Problems · by component
2009 Volkswagen Jetta engine and engine cooling problems
72 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta cite engine and engine cooling, 8% of all 905 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
72
8% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the engine and engine cooling
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT NOTICED A FUEL ODOR FROM THE TRUNK AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE EXHAUST FLAP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE BACK FROM THE DEALER, THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS DUE TO THE ENGINE EXHAUST FLAP FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.”
“WHILE DRIVING ON A 3 LANE ROAD MY VEHICLE LOST POWER AND SHOWED A WARNING MESSAGE OF "ENGINE FAULT". IT HAD ABOUT 50% POWER FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS AND DIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO VW DEALER AND THEY REPORT THAT IT WAS THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE WITH COMPLETE FUEL SYSTEM CONTAMINATION. *TR”
“CAR STALLED AGAIN AFTER NEW EXHAUSTED FLAP WAS INSTALLED (1KO-253-691-E ) . AS PER OTHER OLDER COMPLAINT ODI # 10476791.VW PAID $646 FOR NEW PART BUT REFUSED TO PAY LABOR $183.93. NOW ON THE NEW EXHAUST FLAPPER THEY GAVE ME A NEW PART FREE,BUT IT COST ME $529.63 FOR NEW SENSORS ALONG WITH LABOR FOR THE INSTALL. PER THE AUTO SHOP THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES IN THIS PART . THE CUSTOMER IS ENGINEERING THIS PART FOR VW. *TR”
“CAR STALLED 5 TIMES OVER A TWO DAY PERIOD DUEL TO A FAILURE OF THE FUEL PUMP. DASH BOARD WARNING SAID "ENGINE FAULT WORKSHOP" AND GLOW PLUG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. OWNER MANUAL SAID TO BRING INTO SHOP SOON. DEALERSHIP FOUND METAL SHAVINGS THROUGHOUT THE FUEL SYSTEM THAT WAS CAUSED BY A FAILED HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. THE WARNING LIGHTS FIRST CAME ON WHEN THEIR WAS A NEAR EMPTY CONDITION IN THE FUEL TANK. I HAVE HEARD THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS WHEN FUEL IS LOW. COST FOR REPAIR WOULD HAVE BEEN AROUND $6000, BUT VW WARRANTY COVERED THIS. IF THIS STALL HAD HAPPENED ON THE INTERSTATE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS. AS IT WAS I HAD A POLICE CAR PUSH ME OUT OF AN INTERSECTION DURING RUSH HOUR TO A SAFE SPOT.”
“I WAS ON THE EXIT RAMP OF THE INTERSTATE AND THE GO TO WORKSHOP WARNING CAME ON ALONG WITH THE GLOW PLUG WARNING LIGHT. VEHICLE LOST POWER, I WAS ABLE TO GET TO A SIDE STREET AND TURNED OFF VEHICLE, IT RESTARTED AND SEEMED FINE DROVE ABOUT 2 MILES AND STOPPED FOR A LIGHT, CAR STALLED AND WARNING LIGHTS CAME BACK ON. CAR DID NOT RESTART HAD PUSH TO SIDE OF ROAD AND TOW HOME. TOWED TO DEALER FIRST OF WEEK. FOUND TO BE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILURE OF THE DIESEL ENGINE. THIS IS THE SECOND ONE TO GO BAD FIRST ONE AT 135380 MILES AND NOW AT 228605 MILES ONLY 93225 MILES ON REPAIR JOB. VW REPAIRED THE FIRST ONE, REPLACED ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM AT NO CHARGE, DO TO FAULTY HPFP. EVEN THOUGH THIS PUMP HAS LESS MILES THEY WILL NOT HELP WITH REPAIR COST. BOTH TIMES CAR DIED AT A MAJOR INTERSECTION AND HAD TO BE PUSHED TO SIDE OF ROAD. *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE MALFUNCTION ENGINE WARNING LIGHT FLASHED ON THE DASHBOARD AS THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO METAL FLAKES ENTERING THE FUEL SYSTEM WHEN THE FUEL PUMP MALFUNCTIONED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,986. UPDATED 11/14/12*LJ UPDATED 11/15/12”
Showing 6 of 72 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.