NHTSA lists 231 complaints for the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta, 15 of them mention a crash and 20 mention a fire. 13 complaints mention an injury, with 15 injuries and 0 deaths reported.
Data build 2026-10-09.
NHTSA lists this vehicle as VOLKSWAGEN JETTA.
At a glance
Complaints
231
With crash
15
With fire
20
With injury (complaints)
13
Injuries
15
Deaths
0
Recalls
2
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
1,002,000
Investigations
0
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
254
Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. The required sales year is missing.
Where the complaints are
Top systems
System
Complaints
Share of this vehicle's complaints
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
37
16.0%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
36
15.6%
POWER TRAIN
35
15.2%
SEATS
22
9.5%
AIR BAGS
21
9.1%
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL
13
5.6%
ENGINE
11
4.8%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
10
4.3%
VISIBILITY
10
4.3%
EQUIPMENT
9
3.9%
Top subsystems
System
Subsystem
Complaints
POWER TRAIN
CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
16
POWER TRAIN
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
12
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ENGINE
8
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
EXHAUST SYSTEM
8
SEATS
FRONT ASSEMBLY
8
POWER TRAIN
MANUAL TRANSMISSION
7
AIR BAGS
FRONTAL
6
STRUCTURE
BODY
6
AIR BAGS
SIDE/WINDOW
5
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
COOLING SYSTEM
4
One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.
Model-generated complaint tags: This model year has not been tagged.
Defect: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. (excerpt)
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. (excerpt)
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 (excerpt)
Defect: 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: 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.
Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.
Investigations
0 investigations; 0 open.
Manufacturer communications
254 manufacturer communications.
Communications by system
System
Count
EQUIPMENT
92
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
53
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
46
STRUCTURE
21
VISIBILITY
19
ENGINE
17
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
13
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
11
10241177
Date: 2023-08-21. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.
Update to Volkswagen engine oil standards
10237427
Date: 2023-05-30. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.
Volkswagen Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
10235138
Date: 2023-04-24. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.
Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
10228180
Date: 2022-12-12. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: EQUIPMENT.
Update model year applicability to include 2023.
10228178
Date: 2022-12-06. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Battery testing and charging using special tools VAS6161 & GRX3000VAS Charger. Updated to include additional model year applicability.
10204722
Date: 2021-12-15. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
This bulletin contains general instructions for software updates.
10175799
Date: 2020-05-12. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: EQUIPMENT.
Tool number added to table. Removal of Behr Flush Kit. VAS 6337/1A
10174476
Date: 2020-04-21. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: EQUIPMENT.
Updated to include additional models and model year applicability.
10169135
Date: 2019-12-05. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT.
Update model applicability to MY 2020.
10168683
Date: 2019-11-25. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.
Update to Volkswagen engine oil standards.
Notes on this record
Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.