IllustrationWHILE DRIVING 55 MPH VEHICLE FILLED WITH SMOKE. HEATER CORE HAD RUPTURED, CAUSING STEAM AND ANTI-FREEZE TO ESCAPE INTO PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT. DEALER CONTACTED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
1991 Volkswagen Jetta
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1991 Volkswagen Jetta do not stand out strongly from 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
Limited mileage data: 7 of 31 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
- Visibility. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 5 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 reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
31 reportsWHILE DRIVING WINDOWS FOGGED UP AND ANTIFREEZE WAS SPRAYING INTO VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
COOLANT ESCAPED INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WITHOUT WARNING AND BURNED DRIVER'S FOOT AND LEG. *AK
GATES 7280 BELT SPECED FOR APLICATION ALTERNATOR FOR JETTA W/AC BELT TO LONG AND TO LARGE WEARS OUT ALMOST IMEDIATLY AND DERAILES AND HAS DERAILED OTHER BELT WITH IT. IT IS TO LONG AND TO LARGE ITS CORDS ARE VISIBLE ABOVE THE THE DRIVE PULLEY!!!. *AK
VW BULLETIN 139202 I LOST ALL MY BELTS ON THE HIGHWAY AND LOST POWER STEERING CAUSE BELTS FLUNG INTO THE V NOTCH OF OTHER BELTS NO INJURIES.NO BELTS WILL LAST ON THIS VEHICLE DUE EITHER TO POOR GEOMETRY OF THE ALTERNATOR BELT OR TO MUCH HOSREPOWER DRAW FROM THE ALTERNATOR. THE ALTERNATOR BELT HAS GONE 10 TIMES IN THE 20000 M…
Read full complaint
VW BULLETIN 139202 I LOST ALL MY BELTS ON THE HIGHWAY AND LOST POWER STEERING CAUSE BELTS FLUNG INTO THE V NOTCH OF OTHER BELTS NO INJURIES.NO BELTS WILL LAST ON THIS VEHICLE DUE EITHER TO POOR GEOMETRY OF THE ALTERNATOR BELT OR TO MUCH HOSREPOWER DRAW FROM THE ALTERNATOR. THE ALTERNATOR BELT HAS GONE 10 TIMES IN THE 20000 MILES SINCE PURCHASE.I FELT THIS WAS A NUISANCE PROBLEM UNTIL I LOST MY POWER STEERING AND NOW I FEAR THIS CAR WILL KILL ME. *AK
FRONT SHOULDER BELT HOUSING DESIGN DEFECT HAS CAUSED THE BELT TO FRAY. A QUARTER OF THE BLET THICKNESS HAS WORN AWAY THEREBY, DETERIORATING THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE SEATBELT RESTRAINT CAPABILITY. *AK
THE FUEL THROTTLE LINKAGE WOULD KEEP POPPING OFF. IT WAS REPLACED AT LEAST 4 DIFFERENT TIMES. EACH TIME IT HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY AND WOULD LAST APPROXIMATELY 3-7 DAYS. *AK
THE END CAP CONNECTING THE HEAT EXCHANGER'S CORE TO ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM RUPTURED, ALLOWING HOT COOLANT TO ESCAPE INTO THE PASSENGER'S DEPARTMENT, AS PER RECALL 92V050000. BOTH DRIVERS/PASSENGER'S FEET WERE PLACED IN CONTACT WITH HOT COOLANT.
INTERMITTENT STALLING.
TRANSMISSION INTERLOCK SYSTEM FAILED.
Official recalls
593V129000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Aug 2, 1993
AN ENGINE PREHEATING TUBE MAY NOT BE PROPERLY SUPPORTED DUE TO A MISSING SUPPORT BRACKET, CAUSING THE PREHEATING TUBE TO CHAFE AGAINST THE RIGHT FRONT METAL BRAKE LINE. THIS CAN DAMAGE THE HYDRAULIC LINE, CAUSING BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE AND DIMINISHED BRAKING IN ONE BRAKE CIRCUIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DIMINISHED BRAKING CAN RESULT IN INCREASED STOPPINGDISTANCES AND A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PREHEATING TUBE SUPPORT BRACKET TO ENSURE PROPER POSITIONING RELATIVE TO THE RIGHT FRONT METAL BRAKE LINE.
92V131000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Sep 15, 1992
THE VENTURI TUBE LOCATED IN THE THROTTLE VALVE HOUSING CAN BECOME LOOSE AND FALL AGAINST THE THROTTLE PLATE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE VENTURI TUBE CAN PARTIALLY BLOCK THE THROTTLE PLATEAND PREVENT IT FROM RETURNING TO ITS FULL IDLE POSITION, RESULTING IN UNWANTEDENGINE SPEED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PLACED IN A FORWARD OR REVERSE GEAR.
Remedy: REPLACE THE PRESS-FIT VENTURI TUBE WITH A THREAD TYPE TUBE.
92V058000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Apr 14, 1992
THE FUEL HOSE ATTACHED TO THE FUEL DISTRIBUTION RAIL ON THE ENGINE MAY SHRINK BEYOND THE CLAMP FORCE OF THE FUEL HOSE CLAMPS, ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAN CAUSE AN UNDERHOOD FIRE IF THE FUEL COMES IN CONTACT WITH A SOURCE OF IGNITION.
Remedy: REPLACE THE FUEL HOSE ATTACHED TO THE FUEL RAIL AND INSTALL A NEW SPRING TYPE SELF-TIGHTENING CLAMP.
91V064000 · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
Apr 15, 1991
THE LOCK NUT OF THE CRUISE CONTROL ROD FOR THE OPERATING SERVO MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY TORQUED DURING MANUFACTURE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: INADEQUATE TORQUE OF THE LOCK NUT COULD ALLOW THE RODADJUSTMENT TO CHANGE. THIS COULD INCREASE THE ENGINE IDLE SPEED, AND POSSIBLYINCREASE STOPPING DISTANCE WITH A POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy: CHECK AND ASSURE PROPER LOCK NUT TORQUE ON THE CRUISE CONTROL ROD.
90V173000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Sep 25, 1990
FRONT BRAKE HOSES OF INSUFFICIENT LENGTH WERE INSTALLED IN SOME VEHICLES. THESE SHORT HOSES COULD STRETCH AND DEVELOP CRACKS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE, WITH LOSS OFFLUID PRESSURE AND BRAKING ABILITY.
Remedy: REPLACE BOTH BRAKE HOSES.
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
3PE94068 · Rear Wheel Separation
Opened Sep 14, 1994 · Closed Dec 30, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available
EA93008 · Detachment Of Bumper Cover
Opened Mar 3, 1993 · Closed Sep 17, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
There is no summary currently available
PE92089 · Detachment Of Bumper Cover
Opened Dec 17, 1992 · Closed Mar 3, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure
There is no summary currently available