Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Volkswagen Jetta owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
While driving down road early in morning approx 2 miles from house I just left from my 2004 Jetta shuts down total loss of all power I pulled car over in a church parking lot I smelled smoke and could see smoke coming from fire wall I raised hood and pulled battery cable off I could see smpoke filling inside of my car walked around to driver door to get my phone and I seen fuse box on fire.another vehicle stopped to help me and he approached my car and then called police ,full flames were coming from my car within 5 min so I stood back and watched my car burn .fire dept showed up and put fire out my car is a total loss. Ive had issues with alternator,fuel pump,air bag light, headlights are really dim even on bright.nothing but issues with this car since I got it. 115.000 miles only on this car .so many isues I can see why its low milage
The car randomly stalls while driving whether at highway speeds or in town. This causes a loss of power steering and power brakes which is inherently dangerous in certain situations. It has been doing this regularly with the previous owner for the last 3 or 4 years and has done it 4 times while under my ownership since September 2017 it usually happens while there is less than 1/4 tank of fuel. When it happens there is no check engine light nor does the ECU store any codes from the problem. Previous owner made several repairs including a fuel pump and filter, engine speed sensor and alternator wiring harness in an attempt to fix the issues with no success. This issues also comes up regularly on several vw forums and no one seems to have an answer. This is a known and regular issue with no consistent repair and needs to be remedied.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while having the vehicle serviced by an independent mechanic, the contact was informed that the vehicle was leaking fuel into the engine compartment. An independent mechanic stated that the tandem pump became inoperable and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 220,000. Updated 10/9/15 the consumer believed his vehicle should have been included in the fuel system recall. However, his production year was not included. Updated 04/11/16.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Volkswagen Jetta. While driving at speeds of 40 MPH, the vehicle caught on fire. The police and fire department were called to the scene where the fire was extinguished and a fire report was filed accordingly. The manufacturer advised there were no recalls on the vehicle and would not provide any assistance. The contact inquired about NHTSA campaign id number 04V586000 (fuel system, diesel) however, the manufacturer advised they had no knowledge of the recall. The current and failure mileages were 70,000.
Randomly stalls on the freeway when down to 1/4 tank of gas. After pulling over and turning off the key and turning the key back on, it will start and run great. This happens about every other time the car gets down to about 1/4 tank. No shop can duplicate the problem or correct it. I have tried the ignition coil, grounds, fuel pump... No fix. There are countless threads on various vw forums about this same problem. It is very dangerous to stall on the freeway. Something needs to be done to correct this.
Starting at around 130,000 miles, when gas tank is at a quarter or slightly less, the car looses power and acts as if it is not getting fuel to the engine. When this happens while driving down a highway at typical highway speeds, power is lost for 10-15 seconds, RPM drops to around 2000 or less (while in "drive"). Then all of a sudden, the engine jerks to life, and I can drive the car normally, up until I have to refill the tank. The stalling doesn't repeat itself until the next quarter tank. When the quarter of a tank issue happens in the city at slower speeds, the car dies, dashboard engine lights come on, and I have to pull over, and crank the starter 3 or 4 times, and eventually, it starts back up again with normal driving resumed. One time I was driving up a hill, lost power, and had to pull over quick. …
We are the original owners of a 2004 Jetta with 2.0 engine with 98K as of apr 2013. Without any warning or clues from vw dealer or auto shop, the car would not start; car would turn over the engine but no fuel pressure. Depending on season (winter) and location (middle of no where) this can cause a hazard for the driver and passenger. The car would start after leaving it alone for 2-3 hrs and try restarting. The warning seems to be when the interior light does not come on which means the switch is acting up; the fuel system is at a low pressure will cause a no start. Under vw new car and independent shops can not duplicate; many on-line owners has have pointed the finger at a door latch/priming circuit board that controls the fuel pump prime when the driver door is opened. Good pics on the circuit board failed/cracked solder joint. …
Was driving along after just accelerating from a stop light and got up to speed (about 45 MPH). Then I felt what I thought was the engine falter, and the motor just quit, no warning whatsoever. No odd sounds either. Just like I turned the key "off". I coasted to a stop off the road and tried to start it a few times. Just continuous cranking and not even a "cough". No unusual noises, compression seemed good. Timing belt failure appears to be ruled out. No external leak in the fuel pump (the one in the engine compartment) either. When the key is turned on, all the normal dash lights light. Yesterday, I did notice a more pronounced sound coming from the in-tank lift pump when I turned the key to "glow". After the engine failure tonight, I could not hear any sound from the lift pump. Car was towed to the vw dealer since the warranty was still in effect. …
I bought a used 2004 Jetta tdi at d'arcy Volkswagen of joliet il. On February 2005. My tandem pump has failed and is significantly leaking fuel. I took it to lou backrodt Volkswagen of rockford il, and I received an estimate on the total cost. I did my own research and found out that this my automobile and pump is covered under a recall campaign vy (04v-586) with NHTSA campaign id number: 04V586000 and document number rcrit-04V586-7306.pdf. I talked to vw customer service (ticket number 60206323) and they refuse to cover the cost which can be proved with your letter rcrit-04V586-7306.pdf. I need for vw to cover the overall cost of this repair since it is a defect that has been recalled by vw. I never received a letter of notification since I am the second owner of the vehicle. …
After driving 800 highway miles from florida, with 400 miles left to go we stopped for the night. The next morning the car was bucking and refused to run. We added a fuel additive and manual shift in order to keep the car running and get it home. On aug. 27th we changed the fuel filter and took the car for a test drive. The car stalled when going up a hill aprrox. 500 ft from house. It would not restart. The car was towed to the dealer on aug. 28th and is still there on sept. 20th. So far they have replaced the fuel in the tank and the fuel filter, and the EGR valve was replaced. The car is still running sluggish and bucking. They can't find out what is wrong with it. Next they want to take apart the intake manifold even though they are not sure that is the problem. The car is a 2005 and half Jetta diesel with 63,000 miles on it. …
Related recalls
Fuel system, diesel
On certain passenger vehicles, the high pressure diesel pumps were produced with an improper fastener, which could allow diesel fuel to escape from the pump.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the diesel pump. The recall began on February 8, 2005. Owners should contact Volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
Fuel System complaints in other Jetta years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta?
NHTSA has 38 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta, 16% of the model year's 233 complaints. The component named most often is delivery › fuel pump (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Volkswagen Jetta fuel system problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 04V-586 (fuel system, diesel, Dec 15, 2004). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2004 Volkswagen Jetta fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 87,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 0 injuries to fuel & propulsion 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.