Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Volkswagen Jetta owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was traveling was traveling about 15-25 miles per hour, when I struck the car in front of me. There was no damage to can in front, although my hood and bumper was dented. Also, my driver''s side airbag had deployed. Not thinking anything of it, I got out of the car to inspect the damage'when I returned to the car, I saw a fire had ignited by the driver''s side seat belt'(this statement was made to the fire department and police at the time) within 10 to 15 minutes, while waiting for the fire department the entire car burned up. I contacted vw after seeing the recall on you website and notified them that no one had ever contacted be about the recall, they stated that there was nothing they could do about it since the car was already 3 to 4 years old. I''ve passed on all the information to my insurance company and hoping they will seek reimbursement from vw.
The rear middle shoulder belt of my 1999 Jetta is constantly broken. Every time I fold the middle seat down in the back the seatbelt gets tighter and tighter and tighter. This happens until eventually the belt is too tight for me to even fold the seat down any longer and I have to take the car in to be worked on. Apparently it is some "button" that is breaking. This happens every time I try to fold the seat down and as a result I am not able to safely secure passengers in my middle seat. So far I have had this button replaced 3 times.
I own a 1999 1/2 Volkswagen Jetta. The seat belt mechanism on the driver side seat broke and had to be replaced at a substantial cost of my own. The piece that broke was the buckle where the belt gets inserted into. I was curious to know if seatbelts have lifetime warranty with cars. If not, does the Volkswagen Jetta have a history of seat belt failures? Thank you, [redacted].
1) seat belt!!! Center seat belt in back sea does not work. Vw refused to fix even though this is a big safety issue! 2) musty smell from A/C!! It happens every summer. I treat it with lysol but that only lasts a week. Has it done professionally, that only lasted one month. 3) window regulators not working. Driver sidde window will only go all the way up or all the way down. Nothing in between. 4) glove box latch broke. 5) rubbercoating is rubbing off of all handles.
In my 99.5 vw Jetta gls the middle rear seat belt has tightened and will not release. I have taken it to a repair shop and have had them work on it and normally they can get it to release. However once it is released, it can't be used b/c the next time I go to use the seat belt and pull it out it locks again. The seat can't be used. It has also made it impossible to lay down the back seats, or once I lay it flat the seat can't be returned to the up right position.
Vehicle was involved in a head-on collisi0n, impact at approximately 30 MPH. ABS brakes failed to operate,causing vehicle to slow down but not stop. Seat belt on driver's side failed to lock in place, causing consumer to sustain a head injury from hitting windshield. Also, air bags did not deploy. Dealer / manufacturer notified.
Consumer was involved in a collision in which seat belts did not lock up upon impact, and driver's/passenger's air bags did not deploy. Cause unknown, also steering rack and pinion was damaged . Passenger window fell off twice.
Consumer was involved in a collision in which the shoulder and lap belt disengaged or unbuckled, cause unknown. Dealer replaced complete seat belt assembly which has not remedied the problem. The buckle continues to unlock.et.
1999 Volkswagen Jetta, rear middle passenger seat belt has become tightened to the point that it won't release. It seems that each time the seat back was lowered to increase the cargo area of the trunk, the belt tightens more.
The center rear seatbelt locked up and will not release, was told by dealer and vw customer service that this is extremely common, I was advised I can either pay the $200 + to get it repaired or else cut it and not use it.
Seat Belt complaints in other Jetta years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat belt problems on the 1999 Volkswagen Jetta?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the seat belts of the 1999 Volkswagen Jetta, 7% of the model year's 349 complaints. The component named most often is front › buckle assembly (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Volkswagen Jetta seat belt problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seat belts recall for the 1999 Volkswagen Jetta, though it has 6 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 1999 Volkswagen Jetta seat belt problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 68,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 1 fire and 5 injuries to seat belts 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.