Volkswagen Jetta

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• POWER TRAIN — 109 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 63 owners reported this
• ENGINE — 54 owners reported this, 1 involving a fire
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE — 24 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — 19 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• STRUCTURE — 15 owners reported this
• FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 12 owners reported this
• SERVICE BRAKES — 9 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• VISIBILITY/WIPER — 9 owners reported this, 1 involving a fire
• AIR BAGS — 7 owners reported this, 2 involving a crash
• VISIBILITY — 7 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 6 owners reported this

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

77% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• Do not drive

  19V879000

  The excessive stress can cause steering, traction or other stability issues or breakage relating to the front wheels, and increase the risk of a crash.

  Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will replace the wheel bearing assemblies, wheels, and wheel bolts, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40P1. Note: The affected owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repairs have been made.

• 11E036000

  IF THE TAILPIPE EXTENSION IS HOT DURING INADVERTENT CONTACT, A BURN COULD OCCUR.

  DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE STAINLESS STEEL EXHAUST TIPS AS NECESSARY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING NOVEMBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

• 11V490000

  DUE TO THE RESONANCE CONDITION, INJECTOR LINE NUMBER 2 COULD DEVELOP SMALL CRACKS WHICH COULD LEAD TO FUEL LEAKAGE. LEAKING FUEL IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, MAY LEAD TO A FIRE.

  VOLKSWAGEN WILL INSTALL AN IMPROVED FUEL INJECTOR LINE FOR THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER ON CERTAIN VEHICLES AND WILL INSTALL VIBRATION DAMPERS ON ALL OF THE INJECTOR LINES. VOLKSWAGEN AND AUDI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS TO HAVE THE VEHICLES REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING NOVEMBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

• 14E007000

  A failure of the timing belt may cause the engine to shut down, potentially increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

  Gates will notify owners, and dealers will replace the water pump, free of charge. The recall began during May 2014. Owners may contact The Gates Corporation at 1-303-744-1911.

• 14V182000

  The leaking transmission fluid could contact a hot surface and result in a vehicle fire.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the O-ring seals in the transmission oil cooler, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on April 16, 2014. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 38B9/9V.

• 14V656000

  The reduced durability of the trailing arm may result in its sudden fracture, possibly causing loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a sheet metal inlay on the rear axle trailing arms designed to prevent a sudden loss of control in the event of trailing arm sudden fracture, free of charge. The recall began April 7, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.

• 14V670000

  Unexpected movement of the driver's seatback may distract the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the assembly of the seatback recliner retaining bracket, correcting it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began in October 2014. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 72F1.

• 14V790000

  Insufficient headlight output may increase the risk of a crash.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the headlight control module software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in January 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 57F6.

28 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)

  Recall query, opened December 2023, closed July 2024.

• Pedestrian alert sounds

  Defect petition, opened January 2023, closed August 2023.

• Vehicle Stalling - Manual Transmission

  Defect petition, opened September 2019, closed June 2020.

• Air Bag Clockspring Failure

  Engineering analysis, opened April 2018, still open.

• Air Bag Clockspring Failure

  Recall query, opened November 2017, closed May 2018.

• Air Bag Clockspring Failure

  Preliminary evaluation, opened March 2015, closed September 2015.

• Diesel Fuel Injector Line Leakage

  Preliminary evaluation, opened August 2011, closed December 2011.

  Became recall 11V490000.

• High-Pressure Fuel Pump Failure

  Engineering analysis, opened February 2011, closed March 2015.

• High Pressure Fuel Pump Failure (HPFP)

  Preliminary evaluation, opened August 2010, closed February 2011.

• Vehicle stall/loss motive power

  Preliminary evaluation, opened July 2009, closed November 2009.

• Brake light switch failure

  Recall query, opened February 2006, closed August 2006.

• Engine stalling

  Defect petition, opened August 2005, closed December 2005.

• Inadvertent side-airbag deployment

  Preliminary evaluation, opened December 2004, closed April 2005.

• Turn signal/hazard flasher failure

  Preliminary evaluation, opened October 2004, closed December 2004.

• Driver side front seat overheats

  Engineering analysis, opened March 2004, closed October 2004.

• Brake light switch

  Recall query, opened December 2003, closed March 2004.

• Driver seat overheats/burns

  Preliminary evaluation, opened November 2003, closed March 2004.

• Fuel tank puncture

  Engineering analysis, opened December 2000, closed January 2002.

• Fuel tank puncture

  Preliminary evaluation, opened August 2000, closed December 2000.

• Light and /windshield wipers

  Engineering analysis, opened August 2000, closed October 2002.

• Lights and/or windshield wiper obscured

  Preliminary evaluation, opened February 2000, closed August 2000.

• Passenger compartment fire

  Preliminary evaluation, opened January 1999, closed February 1999.

• Hood latch failure

  Preliminary evaluation, opened July 1998, closed July 1998.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Volkswagen filed 66 bulletins about the 2026 Jetta.

• Engine: 13
• Electrical system: 10
• Service brakes: 4
• Air bags: 2
• Exterior lighting: 2
• Power train: 2
• Forward collision avoidance: 1
• Fuel/propulsion system: 1
• Steering: 1
• Suspension: 1
• Other: 29

• This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the issue: DA 0019 -… · August 2026
• Replace the steering column switch for Ghost (mystery) activation. · August 2026
• MIB3 Recovery Solution · August 2026
• Oil Consumption Measurement and Electronic Oil Consumption Measurement · August 2026
• Inquiries · July 2026
• Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards · July 2026
• Instruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start. · July 2026
• Lubricating engine components before reassembly. · July 2026

58 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.