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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)

5 of 586 complaints match · Electrical system · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

May 12, 2025Electrical systemSpeed controlEngineCrash

The car has turned off at idle and at low speeds, almost causing accidents and to be rear ended in busy streets and during stop and go traffic on the highway. After numerous mechanic diagnostics at both Volkswagen Dealership service departments and third party mechanic shops, no one seems to be able to give me an answer or condition to what is causing the problem. With no error codes being brought up nor any other underlying issues that could be causing this issue, with a car having minor wear. This is a problem that has been reported by many other Volkswagen Jetta owners on online forums and no one seems to have a specific answer as to what is causing this accident prone issue!

NHTSA ODI 11660505

Aug 31, 2018Electrical systemAirbagsEngineCrash

TAKATA RECALL VW JETA WAS IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO FREEZING RAIN IN JANUARY 2017 (KNOXVILLE, TN). VW SLID INTO ANOTHER CAR CAUSING IN EXCESS OF $5,000 DAMAGE; HOWEVER, THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO ACTIVATE. COMPLETE FAILURE IN AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM/COMPRESSOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM LOCKS/UNLOCKS DOORS WHILE DRIVING. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ROLLS DOWN WINDOWS FOR NO REASON. THIS BEGUN 70K MILES

NHTSA ODI 11123870

Dec 11, 2015Electrical systemLightsFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY IGNITED INTO FLAMES. THE FAILURE HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD AN ABNORMAL ODOR PRIOR TO THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE EXTERIOR HEADLIGHTS WERE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000.

NHTSA ODI 10809625

Jan 5, 2015Electrical systemCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE PARKED ON THE STREET, THE VEHICLE'S HORN WOULD NOT SOUND AND PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM WARNING AN APPROACHING VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, A CRASH OCCURRED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,500.

NHTSA ODI 10670122

Dec 11, 2014Electrical systemLightsAirbagsBody & structureCrash1 injury

I WAS STOPPED AT A SOLID RED TRAFFIC LIGHT AND WHEN I GOT THE GREEN LIGHT TO PROCEED STRAIGHT ACROSS THE INTERSECTION I BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. HALFWAY THROUGH THE INTERSECTION ANOTHER VEHICLE (VEHICLE #2) CROSSED MY PATH OF TRAVEL ON THE RIGHT HAND PASSENGER SIDE AND VEHICLE #2 DRIVER'S SIDE CRASHED INTO MY FRONT END. MY VEHICLE WAS SPUN AROUND COUNTER CLOCKWISE DUE TO THE IMPACT OF VEHICLE #2. AS A RESULT OF THIS CRASH MY VEHICLE SUSTAINED HEAVY FRONT END DAMAGE AND PIECES AND PARTS WERE STREWN ALL OVER THE ROAD. FLUID WAS LEAKING OUT OF MY VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE OPERATED POST-COLLISION. WITH THE HEAVY FRONT END DAMAGE THE DRIVER, PASSENGER AND SIDE AIRBAGS IN MY VEHICLE DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10663732

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 →