Volkswagen Recalls Jetta for Ignition Problems

by Matthew Guy

Published: September 12th, 2023

volkswagen recalls jetta for ignition problems

The feds are telling Wolfsburg to recall about 47,000 Jetta sedans in this country, all from the 2019 and 2020 model years, thanks to an issue in cars with the old-school ignition switch.

Unlike the ignition switch debacle at General Motors all those years ago, this problem seems to be exacerbated by temperature and not having five hundred souvenir key rings hanging from the tumbler. According to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, examples of these vehicles from this time frame whose fires are lit with an old-school key, a part described as a ‘polyfuse’ can fail, particularly when the vehicle is operated in high-temperature environments. If this happens while driving, the engine could stall and flummox the electrical system, increasing the risk of a crash.

Seeking more detail, a quick search informed this author that a polyfuse is exactly what it says on the tin – a type of fuse made from polymer. Apparently, these fuses are popped at high temperatures (which is in line with conditions in which the VW’s fault occurs as described by the NHTSA) such as in an overcurrent situation. This would be exacerbated by high ambient temps. However, the polyfuse composition means it doesn’t have to be replaced like a regular fuse; once conditions go back to operating norms, the polyfuse should work like normal again. The more you know.

Back behind the wheel of the offending VWs, may also see a brace of warnings appear in their instrument cluster if their car is affected, preferably showing up at idle instead of highway speeds: The first reads "Ignition switch off, safely stop the vehicle", while the other states "Starter system faulty, please service vehicle.” While affected model years are 2019 and 2020, documents suggest production dates range from September 2018 to December of the next year.

Dealers were notified on the first of this month and owners should receive official comms on the matter in late October. As for a fix, VW plans to simply replace the entire ignition switch.

[Image: VW]

Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.

#VW #Volkswagen #Jetta #Recall

Matthew Guy

Matthew buys, sells, fixes, & races cars. As a human index of auto & auction knowledge, he is fond of making money and offering loud opinions.

More by Matthew Guy

Comments

Join the conversation

3 of 5 comments

Theflyersfan on Sep 13, 2023

Back when I was receiving loaner VWs on a regular basis, I was amazed that some of the less expensive Passats I received still used the switchblade key. I thought all VWs went to pushbutton ignition. It was also the equivalent of what a 4th grader would draw if you asked them to draw and design a car, but it was simple, easy transportation. It just had this strange thing called a key.

And COME ON VW - I can't be the only one that really wants to try to fall back in love with your cars again, but you make it so difficult! I'd hunt down a new Golf R right now, for sticker price, if I wasn't no nervous about spending over $45,000 on a loaded game of Russian Roulette with their quality.

Like Reply
- Lorenzo on Sep 13, 2023
  
  Surely you realize their original Beetle "quality" consisted of tight-fitting doors. The mechanicals weren't all that durable, but they were so simple and cheap to fix that even dopers could do it.
  
  Like
Tassos on Sep 13, 2023

a VW had problems? Unheard of! Stop the presses!

1 Reply

Recent Comments

Varezhka I have still yet to see a Malibu on the road that didn't have a rental sticker. So yeah, GM probably lost money on every one they sold but kept it to boost their CAFE numbers.I'm personally happy that I no longer have to dread being "upgraded" to a Maxima or a Malibu anymore. And thankfully Altima is also on its way out.
Tassos Under incompetent, affirmative action hire Mary Barra, GM has been shooting itself in the foot on a daily basis.Whether the Malibu cancellation has been one of these shootings is NOT obvious at all.GM should be run as a PROFITABLE BUSINESS and NOT as an outfit that satisfies everybody and his mother in law's pet preferences.IF the Malibu was UNPROFITABLE, it SHOULD be canceled.More generally, if its SEGMENT is Unprofitable, and HALF the makers cancel their midsize sedans, not only will it lead to the SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST ones, but the survivors will obviously be more profitable if the LOSERS were kept being produced and the SMALL PIE of midsize sedans would yield slim pickings for every participant.SO NO, I APPROVE of the demise of the unprofitable Malibu, and hope Nissan does the same to the Altima, Hyundai with the SOnata, Mazda with the Mazda 6, and as many others as it takes to make the REMAINING players, like the Excellent, sporty Accord and the Bulletproof Reliable, cheap to maintain CAMRY, more profitable and affordable.
GregLocock Car companies can only really sell cars that people who are new car buyers will pay a profitable price for. As it turns out fewer and fewer new car buyers want sedans. Large sedans can be nice to drive, certainly, but the number of new car buyers (the only ones that matter in this discussion) are prepared to sacrifice steering and handling for more obvious things like passenger and cargo space, or even some attempt at off roading. We know US new car buyers don't really care about handling because they fell for FWD in large cars.
Slavuta Why is everybody sweating? Like sedans? - go buy one. Better - 2. Let CRV/RAV rust on the dealer lot. I have 3 sedans on the driveway. My neighbor - 2. Neighbors on each of our other side - 8 SUVs.
Theflyersfan With sedans, especially, I wonder how many of those sales are to rental fleets. With the exception of the Civic and Accord, there are still rows of sedans mixed in with the RAV4s at every airport rental lot. I doubt the breakdown in sales is publicly published, so who knows... GM isn't out of the sedan business - Cadillac exists and I can't believe I'm typing this but they are actually decent - and I think they are making a huge mistake, especially if there's an extended oil price hike (cough...Iran...cough) and people want smaller and hybrids. But if one is only tied to the quarterly shareholder reports and not trends and the big picture, bad decisions like this get made.