no report yet
Hood: latch
Risk. UNEXPECTED OPENING OF THE HOOD COULD OCCUR OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
1996 Volkswagen JettaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 31 owner complaints about the 1996 Volkswagen Jetta, most often about the visibility. It is covered by 1 safety recall.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 7, 2010. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 1996 Volkswagen Jetta has problems
31 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
13Visibility2 crash/fire/injury
4Electrical system
3Steering
3Latches/locks/linkages
2Power train
2Vehicle speed control
2Service brakes, hydraulic
2Wheels
1Structure
22 other systems
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 13 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 0 |
| Power train | 2 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 1 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 2 | 1 |
| Wheels | 2 | 1 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 |
| 2 other systems | 2 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
1996 Volkswagen Jetta recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Volkswagen.
Best & worst years
1996 vs. every other Jetta year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Jetta median. How we score
0000113141819282231301711722031541923494396687024562312485802011888898526075005183881941621603255354714342463461
'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
NHTSA crash tests
1996 Volkswagen Jetta safety ratings
1996 Volkswagen Jetta 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
5 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 1996 Volkswagen Jetta, and the recalls they led to.
- LIGHT AND /WINDSHIELD WIPERSLed to recall 02V-256
- FUEL TANK PUNCTURELed to recall 02V-026
- LIGHTS AND/OR WINDSHIELD WIPER OBSCUREDNo recall
- FUEL TANK PUNCTURENo recall
- HOOD LATCH FAILURELed to recall 98V-160
In owners' words
What Jetta owners report
Recent visibility complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
DRIVING HOME FROM SCHOOL (12 MINUTE DRIVE) AT NIGHT AND THE AIR COMING FROM THE VENTS SMELLED FUNNY, LIKE COOLANT. I TURNED OFF THE FANS BUT STILL SMELLED FUNNY. I TURNED THE FANS BACK ON AND WHITE 'SMOKE' WAS COMING OUT OF THE VENTS AND IT SMELLED HEAVILY OF COOLANT. MY WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO FOG UP…
DT*:THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH, THERE WAS STINGING/BURNING SENSATION TO THE CONTACT'S FOOT. WHEN THE FOOT WAS REMOVED FROM THE GAS PEDAL, A STEAMING LIQUID WAS OBSERVED ON THE FOOT AND ON THE FLOOR AROUND THE PEDALS. THE LIQUID WAS SPEWING FROM AN AREA UNDER…
ON JANUARY 12, 2006, AS I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AT 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AN OPAQUE WHITE GAS WAS QUICKLY RELEASED FROM MY HEATER VENTS AND WITHIN SECONDS EFFECTIVELY TURNED THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF MY CAR INTO A GAS CHAMBER. THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE INCREASED AFTER I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY REMOVE THE…
Own a 1996 Jetta?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.