Problems · NHTSA complaints

1999 Volkswagen Jetta problems

Owners filed 354 complaints about the 1999 Volkswagen Jetta with NHTSA between Dec 1998 and May 2013. The most-cited component is visibility (78).

Complaints
354
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
33
Reported by owners
Fires
9
Reported by owners
Injuries
29
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Visibility78
  2. Engine and engine cooling76
  3. Electrical system41
  4. Service brakes, hydraulic30
  5. Air bags29
  6. Power train28
  7. Vehicle speed control26
  8. Seat belts24
  9. Structure23
  10. Exterior lighting17
  11. Suspension12
  12. Fuel system, gasoline11
  13. Equipment8
  14. Seats7

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19981
199928
200057
200169
200252
200342
200442
200520
200611
200713
20083
20096
20104
20111
20123
20132

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Visibility

78 reports2 crashes
“WINDOW REGULATOR GOING BAD. RESEARCHED YOUR SITE AND FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. JUST PURCHASED CAR USED AND WAS UNAWARE OF PROBLEM AND OF COURSE IT IS TOO LATE FOR ANY EXTENDED WARRANTIES. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE RECONCILED REGARDLESS OF TIMEFRAME. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 16, 2008VisibilityODI 10245649

Engine and engine cooling

76 reports2 crashes1 related recall
“COOLANT SYSTEM EXTERNAL LEAK WAS FIXED, HOSES REPLACED AND CONNECTOR THAT ATTACHES TO ENGINE WAS REPLACED ALSO. LEAK COMES BACK , REPLACED ANOTHER HOSE., THEN THE WORSE STARTS, THE HEATER CORE STARTED LEAKING AND THE CAR STARTED TO SMELL LIKE ANTIFREEZE. GOT HEATER CORE REPLACED, BUT THE INSIDE OF THE CAR SMELLS HORRIBLE,.EVERY TIME I DRIVE MY 1999 JETTA, I GET THIS METALLIC TASTE IN MY MOUTH AND THROAT. THE STUFF IS DEFINITELY TOXIC, AND THE AF CONTAINER READS POISONOUS. BECOMES A TORTURE TO DRIVE MY JETTA I HATE THE METALLIC TASTE IN MY MOUTH. THE DESIGN OFF SOME OF THE HEATING SYSTEM INCLUDES PLASTIC COMPONENTS THAT MAY NOT TAKE THE HEAT WELL SPECIALLY AT THE POINT OF CONTACT WITH THE ENGINE. DID SOME ONLINE RESEARCH AND FOUND SIMILAR CASES WITH INTERNAL ANTIFREEZE LEAKS ON VW JETTAS. THIS FUMES CAN REALLY RUIN YOUR DRIVING EXPERIENCE NOT TO MENTION THE POSSIBLE DETRIMENT ON YOUR HEALTH DUE TO BREATHING IN A CONTAMINATED ATMOSPHERE THANKS FOR LOOKING INTO THIS COMPLAINT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 23, 2009Engine and engine coolingODI 10259717

Electrical system

41 reports2 crashes5 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, SMOKE BEGAN TO FILL THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND SAW THAT SMOKE WAS BELLOWING FROM BENEATH THE STEERING COLUMN. THE SMOKE DISAPPEARED AFTER SOME TIME. THE CONTACT THEN ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INDEPENDENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING THE RESULTS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,144.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 2, 2013Electrical system, Air bagsFire reportedODI 10505399

Service brakes, hydraulic

30 reports7 crashes
“BRAKE LAMPS WERE OPERATING CORRECTLY ON 11/22/2009 AND ON 11/23/2009 THEY CEASED WORKING. CHECKED WITH NHTSA TO SEE IF OPEN RECALL WAS OPEN NONE BUT WANTED TO MAKE KNOWN THE ISSUE SINCE THERE HAVE BEEN TWO RECALLS IN THE PASS FOR THE SAME ISSUE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 24, 2009Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10293394

Air bags

29 reports18 crashes1 fire
“TOOK MY CAR TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE MY AIRBAG LIGHT CHECKED, THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD CLEAR IT. IT WAS CLEARED, THEN POPPED UP AGAIN AND HAS SINCE THEN STAYED ON. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 9, 2008Air bagsODI 10230396

Power train

28 reports1 crash
“I WAS DRIVING UP 24 NORTH, DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MILES PER HOUR. WHILE IN THE FAST LANE, MY ABILITY TO ACCELERATE JUST STOPPED. MY ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN, HOWEVER, MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT DRIVING ON THIS HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR SO I WAS ABLE TO COAST OVER TO THE BREAK DOWN LANE. VOLKSWAGEN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED IN MY CAR. MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE WERE ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING SIGNS OR INDICATIONS THAT THIS PART WAS GOING TO FAIL. HAD I BEEN ON THIS HIGHWAY DURING A BUSIER TIME OF THE DAY, MY CAR COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT DUE TO THE FAULTY PART.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 5, 2004Power trainODI 10086271
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.