NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Volkswagen Jetta. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
2016 JETTA SE1.4 NEW FOR 18 YEAR OLD SON FOR COLLEGE. WITHIN A WEEK CAR WAS IN THE SHOP WITH ELECTRICAL ISSUES FOR LIGHTER AND USB SHORTING OUT PHONE + RADAR WHILE THE CAR WAS DRIVING. NO ISSUE FOUND WE DROVE 1000+MILES TO SCHOOL, CENTER CONSOLE WOULD BLINK ON AND OFF DURING THE TRIP. NEW DEALER ALSO DID NOT FIND ANY ISSUES. CAR THEN STARTED SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING UNDER 5 MPH IN TRAFFIC IN NYC. WHEN COMING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE REAR VIEW CAMERA TURNED OFF, THE CAR TURNED OFF. VW WAS CALLED THEY HAD HIM TURN OFF THE POWER BY HOLDING THE PUSHBUTTON AND BREAK WHICH RESTARTED THE CAR. NEW DEALER STILL NO ISSUE FOUND. THE CAR CONTINUES TO LOOSE POWER ALL EXCEPT AUXILIARY SEVERAL INCIDENTS VERY UNSAFE. WAS GOING UP A HILL AND THE CAR SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND STARTED ROLLING BACK, APPLIED THE HANDBRAKE THE BACK WHEELS LOCKED AND THE CAR STOPPED THANKFULLY IT WAS AT NIGHT AND NO TRAFFIC. TWO DAYS LATER AT JFK IN THE ARRIVAL LINE THE CAR SHUT OFF WHILE CREEPING FORWARD. TOOK IT TO ANOTHER NEW DEALER THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR ONE WEEK, NO ISSUE FOUND. ISSUES CONTINUED NOW INCLUDING SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR REVVING TO 8000RPM, HAVING TO PUSH FAR DOWN FOR THE BRAKE TO ENGAGE. ALL THE LIGHTS TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING INTERMITTENTLY VERY UNSAFE. TOOK IT TO NEW DEALER THEY FOUND NO ISSUE I REFUSED TO PICK IT UP AND CALLED VW CORP THEY HAD THEM DRIVE THE CAR FOR 50 MILES FINALLY AN ERROR MESSAGE. THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID. IT IS STILL HAVING ISSUES.THE CAR OVERHEATED AND THE ELECTRICAL STOPPED WORKING. HE SMELLED THE COOLANT THREW THE VENTS HE WAS ABOUT TO PULL OVER WHEN THE CAR REVVED TO 8000 RPM AND DROPPED OUT OF GEAR SO HE PULLED OVER AND SLOWED DOWN THE LIGHTS AND RADIO TURNED OFF. WHEN HE LOOKED THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS GLOWING RED. THE CAR TOOK AN HR TO COOL DOWN AND ELECTRICAL TO COME BACK. BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN NO ISSUES AGAIN CALLED VW CORP FOR COMPLAINT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, IT TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A STRONG VIBRATION COMING FROM THE BRAKING SYSTEM WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER MORE THAN THREE TIMES TO INSPECT THE BRAKES, BUT WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE AND DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V705000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD RESPOND BACK TO THE CONTACT WITHIN A SPECIFIC TIME FRAME. THE CONTACT WAS WAITING ON A RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7.
2016 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA WITH 1.8 L.TURBO ENGINE WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. AFTER TOTALLY STOPPING CAR AT AN INTERSECTION AND THEN APPLYING A LITTLE THROTTLE THE CAR WILL START MOVING OUT INTO INTERSECTION, BUT IF I HAVE TO LET OFF ON THROTTLE AFTER STARTING OUT IN INTERSECTION FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER THE ENGINE WILL NOT RESPOND AND FOR A FEW SECONDS, IT WILL NOT MOVE LEAVING ME DEAD IN THE INTERSECTION WITHOUT ANY RESPONSE. ENGINE IS STILL RUNNING BUT CAR WILL NOT MOVE FOR A FEW SECONDS. NO RESPONSE FROM THE THROTTLE.I TOOK IT INTO VW DEALER IN SAINT GEORGE UTAH ON !!/2/2016 AND HAD THEM CHECK IT OUT. THE MANAGER DROVE THE CAR AND SAID IT WAS OKAY NO PROBLEMS. THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, BUT WHEN IT DOES OCCUR IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. MECHANICS AT VW WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT . THEY SAID IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE TRANSMISSION.THESE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED IN THEM. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TO ME ABOUT A DOZEN TIMES. THESE CARS ARE TO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROADS.
TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2016 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT VIOLENTLY DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE RENTAL AGENCY WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,170.
I JUST PURCHASED A 2016 VW JETTA S 1.4 GASOLINE TURBO ENGINE ON 3/5/16. IT HAS UNDER 400 MILES ON IT WITH LIGHT DRIVING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITHIN A WEEK OF PURCHASE AND WAS TAKEN TO VW DEALER SERVICE IMMEDIATELY. I WAS TOLD ISSUE WAS "DEFECTIVE BRAKE VACUUM AND RELAY". THERE IS CURRENTLY AN NHTSA OPEN RECALL (23R1) THAT APPLIES TO THE 1.8 AND 2.0 TURBO GASOLINE ENGINE, BUT IT SHOULD CLEARLY INCLUDE THE 1.4 TURBO GAS ENGINE. THIS IS A MAJOR, SAFETY CRITICAL ISSUE TO SELL A CAR WITH. BRAKE FAILURE COULD LIKELY LEAD TO FATALITIES DRIVING IN EITHER HIGHWAY OR CITY CONDITIONS THE JETTA 1.4 TURBO GAS ENGINE MODEL SHOULD BE INCLUDED WITH RECALL 23R1, NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V705000 I FEEL FORTUNATE THAT I WAS NOT DRIVING THE CAR TO EXPERIENCE BRAKE FAILURE, COLLISION OR DEATH. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE IN A NEW CAR AND HAS CAUSED ME TO LOSE FAITH IN THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE VEHICLE WAS SLOT TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THE BRAKES WERE ALSO SLOW TO RESPOND WHEN APPLIED, WHICH CAUSED THE CONTACT TO APPLY FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AFTER CHECKING THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
THE VIN NUMBER FOR MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL TO UPDATE THE SOFTWARE THAT AFFECTS THE BRAKE BOOSTER. SINCE ABOUT 2 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR IT STARTED TO TRIGGER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT.
THIS IS THE BASE MODEL S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 1.4 TSI. THIS VEHICLE DOESN'T HAVE A GAUGE FOR MEASURING THE TEMPERATURE. UNABLE TO MAKE A DECISION PROMPTLY IF THE CAR STARTS TO HEAT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM. THE CAR APPARENTLY HAS A MECHANISM TO LOWER THE RPMS IF THE CAR STARTS HEATING AND HAS A LIGHT INDICATING THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM BUT IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT IN 2016 YOU CAN'T SEE THE ENGINE TEMERATURE. I DIDN'T NOTICE THIS WHILE TESTING THE CAR BEFORE DOING THE PURCHASE AND THOUGHT IT WAS A MATTER OF CONFIGURATION BUT CONFIRMED THIS WITH THE MANUAL. THIS CAR HAS 85 MILES AND WHEN RUNNING THROUGH A SLOPE IN RURAL AREA IF IT DECIDES TO DOWN SHIFT THERES A BUMP OR A KNOCK IN THE TRANSMUTATION AS IF YOU WERE ABUSING THE CAR AND THE MOTOR OR TRANSMISSION MOUNTS CAN'T HOLD ITS FORCE. IT REALLY FEELS AWFUL WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THIS SHOULD HAPPEN SMOOTHLY BUT IT DOESN'T. I UNDERSTAND THAT IT WILL MAKE ITS OWN DECISION OF WHAT IS THE BEST GEAR IN ORDER TO PROVIDE ENOUGH TORQUE TO MANAGE THE SLOPE BUT THIS IS NOT NORMAL. THIS COULD BE A SING OF FUTURE FAILURE AND OF COURSE AN ACCIDENT CAN OCCUR. WOULD LIKE THIS TWO POINTS TO BE INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA.
JETTA ENGINE QUIT RUNNING WITH NO NOTICE IN BUSY HIGHWAY. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. CAR WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THREE WEEKS. THEY CITED LACK OF FUEL SYSTEM MANAGEMENT COMPUTER MODULE. IT WOULD TAKE 5-7 BUSINESS DAYS TO GET. FUEL COMPUTER MODULE AND FUEL PUMP WERE REPLACED. HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN CAR SAFETY. VW WILL NOT REPLACE PER MY REQUEST. MY WIFE IS FEARFUL OF DRIVING CAR SINCE SHE WAS TRAUMATIZED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR AND FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND EMITTED AN ABNORMAL GRINDING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS AND PERFORMED AN ALIGNMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND VERIFIED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V705000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026