RecallMyCar

2003 Volkswagen Jetta Recalls, Complaints & Specs

2 safety recalls list the 2003 Volkswagen Jetta, and owners have filed 456 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

2
safety recalls
456
owner complaints to NHTSA
25 / 70
complaints citing a crash / fire
22–39
MPG combined (EPA)

2 safety recalls for the 2003 Volkswagen Jetta

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 18V406000 Reported 2,564 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2003 Volkswagen Passat sedan, Jetta, Jetta wagon, Golf, EuroVan, EuroVan Camper Van and EuroVan Chassis vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began May 2, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.…

  2. Switch (exterior lighting)

    NHTSA 07V063000 Reported 1,002,000 vehicles potentially affected VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC

    On certain passenger, wagon, and convertible vehicles equipped with or without cruise control, a brake light switch may malfunction if it was installed incorrectly.

    Remedy: Dealers will install the newly designed brake light switch free of charge. The recall began on april 27, 2007, and will be conducted in several staggered mailings through september 21, 2007. Vehicles within the make,…

456 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2003 Volkswagen Jetta have filed 456 complaints with NHTSA; 25 describe a crash and 70 describe a fire. Reports cite 85 injuries and 1 death. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 65,836 miles. Complaints peaked in 2004 with 84 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Since New we noticed transmission malfunctioning, transmission would jerk on the upshifts and downshifting also, then it would take longer than normal to go into gears Im the original owner, I parked”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 23, 2023 · Power train

“My jetta stalls without warning when the gas gauge is at a quarter of a tank or less. No engine check light or any other any other device comes on to warn me it is going to stall. My speed does not ma”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, February 7, 2022 · Electrical system

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2003 Volkswagen Jetta (Jetta Wagon). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined22–39 mpg
City / Highway19–35 / 27–45
FuelDiesel, Premium, Regular
EPA classCompact Cars, Small Station Wagons
Engine4/6 cyl, 1.8/1.9/2/2.8 L
TransmissionAutomatic (S5); Automatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd; Manual 6-spd

Compare Volkswagen Jetta model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Volkswagen Jetta model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1980 Volkswagen Jetta10
1981 Volkswagen Jetta30
1982 Volkswagen Jetta10
1983 Volkswagen Jetta10
1984 Volkswagen Jetta11
1985 Volkswagen Jetta313
1986 Volkswagen Jetta214
1987 Volkswagen Jetta318
1988 Volkswagen Jetta719
1989 Volkswagen Jetta428
1990 Volkswagen Jetta522
1991 Volkswagen Jetta531
1992 Volkswagen Jetta230
1993 Volkswagen Jetta417
1994 Volkswagen Jetta5117
1995 Volkswagen Jetta4220
1996 Volkswagen Jetta131
1997 Volkswagen Jetta154
1998 Volkswagen Jetta2192
1999 Volkswagen Jetta6349
2000 Volkswagen Jetta4439
2001 Volkswagen Jetta6668
2002 Volkswagen Jetta5702
2003 Volkswagen Jetta2456
2004 Volkswagen Jetta2231
2005 Volkswagen Jetta4248
2006 Volkswagen Jetta4580
2007 Volkswagen Jetta4201
2008 Volkswagen Jetta4188
2009 Volkswagen Jetta6888
2010 Volkswagen Jetta4852
2011 Volkswagen Jetta7607
2012 Volkswagen Jetta5500
2013 Volkswagen Jetta4517
2014 Volkswagen Jetta4386
2015 Volkswagen Jetta7194
2016 Volkswagen Jetta4161
2017 Volkswagen Jetta6159
2018 Volkswagen Jetta231
2019 Volkswagen Jetta11549
2020 Volkswagen Jetta653
2021 Volkswagen Jetta469
2022 Volkswagen Jetta143
2023 Volkswagen Jetta043
2024 Volkswagen Jetta044
2025 Volkswagen Jetta229
2026 Volkswagen Jetta16

Checking a specific 2003 Volkswagen Jetta

How do I know if my 2003 Volkswagen Jetta has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 2 campaigns currently list the 2003 Volkswagen Jetta; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Volkswagen dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 07V063000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Volkswagen models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.