2013 Volkswagen Jetta Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 148 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta, 29% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 55,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “turn off” (20% of reports).
- 148electrical system complaints
- 55,000median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $700typical repair cost reported by owners
- 33%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Turn off: mentioned in 30 of 148 complaints (20%)
- Stuck ignition: mentioned in 26 of 148 complaints (18%)
- Key gets: mentioned in 20 of 148 complaints (14%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta at $700, and half of them between $700 and $1,100.
Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2015–2020), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 104 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 148 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 1 an injury.
Volkswagen Jetta electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Jetta | 3 | 50% | — |
| 2025 Jetta | 3 | 10% | — |
| 2024 Jetta | 7 | 16% | 17,600 |
| 2023 Jetta | 9 | 21% | — |
| 2022 Jetta | 10 | 23% | 39,750 |
| 2021 Jetta | 13 | 19% | — |
| 2020 Jetta | 17 | 31% | 8,000 |
| 2019 Jetta | 154 | 28% | 31,000 |
| 2018 Jetta | 3 | 10% | 55,491 |
| 2017 Jetta | 33 | 21% | 36,054 |
| 2016 Jetta | 36 | 22% | 41,600 |
| 2015 Jetta | 49 | 25% | 36,128 |
| 2014 Jetta | 94 | 24% | 56,400 |
| 2013 Jetta | 148 | 29% | 55,000 |
| 2012 Jetta | 138 | 28% | 60,000 |
| 2011 Jetta | 186 | 31% | 60,000 |
| 2010 Jetta | 233 | 27% | 67,000 |
| 2009 Jetta | 107 | 12% | 78,500 |
| 2008 Jetta | 42 | 22% | 90,000 |
| 2007 Jetta | 45 | 22% | 75,730 |
| 2006 Jetta | 112 | 19% | 90,000 |
| 2005 Jetta | 48 | 19% | 86,665 |
| 2004 Jetta | 36 | 16% | 90,000 |
| 2003 Jetta | 97 | 21% | 78,203 |
| 2002 Jetta | 148 | 21% | 34,000 |
| 2001 Jetta | 117 | 18% | 44,000 |
| 2000 Jetta | 60 | 14% | 49,513 |
| 1999 Jetta | 44 | 13% | 60,000 |
| 1998 Jetta | 41 | 21% | 69,050 |
| 1997 Jetta | 17 | 31% | 55,000 |
| 1996 Jetta | 4 | 13% | 197,485 |
| 1995 Jetta | 45 | 20% | 97,537 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system:ignition:anti-theft:control module; steering:column locking:anti-theft device
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2019 GTI, 2015-2016 and 2018-2019 Golf, 2012-2019 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2017-2019 Golf SportWagen and 2011-2018 Jetta vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, manual handbrake and keyless entry. A build-up of silicate on the shift lever micro switch contacts may enable the key to be removed from the ignition when the transmission shift lever is not in "Park."
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 injury or a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional switch and circuit board, free of charge. The recall began November 19, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 37M2.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2013 Volkswagen Jettas have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 148 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta (29% of the 517 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta electrical system?
Yes: 1 safety recall list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 55,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta?
Owners report a typical cost of $700 (half paid between $700 and $1,100), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta?
The most frequent phrase is “turn off”, in 30 of 148 complaints, followed by “stuck ignition” (26).
Other 2013 Volkswagen Jetta problems
- Power Train problems (141)
- Engine problems (112)
See all 2013 Volkswagen Jetta problems or electrical system problems across all Jetta years.