What's Wrong with the 2nd Generation (2011–2014) Jetta SportWagen?

Jetta SportWagen owners have made 47 complaints about the 2011–2014 model years. Using our PainRank™ system we've ranked it 34th out of 46 VW generations in overall reliability, with real interior and fuel system concerns.

Compare With Other Jetta SportWagen Generations

Common 2011-2014 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen Problems

Some of the worst issues 2nd generation Jetta SportWagen owners have to deal with.

  1. Clock Spring Failure

    Volkswagen owners continue to have clock spring problems years after the parts were first recalled. The failed recall is under investigation, but in the meantime VW owners are staring at a disabled driver's side airbag, horn, and steering-w…

    Continue reading article "Clock Spring Failure" A steering wheel with the VW emblem in the middle

  3. Diesel Emissions Scandal

    Volkswagen has admitted to using a defeat device on its supposedly 'clean diesel' vehicles. The reason? To skirt around US emissions standards. This doesn't sit well with ... well, just about anybody. In fact, the only group who seems reall…

    Continue reading article "Diesel Emissions Scandal" Emissions cloud coming out of a tailpipe

What Owners Complain About

Sometimes it helps just to tally up the complaints and see where the biggest stacks are. Use this information to learn about troublespots or to run for the hills.

Worst Issues

What Breaks the Most

Years to Avoid

2nd Generation (2011–2014) Jetta SportWagen Key Numbers

  1. 4 model years

    Grouping all models by their year can reveal some baddies.

  2. 47 complaints

    Running tally of owner grievances filed to CarComplaints.com.

  3. 34th in reliability

    Overall reliability rank out of 46 eligible generations.

Recent 2nd Generation (2011–2014) Jetta SportWagen News

There's a lot of news out there, but not all of it matters. We try to boil down it to the most important bits about things that actually help you with your car problem. Interested in getting these stories in an email? Signup for free email alerts over at CarComplaints.com.

  1. When Volkswagen agreed to a multi-district settlement for selling polluting engines marketed as clean diesel, it did so knowing it’d have to pay billions of dollars to customers that owned or leased an affected vehicle when the news about the scandal broke.

    Some owners that had sold their affected vehicles before the news came out tried to file for compensation in court, but didn't get very far. That may be about to change due to an interesting court decision in California.

    Former owners and lessees of Volkswagen "clean diesel" vehicles can proceed with their lawsuit even though the customers got rid of their diesel vehicles before anyone knew the emissions systems were illegal.

    Volkswagen, as you might image, is less than impressed with this decision.

    Volkswagen says the case is nothing more than trial attorneys trying to suck more money out of the automaker that has already paid more than $25 billion for its emissions sins.

    keep reading article "Judge's Decision May Open to the Door to New Diesel-Scandal Claims"