2011 Volkswagen Jetta Suspension Problems
10 owner-reported suspension complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Suspension Recalls (1)
SUSPENSION:REAR
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Jetta vehicles manufactured March 1, 2010, to November 30, 2012, and 2012-2013 Beetle vehicles manufactured March 1, 2011, to July 31, 2013. The durability of the rear trailing arms may be reduced in vehicles whose rear trailing arms have been previously deformed, such as a result of a rear or side-rear impact crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a sheet metal inlay on the rear axle trailing arms designed to prevent a sudden loss of control in the event of trailing arm sudden fracture, free of charge. The recall began April 7, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Owner Complaints (10)
Your car experienced multiple serious issues: a suspension coil snapped, which caused a tire to fail and damage the front end. While driving, your engine randomly shut off in the middle of the road. You're also experiencing delayed shifting, and your check engine light indicates low pressure in valve 2, which is causing clanking and loose noises from the driver's side when driving.
Parts you may need:
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Going down the road - in town - at about 35 mph and I started to hear loud clanking while I felt as the rear of the car felt "stiff" all of a sudden. I parked the car as soon as I could to check it over. The rear passenger side coil spring just snapped as you'd break a pretzel... I have never seen a broken coil spring in any of the cars we owned over three decades. As I looked for information online, it seems that this MK6 generation of Volkswagen vehicles made in MEXICO were manufactured with springs that are PRONE TO FAILURE! Even the next generation MK7 especially vehicles manufactured between 2015-2019 had a RECALL for this exact failure - 42J5. - 56,000 vehicles including Golf hatchbacks, Golf SPORTWAGEN, Jetta sedans and Tiguan SUVS. How come VW didn't have a recall for the previous generation? Obviously this is manufacturing with below par parts.
While changing lanes we heard a twang sound and felt an impact in the floor boards. The left rear of the car was unloaded from weight shift when the noise and impact was felt. When I was able to check the car over, I found the left rear spring was broken. The vehicle only has roughly 85k miles. I have heard many other stories of this happening to others as well.
The spring in the back left suspension fell off/broke. We heard a loud clank on the highway and were able to slowly steer to a local mechanic. The back left of the car sunk over the wheel, he looked under and told us the issue. And in fact, the same thing happened when we first bought the car to the front left suspension and we were reimbursed by VW Van Nuys. VW Ventura replaced the front two suspension systems. VW Seaside currently has the car and will be replacing the back two suspension systems. We looked up the issue, and many other drivers with this make and model have had the suspension springs go out, a rare and dangerous issue. There were no warning messages prior to failure and if the spring had punctured the tire it could have caused an accident and risked lives.
REAR SPRING BROKE SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY. *TR
BOTH REAR SPRINGS BROKE WITHOUT WARNING (AT SEPARATE TIMES). THIS CLEARLY SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, AS I HAVE SINCE DISCOVERED THAT IT'S A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE. *TR
I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE ROAD AND WAS HEARING A ABNORMAL CREEKING SOUND. IT PERSISTED FOR A FEW DAYS AND WENT AWAY. AFTER A FEW WEEKS THE SOUND CAME BACK, BUT THIS TIME MUCH LOUDER. I WAS DRIVING BACK TO MY APPARTMENT AND I HEARD SOME METAL CLINKING AND THEN SAW A PIECE OF METAL BOUNCE DOWN THE ROAD BEHIND MY CAR. PART OF THE SUSPENSION COIL BROKE OFF. THIS WAS ON A CITY STREET, DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN THE STREET.
FRONT DRIVER SIDE COIL SPRING SNAPPED WHILE TURNING AND BACKING UP FROM DRIVEWAY. MILEAGE IS $73K. TO REPLACE THE SPRING AT THE VW-CERTIFIED DEALER WAS $1100.
BROKEN TRAILING ARM AFTER 3 DAYS OF PURCHASE FROM DEALERSHIP DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO FIX IT RECALL FOR MY CAR REAR TRAILING ARM I WAS DRIVING AND THE CAR STARTED JUMPING IT SEEMED LIKE, LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE THEN I COULD NO LONGER DRIVE IT. TOWED CAR TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT I BROKE THE REAR CONTROL ARM AND REFUSED TO FIX IT. I DO BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE REAR TRAILING ARM. IS MY BROKEN TRAILING ARM COVERED UNDER THE RECALL? IF SO, ISN'T MY DEALERSHIP WHERE I GOT THE CAR REQUIRED TO FIX THIS?
I HAD AN ACCIDENT WETE CARE VERIED HARD LEFT AND HAD ACCIDENT. INSURANCE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES BLAMED ME FOR INCIDENT. CAR FRONT END WAD COMPLETELY REBUILT AND WITHIN ONE YEAR I HAVE A LOWER CONTROL ARM THAT HAS BROKEN DUE TO MANUFACTURE DEFECT. MOLD OF STEEL TO BALL JOINT- RUBBER. IT HAS BROKEN AGAIN AND VW WILL NOT STAND BEHIND STATING WARRANTY ON CHASSIS COMPONENTS ARE ONE YEAR. HOW DOES A MOJOR CHASSIS COMPONENT FAIL AND AND A HIGH SAFETY ISSUE, NOT STANT BEHIND THIS TYPE ITEM. IT HAS NOW TORN UP A NEW FRONT STRUT AND TOP STRUT TOWER. WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS AS I JUST HAD RECALL COMPLETED FOR FAILURE OF REAR TRAILING ARMS AND VW INSERTED PLATES TO STRENGTHEN. WHAT AREY OPTIONS AS THIS IS A GRAVE SAFETY ISSUE AND IM BEING ASKED TO SPEND 3K TO REPLACE AFTER WE JUST SPENT 14K TO REBUILD FRONT SUSPENSION AFTER ACCIDENT.