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

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

37 reports

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56,000 miles · Oct 18, 2005

Engine And Engine Cooling

2004 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI. ENGINE WILL STALL AT TIMES DUE TO COOLANT LEAKING INTERNALLY INTO INTAKE MANIFOLD THROUGH FAULTY EGR COOLER. CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE STEERING AND BRAKE ASSIST. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10140067

22,325 miles · Jul 28, 2005

Engine And Engine Cooling

TDI ENGINE. MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST POWER INTERMITTENTLY. PRESS ACCELERATOR; NO CHANGE IN RPM - JUST IDLED. "GLOW PLUG" (FLASHED) AND ENGINE WARNING LIGHT (STEADY) LIT AFTER 1ST TWO OCCASIONS; NOT ON 3RD. RE-START SOLVES PROBLEM FOR 30 SECONDS. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLE…

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NHTSA ODI #10130503

60,000 miles · Jun 21, 2005

Engine And Engine Cooling

THERE WAS FOUND TO BE A COOLANT LEAK CAUSED BY THE EGR (EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATOR?). COOLANT LEVEL DROPPED TO THE POINT THAT CAR BEGAN OVERHEATING. I HAVAE LOOKED ON VW WEB FORUMS AND MANY OWNERS HAVE HAD A SIMILAR INCIDENT. 2004 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI

NHTSA ODI #10126107

9,000 miles · Aug 17, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST POWER INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10088001

2,500 miles · Aug 11, 2004

Engine And Engine CoolingVisibility

VEHICLE STALLED WHEN BEING DRIVEN AT A CONSTANT SPEED. ALSO, SUN ROOF CLOSED HALF WAY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10087682

Mileage unknown · Aug 4, 2004

Engine And Engine Cooling

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PROBLEMS REGARDING 2004 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. *MR THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF OWNERSHIP, THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE VEHICLE SWERVING TO THE LEFT. PRIOR TO THE APPOINTMENT FOR THE SWERVING, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MAKE A LOW WHINING SOUND, LUNGING BACKWARDS WHEN IN REVERSE AND FORWARD WHEN IN THE FORWARD POSITION WHICH WOULD OCCUR WHEN THE CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, SHIFTING INTO GEAR AND WHILE RELEASING THE BRAKES. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE WHINING WAS DUE TO A BAD FUEL PUMP. THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE LUNGING. THE WHINING AND THE LUNGING PROBLEM RETURNED. THE CONSUMER WAS THEN TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER HAD A THIRD FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. *SC THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THERE WAS A CHANGE IN THE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM WITH OTHER JETTAS AND THE BEETLE, WHEN THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD WHAT TO DO WHEN THE ENGINE WAS FIRST STARTED THE PROBLEM WAS SOMEWHAT ALLEVIATED.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10087434

181 miles · Mar 11, 2004

Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

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PURCHASED 2004 VW JETTA GLI ON 3/5/04 WITH DELIVERY ON 3/7/04. CAR HAD 41 MILES AT DELIVERY. BY MONDAY, 3/8/04 NOTICED BURNING SMELL ON DRIVER'S SIDE OF CAR WHILE SHIFITING BETWEEN 1ST & 3RD GEARS. ALSO NOTICED VIBRATION IN BRAKE PEDAL AT IDLE AND VIBRATION IN STEERING COLUMN WHILE BRAKING. COMPLAINED AT DEALERSHIP THAT CAR WAS FAILING WITH 181 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. SERVICE TECH TEST DROVE THE CAR WITH ME. COULD NOT IDENTIFY BURNING SMELL, BUT SUGGESTED I TRY DRIVING THE CAR WITHOUT THE SEAT HEATERS ON TO SEE IF IT MADE ANY DIFFERENCE (IT DIDN'T). DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE'D BE A CONNECTION BETWEEN RPM'S AND THE SEAT HEATERS. WILL HAVE TO GO GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO CARRY IN THE CAR AS A PRECAUTION, I SUPPOSE. MAJOR PROBLEM WAS THE VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL UPON BRAKING. TURNS OUT ALL 4 BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED (AT 181 MILES???). TECHNICIAN REPLACED ALL 4 BRAKE ROTORS AND FRONT BRAKE PADS. VIBRATION IN BRAKE PEDAL AT IDLE WAS EXPLAINED AS BRAKE VACUUM PUMP REGENERATING PRESSURE. SALES MANAGER I SPOKE WITH COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY I WAS UPSET SINCE THEY WERE WILLING TO FIX THE CAR.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10061934

Official recalls

07V063000 · 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

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.