VOLKSWAGEN JETTA · model year

2000 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

633 NHTSA complaints, 38 crash reports, and 5 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2000VOLKSWAGENJETTA carries 633 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 38 crashes, 15 fires, 47 injuries, and 2 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2000 JETTA is visibility:power window devices and controls with 60 filings, followed by electrical system (32) and engine and engine cooling:engine (25). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 5 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 37 investigation files overlapping the 2000 JETTA, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

633
Complaints
38
Crashes
15
Fires
47
Injuries
2
Deaths

Total Complaints

633 filings

Crashes Reported

38 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS60
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM32
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE25
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE24
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL24
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING24
UNKNOWN OR OTHER20
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION19
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL19
AIR BAGS15
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION13
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM12
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH12
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC12
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL11

Recalls (5)

06V18300024/05/2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC OR MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND CRUISE CONTROLS, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ON THESE VEHICLES MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY DURING SAFETY RECALLS 03V-265 OR 04V-096.

04V09600020/02/2004

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ON THESE VEHICLES MAY MALFUNCTION.

04V58400016/12/2004

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS:SWITCH

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE HAZARD SWITCH AND FLASHER SYSTEM FUNCTION MAY DEGRADE OVER TIME BECAUSE OF DISTORTION AND MATERIAL TRANSFER OF THE CONTACTS OF CERTAIN HAZARD SWITCH RELAYS WHICH OCCURS DUE TO SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED ELECTRICAL CURRENT LOAD FROM HIGHER WATTAGE TURN SIGNAL BULBS.

02V24400012/09/2002

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." CHILD SEAT ANCHORAGES INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE'S REAR SEATS MUST BE IDENTIFIED BY MARKINGS, AND THEIR LOCATION AND USE BE DESCRIBED IN THE OWNER'S MANUA

14E00700007/03/2014

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/s

Recent Complaints

20241003ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2000 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving with the front driver’s side seat heater activated, the seat became extremely hot. The contact started smelling a burning odor coming from the seat. The contact felt a hole in the seat, which burned the contact's middle finger. The contact immediately pulled over and turned off the vehicle. The contact’s back started burning due to the extreme heat of the seat back. Upon inspection, the contact discovered a hole in his jacket and approximately four holes that had formed in the front driver seat due to the seat heater failure. The contact was not treated for the burns to his back. The contact stated that two dealers were notified of the failure but neither provided immediate assistance. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 489,000.

Mileage: 489,000

20241003SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER

The contact owns a 2000 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving with the front driver’s side seat heater activated, the seat became extremely hot. The contact started smelling a burning odor coming from the seat. The contact felt a hole in the seat, which burned the contact's middle finger. The contact immediately pulled over and turned off the vehicle. The contact’s back started burning due to the extreme heat of the seat back. Upon inspection, the contact discovered a hole in his jacket and approximately four holes that had formed in the front driver seat due to the seat heater failure. The contact was not treated for the burns to his back. The contact stated that two dealers were notified of the failure but neither provided immediate assistance. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 489,000.

Mileage: 489,000

20200707ENGINE

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE RECENTLY AND HAVE NOTICED A DISTINCT DIESEL SMELL WHEN IDLING OR DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS. SMELLS STRONG LIKE LEAKING DIESEL FUEL. THE CAR IDLES VERY ROUGH AND SOMETIMES STALLS WHEN COMING TO A STOP. THERE IS A VERY BAD ODOR WHENEVER I ENTER THE VEHICLE. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE CAR WILL STALL AND I MIGHT BE IN AN UNSAFE POSITION DURING TRAFFIC. I THINK THE CLUTCH MIGHT BE DEFECTIVE. IT SOUNDS VERY LOUD. THE VEHICLE HAS 260,000 MILES. DIESLS ARE SUPPOSED TO RUN FOREVER BUT I FEEL LIKE I BOUGHT A LEMON.

Mileage: 260,000

20200707FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE RECENTLY AND HAVE NOTICED A DISTINCT DIESEL SMELL WHEN IDLING OR DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS. SMELLS STRONG LIKE LEAKING DIESEL FUEL. THE CAR IDLES VERY ROUGH AND SOMETIMES STALLS WHEN COMING TO A STOP. THERE IS A VERY BAD ODOR WHENEVER I ENTER THE VEHICLE. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE CAR WILL STALL AND I MIGHT BE IN AN UNSAFE POSITION DURING TRAFFIC. I THINK THE CLUTCH MIGHT BE DEFECTIVE. IT SOUNDS VERY LOUD. THE VEHICLE HAS 260,000 MILES. DIESLS ARE SUPPOSED TO RUN FOREVER BUT I FEEL LIKE I BOUGHT A LEMON.

Mileage: 260,000

20200707POWER TRAIN

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE RECENTLY AND HAVE NOTICED A DISTINCT DIESEL SMELL WHEN IDLING OR DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS. SMELLS STRONG LIKE LEAKING DIESEL FUEL. THE CAR IDLES VERY ROUGH AND SOMETIMES STALLS WHEN COMING TO A STOP. THERE IS A VERY BAD ODOR WHENEVER I ENTER THE VEHICLE. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE CAR WILL STALL AND I MIGHT BE IN AN UNSAFE POSITION DURING TRAFFIC. I THINK THE CLUTCH MIGHT BE DEFECTIVE. IT SOUNDS VERY LOUD. THE VEHICLE HAS 260,000 MILES. DIESLS ARE SUPPOSED TO RUN FOREVER BUT I FEEL LIKE I BOUGHT A LEMON.

Mileage: 260,000

20190916FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

VEHICLE COMPLETELY STALLS FOR SEVERAL SECONDS SPORADICALLY WHENEVER THE FUEL GUAGE READS 3/8 OR LESS. BOTH MY VW CAR DO THE EXACT SAME THING. IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE THIS OCCURS WITH MOST VW CARS. EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED.

Mileage: 170,000

20180910UNKNOWN OR OTHER

MY VEHICLE KEPT OVER HEATING URNS OUT IT WAS THE COOLING SYSTEM I HAD TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP AND I HAD TO REPLACE THE TIMING BELT AND RADIATOR..

Mileage: 135,658

20180511ENGINE

2000 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE AND WARNING LIGHTS COMING ON. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DAY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE, ABS, AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS, ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER OFFERED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IF THE CONSUMER BOUGHT THE PARTS. THE CONSUMER DECLINED. *JS

20180511SERVICE BRAKES, AIR

2000 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE AND WARNING LIGHTS COMING ON. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DAY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE, ABS, AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS, ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER OFFERED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IF THE CONSUMER BOUGHT THE PARTS. THE CONSUMER DECLINED. *JS

20180511TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

2000 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE AND WARNING LIGHTS COMING ON. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE DAY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE, ABS, AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS, ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER OFFERED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IF THE CONSUMER BOUGHT THE PARTS. THE CONSUMER DECLINED. *JS

20170125FireENGINE

I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AROUND 35 MPH. SAW SMOKE IN MY REARVIEW MIRROR SO IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF TO SIDE OF ROAD. THE CAR WASNT OVERHEATING, AND NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON UNTIL AFTER I BEGAN SLOWING DOWN TO PULL OVER. AS I STOPPED AND TURNED OFF THE CAR, I REALIZED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ON FIRE, I GRABBED MY PHONE AND CALLED 911 AS I GOT AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. *TR

Mileage: 192,000

20161108SEAT BELTS

WENT TO BUCKLE UP AND HEARD A NOISE. LOSS AT TENSION ON SEAT BELT.

Mileage: 100,000

20160610ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING 80 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND TOWED BACK TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 245,000.

Mileage: 245,000

20160110ENGINE

WATER PUMP AND BACK HOUSING THE COOLANT SYSTEM

20160110UNKNOWN OR OTHER

WATER PUMP AND BACK HOUSING THE COOLANT SYSTEM

20160110EXTERIOR LIGHTING

WATER PUMP AND BACK HOUSING THE COOLANT SYSTEM

20150212FireSEATS

I OWN A 2000 VW JETTA. MY SON AND I WERE HEADING HOME AFTER A COLLEGE VISIT, HE TURNED ON HIS SEAT HEATER AND BEGAN TO NAP. 20 MINUTES LATER, HE POPPED UP RUBBING HIS SHOULDER, THE SEAT HEATER CAUSED THE SEAT TO CATCH FIRE AND BURNED A PORTION OF THE SEAT, HIS SHIRT AND SHOULDER. I CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF THAT ISSUE AND THAT THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A RECALL FOR SUCH AN ISSUE. I THEN DID AN INTERNET SEARCH AND FOUND WHERE IT'S A VERY COMMON ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 297,000

20150118TIRES

BRAND NEW TIRE COMPLETELY FAILED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THIS TIRE WAS 7 DAYS OLD AND THERE WAS A TOTAL SIDEWALL FAILURE. LOOKING ONLINE AFTER THE INCIDENT, THERE ARE COUNTLESS COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

20140705ENGINE

I OWN A 2000 VW JETTA 2.0 GLS AUTOMATIC. I WAS COASTING DOWN A HILL AND COMING TO A STOP. I STARTED USING MY BRAKES AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WITH OUT ANY WARNINGS CHIMES OR INDICATION MY CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF, BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL FELT LOCKED UP AND I ALMOST CRASHED IF NOT FOR MY FRIEND HELPING ME MOVE MY STEERING WHEEL TOWARDS A SIDE STREET TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPEN. CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. ONLY AFTER AN HOUR OR SO OF WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK DID MY CAR START BUT WAS DIFFERENT. THIS HAPPENED TO ME 4 MORE TIMES. LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM NEW JOB AT AROUND 2 AM EST I GOT LOST AND CAR STALLS OUT ON ME WITH NO INDICATION AND IT DOES NOT JUST STALL AND STOP IT STALLS AND CONTINUES TO ROLL UNTIL YOU LOOSE MOMENTUM THIS IS NOT SAFE. THANKFULLY THIS PROBLEM DID NOT HAPPEN TO ME WHILE ON A HIGH WAY THIS PROBLEM COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR EVEN DEATH IF ONES CAR STALLS AND THEY CAN NOT CONTROL IT. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND CONFIRMED BAD COIL PACK AND CRANK POS

Mileage: 119,892

20140705STEERING

I OWN A 2000 VW JETTA 2.0 GLS AUTOMATIC. I WAS COASTING DOWN A HILL AND COMING TO A STOP. I STARTED USING MY BRAKES AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WITH OUT ANY WARNINGS CHIMES OR INDICATION MY CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF, BRAKES AND STEERING WHEEL FELT LOCKED UP AND I ALMOST CRASHED IF NOT FOR MY FRIEND HELPING ME MOVE MY STEERING WHEEL TOWARDS A SIDE STREET TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPEN. CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. ONLY AFTER AN HOUR OR SO OF WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK DID MY CAR START BUT WAS DIFFERENT. THIS HAPPENED TO ME 4 MORE TIMES. LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM NEW JOB AT AROUND 2 AM EST I GOT LOST AND CAR STALLS OUT ON ME WITH NO INDICATION AND IT DOES NOT JUST STALL AND STOP IT STALLS AND CONTINUES TO ROLL UNTIL YOU LOOSE MOMENTUM THIS IS NOT SAFE. THANKFULLY THIS PROBLEM DID NOT HAPPEN TO ME WHILE ON A HIGH WAY THIS PROBLEM COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR EVEN DEATH IF ONES CAR STALLS AND THEY CAN NOT CONTROL IT. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND CONFIRMED BAD COIL PACK AND CRANK POS

Mileage: 119,892

Compare 2000VOLKSWAGENJETTA to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2000 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA have?
The 2000 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA has 633 NHTSA complaints, 38 crashes, 15 fires, 47 injuries, and 2 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2000 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA?
Yes, the 2000 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA has 5 recall(s). The most common affected component is EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2000 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA?
The most-complained component for the 2000 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA is VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS with 60 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Is the 2000 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.