2019 Volkswagen Jetta Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Sep 28, 2026 · 549 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Jetta years
Far more complaints than other years 7th of 32 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
5 out of 5 stars

Owners have filed 549 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta. That ranks 7th out of 32 Jetta model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (162 complaints, 30%), typically at around 888 miles. Complaints mention 19 crashes, 3 fires, 36 injuries. There are 11 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.

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 2019 Volkswagen Jetta problems

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

Power Train162 · ~888 mi
Electrical System154 · ~31,000 mi
Engine147 · ~700 mi
Unknown or Other95 · ~1,400 mi
Service Brakes29 · ~12,835 mi
Exterior Lighting26 · ~100 mi
Fuel/propulsion System25 · ~6,050 mi
Structure23 · ~4,300 mi
Visibility/wiper18 · ~6,750 mi
Air Bags16 · ~6,250 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Power Train problems16230%888“grinding noise” (24%)—
Electrical System problems15428%31,000“ignition switch” (27%)—
Engine problems14727%700“ignition switch” (10%)—
Unknown or Other9517%1,400——
Service Brakes295%12,835——
Exterior Lighting265%100——
Fuel/propulsion System255%6,050——
Structure234%4,300——
Visibility/wiper183%6,750——
Air Bags163%6,250——
Suspension163%5,514——
Vehicle Speed Control163%600——
Forward Collision Avoidance122%28,000——
Steering122%20,000——
Lane Departure81%———
Visibility71%17,550——
Seat Belts61%10,000——
Wheels61%7,400——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)51%6,027——
Fuel System, Gasoline41%85,000——
Tires31%60,000——
Engine and Engine Cooling20%7,203——
Seats20%14,000——
Latches/locks/linkages10%92,000——
Parking Brake10%92,000——

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

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2019, with 156 complaints
2018: 192018192019: 15620191562020: 812020812021: 322021322022: 302022302023: 962023962024: 582024582025: 402025402026: 37202637

n = 549 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2019 Volkswagen Jetta recalls (11)

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

Fuel system, gasolineFeb 14, 2024 · NHTSA campaign 24V110000 · 261,257 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain front-wheel drive 2015-2020 Audi A3 Sedan, 2015-2019 Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, 2018 Golf Sportwagen GP, 2018-2019 Golf Sportwagen A7, 2015-2017 Golf Sportwagen, 2015-2020 Golf GTI, and 2015-2020 Golf A7 vehicles. Due to a problem with a suction jet pump seal inside the fuel tank, fuel may flow into the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system and possibly leak out of the charcoal canister.

Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Fix: Dealers will replace the suction pump, free of charge. Final owner notification letters for Audi owners were mailed on July 25, 2024. Final owner letters for VW owners were mailed on August 13, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are VW: 20UF/Audi: 20YF. Vehicles that were previously recalled under 16V-647 will need to have the new remedy completed. This recall expands and replaces previous recall number 16V-647.

Electrical system: instrument cluster/panelSep 6, 2023 · NHTSA campaign 23V619000 · 8 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Jetta vehicles. The instrument cluster may not provide an audible warning to let the driver know that the key is still in the ignition when the door is open. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 114, "Theft Protection."

Risk: Without an audible warning, the driver may be unaware that the key is left in the ignition, which can increase the risk of vehicle theft or a crash.

Fix: Dealers will update the instrument cluster, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 3, 2023. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 90W7.

Electrical system:ignition:switchAug 30, 2023 · NHTSA campaign 23V604000 · 62,538 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Golf, Golf Alltrack, Golf Sportwagen, 2019-2020 Golf GTI, and Jetta vehicles equipped with a conventional ignition switch. The ignition switch may fail, especially in high temperature environments.

Risk: Ignition switch failure can cause the electrical system to shut down and the engine to stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 1, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 28H7.

Tires:pressure monitoring and regulating systemsOct 31, 2022 · NHTSA campaign 22V815000 · 296,044 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

Risk: An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi’s customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.

WheelsDo not driveDec 11, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V879000 · 8 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Jetta GLI, Golf Alltrack, and Golf GTI vehicles. The front wheel bearings may have been improperly machined, potentially causing excessive stress on the wheel, wheel bolts, or wheel bearings.

Risk: The excessive stress can cause steering, traction or other stability issues or breakage relating to the front wheels, and increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will replace the wheel bearing assemblies, wheels, and wheel bolts, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40P1. Note: The affected owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repairs have been made.

Unknown or otherSep 25, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V679000 · 113 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Volkswagen Passat, 2018 Tiguan LWB, 2007-2009 Jetta Sedan, 2011-2013, 2015 and 2019 Jetta, 2013 Jetta Hybrid, 2008-2009 Jetta Sportwagen, 2015 Golf Sportwagen, 2013 Golf, 2008-2010 and 2012-2013 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2008-2010 Beetle, and Beetle Convertible vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.

Risk: If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners and repurchase the affected vehicles. The recall began November 6, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01D7. Note: This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 18V-329.

Suspension:rear:springs:coil springsMar 6, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V188000 · 56,173 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Golf Sportwagen, 2019 Jetta, 2015-2019 Golf, and 2018-2019 Tiguan vehicles. The rear coil springs may prematurely fracture.

Risk: If a coil spring fractures while driving, it may damage a rear tire causing a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear axle coil springs, free of charge. The recall began April 12, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42J5.

Air bags:frontalFeb 20, 2019 · NHTSA campaign 19V110000 · 4 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Jetta vehicles. An incorrect driver frontal airbag may have been installed during a service/repair visit.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, the wrong air bag may not work correctly, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag with the correct part, free of charge. The recall began April 19, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Y7.

Suspension:rear:springs:coil springsDec 19, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V904000 · 6,322 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas, 2015 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen, and 2019 Volkswagen Jetta vehicles. The rear coil springs may prematurely fracture.

Risk: If a coil spring fractures while driving, it may damage a rear tire causing a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will replace the rear axle coil springs, free of charge. The recall began January 31, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42J2/42J3.

Electrical system: instrument cluster/panelNov 26, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V824000 · 73,549 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas and Tiguan and 2019 Volkswagen Jetta vehicles that do not have keyless entry. The instrument cluster may not provide an audible warning to let the driver know that the key is still in the ignition when the door is open. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection."

Risk: If the driver is not notified by an audible noise that the key is left in the ignition, it can increase the risk of vehicle theft or crash.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began December 13, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 90L3 and 90L4.

Exterior lighting:headlightsSep 26, 2018 · NHTSA campaign 18V671000 · 28 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Jetta vehicles equipped with LED headlights. The passenger side headlight may be incorrectly positioned, reducing the driver's visibility when it is dark. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Risk: A reduction in the driver's visibility can increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side headlight, free of charge. The recall began November 2, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94L1.

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 Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647) (RQ23007) — opened Dec 12, 2023, closed Jul 1, 2024, led to recall 24V110.
  • Vehicle Stalling - Manual Transmission (DP19003) — opened Sep 3, 2019, closed Jun 30, 2020.

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 panoramic sunroof glass shattered spontaneously while driving. I was accelerating onto the highway from an on-ramp at approximately 50 to 60 mph. There were no vehicles in front of me and the highway was empty, so nothing could have struck the glass. I heard a loud bang similar to a gunshot…

Visibility/wiper · received Sep 28, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11767613

My problem is the same as Recall 28H7/or 23V604. I have the some make and model and ignition as the Jettas with the recall but for some reson it is not a part of the recall. When the car gets hot the ignition cuts off while I'm driving and I have not speedometer, turn signals or wippers. Please…

Electrical System · received Sep 16, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11764620

I was driving and the passenger side rearview mirror glass delaminated and separated from the vehicle leaving non-reflective adhesive residue. The blind spot monitoring light and sensor still function correctly. Car is a 2019 (almost 7 years old), 72,180 miles, and regularly maintained.

Visibility/wiper · received Sep 14, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11764216

On July 24,2026 my 2019 VWJetta with 44,000 miles on the odometer was brought to a local independent service center for routine maintenance and a NY State inspection. Surprisingly, it failed inspection due to a broken left rear coil spring. Service center personal informed me that a broken coil…

Suspension · received Sep 13, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11763909

Left coil spring suddenly broke while driving at highway speed which could have punctured the tire. This is part of NHTSA 19V188000, however my VIN was not included in VW recall code 42J5.

Suspension · received Aug 13, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11756651

Other Volkswagen Jetta years

← 2018 Jetta · 2020 Jetta →

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 2019 Volkswagen Jetta?

Owners most often report power train, electrical system, engine problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 162 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta?

Yes, 11 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2019 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 2019 has far more 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.