Problems · by component

1999 Volkswagen Jetta engine and engine cooling problems

76 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Volkswagen Jetta cite engine and engine cooling, 21% of all 354 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
76
21% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine and engine cooling

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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
“LEAK IN COOLING SYSTEM CAUSING MIGRATION TO WATER PUMP, HEATER CORE, AND ENGINE WIRING HARNESS. HAVING TO REPLACE ALL 3. CAR STALLS AT RANDOM TIMES IN BUSY TRAFFIC, POSING POTENTIAL ACCIDENT PROBLEM. CAUSED TOXIC FUMES TO COME THROUGH HEAT VENTS IN CAR. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 8, 2008Engine and engine coolingODI 10220459
“ABOUT EVERY 2,000 MILES, THE ENGINE IN MY 1999 MK IV VOLKSWAGEN JETTA STARTS TICKING, AND I CHECK MY OIL, AND IM A QUART LOW. EVERYTIME. THE ENGINE QUALITY IS STEADILY DECLINING. I HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING TO REPAIR THIS BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY, NOR DO I TRUST MECHANICS WITH THE CAR. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 30, 2007Engine and engine coolingODI 10195043
“BEGAN OIL CONSUMPTION STUDY MAY 2006 BUT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE PRIOR AND PRESENT. THIS IS A COPY OF SOME INFORMATION I SENT TO VWOA A. I WENT THROUGH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TOO. VWA CONTINUES TO DENY THIS IS A PROBLEM, IT IS IN SPECIFICATIONS BUT DO NOT TELL ME WHAT IS ABNORMAL OIL USAGE. I HAD A RECALL SO WENT TO THE DEALER FOR THE SERVICE WITH MY EDITORIAL SIGN ON THE JETTA, THAT I HAD SENT TO MR. WITTER - VWA- THE DEALER HAS NOW REFUSED ANY FURTHER SERVICE OF MY VEHICLE THERE. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES, AND THEY HAVE SHUT THE DOOR WITH THE VAGUE "WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS" RHETORIC. I AM TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE TO BURN A QUART OF OIL IN 1000-3000 MILES NOT EVEN REGISTER ON THE DIP STICK, IS WITH IN THE MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONS. IT HAS 85,000 MILES AND HAS THE EXTENDED 120,000 MILE / 10 YEAR WARRANTY. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. CONTINUED ON NEW COMPLAINT *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 15, 2007Engine and engine coolingODI 10185171
“THIS IS MY SCENARIO: EACH 3,000-4,000 MILE OIL CHANGE, OFTEN THERE WAS NO REGISTER ON THE DIP STICK OF MY JETTA. JETTA MANUAL STATES OIL CHANGE RECOMMENDED EVERY 10,000 MILES ITEM 2 THERE ARE NO DRIPS UNDER THE VEHICLE OR SMOKING EVER. THERE IS NO OIL SPLASHED UPON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE HOOD TO INDICATE GASKET PROBLEMMY SISTER WHO OWNS THE SAME CAR IN CALIFORNIA HAD MADE ME AWARE OF THE SAME SITUATION WITH HER JETTA AND TOLD ME HER DEALER APPROACHED HER AND SHE CONFIRMED THEIR QUESTIONS OF LOOSING OIL. THEY INITIATED AND COMPLETED SATISFYING HER AS A CUSTOMER BY RESOLVING THE SITUATION. I HAVE INCLUDED THE INVOICE OF HER REPAIR TO HER JETTA. ITEM 3REALIZING MY VEHICLE WAS IN THE SAME MILEAGE RANGE, AND CONCERNED THAT FURTHER AND WORSE DAMAGE COULD BE DONE, I PERUSED THE ISSUE WITH MY LOCAL DEALER "DAY APOLLO" IN MOON TOWNSHIP, PA. RELEVANT CONTACT INFORMATION IS ON INVOICES FROM THEM. APOLLO DID AN OIL CHANGE AND FOLLOWED UP WITH "OIL CONSUMPTION WATCH" FOR THE NEXT 3000 MILES THAT TOOK FROM MAY 12, 2006- AUGUST 28, 2006 TO COMPLETE THOUGH IRREGULAR INTERVALS FROM 82,856 MILES TO 84,920 MILES = 2,064 MILES IT WAS DOWN QUART OF OIL. AT 85,860 MILES- 3002 MILES…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 15, 2007Engine and engine coolingODI 10185175
“''PART 3 OF ORIGINAL COMPLAINT--I PHONED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE DIVISION IN MICHIGAN, MARGARET THERE TOLD ME THAT THEIR POSITION IS TO SUPPORT THE DEALER. THEY WOULD RECORD MY COMPLAINT. I ASKED FOR A DOCUMENT IN PRINT- A MANUAL- THAT GIVES ME THIS PARTICULAR "SPECIFICATION". SHE HAD ME ON HOLD FOR 15 MINUTES AND COULD NOT FIND SUCH DOCUMENTATION, I ASKED HER TO LOCATE IT AND INCLUDE IT IN MY LETTER OF RECORD THEY ARE SENDING ME. ''I SPOKE TO A DIFFERENT VW DEALER, HE SAID TO SPEAK TO THE "FACTORY FIELD REPRESENTATIVE" THE APOLLO DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT GIVE ME HIS NAME OR PHONE NUMBER AND TOLD ME TO CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE,-- THEY SAID THE FACTORY FIELD REP WOULD SUPPORT THE DEALER AND HAD NO CONTACT NUMBER FOR HIM EITHER. THEY ARE ALL IN BED TOGETHER. ''WHY THEN IS IT NOT WITHIN THE "SPECIFICATIONS" OF THE SAME MANUFACTURER BUT A DIFFERENT DEALER IN CALIFORNIA THAT ASSISTED MY SISTER? ''GROUP OF DOCUMENTATION (ITEM SET 6) ENCLOSED IS MY BRIEF INTERNET RESEARCH OF 4 SITES THAT INCLUDE 39 ENTRIES ON MESSAGE BOARD, LETTERS, COMPLAINTS TO THE SAME AS MINE WITH VERY POIGNANT AND DISTURBING RESPONSES FROM THE EXPERIENCED MECHANICS THAT MONITORED THE WEB SITE. "CONSIDER…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 15, 2007Engine and engine coolingODI 10185177

Showing 6 of 76 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Engine and engine cooling: engine

Free remedy

The Gates Corporation (Gates) is recalling certain aftermarket Tru-Flow Water Pumps, part number TFW 41127, sold at certain NAPA Auto Parts and/or installed by automotive service technicians after November 1, 2013 (and manufactured August 2013 through October 2013) that have a black-colored pulley/sprocket or do not have 'US9377' stamped on the water pump housing. These service replacement parts were sold for use in model year 1999-2005 Audi A4, 2000-2006 Audi TT, 1998-2005 Volkswagen Beetle, 1999-2006 Golf, 1999-2008 and 2011-2013 Volkswagen Jetta, and 2000-2005 Volkswagen Passat. In the affected water pumps, the pulley or sprocket that turns the timing belt may develop microfractures causing the timing belt to fail.

Engine and engine coolingReported Mar 7, 2014NHTSA 14E007000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 9, 2026

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