Equipment complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 2 | 1% | 40,000 miles |
| 2015 | 1 | 1% | 1,000 miles |
| 2014 | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2013 | 1 | 0% | 4,000 miles |
| 2012 | 2 | 0% | 70,000 miles |
| 2011 | 8 | 1% | 52,000 miles |
| 2010 | 22 | 3% | 65,000 miles |
| 2009 | 2 | 0% | 69,000 miles |
| 2008 | 1 | 1% | 0 miles |
| 2007 | 3 | 1% | 16,000 miles |
| 2006 | 6 | 1% | 20,000 miles |
| 2005 | 2 | 1% | 107,000 miles |
| 2004 | 6 | 3% | 54,000 miles |
| 2003 | 7 | 2% | 11,000 miles |
| 2002 | 14 | 2% | 53,000 miles |
| 2001 | 16 | 2% | 53,000 miles |
| 2000 | 13 | 3% | 78,000 miles |
| 1999 | 5 | 1% | 108,000 miles |
| 1998 | 8 | 4% | 50,000 miles |
| 1997 | 2 | 4% | 84,000 miles |
| 1995 | 14 | 6% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accessories, trailer hitches and other equipment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I was driving to my cabin and when I woke up the next day and started my car - my radio did not work, the care was stationary in driveway when I noticed this problem. I drove to the dealer, thinking it was a fuse or something easy to fix and they said the radio is broken and it be over $1500.00 to replace. I was a bit shocked - this radio is not fancy, standard stock radio. I started doing research in all the vw Jetta forums and many people (thousands of people have had this issue or an electrical issue that caused the radio to break) the 2011 Jetta radio is junk and it needs to be recalled. I'm not sure if this is another poor vw scam similar to the diesel mileage fraud? But several people in the forums are having the same issue. This need to be addressed by Volkswagen and repaired at no cost to the owners. A radio should last more than 4 years! Thank you!
While driving, radio/cd/hands free telephone died. Screen flickered and then went blank, no power to all these functions. Vw repair said this model of radio installed on this year vehicle was a common problem, and that the radio unit is dead and will need to be replaced ($668 plus tax for a replacement by dealer). Plus an install fee. An ungodly price for a replacement radio that is only 4 years old. There are numerous complaints and threads out which warrant a recall. I use the hands free constantly for work and not being able to will make me have to use the phone in an unsafe manner. Safety is paramount. Update 9/15/15
Vw 2010 tdi - radio dead. Completely went black, unresponsive. Discovered wrong fuse in line with radio - 15a when it should have been 10a according to spec. This over time caused the radio to fry. Vw of a doesn't care about this issue and gives the standard reply that it is not under warranty. A 5 year old vehilce, with 100K miles - the radio should not be failing at this age, further, this is a 1000+$ fix. Ridiculous
The radio and Bluetooth system want kaput upon starting the car one morning. This is a problem that others have documented on social media (http://www.cargurus.com/cars/discussion-t36009_ds552583) and that vw will not acknowledge as a manufacturers' flaw. It's a $700 fix for most customers and an issue that potentially causes safety issues if not addressed, considering the tie to the hands-free phone system.
Purchased new vehicle 07/21/07 and on 12/09/08 I had to have the rear brakes and rotors replaced on my new 2007 vw Jetta with less than 16,000 miles on it! This is my 4th vw and I have never experienced this issue so soon before. My previous vw that I've brought to the same dealer for the last 8 years never had this issue. I find it inappropriate for vw to sell me a vehicle with sub standard parts that requires a lot of money to replace - with no disclaimer. I've come to expect better quality from vw. Which was the main reason as to why I purchased a new vehicle from vw again. To add, I'll have to go through this again every 15,000 miles or so. It is not a breaking habit as my prior records with vw will show that is not the case. While customer.
Tl*- the contact owns a 2007 Volkswagen Jetta. The radio will randomly play extremely loud without warning. This occurred when driving at any speed. The dealer stated they are unable to diagnose the failure. The current mileage was 700 miles.
I have a 06' Jetta it has 10,000 miles on it and has had several problems. 1. Stero broke after 2 mo. And 6 cd's were stuck in damaged cd player and I still have not recieved them back like I was told after 4 months of being fixed. 2.paint was peeling off front bumper, was repaired. 3. Back center console would not stay in place. 4.steering wheel makes sqeaking noise when turned to the right. 5.hazard button fell into dash. 6.paint is now peeling again. 7.chrome on wheel is peeling. 8.a brand new transmission had to be put in after 3 attempts of fixing it vw tech support told the valencia service department to just replace it. 9.when replacing the transmission the service department noticed that the drive shaft which is holding the axel spinndeles and wheels altogether to the steering wheel. …
The windows, gas door, mirrors, trunk no longer work because of a faulty wiring harness that vw has acknowledged. They are only fixing vehicles with less then 100,000 miles or 8.5 years of service. It is a safety concern because the back two windows can be rolled down by children. I have 2 small children and one with downs syndrome that keeps rolling the windows down because the wiring harness has failed and vw is not going to fix the cars and instead let small children die because they can roll down the windows. Also, everytime I have to open the gas lever I scrape my arm on some pointing screws. This is ridiculous that a recall has not been issued on the vw Jetta wiring harness.
Related recalls (6)
Equipment › Other › Labels
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Jetta vehicles. The affected vehicles have Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) markings on the body that do not match the VIN plate near the windshield. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."
Remedy: Volkswagen has notified owners and has replaced the vehicles, free of charge. The recall began on July 7, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Beetle and Jetta GLI vehicles. The affected vehicles have incorrect information on the tire information label, possibly causing the operator to overload the vehicle.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a corrected tire information label, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Jetta vehicles. The affected vehicles have incorrect information on the tire information label, possibly causing the operator to overload the vehicle.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers install a corrected tire information label, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
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.
Equipment › Other › Owners/service/other manual
Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." child seat anchorages installed in the vehicle's rear seats must be identified by markings, and their location and use be described in the owner's manual.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with a supplement for the owner's manual and also one set of four guidance fixtures intended to use in conjunction with child seats equipped with rigid or semi-rigid lower anchorage attachments.
Show 1 more recall
Equipment › Mechanical › Integrated jack/leveler/stabilizer
The jacks supplied with these vehicles were assembled with an improperly machined spindle, so that a sharp ridge on the edge of spindle's thread would have remained.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with a new jack.
Frequently asked questions
Which Volkswagen Jetta years have equipment problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2010 (22), 2001 (16), 1995 (14), 2002 (14) and 2000 (13) model years. Equipment complaints make up 3% of all complaints for the 2010.
Is there a recall for Volkswagen Jetta equipment problems?
Yes — 6 recalls, including 17V-352 (labels, May 31, 2017); 17V-136 (labels, Mar 2, 2017); 17V-137 (labels, Mar 2, 2017). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Volkswagen Jetta equipment problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 53,000 miles; 44% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the electrical › radio/tape deck/cd etc. (37 mentions), followed by the mechanical › accessory scissor/screw/bottle jack/lift (18).
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.