1997 Volkswagen Jetta Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Jetta years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 24th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 54 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Volkswagen Jetta. That ranks 24th out of 32 Jetta model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (17 complaints, 31%), typically at around 55,000 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 1 fire, 2 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 54owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Volkswagen Jetta problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 17 | 31% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 16 | 30% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 11 | 20% | 84,579 | — | — |
| Power Train | 8 | 15% | 55,117 | — | — |
| Structure | 7 | 13% | 96,593 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 5 | 9% | 92,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 9% | 36,721 | — | — |
| Equipment | 4 | 7% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 7% | 85,001 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 7% | 73,671 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 7% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 4% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 4% | 36,721 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 4% | 118,818 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 4% | 56,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 2% | 180,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 2% | 12,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Volkswagen Jetta recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly:filler pipe and cap
Problem: On some passenger vehicles, the fuel tank filler neck can suffer abrasion damage if the rear tire goes flat and the vehicle is driven until the tire disintegrates.
Risk: Fuel leakage can occur increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will fit passat vehicles with a new wheel house liner that will better protect the car's filler neck. Jetta vehicles will be fitted with a different metal shield designed to enhance abrasion protection in the event of tire disintegration. Owner notification began june 13, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Fuel tank puncture (EA00028) — opened Dec 28, 2000, closed Jan 29, 2002, led to recall 02V026000.
- Fuel tank puncture (PE00033) — opened Aug 10, 2000, closed Dec 28, 2000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
A 1997 volkswagen jetta gt, equipped with frontal airbags was in a collision due to the use of aftermarket parts, which included after market ball joints not supplied from the dealer, this part failed after 12.7km on the highway traveling at 110km/h 65mph, the car steering was very shaky when…
It was at night rainy and cold. I turned on the heater and defroster because my car windows and whole inside of cabin were obscures by a fog. My defroster cleared the back window but all others not so i rolled down the windows and shut down the heater. I waited a while and used clothing to wipe the…
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…
Accelerator sticks when in high rpm, if you hit the brake it slows the car down a little but the car continues to accelerate. This has happened 2 times when i'm going around 60pmh and have dropped into 4th gear to pass someone. I had to shut the car off to stop it from accelerating. Then when the…
The hood became undone while at freeway speed and smashed into the windshield causing a large obstruction of vision increasing the possibility of an accident. The hood latch became loose to where it did not latch properly. *tr
Other Volkswagen Jetta years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Jetta | 6 | 1 |
| 2025 Jetta | 30 | 2 |
| 2024 Jetta | 45 | 0 |
| 2023 Jetta | 43 | 0 |
| 2022 Jetta | 43 | 1 |
| 2021 Jetta | 69 | 4 |
| 2020 Jetta | 54 | 6 |
| 2019 Jetta | 549 | 11 |
| 2018 Jetta | 31 | 2 |
| 2017 Jetta | 160 | 6 |
| 2016 Jetta | 161 | 4 |
| 2015 Jetta | 194 | 7 |
| 2014 Jetta | 387 | 4 |
| 2013 Jetta | 517 | 4 |
| 2012 Jetta | 500 | 5 |
| 2011 Jetta | 607 | 7 |
| 2010 Jetta | 852 | 4 |
| 2009 Jetta | 889 | 6 |
| 2008 Jetta | 188 | 4 |
| 2007 Jetta | 201 | 4 |
| 2006 Jetta | 580 | 4 |
| 2005 Jetta | 248 | 4 |
| 2004 Jetta | 231 | 2 |
| 2003 Jetta | 456 | 2 |
| 2002 Jetta | 702 | 5 |
| 2001 Jetta | 668 | 6 |
| 2000 Jetta | 439 | 4 |
| 1999 Jetta | 349 | 6 |
| 1998 Jetta | 192 | 2 |
| 1997 | 54 | 1 |
| 1996 Jetta | 31 | 1 |
| 1995 Jetta | 220 | 4 |
See all Volkswagen Jetta problems by year, every Volkswagen model, or the Volkswagen VIN decoder.
Similar Volkswagen models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Volkswagen Jetta?
Owners most often report electrical system, visibility, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 17 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Volkswagen Jetta?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Volkswagen Jetta a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Jetta model years, the 1997 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.