Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 Volkswagen Jetta owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Because of recall, car was not engaged in park completely like it stated after I got out it rolled away down the hill and hit a tree, therefore the recall caused my accident. Yes the problem has been confirmed it is a recall. No it has not been inspected by dealer or police. Volkswagen will not engage in any further investigations they say it's my fault. There were no warning lamps.
Unknown , The vehicle is a slap shift and I can't put it in sport mode as well when driving I've been in just regular automatic it will shift slow but hard when it's in slap shift it it shifts Hard and when it is in sport mode it will shift fast and hard it's like a jerk it has a very rough idol and sometimes the windshield wiper's will work sometimes they won't and my cruise control does not work and I put my code reader on it and it says $7E8 and $7E9 along with not being able to complete smog test, and it acted like it wanted to die when I was in drive through it has well over half tank gas. Also it seems to be sucking more gas and my miles are going really fait's going really fast like they're not matching what I'm actually driving.
It's the transmission when the mph needle just Bob's constantly, when sometime up to 60 mph the rps stays above the three for at least 15 sec before sometimes going down others have to push the gas pedal fast to shift gears. Constant thud sound from the motor and more condensation then should be coming from tailpipe.the odor coming from the air vents is absolutely nauseating.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while at a stop light, the engine revved while the brake pedal was depressed and accelerated independently causing the vehicle to crash into another vehicle. A police report was filed. The air bags did not deploy. The contact stated that there were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to a collision shop. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and filed a case number. The approximate failure mileage was 133,708.
I was driving to work, which includes crossing a toll bridge daily. I was on the bridge, which is only a 2 lane bridge, when all of a sudden my diesel engine failure light began to flash. I lost acceleration and was able to pull off to the shoulder safely and turn off the car. I sat there for a few minutes contemplating if I should call aaa to get a tow to the dealer. Seeing as I was only about 5 miles from the vw dealer, I decided to see if my car will make it there. It started back up no problem and I was able to accelerate back into traffic and make it to the dealer with no further issues. I explained the problem to the service rep. And they checked in my car and I waited for them to call me with the issue. …
Vw Jetta 2011 has been dying when idling, in park and while decelerating. It will be stopped at a stop sign or red light and just lose power. It has to then be put in park and the key must be turned to come back on. This also happens when coming to a stop. Recently, it happened coming off the highway going 45 MPH. Car had to coast and the brakes were ridden to a stop where car had to be turned back on. Dealership has allegedly replaced issues with the epc light coming on, timing belt and fell pump. The problem persists. Thousands have been spent on this issue and the car keeps dying. It currently has 115K miles on it. There is also an issue when pumping gas at a gas station. Every time the car is filled up, it will not stay the first time turning the key. …
Im experiencing a lot of problems with my car. First of all the lights don't always work they would turn on and off on their own until finally stopped completely. The next problem it has waiting at a stop light it looses power and shakes and stalls. Then I started experiencing the same problem while driving one time I was pulling into my driveway the car cut off and steering wheel locked thankful I was not on the freeway at the time. Then again on the freeway in rush hour traffic I was lucky enough to get over and pull off before it stalled the car putting and I was giving gas but car did not want to go it was not gaining speed it was on the verge of stalling. This is a safety issue its my only vehicle I'm afraid of it cutting off and stalling while driving and a accident occurring. The car stalling is while driving and with foot on the brake or in park. …
My vw has had problems since a week after I bought it. While going 1500 RPM's around 15-25 MPH my car chugs and stalls. I have brought it to vw 4 times, and a personal mechanic. Each time vw said there was a either a computer issue and that they have fixed it or said there was no issue. They completely reset my cars computer back to factory settings due to them saying that my car learned my driving style. This didn't help. Years later I am still having this problem. I have almost gotten in a few car accidents because of the stalling/chugging problem. I have an infant and can't have my family car causing such problems.
The car loses power, stalls then it dies. At times it speeds up, and stalls dies without warning. Loses all power, found recall in reference to this issue. VIN# matches series, matches date, and place where the car was made, except for the last few digits. Recall 11v19600, and vw will not replace harness to electrcial fuse and circuit breaker. I need to help to get this resolved. I have been battling the dealer and vw of America since 03/20/2015 until today 06/26/2015
After driving for 1 hour or more on the highway, the car does not have the power to accelerate when driving at slower speeds and loses control of the speed. After driving 3 hours or more, the car will do the same while still on the highway. The car is not able to maintain speed in heavy traffic and becomes immediately dangerous.
Acceleration complaints in other Jetta years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta, 4% of the model year's 607 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2011 Volkswagen Jetta acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2011 Volkswagen Jetta, though it has 7 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 2011 Volkswagen Jetta acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 24,000 miles, and 52% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to speed control & acceleration 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.