Avg. Price Paid:$9,224 - $12,057
Original MSRP: $16,990 - $22,900
MPG: 21 City / 29 Hwy
Search Used Listings:

Volkswagen Jetta Recalls & Reliability

These scores and this review are from when the car was new.

Scorecard

Overall: 2008 Volkswagen Jetta U.S. News Best Cars 8.2
Critics' Rating: 8.4
Performance: 8.0
Interior: 8.5
Safety: 8.7
Reliability:
How we calculate scores
Research analyzed for this review

Pros & Cons

  • Solid interior quality for an affordable, compact car
  • Extensive safety features
  • Highly praised for its ride and handling
  • Styling not as distinctive as earlier models.

Research Other Years

Review Last Updated: 2/19/09

Recalls

There have been 3 safety recalls issued from NHTSA.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGSRecall Date: 12/14/2010
  • Consequence: IF CHAFING OCCURS, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A FUEL LEAK TO DEVELOP. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
  • NHTSA Campaign ID: 10V621000
  • Potential Number of Units Affected: 377,286
  • Summary: VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2010 JETTA, NEW BEETLE, NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE, MODEL YEAR 2009 JETTA SPORTWAGEN AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 RABBIT VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L ENGINES. THE JETTA, JETTA SPORTWAGEN, AND RABBIT VEHICLES MAY HAVE A SMALL PLASTIC TAB LOCATED ON THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR THAT MAY CHAFE AGAINST AN UNDERHOOD FUEL SUPPLY LINE. THE NEW BEETLE AND THE NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A FASTENING CLAMP ON A HYDRAULIC HOSE OF THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM THAT MAY BE LOCATED IN AN IMPROPER POSITION WHICH COULD CAUSE CHAFING AGAINST AN UNDERHOOD FUEL SUPPLY LINE.
  • Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE THE UNDERHOOD FUEL LINE. ADDITIONALLY, DEPENDING ON THE VEHICLE MODEL, DEALERS WILL EITHER REMOVE THE PLASTIC TAB FROM THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR, OR INSPECT THE POSITION OF THE FASTENING CLAMP AND ADJUST THE RELATED FASTENING CLAMP INTO THE CORRECT POSITION. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 31, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.
  • Notes: VOLKSWAGEN SAFETY RECALL NO. 20I4/U1. OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFTRecall Date: 05/13/2009
  • Consequence: IF THE VEHICLE IS MOVING WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE DETACHED DRIVESHAFT COULD CAUSE DAMAGE THE GEARBOX HOUSING. A DAMAGE GEARBOX HOUSING COULD LEAK GEARBOX OIL ONTO THE STREET AND CREATE A RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH FOR BOTH THE DRIVER AND OTHER MOTORISTS.
  • NHTSA Campaign ID: 09V164000
  • Potential Number of Units Affected: 25594
  • Summary: VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING 25,594 MY 2006-2009 JETTA 5TH GENERATION EQUIPPED WITH 2.01 ENGINE. THE FASTENING SCREW CONTACT SURFACES ON THE DRIVESHAFT COVER PLATE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED TO FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS. SOME SCREWS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TORQUED PROPERLY DURING ASSEMBLY AND COULD LOOSEN OVER TIME, CAUSING A KNOCKING SOUND WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THE DRIVESHAFT SCREWS COULD LOOSEN TO THE POINT WHERE THE DRIVESHAFT DETACHES FROM THE GEARBOX.
  • Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DRIVESHAFT SCREWS AND REPLACE THE SCREWS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JUNE 19, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.
  • Notes: VOLKSWAGEN RECALL NO. 40J2/S4. OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTSRecall Date: 09/17/2007
  • Consequence: INAPPROPRIATE, NON-STANDARD LIGHTING COULD REDUCE VISIBILITY OF VEHICLES AND INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH.
  • NHTSA Campaign ID: 07V442000
  • Potential Number of Units Affected: 340000
  • Summary: CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." SOME VEHICLES MAY NOT HAVE HAD A REQUIRED CAP INSTALLED WHICH DISABLES THE HEADLIGHT HORIZONTAL AIM AND SOME VEHICLES MAY CONTAIN A CAP THAT DISABLES THE VERTICAL AIMING SCREW.
  • Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR THE PRESENCE OF A CAP IN THE SOCKET OF THE LOW BEAM HORIZONTAL AIMING SCREW AND INSTALL ONE IF MISSING, AND INSPECT FOR THE PRESENCE OF A CAP IN THE SOCKET OF THE VERTICAL AIMING SCREW AND IF PRESENT, THE CAP WILL BE REMOVED. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT OCTOBER 31, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987.
  • Notes: VOLKSWAGEN RECALL NO. Q8. CUSTOMERS MAY CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

Reliability

Our reliability score is based on the J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) rating or, if unavailable, the J.D. Power Predicted Reliability rating.

Dependability Ratings1 2008
Overall Dependability
Powertrain Dependability
Feature & Accessory Dependability
Body & Interior Dependability

1These scores come from consumer ratings of their vehicles after three years of ownership.

  • Key:
  • Among The Best
  • Better Than Most
  • About Average
  • The Rest

J.D. Power and Associates Power Circle Ratings do not include all information used to determine J.D. Power and Associates awards. See JDPower.com for more information on Power Circle Ratings. Your experience may vary.

All information provided by J.D. Power and Associates is proprietary information owned by J.D. Power and Associates and is protected by U.S. and international copyright law and conventions. Reproduction of this information, in whole or in part, by any means is prohibited without the express written consent of J.D. Power and Associates, other than printing copies of the J.D. Power and Associates content by site visitors for their personal use. J.D. Power and Associates® is a registered trademark of J.D. Power and Associates.

Warranty

The 2008 Jetta is covered by a four-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, with powertrain coverage for the first five years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. The 2009 Jetta has a three-year or 36,000-mile basic warranty. Click here for more information on the new warranty program.

 

Next Steps: Volkswagen Jetta