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Volkswagen · NHTSA safety record

2016 Volkswagen Jetta

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 161 safety complaints about the 2016 Volkswagen Jetta with the US government. Of those, 18 describe a crash, 5 mention a fire, 14 people were injured and no death is recorded. 4 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 43 complaints, 27% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 42,731 miles, the median across the 93 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers December 2015 to August 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

161 complaints on file

161

Complaints

18

Describe a crash

5

Mention fire

14

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
ENGINE 43 · 27%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 36 · 22%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 35 · 22%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 28 · 17%
POWER TRAIN 22 · 14%
SERVICE BRAKES 21 · 13%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 12 · 7%
STEERING 11 · 7%
AIR BAGS 7 · 4%
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 7 · 4%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 4 · 2%
STRUCTURE 4 · 2%
0 19 38

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 161.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2019 at 31.

36 27 18 9
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2015 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2016 Volkswagen JETTA, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test 4 DR FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 11.1%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

4 on file

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL

20V648000 · October 21, 2020

The defect
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.
The risk
A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
The remedy
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.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 218,192 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE

19V615000 · August 22, 2019

The defect
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."
The 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.
The remedy
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.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 679,027 vehicles across all model years covered

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL

16V403000 · June 6, 2016

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2016 Jetta vehicles manufactured October 31, 2015, to January 21, 2016, 2016 Passat vehicles, equipped with 1.8T engines manufactured November 13, 2015, to December 9, 2015, and 2016 Golf vehicles manufactured November 5, 2015, to November 11, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the fuel rail may detach from the cylinder head and result in a fuel leak.
The risk
A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, can result in a vehicle fire.
The remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the cylinder heads, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 15F7.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 55 vehicles across all model years covered

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

15V705000 · October 26, 2015

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Jetta, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Passat, Golf and Golf SportWagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the camshaft lobe that drives the brake vacuum pump may shear off, resulting in a loss of brake assist.
The risk
If the camshaft lobe shears off there would be a loss of brake assist, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Volkswagen dealer will update the engine control module (ECM) software. The recall began March 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23R1.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 91,867 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

SERVICE BRAKES

4 injured · crash · towed

I tried to stop my car and the brake pedal went completely to the floor and did not stop at all. There were no warning lights on, I keep my brakes and car well maintained. My car hit the rear of another car because the brakes failed to engage when I pushed the pedal down. My car which is the vw jetta was totaled in the accident. My insurance company GEICO has the car sitting at copart and it should be able to be inspected. I know the 2015-2016 vw Jetta had a recall for brake failure due to brake vacuum pump.But my 2016 doesn’t have any recalls on it. The police officer inspected the brakes at the scene.

NHTSA complaint 11728910. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

2 injured · crash · towed · 38,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND HEARD A LOUD BOOM SOUND. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND REAR ENDED THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY DECLARED IT A TOTAL LOSS. THE DRIVER WAS SLIGHTLY INJURED ALONG WITH THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE, BUT NEITHER MOTORIST RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS KEPT BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY FROM JULY TO OCTOBER 2018 BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT LOCATE THE VEHICLE IN THE SALVAGE YARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST UNTIL THEY

NHTSA complaint 11140601, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1 injured · fire · 151,217 miles

The contact’s mother owns a 2016 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked outside, the contact’s mother was notified that the vehicle had caught fire. The contact stated that upon her mother and sister approaching the vehicle, they noticed that the front driver’s side door was on fire. The contact then stated that her sister used her hand in an attempt to pat the fire away. As a result, the contact’s sister sustained an injury to her right hand that required medical attention. The fire department was notified, and the fire was extinguished. The fire department determined that the origin of the fire was electrical. A police report was filed. The contact stated

NHTSA complaint 11524524, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 3,999 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FROM 3 MPH TO 40 MPH AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED; HOWEVER, THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE SUSTAINED A WHIPLASH. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE

NHTSA complaint 11111646, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Ignition not turning all the time leading the steering wheel to lock up.

NHTSA complaint 11760223. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Car was great for first 100000 miles. Then it was not. While driving in heavy traffic on a three lane highway, car lost power, ability to accelerate and went into limp mode. EPC code went on. Very dangerous. Took it to several mechanics, VW dealerships, could find nothing wrong. Issue has happened over 100x since, but I am unable to afford another vehicle and pray over car continually to keep me and others on road safe. Few times car would suddenly shudder like engine was quitting. Canceled medical trip to city when this happened 50 miles from home. Have had to cancel work as well one day when this happened. Recently bought a FIXD sensor and it diagnosed issues with faulty gas cap and purge

NHTSA complaint 11711696, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Fuel fire hazard. Safety Recall 24Gi performed 5-11-21 @ 67k miles. 4 years and 60k miles later, fuel rail bolts backed out, causing fuel to pour into engine compartment. VW’s repair solution was not adequate. Do I have any recourse?

NHTSA complaint 11698073. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
Key Ignition malfunction

NHTSA complaint 11694222. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

crash · towed

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 15V705000 16V403000 20V648000 20E064000 19V615000

NHTSA complaint 11678654. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Volkswagen Jetta

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2026 6 1 —
2025 29 2 —
2024 44 0 —
2023 43 0 —
2022 43 1 —
2021 69 4 2
2020 53 6 —
2019 549 11 —
2018 31 2 —
2017 159 6 1
2015 194 7 —
2014 386 4 —
2013 516 4 —
2012 499 5 —
2011 607 7 —
2010 852 4 —

Other 2016 Volkswagen models

Passat 106 Tiguan 96 Golf 85 GTI 66 Golf Sportwagen 51 Beetle 48 Touareg 44 CC 26

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Volkswagen on this site — 155 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst