RoadVitals

1985 Volkswagen Jetta Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
13
Latest Jun 24, 2002
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jan 23, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 13 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1985 Volkswagen Jetta. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–13 of 13

Transmission
Filed Jun 24, 2002

YOU CANNOT TELL IF THE CAR IS IN FIRST GEAR OR REVERSE. THIS IS EXTREEMLY DANGEROUS.*AK

NHTSA ID
763390
Engine
Filed Jan 9, 2002

CONSUMER PUT ONE AND HALF QUARTS OF OIL INSIDE OF ENGINE, AND FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER, VEHICLE STARTED MAKING KNOCKING NOISE. HE HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO HIS HOUSE AND CHANGED THE OIL . *AK

NHTSA ID
8001894
Incident
Jan 7, 2001
Powertrain (other)Transmission
Filed Jun 9, 2000

I THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS JUST MY CLUTCH CABLE NEEDING REPLACED BUT IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE PEDALS WELD POINT. THE ODOMETER HAS NEVER WORKED SINCE I'VE OWNED THE CAR BUT NO ONE CAN TELL WHY IT DOESN'T WORK. NO GEARS ARE STICKING AND THE SPEEDOMETER WORKS FINE. QUESTION, I REPLACED THE HEATER CORE AND HAD THE FUEL PUMP PROBLEM ALSO; HOW CAN I GET REIMBERSED FOR THESE RECALLS ?

NHTSA ID
723783
Incident
May 1, 1995
Brakes
Filed Aug 18, 1998

BRAKE LINE RUSTED THROUGH AND SPRUNG A LEAK, RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID, CAUSING TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. THE DEALER ANS MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. AK

NHTSA ID
826867
Incident
Aug 16, 1998
ElectricalEngineTransmission
Filed Mar 31, 1998

ALTERNATOR/STARTER FAILED.

NHTSA ID
533448
Brakes
Filed Sep 17, 1997

BRAKES FAILED CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)

NHTSA ID
522184
Incident
Aug 10, 1997
Suspension
Filed Jun 10, 1996

SHAKE IN FRONT-END CONTINUAL NOISE DURING SHARP TURNS. *AK

NHTSA ID
985454
Incident
Jun 10, 1995
Brakes
Filed Jun 10, 1996

FRONT BRAKES MAKE A GRINDING NOISE. APPEARS TO BE EXCESSIVE BRAKE WEAR. *AK

NHTSA ID
985450
Incident
Jun 10, 1995
Body & structure
Filed Aug 16, 1995

ALL THE DOOR HANDLES OUTSIDE STICK . TT

NHTSA ID
970538
Transmission
Filed Jun 16, 1995

CLUTCH CABLE FAILED TWICE. *AK

NHTSA ID
485394
Incident
Jun 16, 1995
Interior & seatsSeat belts
Filed Feb 28, 1995
1 injury reported

SEAT BELT CAUSED SEPARATION OF STERNUM AND NERVE DAMAGE TO LEG DURING ACCIDENT. *AW

NHTSA ID
481519
Incident
Feb 28, 1995
Seat belts
Filed Feb 28, 1995
Crash reported1 injury reported

DRIVER'S SEAT BOLTS SHEARED OFF SEAT STRUCTION AND FLOOR DURING ACCIDENT, CAUSING DRIVER TO BE THROWN FORWARD AND BACK, RESULTING IN INJURY. SKD

NHTSA ID
481333
Incident
Feb 28, 1995
Visibility
Filed Jan 23, 1995

HEATER CORE RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED, NO REASON GIVEN (92V-050). *AK

NHTSA ID
959024
Incident
Mar 23, 1993

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .