Volkswagen Jetta Problems — All Years, Common Issues & Reliability
Year-by-year breakdown of safety recalls, NHTSA owner complaints, reported deaths, injuries, crashes, and worst problem areas. Updated daily from federal databases.
Recent Safety Incidents — Last 5 Model Years
Own a Volkswagen Jetta? Check your specific VIN for a full history report.
Volkswagen Jetta — Year-by-Year Problem Comparison
| Year | Verdict | Recalls | Complaints | Crashes | Injuries | Deaths | Top Issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026Best | Excellent | — | — | — | — | — | — | Full report → |
| 2025 | Excellent | — | 16 | 4 | 1 | — | Unknown Or Other | Full report → |
| 2024 | Excellent | — | 15 | — | — | — | Engine | Full report → |
| 2023 | Excellent | — | 34 | 3 | — | — | Engine | Full report → |
| 2022 | Excellent | 1 | 37 | 1 | — | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2021 | Excellent | 2 | 44 | — | — | — | Service Brakes | Full report → |
| 2020 | Excellent | 3 | 35 | 2 | — | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2019 | Avoid | 6 | 363 | 14 | 34 | — | Power Train | Full report → |
| 2018 | Excellent | — | 20 | 2 | — | — | Unknown Or Other | Full report → |
| 2017 | Good | 3 | 132 | 16 | 7 | 1 | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2016 | Good | 1 | 134 | 22 | 11 | — | Engine | Full report → |
| 2015 | Good | 5 | 139 | 4 | 6 | — | Unknown Or Other | Full report → |
| 2014 | Caution | 2 | 283 | 16 | 9 | — | Engine | Full report → |
| 2013 | Caution | 3 | 394 | 10 | 6 | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2012 | Caution | 3 | 354 | 25 | 9 | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2011 | Avoid | 4 | 434 | 15 | 12 | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2010 | Avoid | 1 | 604 | 11 | 6 | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2009Worst | Avoid | 3 | 627 | 24 | 12 | — | Fuel System / Diesel | Full report → |
| 2008 | Good | 4 | 138 | 2 | 1 | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2007 | Good | 4 | 137 | 8 | 9 | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2006 | Avoid | 3 | 416 | 10 | 10 | — | Power Train | Full report → |
| 2005 | Good | 4 | 175 | 8 | 4 | — | Power Train | Full report → |
| 2004 | Good | 3 | 124 | 11 | 11 | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2003 | Caution | 2 | 276 | 18 | 41 | — | Electrical System | Full report → |
| 2002 | Avoid | 6 | 456 | 18 | 43 | 10 | Seats | Full report → |
| 2001 | Avoid | 5 | 403 | 23 | 24 | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2000 | Caution | 4 | 333 | 20 | 20 | 2 | Visibility | Full report → |
| 1999 | Caution | 5 | 248 | 27 | 24 | — | Visibility | Full report → |
28 model years shown. Crashes, injuries, and deaths from NHTSA complaint filings. Click any year for full details.
Most Common Volkswagen Jetta Problems
Based on 6,371 owner complaints filed with NHTSA across all model years.
Recent Safety Recalls — Volkswagen Jetta (2022–2026)
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Golf GTI, Jetta GLI, Jetta NF, Arteon FL, Tiguan LWB, 2022 Taos, Jetta PA, Tiguan PA, 2021-2022 Atlas Cross Sport, and Atlas FL vehicles. The manufacturing process of the eMMC memory module in the infotainment system may cause the rearview camera image not to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Remedy: Dealers will update the infotainment software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DV.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Jetta vehicles. The transmission ground wire may not have been properly connected during assembly, causing an open electrical circuit.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair transmission ground wire as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97TC. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 13, 2026.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2025 Jetta and Taos vehicles. The instrument panel may fail to display warning lights or gauges. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Control and Displays."
Remedy: Dealers will update the instrument panel software and replace the instrument panel as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed May 22, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 90Z5. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 22, 2026.
Showing 3 recalls from 2022–2026 model years. See the full year-specific pages for older recalls.
Recent Owner Complaints
Direct reports filed with NHTSA by Volkswagen Jetta owners — 2022–2026 model years.
Car was in an accident on 12/5/25 and has been in the body shop for over 5 months because Volkswagen cannot or will not provide the required rear seat belts. I have reached out to VW and they have not been cooperative and don’t seem to care about me or that these are required safety parts. VW has no ETA on when parts will be available.
The control unit for the Emergency SOS button and car microphone has failed and needed replacement multiple times in my car. My Volkswagen dealership has replaced the unit several times, and each time it fails after replacement. My safety is put at risk because I am unable to use the Emergency SOS function if necessary. The problem has been confirmed by my Volkswagen dealer several times, each time the issue was repaired. After the part fails, a warning light and message appears stating that there is an issue with the Emergency SOS system.
I took this car in a year ago and they replaced the steering wheel because I kept getting a "travel assist" error. Not only is this problem back but has a very load chime every other min that is very distracting while driving. I have taken the car back to the dealer and they state they dont see the problem. yet it seems many VW owners are having this issue.
My 2024 VW Jetta GLI 2.0L 40th anniversary edition is throwing false engine codes. The system rings with a warning and the center display shows a statement that "RPM over 4500" while the real RPM's is at or below 2000 at the time of the warning. The system then immediately puts the car into limp mode and displays the error triangle with ECP next to it. The issue can only be resolved by stopping the vehicle and shut the engine off then restarting the engine. The latest occurrence was at the approximate mileage of: 63,000. This day it occurred at least three times in a 5 minute driving window. The issue was addressed with a VW service manager and he simply said that since your out of your warrantee you would need to pay for any diagnostics and electronic connection fees. Over $250 per check minimum. This issue has occurred over 20 times since it started around the 58,000 mile mark. Limp mode is very dangerous especially when it happens on the interstate highway. The car will not accelerate at all and will only travel at a maximum of 45 mph. Forcing a driver to pull over immediately.
"My 2025 Volkswagen Jetta is subject to Safety Recall 26V185 (90Z5). The vehicle's instrument cluster fails to display speed, RPM, and safety warnings upon startup, creating a severe safety hazard. I visited Heritage Volkswagen Catonsville on 04/07/26, and they officially documented that the 'REPAIR NOT YET AVAILABLE.' Volkswagen Customer Care has refused to open a repurchase case or provide a safe solution. I am unable to use the vehicle safely and I am requesting an immediate intervention to address this safety issue."
PROLONGED RECALL BELOW 4 CARS BEEN IN RECALL SINCE LATE FEBURARY. NEED FIX ASAP!!!! 3VW5X7BU4SM073489 3VW5X7BU3SM088081 3VW5X7BU4SM064677 3VW5X7BU1SM088872
Since October 2025 I have had Tail Lamp Assembly VW Part #17A-945-093-D (the trunk rear light) on order with no expected delivery date. Once the lens is cracked or broken you can not properly maintain the car and are at risk of receiving a ticket due to the broken light. The last time I checked their was 130 on back order. That is affecting 130 vehicles which have a broken tail lamp assemble. This is a safety issue and the owner of the vehicle is at high risk of being ticketed.
I was on the highway when it sounded like an explosion happened in my car. My sunroof shattered without any debris hitting it. It was 55 degrees, so no extreme temperatures, sunny, I was not behind a truck or under a bridge or around any construction. I wasn't able to pull over for at least a mile or two until I reached an exit. When I parked and examined the window it looked like the glass was angled upwards as if the issue came from within the car and there were large shards as well as tiny one. They seemed to break into rectangular like pieces. My ears were ringing a bit from the sound that was made by the break.
The 2025 Volkswagen Jetta SE transmission making whining and whistling noise from 1000 to 2000 rpm when on light load or coasting. There is a high probability of transmission failing on 2025 car with 12700 miles and danger of failure on the highway while driving.
2025 Volkswagen Jetta SE with 12,000. Developed transmission whine from 1200-2000 RPM. During low speed acceleration and when engine is under slight load. It is whining sound coming from transmission.
While driving at approximately 20mph, the front passenger-side steering knuckle suffered a catastrophic structural failure, snapping completely in two. This resulted in an immediate loss of steering and suspension control. Inspection of the fractured part by a mechanic revealed significant orange oxidation (rust) inside the metal cross-section of the break. This internal corrosion on a 2-year-old vehicle indicates a manufacturing defect (casting porosity or inclusion) that allowed the part to weaken and fail prematurely under normal road stress.
I am reporting a safety concern involving unintended acceleration in a 2025 Volkswagen Jetta SE (VIN [XXX] ) Te vehicle has experienced two separate incidents in which it surged forward unexpectedly when shifting from park to drive while my foot depressed the brake pedal. The first incident occurred in approximately August 2025 while attempting to move the vehicle into a residential garage. When the transmission was shifted into Drive, the vehicle accelerated forward despite continued brake application and traveled approximately 30 feet before stopping. A collision with a structural wall was narrowly avoided. The second incident occurred on [XXX]. When shifting from Park into Drive with my foot on the brake pedal, the vehicle again surged forward unexpectedly and struck a storage cabinet inside the garage, causing property damage. A family member was nearby at the time. Following these incidents, the vehicle was taken to an authorized Volkswagen dealership (Garnet Volkswagen of West Chester, Pennsylvania) on December 15, 2025 for inspection. The dealership preformed diagnostic scans and reported no stored fault codes and was unable to duplicate the condition. The vehicle was returned without repair. The vehicle was later presented to another authorized Volkswagen, Pohanka Volkswagen of Salisbury, Maryland in February 2026 for additional evaluation without any solution. I subsequently notified Volkswagen Group of America and requested a manufacturer-level engineering review to determine whether a defect exists and whether the vehicle is safe to operate. Volkswagen declined to conduct any further manufacturer-directed investigation. Because the problem has not been resolved, I remain concerned that an intermittent mechanical or electronic defect may exist. The vehicle has relatively low mileage and is less than one year old. I am submitting this complaint so that the incident is documented as a potential safety defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
116 total complaints retrieved from NHTSA for 2022–2026. For older model years, see individual year pages.
Jetta Years to Avoid
Best Jetta Years to Buy
Volkswagen Jetta Problems by Year
Frequently Asked Questions — Volkswagen Jetta Reliability
What year Jetta has the most problems?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta had the highest combined complaint and recall count — 627 complaints and 3 safety recalls. See the full 2009 report for specific defects.
Is the Volkswagen Jetta reliable?
The Volkswagen Jetta has accumulated 6,371 owner-filed complaints and 77 safety recalls across all model years in NHTSA's database. There have been 13 reported deaths associated with complaints. The 2026 model year shows the fewest reported issues. Always run a VIN check before purchasing any used Jetta.
What are the most common Jetta problems?
The most frequently cited problem areas are: Electrical System (1064 reports), Power Train (814 reports), Engine (532 reports), Air Bags (424 reports). Based on NHTSA complaints across all model years.
How do I check if my Jetta has an open recall?
Use the vehicle's 17-character VIN at VinCheckEngine.com. Our free VIN report pulls the latest NHTSA recall data along with auction history, odometer records, and 30+ intelligence signals.
Check a Specific Volkswagen Jetta VIN
Model-level data shows what can go wrong. A VIN-specific report shows what has gone wrong with a particular vehicle — including auction history, odometer discrepancies, open recalls, accident records, and 30+ intelligence signals.
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