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U.S. public vehicle records

2017 Volkswagen JETTA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

159 owner complaints analyzed

6 distinct recall campaigns

36,950 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2017 model year. Data snapshot: . 94 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 32 of 159 complaints (20.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Braking behavior2314.5%
Steering behavior1710.7%
Electrical and battery issues116.9%
Engine operation106.3%
Transmission and shifting95.7%
Fuel system concerns74.4%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine
32
Electrical System
30
Fuel/Propulsion System
29
Unknown Or Other
25
Air Bags
21
Power Train
15
Service Brakes
14
Steering
14
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine32
Electrical System30
Fuel/Propulsion System29
Unknown Or Other25
Air Bags21
Power Train15
Service Brakes14
Steering14

Engine: 32; Electrical System: 30; Fuel/Propulsion System: 29; Unknown Or Other: 25; Air Bags: 21; Power Train: 15; Service Brakes: 14; Steering: 14

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
36
25,000 to 49,999
22
50,000 to 74,999
21
75,000 to 99,999
10
100,000 to 149,999
4
150,000 and above
1
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00036
25,000 to 49,99922
50,000 to 74,99921
75,000 to 99,99910
100,000 to 149,9994
150,000 and above1

Under 25,000: 36; 25,000 to 49,999: 22; 50,000 to 74,999: 21; 75,000 to 99,999: 10; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 1

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (36). 65 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2017
8
2018
19
2019
25
2020
25
2021
20
2022
11
2023
13
2024
18
2025
17
2026
3
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20178
201819
201925
202025
202120
202211
202313
202418
202517
20263

2017: 8; 2018: 19; 2019: 25; 2020: 25; 2021: 20; 2022: 11; 2023: 13; 2024: 18; 2025: 17; 2026: 3

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 23 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 17 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 11 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 11060870 · 2018-01-06 (January 6, 2018)

2017 VW JETTA 1.4L GAS ENGINE JOLTS WHEN PRESSING OR DEPRESSING ACCELERATION PEDAL UNDER 20MI/H. BRAKES TO A SUDDEN STOP (NOT SMOOTH) WHEN BRINGING CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP.

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11060870 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11064284 · 2018-01-22 (January 22, 2018)

I NEEDED TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN FROM A STREET INTO A COMPLEX, WAS STILL MOVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25MPH AND WHEN I WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SLOWING OR STOPPING. AS I CONTINUED TRYING TO MAKE THE TURN, THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN UNTIL I HIT THE CURB AND LATER THE WALL WHERE I CAME TO A STOP.

Owner-reported narrative. 4,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11064284 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11052611 · 2017-12-05 (December 5, 2017)

WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IT CLICKS AS IF SOMETHING IS LOOSE. DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED AIRBAG AND CLOCK SPRING TWICE, STEERING WHEEL STILL CLICKS.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11052611 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11129514 · 2018-09-14 (September 14, 2018)

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE DRIVING CAR, LOCKED FOR 40 SECONDS WHILE TURNING TO RIGHT.

Owner-reported narrative. 21,145 miles reported. Look up ODI 11129514 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11094153 · 2018-05-16 (May 16, 2018)

I HAVVE BEEN HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES THE PAST THREE-FIVE MONTHS ON THIS VEHICLE TODAY WHEN IN A CAR ACCIDENT THE AIR BAG LIGHTS CAME ON BUT NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FIRE AND RESCUE SIAD THEY SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYEED. THE RADIO WOULD TURN ON AND OFF AND SOMETIMES THE HEAD LIGHTS WOULDNT TURN ON.

Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11094153 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11258267 · 2019-09-26 (September 26, 2019)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V615000 (STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED GARVEY VOLKSWAGEN OF QUEENSBURY (LOCATED AT 483 QUAKER RD, QUEENSBURY, NY 12804, [phone removed]) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED TIMEFRAME FOR WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11258267 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11018993 · 2017-08-22 (August 22, 2017)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY HAD A LOSS OF POWER, AND THE ENGINE, EPC, AND VARIOUS OTHER WARNING INDICATORS FLASHED. THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STALL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER SOME ATTEMPTS. THE DEALER (LONG ISLAND CITY VOLKSWAGEN, 5615 NORTHERN BLVD, WOODSIDE, NY 11377, [phone removed]) PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE AND INDICATED THAT FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS REQUIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAI…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11018993 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11019352 · 2017-08-24 (August 24, 2017)

MY CAR IS STALLING UPON STARTING INTERMITTENTLY FOR THE LAST 2 MONTHS. I HAVE READ SEVERAL PLACES ABOUT PEOPLE HAVING AN ISSUE OF HAVING CARS OF THIS YEAR STALLING WHILE DRIVING WHICH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I AM FEARFUL MY ISSUE COULD TURN INTO THIS. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALER AND IT IS NOT THROWING ANY CODES. THE DEALER DID SAY THEY HAD CARS COME IN WITH THE ISSUE OF THEM STALLING WHILE DRIVING AND THEY'VE REPLACED THE FUEL INJECTOR MODULE (A $900 REPAIR). I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED VW ABOUT THIS ISSUE WITH NO RESOLUTION. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11019352 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11149807 · 2018-11-06 (November 6, 2018)

UPON PLACING IN REVERSE, THE ENGINE BOGS DOWN, LOWERING THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE AND CAUSES A BAD VIBRATION. SHIFTING INTO ANY OTHER GEAR FROM REVERSE CAUSES A HARD JERKING MOTION AS IF IT HAS TROUBLE RELEASING FROM REVERSE GEAR. THIS IS WORSE UPON JUST STARTING THE VEHICLE, OR STARTING AND STOPPING FOR SEVERAL TRIPS IN ONE DAY.

Owner-reported narrative. 18,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 11149807 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11193447 · 2019-04-02 (April 2, 2019)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO PUSH THE START BUTTON AND SHIFT INTO PARK TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY FOUR TIMES IN ONE MONTH AND WAS WORSENING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VOLKSWAGEN VAN NUYS (6115 VAN NUYS BLVD, VAN NUYS, CA 91401) WHERE IT WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSTIC …

Owner-reported narrative. 8,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 11193447 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11195511 · 2019-04-10 (April 10, 2019)

ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 65-75MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WITH 1/4 TO 1/2 FULL TANK OF GAS, MY CAR BEGAN TO STUTTER/HESITATE. IMMEDIATELY THE "EPC" LIGHT CAME ON WITH THE CHECK ENGINE SYMBOL, BLINKING. ALL POWER TO THE ACCELERATOR CEASED. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER ON EACH INSTANCE, TURNED THE CAR OFF AND WAITED 2-5 MINUTES. AFTER WAITING, I SUCCESSFULLY RE-STARTED THE CAR EACH TIME, WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINING ON. AFTER THE FIRST INSTANCE, I DROVE <40MPH TO A VOLKSWAGEN DEALER AND LEFT MY CAR TO BE INSPECTED. THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 10,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11195511 at NHTSA ↗