2011 Volkswagen Jetta Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 186 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta, 31% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 60,000 miles.
- 186electrical system complaints
- 60,000median miles at failure
- 7mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 35%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 148 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 186 complaints, 7 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 3 an injury.
Volkswagen Jetta electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Jetta | 3 | 50% | — |
| 2025 Jetta | 3 | 10% | — |
| 2024 Jetta | 7 | 16% | 17,600 |
| 2023 Jetta | 9 | 21% | — |
| 2022 Jetta | 10 | 23% | 39,750 |
| 2021 Jetta | 13 | 19% | — |
| 2020 Jetta | 17 | 31% | 8,000 |
| 2019 Jetta | 154 | 28% | 31,000 |
| 2018 Jetta | 3 | 10% | 55,491 |
| 2017 Jetta | 33 | 21% | 36,054 |
| 2016 Jetta | 36 | 22% | 41,600 |
| 2015 Jetta | 49 | 25% | 36,128 |
| 2014 Jetta | 94 | 24% | 56,400 |
| 2013 Jetta | 148 | 29% | 55,000 |
| 2012 Jetta | 138 | 28% | 60,000 |
| 2011 Jetta | 186 | 31% | 60,000 |
| 2010 Jetta | 233 | 27% | 67,000 |
| 2009 Jetta | 107 | 12% | 78,500 |
| 2008 Jetta | 42 | 22% | 90,000 |
| 2007 Jetta | 45 | 22% | 75,730 |
| 2006 Jetta | 112 | 19% | 90,000 |
| 2005 Jetta | 48 | 19% | 86,665 |
| 2004 Jetta | 36 | 16% | 90,000 |
| 2003 Jetta | 97 | 21% | 78,203 |
| 2002 Jetta | 148 | 21% | 34,000 |
| 2001 Jetta | 117 | 18% | 44,000 |
| 2000 Jetta | 60 | 14% | 49,513 |
| 1999 Jetta | 44 | 13% | 60,000 |
| 1998 Jetta | 41 | 21% | 69,050 |
| 1997 Jetta | 17 | 31% | 55,000 |
| 1996 Jetta | 4 | 13% | 197,485 |
| 1995 Jetta | 45 | 20% | 97,537 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Electrical system:ignition:anti-theft:control module; steering:column locking:anti-theft device
Problem: 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 SportWagen and 2011-2018 Jetta vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, manual handbrake and keyless entry. A build-up of silicate on the shift lever micro switch contacts may enable the key to be removed from the ignition when the transmission shift lever is not in "Park."
Risk: Removing the key while the shift lever is in a position other than "Park" increases the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional switch and circuit board, free of charge. The recall began November 19, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 37M2.
Electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers
Problem: Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2011 jetta vehicles, manufactured from march 2010 through march 2011. These vehicles may have an electrical wiring and fuse layout where the converter box is protected by the same fuse used by the signal horn and the anti-theft alarm system. Should that fuse be blown, the converter box will be disconnected from the power supply which, in turn, will shut off applications such as the engine management system, lighting system, and wipers.
Risk: Should this happen while the vehicle is being driven, the engine could stall, or the headlights or wipers could turn off unexpectedly, potentially leading to a crash without warning.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners when sufficient quantities of repairs kits are available. Dealers will separate the wiring for the horn and the theft protection horn from the power supply of the converter box and route the wires to separate fuses to correct the condition free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during april 2011. Owners may contact volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Suddenly the car showed the abs, cruise control, air bag , and a flashing break light on the dashboard. Took to dealership to get diagnostic and the Abs control module needs to be replaced.
Component/System Failure/Malfunction: ignition switch and starter, possibly transmission Yes, available for inspection upon request. Car has randomly stalled while in motion; ignition and starter switch have been replaced as well as microswitch panel - yet problem persists. Power steering shuts…
The contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that the horn was inoperable while driving. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the horn was replaced several times; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated that the…

Frequently asked questions
Do all 2011 Volkswagen Jettas have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 186 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta (31% of the 607 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta electrical system?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 60,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
Other 2011 Volkswagen Jetta problems
See all 2011 Volkswagen Jetta problems or electrical system problems across all Jetta years.