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Volkswagen · NHTSA safety record

2020 Volkswagen Jetta

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

Owners have filed 53 safety complaints about the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta with the US government. Of those, 1 describes a crash, 2 people were injured and no death is recorded. 6 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 17 complaints, 32% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 6,951 miles, the median across the 16 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers June 2020 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

53 complaints on file

53

Complaints

1

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

2

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
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 17 · 32%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 13 · 25%
ENGINE 12 · 23%
POWER TRAIN 7 · 13%
SERVICE BRAKES 7 · 13%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 5 · 9%
STEERING 3 · 6%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 3 · 6%
AIR BAGS 2 · 4%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 2 · 4%
STRUCTURE 2 · 4%
SUSPENSION 2 · 4%
0 8 15

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 53.

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 2024 at 14.

16 12 8 4
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 2020 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 2020 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 13.1%
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

6 on file

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

24V110000 · February 14, 2024

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain front-wheel drive 2015-2020 Audi A3 Sedan, 2015-2019 Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, 2018 Golf Sportwagen GP, 2018-2019 Golf Sportwagen A7, 2015-2017 Golf Sportwagen, 2015-2020 Golf GTI, and 2015-2020 Golf A7 vehicles. Due to a problem with a suction jet pump seal inside the fuel tank, fuel may flow into the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system and possibly leak out of the charcoal canister.
The risk
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the suction pump, free of charge. Final owner notification letters for Audi owners were mailed on July 25, 2024. Final owner letters for VW owners were mailed on August 13, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are VW: 20UF/Audi: 20YF. Vehicles that were previously recalled under 16V-647 will need to have the new remedy completed. This recall expands and replaces previous recall number 16V-647.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 261,257 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

23V604000 · August 30, 2023

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Golf, Golf Alltrack, Golf Sportwagen, 2019-2020 Golf GTI, and Jetta vehicles equipped with a conventional ignition switch. The ignition switch may fail, especially in high temperature environments.
The risk
Ignition switch failure can cause the electrical system to shut down and the engine to stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 1, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 28H7.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 62,538 vehicles across all model years covered

TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

22V815000 · October 31, 2022

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
The risk
An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi’s customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 296,044 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE

21V492000 · June 30, 2021

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Jetta and Jetta GLI vehicles. The air bag control module was welded in the incorrect position.
The risk
Incorrect positioning of the air bag control module can cause the vehicle's air bags to deploy improperly during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, the vehicle's air bags can deploy unintentionally, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the air bag control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 28, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69CK.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 379 vehicles across all model years covered

SEATS

20V505000 · August 26, 2020

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen ) is recalling certain 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, Jetta, Jetta GLI and Tiguan and Audi Q5 and SQ5 and 2021 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. Parts of the front seat frame and backrest adjuster may not have been welded properly.
The risk
In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.
The remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats, and, as necessary, replace the seatback frames, free of charge. The recall began September 11, 2020. Volkswagen owners may contact their customer service at 1-888-241-2289. Audi owners may contact their customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 72L1, 72K8, and 72K9.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 5,376 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

20V359000 · June 17, 2020

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling one 2020 Jetta vehicle. The front brake caliper bolts may come loose.
The risk
If a brake caliper bolt comes loose, it may affect the vehicle's brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Volkswagen will notify the owner, and a dealer will replace all four front brake caliper bolts, free of charge. The recall began July 1, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47Q2.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 1 vehicle across all model years covered

Defect investigations

1 on file

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)

RQ23007

Closed recall query · opened December 12, 2023 · closed July 1, 2024 · led to recall 24V110

the gasoline fuel system

On December 12, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened RQ23-007 to investigate the remedy repair effectiveness and scope of Volkswagen (VW) recall 16V-647. Recall 16V-647 was issued on September 2, 2016, for a defective suction jet pump (SJP) inside the fuel tank. Failure of the SJP could lead to a fuel leak from the vehicle. This recall covered certain model year (MY) 2015-2016 Volkswagen Golf and Audi A3 passenger car vehicles. The recall remedy repair replaced SJP Version 1.0 with an improved version, Version 1.1. The SJP is designed to purge fuel from the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system. VW’s recall filing stated the SJP may have been damaged during assembly, which could potentially allow fuel to flow directly into the EVAP system. Over time, the fuel could accumulate in, and cause a leak from, the charcoal canister filter element. ODI received consumer complaints of SJP failure leading to a fuel leak, refueling spit back, refueling shutoff, and/or fuel odor in vehicles previously repaired under recall 16V-647. Additional complaints alleging SJP failure leading to the previously stated outcomes were received in vehicles outside the scope of recall 16V-647, including MY 2016-2020 VW Golf and Audi A3 vehicles. VW issued recall 24V-110 on February 14, 2024, to address issues with SJPs Versions 1.0 and 1.1. The recall remedy replaces the SJP Version 1.0 or 1.1 with an improved version, Version 2.0. Recall 24V-110 covers certain MY 2015-2020 VW Golf (including Golf GTI), 2015-2020 Audi A3, and 2019-2020 VW Jetta GLI vehicles, including vehicle previously repaired under 16V-647. Vehicle owners were notified of this recall in April 2024 and VW’s projected date for owner notification of recall remedy availability is August 2024. In view of the recall being conducted by VW, ODI is closing this Recall Query (RQ). The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

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.

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

1 injured · 42,829 miles

The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the panoramic sunroof shattered without impact. The contact stated that he was cut by shards of falling glass from the sunroof. The contact stated that no medical attention was sought. The contact pulled over and inspected the vehicle but found no cause or evidence that an object had struck the sunroof glass to cause the failure. The contact was able to drive to the residence with no additional issues. The local dealer was notified of the failure and suggested that the vehicle be brought in for inspection. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage

NHTSA complaint 11498675, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEATS

1 injured

There is a spring that it out of place and when I turned to get out of the seat it scratched my back.

NHTSA complaint 11596004. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY
upon my mechanic's inspection of the vehicle for an unrelated issue, it was found that the entire subframe is rusty and corroded. He informed me that it was at a critical stage that would sooner than later lead to structural failure. Upon brining it to the VW dealer, they agreed with the assessment. VW is not willing to take responsibility for the issue. I am willing to let it be inspected upon request and the dealer supplied me with a video of the inspection. There has been no indication that this was happening, it was only found when my car was put on a rack for an unrelated issue. Here's a link to the video [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5

NHTSA complaint 11766997, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
On 2 separate occasions (in recent 2 months); the car would not restart and error messages would include printing the electrical parking brake engagement. Attempts to reset were futile. Car had to be towed. After 2nd incident, the VW dealership identified that the ground wire for the electrical harness that runs through fuse box and engine was severely overheated resulting in inability to start. There are no recalls on this item; from a safety standpoint, this could happen while driving and a loss of power could result with overheated ground wire condition. This is a potential very unsafe condition and a costly repair item. In comparison, the non-start stop button vehicles have experienced

NHTSA complaint 11763364, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Volkswagen mandatory software update/campaign 24Fi corrupted the OCU/Telematics firmware on my vehicle. This firmware corruption deactivated the critical emergency SOS safety system (Automatic Crash Notification), leaving a persistent red fault light on the overhead console. The dealership confirmed the internal malfunction code(B105207 & B200049) occurred immediately after they performed the flash, but the manufacturer is refusing to remedy the compromised safety system at no cost.

NHTSA complaint 11738989. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION
Rear left coil spring snapped mid driving, breaking off a 3 inch piece. Car now rattles when it goes over bumps. Upon looking under the car, the right rear coil spring is corroded and snapped as well.

NHTSA complaint 11733888. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
There was a warning light for the emergency call function unavailable please service immediately.

NHTSA complaint 11729607. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Upon “starting” car, all systems turn on and car tells me the engine is on; however, if I put into any gear nothing. Only once I press the ignition one more time does the engine actually start.

NHTSA complaint 11717699. 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
2019 549 11 —
2018 31 2 —
2017 159 6 1
2016 161 4 —
2015 194 7 —
2014 386 4 —
2013 516 4 —
2012 499 5 —
2011 607 7 —
2010 852 4 —

Other 2020 Volkswagen models

Tiguan 140 Atlas Cross Sport 106 Atlas 27 Passat 18 GTI 8

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