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1997 Volkswagen JettaProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 54 owner complaints about the 1997 Volkswagen Jetta, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

79
CarFlaw IndexOne of the best years74% below the Jetta median · #29 of 40 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints546 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage55kElectrical system, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through December 9, 2013. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1997 Volkswagen Jetta has problems

54 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 system171
Visibility161
Engine and engine cooling110
Power train80
Structure70
Suspension51
Air bags52
Equipment41
Fuel system, gasoline40
7 other systems163

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

1997 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

1997 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

'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

1997 Volkswagen Jetta safety ratings

1997 Volkswagen Jetta III 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
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1997 Volkswagen Jetta, and the recalls they led to.

  1. FUEL TANK PUNCTUREEA00028 · closed Jan 29, 2002
    Led to recall 02V-026
  2. FUEL TANK PUNCTUREPE00033 · closed Dec 28, 2000
    No recall
In owners' words

What Jetta owners report

Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

THE SPEEDOMETER IN ANY OCCASIONS DOES NOT MARK THE SPEED BUT IF IT MARKS THE MILES THAT ARE COVERED AND IT DOEST TURN ON THE LIGHT OF CHECK ENGINE TO BE ABLE TO KNOW THAT IT IS TRUMPING THE SPEEDOMETER, SOMETIMES MEANWHILE THE CAR LIGHTING AND IN MOVEMENT IT STOPS WORKING IT IS NOT THE FIRST CAR…
Complaint 10303505 · Feb 1, 2010
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE STARTED BUCKING UNTIL NO LONGER RUNNING. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION, WHERE THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE STARTED A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER THAT DAY. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT IT MIGHT BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM OR THE…
Complaint 10191518 · May 23, 2007
REPLACED IGNITION COIL FOR THE THIRD TIME IN AS MANY YEARS!! ELECTRIC WATER PUMP REPLACED. EATER CORE EXPLODED A COUPLE MONTHS LATER WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH WITH MY CHILD IN THE CAR! COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING AS CAR FILLED WITH ANTIFREEZE CLOUD. BELT DRIVEN WATER PUMP WENT A WEEK LATER.…
Complaint 10185598 · Mar 20, 2007 · 100,000 miles

Own a 1997 Jetta?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.