Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Volkswagen Jetta owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
1998 Volkswagen Jetta vr6 has had second ignition coilpack fail, creating a dangerous driving condition and rendering the car inoperable. Car currently has 58,000 on jan. 13th., 2003 and required ignition coilpack replacement. Ignition coilpack was also replaced on 06/26/2000 when vehicle had 34,119 miles. Volkswagen service manager agrees that this failed prematurely, but customer complaint center refuses to acknowledge a problem exists. This problem caused vehicle to stall and sputter in highway traffic, thus causing a dangerous situation for my family and surrounding vehicles.
My 1998 Volkswagen (vw) Jetta has an ignition switch problem. When driving, it falls back, turning off the electrical system (including lights and windshield wipers). Vw has identified this as a problem in the 1996 and 1997 jettas (and sent out a recall on the part) but does not recognize it as a problem for the 1998 models. I have been told by a vw service person that the 1998 models use the same ignition switch as the 1996/1997's. Vw representatives claim that they do not see a problem with the 1998's. This is a dangerous problem and should be addressed by vw.
The vehicles' anti theft had went haywire. Went to start, beep sound went off. Then was locked inside car. With the alarm going off. Was only able to exit vehicle by having passerby unhook battery, while I held the unlock button. This was over 2 weeks ago. When hooking battery back up, the alarm still goes off. I am unable to drive. The battery was purchased new in June. Nothing has been added to vehicle. Please advise to how this matter will be resolved & if anyone else has had a similar problem.
Vehicle was parked for over four hours when it suddenly caught on fire. Fire department was called, which determined that brake lights housed within tail light assembly shorted out, melting wire and caught on fire. Consumer has contacted manufacturer, which sent out a factory representative. Please provide any further details.
Glow plug control unit fails on 1998 vw Jetta tdi, but there is no part for the last 5+ months available from Volkswagen. Also, there is no estimate of when Volkswagen will have a part available. This is nationwide. The control unit is essential for the starting of the car.
Ignition switch. I have a faulty ignition switch. With the car running, there have been occasions when my headlights have turned off, and the brake light came on. I have seen approximately 5 postings on different message boards with the same problem.
Failure of door wiring harness. Does not allow me to drive the car - the engin will not engage due to the electronic failure of the door wiring harness. There should be some way to override the electronic failure so that I can drive it.
I own a 1998 volkswagon Jetta, wolfsburg edition. I've been stranded a total of 6 or 7 times (losing count) on the interstate by this vehicle. Purchased this vehicle from a private owner less than a year ago and have experienced numerous mysterious problems ever since. I work for the state of indiana, communte into indianapolis 5 days a week, I am an interstate traveler. I have forgiven most of the problems this car has had, but recently have reached the limit. Just last week I was once again stranded on the interstate during rush hour and my car suddenly stopped running and smoke began to rise from my steering column. This situation terrified me. Not only did I have to urgently coast to the shoulder of the interstate, but I was in fear that the car would be on fire due to seeing this smoke. …
Electrical complaints in other Jetta years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta?
NHTSA has 41 complaints about the electrical system of the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta, 21% of the model year's 192 complaints. The component named most often is ignition › switch (8 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Volkswagen Jetta electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1998 Volkswagen Jetta electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 69,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 6 fires and 1 injury to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.