← New search

2008 Volkswagen Jetta

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Jetta years

Owner complaints for the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta are substantially higher than the model-year median of 68.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

160 reports with mileage · 28 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports4 fire reports4 injury reports

What owners actually said

188 reports
Mileage unknown · Jul 3, 2026
Electrical System

Ignition key is stuck in the vehicle with the ignition on will not come out

NHTSA ODI #11748168

Mileage unknown · Mar 14, 2026
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

Sometimes I feel as if my car is possessed I own a 2008 Volkswagen Jetta and sometimes the passenger headlight works sometimes it doesn't I've replaced the bulbs doesn't matter. My sunroof All of a sudden stopped working. My turn signals on the right side don't work when the headlight is not on. I have no sound from my stereo cu…

Read full complaint

Sometimes I feel as if my car is possessed I own a 2008 Volkswagen Jetta and sometimes the passenger headlight works sometimes it doesn't I've replaced the bulbs doesn't matter. My sunroof All of a sudden stopped working. My turn signals on the right side don't work when the headlight is not on. I have no sound from my stereo cuz my speakers automatically went out. It has a lot of electrical issues not sure why.

NHTSA ODI #11724289

Mileage unknown · Dec 20, 2024
Electrical System

The ignition switch gets stuck sometimes and I can't crank my car nor turn it off I'm just dating that because that's what's going on on my end. Therefore, I've had times where I can't crank my car or I can't turn it off when I need to. So you may tell me if there was a recall on ignition switch or whatever

NHTSA ODI #11631894

253,000 miles · Nov 7, 2024
Air Bags

The contact owns a 2008 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 253,000.

NHTSA ODI #11624015

Mileage unknown · Jul 23, 2024
Air Bags

Airbag warning light is on.

NHTSA ODI #11604154

Mileage unknown · Aug 7, 2023
Air BagsElectrical SystemSteering

Passenger airbag is always off. I saw reports on youtube wiring connectors under the seat are the reason. There’s a home remedy solution. Important air bag issues should be freely be done by manufacturer or dealer. Also steering issues are more common than reported. The electrical devise fails too often rendering driving the ve…

Read full complaint

Passenger airbag is always off. I saw reports on youtube wiring connectors under the seat are the reason. There’s a home remedy solution. Important air bag issues should be freely be done by manufacturer or dealer. Also steering issues are more common than reported. The electrical devise fails too often rendering driving the vehicle difficult.

NHTSA ODI #11536995

Mileage unknown · Dec 8, 2022
Electrical System

The contact owns a 2008 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed during the daytime, the speedometer failed to illuminate adequately, causing her to be unable to see the speed she was driving. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer …

Read full complaint

The contact owns a 2008 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed during the daytime, the speedometer failed to illuminate adequately, causing her to be unable to see the speed she was driving. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI #11496591

Mileage unknown · Jun 2, 2022
Latches/locks/linkages

I would like to report driver door lock actuator goes bad over time, and could become an issue of getting out of the driver side of the door in a safely manner. I had to get door fixed a mechanic.

NHTSA ODI #11467171

106,349 miles · May 24, 2022
Power Train

The contact owns a 2008 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle started shuddering and swaying in the rear of the vehicle. The contact slowed down and proceeded to drive. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic. The veh…

Read full complaint

The contact owns a 2008 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle started shuddering and swaying in the rear of the vehicle. The contact slowed down and proceeded to drive. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,349.

NHTSA ODI #11465946

Mileage unknown · May 13, 2022
Electrical System

car go into a safe mode take to dealer they said car is no reparable because the part they need is no longer made by VW and is no a substitution part for it. so basically they talk me to send it to a junk lot or I can buy a new car and they will gime some money for it also at the end they recommend a shop that maybe be the…

Read full complaint

car go into a safe mode take to dealer they said car is no reparable because the part they need is no longer made by VW and is no a substitution part for it. so basically they talk me to send it to a junk lot or I can buy a new car and they will gime some money for it also at the end they recommend a shop that maybe be they can fixit so I think why ???? ia safety advised for a dealer.????

NHTSA ODI #11464481

Official recalls

4

19V679000 · Unknown Or Other

Sep 25, 2019

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Volkswagen Passat, 2018 Tiguan LWB, 2007-2009 Jetta Sedan, 2011-2013, 2015 and 2019 Jetta, 2013 Jetta Hybrid, 2008-2009 Jetta Sportwagen, 2015 Golf Sportwagen, 2013 Golf, 2008-2010 and 2012-2013 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2008-2010 Beetle, and Beetle Convertible vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners and repurchase the affected vehicles. The recall began November 6, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01D7. Note: This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 18V-329.

10V621000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Dec 10, 2010

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2010 JETTA, NEW BEETLE, NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE, MODEL YEAR 2009 JETTA SPORTWAGEN AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 RABBIT VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L ENGINES. THE JETTA, JETTA SPORTWAGEN, AND RABBIT VEHICLES MAY HAVE A SMALL PLASTIC TAB LOCATED ON THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR THAT MAY CHAFE AGAINST AN UNDERHOOD FUEL SUPPLY LINE. THE NEW BEETLE AND THE NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A FASTENING CLAMP ON A HYDRAULIC HOSE OF THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM THAT MAY BE LOCATED IN AN IMPROPER POSITION WHICH COULD CAUSE CHAFING AGAINST AN UNDERHOOD FUEL SUPPLY LINE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF CHAFING OCCURS, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A FUEL LEAK TO DEVELOP. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE THE UNDERHOOD FUEL LINE. ADDITIONALLY, DEPENDING ON THE VEHICLE MODEL, DEALERS WILL EITHER REMOVE THE PLASTIC TAB FROM THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR, OR INSPECT THE POSITION OF THE FASTENING CLAMP AND ADJUST THE RELATED FASTENING CLAMP INTO THE CORRECT POSITION. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 31, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

09V164000 · Power Train:driveline:driveshaft

May 19, 2009

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING 25,594 MY 2006-2009 JETTA 5TH GENERATION EQUIPPED WITH 2.01 ENGINE. THE FASTENING SCREW CONTACT SURFACES ON THE DRIVESHAFT COVER PLATE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED TO FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS. SOME SCREWS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TORQUED PROPERLY DURING ASSEMBLY AND COULD LOOSEN OVER TIME, CAUSING A KNOCKING SOUND WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THE DRIVESHAFT SCREWS COULD LOOSEN TO THE POINT WHERE THE DRIVESHAFT DETACHES FROM THE GEARBOX.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE VEHICLE IS MOVING WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE DETACHED DRIVESHAFT COULD CAUSE DAMAGE THE GEARBOX HOUSING. A DAMAGE GEARBOX HOUSING COULD LEAK GEARBOX OIL ONTO THE STREET AND CREATE A RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH FOR BOTH THE DRIVER AND OTHER MOTORISTS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DRIVESHAFT SCREWS AND REPLACE THE SCREWS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 24, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

07V442000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights

Sep 24, 2007

CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." SOME VEHICLES MAY NOT HAVE HAD A REQUIRED CAP INSTALLED WHICH DISABLES THE HEADLIGHT HORIZONTAL AIM AND SOME VEHICLES MAY CONTAIN A CAP THAT DISABLES THE VERTICAL AIMING SCREW.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: NONCOMPLIANCE CAN INHIBIT PROPER HEADLAMP AIM ADJUSTMENT FOR ROADWAY ILLUMINATION, IMPROPERLY AIMED HEADLAMPS COULD CAUSE REDUCED ROAD VISIBILITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR THE PRESENCE OF A CAP IN THE SOCKET OF THE LOW BEAM HORIZONTAL AIMING SCREW AND INSTALL ONE IF MISSING, AND INSPECT FOR THE PRESENCE OF A CAP IN THE SOCKET OF THE VERTICAL AIMING SCREW AND IF PRESENT, THE CAP WILL BE REMOVED. THE RECALL WILL BEGIN ON OCTOBER 31, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW 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

1

PE09035 · Vehicle Stall/loss Motive Power

Opened Jul 17, 2009 · Closed Nov 19, 2009

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:manual Transmission

THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH DIRECT SHIFT GEARBOX (DSG) TRANSMISSIONS, WHICH FEATURE A 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC GEARBOX WITH TWO WET RUNNING CLUTCHES (DUAL CLUTCH) IN WHICH THE CLUTCH MECHANISM AND GEAR CHANGES ARE ELECTROHYDRAULICALLY OPERATED BY A MECHATRONIC CONTROL UNIT.THE DSG MECHATRONIC CONTROLLER INCLUDES EXTENSIVE SELF DIAGNOSTIC FUNCTIONS AND STRATEGIES TO ENSURE SAFE OPERATION AND PREVENT SYSTEM/COMPONENT DAMAGE IN THE EVENT OF COMPONENT FAILURES OR HARSH OPERATING CONDITIONS.THE BASIC HIERARCHY OF FAULT MODES INCLUDES SOME THAT ONLY RESULT IN THE STORAGE OF A DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) AND CAUSE NO LOSS OF FUNCTION, SOME THAT STORE A DTC AND REDUCE VEHICLE OPERATION TO A LIMP HOME MODE, AND SOME THAT STORE A DTC AND CAUSE AN INTERRUPTION OF MOTIVE POWER (I.E., OPEN CLUTCH).THE DRIVER IS ALERTED TO THE LATTER TWO MODES BY THE DASH GEAR POSITION INDICATOR (PRNDS) FLASHING. ONE OF THE CONDITIONS THAT RESULTS IN INTERRUPTION OF MOTIVE POWER IS EXCESS GEARBOX TEMPERATURE.THE SYSTEM INITIALLY RESPONDS TO INCREASED GEARBOX TEMPERATURE BY RAMPING DOWN ENGINE TORQUE.IF THE TEMPERATURE KEEPS RISING THE MECHATRONIC UNIT RESPONDS BY OPENING THE CLUTCH.IN A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT SUBMITTED TO NHTSA ON AUGUST 20, 2009, VOLKSWAGEN DESCRIBED A POTENTIAL DEFECT IN THE WIRING HARNESSES OF THE DSG GEARBOX TEMPERATURE SENSORS USED IN APPROXIMATELY 16,000 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2009 AND 2010 VOLKSWAGEN (EOS, JETTA AND GTI) AND AUDI (A3 AND TT/TT ROADSTER) VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DSG TRANSMISSIONS AND BUILT FROM SEPTEMBER 2008 THROUGH AUGUST 2009 (NHTSA RECALL NO. 09V-333, VOLKSWAGEN RECALL NO. 37E3/S7 AND AUDI RECALL NO 37E4/J7). VOLKSWAGEN PROVIDED THIS DESCRIPTION OF THE DEFECT, THE WIRING HARNESS OF A TEMPERATURE SENSOR IN THE DSG MAY HAVE CONNECTOR WIRES THAT WERE INSUFFICIENTLY CRIMPED BY THE CONNECTOR SUPPLIER DURING A LIMITED PRODUCTION PERIOD.WITH INSUFFICIENTLY CRIMPED CONNECTOR WIRES, A TEMPERATURE SENSOR HAS THE POTENTIAL TO FALSELY DETECT A HIGH GEARBOX OIL TEMPERATURE, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO ABRUPTLY SHIFT TO NEUTRAL.IF THIS HAPPENS, THE SELECTOR LEVER POSITION INDICATOR WITHIN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL FLASH.IN ADDITION, THE DEPRESS BRAKE PEDAL INDICATOR LIGHT WILL BE ILLUMINATED, ALERTING THE DRIVER TO APPLY THE BRAKES.IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, THE ABRUPT SHIFT TO NEUTRAL COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.VOLKSWAGEN ESTIMATED THAT LESS THAN ONE PERCENT OF THE RECALLED VEHICLES MAY CONTAIN THE DEFECT CONDITION. ODI IDENTIFIED 40 COMPLAINTS THAT APPEAR TO BE RELATED TO THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR DEFECT CONDITION DESCRIBED BY VOLKSWAGEN.VOLKSWAGEN RECEIVED 139 COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THE CONDITION, WITH 7 INVOLVING VEHICLES REPORTED TO ODI, RESULTING A 172 TOTAL COMPLAINTS TO ODI AND VOLKSWAGEN.ALL OF THESE COMPLAINTS INVOLVE THE MY 2009 AN 2010 VEHICLES SUBJECT TO RECALL 09V-333. ODI ALSO IDENTIFIED COMPLAINTS OF HARSH/JERKY SHIFTING IN SOME VOLKSWAGEN VEHICLES WITH DSG.VOLKSWAGEN ATTRIBUTED THIS CONDITION, WHICH TYPICALLY OCCURS AT VERY LOW SPEEDS, TO EXCESSIVE WEAR IN THE BUSHINGS OF THE TWO SOLENOID VALVES IN THE MECHATRONIC UNIT THAT CONTROL CLUTCH OPERATION.VOLKSWAGEN DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT THE THIS CONDITION IS A SAFETY DEFECT BECAUSE THE CHANGES IN SHIFT QUALITY DEVELOP GRADUALLY OVER TIME, DO NOT CAUSE A LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER AND HAVE NOT RESULTED IN ANY FATALITIES, INJURIES OR SERIOUS CRASHES (THERE WERE THREE REPORTED PROPERTY DAMAGE INCIDENTS RESULTING IN MINOR BODY DAMAGE IN VERY LOW SPEED, PARKING MANEUVERS).VOLKSWAGEN ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM IN THE FIELD WITH A CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES THE REPLACEMENT OF POTENTIALLY AFFECTED MECHATRONIC UNITS AS WELL