Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Volkswagen Jetta owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
this is the third time i've had issues with the power steering briefly failing on this car. The first time, several years ago, it was related to the ABS recall, and it was replaced. It also failed when the alternator was going bad. Now the steering light flashes, it makes a beeping sound and the power steering fails briefly. It's not showing codes. I see from reading the vw TDI forums that this is fairly common problem. It's very frightening and I think there needs to be some kind of backup system on these cars so that the steering doesn't fail, potentially causing a lethal accident, whenever some related sensor goes out. Shouldn't they be completely separate ? Thank you
About 5-6 times my steering locked up as I was mid turn but thankfully only for a second or two but a few of those times I was traveling at a high rate of speed on the highway in the center lane with cars on either side of me. Another time I was turning onto the highway and trying to beat the long line of cars that just got a green light and as I was mid turn my steering locked up and I fishtailed into the center lane almost into oncoming traffic. Had I been a more inexperienced driver neither of those times would have ended well.
I was driving at approximately 45 MPH when a deer came into the road from the right side. I seen the deer and should have had plenty of time to miss it and come to a stop. I removed the car from 5th gear while using both the clutch and brake pads. Once I applied significant pressure to the brakes the completely locked up, as did the steering wheel. My car collided with the deer and subsequently traveled off the right side of the road in a spin, stopping approximately 40 feet down an embankment. Since then I have had no luck keeping the vehicle running. I have had the alternator, plugs and coil packs, starter, and ignition changed with no remedy. The vehicle will not start.
Unsatisfactory resolution to NHTSA recall no.: 16v-913 https://static.NHTSA.gov/odi/rcl/2016/rclrpt-16V913-3524.pdf the proposed resolution to this recall is unsatisfactory. How can is it assured that if a module passes the load test the pcu ground connection will not fail at a future time? The failure reportedly occurs just when the ABS/ESP/steering system is needed most to maintain vehicle control. If this was a known manufacturing defect and the ABS control module was replaced by an updated module with proper soldering then all vehicles produced with this manufacturing defect should receive an updated module.
My ABS light came on and then my red brake light came on, a few days later my epc light came on. About a week after that that my speedometer stopped working and I noticed that the mileage had stopped counting. I took it to napleton's Volkswagen service department in orlando and (short version) received a quote to do the work of over $1700 to fix the ABS before they could even tell me if there was a problem with the ABS as they could not upload the software for the recall..the problem was directly related to the ABS module..which in my paperwork is described in the recall information. I have told them not to fix my car as I believe this is incorrect (most of the work they quoted I believe is incorrect) and will be taking it to a mechanic I trust. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving, the ABS warning light along with several other unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle started shaking while shifting gears. Additionally, the brakes failed to work effectively while depressing the brake pedal. The contact also stated that the vehicle failed to shift gears correctly. The steering wheel was difficult to turn and was shaking. The contact stated that the RPM was fluctuating. The vehicle was turned off and restarted however, the failure recurred. The check engine, power steering and epc warning lights were also illuminated. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle drove normally for a while before the failure recurred. …
Here's a video I made that shows the effects: http://youtu.be/ubg3nmsa75m I'll just be driving along and suddenly the car will start beeping and the power steering will quit working and every warning light on the dashboard will come on at the same time and the speedometer will drop to zero no matter what speed I'm driving and sometimes the car will pop out of gear while I'm driving 70 miles an hour on the freeway. It started out intermittently in 2014 and the dealership couldn't diagnose the problem. But then it started happening more and more frequently and the issue could be identified in late 2015. So now 2 different vw dealerships have told me that the issue is a faulty ABS module. It's crazy that an ABS module can shut down so many different systems while the car is in motion. …
ABS module recall for 2009 Volkswagen models affected needs to be revised, for there are lots of cars that suffer from ABS modules failing while they are driving. Some cars which are illegible are left unfixed by Volkswagen because they do not fit the specific details of the recall. The company shipped cars out with faulty ABS modules and refuse to fix it and those cars are hazardous on the road. My vehicle, for example, has ABS module working intermittently while it should be staying on. During a diagnosis the ECU senses no communication between it and the ABS module, which is a hazard knowing my ABS will not always function when I need it to stop quicker in response to the many obstacles on the road. The faulty ABS sensor messed with my steering and gauges. The gauges do not present real time calculations and the steering assist has completely shut down due to ABS being unresponsive.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while the driving at 25-35 MPH, the etc, the ABS, traction control, the fuel gauge, and the brake warning lights all illuminated. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed and the brake seized and the steering became difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to day Audi located at: 1580 golden mile hwy, monroeville, pa 15146, [phone], to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the ABS module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 16V913000 (service brakes, hydraulic, electronic stability control). The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The manufacturer was contacted and notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 109,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta. While driving various highway speeds, the ABS and ESC warning indicators suddenly illuminated and the steering wheel became harder to turn. In addition, the speed suddenly decreased. The vehicle was taken to lithia Volkswagen in reno, nv where it was diagnosed that the ABS module was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 16V913000 (service brakes, electronic stability control); however, since the diagnostic codes were not obtained from the module, the module would not be replaced per the recall. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced the same failures listed in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 100,000.
Steering complaints in other Jetta years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the steering of the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta, 3% of the model year's 889 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2009 Volkswagen Jetta steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta, though it has 6 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2009 Volkswagen Jetta steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles, and 16% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.