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Volkswagen JettaYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 10,019 NHTSA owner complaints across 48 model years, the Volkswagen Jetta years to avoid are 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2019, and the strongest years are 1989, 1991, 1996 and 2018. The Jetta has 79 safety recalls on record.

Volkswagen Jetta
Years to avoid'01 '02 '03 '06 '09 '10 '11 '19Use caution: 1999, 2000, 2012, 2013, 2014Best years'89 '91 '96 '18Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints10,019Top: Electrical systemSafety recalls791980–2027 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Best & worst years

Volkswagen Jetta years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Jetta median. Tap a year for its full report.

'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26'27
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2027Too new–/1001 complaint · 0 recalls2026Too new–/1006 complaints · 1 recall2025Too new–/10032 complaints · 2 recalls2024Solid59/10046 complaints · 0 recalls2023Best70/10042 complaints · 0 recalls2022Best74/10043 complaints · 1 recall2021Solid66/10071 complaints · 4 recalls2020Best75/10054 complaints · 6 recalls2019Avoid24/100553 complaints · 11 recalls2018Best87/10032 complaints · 2 recalls2017Solid54/100160 complaints · 6 recalls2016Solid53/100162 complaints · 4 recalls2015Solid53/100194 complaints · 7 recalls2014Caution36/100388 complaints · 4 recalls2013Caution31/100518 complaints · 4 recalls2012Caution30/100500 complaints · 5 recalls2011Avoid26/100607 complaints · 7 recalls2010Avoid21/100852 complaints · 4 recalls2009Avoid20/100889 complaints · 6 recalls2008Solid54/100188 complaints · 4 recalls2007Solid49/100201 complaints · 4 recalls2006Avoid28/100580 complaints · 4 recalls2005Solid45/100248 complaints · 4 recalls2004Solid44/100231 complaints · 2 recalls2003Avoid24/100456 complaints · 2 recalls2002Avoid20/100702 complaints · 5 recalls2001Avoid23/100668 complaints · 6 recalls2000Caution31/100439 complaints · 4 recalls1999Caution35/100349 complaints · 6 recalls1998Solid51/100192 complaints · 2 recalls1997Best79/10054 complaints · 1 recall1996Best86/10031 complaints · 1 recall1995Solid44/100220 complaints · 4 recalls1994Solid61/100117 complaints · 5 recalls1993Not rated–/10017 complaints · 4 recalls1992Best83/10030 complaints · 2 recalls1991Best87/10031 complaints · 5 recalls1990Not rated–/10022 complaints · 5 recalls1989Best88/10028 complaints · 4 recalls1988Not rated–/10019 complaints · 7 recalls1987Not rated–/10018 complaints · 3 recalls1986Not rated–/10014 complaints · 2 recalls1985Not rated–/10013 complaints · 3 recalls1984Not rated–/1001 complaint · 1 recall1983Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1982Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall1981Not rated–/1000 complaints · 3 recalls1980Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall
Complaints by system

Most common Volkswagen Jetta problems

All model years combined: 10,019 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system2145159
Power train162245
Engine108651
Engine and engine cooling90035
Air bags844305
Fuel/propulsion system60819
Visibility53618
Fuel system, diesel5275
Service brakes48362
29 other systems4059488
79 recalls

Volkswagen Jetta recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

67%Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel26V-185 · 2025 · Mar 25, 2026 · 75,323 vehicles87%Electrical system: wiring26V-138 · 2025–2026 · Mar 11, 2026 · 48,165 vehicles57%Fuel system, gasoline24V-110 · 2019–2020 · Feb 14, 2024 · 261,257 vehicles25%Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel23V-619 · 2019 · Sep 6, 2023 · 8 vehicles64%Ignition: switch23V-604 · 2019–2020 · Aug 30, 2023 · 62,538 vehicles82%Tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems22V-815 · 2019–2020 · Oct 31, 2022 · 296,044 vehicles87%Sensing system: camera22V-514 · 2021–2022 · Jul 20, 2022 · 43,091 vehicles72%Air bags: air bag/restraint control module21V-492 · 2020–2021 · Jun 30, 2021 · 379 vehicles88%Seats21V-038 · 2021 · Feb 1, 2021 · 57 vehicles99%Sensing system: camera20V-716 · 2021 · Nov 18, 2020 · 32,048 vehicles63%Fuel injection system: fuel rail20V-648 · 2016–2018 · Oct 21, 2020 · 218,192 vehicles97%Seats20V-505 · 2020 · Aug 26, 2020 · 5,376 vehicles

Showing the 12 newest of 79 recalls. Each model-year page lists all recalls for that year.

31 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Jetta

  1. Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)RQ23007 · 2019–2020 · closed Jul 1, 2024
    Led to recall 24V-110
  2. Vehicle Stalling - Manual TransmissionDP19003 · 2019 · closed Jun 30, 2020
    No recall
  3. Clockspring failureEA18003 · 2010–2014 · closed Nov 6, 2026
    No recall
  4. Air Bag Clockspring FailureRQ17009 · 2011–2014 · closed May 4, 2018
    No recall
  5. Air Bag Clockspring FailurePE15010 · 2011–2014 · closed Sep 28, 2015
    Led to recall 15V-483
  6. Diesel Fuel Injector Line LeakagePE11023 · 2009–2012 · closed Dec 2, 2011
    Led to recall 11V-490
  7. High-Pressure Fuel Pump FailureEA11003 · 2009–2012 · closed Mar 27, 2015
    No recall
  8. High Pressure Fuel Pump Failure (HPFP)PE10034 · 2009–2010 · closed Feb 8, 2011
    No recall
  9. VEHICLE STALL/LOSS MOTIVE POWERPE09035 · 2008–2009 · closed Nov 19, 2009
    Led to recall 09V-333
  10. BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILURERQ06004 · 1999–2002 · closed Aug 7, 2006
    Led to recall 06V-183