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2018 Volkswagen Jetta

Gas

Compact Cars
4 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

85 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaints1 crash reported 32

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 33 mpg

2027 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2018 Volkswagen Jetta is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact sedan with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Jetta, is EPA-rated at 33 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 32 complaints, most often about the fuel/propulsion system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Volkswagen Jetta — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Volkswagen Jetta · Photo: Kevauto · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Jetta	Gas	FWD	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	28	40	33	$2,050
Jetta	Gas	FWD	1.4L 4-cyl turbo	28	38	32	$2,100
Jetta	Gas	FWD	1.8L 4-cyl turbo	24	33	28	$2,400
Jetta	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	24	33	27	$2,500

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 39039, 39038, 39228, 39229.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Jetta	3 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 125 / California LEV-II ULEV	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	SmartWay
Jetta	5 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	SmartWay
Jetta	7 / 10	California LEV-II SULEV / Federal Tier 3 Transitional LEV-II SULEV30 Carryover	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sedan/Saloon
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	1.4 L

Engine Output

Horsepower

150 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	FWD/Front-Wheel Drive
Transmission	Manual/Standard
Transmission speeds	5

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: GLI, S, SE, Wolfsburg, Sport). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Fuel System, Gasoline

24Gi

218,192 vehicles 68% reported repaired

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.

Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 20V648000 reported Oct 21, 2020 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Steering

37M2

679,027 vehicles 49% reported repaired built Jul 11, 2014 – Dec 9, 2017

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.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 19V615000 reported Aug 22, 2019 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Jetta

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2018 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Volkswagen publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Volkswagen’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2018 Volkswagen Jetta, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

32complaints filed

1 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

10 per 10,000 built · Volkswagen reported 31,683 Jetta built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2019: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2024: 7 · 2025: 5 · 2026: 6

Most-cited components

Fuel/Propulsion System 9

Unspecified 8

Air Bags 6

Power Train 5

Electrical System 3

Tires 2

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The vehicle wouldn't start and upon closer inspection some fluid was underneath the vehicle and there was a strong smell of gas. We had the car towed the following morning to a repair shop and were informed there was a fuel leak from behind the intake manifold.

Fuel/Propulsion System Oct 22, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11773000

I buckled my 2.5 year old daughter into her carseat and secured the magnetic chest clip. It very easily popped back open WITHOUT pressing the buttons. I attempted to get it to securely close several times and with light pressure it opens back up.

Chest Clip Jun 8, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11742734

My car made a loud banging noise and would not move even though engine was running. Had towed and was told car needs new transmission I brought to another mechanic for second opinion and was told the same thing code P073300

Power Train Apr 1, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11728653

I was backing out of a parking spot, turned the wheel and the screen lit up staing error:airbag. Air bag light came on dash screen. Cruise control, steering wheel options for music control and menu and horn have stopped working. There is this nosie that comes from the steering column when making turns now as well

Air Bags Jun 7, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11665499

The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly stalled without warning. The contact shifted in neutral and attempted to restart the vehicle. The contact had to push the vehicle to the side of the road and made several attempts to start the vehicle.

Electrical System at 90,782 miles Oct 18, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11550559

On or about January 24, 2023, Found oil leak and heard noise from engine. No warning lamps or messages prior, mechanic diagnosed and found cam phaser cover bolts loose and leaking. He had to re-torque bolts and check engine. Leaking stopped.

Engine Jan 28, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11504161

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.

Reported by Volkswagen itself: 8 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 8 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 25 per 100,000 built. Every Jetta model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR FWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	11%
4 DR FWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	11%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Volkswagen warranty extension VWP-24-04These documents are for the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) Limited Warranty Extension as part of the Class Action Settlement

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Volkswagen warranty extension (9) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 649

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-17

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 633 service bulletins, 14 others, 2 warranty extensions

Most often about: Equipment, Engine, Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Visibility/Wiper.

V0116152014815_20 Service bulletin
2026-09-17 · Engine
Suggested fuel additive
SM 39-2026 Other
2026-09-09 · Unknown Or Other
This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.
V4622022067177_5 Service bulletin
2026-08-27 · Service Brakes
Repair or Replace Information
VOS-26-47 Service bulletin
2026-08-14 · Electrical System
This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the issue: Part number 3Q0-959-435N software version number 1307 has incorrect coding.
SM 04-2026 Other
2026-08-11 · Power Train
This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.
V4015022033347_8 Service bulletin
2026-08-10 · Power Train
Replacement instruction
TT 00-13-04_7 Other
2026-08-06 · Unknown Or Other
Permission to change Daily Order upgraded to RED Order
V0026012081638_2 Service bulletin
2026-08-04 · Unknown Or Other
Differences between a leak and seepage

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0496 P0496 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	22 bulletins
P11AD P11AD on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	20 bulletins
P11AE P11AE on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	20 bulletins
P11AF P11AF on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	20 bulletins
P0456 P0456 on Volkswagen →	A very small leak in the evaporative emissions system.	Equipment · Gas cap →	16 bulletins
P0111 P0111 on Volkswagen →	The intake air temperature sensor is reporting a temperature that does not fit the conditions.	Equipment	10 bulletins
P11A1 P11A1 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	9 bulletins
P11A2 P11A2 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	9 bulletins
P11A3 P11A3 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	9 bulletins
P11A4 P11A4 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	9 bulletins
P11A5 P11A5 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	9 bulletins
P11A6 P11A6 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	9 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 2.4%

failed emissions

960 initial inspections of 939 vehicles.

Measure	The 2018 Jetta	Every 2018 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	2.4%	3.0%	954
Failed the safety inspection	2.4%	1.9%	960
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.42%	0.22%	960
Miles driven a year	10,193	10,002	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	84,764	82,833	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2018 vehicle” is every 2018 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Jetta by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2027 A 0 0 34 mpg 2026 B 1 6 34 mpg 2025 B 2 30 33 mpg 2024 A 0 46 34 mpg 2023 A 0 43 35 mpg 2022 A 1 43 35 mpg 2021 B 4 70 34 mpg 2020 D 6 54 34 mpg 2019 F 11 549 Do not drive 2018 this page B 2 32 33 mpg 2017 D 6 160 33 mpg 2016 C 4 164 44 mpg

Common questions about the 2018 Jetta

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2018 Volkswagen Jetta have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 Volkswagen Jetta. The most serious on file is 20V648000, covering Fuel System, Gasoline. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2018 Volkswagen Jetta?

NHTSA gave the 2018 Volkswagen Jetta 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it B (85/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Volkswagen Jetta?

Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2018 Volkswagen Jetta, the best EPA combined figure is 33 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What do owners complain about on the 2018 Volkswagen Jetta?

Owners have filed 32 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Volkswagen Jetta, most often about fuel/propulsion system, unspecified, air bags. Of those, 1 involved a crash. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2018 Volkswagen Jetta?

The EPA smog rating for the 2018 Volkswagen Jetta runs 3 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-II SULEV, California LEV-II ULEV, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70, Federal Tier 3 Transitional LEV-II SULEV30 Carryover — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2018 Volkswagen Jetta?

The manufacturer has filed 649 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2018 Volkswagen Jetta, most often covering equipment, engine, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-17. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2018 Volkswagen Jetta do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 Volkswagen Jetta failed the emissions check on 2.4% of first inspections — lower than the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.4% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	4 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	4 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	32	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	2 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	649	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	12 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

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). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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