Your vehicle report
2016 Volkswagen Jetta
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 161
- Received Dec 2015 to Aug 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Ignition key sticks or will not turn23 complaints · 14% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Unintended acceleration despite braking13 complaints · 8.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline11 complaints · 6.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #20V648000Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Jetta vehicles. The fuel rail bolts may become loose over time, allowing fuel to leak.
- Recall #19V615000Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2019 GTI, 2015-2016 and 2018-2019 Golf, 2012-2019 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2017-2019 Golf SportWagen and 2011-2018 Jetta vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, manual handbrake and keyless entry. A build-up of silicate on the shift lever micro switch contacts may enable the key to be removed from the ignition when the transmission shift lever is not in "Park."
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 18 crashes, 5 fires, 14 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 16 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
- Ignition key sticks or will not turn
- Vehicle catches fire from wiring
- Horn fails with airbag warning light
1 more problem
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 14 |
| 2018 | 17 |
| 2019 | 31 |
| 2020 | 24 |
| 2021 | 19 |
| 2022 | 11 |
| 2023 | 16 |
| 2024 | 9 |
| 2025 | 8 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 4 |
| Total | 161 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 23 | 14% | – | NHTSA recall #19V615000 |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 13 | 8.1% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 11 | 6.8% | – | NHTSA recall #20V648000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 9 | 5.6% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 4 | 2.5% | – | |
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 4 | 2.5% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 4 | 2.5% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 4 | 2.5% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 4 | 2.5% | – | |
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 3 | 1.9% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 3 | 1.9% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 3 | 1.9% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 3 | 1.9% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 3 | 1.9% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 3 | 1.9% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 3 | 1.9% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #20V648000October 21, 2020218,192 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system: fuel rail
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Jetta vehicles. The fuel rail bolts may become loose over time, allowing fuel to leak.
A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rail bolts and, as necessary, the fuel rail. The recall began March 31, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24Gi.
NHTSA recall #19V615000August 22, 2019679,027 vehicles affected
electrical system: ignition: anti-theft: control module; steering: column locking: anti-theft device
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2019 GTI, 2015-2016 and 2018-2019 Golf, 2012-2019 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2017-2019 Golf SportWagen and 2011-2018 Jetta vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, manual handbrake and keyless entry. A build-up of silicate on the shift lever micro switch contacts may enable the key to be removed from the ignition when the transmission shift lever is not in "Park."
Removing the key while the shift lever is in a position other than "Park" increases the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.
Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional switch and circuit board, free of charge. The recall began November 19, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 37M2.
NHTSA recall #16V403000June 6, 201655 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system: fuel rail
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2016 Jetta vehicles manufactured October 31, 2015, to January 21, 2016, 2016 Passat vehicles, equipped with 1.8T engines manufactured November 13, 2015, to December 9, 2015, and 2016 Golf vehicles manufactured November 5, 2015, to November 11, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the fuel rail may detach from the cylinder head and result in a fuel leak.
A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, can result in a vehicle fire.
Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the cylinder heads, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 15F7.
NHTSA recall #15V705000October 26, 201591,867 vehicles affected
engine and engine cooling: engine; service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Jetta, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Passat, Golf and Golf SportWagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the camshaft lobe that drives the brake vacuum pump may shear off, resulting in a loss of brake assist.
If the camshaft lobe shears off there would be a loss of brake assist, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Volkswagen dealer will update the engine control module (ECM) software. The recall began March 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23R1.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2016 Volkswagen Jetta.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN