Home · 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hev · Complaints

What 586 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hev

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (586)Crash / fire / injury (20)Transmission & drivetrain (195)Electrical system (156)Engine (125)Fuel system (38)Steering (36)Airbags (32)Brakes (30)Speed control (21)Lights (17)Body & structure (15)

156 of 586 complaints match · Electrical system · clear filters · page 7 of 7

Jul 17, 2014Electrical systemEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND THE FAILURE RECURRED FOUR TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE CONTROL RELAY DEVICE. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWO WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10611343

Jun 17, 2014SteeringElectrical systemBrakes

I WENT THROUGH SOME WATER (NOT MUCH) ANDTHEN WHEN I CAME TO A STOP LIGHT I STOPPED THE CAR. AFTER LESS THAN A MINUTE OF BEING STOPPED THE CAR STALLED AND THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. THE BATTERY IS NEW AND I JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR IN DECEMBER 2013 AND IT IS A YEAR MODEL 2013. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES UNTIL NOW. I WENT TO TURN A CORNER AND THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON, CAR STALLED, AND STEERING BECAME VERY TIGHT. I AM NOT SURE WHAT THIS ISSUE IS, BUT THE CAR IS ONLY ABOUT A YEAR OLD (IF EVEN THAT). VERY FRUSTRATING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10599015

Jun 3, 2014Electrical systemLights

BOTH OF MY LOW BEAM LIGHTS WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND MY CAR WOULD NOT TURN OFF. MY CAR WAS RUNNING AND COULD NOT BE TURNED OFF.. THE CAR HAD TO BE TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO TURN OFF THE CAR. IF THE DEALERSHIP HAD BEEN CLOSED OR THE CAR REQUIRED GAS OR I WAS TRAVELING OUT OF TOWN. I WOULD NOT HAVE ANY RECOURSE BUT TO RUN THE CAR UNTIL IT CUT OFF BUT STILL THE KEYS WOULD BE STUCK IN THE IGNITION. BOTH INCIDENT ARE VERY SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS..THE IGNITION LOCK HAD TO BE REPLACED AND BOTH LIGHTS HAS TO BE REPLACED AFTER ONLY 42, 000.. THIS IS NOT ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THESE ARE BOTH SERIOUS CONCERNS THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED. VW CUSTOMER CARE REFUSE TO STAND BEHIND ITS PRODUCT AND COST WAS OUT OF POCKET. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10595750

Apr 3, 2014Electrical systemAirbags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT SENSOR CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE AT RANDOM. THE WARNING SENSOR INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAG WAS TURNED OFF. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY WHEN TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION MULTIPLE TIMES AT RANDOM. THE KEY ALSO BECAME STUCK IN THE OFF POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE MORE THAN ONCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20000.

NHTSA ODI 10577100

Mar 25, 2014Electrical systemEngine

WHILE I WAS DRIVING, THE CAR SHUT ITSELF OFF. THERE WERE THREE SEPARATE INCIDENTS. THE DEALERSHIP KEPT THE CAR FOR TWO WEEKS AND RE-PROGRAMMED THE COMPUTER AFTER CONFERRING WITH VW. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10574823

Aug 25, 2013Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

MY VEHICLE WHEN ENTERING TRAFFIC HAS A DELAY OF 1-2 SECONDS WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. WHEN I AM TRYING TO GET ON/OFF A HIGHWAY AND THAT DELAY HAPPENS, THE TRAFFIC HAS TO SLOW TO KEEP FROM HITTING ME AS BY THE TIME IT HAPPENS THEN SURGES, IT IS TOO LATE TO STOP. MY SPEED NEEDLE WAS SO INACCURATE AND BOUNCED SO MUCH I GOT A SPEEDING TICKET. IT WAS 14 MPH OFF. THEY REPLACED THE CLUSTER, BUT NOW BOTH THE TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER BOUNCE ENOUGH TO NOT BE SURE YOUR SPEED. ELECTRONIC FAN STAYED ON FOR THE ENTIRE 90 MINUTES I WAS IN A COFFEE SHOP AFTER DRIVING ONLY 5 MILES AND HAD BEEN RUNNING AC. AC WHEN NOT ON FULL FAN WILL HAVE PERIODS OF HOT AND HUMID LIKE THE SYSTEM TEMPORARILY SHUTS DOWN, AND OF COURSE, THE CAR HOPS AND SURGES AT SLOW SPEEDS IN ADDITION AS YOU ARE DECELERATING WITH THE FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR, IT WILL JERK YOU DOWN AS IT SHIFTS DOWN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10537109

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Working with the data? Download all 586 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 26, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hev verdict →