Volkswagen Jetta Problems by Year
NHTSA has 9,695 owner complaints and 60 safety recalls on file for the Volkswagen Jetta, across 32 model years (1995–2026). The 2009 model year has the most complaints (889). The most reported problem area overall is electrical system.
Volkswagen Jetta years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Jetta year: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2019. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2009 Jetta: 889 complaints, 6 recalls
- 2010 Jetta: 852 complaints, 4 recalls
- 2002 Jetta: 702 complaints, 5 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2026 Jetta: 6 complaints, 1 recall
- 2025 Jetta: 30 complaints, 2 recalls
- 1996 Jetta: 31 complaints, 1 recall
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Volkswagen Jetta problems (all years)
Volkswagen Jetta problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2019: power train (162) · electrical system (154) · engine (147)
- 2014: engine (108) · electrical system (94) · power train (74)
- 2013: electrical system (148) · power train (141) · engine (112)
- 2012: electrical system (138) · engine (84)
- 2011: electrical system (186) · engine (90) · fuel system, diesel (82) · fuel/propulsion system (77) · power train (54)
- 2010: electrical system (233) · fuel system, diesel (166) · fuel/propulsion system (122) · engine (117) · power train (111) · engine and engine cooling (71)
- 2009: fuel system, diesel (195) · service brakes (165) · power train (141) · electrical system (107) · fuel/propulsion system (102) · engine (96) · electronic stability control (esc) (93) · engine and engine cooling (72)
- 2008: power train (53)
- 2006: power train (245) · electrical system (112) · air bags (65) · engine and engine cooling (54)
- 2005: power train (84)
- 2003: seats (100) · electrical system (97) · air bags (77) · power train (54)
- 2002: electrical system (148) · air bags (108) · engine and engine cooling (104) · power train (103) · seats (101) · exterior lighting (50)
- 2001: electrical system (117) · engine and engine cooling (109) · air bags (97) · exterior lighting (80) · visibility (69) · service brakes, hydraulic (67) · power train (62)
- 2000: engine and engine cooling (121) · visibility (77) · electrical system (60)
- 1999: visibility (81) · engine and engine cooling (78)
All Volkswagen Jetta model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Jetta | 6 | 1 | 5★ | Electrical System | |
| 2025 Jetta | 30 | 2 | 5★ | Forward Collision Avoidance | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2024 Jetta | 45 | 0 | 5★ | Engine | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2023 Jetta | 43 | 0 | 5★ | Engine | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2022 Jetta | 43 | 1 | 5★ | Engine | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2021 Jetta | 69 | 4 | 5★ | Service Brakes | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2020 Jetta | 54 | 6 | 5★ | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2019 Jetta | 549 | 11 | 5★ | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2018 Jetta | 31 | 2 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2017 Jetta | 159 | 6 | 5★ | Electrical System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2016 Jetta | 161 | 4 | 5★ | Engine | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2015 Jetta | 194 | 7 | 5★ | Electrical System | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2014 Jetta | 387 | 4 | 5★ | Engine | More complaints than other years |
| 2013 Jetta | 517 | 4 | 4★ | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2012 Jetta | 500 | 5 | 4★ | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2011 Jetta | 607 | 7 | 4★ | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2010 Jetta | 852 | 4 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2009 Jetta | 889 | 6 | — | Fuel System, Diesel | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2008 Jetta | 188 | 4 | — | Power Train | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2007 Jetta | 201 | 4 | — | Electrical System | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2006 Jetta | 580 | 4 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2005 Jetta | 248 | 4 | — | Power Train | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2004 Jetta | 231 | 2 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2003 Jetta | 456 | 2 | — | Seats | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2002 Jetta | 702 | 5 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2001 Jetta | 668 | 6 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2000 Jetta | 439 | 4 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1999 Jetta | 349 | 6 | — | Visibility | More complaints than other years |
| 1998 Jetta | 192 | 2 | — | Visibility | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1997 Jetta | 54 | 1 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 1996 Jetta | 31 | 1 | — | Visibility | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 1995 Jetta | 220 | 4 | — | Electrical System | About as many complaints as other years |
More from Volkswagen: all Volkswagen models · Volkswagen VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Volkswagen Jetta years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2000 (439), 2001 (668), 2002 (702), 2003 (456), 2006 (580), 2009 (889), 2010 (852), 2011 (607), 2012 (500), 2013 (517), 2019 (549) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Jetta year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Volkswagen Jetta?
Electrical System, with 2,099 complaints across 32 model years.
How many recalls does the Volkswagen Jetta have?
60 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.