IllustrationWHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW FELL OUT WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. *AK
2004 Volkswagen Jetta
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Jetta years
Owner complaints for the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta are substantially higher than the model-year median of 68.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Jetta years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
380–25K
2925–50K
4450–75K
3075–100K
35100–150K
15150K+
191 reports with mileage · 40 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 37 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
15 crash reports20 fire reports13 injury reports
What owners actually said
231 reportsTHERE IS A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH IS INTERFERING WITH THE STEERING MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. OWNER WILL CONTACT MANUFACTURER. *JB
WHILE APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION THE CAR AHEAD OF ME STOPPED SUDDENLY AND I COULD NOT STOP FAST ENOUGH. THE COLLISION DID $10,000-14,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. SERIOUS INJURY WAS ONLY AVOIDED DUE TO MY WEARING MY SEAT BELT. SUBSEQUENT NECK PAIN FOR SEVERAL DAYS FOLLOWED, SCRATCHES ON MY NECK WER…
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WHILE APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION THE CAR AHEAD OF ME STOPPED SUDDENLY AND I COULD NOT STOP FAST ENOUGH. THE COLLISION DID $10,000-14,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO MY CAR AND NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. SERIOUS INJURY WAS ONLY AVOIDED DUE TO MY WEARING MY SEAT BELT. SUBSEQUENT NECK PAIN FOR SEVERAL DAYS FOLLOWED, SCRATCHES ON MY NECK WERE RECEIVED. THE CAR IS IN THE BEGINNING STAGES OF EVALUATION/REPAIR BUT AGREEMENT IS THAT AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. HAVE PICTURES OF CAR AND INTERIOR CABIN AND WILL KEEP ANY AND ALL PART NECESSARY. *NM
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE FRONT ROTORS NEED TO BE REPLACED. *JB *NM
WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 1.8T VOLKSWAGEN JETTA, THE SEAT HEATER ON THE DRIVER SIDE MALFUNCTIONED. I FELT A VERY SMALL POINT OF PAIN IN MY LEG, BUT DIDN'T REALLY NOTICE IT UNTIL I STARTED TO SMELL SMOKE. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF THE SEAT HEATER (WHICH WAS ON A SETTING OF 3 OUT OF 5 INITIALLY), PULLED THE CAR OVER TO A PARKING LOT, GOT…
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WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 1.8T VOLKSWAGEN JETTA, THE SEAT HEATER ON THE DRIVER SIDE MALFUNCTIONED. I FELT A VERY SMALL POINT OF PAIN IN MY LEG, BUT DIDN'T REALLY NOTICE IT UNTIL I STARTED TO SMELL SMOKE. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF THE SEAT HEATER (WHICH WAS ON A SETTING OF 3 OUT OF 5 INITIALLY), PULLED THE CAR OVER TO A PARKING LOT, GOT OUT, AND FORTUNATELY NOTHING CAUGHT FIRE. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO MY DEALER (TREND MOTORS IN ROCKAWAY, NJ), WHO PROMPTLY FIXED THE PROBLEM, AND HAVE ORDERED A NEW SEAT COVER TO REPLACE THE ONE DAMAGED BY THE MALFUNCTION. THE CAR WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AT THE TIME OF THE PROBLEM, WHICH OCCURED ON NOVEMBER 4, 2004.*AK
WHILE DRIVING. 70-75 MPH AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITH NO WARNING. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. TOOK VEHICLE TO VOLKSWAGEN. WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE CONSUMER'S FAULT. *AK
I BOUGHT A 2004 VW JETTA GLS ON MARCH 15, 2004 AND IT HAS NOW BEEN TO THE SHOP, OH, ABOUT 4 OR 5 TIMES! THE FIRST TIME, THE CLUTCH WAS CHATTERING - SO, THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE CLUTCH KIT, THEN THE CLUTCH CABLE HAD TO BE ADJUSTED BECAUSE IT WASN'T SHIFTING RIGHT, THEN THE SECONDARY AIR PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED, NOW THE BRAK…
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I BOUGHT A 2004 VW JETTA GLS ON MARCH 15, 2004 AND IT HAS NOW BEEN TO THE SHOP, OH, ABOUT 4 OR 5 TIMES! THE FIRST TIME, THE CLUTCH WAS CHATTERING - SO, THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE CLUTCH KIT, THEN THE CLUTCH CABLE HAD TO BE ADJUSTED BECAUSE IT WASN'T SHIFTING RIGHT, THEN THE SECONDARY AIR PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED, NOW THE BRAKE PEDAL MAKES A POPPING SOUND EVERYTIME I PRESS AND DEPRESS IT... THEN TO TOP IT ALL OFF - - I WENT TO GOTO WORK THE OTHER DAY, AND IT WOULDN'T START!!! - FINALLY GOT IT STARTED AFTER THINKING IT WAS THE BATTERY (BUT, BATTERY WASN'T DEAD), AND TWO DAYS LATER, IT BARELY STARTS AND IS RELEASING A HORRIBLE SMELL - THE INSIDE SMELLED LIKE ROTTEN EGGS.. IF THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE EMISSIONS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO! I REALLY THING VW SHOULD REPLACE MY CAR WITH A NEW ONE AND COVER IT FOR LIFE!*AK
RECIEVED THE CAR WITH 9 MILES THE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. AROUND 1,500 MILES (2 MONTHS OLD) THE CROME TRIM ON THE REAR PASSANGER DOOR CAME UP ON ITS OWN SCRATCHING THE FRONT PASSANGER DOOR AND TRIM. VW IS PAINTING THE DOOR AND REPLACING THE CROME UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
WHEN SHIFTING GEARS TRANSMISSION SLIPPED GEARS. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST POWER INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Official recalls
207V063000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
Feb 20, 2007
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE BRAKE LIGHTS COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE, OR REMAIN ON. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE PROPER SIGNAL WHEN BRAKING COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE NEWLY DESIGNED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 27, 2007, AND WILL BE CONDUCTED IN SEVERAL STAGGERED MAILINGS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21, 2007. VEHICLES WITHIN THE MAKE, MODEL, AND MODEL YEAR OF THIS POPULATION MAY BE INVOLVED IN EITHER THIS RECALL OR 06V-183, BUT NOT BOTH. THE REMEDY IS THE SAME FOR EACH RECALL. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERS WILL APPLY THE REMEDY BASED ON THE VIN NUMBER OF THE VEHICLE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987.
04V586000 · Fuel System, Diesel
Dec 15, 2004
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY LEAD TO A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DIESEL PUMP. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 8, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.