There are 17 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2011 Volkswagen Jettain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
ABS Control Module total failure No warnings appeared prior to the total failure of the ABS Control Module to indicate that the car needed servicing. ABS would have failed in an emergency braking according to the dealership. Just driving the car without knowing the ABS had issues put my family at risk. After the lights appeared I took it to the dealership who performed the diagnostics and determined that the ABS needed total replacement and advised that the car was not safe to drive. Lights appeared after the failure. There were no brake issues' warning lights prior to the failure. For at least 8 years I've complained that my brakes screeched and for years I was told that my brakes were fine. I've had diagnostics done on the car and not once were issues found with the ABS system. To realize that my car has no warning indicator for a major safety feature such as the brakes until that ABS components' total failure is horrifying. Yet when my tires need air a light appears. There were previous ABS recalls on other Volkwagen Jetta models/years that my car VIN was not part of.
driving on freeway (speed around 70mph) out of nowhere i start smelling strange burning smell then about 1 minute later the car brakes lock up in the front and I loose control of car but luckily it was in light traffic and I regained control enough to get it off to the shoulder. I got out to address the issue and notice the front tires smoking alot and it was at night and the inside (rotor, brake caliper, and rim were glowing bright red and the heat was melting the tire". Then I notice a flame and grabbed a bottle water and applied the tire and extinguish it. I sat there for a good 30 minutes to let everything cool down and the car would not move. "THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFTEY RECALL" AND IF IT'S NOT IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED A.S.A.P PLEASE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE WITH VOLKSWAGON! AND HAVE THIS SERIOUS SAFTEY ISSUE CORRECTED thank you.
The contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed but the brakes locked up causing the vehicle to spin 180 degrees. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with Antilock Brake System (ABS) control module failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V913000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Electronic Stability Control) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000. Consumer would like to remove the complaint.
The contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the ABS and traction control warning lights illuminated and remained illuminated. Additionally, the brake light had continued to flash. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle spun out after lightly depressing the brake pedal. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 85,000. Consumer would like to withdrawal the complaint.*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, BRAKE, AND AIR BAG WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE. THE MECHANIC, HOWEVER, INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE MAY BE DUE TO THE ABS CONTROL MODULE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.
ON 05/22/2019 AROUND 6 PM, MY WIFE PARKED THE CAR (VW JETTA, 2011 WAS STATIONED IN PARKING MODE), TURNED THE CAR OFF AT 309 SMITH STREET, NEWARK, NJ 07108, THEN SUDDENLY THE CAR ROLLED BACK THE DOWNHILL, CROSSED SMITH STREET TO HIT OUR NEIGHBOR CAR ON THE RIGHT SIDE, A BLACK HONDA ACCORD PARKED IN FRONT OF 310 SMITH STREET (A ONE WAY STREET). A POLICE COMPLAINT WAS NOT FILED. I SPENT ALMOST $500.0 TO PARTIALLY FIX MY NEIGHBOR CAR. WE WERE LUCKY THAT ANOTHER CAR WAS NOT DRIVING BY, NOR A PEDESTRIAN WALKING BY. WE DIDN'T THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT, BUT FOUND IT WEAR. ALMOST 3 WEEKS BEFORE, ALSO, MY WIFE COME BACK FROM THE GROCERY STORE, SHE PARKED THE CAR, TURNED THE CAR OFF, WENT OUT AND REMOVED THE GROCERY FROM THE TRUNK, AND SUDDENLY THE CAR ROLLED BACK TO CRUSH THE GROCERY ITEMS ON THE FLOOR AND ROLLED OVER RIGHT FOOT
WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER WE WENT TO HAVE THE BRAKES CHECKED AND FOUND OUT ALL THE BRAKES AND ROTORS WERE RUSTED SO BAD THE BUSHING WAS BROKEN OFF AND THERE WAS NO EMERGENCY BRAKE. THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION YET THE DEALER SAID HE JUST HAD IT PASS INSPECTION. ALSO THE TI-ROD BAR IN THE BACK WAS BROKEN THE REAR SPRINGS WERE RUSTED AND BROKE.
THE ABS MODULE ON THIS MODEL KEEPS BREAKING EVERY 88,00 MILES
THE REAR DRUM BRAKES FAILED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION CAUSING LOSS OF BREAK PRESSURE WHICH ON ONE OCCASION ALMOST RESULTED IN A REAR END COLLISION. BOTH TIMES THE REAR DRUM BREAK FAILURE WAS CONFIRMED BY A VOLKSWAGEN CERTIFIED MECHANIC. ON ONE OCCASION BOTH REAR BRAKE SYSTEMS WERE COMPLETELY REPLACED INCLUDING THE BRAKE DRUMS. ON THE OTHER OCCASION THE REAR BRAKE DRUMS WERE SALVAGEABLE BUT THE OTHER COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON MAY 26TH, 2015 AND THE SECOND TIME WAS JUNE 27, 2018. THE FIRST TIME A COMPLAINT WAS MADE WITH VOLKSWAGEN IN THE UNTIED STATES ON JUNE 5, 2015.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS) FAILED. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAG AND TRACTION CONTROL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. GUNTER VOLKSWAGEN IN FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA 33317 WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT I HAVE BEEN DRIVING AND MY BRAKES WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR WOULDN'T STOP. I HAD TO KEEP PUMPING THE BRAKE UNTIL I GOT SLIGHT PRESSURE AND PULLED THE HAND BRAKE WHICH DIDN'T HELP. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THAT IT WAS REPLACE THIS WAS LAST YEAR. YESTERDAY I WAS DRIVING AND THE SAME THING OCCURRED I CHANGED MY BRAKES AND THEN WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT MY BRAKES. I AM LEAKING BRAKE FLUID AND THAT IT IS MY MASTER CYLINDER. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WHERE I CAN'T STOP AND I'M PUTTING MYSELF AND OTHER PEOPLE AT DANGER BECAUSE THERE IS NO WARNING OF WHEN IT'S GOING TO OCCUR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE AT 35 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND EFFECTIVELY. THE WRENCH AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE BRAKES FAILED TO COMPLETELY STOP THE VEHICLE ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE DEALER RESET THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,629.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE EXITING THE HIGHWAY AT 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STRUCK A POTHOLE AND THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE BRAKE ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE BRAKE CALIPER WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE WHEEL AND LOCKED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
WHILE DRIVING, I SMELLED A BURNING SMELL FROM OUTSIDE THE CAR. HAD THE SAME OCCURRENCE ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS ON A PREVIOUS VEHICLE WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE STICKING CALIPERS, SO IMMEDIATELY I CHECKED THE BRAKES. WHAT I FOUND WAS THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM THE REAR DRIVER SIDE AND THE RIM WAS VERY HOT. *TR
BRAKE LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE. BROUGHT MY CAR INTO THE DEALER AND THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING INTO THE VACUUM CHAMBER. NO LEAKS ON THE GROUND AS THE LEAK WAS CONTAINED IN THE VACUUM CHAMBER - I WAS SLOWLY RUNNING OUT OF BRAKE FLUID. THE DEALER FOUND THE SEALING SURFACE OF THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS NOT SMOOTH - THEY FIGURED IT WAS LEAKING FROM NEW. SHOP REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER AND VACUUM CHAMBER UNDER WARRANTY. *TR
I PURCHASED A NEW VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 2011, IT HAS 3700 MILES ON BOARD, DURING MY TRIP TO WORK (MY SPEED WAS ABOUT 35M/H) BEFORE THE INTERSECTION I TRIED TO BRAKE ON RED LIGHT, AND MY BRAKES DID NOT WORK, THEY JUST STOPPED WORKING, I PRESSED BRAKE PEDAL 3 TIMES TILL IT BEGAN WORKING AGAIN. I PASSED THE INTERSECTION LINE AND FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO ANY CARS IN FRONT OF ME AND VERY FORTUNATELY MY SPEED WAS LOW. WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF I WERE ON HIGHWAY? THAT EVENT HAPPENED AFTER 3 DAYS I PASSED SERVICE CHECK AT DEALERSHIP. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS CHECKED. AFTER I WAS CALLED FOR TEST DRIVE AND THEY WERE CONVINCING ME THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE WITH THE CAR, COMPUTER REALLY SHOWED 0 PROBLEMS. I DID NOT WANT TO PICK UP MY CAR AND ASKED THEM TO TEST THE CAR TILL THE PROBLEM APPEARS AGAIN, BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS VERY MAJOR PROBLEM. IN THE END THE PROBLEM OCCURRED, AND THEY REALIZED THAT THE PROBLEM REALLY HAD PLACE. I WAS GIVEN A REPORT FROM VOLKSWAGEN SERVICE AND I SAW THAT THE CAUSE WAS: INTERNAL FAILURE AT BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER, SO THEY REPLACED: 1 MASTER CYLINDER, 2 BRAKE FLUID AND 1 GASKET WERE REPLACED. IT MEANS THAT CAR REALLY HAD A PROBLEM IN SPITE IT IS NEW. NOW I AM AFRAID THE SAME PROBLEM NOT TO OCCUR AGAIN. I AM TRYING TO REPLACE THE CAR, BUT VOLKSWAGEN DOES NOT DO THAT, THEY TELL ME THAT THE CAR WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. NOW, WHEN I AM DRIVING THAT CAR, I ALWAYS TRY MY BRAKES, BEFORE INTERSECTION, ON HIGHWAYS AND EVERYWHERE. I DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE THAT CAR ANYMORE, I ALWAYS THINK THAT THE SAME PROBLEM MAY OCCUR AGAIN AND IT CAN CAUSE A REAL ACCIDENT. *TR
I BOUGHT A NEW VW JETTA 2011, ON 11/11/10 NEXT DAY I FELT A PROBLEM WHEN BRAKING. THE DEALER SAID THE BRAKE DRUMS WERE DAMAGE, IT WAS A FACTORY DEFECT. NOW I FEEL UNSAFE AND DISAPPOINTED DRIVING IT. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026