2005 Volkswagen Jetta Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Jetta years
- About as many complaints as other years 14th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 248 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta. That ranks 14th out of 32 Jetta model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (84 complaints, 34%), typically at around 78,000 miles. Complaints mention 8 crashes, 14 fires, 8 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 248owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 8complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2005 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 84 | 34% | 78,000 | “dual mass” (11%) | $3,300 |
| Electrical System | 48 | 19% | 86,665 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 41 | 17% | 59,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 27 | 11% | 112,750 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 26 | 10% | 78,600 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 14 | 6% | 66,521 | — | — |
| Structure | 12 | 5% | 87,188 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 11 | 4% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 10 | 4% | 17,300 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 9 | 4% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 8 | 3% | 92,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 7 | 3% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 7 | 3% | 51,250 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 7 | 3% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 6 | 2% | 54,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 | 2% | 23,635 | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 2% | 107,250 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 1% | 155,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 1% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 1% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 1% | 58,384 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 1% | 110,062 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 1% | 153,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 0% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 0% | 33,990 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 0% | 50,050 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 0% | 11,300 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2005 Volkswagen Jetta recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:headlights
Problem: Certain vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." some vehicles may not have had a required cap installed which disables the headlight horizontal aim and some vehicles may contain a cap that disables the vertical aiming screw.
Risk: Noncompliance can inhibit proper headlamp aim adjustment for roadway illumination, improperly aimed headlamps could cause reduced road visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect for the presence of a cap in the socket of the low beam horizontal aiming screw and install one if missing, and inspect for the presence of a cap in the socket of the vertical aiming screw and if present, the cap will be removed. The recall will begin on october 31, 2007. Owners may contact vw at 1-800-822-8987.
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Problem: On certain passenger, wagon, and convertible vehicles equipped with or without cruise control, a brake light switch may malfunction if it was installed incorrectly.
Risk: The brake lights could become inoperative, or remain on. Failure to provide the proper signal when braking could lead to a crash without warning.
Fix: Dealers will install the newly designed brake light switch free of charge. The recall began on april 27, 2007, and will be conducted in several staggered mailings through september 21, 2007. Vehicles within the make, model, and model year of this population may be involved in either this recall or 06v-183, but not both. The remedy is the same for each recall. Volkswagen dealers will apply the remedy based on the vin number of the vehicle. Owners may contact vw at 1-800-822-8987.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.5l gasoline engine, a fuel supply line clamp located in the engine compartment may not be positioned properly and could cause a fuel leak.
Risk: Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the position of the engine compartment fuel supply line clamp and, if necessary, replace the clamp. The recall began on july 11, 2005. Owners may contact vw at 1-800-822-8987.
Fuel system, diesel
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the high pressure diesel pumps were produced with an improper fastener, which could allow diesel fuel to escape from the pump.
Risk: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source may lead to a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the diesel pump. The recall began on february 8, 2005. Owners 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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The drivers seat moves by it's self while driving. And apparently while it is parked which runs the battery dead
The transmissions are bad on these cars and when it's shifting gears it jerks and almost takes you off the road. I've had my car completely stop as I was driving and almost cause a wreck hurting myself in the process of not trying to kill someone walking because these cars are KNOWN TO HAVE THIS…
The contact owns a 2005 VOLKSWAGEN Jetta equipped with Supermax Tm-1 205/55r16 Tires. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds the front driver tire began to have a vibrating sensation after a month of being placed on the vehicle Within a few days the tire began to bounce becoming…
My daughter was in a serious accident, she hit a guard rail and lost control after spinning and hitting two more guard rails the never deployed. My daughter suffered a close head injury and facial lacerations. The car is a total lose, why didnt her air bags go off ? Is so she may have not sustained…
My car while parked and the engine going will stop. Also when i'm on the freeway the epc light will turn on and feel like i have a loss of power and it feels like it is accelerating. My mechanic has no idea what is going on with my car.
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 | 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 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.
Similar Volkswagen models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta?
Owners most often report power train, electrical system, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 84 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2005 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 2005 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.