1998 Volkswagen Jetta Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Jetta years
- About as many complaints as other years 19th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 192 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta. That ranks 19th out of 32 Jetta model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is visibility (42 complaints, 22%), typically at around 79,000 miles. Complaints mention 11 crashes, 8 fires, 10 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 192owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 11complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 42 | 22% | 79,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 41 | 21% | 69,050 | — | — |
| Tires | 19 | 10% | 18,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 15 | 8% | 18,350 | — | — |
| Power Train | 14 | 7% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 14 | 7% | 18,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 12 | 6% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 12 | 6% | 94,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 11 | 6% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 10 | 5% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 9 | 5% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 9 | 5% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 7 | 4% | 79,100 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 7 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 5 | 3% | 128,806 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Volkswagen Jetta recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Equipment:other:labels
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles equipped with 2.8l vr6 engines fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." the recommended cold tire inflation pressure published on the label for tires of the size 205/50 r15 86h is 0.1 bar (1.45 psi) too low. It should be 2.5 bar (36.3 psi). The label recommends 2.4 bar (34.8 psi = 35 psi).
Risk: Under inflated tires can affect vehicle handling, and driving with substantialy under inflated tires puts the consumer at a risk for a crash.
Fix: Owners will be provided with corrected labels, or a dealer can install the label if the owner wishes. Owner notification began september 29, 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 vw at 1-800-893-5298.
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.
Airbag Warning Light On
The vehicles' anti theft had went haywire. Went to start, beep sound went off. Then was locked inside car. With the alarm going off. Was only able to exit vehicle by having passerby unhook battery, while i held the unlock button. This was over 2 weeks ago. When hooking battery back up, the alarm…
To yo proxies four inner im assuming tire bands? Failed causing a bulge on the iner part of my passenger side front tire. Never struck any object i was just driving and started to notice a wobble i thought it was a front end issue so didn't check tire but had front end looked at and tire still…
Late in april, 2013 i installed a passenger side control arm on a 1998 vw jetta tdi. The control arm was purchased from autozone ( their part # 520-782) as an assembly with the ball joint installed. The car ran fine for about 2 weeks. Then while driving it began pulling to the right. On…
I have been trapped inside the front seat of this vehicle. Both front doors will occasionally not open from inside or outside the car, even with the doors unlocked. This is an intermittent and unpredictable problem that i feel is quite dangerous. These vehicles should have been recalled and had the…
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 | 192 | 2 |
| 1997 Jetta | 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta?
Owners most often report visibility, electrical system, tires problems. The top one, visibility, accounts for 42 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 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 1998 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.