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2004 Volkswagen JettaProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 231 owner complaints about the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.

2004 Volkswagen Jetta
44
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.3× the Jetta median · #14 of 40 years by complaints
Safety recalls2Free fix at dealersOwner complaints23148 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage63kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 3, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta has problems

231 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
Engine and engine cooling371
Electrical system366
Power train351
Seats2213
Air bags2111
Fuel system, diesel131
Engine111
Visibility101
Fuel system, gasoline100
18 other systems8510

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

2 recalls

2004 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.

Mileage at failure

When do engine and engine cooling problems start?

63kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 33 engine and engine cooling complaints. 79% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
7under 30k miles26under 100k miles7100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Power train

9 owners mentioned a cost

$1,800median

Middle half: $1,500 – $2,500

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2004 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

2004 Volkswagen Jetta safety ratings

2004 Volkswagen Jetta 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2004 Volkswagen Jetta frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
  • Stability control: Optional
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words

What Jetta owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I DRIVE A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA AND IN 2008 IT BEGAN SMELLING OF CRAYONS. THE SMELL HAS SLOWLY PROGRESSED OVER THE YEARS TO THE POINT OF NAUSEATING MYSELF AND MY PASSENGERS. ON MY DRIVE TO WORK THE SMELL IS SO POTENT THAT I AM NOT ABLE TO UST THE A/C AS IT HAS THE SMELL STUCK IN IT AND WHEN THE…
Complaint 10608275 · Jul 5, 2014
WHILE DRIVING WITH THE AIR-CONDITIONING RUNNING THERE WAS FOAM COMING OUT OF THE AIR VENTS, HITTING THE FACE AND EYES AND CAUSING A NEAR MISS ON THE HIGHWAY. THE PROBLEM HAS SINCE WORSENED AND FOAM GETS ALL OVER YOUR CLOTHES AND IN YOUR CAR. THE PROBLEM HAS GONE SO FAR THAT THE AIR BLEND IS…
Complaint 10595832 · Jun 3, 2014 · 70,000 miles
I DRIVE A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA AND IN 2008 IT BEGAN SMELLING OF CRAYONS. THE SMELL HAS SLOWLY PROGRESSED OVER THE YEARS TO THE POINT OF NAUSEATING ME AND MY FELLOW PASSENGERS. THIS MORNING ON MY DRIVE TO WORK THE SMELL WAS SO POTENT THAT I HAD TO PULL OVER TWICE TO THROW UP. WHEN OTHER PASSENGERS…
Complaint 10577893 · Apr 7, 2014 · 70,000 miles

Own a 2004 Jetta?

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