RoadVitals

1987 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.
18
Latest Nov 15, 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.
2
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 Apr 5, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 18 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1987 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 1–18 of 18

Engine
Filed Nov 15, 2002

OXYGEN SENSOR NEEDED ON A 5-SPEED JETTA WITH GASOLINE ENGINE.-----DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS-------769740. *AK

NHTSA ID
10008555
Fuel system
Filed Sep 17, 2001

FUEL PUMP INSIDE OF GAS TANK GETS HOT IT AND QUITS. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED RECALL ON FUEL PUMP PROBLEM AND REPAIR WAS DONE. *YH

NHTSA ID
896401
Incident
Jun 1, 2001
EngineVisibility
Filed Feb 27, 2001
1 injury reported

WHILE CONSUMER WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND TIRED TO STEP ON GAS TO GO, RADIATOR EXPLODED, AND THROUGH RADIATOR WATER ENTERED INTO VEHICLE BURNING PASSENGER, AND FLOODING VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT PART OF RECALL NUMBER 92V050000.*AK

NHTSA ID
881629
Visibility
Filed Feb 24, 2001
1 injury reported

CONSUMER STATES THE HEATER CORE EXPLODED WHILE SITTING IN A DRIVE-THRU, ANTIFREEZE LEAKED THROUGH THE VENTS AND RADIO COMPARTMENT ONTO THE FLOOR WITH PASSENGERS IN VEHICLE, ONE PERSON WAS BURNT WITH RADIATOR FLUID, RADIO SHORTED. *SLC

NHTSA ID
785316
Incident
Feb 24, 2001
SteeringSuspension
Filed Jan 8, 2001
Crash reported

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 45 MPH, LOWER BALL JOINT BROKE, WHEEL CAME OFF, TIE ROD SNAPPED IN HALF, VEHICLE ROLLED 3 OR 4 TIMES. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *AK

NHTSA ID
877632
Incident
Jan 2, 2000
Body & structure
Filed Aug 30, 1999

THE DOOR LATCH MECHANISMS FREQUENTLY STICK, AND EVENTUALLY BREAK, ESPECIALLY WHEN EXPOSED TO COLD WEATHER. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET INTO THE CAR FROM THE OUTSIDE, THOUGH THE INTERIOR MECHANISMS FOR THE DOOR LATCHES USUALLY WORK WELL.

NHTSA ID
710698
Incident
Jul 30, 1999
Electrical
Filed Jul 4, 1999

POWER WENT OFF/ LIGHTS/ENGINE FAILED AT 65 MPH ON HWY FOR ABOUT 2 SECONDS. THEN CAME BACK ON AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED. NEVER DID IT SINCE. NOT SURE WHAT FAILED, BUT IT WAS SCARY. *AK

NHTSA ID
708213
Incident
Feb 6, 1998
Suspension
Filed Mar 12, 1999

WHILE BACKING UP THE VEHICLE ON A HILL AREA THE LOWER CONTROL ARM CRACKED AT ONE POINT, CAUSING THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL TO MOVE AROUND FREELY. VOLKSWAGEN DOES NOT HAVE ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS INCIDENT. THE OWNER CORRECTED THE PROBLEM HIMSELF. *AK

NHTSA ID
835800
Incident
Nov 11, 1998
Brakes
Filed Jul 9, 1998

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL GOES MOST OF THE WAY DOWN AND THE VEHICLE DOES NOT STOP UNTIL IT IS PRESSED FOR THE SECOND TIME. MECHANIC SAID NOTHING IS WRONG WITH IT. *AK

NHTSA ID
825246
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 6, 1997

DRIVING 25MPH VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 45MPH APPLIED THE BRAKES WITH BOTH FEET AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. IN ORDER TO STOP, THE GEARS WERE SWITCHED SEVERAL TIMES AND THEN TOOK THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.

NHTSA ID
812835
Incident
Jun 5, 1997
Interior & seats
Filed Apr 18, 1997

WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO FALL BACKWARDS. *AK

NHTSA ID
811257
Engine
Filed Jan 1, 1996

BRACKET HOLDING ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION TOGETHER BROKE, DUE TO BEING MADE OF ALUMINUM, CAUSING FAILURE OF VEHICLES FINAL DRIVE. *DSH

NHTSA ID
500550
Incident
Mar 3, 1995
Fuel system
Filed Nov 30, 1995

THE FUEL SYSTEM HAS A VAPOR FORMING WHICH HAPPENS IN HOT WEATHER OR HEAVY TRAFFIC AND CAUSES THE CAR TO SHUT OFF. TT CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 87V053 REGARDING A FAULTY FUEL PUMP, OVER THE YEARS AFTER REPAIR, VEHICLE EXPERIENCED HESITATION AND STALLING IN HOT CONDITIONS OR HEAVY TRAFFIC, CONSUMER STATES PRIOR TO HESITATION OR STALLING, FUEL PUMP WOULD MAKE A HUMMING NOISE. *SLC

NHTSA ID
975769
Incident
Aug 19, 1995
Visibility
Filed Sep 29, 1995

WINDSHIELD HAS BECOME PITTED, CAUSING DIFFICULTY TO SEE THE ROAD. TT

NHTSA ID
972726
Incident
Sep 29, 1995
Seat belts
Filed Jun 9, 1995

SHOULDER BELT WILL STICK IN COLD WEATHER. DRIVER STATES MUST RIDE WITHOUT BELT UNTIL VEHICLE WARMS. TT

NHTSA ID
966583
Visibility
Filed May 3, 1995
1 injury reported

HEATER CORE BURST, CAUSING INJURY. *TW

NHTSA ID
489225
Incident
Sep 1, 1991
Electrical
Filed Apr 19, 1995
Fire reported

ELECTRICAL FIRE, ORIGINATING AT FUSE BOX AND PRECEDED BY A CLICKING NOISE. *TW

NHTSA ID
489330
Incident
Mar 2, 1995
Seat belts
Filed Apr 5, 1995

PASSENGERS SEATBELT LOCKS UP IN ITS POSITION, SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT PULL OUT SO THAT PASSENGER CANNOT SLIP IT ON, ALSO WHEN LOCKED, IT RESTRICTS MOVEMENT. *AK

NHTSA ID
963314
Incident
Apr 5, 1994

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 .