Problems · by component
2010 Volkswagen Jetta engine and engine cooling problems
71 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2010 Volkswagen Jetta cite engine and engine cooling, 8% of all 875 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
71
8% of all complaints
Crashes
1
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 2010 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT PREVIOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT NEEDED TO BE RESET. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,208. UPDATED 4/30/15*CN UPDATED 05/05/15”
“BOTH EXHAUST PRESSURE SENSORS MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING VEHICLE INDICATOR LAMP TO ILLUMINATE AND FAILED EMISSIONS TEST. QUOTED $595.00 FOR REPAIR WORK, AFTER REPAIRS VEHICLE STILL WILL NOT PASS EMISSIONS TEST. *TR”
“HAD DRIVEN JUST A FEW MILES AND WAS COMING UP TO A STOP AT A MAJOR INTERSECTION IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. GLOW PLUG LIGHT LIT FOR A SECOND AND ENGINE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED. ENGINE WOULD CRANK, BUT WOULD NOT START. HAVE BEEN TOLD THE PROBLEM IS THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. I DRIVE LONG DISTANCE IN THIS CAR AT ALL TIMES OF DAY. THE CAR DIED IMMEDIATELY, LEAVING ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. VERY DANGEROUS. *TR”
“7/6/13 AC NOT WORKING AT ALL. ALL MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE AC-COMPRESSOR AND DRIER- WERE REPLACED 7/18/2013 BY VW. AC WORKED FINE FOR REST OF 2013 SEASON. MAY 2014 DELAYED/INTERMITTENT COOLING IN LAS VEGAS, NV. 6/18/14 TOOK TO VW IN HENDERSON, NV AND TOLD THAT THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE SYSTEM. WARRANTY IS 12 MONTHS/12K- 16+K MILES PUT ON CAR BY THE TIME I TOOK IT TO VW IN 6/14-THEREFORE NO WARRANTY. VW RECHARGED SYSTEM AND COOL/COLD AIR BLOWING WHEN TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE IS UNDER 105 DEGREES. WHEN OUTSIDE TEMP IS 105+DEGREES- AC CUTS IN AND OUT-2 MIN ON/10 OFF/REPEAT. TOOK IT TO VW SERVICE FOR AC DIAGNOSTIC ON THURS 8/7/14 AT 10AM AND GOT THE CAR BACK 8/8/14 AT 4PM. VW SAYING THAT THE WHOLE AC UNIT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED-AC COMPRESSOR, DRIER, CONDENSER, RECEIVER, ACCUMULATOR. VW OF AMERICA WAS CONTACTED AND REGIONAL MANAGER WILL NOT ASSIST WITH COST OF REPAIR-$2300. REASON: THE CAR HAS 93K MILES ON IT. AN AC SYSTEM SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 3 1/2 YEARS (CAR BOUGHT 12/09) AND THEN WHEN MAJOR COMPONENTS REPLACED-AC COMPRESSOR- THEY SHOULD LAST LONGER THAT 10 MONTHS REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY MILES WAS PUT ON THE VEHICLE. THE AC IN THE VW CARS HAVE A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE…”
“I HAD WHAT APPEARS TO BE A FUEL SYSTEM FAILURE. I WAS TURNING LEFT AFTER STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT. I WAS TRAVELING AT @20 MPH. 100 YARDS DOWN THE BLOCK, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AS DID THE DIESEL COIL ICON. THE CAR WAS DEAD INSTANTLY. THERE WAS NO WARNING, NO GRADUAL FAILURE, NO TIME TO GET OUT OF THE STREET. PLEASE NOTE, I HAD MY VEHICLE REGULARLY SERVICED AT THE VW DEALERSHIP, INCLUDING INSTALLING THE FUEL INTAKE COUPLING THAT WAS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL ABOUT A YEAR AGO. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THERE WAS SOME BAD DIESEL GOING AROUND IN THE COUNTY WHERE I LIVE, BUT WHEN PRESSED ADMITTED THE BAD FUEL HAD NOT BEEN TRACED TO ANY PARTICULAR BRAND, BUT HAD APPEARED RANDOMLY. HE DID SAY THAT MY ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM WOULD BE REPLACED ON VW'S DIME, EVEN THOUGH I AM LONG OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THAT IT COULD TAKE 2 DAYS TO A WEEK TO PERFORM THE SERVICE. THERE IS NOTHING ON VW'S WEBSITE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, NOR ARE THERE REPORTS OF BAD DIESEL FUEL IN THE COUNTY. THE BLOGOSPHERE HAS REPORTS OF PROBLEMS IN THE DESIGN OF THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP THAT CAUSES IT TO BREAK DOWN AND SHED BITS OF METAL THROUGHOUT THE FUEL SYSTEM. I AM VERY LUCKY THAT…”
“VEHICLE STALED OUT WITH COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER, WOULD NOT RESTART. HAD CAR TOWED TO VW DEALER, AND IT TOOK 8 DAYS FOR THEM TO FIX. THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILED AND CONTAMINATED THE WHOLE SYSTEM. IT WAS COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY BUT I WAS LUCKY I WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY. IF THE 2010 JETTA WASN'T UNDER WARRANTY IT WOULD HAVE COST $4660.22 TO FIX IT.”
Showing 6 of 71 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.