Visibility. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

31 reports

164,493 miles · Mar 29, 2005

Visibility

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HEATER CORE RUPTURED, CAUSING THE COOLANT TO SPILL OVER THE DRIVER'S FEET. THIS EVENTUALLY CAUSED THE WINDSHIELD TO FOG UP, MAKING THE ABILITY TO SEE THE ROAD DIFFICULT.*AK WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE, HE HIT A BUMP AND HOT COOLANT FELL ON HIS FEET. THE STEAM FROM THE HOT COOLANT FOGGED UP THE WINDOWS AND ESCAPED THROUGH THE VENTS. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO PARKING LOT TO AVOID CRASHING BECAUSE OF THE STEAM ON THE WINDOW. VOLKSWAGEN AGREED TO REPAIR HEATING CORE.*SB

NHTSA ODI #10117049

Mileage unknown · Jan 5, 2005

Electrical System

WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND HEAD LIGHTS WERE WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR CHECK UP, AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10106851

106,500 miles · Jan 4, 2005

SteeringVisibility

SMOKE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, A PUFF OF SMOKE AROSE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND I LOST USE OF MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS. I HAVE BEEN ONLINE AND HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINTS TO THE SAME AFFECT. SHOULDN'T THIS BE A RECALL ITEM ? AVE HAD QUITE A FEW OTHERS PROBLEMS IN THE 6 MONTHS SINCE WE …

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NHTSA ODI #10105707

Mileage unknown · Sep 22, 2004

Visibility

CONSUMER COMPLAINED THAT SIDE WINDOWS WERE NOT GOING UP AND DOWN AT WILL. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE MOTOR WINDOW REGULATOR WAS DEFECTIVE. TO HAVE THEM REPAIRED WOULD COST AT LEAST $500.00 PER WINDOW, WHICH CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10094117

Mileage unknown · Sep 5, 2004

Visibility

THE REAR SIDE WINDOWS OF MY JETTA HAVE FALLEN INTO THE DOOR. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10090456

54,000 miles · Jun 12, 2004

Steering

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THE STEERING IN THIS 1996 JETTA IS JUST HORRIBLE, NO MECHANIC HAS BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR IT. IM TOLD THERE IS SOMETHING ON THE WHEEL BASE TORN (REAR) AND ITS GOING TO COST ME 800 TO FIX. YET, THE STEERING HAS BEEN THIS WAY SINCE IVE HAD THE CAR AND I HARDLY NOTICED UNTIL I RENTED A CAR (BECAUSE THE CRANK SHAFT IN THE JETTA BROKE TOO). THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN A COLLISION OR ANY MAJOR TRAMA TO HAVE ANYTHING TORN, IT ONLY HAS 66,000 MILES ON IT, YET IVE HAD TO REPLACE THE CRANK SHAFT, LAST WEEK THE ENTIRE COMPUTER, 2 YEARS AGO THE ENTIRE ENGINE FELL TO THE GROUND (MY LAND LORD DISCOVERED) AND NOW THE STEERING. I THOUGHT VWS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE WELL BUILT CARS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10075256

90,000 miles · Jun 4, 2004

Visibility

JUST PURCHASED MY FIRST VW JETTA. MAY BE MY LAST VW PERIOD. MY WINDOWS WORK WHEN THEY FEEL LIKE IT. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM, I FOUND OUT THIS IS A EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM THAT VW TAKES NO REPONSIBILITY FOR. FIXING IT MYSELF, IT COSTS ME $150 EVERY TIME IT HAPPENS. I SHOULD CHARGE VW $70 AN HOUR FOR LABOR!*AK

NHTSA ODI #10074777

Mileage unknown · Apr 27, 2004

Visibility

SINCE I HAVE HAD MY 1996 VW JETTA GLS, ALL FOUR WINDOW REGULATORS AND ALL FOUR WINDOW MOTORS HAVE BROKEN. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS WITH THEIR JETTAS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10067915

Mileage unknown · Feb 22, 2004

Visibility

ALL FOUR WINDOWS IN MY '96 JETTA HAVE MALFUNCTIONED. PROBLEMS INVOLVE THE WINDOW REGULATORS AND THE MOTORS. AS IT IS TODAY, MY VEHICLE HAS THREE OPERATING WINDOWS WITH DEFECTS (MAKES LOUD CRUNCH SOUND WHEN ROLLED ALL THE WAY DOWN) TO A STUCK-HALF-WAY WINDOW THAT WON'T GO UP OR DOWN. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10058702

Mileage unknown · Feb 2, 2004

Unknown Or Other

THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WAS DAMAGED DURING A COLLISION. THE DOOR WAS REPAIRED AND PAINTED. THE PAINT FUMES ARE VERY STRONG IN THE PASSENGER CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10057312

Official recalls

98V160000 · Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch

Jul 16, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE BOLTS SECURING THE FRONT HOOD LATCH CAN LOOSEN OVER TIME. THE LATCH WOULD MOVE CAUSING DISENGAGEMENT OF THE HOOD STRIKER FROM THE LATCH.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: UNEXPECTED OPENING OF THE HOOD COULD OCCUR OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE HOOD LATCH AND SECURING BOLTS AND REPLACE THEM IF NECESSARY.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

EA00028 · Fuel Tank Puncture

Opened Dec 28, 2000 · Closed Jan 29, 2002

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

No summary supplied.

EA00020 · Light And /windshield Wipers

Opened Aug 10, 2000 · Closed Oct 9, 2002

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting

There is no summary currently available

PE00033 · Fuel Tank Puncture

Opened Aug 10, 2000 · Closed Dec 28, 2000

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

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.

PE00006 · Lights And/or Windshield Wiper Obscured

Opened Feb 2, 2000 · Closed Aug 10, 2000

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting; Visibility

There is no summary currently available

Additional source detail variants (2)

Exterior Lighting

There is no summary currently available

Visibility

There is no summary currently available

PE98037 · Hood Latch Failure

Opened Jul 1, 1998 · Closed Jul 20, 1998

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure

ODI HAS RECEIVED THREE REPORTS, INCLUDING THE PETITIONERS, REGARDING ALLEGED HOOD LATCH FAILURES.ALL OF THE ODI REPORTS INDICATE THE HOOD FLEW UP WHILE DRIVING.FOLLOWING A TELEPHONE INQUIRY, VOLKSWAGEN PROVIDED ODI WITH SOME LIMITED INFORMATION REGARDING SIX ADDITIONAL REPORTS OF HOOD FLY-UP FOR MODEL YEARS 1995 AND 1996.THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED TO FURTHER STUDY THIS ISSUE.DEFECT DESCRIPTION:IT IS POSSIBLE THAT ON SOME OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES THE BOLTS SECURING THE FRONT HOOD LATCH MAY LOSE THEIR SPECIFIED FASTENING TORQUE OVER TIME.SHOULD THIS HAPPEN, THE LATCH COULD MOVE OUT OF ITS DESIGN POSITION AND CAUSE DISENGAGEMENT OF THE HOOD STRIKER FROM THE LATCH.IN SOME VEHICLES THE LATCH MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY ALIGNED DURING PRODUCTION.REPEATED OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE HOOD WITH AN IMPROPERLY ALIGNED LATCH COULD RESULT IN DAMAGE TO THE LATCH.EITHER CONDITION COULD RESULT IN UNEXPECTED OPENING OF THE HOOD AND COULD OBSTRUCT A PORTION OF THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING, AND RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.REMEDY: VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC. WILL INITIATE A VOLUNTARY SAFETY RECALL INSTRUCTING ITS AUTHORIZED DEALERS TO CHECK THE HOOD LATCH AND SECURING BOLTS AND REPLACE THEM IF NECESSARY.