Most common 1998 Volkswagen Jetta problems
Share of the 192 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Volkswagen Jetta complaints by model year
Best Jetta years: 2018, 2020, 2022. Years to avoid: 2019, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2010. Compare all years →
1998 Volkswagen Jetta recalls (2)
Equipment › Other › Labels
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.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with corrected labels, or a dealer can install the label if the owner wishes. Owner notification began September 29, 2003.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly › Filler pipe and cap
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.
Remedy: 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…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta:
Fuel tank puncture
The office of defects investigation opened this investigation on August 10, 2000 based on 9 reports regarding punctured fuel tanks involving the jetta, passat, and cabrio models.the reports indicate additional reports in its response to the preliminary evaluation.this investigation has been upgraded for further study.
Fuel tank puncture
What 1998 Volkswagen Jetta owners say
Electrical system all 41 →
Like others, I have had the ignition coil replaced. This happened after the warranty expired, of course. I have also had electrical problems with the windows (regulator and motor) for all of them. Now, my check engine light is flashing and the car is sputtering. I know the secondary air intake valve needs replacing but it did not cause problems. Now I'm wondering if something new is wrong??? Also, I was having problems with losing coolant and had to continuously replace antifreeze. After fixing what I thought was a small leak the entire system will not produce cool air! This car has been nothing but problems and vw should look into all of these complaints.
The ignition switch in my car is getting worse. The first time it malfunctioned was on a cold and snowy night. I was driving along and all of a sudden the lights went out, the wipers stopped, the defroster fan stopped and the ABS light went on. It was a little unsettling. The vw dealer told me it was a bad ingnition switch and it would cost about $300.oo dollars to replace. When I asked the parts department if they had the switch in stock he laughed and said "oh yeah". I am now driving my car only in the daytime while I save the money to replace the switch. I have owned over 30 cars and have never had an ignition fail.
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 40 →
I bought a used 1998 vw Jetta for my daughter. Good car fun to drive but one day as she was driving the rear passenger window fell down into the door. A few weeks later the passenger side front window fell into the door. Most recently during the summer the driver's front window fell into the door. All of these incidents could startle a driver or shatter the window. Currently she has the window taped up on the driver's door and it hinders her visibility. Vw said it would cost $485 per door!!!! You know the driver's rear door will go soon and it just doesn't seem right that we should have to invest another close to $2000 just to keep the windows up! This is a common problem but when I called vw they thanked me for being a loyal vw customer and asked me if I name my cars...vw knows that the plastic bottom on the regulator fails and they replace them with metal ones. …
I purchased a used 1998 Volkswagen Jetta glx several years ago. Within a year of purchase, the front driver side window failed to opperate properly. I had the regulator replaced. A year later the front passenger window failed. That regulator was replaced. A year later the front driver side failed again. Before I could get it fixed, the rear diver side window failed as well. Both regulators are being replaced. The total cost of these repairs will be over $2000. I find it appalling that the same problem can occur multiple times in the same vehicle. I have learned that this is a common problem for vw vehicles and yet nothing is being done to correct it - be it a design flaw, manufacturing problem, etc. Failed regulators are both a safety and security problem. I hope that NHTSA takes these complaints seriously and investigates the problem.
Wheels & tires all 24 →
Dt*: the contact stated the left rear wheel detached from the vehicle, crossed the highway and hit another vehicle. The other vehicle sustained minor body damage. A police report was filed. This occurred while driving 35 MPH without warning. The vehicle was pulled to the side of the highway. The vehicle was then towed to an independent repair shop. The mechanic was unable to duplicate the problem; however the left rear wheel assembly, brakes, rim and tire were replaced. The manufacturer was not alerted. Updated 7/13/2006 - the bearing on the left rear wheel was loose and worn.
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 wasn't noticed because of the placement of failure was difficult to see however now is very apparent. Had to replace front shocks on 98 vw Jetta as well as front end bushings and passenger a arm
1998 Volkswagen Jetta engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9L 4-cyl turbo diesel | 5-speed manual | FWD | 33 / 44 / 37 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 28 / 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 26 / 22 |
| 2.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
| 2.8L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 17 / 24 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta a good car?
Based on 192 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Jetta rates better than average: 48% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Jetta at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta?
The electrical system — 41 complaints, 21% of all complaints for this model year, most often about ignition › switch. Next are the windows, wipers & sunroof (40) and wheels & tires (24).
How many recalls does the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta have?
There are 2 recalls for the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta, the most recent from April 23, 2003 (labels). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Volkswagen Jetta?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2018, 2020 and 2022. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2019, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2010. See the full Volkswagen Jetta years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Volkswagen Jetta problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 83,000 miles; 18% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.