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What 158 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Volkswagen Jetta

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 (158)Crash / fire / injury (20)Fuel system (41)Electrical system (33)Engine (31)Airbags (21)Brakes (15)Steering (14)Transmission & drivetrain (14)Speed control (7)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (5)Lights (5)

3 of 158 complaints match · Steering · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Dec 28, 2020SteeringCrash1 death

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH AND THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE VEHICLE SLIDE ACROSS THE STREET AND HIT A TREE AND A POLE. THE CONTACT HAD MINOR INJURIES BUT A PASSANGER DIED IN THE CRASH. A POLICE ARRIVED AT THE THE CRASH SCEEN AND THE CONTACT DID NOT RECIEVE NOTICE IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE'S DRIVER'S SIDE BACK DOOR WAS SMASHED IN FROM HITTING THE TREE, THE TRUCK WAS DAMAGED SEVERLY. THE FRONT OF THE SMASHED IN THE MIDDLE FROM CRASHING INTO THE POLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AWAY TO AN IMPOUND LOT FOR THE POLICE. AN IVESTIGATION JUST ENDED ON 12/04/20 AND THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE RELEASED SO IT COULD BE DECLARED TOTLED BY HER INSURANCE COMPANY. THE DEALER SPRINGFIELD MITSUBISHI313 BALTIMORE PIKE, SPRINGFIELD, PA 19064 (484) 574-8434 STATED THEY WOULD NEED ALTTER FORM THE INSURANCE COMPANY FOR A FULL FINANCIAL SETTLEMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.

NHTSA ODI 11385288

Nov 12, 2019SteeringElectrical systemBrakesCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V615000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING). WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS AND FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE CONTACT CALLED NEW MOTORS SUBARU (8670 PEACH ST, ERIE, PA 16509, (814) 868-4805) AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

NHTSA ODI 11279613

Jan 22, 2018SteeringBrakesEngineCrash

I NEEDED TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN FROM A STREET INTO A COMPLEX, WAS STILL MOVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25MPH AND WHEN I WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SLOWING OR STOPPING. AS I CONTINUED TRYING TO MAKE THE TURN, THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN UNTIL I HIT THE CURB AND LATER THE WALL WHERE I CAME TO A STOP.

NHTSA ODI 11064284

Working with the data? Download all 158 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 7, 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 2017 Volkswagen Jetta verdict →