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2017 Volkswagen Jetta Electrical Problems

24 owner-reported electrical complaints from NHTSA data

24
Complaints
1
Recalls
3
Crashes
Jan 2021Dec 2017
Date Range

Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.

Electrical Recalls (1)

RECALLCampaign #19V615000

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."

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.

Owner Complaints (24)

criticalELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEATS
Filed: Mar 2026

Your seat heater may cause severe burns to your skin, even when used intermittently for short periods. After using the heater for only 10-15 minutes on and off during a 75-mile drive, you experienced painful burns and open wounds on your buttocks. The seat heater may be overheating to dangerous temperatures. A repair would likely involve inspecting the heater thermostat, heating element, or replacing the seat heater assembly to ensure it maintains safe operating temperatures.

NHTSA #: 11722751
criticalELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Jun 2025

Your Jetta's engine shut off while driving on the interstate because a fuel rail bolt broke, causing a major fuel leak. Volkswagen had issued a recall for this exact problem, but even though the recall was supposedly completed before you bought the car in May 2025, the issue wasn't actually fixed. A fuel leak on the highway is extremely dangerous—if the fuel had ignited, your car could have caught fire and caused serious injury or death. The dealer says repairs would be at your expense, but you believe Volkswagen should cover the cost since they didn't properly address the known defect.

NHTSA #: 11667516
highELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE
Filed: Jul 2025

Your car has experienced multiple electrical issues over the past 3 years, including dimming headlights (blown fuse), non-functioning windshield wipers (blown motor), and a passenger window that won't lower from the driver's controls. Additionally, your forward collision warning and lane departure warning systems have never worked properly, your tire pressure information display stopped working, and cruise control causes a brief acceleration spike before settling to the set speed. Repairs may involve replacing electrical fuses, the windshield wiper motor, window motors, and diagnosing the safety system sensors and cruise control calibration.

NHTSA #: 11675497
highELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: May 2025

Your car shut off unexpectedly while driving into a gas station and wouldn't start again, even though you've maintained it regularly and have low mileage. This is concerning because the shutdown could have happened on a highway, potentially putting you in danger. The issue appears to be electrical in nature, and a mechanic will need to diagnose what caused the engine to shut off and why the starter isn't engaging.

NHTSA #: 11663301
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EQUIPMENT
Filed: Nov 2025

Your infotainment system touchscreen stopped responding while your car was parked, with no warning light appearing. An independent mechanic diagnosed and repaired the issue, noting it was a common failure at around 40,000 miles. The repair likely involved replacing or reprogramming the touchscreen control module or display unit.

NHTSA #: 11698262
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE
Filed: Sep 2024

The contact owns 2017 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle failed to turn off while turning the key to the off position in the ignition switch. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and a dealer and was diagnosed, and it was determined that the cylinders in the engine was rusted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 89,000.

NHTSA #: 11616005
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Filed: May 2024

I am continually have issue with my headlights bi-xenon ds3 bulbs going out. I have replaced the ballast and the bulb w oem parts and the issue continues. My day runner LED lights work on the passenger side but the HID bulb does not work. I have no low beam. Everything else works. Same issue on drivers side until I replaced the entire housing unit. Regardless both lights DO NOT REFLECT IN DISTANCE making it EXTREMELY HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT forcing me to have to drive w my fog lights on just to see.

NHTSA #: 11587771
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION
Filed: Aug 2023

Infotainment unit is extremely faulty with proximity sensors going off randomly engaging brakes and rear view camera not working. VW solution was a full replacements in excess of car's value

NHTSA #: 11541352
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Filed: Jul 2023

Front left headlight has no power going to it. Rear right tail light has no power going to it. Third, brake light has no power going to it. Wind shield washer pump has no power going to it. Both rear doors do not lock. This issue is all connected with each other because it fixed itself. Once and they all came back on together and then it went back out.

NHTSA #: 11533842
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS
Filed: Aug 2021

Battery died. Went to dealer in another vehicle to purchase a battery. Installed the new battery and now have an airbag light. Called dealer to learn how to reset airbag, and they said it requires a special tool to reset along with a service charge ($80 to $160). Should an airbag system require special tool and/or knowledge when the car is required to have them? Everything else is operating normally, but airbags are out of service.

NHTSA #: 11429794
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS
Filed: Apr 2021

I WAS PARKED AND SUDDENLY MY CAR DID NOT WANT TO START, NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON BEFORE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE. AFTER BRINGING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ACCORDING TO THEM BATTERY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AND IT HAS BEEN ONLY ABOUT 2 YEARS OR LESS FROM LAST REPLACEMENT. THIS ISSUE CLEARLY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESS IMMEDIATELY AS BATTERIES SHOULD LAST FOR MINIMUM OF 3 YEARS. ALSO AFTER EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BATTERY THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP IS STATING I MUST REPLACE FAULTY AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT AND PAY IT FROM MY POCKET WHICH I FIND UNACCEPTABLE. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE FURTHER INVESTIGATED AS AIRBAG WARNING INDICATOR CAN ALSO BE RELATED TO ' VOLKSWAGEN'S CLOCK SPRING PROBLEMS'.

NHTSA #: 11406805
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,WHEELS
Filed: Jan 2021

CAR HAS 65K ON IT AND HAS BEEN ACTING UP FOR AT LEAST 10K MILES ON THE FOLLOWING ITEMS: 1. THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT ON DASH WENT ON FOR NO REASON AND I HAD TO PAY A DIAGNOSTIC FEE FOR IT TO BE RESET. 2. THE RADIO LINKS TO MY PHONE ONLY 50% OF THE TIME WITH A FAILURE NOTICE POSTED ON THE MONITOR. THE BLUETOOTH WILL STILL WORK BUT TO CONNECT WITH MY CORD TO ALSO CHARGE, VERY INCONSISTENT. 3. THE TIRE DASH LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED DESPITE HAVING THE TIRES AND MONITORS CHECKED SEVERAL TIMES. 4. THE BACK UP WARNING INDICATOR HAS RECENTLY STOPPED ALERTING ME AND I CAME WITHIN INCHES OF BACKING INTO A CAR TODAY. I WOULD LIKE MY DASH TO BE ERROR MESSAGE FREE AND MY RADIO RELIABLY WORKING VIA MY PHONE CORD. I HAVE TRIED DIFFERENT CORDS, PURCHASED NEW TIRES AND MONITORS, AND THE SAME ISSUES CONTINUALLY OCCUR. THIS ALL OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS POWERED ON, DOES NOT MATTER IF IT IS PARKED OR BEING DRIVEN.

NHTSA #: 11387180
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Jul 2020

MY CAR CAN BE TURNED OFF AND DOES NEED TO BE IN PARK. THE ELECTRICAL COMES AND GOES BUT THE MOST ALARMING IS THE JETTA ACCELERATES ON IT'S OWN AND IT TAKES A COUPLE OF MINUTES TO GET IT UNDER CONTROL. AT ONE POINT I HAVE NO WAY OF STOPPING THE ACCELERATION TO STOP. ALSO, I ASKED CRESTMONT VW IF IT WAS NORMAL TO HAVE CAR OFF AND NOT IN PARK. THEY ACTED LIKE IT WAS NORMAL. THE JETTA HAS ROLLED BACK AND ALMOST HIT PEOPLE. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RECALLS FROM THE COMPANY. IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.

NHTSA #: 11338771
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Filed: Feb 2020

WHILE DRIVING THE MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW FELL OF TRACK AND FELL DOWN TOWARDS THE DOOR PANEL. IT CAUSED DEBRIS TO FALL INTO MY CAR ALMOST CAUSING ME TO. CRASH. I LOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME. BACK IN 2018 THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW FELL OF TRACK WHILE WAS DRIVING ALMOST CAUSING ME TO CRASH. IT FELT AS IF I WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTING. IT WAS A VERY SCARY MOMENT. I JUST DON'T WANT MY FAMILY TO GET HURT. IT WAS REPAIRED AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS A COMMON ISSUE. PLEASE HELP

NHTSA #: 11309099
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Filed: Jan 2020

I HAVE NOTICE SINCE PURCHASING THE CAR IT HAS ISSUES WITH MILEAGE AND CORRECT HAS TO MILEAGE. I SPOKE WITH BE WHEN FIRST GETTING IT AND THE SERVICE WORKER ACKNOWLEDGED THE ISSUE BUT DID NOT FIX IT. IT IS STILL A PROBLEM NOW. YOU CAN FILL THE TANK UP GO A MILE DOWN THE STREET AND IT WILL SAY YOU HAVE DRIVEN 30 MILES. EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK IT WILL SAY YOU ARE DRIVING AT LEAST 2 MILES PER HOUR. I HAVE A VIDEO THAT BETTER PLACES THE SITUATION AS WELL. THIS VEHICLE ALSO HAVE THE CD PLAYER RUN HOT, THE LIGHTER PORTS DO NOT WORK AGAIN, AND THE ANTIFREEZE LIGHT HAS COME ON EVERY YEAR SINCE PURCHASING THIS CAR. I FEEL THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG ELECTRICALLY AND ENGINE WISE.

NHTSA #: 11301900
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CrashFiled: Oct 2019

HORN JUST STOPPED WORKING

NHTSA #: 11268422
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
Filed: Sep 2019

A RANDOM NOTICE APPEARS ON THE DASH DISPLAY, "DRIVER ASSISTANCE BUTTON IS DISABLED". THEN WINDSHIELD WIPERS RANDOMLY ACTIVATE, DOOR LOCKS CLICK LOCKED AND UNLOCKED, AND CRUISE CONTROL DISABLES ALL WHILE DRIVING. HIGH BEAMS NO LONGER FUNCTION AND OCCASIONALLY ALL ELECTRIC DISPLAY, RADIO SOUND, AND LIGHTS GO BLACK WHILE DRIVING. YOU MUST PULL OVER, SHUT OFF THE CAR, AND WAIT APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES BEFORE RESTARTING TO RECOVER TO NORMAL. VOLKSWAGEN SERVICE CLAIMS NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR BECAUSE IT DOESN'T SHOW UP ON THE DIAGNOSTIC REPORT.

NHTSA #: 11257535
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE
Filed: Jul 2019

I HAVE A VOLKSWAGEN JETTA GLI 2.0 TURBO. IT CURRENTLY HAS 55,000. I AM HAVING A PROBLEM ON INITIAL START WHERE BY IT RUNS ROUGH, SOMETIMES STALLS AT IDLE AND SOMETIMES STALLS ON INITIAL ACCELERATION. THIS STARTED AS A 30 DAY PROGRESS OF GETTING WORSE. NOW THE YELLOW ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND AT THE SAME TIME THE CRUISE CONTROL YELLOW LIGHT APPEARS (INTERMITTENT). COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS WERE RUN. WHEN TESTS WERE RUN AS A GROUP NO FAILURES REPORTED BUT WHEN RUN INDIVIDUALLY 7 FAULTS OCCURRED INCLUDING CYLINDER MISS-FIRES AND CAMSHAFT ADJ BANK 1 INTAKE ERROR

NHTSA #: 11228971
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE
Filed: May 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, IT LOST POWER. THE CONTACT HAD TO GUIDE THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND NARROWLY AVOIDED A COLLISION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEASIDE VOLKSWAGEN (1725 AUTO CENTER PKWY, SEASIDE, CA 93955, (831) 394-6666), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED OR LOCATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE SEASIDE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,500. *AS *TR

NHTSA #: 11208722
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS
CrashFiled: May 2018

I HAVVE BEEN HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES THE PAST THREE-FIVE MONTHS ON THIS VEHICLE TODAY WHEN IN A CAR ACCIDENT THE AIR BAG LIGHTS CAME ON BUT NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FIRE AND RESCUE SIAD THEY SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYEED. THE RADIO WOULD TURN ON AND OFF AND SOMETIMES THE HEAD LIGHTS WOULDNT TURN ON.

NHTSA #: 11094153
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE
CrashFiled: Jan 2018

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 COLLISION. VEHICLE HAD 1100 MILES ON IT

NHTSA #: 11064703
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Dec 2017

AS I DROVE HOME ONE NIGHT, THE FUEL GAUGE WAS SHOWING EMPTY WHEN I KNEW THAT THE TANK WAS HALF FULL. THIS IS DANGEROUS FOR A REMOTE, RURAL DRIVER WHO NEEDS TO KNOW HOW MUCH GAS IS LEFT IN THE TANK. NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY WAS PRESENT FOR THIS OCCURRENCE. AFTER I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON THE GAUGE WAS BACK TO NORMAL. I WILL BE MONITORING CLOSELY FROM HERE ON OUT.

NHTSA #: 11055422
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Aug 2017

MY CAR IS STALLING UPON STARTING INTERMITTENTLY FOR THE LAST 2 MONTHS. I HAVE READ SEVERAL PLACES ABOUT PEOPLE HAVING AN ISSUE OF HAVING CARS OF THIS YEAR STALLING WHILE DRIVING WHICH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I AM FEARFUL MY ISSUE COULD TURN INTO THIS. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALER AND IT IS NOT THROWING ANY CODES. THE DEALER DID SAY THEY HAD CARS COME IN WITH THE ISSUE OF THEM STALLING WHILE DRIVING AND THEY'VE REPLACED THE FUEL INJECTOR MODULE (A $900 REPAIR). I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED VW ABOUT THIS ISSUE WITH NO RESOLUTION. *TR

NHTSA #: 11019352
mediumELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Filed: Aug 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY HAD A LOSS OF POWER, AND THE ENGINE, EPC, AND VARIOUS OTHER WARNING INDICATORS FLASHED. THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STALL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER SOME ATTEMPTS. THE DEALER (LONG ISLAND CITY VOLKSWAGEN, 5615 NORTHERN BLVD, WOODSIDE, NY 11377, 718-728-8111) PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE AND INDICATED THAT FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS REQUIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA #: 11018993

Other 2017 Volkswagen Jetta Issues