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.
14
Latest Sep 27, 2010
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 25, 1996
What this page shows
Our database holds 14 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1986 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 1–14 of 14
Visibility
Filed Sep 27, 2010
1 injury reported
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1986 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN HE NOTICED ANTIFREEZE ABNORMALLY LEAKING ONTO HER FOOT. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BURNS TO HER FOOT AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE HEATER CORE HAD FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE ANTI-FREEZE TO LEAK ONTO THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT DID NOT CALL THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,869.
NHTSA ID
10357943
Incident
Sep 27, 2010
Mileage
97,869 mi
Fuel systemVisibility
Filed Jul 10, 2002
THERE IS A WEAK MELTED SEAL IN THE FUEL BOX WHICH IS LEAKING. *JG THE HEATER CORE WAS RECALLED. RECALL# 87V053000 *SCC
NHTSA ID
786201
Fuel system
Filed Dec 26, 2001
I FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FUEL PUMP LOCATED INSIDE THE FUEL TANK. DURING LONG IDLING MY FUEL PUMP MAKES ALOT OF NOISE THEN SHUTS DOWN. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND THE MANUFACTURE STATED THERE WAS NO RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE. ITS AMAZING THAT I HAVE PUT UP WITH THIS FOR THIS LONG. I SPENT MANY HARD EARN DOLLARS TO TRY TO FIGURE THIS PROBLEM OUT AND STILL HASN'T BEEN FIXED BECAUSE NOONE COULD FIGURE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. WAS THERE A RECALL ON THIS PART AND DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE . THANK YOU. *AK
NHTSA ID
756063
Incident
Aug 10, 1990
Fuel system
Filed Jun 28, 2000
VEHICLE SPUTTERS AND THEN STALLS WHILE IDLING AND IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. WORSE DURING HIGH TEMPERATURES. WILL NOT RESTART FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES. FUEL PUMP MAKES WHINING NOISES.
NHTSA ID
724727
Incident
Jul 21, 1993
Body & structure
Filed Jan 12, 2000
A SUDDEN FAILURE FROM THE FRACTURE OF THE METAL HOLDING THE PART OF THE K-FRAME WHICH HOLDS THE LOWER LEFT FRONT SUSPENSION MEMBER, STEERING CONTROL BECAME SUDDENLY VERRY SLOPPY, NEARLY RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH ADJOINING TRAFFIC. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE SECOND FALURE OF THIS MEMBER ON THIS VEHICLE. THE DEALER WANTED TO SELL ME PARTS AND LABOR BUT WAS OTHERWISE NOT INTERESTED. IT SEEMED WHEN I WAS INQUIRING ABOUT PARTS AVAILABILITY THAT THIS MAY NOT BE AN UNCOMMON FAILURE TO OCCURR ON THIS VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ID
717266
Incident
Dec 24, 1999
Fuel system
Filed Nov 9, 1999
WHEN TURNING THE IGNITION ON CAR DID NOT START UP. THIS WAS DUE TO A FAULTY FUEL PUMP. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ID
852728
Visibility
Filed Oct 7, 1997
CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON THE HEATER CORE. THE DEALER HAD TO REMOVE THE AIR DUCT SEALS. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE OWNER THAT THE SEALS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED . DEALER HAD TO REMOVE SEALS IN ORDER TO REPAIR THE RECALL. DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE THE SEALS UNLESS THE OWNER PAYS FOR THEM. *AK
NHTSA ID
816957
Incident
Oct 6, 1997
Electrical
Filed Jul 8, 1997
STARTER FAILED.
NHTSA ID
519190
Airbags
Filed Jul 2, 1997
Crash reported1 injury reported
VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S AIR BAG DURING A COLLISION RESULTED IN MULTIPLE CUTS/BURNS/CONCUSSION. *AK
NHTSA ID
603375
Brakes
Filed Apr 10, 1997
THE INNER PADS ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT BOTH SEPARATED COMPLETELY FROM THE BACK PLATES AND PUSHED DOWN IN THE CALIPER, RUBBING AGAINST THE ROTOR.
NHTSA ID
516357
Fuel system
Filed Aug 13, 1996
FUEL PUMPS FAILED TWICE.
NHTSA ID
507438
Incident
Aug 13, 1996
Body & structure
Filed Mar 4, 1996
FAILURE ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AND REAR DOOR HANDLES, DOOR HANDLES ARE BROKEN OFF CAN NOT GET INTO THE VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ID
980242
Incident
Feb 29, 1996
Body & structure
Filed Mar 4, 1996
FAILURE ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AND REAR DOOR HANDLES, DOOR HANDLES ARE BROKEN OFF CAN NOT GET INTO THE VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ID
980079
Incident
Feb 29, 1996
Transmission
Filed Jan 25, 1996
MANUAL TRANSMISSION CLUTCH PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR, UNABLE TO ENGAGE IN FORWARD GEARS. TT
NHTSA ID
978213
Incident
Jan 22, 1996
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.