2014 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Above Average

Quick Summary

The 2014 Volkswagen JETTA SPORTWAGEN has 46 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.6x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is suspension problems (22% of all complaints), specifically: broken rear passenger coil spring. unknown cause or time of failure..

3 crash reports 2 injuries

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.6x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

SUSPENSION

10 complaints

22%

• BROKEN REAR PASSENGER COIL SPRING. UNKNOWN CAUSE OR TIME OF FAILURE.
• FRONT AND REAR COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN DRIVEWAY, WHEN DRIVING ONTO ROAD, NOTICED LOUD GRINDING AND IMMEDIATELY STOPPED. VEHICLE TOWED TO VW COLONIAL WESTBOROUGH, MA. OTHER VW MODELS FROM 2015 HAVE HAD COIL FAILURES AND RECALL.
• LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE 2 PIECES OFF. HAPPENED WILE DRIVING UNIT ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. COMBINATION OF CITY AND HIGHWAY DRIVING. UNIT STARTEF HAVING A CLUNKING NOISE AROUND 100,000 MILES AND THEN A PART OF THE COIL SPRING FELL OUT ONTO THE ROAD IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“BROKEN REAR PASSENGER COIL SPRING. UNKNOWN CAUSE OR TIME OF FAILURE.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

7 complaints

15%

• VOLKSWAGEN TDI HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILED, CAUSING CAR TO SUDDENLY STALL IN LEFT LANE OF LOCAL HIGHWAY RT-198 IN BURTONSVILLE, MD. I WAS IN MOTION IN TRAFFIC STALLED AS I WAS COMING THROUGH INTERSECTION AT RT-198 AND RT-29.
• I FILLED THE FUEL TANK, WHICH WAS NOT QUITE EMPTY, WITH DIESEL ON 11/21. ON 11/25, AFTER DRIVING A COUPLE HUNDRED MILES AND MULTIPLE TRIPS, IT WOULD NOT START FOR MANY TRIES ONCE IT WAS SHUT OFF, EVEN WITH ENGINE HOT. FAR FROM HOME, I WAS AFRAID TO SHUT IT OFF. THE TEMPERATURE WAS NEAR FREEZING, TA
• I FILLED THE FUEL TANK, WHICH WAS NOT QUITE EMPTY, WITH DIESEL ON 11/21. ON 11/25, AFTER DRIVING A COUPLE HUNDRED MILES AND MULTIPLE TRIPS, IT WOULD NOT START FOR MANY TRIES ONCE IT WAS SHUT OFF, EVEN WITH ENGINE HOT. FAR FROM HOME, I WAS AFRAID TO SHUT IT OFF. THE TEMPERATURE WAS NEAR FREEZING, TA

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“VOLKSWAGEN TDI HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILED, CAUSING CAR TO SUDDENLY STALL IN LEFT LANE OF LOCAL HIGHWAY RT-198 IN BURTONSVILLE, MD. I WAS IN MOTION IN TRAFFIC STALLED AS I WAS COMING THROUGH INTERSECTION AT RT-198 AND RT-29.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

5 complaints

11%

• WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THE HVAC BLOWER MOTOR WOULD NOT WORK. THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE MOTOR HAD SHORTED OUT AND INSTEAD OF BLOWING THE FUSE AND DEACTIVATING THE BLOWER MOTOR AND MOTOR CIRCUIT, THE BLOWER FUSE MELTED, THE FUSE BOX MELTED, AND THE CONNECTOR WAS ALSO MELTED. THIS CAR IS PRIMARILY USED
• Horn stopped working. Then started again and stopped again over period of few days. Currently working.
• Wipers stopped working replaced motor and still nothing. I have spoken to other VW owners and they have stated they have had the same problem.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THE HVAC BLOWER MOTOR WOULD NOT WORK. THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE MOTOR HAD SHORTED OUT AND INSTEAD OF BLOWING THE FUSE AND DEACTIVATING THE BLOWER MOTOR AND MOTOR CIRCUIT, THE BLOWER FUSE MELTED, THE FUSE BOX MELTED, AND THE CONNECTOR WAS ALSO MELTED. THIS CAR IS PRIMARILY USED”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

5 complaints

11%

• EPC WARNING LIGHT APPEARS AND SLOWS CAR DOWN FROM 65 TO 15 MILES PER HOUR ON FREEWAY WITHIN 15 SECONDS, EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND EVEN HAD SOMEONE SHATTER MY WINDOW WITH A SCREWDRIVER FOR ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENT
• THE VEHICLE HAS A HARD TIME ON STARTUP WHEN STATIONARY (WHEN THE TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATES FROM FREEZING TO THAWING), SOMETIMES TAKING THREE TO FOUR TIMES FOR IT TO CRANK OVER. ONCE IT CRANKS OVER IT WILL VIBRATE AND SHAKE LIKE IT IS GOING TO STALL. IT WILL ALSO SHAKE AND ACT LIKE IT'S GOING TO STALL A
• TURBO FAILED WITHOUT WARNING ON THE HIGHWAY AND I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN THE SPEED LIMIT. THIS OCCURRED IN A VEHICLE THAT HAD THE TDI EMISSIONS MODIFICATION. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED A SECOND TIME AFTER A WARRANTY REPAIR AT VIC BAILEY VOLKSWAGEN AND APPEARS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT IS RELATED TO TH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“EPC WARNING LIGHT APPEARS AND SLOWS CAR DOWN FROM 65 TO 15 MILES PER HOUR ON FREEWAY WITHIN 15 SECONDS, EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND EVEN HAD SOMEONE SHATTER MY WINDOW WITH A SCREWDRIVER FOR ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

4 complaints

• CAR IS STUTTERING AND HAS STALLED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH, TWO OF WHICH I WAS DRIVING, THE OTHER, WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT. BROUGHT IT TO GET A DIAGNOSTIC AFTER THE FIRST TIME IT STALLED, WHICH WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, THE ALTERNATOR WAS SHOWING LOW VOLTAGE. BROUGHT IT TO THE SHOP, SHOWED NOTHING, ALTE
• WHEN WE MOVE THE SHIFTER TO D AND YOU ARE DRIVING THE D FLASHES, SOMETIMES IT STOPS WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND SOMETIMES IT FLASHES
• CAR PARKED AT CHURCH. COULD NOT INSERT KEY INTO IGNITION SWITCH. NO PREVIOUS INDICATION OF PROBLEM. REVIEW OF PROBLEM ON INTERNET AND DISCUSSION WITH DEALERSHIP SERVICE AGENT REVEALED THAT THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TERM PROBLEM OVER MANY YEARS WHERE A LITTLE PLASTIC PIECE INSIDE THE SWITCH GETS OUT OF

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“CAR IS STUTTERING AND HAS STALLED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH, TWO OF WHICH I WAS DRIVING, THE OTHER, WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT. BROUGHT IT TO GET A DIAGNOSTIC AFTER THE FIRST TIME IT STALLED, WHICH WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, THE ALTERNATOR WAS SHOWING LOW VOLTAGE. BROUGHT IT TO THE SHOP, SHOWED NOTHING, ALTE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

SUSPENSION(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 46 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
SUSPENSION: BROKEN REAR PASSENGER COIL SPRING. UNKNOWN CAUSE OR TIME OF FAILURE.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: VOLKSWAGEN TDI HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILED, CAUSING CAR TO SUDDENLY STALL IN LEFT LANE OF LOCAL HIGHWAY RT-198 IN BURTONSVILLE, MD. I WAS IN MOTION IN TRAFFIC STALLED AS I WAS COMING THROUGH INTERSECTION AT RT-198 AND RT-29.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THE HVAC BLOWER MOTOR WOULD NOT WORK. THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE MOTOR HAD SHORTED OUT AND INSTEAD OF BLOWING THE FUSE AND DEACTIVATING THE BLOWER MOTOR AND MOTOR CIRCUIT, THE BLOWER FUSE MELTED, THE FUSE BOX MELTED, AND THE CONNECTOR WAS ALSO MELTED. THIS CAR IS PRIMARILY USED
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: EPC WARNING LIGHT APPEARS AND SLOWS CAR DOWN FROM 65 TO 15 MILES PER HOUR ON FREEWAY WITHIN 15 SECONDS, EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND EVEN HAD SOMEONE SHATTER MY WINDOW WITH A SCREWDRIVER FOR ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)