repaired · 2021 Q1
Unknown or other
Risk. If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.
2013 Volkswagen JettaProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 518 owner complaints about the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 19V-679 the manufacturer reports only 18% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 16, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta has problems
518 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
148Electrical system5 crash/fire/injury
141Power train2 crash/fire/injury
112Engine2 crash/fire/injury
37Steering
34Fuel/propulsion system
31Air bags
22Service brakes
17Exterior lighting
17Vehicle speed control
8315 other systems4 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 148 | 5 |
| Power train | 141 | 2 |
| Engine | 112 | 2 |
| Steering | 37 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 34 | 0 |
| Air bags | 31 | 7 |
| Service brakes | 22 | 3 |
| Exterior lighting | 17 | 3 |
| Vehicle speed control | 17 | 2 |
| 15 other systems | 83 | 4 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
4 recalls
2013 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.
repaired · 2021 Q1
Anti-theft: control module
Risk. Removing the key while the shift lever is in a position other than "Park" increases the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal…
repaired · 2017 Q2
Air bags: frontal
Risk. A loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag will prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a vehicle crash, increasing the risk of…
repaired · 2016 Q3
Suspension: rear
Risk. The reduced durability of the trailing arm may result in its sudden fracture, possibly causing loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.
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 electrical system problems start?
54kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 104 electrical system complaints. 84% were reported before 100,000 miles.
21under 30k miles87under 100k miles17100k 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
17 owners mentioned a cost$8,500median
Middle half: $7,163 – $11,000
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
2013 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
2013 Volkswagen Jetta safety ratings
2013 Volkswagen Jetta 4 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★Overall rating
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (12.1% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta, and the recalls they led to.
- Clockspring failureNo recall
- Air Bag Clockspring FailureLed to recall 15V-483
- Air Bag Clockspring FailureNo recall
In owners' words
What Jetta owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle decelerated and nearly caused a crash on the freeway. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road, restarted, and the vehicle…
The car has turned off at idle and at low speeds, almost causing accidents and to be rear ended in busy streets and during stop and go traffic on the highway. After numerous mechanic diagnostics at both Volkswagen Dealership service departments and third party mechanic shops, no one seems to be…
The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that whenever the temperature fell below 20 degrees, the windshield wipers became inoperable. The contact stated that the Body Control Module (BCM) had previously been replaced, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an…
Own a 2013 Jetta?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.