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2017 Volkswagen Jetta

Gas Compact car

202720262025202420232022202120202019201820172016
Specs & fuel economyRecallsComplaintsCrash ratings
F
Safety Signal
57 / 100
FSafety Signal · 57 / 100
6Recalls · 1 critical
159Complaints · owner reports
5★Crash rating · NHTSA overall
33 mpgFuel economy · best combined

The 2017 Volkswagen Jetta is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact car with 5 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Jetta, is EPA-rated at 33 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of F. Owners have filed 159 complaints, most often about electrical system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy (EPA)

ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
JettaGasFWD1.4L 4-cyl turbo284033$1,900
JettaGasFWD1.4L 4-cyl turbo283832$1,950
JettaGasFWD1.8L 4-cyl turbo253529$2,150
JettaGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo243327$2,300
JettaGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo233327$2,300

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.

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Recalls (6)

Fuel System, Gasoline

critical
218,192 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Jetta vehicles. The fuel rail bolts may become loose over time, allowing fuel to leak.

Risk: A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rail bolts and, as necessary, the fuel rail. The recall began March 31, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24Gi.

NHTSA campaign 20V648000 · reported Oct 21, 2020 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Steering

high
679,027 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2019 GTI, 2015-2016 and 2018-2019 Golf, 2012-2019 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2017-2019 Golf SportWagen and 2011-2018 Jetta vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, manual handbrake and keyless entry. A build-up of silicate on the shift lever micro switch contacts may enable the key to be removed from the ignition when the transmission shift lever is not in "Park."

Risk: Removing the key while the shift lever is in a position other than "Park" increases the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional switch and circuit board, free of charge. The recall began November 19, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 37M2.

NHTSA campaign 19V615000 · reported Aug 22, 2019 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Equipment

moderate
2 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Jetta vehicles. The affected vehicles have Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) markings on the body that do not match the VIN plate near the windshield. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."

Risk: The mismatched VINs make the vehicle noncompliant with regulatory requirements.

Fix: Volkswagen has notified owners and has replaced the vehicles, free of charge. The recall began on July 7, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 06A8.

NHTSA campaign 17V352000 · reported May 31, 2017 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Equipment

minor
4,875 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Jetta vehicles. The affected vehicles have incorrect information on the tire information label, possibly causing the operator to overload the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Risk: Overloading the vehicle may affect vehicle handling or result in tire damage, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers install a corrected tire information label, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for the recall is 01B8

NHTSA campaign 17V137000 · reported Mar 2, 2017 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Equipment

minor
797 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Beetle and Jetta GLI vehicles. The affected vehicles have incorrect information on the tire information label, possibly causing the operator to overload the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Risk: Overloading the vehicle may affect vehicle handling or result in tire damage, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a corrected tire information label, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for the recall is 01B9.

NHTSA campaign 17V136000 · reported Mar 2, 2017 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Engine And Engine Cooling

high
2 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Jetta vehicles equipped with a 1.4L engine. These vehicles have an engine that may seize due to an improper casting of the block.

Risk: If the engine seizes, the wheels may suddenly lock up, causing a loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Volkswagen will either buy back the vehicle or replace the engine block, free of charge. The recall began February 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 10F4.

NHTSA campaign 17V070000 · reported Feb 3, 2017 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Owner complaints

159 complaints filed

18 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 9 injuries, 1 deaths reported by owners.

Filed by year — 2017: 8 · 2018: 19 · 2019: 25 · 2020: 25 · 2021: 20 · 2022: 11 · 2023: 13 · 2024: 18 · 2025: 17 · 2026: 3

Most-cited components

  • Electrical System — 33
  • Engine — 32
  • Fuel/Propulsion System — 29
  • Unknown Or Other — 25
  • Air Bags — 21
“VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE GAS CAP. THE VEHICLE WAS STALLING AFTER THAT. VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON PARKWAY, ALL OF THE DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE ABILITY TO BRAKE AND STEER WAS GONE CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ON THE FRONT END…”Jan 24, 2018 · Electrical System · NHTSA owner report
“VOLKSWAGEN DOES NOT OFFER AN OVERRIDE FOR THE TRACRION CONTROL ON THE 2017 JETTA 'S' MODEL, DUE TO THIS I HAVE BECOME STUCK MULTIPLE TIMES IN SNOWY CONDITIONS, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A COLLISION”Jan 23, 2018 · Electronic Stability Control (Esc) · NHTSA owner report
“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.”Jan 22, 2018 · Service Brakes · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆11%
4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆11%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Other Jetta model years

A

2027 Jetta

0 recalls · 0 complaints

B

2026 Jetta

1 recalls · 5 complaints

C

2025 Jetta

2 recalls · 28 complaints

A

2024 Jetta

0 recalls · 43 complaints

A

2023 Jetta

0 recalls · 43 complaints

A

2022 Jetta

1 recalls · 42 complaints

C

2021 Jetta

4 recalls · 67 complaints

F

2020 Jetta

6 recalls · 51 complaints

F

2019 Jetta

11 recalls · 545 complaints

C

2018 Jetta

2 recalls · 31 complaints

F

2016 Jetta

4 recalls · 164 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 37918, 37917, 37976, 37974, 37975). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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