RoadVitals

2004 Volkswagen Jetta Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints 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 Jan 30, 2024
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
6%
of 231 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming brake

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Brakes
Filed Jan 30, 2024

A4 VW BEW TDI BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM HOSE updated part# 1J0 612 041 FD VW part numbers 1J0 612 041 N and 1J0 612 041 FD. These hose are known for cracking at the plastic tube causing low vacuum; poor / inconsistant braking performance. This could lead to crashes, injuries, and loss of life. These hoses were recalled in the UK, but not in USA for unknown reasons. Vaico is the oem supplier of these hoses, and were most likely fitted to all bew TDI m/t mk4 VW vehicles sold world wide.

NHTSA ID
11568707
Incident
Jan 2, 2024
BrakesEngine
Filed Aug 8, 2015

I PURCHASED MY CAR BACK IN OCTOBER 2013. WHEN I PURCHASED MY CAR, THE MECHANIC SAID THAT HE REPLACED THE ABS SYSTEM. THE LIGHTS WERE NOT ON WHEN I BOUGHT IT. A FEW MONTHS LATER, OUT OF THE BLUE IN ABOUT APRIL 2014, I WAS TURNING MY CAR ON AND THE ENGINE LIGHT, THE ABS LIGHT AND THE BRAKE LIGHT ALL CAME ON MOMENTARILY AFTER TURNING MY ENGINE ON AS I WAS STILL IN PARK. MY CAR HAD CLOSE TO 100,000 MILES ON IT. THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY AND SHORTLY CAME BACK A WEEK LATER. EVER SINCE, IT HAS BEEN ON. EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, ALL OF THE LIGHTS WOULD GO OFF. LUCKILY THE LIGHTS ALL WENT OFF FOR A FEW DAYS AROUND MY INSPECTION TIME FOR THE 2014 YEAR AND MY CAR PASSED. NOT EVEN THREE DAYS LATER THEY ALL CAME BACK ON. THIS TIME OCTOBER 2015 INSPECTION IS COMING UP AND MY LIGHTS ARE ALL ON. SINCE THE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, I CANNOT PASS INSPECTION. THE CODE READER SAYS IT IS A MISCOMMUNICATION ERROR, OR A U0121 ERROR. I HAVE DONE A LOT OF INVESTIGATION AND CLEANING UP THE MODULE AND THE CONTACTS, CLEARED THE CODES, AND MY PROBLEM IS STILL THERE.

NHTSA ID
10747218
Incident
Apr 29, 2013
Mileage
100,000 mi
BrakesOther / unspecified
Filed Jul 24, 2009

INTERMITTENTLY ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON - AT TIMES FOR MINUTES, OTHER TIMES HOURS, EVEN DAYS; THEN GOES OFF. AT TIMES IT GOES OFF WITH INTERVENTION AS DESCRIBED BELOW; OTHER TIMES BY ITSELF. AT TIMES THE ABS LIGHT TURNS ON JUST PRIOR TO BRAKING AT LOW SPEEDS/COASTING; OTHER TIMES IMMEDIATELY AFTER BRAKING, SOMETIMES ALONG WITH A NOISE AND BRAKE PEDAL SINKS SLIGHTLY UNDER MY FOOT PRIOR TO BRAKE BEING APPLIED. OTHER TIMES THE LIGHT COMES ON WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY OR CITY STREETS. SINCE 12/2006 HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND 2 OTHER REPAIR FACILITIES WITH ABS LIGHT ON, DIAGNOSTICS ALWAYS SHOW CODE 00283, LEFT FRONT SPEED SENSOR MALFUNCTION, AND SENSOR REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES. ABS CONTROL MODULE REPLACED 6/2009 AT SUGGESTION OF DEALER (REQUESTED OLD PART AND IN MY POSSESSION) TO REMEDY PROBLEM, BUT ABS LIGHT HAS COME ON AGAIN TWICE IN 7/2009. *TR

NHTSA ID
10278223
Incident
Dec 15, 2006
Mileage
48,180 mi
Brakes
Filed Mar 23, 2008

I AM WRITING THIS FOR MY GIRLFRIEND. SHE HAS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI (DIESEL). HER BRAKE PEDAL HAS BEEN GETTING HARD IN THE MORNINGS RESULTING IN DECREASED BRAKING. UPON EXAMINATION, I FOUND THAT A HARD VACUUM LINE FROM THE VACUUM PUMP TO THE BRAKE BOOSTER HAD A LARGE CRACK IN IT. I WENT ON THE INTERNET TO TDIFORUMS.COM AND DID A SEARCH ONLY TO FIND THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE PART IS AVAILABLE FROM THE DEALER, AND WILL COST ME ABOUT $60 TO REPLACE. THE DEALER ACTUALLY QUOTED HER $650 TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE BRAKE BOOSTER TO FIX THIS CONDITION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10222077
Incident
Mar 23, 2008
Mileage
100,000 mi
BrakesSuspension
Filed Oct 14, 2007

I WAS DRIVING HOME 50-55 MPH CLEAR NIGHT SMOOTH ROAD I HAD NOT NOTICED ANY SIGNS OF MY TIRE BEING LOW I HAVE VALVE CAPS THAT SHOW WHEN TIRE AIR PRESSURE IS LOW AND THEY ALL WERE GREEN THAN I HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND MY CAR PULLED TO THE LEFT I PULLED OVER AND NOTICED MY TIRE HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED AT THE SIDEWALL LEAVING ABOUT 2-3 INCHES OF TIRE ON THE RIM AND THE REST WAS IN ONE PIECE BARLEY SITTING ON THE RIM THE TIRE WAS MADE BY NANKANG TOURSPORT 611 DOT 109N OTHER NUMBERS I FOUND ON THE TIRE WERE 517 2306 Z2C, N-2570-3L XR611 RADIAL 195/65 R15 9IH M+S TUBELESS WHEN THE TIRE BLEW OUT AND THE TIRE SEPARATED IT TORE MY ABS SENSOR WIRE AND IM NOT SURE WHAT OTHER DAMAGE MY ALIGNMENT IS NOW OFF AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID
10205637
Incident
Oct 14, 2007
Mileage
52,376 mi
BrakesVisibility
Filed Oct 5, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT AND TURN SIGNALS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 06V183000, REGARDING THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. ADDITIONALLY, THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW GLASS STUCK WITHIN THE WINDOW RETAINER, AND WOULD NOT ROLL UP. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE WINDOW GLASS NEEDED RETAINER CLIPS INSTALLED. AFTERWARDS, THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.

NHTSA ID
10170026
Incident
May 30, 2006
Mileage
41,075 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 25, 2006

THERE IS A FAILURE WITH THE COMPUTER SYSTEM IN THE CAR CAUSING THE CAR TO BREAK EVEN THOUGH FOOT IS ON THE GAS PEDAL. THIS CAUSES THE CAR TO LOOSE SPEED AND I AM UNABLE TO MAKE THE CAR ACCELERATE UNTIL THE CAR IS PLACED IN A LOWER GEAR. VERY HAZARDOUS IN ATLANTA TRAFFIC. I HAVE SPOKEN TO A VW DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY HAVE AGREED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT WAITED TO MAKE NHTSA AWARE OF THE ISSUE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10163426
Incident
Jul 23, 2006
Brakes
Filed Feb 1, 2006
Crash reported

WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO THE PARKING LOT, I BRAKED BUT THE VEHICLE DIDN'T SLOW DOWN, AND I HIT A CONCRETE POLE. THE ONLY THING I HEARD WAS DRUMMING NOISE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO BRAKE HARD, BECAUSE IT KIND OF LOCKED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10149181
Incident
Jan 26, 2006
Mileage
14,575 mi
Brakes
Filed Feb 1, 2006

BRAKE LIGHT KEPT ON GOING ON INTERMITTENTLY CAUSING THE CAR TO STALL. *JB

NHTSA ID
10149180
Incident
Jun 14, 2005
Mileage
8,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Oct 7, 2005

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA GLI WITH 9200 MILES. APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK AFTER OWNING THE VEHICLE, A CLUNKING SOUND WAS COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR. THE CLUNKING NOISE HAS INCREASED IN SOUND LEVEL AND SENSITIVITY TO ROAD SURFACES SINCE THEN. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO BE SERVICED BY FLETCHER JONES CHICAGO VW AND WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE PAD IS LOOSENING IN THE CALIPER AND IS CAUSING THE CLUNKING SOUND. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY MY WARRANTY AS THEY SUGGESTED THE CAR WAS STILL DRIVABLE AND THE PROBLEM WAS LIKELY DUE TO WEAR ON THE PAD. AT THE TIME OF THE SERVICE DIAGNOSIS BY FLETCHER JONES, THE CAR HAD 10,173 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. PRIOR TO PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE, IT WAS FULLY INSPECTED BY A SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT HAS BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY FOR OVER TEN YEARS, AND WHOM I KNOW PERSONALLY. I WAS TOLD THIS VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES. FURTHERMORE, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT MAKING A CLUNKING SOUND WHEN I PURCHASED IT. RATHER, THE SOUND DEVELOPED OVER A WEEK AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. \I AM CONCERNED THAT THE PART WILL FAIL AND THAT VW IS NOT GOING TO FIX IT UNDER MY WARRANTY THAT IS STATED TO COVER SUCH THINGS FOR 4 YEARS/50,000 MILES, OR WHICH EVER ONE COMES FIRST. *JB

NHTSA ID
10139042
Incident
Sep 25, 2005
Mileage
10,050 mi
Brakes
Filed Dec 21, 2004

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE FRONT ROTORS NEED TO BE REPLACED. *JB *NM

NHTSA ID
10101587
Incident
Oct 26, 2004
Mileage
600 mi
Brakes
Filed Aug 25, 2004

RECIEVED THE CAR WITH 9 MILES THE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. AROUND 1,500 MILES (2 MONTHS OLD) THE CROME TRIM ON THE REAR PASSANGER DOOR CAME UP ON ITS OWN SCRATCHING THE FRONT PASSANGER DOOR AND TRIM. VW IS PAINTING THE DOOR AND REPLACING THE CROME UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

NHTSA ID
10088565
Incident
Jun 8, 2004
Brakes
Filed Apr 14, 2004
Crash reported

PARKED CAR ON RELATIVELY FLAT DRIVEWAY (MAYBE 3 DEGREE GRADE). DID NOT PUT CAR IN GEAR BUT DID ENGAGE THE PARKING BRAKE. ABOUT 15-20 MINUTES LATER, CAR WAS SEEN ROLLING DOWN/ACROSS THE DRIVEWAY AND OVER AN EMBANKMENT. IT CAME TO REST AGAINST A TREE AND INCURRED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE BODY.

NHTSA ID
10066168
Incident
Apr 11, 2004
Mileage
2,400 mi
BrakesEngine
Filed Mar 11, 2004

PURCHASED 2004 VW JETTA GLI ON 3/5/04 WITH DELIVERY ON 3/7/04. CAR HAD 41 MILES AT DELIVERY. BY MONDAY, 3/8/04 NOTICED BURNING SMELL ON DRIVER'S SIDE OF CAR WHILE SHIFITING BETWEEN 1ST & 3RD GEARS. ALSO NOTICED VIBRATION IN BRAKE PEDAL AT IDLE AND VIBRATION IN STEERING COLUMN WHILE BRAKING. COMPLAINED AT DEALERSHIP THAT CAR WAS FAILING WITH 181 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. SERVICE TECH TEST DROVE THE CAR WITH ME. COULD NOT IDENTIFY BURNING SMELL, BUT SUGGESTED I TRY DRIVING THE CAR WITHOUT THE SEAT HEATERS ON TO SEE IF IT MADE ANY DIFFERENCE (IT DIDN'T). DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE'D BE A CONNECTION BETWEEN RPM'S AND THE SEAT HEATERS. WILL HAVE TO GO GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO CARRY IN THE CAR AS A PRECAUTION, I SUPPOSE. MAJOR PROBLEM WAS THE VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL UPON BRAKING. TURNS OUT ALL 4 BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED (AT 181 MILES???). TECHNICIAN REPLACED ALL 4 BRAKE ROTORS AND FRONT BRAKE PADS. VIBRATION IN BRAKE PEDAL AT IDLE WAS EXPLAINED AS BRAKE VACUUM PUMP REGENERATING PRESSURE. SALES MANAGER I SPOKE WITH COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY I WAS UPSET SINCE THEY WERE WILLING TO FIX THE CAR.*AK

NHTSA ID
10061934
Incident
Mar 9, 2004
Mileage
181 mi

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.

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .