2019 Volkswagen Jetta Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/12/2026

144Engine complaints

26.8%Of all 537 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN160 · 29.8%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM145 · 27%

ENGINE144 · 26.8%

Unspecified / other94 · 17.5%

SERVICE BRAKES29 · 5.4%

Share of the 537 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta overview page.

What owners report

“DRIVING A 6 SPEED M/T. WITHOUT AUTO START/STOP, TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF ME WAS SLOWING TO A STOP. SLOWING DOWN, I SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL TO…”NHTSA complaint 11244082 — filed 08/15/2019

“BRAND NEW 11 DAYS OLD 2019 JETTA GLI MANUAL ENGINE SHUT DOWN THREE TIMES WHILE IN TRAFFIC. CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL, STARTED TO SHUDDER AND…”NHTSA complaint 11242411 — filed 08/07/2019

“THIS IS A BRAND NEW MANUAL TRANSMISSION JETTA GLI WITH ONLY 160 MILES. AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 16 MINUTES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON THE EXPRESSWAY…”NHTSA complaint 11241648 — filed 08/04/2019

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta have engine problems?

Engine is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta: 144 of 537 complaints on file (26.8%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta have in total?

537 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 19 involved a crash, 3 involved a fire, 36 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.