2017 Volkswagen Jetta Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Oct 14, 2026 · 160 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Jetta years
Fewer complaints than other years 22nd of 32 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
5 out of 5 stars

Owners have filed 160 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Volkswagen Jetta. That ranks 22nd out of 32 Jetta model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (33 complaints, 21%), typically at around 36,054 miles. Complaints mention 18 crashes, 3 fires, 9 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year.

Volkswagen Jetta
A 2025 Volkswagen Jetta SEL photographed in Flushing, Queens , New York, USA. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2017 Volkswagen Jetta problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Electrical System33 · ~36,054 mi
Engine33 · ~64,560 mi
Fuel/propulsion System30 · ~61,000 mi
Unknown or Other25 · ~20,500 mi
Air Bags21 · ~27,500 mi
Power Train15 · ~27,750 mi
Service Brakes14 · ~23,815 mi
Steering14 · ~23,000 mi
Fuel System, Gasoline12 · ~52,700 mi
Vehicle Speed Control7 · ~36,500 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Electrical System3321%36,054——
Engine3321%64,560——
Fuel/propulsion System3019%61,000——
Unknown or Other2516%20,500——
Air Bags2113%27,500——
Power Train159%27,750——
Service Brakes149%23,815——
Steering149%23,000——
Fuel System, Gasoline128%52,700——
Vehicle Speed Control74%36,500——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)53%36,500——
Exterior Lighting53%23,000——
Seat Belts43%40,000——
Suspension43%99,000——
Visibility/wiper43%27,318——
Wheels43%21,500——
Back Over Prevention32%39,000——
Forward Collision Avoidance32%———
Structure32%19,513——
Engine and Engine Cooling21%127,000——
Equipment21%30,000——
Seats21%———
Tires21%15,000——
Lane Departure11%———
Service Brakes, Hydraulic11%84,000——
Visibility11%60,000——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2019, with 25 complaints
2017: 8201782018: 192018192019: 252019252020: 252020252021: 202021202022: 112022112023: 132023132024: 182024182025: 172025172026: 420264

n = 160 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2017 Volkswagen Jetta recalls (6)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system:fuel railOct 21, 2020 · NHTSA campaign 20V648000 · 218,192 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Jetta vehicles. The fuel rail bolts may become loose over time, allowing fuel to leak.

Risk: A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rail bolts and, as necessary, the fuel rail. The recall began March 31, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24Gi.

Electrical system:ignition:anti-theft:control module; steering:column locking:anti-theft deviceAug 22, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V615000 · 679,027 vehicles

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.

Equipment:other:labelsMay 31, 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V352000 · 2 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Jetta vehicles. The affected vehicles have Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) markings on the body that do not match the VIN plate near the windshield. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."

Risk: The mismatched VINs make the vehicle noncompliant with regulatory requirements.

Fix: Volkswagen has notified owners and has replaced the vehicles, free of charge. The recall began on July 7, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 06A8.

Equipment:other:labelsMar 2, 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V136000 · 797 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Beetle and Jetta GLI vehicles. The affected vehicles have incorrect information on the tire information label, possibly causing the operator to overload the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Risk: Overloading the vehicle may affect vehicle handling or result in tire damage, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a corrected tire information label, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for the recall is 01B9.

Equipment:other:labelsMar 2, 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V137000 · 4,875 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Jetta vehicles. The affected vehicles have incorrect information on the tire information label, possibly causing the operator to overload the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Risk: Overloading the vehicle may affect vehicle handling or result in tire damage, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers install a corrected tire information label, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for the recall is 01B8

Engine and engine cooling:engineFeb 3, 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V070000 · 2 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Jetta vehicles equipped with a 1.4L engine. These vehicles have an engine that may seize due to an improper casting of the block.

Risk: If the engine seizes, the wheels may suddenly lock up, causing a loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Volkswagen will either buy back the vehicle or replace the engine block, free of charge. The recall began February 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 10F4.

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.

I was driving on Monday XXX when my car started to smoke and smell of fumes. The EPC light came on and my car was stuttering, so I immediately pulled over and turned off the car. When I got out I noticed a large pool of gas under the front of the car. I called a tow truck who brought it to Crew VW…

Fuel/propulsion System · received Oct 14, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11771082

Note: (never has any issues before ever as vehicle always maintained and taken directly to vw for maintenance.) /-/———————————————— I was driving: came to a stop: light turned Green proceeded to go through intersection YET VEHICLE. KT NOT MOVE! Put lever into park…

Engine · received Jul 29, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11753433

I have severe painful burns on my gluteus from the seat heater. I had the heater on intermittently on a drive of about 75 miles. I put the heater on for about 10-15 minutes a few times but did not have it on the entire trip. After getting to my destination I started feeling painful burning…

Seats · received Mar 7, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11722751

On 8/14/24 I had the rear springs replaced due to a broken spring. Now today 2/25/26 I was inform that I have a broken front spring. This vehicle is only 9 years old and we have had spring break in the front and back. This seems like a premature failure of a critical suspension component. Though…

Suspension · received Feb 25, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11720494

The fuel rail bolts on the car loosened, one sheered off. Fuel poured from the front end of the car. When the car was started, to be placed on a flatbed the car caught on fire. The car is currently at a mechanics, but has not been repaired. The car could have easily caught on fire while being…

Fuel/propulsion System · received Dec 3, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11702692

Other Volkswagen Jetta years

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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 2017 Volkswagen Jetta?

Owners most often report electrical system, engine, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 33 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2017 Volkswagen Jetta?

Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2017 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 2017 has fewer complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.