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2013 Volkswagen Jetta problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta has been recalled for, how often it fails the UK MOT and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 6safety recalls
- 597owner complaints
- 15crash reports
- 3fire reports
- 32%fail the UK MOT
The most complained-about Volkswagen Jetta year on file: 597 complaints, against an average of 166 for the other 14 model years.
Every Volkswagen Jetta model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta?
The components named most often in the 597 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2013 Volkswagen Jetta owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 597 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why does my 2013 Volkswagen Jetta stall, lose power or shut off while driving?103 owners · 17.3%
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2013 Volkswagen Jetta?47 owners · 7.9%
- Has the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta had transmission failures?44 owners · 7.4% · Recall 19V615000
- Why is the airbag light on in my 2013 Volkswagen Jetta?18 owners · 3% · Recall 15V483000
Has the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta been recalled?
6 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Foundation Components: Master Cylinder Tenneco Automotive (Tenneco) is recalling certain Beck/Arnley Master Cylinders, part number 072-9831, sold as aftermarket or replacement parts for 2004-2018 Volkswagen Jetta, and 2012-2019 Volkswagen Beetle vehicles. The fluid seal crimp on the master cylinder may be insufficient, causing brake fluid to leak or the cylinder to come apart.
Risk: If there is a brake fluid leak, it can reduce braking ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Beck/Arnley will notify the distributors that sold the master cylinders and will work with the distributors to notify the end users. Affected master cylinders will be exchanged for a new master cylinder (part number 072-9990), free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2020. Owners may contact Tenneco customer service at 1-800-625-9319.
Unknown Or Other Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Volkswagen Passat, 2018 Tiguan LWB, 2007-2009 Jetta Sedan, 2011-2013, 2015 and 2019 Jetta, 2013 Jetta Hybrid, 2008-2009 Jetta Sportwagen, 2015 Golf Sportwagen, 2013 Golf, 2008-2010 and 2012-2013 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2008-2010 Beetle, and Beetle Convertible vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.
Risk: If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners and repurchase the affected vehicles. The recall began November 6, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01D7. Note: This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 18V-329.
Electrical System: Ignition: Anti-Theft: Control Module 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.
Air Bags: Frontal Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan, and 2012-2014 Jetta Sportwagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, debris may contaminate the air bag clock spring, a spiral wound, flat cable that keeps the air bag powered while the steering wheel is being turned. This contamination may tear the cable and result in a loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag.
Risk: A loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag will prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a vehicle crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. If the airbag light is on and the steering wheel clock spring requires replacement, dealers will install a new steering wheel clock spring. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987.
Suspension: Rear Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Jetta vehicles manufactured March 1, 2010, to November 30, 2012, and 2012-2013 Beetle vehicles manufactured March 1, 2011, to July 31, 2013. The durability of the rear trailing arms may be reduced in vehicles whose rear trailing arms have been previously deformed, such as a result of a rear or side-rear impact crash.
Risk: The reduced durability of the trailing arm may result in its sudden fracture, possibly causing loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a sheet metal inlay on the rear axle trailing arms designed to prevent a sudden loss of control in the event of trailing arm sudden fracture, free of charge. The recall began April 7, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Engine And Engine Cooling: Engine The Gates Corporation (Gates) is recalling certain aftermarket Tru-Flow Water Pumps, part number TFW 41127, sold at certain NAPA Auto Parts and/or installed by automotive service technicians after November 1, 2013 (and manufactured August 2013 through October 2013) that have a black-colored pulley/sprocket or do not have 'US9377' stamped on the water pump housing. These service replacement parts were sold for use in model year 1999-2005 Audi A4, 2000-2006 Audi TT, 1998-2005 Volkswagen Beetle, 1999-2006 Golf, 1999-2008 and 2011-2013 Volkswagen Jetta, and 2000-2005 Volkswagen Passat. In the affected water pumps, the pulley or sprocket that turns the timing belt may develop microfractures causing the timing belt to fail.
Risk: A failure of the timing belt may cause the engine to shut down, potentially increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Gates will notify owners, and dealers will replace the water pump, free of charge. The recall began during May 2014. Owners may contact The Gates Corporation at 1-303-744-1911.
Is the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta recalled in the UK or Europe?
Recalls issued by the UK's DVSA and through the EU's Safety Gate system that cover this model and build period. European models can differ from U.S. ones, and "years estimated" means the recall gave no build dates, so confirm your own car with your registration or VIN.
UK DVSADirectional control may be lost
Risk: On vehicles with torsion beam rear axle the trailing arm of the rear axle can be deformed in a rear impact of the vehicle or when reversing too quickly over a relatively high obstacle (such as very high kerbs). If this deformation or pre-damage is not recognised a trailing arm of the rear axle can suddenly break later because of the related weakening of the rear axle.
Fix: On vehicles which have been involved in a rear impact or reversed at speed over a high obstacle. The trailing arm of the torsion beam rear axle is checked for accident damage and replaced if necessary. In other instances a brace plate will be fitted to the trailing arms.
EU Safety GateCars initially used for internal purposes of Volkswagen AG might not have been correctly modified before they were sold to the general…Cars initially used for internal purposes of Volkswagen AG might not have been correctly modified before they were sold to the general public. There is a possibility that certain safety systems of these cars are not correctly modified for street use.
Measures: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer; Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users; Date of entry into force: Unknown
How often does the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta fail its MOT?
Why they failed: the share of failed tests with at least one fault in each area (a test can fail on several). Cars first registered in 2013, tested in Great Britain in 2023; first registration is usually, but not always, the model year. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, Open Government Licence v3.0.
What do 2013 Volkswagen Jetta owners report?
12 of the 597 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
My ignition just stopped working I believe that there was a recall on the ignition but I'm just not sure
Mechatronics reprogram for prior recall does not fix failure longterm. The accumulator recall was fixed with original OEM accumulator which prolongs the need for Mechatronics rebuild. The OEM valve body housing is weak and cracks as well. The windshield spray motor just replaced. Appears it is a larger issue, many have issues with.
Airbags did not deploy..as per police report
Driving vehicle on highway, vehicle lost engine power, no acceleration possible. Attempt to restart vehicle resulted in no start. Subsequent evaluation of fault revealed high pressure fuel pump failure.
The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle decelerated and nearly caused a crash on the freeway. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road, restarted, and the vehicle operated as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V615000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING); one month before the failure; however, the repair failed to fix the vehicle. The vehicle was driven to a local dealer to be diagnosed, and the failure was…
I am submitting this complaint regarding Safety Recall 34J6, which is listed as INCOMPLETE for my 2013 Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid. I brought my vehicle to Volkswagen of Murfreesboro, Tennessee to have this recall performed. The dealership refused to complete the repair, claiming it was “too old” — a statement that is factually and legally incorrect. Federal law and NHTSA regulations require manufacturers and their dealerships to repair open safety recalls at no cost, with no expiration. The dealership’s refusal is a direct violation of these requirements and represents a serious safety risk to me…
Hairline crack developed in the accumulator housing of the transmission (mechatronic unit), leaking and leading to insufficient transmission oil pressure. There is loss of power to the wheels. Was never notified and on last inspection they told me it was my fault. Recall code 34J6. The only thing the service department did was update the software, the issue was that before the update it was already damaged and they refused to replace the “MECHATRONICS UNIT” The car is not drive able, and is just sitting in my drive way.
The key will not come out of the ignition
The car has turned off at idle and at low speeds, almost causing accidents and to be rear ended in busy streets and during stop and go traffic on the highway. After numerous mechanic diagnostics at both Volkswagen Dealership service departments and third party mechanic shops, no one seems to be able to give me an answer or condition to what is causing the problem. With no error codes being brought up nor any other underlying issues that could be causing this issue, with a car having minor wear. This is a problem that has been reported by many other Volkswagen Jetta owners on online forums and…
Car one day decided to have issues. It wouldn't turn over. So we called a row truck to come take it and run diagnostics. The tow truck driver showed up and on his decision making as im not a professional like he is he said can it turn on I said no so he pursued with saying that he is going to Jumpstart the battery in his words he says that's mainly the issue is a dead battery so he wanted to jump it with his portable jumper box as we are hooking it up to the vehicle I am inside and he connects the cables and tells me to try and turn it over in doing so the intake manifold had completely blown…
My car has 80,000 miles on it. The high pressure fuel pump sent metal shavings all through the entire system. Dealer quoted $9,000 to fix. This should have never happened. They said that the extended warranty from the diesel gate situation has expired and there’s nothing they can do. With the car only having 80,000 miles on it they should honor the warranty.
I would assume the issue had something to do with the power train. 2 days after i had bought the car my wife and i were on our way to the gym and we had just came to a complete stop. Upon entering the highway the car would no longer accelerate no matter how much pressure was put on the accelerator pedal. The engine light also came on. Luckily there were no cars behind me and I was able to pull over with the car moving on its own. This is really dangerous. This has happened to me multiple times. I have taken it back to the dealership i had bought the car from and they have a private mechanic…
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2013 Volkswagen Jetta: questions owners ask
Is the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 597 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta; the most common categories were power train (198, 33.2%), electrical system (157, 26.3%), engine (126, 21.1%). There are 6 safety recalls. 15 complaints mention a crash, 3 mention a fire, 10 injuries were reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta?
Across 597 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are power train (33.2% of complaints), electrical system (26.3% of complaints), engine (21.1% of complaints), fuel/propulsion system (6.4% of complaints), steering (6.4% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta; the most recent (campaign 20E064000, 2020-09-23) concerns Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Foundation Components: Master Cylinder. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why does my 2013 Volkswagen Jetta stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
103 of the 597 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta (17.3%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "Hairline crack developed in the accumulator housing of the transmission (mechatronic unit), leaking and leading to insufficient transmission oil pressure. There is loss of power to the wheels." (NHTSA complaint 11689309, September 2025). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why is the check engine light on in my 2013 Volkswagen Jetta?
47 of the 597 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta (7.9%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "While driving the vehicle at about 20mph about a week ago, the check hybrid light began flashing. After stopping and restarting the vehicle, the check engine light came on." (NHTSA complaint 11702517, December 2025). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Has the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta had transmission failures?
44 of the 597 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta (7.4%) describe transmission failure, slipping or a replaced transmission. A related recall exists: campaign 19V615000 (electrical system: ignition: anti-theft: control module). The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional switch and circuit board, free of charge. One owner wrote: "While driving the vehicle at about 20mph about a week ago, the check hybrid light began flashing. After stopping and restarting the vehicle, the check engine light came on." (NHTSA complaint 11702517, December 2025). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why is the airbag light on in my 2013 Volkswagen Jetta?
18 of the 597 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta (3%) describe airbag warning lights or airbag faults. A related recall exists: campaign 15V483000 (air bags: frontal). The fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. One owner wrote: "Driving on the interstate, my spouse stated that the car just lost power. Fortunately, he was able to pull off. But once he tried to start the car, it wouldn't do anything. The car was towed to my home." (NHTSA complaint 11517654, April 2023). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Check your own Jetta
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), DVSA anonymised MOT results (Open Government Licence v3.0), DVSA vehicle recalls (Open Government Licence v3.0), EU Safety Gate alerts (© European Union), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2013 only; combines NHTSA's entries for JETTA and JETTA HEV.