NHTSA recalls, safety ratings, and consumer complaints for the 2003 Volkswagen Jetta.
| Trim | City | Hwy | Combined | Annual fuel $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.8L 6 cyl Automatic (S5) | 19 | 28 | 22 | $3,150 |
| 1.8L 4 cyl Automatic (S5) | 19 | 27 | 22 | $3,150 |
| 1.9L 4 cyl Automatic 4-spd | 29 | 40 | 33 | $2,450 |
| 2.0L 4 cyl Automatic 4-spd | 20 | 27 | 23 | $2,600 |
| 1.9L 4 cyl Manual 5-spd | 35 | 44 | 38 | $2,150 |
| 2.0L 4 cyl Manual 5-spd | 21 | 29 | 24 | $2,500 |
| 1.8L 4 cyl Manual 5-spd | 21 | 28 | 24 | $2,900 |
| 2.8L 6 cyl Manual 6-spd | 19 | 27 | 22 | $3,150 |
| Overall Rating | Not Rated |
| Frontal Crash | Not Rated |
| Side Crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover | Not Rated |
| Overall Rating | Not Rated |
| Frontal Crash | Not Rated |
| Side Crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover | Not Rated |
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2003 Volkswagen Passat sedan, Jetta, Jetta wagon, Golf, EuroVan, EuroVan Camper Van and EuroVan Chassis vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began May 2, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69X3.
Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
The Gates Corporation (Gates) is recalling certain aftermarket Tru-Flow Water Pumps, part number TFW 41127, sold at certain NAPA Auto Parts and/or installed by automotive service technicians after November 1, 2013 (and manufactured August 2013 through October 2013) that have a black-colored pulley/sprocket or do not have 'US9377' stamped on the water pump housing. These service replacement parts were sold for use in model year 1999-2005 Audi A4, 2000-2006 Audi TT, 1998-2005 Volkswagen Beetle, 1999-2006 Golf, 1999-2008 and 2011-2013 Volkswagen Jetta, and 2000-2005 Volkswagen Passat. In the affected water pumps, the pulley or sprocket that turns the timing belt may develop microfractures causing the timing belt to fail.
Consequence: A failure of the timing belt may cause the engine to shut down, potentially increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Heated seat set on fire! Burned me pretty bad
Since New we noticed transmission malfunctioning, transmission would jerk on the upshifts and downshifting also, then it would take longer than normal to go into gears Im the original owner, I parked it for 11 years waiting for a recall letter, I heard the beatle had gotten a recall on this failure,, the Jetta had the same motor and transmission the triptronic, I should get one also it only has 89164 miles, I’m waiting for a letter please respond thank you.
My jetta stalls without warning when the gas gauge is at a quarter of a tank or less. No engine check light or any other any other device comes on to warn me it is going to stall. My speed does not matter. It happens at freeway speeds or around town. It does not occur if the gas gauge shows more than 1/4 of a tank of fuel. I do not know if it is an electrical problem, a fuel propulsion problem or an engine problem. From reading volkswagon forums, this is a very common problem with volkswagons of different years, including the new Tiguans. I'm sure there have been many fatalities as a result of this defect. I am surprised volkswagon has not been forced to repair this dangerous, life threatening problem before now! Maybe, a class action law suit involving products liability, merchantability, and fitness for a particular use would benefit not only owners, but the general public at large. I believe it is your duty to protect the general public from manufactures who place dangerous, defective products in the stream of commerce. Your action is required, and demanded. The first time ocurred right after I purchased the car in 2019. It has stalled many times since then, before I realized I needed to keep the fuel tank at least 1/2 full at all times. Keeping it 1/2 full at all times greatly deminishes the range of travel before I have to refill. It is inconvenient and expensive since fuel has to be purchased at places other the most economical place I usually purchase my gasoline. Thank you
The 2003 Volkswagen Jetta has 4 NHTSA recalls and 462 consumer complaints on file. It received an overall safety rating of Not Rated out of 5 stars in NHTSA crash testing. The high number of complaints suggests potential reliability concerns — review the complaint details above before purchasing. For the most detailed information about a specific vehicle, decode its VIN using our free decoder above.
Enter a specific VIN to get the full report — specs, recalls, safety ratings, complaints, investigations, and technical service bulletins.
Remedy: Gates will notify owners, and dealers will replace the water pump, free of charge. The recall began during May 2014. Owners may contact The Gates Corporation at 1-303-744-1911.
Component: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.
Consequence: THE BRAKE LIGHTS COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE, OR REMAIN ON. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE PROPER SIGNAL WHEN BRAKING COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE NEWLY DESIGNED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 27, 2007, AND WILL BE CONDUCTED IN SEVERAL STAGGERED MAILINGS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21, 2007. VEHICLES WITHIN THE MAKE, MODEL, AND MODEL YEAR OF THIS POPULATION MAY BE INVOLVED IN EITHER THIS RECALL OR 06V-183, BUT NOT BOTH. THE REMEDY IS THE SAME FOR EACH RECALL. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERS WILL APPLY THE REMEDY BASED ON THE VIN NUMBER OF THE VEHICLE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987.
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
CERTAIN CARDONE MASTER CYLINDERS WITH PART NUMBERS 10-2925, 10-2987, 10-2987MZA, 10-3083, 11-3015, 11-3042, 11-3044, 11-3045, 11-3047, 11-3064, AND 11-3156, AND WITH DATE CODES LOWER THAN DCA7078 SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE SEAL ON MASTER CYLINDER CAN FAIL AND LEAK BRAKE FLUID.
Consequence: LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID CAN RESULT IN POOR BRAKING PERFORMANCE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: CARDONE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE ANY DEFECTIVE MASTER CYLINDERS. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING APRIL 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT CARDONE AT 1-800-777-4780.
RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW IS BLOCKED INSIDE DOOR
NO TRANSMISSION FILTER .SO THERE IT IS MR VAR NO EONT GO IN ANY GEAR.I WENT TO CHONGE FILTER AND AFTER DAYS OF RESEARCH FOUND OUT THEY CAME W NO FILHER AND THAT MY FRIEND. CAN NOT BE JUSTIFIED. EVERY ONE HAS THESE PROBLEMS WHK OWNS ONE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS INOPERABLE INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER DICK HANNAH DEALERSHIPS 10808 NE COXLEY DR, VANCOUVER, WA 98662 (360) 605-1726 WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT SUBJECTED TO A RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V063000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 170,000.
I CLOSED MY TRUNK ONE DAY AND NOW IT WILL NOT OPEN WITH FOB OR INSIDE DOOR LATCH OR THE KEY.
THE TIRES EXPLOTED UNDER 23PSI OR LESS. THE IGNITERS WENT OFF AND I LOST POWER STEERING ABILITY. I LOST THE EXTERNAL FUEL PUMP WHICH WAS NOT EVEN MOLESTED BY ANY MEANS. THE RIMS WERE DAMAGED IN A WAY THAT ONE NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. DAYS BEFORE THE INCIDENT WHILE TRAVELING ON THE NJTURNPIKE, SENSORS ON THE BATTERY BURNED AND I LOST POWER STEERING ABILITY. THE SERPENTINE BELT MELTED AND WAS REPLACED BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC. BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, I LOST POWER ON THE ENGINE WHILE TRAVELING ON THE TURNPIKE AGAIN WHILE TESTING THE MECHANICS JOB. I BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY AND I CONTINUED TESTING THE CAR. ON 295 I LOST POWER ON THE ENGINE AGAIN. I LEFT THE CAR THERE AND I WENT TO HONK KONG. WHEN I CAME BACK, A RELATIVE TOLD ME THAT THE DOT TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC TO BE FIEXED. IT COST HIM 1000 DOLLARS. THEY CLAIMED TO CHANGED THE AC COMPRESSOR WHICH I HAD PREVIOUSLY FIXEX THE SUMMER BEFORE. THE LEFT SIDE MIRROR WAS MISSING. I REPORTED THAT TO THE INSURANCE BECAUSE I SUSPECTED FRAUD. TO THIS POINT THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. PLEASE CONTACT MY LAWYER SINCE I HAVE SURRENDER LEGALITIES TO HIM BECAUSE I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES. I HAD BEEN ARRESTED SEVERAL TIMES AND I SUSPECT THE UNION AND THE DOT. H. APARICIO. 0522.**
THE CAR STALLS WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED OR WHILE IDLING WHEN THE FUEL GAUGE IS AROUND OR UNDER 1/4 OF A TANK. I HAVE READ UP ON THIS AND PEOPLE ARE DUMPING A LOT OF MONEY ONTO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ISSUE IS AND THERE IS NO ANSWER. STALLING ON A HIGHWAY WITHOUT A MEDIAN OR PULL-OFF IS NOT ONLY INCONVENIENT BUT DANGEROUS.
DRIVING HELLO ALL STATE ROUTE AFTER DARK AT 55 MI./H THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT COMPLETELY AND THEN CAME BACK ON IN A SHORT MATTER OF SECONDS. HAD THE ROAD NOT BEEN STRAIGHT AT THAT SECTION I COULD HAVE VERY EASILY COLLIDED WITH TREES OR GUARDRAILS. THE 1ST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS 2012-08-01. I HAD THE LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN EXPERT GARAGE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS STOCK. THE NEXT TIME THAT OCCURRED WAS JULY 2018. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD I HAVE NOT SOUGHT ANY REPAIRS YET.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ADDED WATER TO THE VEHICLE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 184,072.
WHEN THE SEAT HEATER IS TURNED ON, THE SEAT CATCHES ON FIRE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURE THAT IS SMOKE COMING FROM THE SEAT, THE HOLES WERE CAUSED BY THE SEAT HEATER.
THE ELECTRIC SEAT HEATER MALFUNCTIONED AND BURNED A HOLE IN THE SEAT WHILE IN USE. IT NO LONGER REGULATES. DANGEROUS FOR DRIVING. SMELLED LIKE A FIRE!
MY CAR GOT HACKED MY CHARLIE MILLER AND CHRIS VALASEK WAS SEEN OVER AT MY NEIGHBORS HOUSE ON 4/29/2017 AND MY EX BOSS CHRIS STUTZ JR IS IN CHARGE OF ALL THE BREAK IN OF MY HOUSE AND CARS EDWARDSVILLE POLICE WILL NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THE POLICE ARE FRIEND OF THEM I HOPE I DON'T GET KILLED OVER THESE HACKS BUT IF THAT'S WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT
THE FUSE BOX ON TOP OF THE BATTERY MELTED DUE TO OVERHEATING FROM THE ALTERNATOR CABLE. NO EXCESSIVE ELECTRICAL LOAD HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE BATTERY. JUST NORMAL USE OF THE CAR CAUSES THIS TO MELT.
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