Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Volkswagen Jetta, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine33
- Electrical system33
- Fuel/propulsion system30
- Unknown or other25
- Air bags21
- Power train15
- Service brakes14
- Steering14
- Fuel system, gasoline12
- Vehicle speed control7
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 9 injuries and 1 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 82 2017 Jetta vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 40 people died inside them, and 6 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2017 Volkswagen Jetta failed the safety check 2.35% of the time — 31% more often than the average 2017 passenger car (1.79%). Median odometer at inspection: 66,634 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2017
6,538 new Volkswagen Jetta cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2017; the largest markets were Romania (1,739), Poland (1,217), Ireland (990).
- Average mass
- 1,377 kg
- Average CO₂
- 113 g/km (NEDC)
- Average power
- 97 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Diesel 52% · Petrol 48%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
In the United Kingdom
384 cars built in 2017 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 8 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 352 of these cars first registered in 2017 took their annual MOT test. 75% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2017 the figure was 82%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2017 |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 12.5% | 3.1% |
| Tyres | 6.0% | 5.7% |
| Brakes | 5.1% | 3.6% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 4.5% | 4.7% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 2.6% | 1.4% |
| Visibility | 1.7% | 3.5% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
291 of these cars first registered in 2017 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 122,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
2 2017 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 1 variant; 1 of 1 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 Volkswagen Jetta 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | 11.1 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Optional
- Lane departure warning
- No
- Best overall rating
- 5 / 5
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 5 variants: combined 7.2–8.9 L/100 km (about 26–33 mpg US), CO₂ 168–208 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jetta · Compact · Regular gasoline | 8.3 | 5.9 | 7.2 |
| Jetta · Compact · Regular gasoline | 8.5 | 6.2 | 7.4 |
| Jetta · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.4 | 6.8 | 8.2 |
| Jetta · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.8 | 7.4 | 8.7 |
| Jetta · Compact · Regular gasoline | 10.2 | 7.2 | 8.9 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
6 Transport Canada recalls for the 2017 Volkswagen Jetta.
| 2020502 21 Oct 2020 | Fuel System Issue: On certain vehicles, the fuel rail bolts could become loose over time. If this happens, there could be a fuel odour or fuel leak in the engine compartm… |
| 2020353 4 Aug 2020 | Label Issue: On certain vehicles, the warning label for the engine block heater cable is written in English only. As a result, a French user may not receive importa… |
| 2019423 22 Aug 2019 | Powertrain Issue: On certain vehicles, a build-up of silicate on the shift lever switch could cause the transmission to detect that it is in the Park position when it is… |
| 2017112 2 Mar 2017 | Label Certain vehicles may not comply with Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations. The tire information label may have incorrect vehicle load rating values. This c… |
| 2017111 2 Mar 2017 | Label Certain vehicles may not comply with Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations. The tire information label may have incorrect vehicle load rating values. This c… |
| 2017052 3 Feb 2017 | Engine On certain vehicles, improper casting of the engine block may cause the engine to seize/lock up. A seizing engine may lead to a loss of vehicle control, increas… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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."
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Jetta vehicles. The affected vehicles have Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) markings on the body that do not match the VIN plate near the windshield. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Jetta vehicles. The affected vehicles have incorrect information on the tire information label, possibly causing the operator to overload the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Beetle and Jetta GLI vehicles. The affected vehicles have incorrect information on the tire information label, possibly causing the operator to overload the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Jetta vehicles equipped with a 1.4L engine. These vehicles have an engine that may seize due to an improper casting of the block.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Volkswagen told its dealers about the 2017 Volkswagen Jetta: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11010024 | Lack of paint under roof |
| 11010022 | Engine Oil Standards |
| 11010021 | Additional reporting |
| 11010011 | Vehicle Concerns Before Recall Repair Available |
| 11008861 | Fluid requirements |
| 11008860 | Manual transmission noise diagnosing |
| 11008858 | A list of engine oil that meet Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards |
| 11008857 | How to perform the engine oil consumption measurement |
| 11008856 | Checking Engine Oil and correctly reading dip stick |
| 11008853 | How to manage software versions using VW diagnostic Tool |
| 11008852 | Recommended Gasoline Quality |
| 11008851 | Engine Misfire Diagnostic Aid |
| 11008850 | Fuel additive to help with misfire faults |
| 11008846 | Wind & Water Leak Checking |
| 11007398 | Battery testing |
| 11007393 | Engine Oil Standards |
| 11005825 | Engine oil quality standards |
| 11005820 | Engine Assembly Tip |
| 11005819 | Engine Replacement Tip |
| 11005811 | Closure of the campaign. |
| 11002875 | Engine oil quality standards |
| 11001522 | These documents are for the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) Limited Warranty Extension as part of the Class Action Settlement |
| 11001508 | Engine oil quality standards |
| 11001503 | Forigen objects inside seat belt buckle |
| 11001494 | These documents are for the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) Limited Warranty Extension as part of the Class Action Settlement |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)