necessitating very expensive repairs. Updated 09/16/11
While driving on interstate 5 in central Oregon, going approx. 60 mph, 2009 diesel Jetta lost power and began to stall out. I had driven almost 245 miles on this day (with the same tank of fuel), before the stall occurred. Many warning lights came on the dash, including a flashing glow plug light with engine symbol, engine default light and workshop warning light. Upon coming to a stop, the car died completely, would no longer start, and had to be towed to VW. Upon receipt of the car, VW tried to accuse me of using "bad fuel" but then changed their story, once they did more research (and they found that many people across the us are having this problem). Volkswagen states that there is a complete fuel pump system failure, with metal particulate in the fuel filters and system, and all components must be replaced. This is currently in progress, and I am stranded approximately 1,000 miles from my home, with no indication of a set completion date for repairs. I am very concerned that this issue will reoccur, as it is being reported on a large scale by many tdi Jetta owners on the web forums. Please see links: forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php"T=273983 forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?T=269781 forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php"T=280693 www.tdi-issues.com/hpfp-cases-tac68/www.tdi-issues.com/hpfp-cases-tac68/2010-VW-Jetta-tdi-gap186.htm#comment344 wot.motortrend.com/diesel-investigation-NHTSA-investigating-Volkswagen-Jetta-tdis-over-stalling-8723.html.
Was driving on residential street, approximately 25-30 mph, and car just lost power and stalled. After a few minutes it could start again - but the vehicle would not move, even if gas was pushed down. After a week at the dealership - they said it was the throttle. My car would not start before (after only having the car for approximately 7 months and approximately 2000 miles) - and after having it towed to the dealer, they just said the fuel was gelling. But they did do a computer upgrade and said there "particles in the fuel line" that they cleaned out and said I may have gotten "bad fuel". 1 week after my 40000 mile routine maintenance check - my glow plug light went on and I had to have a sensor replaced.
Car has stuttered when accelerating from stop since purchasing with 12 miles. On 12/21/2009, car lost power and stuttered at speed on interstate highway. The road immediately climbed a hill. With accelerator to the floor, the car dropped to under 60 mph and I shifted from 6th to 5th. Car still kept decelerating so I shifted to 4th. Fortune provided a rest area as the car got to about 45 mph on the interstate. After parking, car stalled while idling. Starting engine would roughly idle at 1/2 of the idle RPM for about 5 seconds before stalling. After 4 tries, I let the car sit for 10 minutes and it restarted without further incident. The car had diesel purchased in upstate NY in the winter, presumably a winter blend. The incident happened in va in 30+ degree temperatures, so presumably gelling of the fuel was not the problem. Additionally, on 12/17/2010, car started but would not rev above 1500 RPM even while out of gear. Would not go more than 10 mph. I assume it is the fuel system but the VW dealer claims everything is fine with the car.
The vehicle was emitting a diesel fuel type odor. The driver of the vehicle was headed back to the office immediately upon discovering the odor. On the highway the vehicle died. The only light that illuminated was the glow plug light. The vehicle was towed into the shop. The dealership at that point replaced a leaking component within the fuel system. My company authorized the part replacement. The part was replaced but the vehicle still did not start. Long story short, we need a cylinder head which is approx $7500 since the leaking fuel had caused the timing belt to skip timing. The vehicle at this time is still at the dealership awaiting our decision. The only three options are replace the cylinder head, engine or decommission a car with less than 48K miles. Based on the information found on the internet this particular vehicle has several incidents filed in regards to leaking fuel system and stalling.
The contact owns a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta tdi. While driving 55 mph, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the highway. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the high pressure fuel pump failed because metal had spread throughout it. The vehicle was repaired at the contact's expense. The contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 25,500.
Loss of power, car goes into limp mode when this happens it is a fuel system failure the high pressure fuel pump it send metal shavings throughout the fuel system replace the fuel system I have done this once and now it has failed the 2 time all at my expense, car is currently not running can't afford another repair a real safety issue, no warning when the vehicle goes into power reduction.
On 11/3/2010 I took my 2009 VW Jetta tdi in for its 30,000 mile service. I was called and told my vehicle was ready for pick up that evening. When I arrived the service advisor told me he had bad news, my fuel pump had failed. They gave me a loaner car and asked me to bring in my last 4-5 fuel receipts. I told them I don't keep fuel receipts. They said VW may not warranty the failure of the fuel pump without the fuel receipts. I was told on 11/6/2010 that they had approved the warranty repair. My concern is that this may happen again (the failure of the fuel pump) and could put me in a dangerous situation. I would like to make sure the repair is a new and upgraded part and not the same failing part.
Driving at 20 mph heard a clanking noise like a spoon in the garbage disposal coming from the engine compartment. Mfd displayed engine fail and the car shut off and would not restart. Filled up with approved diesel from mobil a week prior. Still had a little less than half a tank. Had vehicle towed to local VW dealership. VW described the problem as fuel contamination. Subsequently determined that the high pressure fuel pump (hpfp) had failed and caused significant fuel system damage. VW replaced entire fuel system under vehicle warranty. Researched the issue and determined this was not an isolated issue for this vehicle (2009 VW Jetta tdi). Moreover, the notion of 'contaminated fuel' seems to be a catch-all phrase that detracts from what may be the real problem of failed engineering as it relates to the hpfp. Lastly, the immediate shutting off of the engine made for a very unsafe condition due to the inability to easily steer or accelerate to a safe location. Vehicle was stuck partially on the roadway and had to be pushed and coasted backwards to a safe parking spot out of the roadway and along the curb.
Car had been operating normally all service performed and no notification from dealership. On 10/26/2010 was driving at posted speed limit on alhambra blvd in pleasant hill/martinez ca. Was coming down slight hill and touched accelerator to climb slight grad when the engine just stalled and shut down. There was no warning. Car could not be restarted. There was a small noise from the engine compartment and a shutter as the mechanical power steering failed when the engine stalled. The car was put on a flat bed by martinez pd and taken to a local shop where nothing was done except call the dealership. The dealership, dorito bro in walnut creek ca, required the car be flat bedded to them. The car was taken to the dealer ship on 10/27/2010 the dealership then informed me that the battery was shot and they could not even trouble shoot the problem with out a replacement battery. There had been no battery failure prior to this incident. The battery was replaced and the dealership could not tell what was wrong with the car. On 10/28/2010 they believed it was the fuel pump. The pump was replaced on 11/1/2010 and the car could still not be started. The dealership as of 11/2/2010 has opened up another tech ticket to try to resolve the problem. 11/3/2010 was informed by dealership that the fuel pump needed new bolts because the old bolts can not be reused due to the sensitive nature of the tdi motor. I asked if the fuel pump failed and contaminated the engine dealership said no.
Have always had car serviced at dealer per recommendations. On 10/14/10 car made a noise at stoplight then noise quit. Pulled out from stoplight and car died suddenly and without warning. Was able to restart and it ran for an additional 1-2 seconds before dying again and would not restart. Had to coast it through a high traffic area across highway overpass and into parking lot. Towed it to dealer who found that high pressure fuel pump had "come apart" and disbursed metal shavings throughout complete fuel system. Had to replace entire fuel system from tank on. Our initial estimate to repair (after our extended warranty paid for initial component that failed and VW paid for 50% of parts) was $7100.
Driving a 2009 Jetta sportwagen tdi on I-280 when low fuel indicator came on. Stopped and refueled with diesel at a station approximately 3/4 miles from I-280. While returning to the interstate speeds (during or shortly after reaching them) the glow plug light began blinking, the car lost power and went into "limp mode" and was informed by its computer that there was an engine malfunction and to take it to the dealer. While en route to the dealer for repairs (was advised by the dealer service department to continue of the car was still running and no red malfunction lights were illuminated), a marked loss of power was observed (even considering limp mode), and the car began shuddering. While on the offramp, decelerated to a red light at which point the engine died completely and could not be restarted. Proceeded to be stuck in traffic while waiting for the tow truck (it would have been unsafe to attempt to push the vehicle across the intersection or back onto the offramp given traffic conditions). Dealer diagnosed as high pressure fuel system having factory contamination, the entire fuel system is being replaced (tank, low pressure feed pump, high pressure pump, injectors), estimated cost of parts $5300, with 14 hours labor. Although under warranty (~30,000 miles on the odometer), this still left me stranded and it would be a very expensive repair if it happens again at 60,000 miles. There is also the potential for a dangerous accident if it happened to fail at a less opportune location.
While merging into traffic my 2009 VW Jetta tdi engine loss power and later stalled at a intersection and would not run. This was the first time I had any problems with this car. The repair shop said the high pressure fuel pump failed which sent metal all through the fuel system. They state over $8,000 to replace the entire fuel system and it is not covered under the service contract.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Middletown, CT, USA