2003 Volkswagen Jetta Volkswagen Jetta 2003

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta repairs by problem area

Engine (45%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (8%)

Brakes and Traction Control (6%)

Suspension and Steering (15%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (18%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (4%)

Other (5%)

Chart based on 638 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the 2003 Volkswagen Jetta.

2003 Volkswagen Jetta repair cost distribution

$2500+ (2%)

$1000 - $2499 (8%)

$500 - $999 (17%)

$100 - $499 (34%)

< $100 (39%)

Worried about potential repair costs? An extended warranty can provide peace of mind.

Chart based on 484 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

2003 Volkswagen Jetta

Engine not specified

Volkswagen Jetta in Texas, United States
Jun 2014 - Sep 2014
Sep 2014

110000 mi

US $15
The shift linkage bushing wore out causing the shift cable to detach itself from the shifter. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Quebec, Canada
Dec 2016 - Dec 2016
Dec 2016

204600 mi

C $312
lost the bolt under the front shock, so the steering shake and a cardan broke 
Volkswagen Jetta in Michigan, United States
Mar 2014 - Apr 2015
Jan 2015

195700 mi

US $100
coil pack 
Apr 2015

199000 mi

US $100
trans, slipping readjusted fluid level, worked sorta. 
Volkswagen Jetta in North Carolina, United States
Jan 2012 - Mar 2012
Feb 2012

136000 mi

US $550
Starter and spark plugs replaced 

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Wagon

turbocharged 90hp 1.9L I4 Diesel 5-speed manual FWD

Volkswagen Jetta in Pennsylvania, United States
Apr 2008 - Sep 2021
Sep 2009

200000 mi

US $600
Replaced glow plug wiring harness. Also regular scheduled maintenance. Replaced intermittent coolant temperature sensor. 
Mar 2010

212000 mi

US $200
Car suddenly lost power and started smoking badly. No CEL. Disconnected MAF sensor; running improved. Replaced MAF. Also replaced N75 boost control valve, preventively. Cleaned intake manifold and EGR valve. 
Aug 2011

260000 mi

US $10
Driver's side headlight as VW in their infinite wisdom made removing the battery required to access the headlight. Work done during a normally scheduled 20K mile service (oil/filter, air, fuel and cabin filters) and tire rotation. 
Sep 2011

262000 mi

US $20
Exhaust pipe rusted/broke at the exit of the catalytic converter. Replacement part needs to be odered. 1st DIY attempt at temp patch failed. Currently waiting for time for second attempt. 
Jan 2013

325700 mi

US $280
TIMING BELT CHANGE; COOLANT TEMP SENSOR 
Mar 2013

309000 mi

US $50
Replaced worn LF wheel bearing. 
Oct 2013

323200 mi

US $120
SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER BROKE. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Minnesota, United States
Jul 2007 - Jun 2022
Feb 2008

52000 mi

US $135
I didn't know the driver's window was frozen, so when I went to operate it, the grippers attaching the window mechanism to the window became detached. The electric window motor spun freely; window initially was stuck in the closed position but ... 
Mar 2008

53000 mi

US $700
Replaced dead shocks and struts and upgraded with Konis instead of OEMs. 
Apr 2008

54000 mi

US $80
Glow plug harness was throwing consistent Check Engine Light indications. Replaced harness, reset computer, and CEL is now gone. 
Oct 2008

59000 mi

US $380
If the TDI's engine doesn't reach operational temperature often enough, the intake manifold clogs with soot and fuel. Mine got so clogged the anti-shudder valve froze and the car wouldn't start. Intake was replaced and EGR cleaned. 
Jul 2011

86000 mi
Car made rattling noises from back-wheel area. After inspection they found back brakes were worn down. As part of replacing the brakes, the parking brake caliper that was hanging up was freed. It did not need replacement. 
Nov 2011

90000 mi

US $320
Thermostat had to be replaced; had thrown Check Engine light. 
Apr 2012

91800 mi

US $325
Thermostat failed again, replaced. 
May 2013

100000 mi

US $25
Fender liner fastener gave way; fender liner was rubbing against the tire. Mechanic zip-tied the fender back to its designed position. 
Jul 2013

101000 mi
Alternator froze up. Engine made an increasing amount of noise. Timing belt frayed well before expected end of life (100,000 miles or five years). 
May 2014

104000 mi

US $1800
Parts were worn; replaced Front strut failed; replaced strut and strut bearing mount. Rear spring was broken; replaced both. Passenger front fender liner tore into two pieces, making noise when steering, over bumps, etc. Replaced. 
Oct 2014

107200 mi

US $600
Driver's front wheel bearing failed; replaced; first replacement was bad; had to be replaced again. Car threw Check Engine Light. Glow plug harness proved to be bad. Replaced. 
Mar 2015

108000 mi

US $599
Rear brake caliper froze, trashing brake pad and disk. Both parts were replaced as were the similar parts on the other side of the axle. 
May 2015

110000 mi

US $325
Exhaust system broken/rusted out in three places, including muffler. Intermediate pipe and muffler were replaced. 
Aug 2015

111900 mi

US $216
Hard starting during winter which went away as weather warmed. Three of four glow plugs had failed. They were replaced. Front transmission seal was worn; replaced while clutch was replaced. Parking brake cable had seized during winter; seized cable was removed. On this trip both cables were replaced. 
May 2016

116500 mi

US $985
Worn pendulum engine mount and left engine mount caused engine to rock while car was in motion. Parts were replaced. Valve cover gasket leaking oil. VW does not sell gasket separately; only sells entire valve cover. 
Aug 2016

118000 mi

US $40
Sensor indicating that front brake pads were worn out went on -- intermittently. Bracket holding sensor to body broke and fooled the sensor. Ziptied it out of the way and reset the warning. 
Nov 2016

124300 mi

US $370
Passenger front spring is broken. Both front springs were replaced. 
Apr 2017

126000 mi
Technician broke oil dipstick; said it was brittle after all the years and heat underhood. The shop replaced it for free (aftermarket part); labor was no-charge. 
Dec 2017

132 mi

US $850
Headlamp switch (aftermarket item) did not always switch on headlights or dashboard lights. Switch was replaced. Backup lamps were not working but the bulbs tested OK. Replaced reverse-lamp switch on transmission as well as a corroded pigtail off that switch. Rear window washer stream was weak and followed the arc of the wiper instead of spraying on the glass. Mechanic suggested only the nozzle needed to be replaced. Behavior after the repair is similar to what it was before. It is possible the nozzle can be adjusted for better coverage on the glass, which may be enough to address most of the problem as it is likely the ultimate fix is replacing the rear washer motor. Windshield washer fluid reservoir low-level warning light remains on even when the reservoir is full. After discussing the cost of returning function to factory condition, I agreed to let the mechanic bypass the circuit so the light remains out regardless of fluid level. Intake manifold packed with soot, which affected acceleration and fuel economy. Part was removed, "washed", and reattached. Some parts connected to the manifold also needed to be cleared. Alarm system sometimes arms itself after driver gets in the car but before the car is started. When a door is opened or the car started at that point, the alarm goes off. Mechanic tried to read car diagnostics but says some component is flooding the diagnostic line with noise, so he can't fully isolate the component causing this issue. He has suggested swapping out the door latch assembly, but at its price and because the problem does not lock me out of the car or immobilize it, I've decided to wait to repair it. Alternator belt was frayed. It was replaced. 
Apr 2018

134000 mi

US $95
Car made a CV-joint-like clicking noise, especially when cold. Problem was identified as loose bolts on one of the half-shafts. Bolts were tightened and the noise went away. Car occasionally would start normally but issue three beeps about a minute or so after moving. No warning lights visible on dash at the time. Shut off ignition, restarted car, and ABS sensor light on dash flashed for a moment and went out. Car operated normally. Technician checked error codes and found the connection to the positive terminal on the battery was loose. Tightened the connection; problem has not occurred again. 
May 2018

134000 mi

US $140
Camshaft seal was worn. Discovered during timing belt replacement. 
Jul 2018

147000 mi

US $338
Seal on rear driver's side disc brake caliper failed, leaking brake fluid. Entire caliper had to be replaced. 
Sep 2018

147582 mi

US $95
Headlamp switch failed to turn on instrument panel lights when headlamps were switched on. In addition, when instrument panel lights did go on, they rarely could be brightened or dimmed. I replaced the instrument panel rheostat and the headlamp switch. 
Oct 2021

155000 mi

US $40
After 20 years the hatch support struts no longer held up the hatch. Bought two new struts online and replaced the struts. 
Jan 2022

157000 mi

US $20
After 20 years the strut that held open the hood no longer held up the hood. Bought a replacement strut online and replaced the old one. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Texas, United States
Jul 2010 - Feb 2012
Jan 2011

US $144
CEL intermittent. Codes said bad coolant sensor. Replaced same. 
Dec 2011

111000 mi

US $275
CEL on - diagnostic said bad air flow valve - replaced. Also did routine service - included in above price. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Minnesota, United States
Nov 2009 - Jun 2022
Dec 2009

99000 mi

US $50
MIL light: Fault code for glow plug and/or harness AGAIN. Not the harness, only 1 bad glow plug that spec'd fine on the multimeter. Fault code gone after glow plug replaced. 
Nov 2011

119000 mi

US $667
Needed new thermostat, replaced w/new. Needed new coolant temp sensor, replaced. 
May 2013

128400 mi

US $800
Replaced original shocks & struts. OEM parts still in working order, however the ride and handling was degraded badly. Replaced worn sway bar bushings. No more squeaking when driving over speed bumps. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Texas, United States
Jun 2014 - Jun 2022
Jul 2014

133000 mi

US $20
Intermittent loss of charging from alternator. Suspected clutched pulley broken (again) but it tested OK by hand. Found corroded ground terminals under battery. Replaced grounds, cleaned all relevant connections. Problem recurred in 2 weeks. 
Jun 2016

144000 mi

US $100
Replaced yellowed and nearly opaque plastic headlight lenses. 
Jul 2021

159000 mi

US $120
Manual transmission shift bushings failed and were replaced. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Pennsylvania, United States
May 2014 - Sep 2014
Aug 2014

204900 mi

US $120
Driver's SIDE window lift mechanism broke. Had a new one installed. 
Volkswagen Jetta in New Hampshire, United States
Jan 2015 - Sep 2021
Feb 2016

158000 mi

US $1800
Car rough running/vibrating. New fly wheel, clutch. 
Mar 2017

189000 mi

US $334
Lack of turbo. Replace and adjust VNT actuator. No heat, replaced thermostat. 
Apr 2017

194000 mi

US $360
AC actuator 
Mar 2018

213000 mi

US $754
Struts and springs #1 Glow plug 
Volkswagen Jetta in Ontario, Canada
May 2007 - Jul 2018
Nov 2007

259160 mi

C $110
Serpentine Belt tensioner needed replacing due to wear (413392 km) 
Mar 2008

277140 mi

C $400
Right front wheel bearing needed replacing, in addition to worn out control arm bushings. Not unexpected at this high milage. 
Jun 2008

280240 mi
Windshield wiper shafts were starting to seize. Took apart and lubricated. 
Jul 2008

285820 mi

C $92
Left Inner CV joint needed replacing - it has been having constantly increasing vibration for over 200,000 km. Mass Airflow Sensor (MAFs) became unreliable - only 56743 miles (14 months) after having been replaced previously. 
Aug 2008

291400 mi
Corrosion in the glow plug harness. Known problem that repeats itself periodically. Thorough cleaning with special chemicals usually corrects the problem. (Last done 2.5 years ago) 
Feb 2009

308140 mi

C $1000
The clutch design has a weakness, and after almost 500,000 km, it was time to replace the dual-mass flywheel with a single-mass flywheel system.  The engine mounts were also replaced due to age. 
May 2009

317440 mi

C $450
Bearing inside steering column developed excessive play... replaced with used steering column Brake cables needed replacing... common problem on these cars... (I had already ordered the parts months ago... for both cars...) the driver's seat side airbag that needed replacing due to a short in the wiring or a low resistance for the ignitor... 
Sep 2009

337900 mi

C $120
Glow Plug Harness finally gave up... after 6 years... the design could use improvement... 
Oct 2009

341620 mi

C $40
Inner Right side CV Joint wore out. Replaced with used unit on hand. 
Dec 2009

350920 mi

C $900
Head Gasket was leaking - losing coolant. Also took opportunity to replace camshaft and lifters. Replaced alternator clutch pulley. 
Feb 2010

353400 mi

C $800
Rivets inside differential gave way and shot through the housing, losing transmission fluid and destroying transmission. Not uncommon on high milage VWs 
Apr 2010

363320 mi

C $95
One of the radiator fans (electric - driver's side) was dead. 
Jun 2010

372620 mi

C $90
Air Mass Flow sensor died. 
Jan 2011

399900 mi

C $500
Brake light switch finally died... there have been several recalls on this one, so I dropped into the closest dealer and had them replace it - took 20 minutes including washing the car!!! 
Apr 2011

413540 mi

C $20
Turn signal switch (stalk) finally gave out. Previously it has needed to be disassembled and cleaned (twice), this time a used part was installed. As well, the headlight switch needed replacing for the same reason. 
Jun 2011

422220 mi

C $10
Turbo actuator finally gave out. First symptoms appeared 6 months ago, but car was drivable. Part ordered at that time, but it only became necessary to replace it now. Gasket (grommet) at top of valve cover had deteriorated to the point that replacement was necessary. Noticed during replacement of turbo actuator. 
Aug 2011

430900 mi

C $791
Turbo had excessive wear - most likely due to mileage.  Also exhaust pipe had perforations. 
Oct 2011

438960 mi

C $15
Shifter Counterweight from the linkage was worn causing difficult shifting. 
Nov 2011

442680 mi

C $60
Right Rear brake caliper's parking brake mechanism was seized. Relaced both rear calipers with used units. 
May 2012

465080 mi

C $1534
Cylinder head gasket leak. Rebuilt the cylinder head at the same time - due to mileage. 
Aug 2012

476100 mi

C $113
Coolant hose developed leak. Had to wait for part to come in. 
Oct 2012

486920 mi

C $500
Emergency Brake cables needed replacing. (Common problem... this is the 2nd time they were replaced.) Time to replace the original tie rods... both ends of both tie rods were original and there was a bit of looseness. Not bad for 800,000 km... 
Feb 2013

503540 mi

C $40
Left Outer CV joint broke down. One of the glow plugs "died" Rear Wiper motor replaced on account of the washer hose being corroded - for a very long time (Original unit only lasted 34 months) 
Mar 2013

507780 mi

C $675
Steering Rack developed leaks and needed replacing. (Not unexpected given the mileage.) 
May 2013

515220 mi

C $226
Driver's window fell into the door. Common issue with VWs as the Window Regulator design is marginal. 
Oct 2013

524720 mi

C $600
Turbo seals failed and engine ran on the oil... hydrolocked. Will replace engine soon. 
Feb 2015

525760 mi
Turbo oil seals failed, causing a runaway and hydrolock. Replaced engine with used unit taken from my 2001 Golf. 
Jul 2015

526480 mi
Air conditioning compressor clutch coil failed. Replaced with used unit from my defunct Golf. 
Sep 2015

527000 mi

C $20
Starter died... at almost 850,000 km... no surprise... replaced with used unit I had on hand. 
Jun 2016

529480 mi

C $60
Right front wheel bearing needed replacing 
Jul 2016

529780 mi

C $850
Brake booster and master cylinder replaced... shop had no clue how to diagnose and repair this type of vehicle!!! (I had to follow up and fix their repair!!) 
Mar 2018

549392 mi
Horn stopped working. Had a used one available on hand... 
May 2018

553350 mi

C $1
An injector seal failed due to a bad part previously installed (there were reports of out-of-spec copper seals being sold a few years ago) 
Jun 2018

553598 mi

C $160
Master Cylinder and vacuum pump replaced. Previously installed master cylinder (used... installed by shop) was defective 
Volkswagen Jetta in Nova Scotia, Canada
Aug 2016 - Aug 2018
Sep 2016

197160 mi

C $1500
Brake pads, rotors, calipers, and brake lines were all shot and had to be replaced. 
Dec 2016

201500 mi

C $200
Mass Air Flow Sensor failed and as a result turbo would not work. Replaced Mass Air Flow Sensor. 
Feb 2017

206460 mi

C $350
front left wheel bearing replaced, front bushing replaced 
May 2017

210800 mi

C $300
rear left wheel bearing replaced - it was growling. 
Oct 2017

215760 mi

C $600
Wiper Motor was burned out and had to be replaced rear left caliper was sticking and had to be replaced 
Dec 2017

220720 mi

C $450
Alternator failed, was replaced. front left tie-rods were worn and replaced 
Apr 2018

223200 mi

C $300
Wheel bearing failed in rear-left wheel, but wheel also was fused onto the axle due to rust. 
Aug 2018

229400 mi
the rear left shock ripped out of the mount. upon inspection, there was not enough body left (due to rust) to weld something to to repair the shock mount. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Michigan, United States
Mar 2018 - Apr 2018
Apr 2018

186000 mi

US $3500
Car (it’s a diesel) experienced a brief “runaway” while I was driving the kids to school, where it redlined and wouldn’t stop until I shut off the engine, after which it started smoking, and check engine light came on. The car drove, but was dropped off at dealer soon after. Dealer diagnosed a cracked glow plug harness, which was not connecting to Cylinder 3 properly. That fix ran $700. Dealer also recommended replacing gaskets, springs, etc. – for a total of “$4,000, but discounted to $3,500”. This was all about half a year or a year after the dealer installed a brand new intake manifold ($1,100 total or thereabout). I wanted the car to last another year or so, so I figured it would be cheaper to fix the little devil I knew, than spend on a devil I didn’t, so I agreed. A week later the engine experienced another runaway, but this time even shutting it off didn’t stop it. It blew a ton of smoke out the tailpipe and stopped. Knowledgeable people tell me that the symptoms suggest oil in the intercooler was the culprit, where the turbo would blow that into the combustion chamber, supplying fuel even if the normal fuel line was shut off. I’m baffled that the dealer didn’t pursue this and check for oil in the IC. At any rate, the car is dead now, I’m out more than $4,500 in repairs in about a year... Love the design of the TDI Wagon, want to get another one for its functional features, not loving the crap VW reliability. For a car produced in such large numbers, for so many years, you’d think they would figure this stuff out... 
Volkswagen Jetta in Ontario, Canada
Aug 2013 - Jul 2016
Sep 2013

102920 mi

C $46
Coolant temp gauge wasn't working. Replaced with VW coolant dual temperature sender, new seal, added coolant, and bled the system. 
May 2014

111360 mi

C $635
LF spring broke, replaced both brings, strut mounts, and bearings. 
Sep 2014

116560 mi

C $133
Serpentine tensioner was noisy and starting to leak (from the strut). Replaced with OEM tensioner and noise went away. 
Oct 2014

116560 mi

C $464
Noisy wheel bearing Seized alternator pulley. Replaced pulley. 
Dec 2014

116560 mi

C $146
Excessive vibration. Diagnosed a rear engine support and replaced with OEM part. 
Nov 2015

135780 mi

C $216
Noise coming from the left side of the car. Could not determine whether it was front or rear. Replaced left front bearing and noise disappeared from the front of the vehicle. Noise still persistent from the previous repair. Turned out the left rear wheel bearing was also bad. Replaced with another OEM part and noise completely disappeared from the left side finally. 
Jun 2016

148180 mi

C $150
Turbo pod rotten. Replaced at dealer, replaced N75 valve myself and vacuum lines 
Volkswagen Jetta in Washington, United States
Aug 2012 - Jun 2022
Oct 2016

165200 mi

US $300
Carbon clogging intake manifold. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Ontario, Canada
Jul 2013 - Jul 2018
Sep 2013

226920 mi

C $400
Mass Air Flow Sensor (MAF) was defective when the car was purchased. As well, one of the coolant glow plugs was dead and several wires needed to be repaired. Alternator pulley was defective (one-way pulley was "frozen") as well as the clutch switch. Upper strut mounts and bearings replaced due to age. As well, the Lower Control Arm bushings were replaced due to wear. Left Inner CV joint was worn Driver's Door lock mechanism replaced due to the door switch being defective (well-known problem with these cars.) By the way: there are also defective door switches on two other doors that will require repair in the future. 
Oct 2013

228720 mi

C $507
High-Pressure power steering hose (metal) corroded. 
Mar 2014

248000 mi

C $113
Corrosion in the starter wiring caused a no-start condition. 
Apr 2014

250300 mi
Rear shock absorbers replaced - due to uneven wear in tires. 
Nov 2014

283820 mi
Wire leading to backup light switch had corroded and broken apart. Spliced in a length of wire - but it took a bit of dismantling to get to the location. 
Jan 2015

293560 mi
A bit of clunking in the front end. I brought it into the one mechanic I trust, I was too busy to work on the car. He said, as long as we're in there, why not refresh everything. Ball Joints, Tie-rods, alignment. Also, front brakes. Will do struts later. Exhaust downpipe needed replacing due to corrosion. Alternator failed. Replaced with used unit I had on hand. 
May 2015

310620 mi
One of the horns had never worked since we got the car. I put in a used unit (from my now-expired Golf) Right-Front headlight (low-beam) bulb burned out. 
Jul 2015

317480 mi

C $40
One of the radiator fans stopped working. Replaced with a used unit from my defunct Golf. Right Outer CV Joint very noisy... replaced with a used driveshaft. 
Aug 2015

322680 mi

C $50
Switch in the door lock module failed. Replaced the module. 
Sep 2015

326740 mi
The 2nd radiator fan failed (extremely noisy... loose...) Replaced with a used unit I had on hand. 
May 2016

359320 mi

C $530
Both front wheel bearings, one tie rod end, front struts (warranty replacement on the parts) 
Jun 2016

364560 mi

C $400
Of the above, the only part that had failed was the thermostat. 
Oct 2017

408140 mi

C $140
Replaced battery 
Feb 2018

425940 mi

C $350
Rear muffler replaced 
Mar 2018

426942 mi
Intake manifold was clogged. Needed removal for cleaning. Heater blower (fan) needed to be replaced. Had used part available. 
May 2018

431313 mi
Left Rear wheel bearing needed replacing (too much noise) Alternator failed (factory original unit... at 695666 km). Had a used replacement available. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Quebec, Canada
Apr 2009 - Mar 2010
Jan 2009

58280 mi

C $1300
Timing belt, all oils, E-brake cable 
Volkswagen Jetta in Massachusetts, United States
Oct 2009 - Feb 2010
Feb 2010

112000 mi
Needed new glow plug relay when sold. Radio didn't work when sold. Problems with pistons, possible turbo needed when sold. 

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Wagon

turbocharged 90hp 1.9L I4 Diesel 4-speed automatic FWD

Volkswagen Jetta in Virginia, United States
Jun 2014 - May 2015
Aug 2014

133000 mi

US $400
Another issue related to leaks found earlier. Also replaced belts due to a noise and oil change. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Arizona, United States
Aug 2009 - Mar 2013
Jan 2010

83000 mi

US $900
Glow plug harness replaced on diesel engine Door latch broken and affecting interior lighting and other warning chimes Rear shock absorbers replaced 
Mar 2011

91000 mi
Mechanic discovered that interface to trouble codes had no power. Could not recover check engine code or other codes while performing other repairs. Mechanic agreed that this was a problem that did not require repair. 
Apr 2012

100000 mi

US $16
Oil dipstick guide was cracked. New guide installed. 
Jan 2013

106000 mi

US $114
Check engine light was on and had been on for many months. It was determined that the OBD diagnotic module was not getting power. I did not choose to have the repair done, since it would require more diagnosis and expense. 
Feb 2013

106000 mi

US $120
Decided to have OBD system repaired from previous trip. 4 Glow plugs were giving error codes on diagnostic modeule. Brake switch failure detected by error code. On-board diagnostic module had no power. Problem found and fixed. 
Mar 2013

106000 mi

US $880
OBD codes showed all 4 glow plugs needed to be replace. This was done. EGR service and coolant valve needed repair/replace 
Volkswagen Jetta in Virginia, United States
Jun 2011 - Jun 2022
Jun 2012

57000 mi

US $424
The driver's side window broke lose, and the regulator had to be replaced. 
Sep 2012

59000 mi

US $356
The check engine light came on and the No. 2 glow plug circuit came up on when they plugged it into the computer. The glow plug harness was replaced. Mechanic said this probably was why starting the car was so sluggish last winter. 
Feb 2013

63000 mi

US $239
Car would not start one day. Shop checked battery, glow plugs, glow plug relay and wiring. All were fine. While there, cleaned up debris in engine department and replaced cabin filter. Car still doesn't want to start sometimes. 
Feb 2014

70000 mi

US $2500
Car had trouble starting on an irregular basis, then stopped running as I was driving down the road and wouldn't restart. Dealer replaced fuel filter and it ran for 20 seconds before stopping. Dealer then replaced fuel injector pump. 
Dec 2014

77000 mi

US $611
Engine light came on under load while on highway. Upper intake manifold and EGR valve were cleaned. Mass Air Flow sensor and air filter replaced. 
Feb 2015

78000 mi

US $1245
Both front axle assemblies were replaced.  Both front strut mounts and bearings were replaced. Both rear bushings on the lower control arms were replaced. rear bracket to driver's side window replaced; it was broken because it had been improperly installed previously by another mechanic at another shop 
Feb 2017

91000 mi

US $560
Car was not heating up to normal temperature. Thermostat was replaced.  Also engine skid plate was hanging loose and couldn't be re-attached, so it was replaced. 
Nov 2017

96000 mi

US $2200
Engine had no power. Turbocharger was replaced. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Pennsylvania, United States
Nov 2008 - Feb 2010
Feb 2010

117000 mi

US $165
faulty sensor 
Volkswagen Jetta in Oregon, United States
Feb 2007 - Sep 2013
Feb 2007

35800 mi
rebuild valves. previous owner babied the car, driving too timididly for the type of engine it is equipped with. improper break-in procedure lead to engine failure. 
Oct 2008

70000 mi

US $20
Winshield wiper fluid delivery N/O @ driver's side. Passenger side nozzel saw significant decrease in stream strength and volume. Troulble shooting during routine oil change interval discovered broken hose connector to driver's side spray nozzel was fixed 
Mar 2009

77000 mi

US $180
Check Engine light came on. Then glow plug light started blinking. Took it Fixum Haus, diagnosed problem and returned 2 days later for repair. Replaced Glow Pug harness and Glow Plugs. Problem(s) fixed. Replaced rear brake light bulbs. Second problem fixed. 
Mar 2011

118000 mi

US $80
Installed new suspension components and brake rotors and pads. Rattle from front developed within 1 week. Replacement pads weren't righ fit. Replaced w/ new pads. Rattle gone. 
Dec 2011

133000 mi

US $110
Aging Mass Air Flow sensor. drop in uel mileage and power. Replaced part, as per my mechanic's suggestion. Runs smoother, more efficient. 
Feb 2013

152200 mi

US $150
Snapped serpentine belt tension bar. Metal shavings visible throughout the engine bay. Replaced serpentine belt and tension bar. Problem solved. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Illinois, United States
Oct 2008 - Dec 2013
Dec 2008

198000 mi

US $2800
Stuck in 3rd gear; full transmission rebuild 
May 2009

210000 mi

US $7200
Blown engine 

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Wagon

turbocharged 180hp 1.8L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD

Volkswagen Jetta in Michigan, United States
Mar 2011 - Jun 2012
Mar 2012

105000 mi
Self-replaced rear brake pads, rotors, and calipers. 
Volkswagen Jetta in California, United States
Mar 2009 - Oct 2013
Oct 2009

94510 mi

US $725
Car overheated and blew a hose. Towed to dealer, diagnosis was failed water pump. Also had a pretty worn/cracking timing belt, which needed to be replaced within the same process. 
Mar 2012

119164 mi

US $728
Both Tie rod ends needed to be replaced. Rough Idle was attributed to normal oil change need. Also needed to replace the dipstick as the handle broke off 
Dec 2012

131000 mi

US $240
Transmission slamming into gears. Dealer initial replaced MAF harness (tried to relace MAF, which was only 18 mos old, but I rejected). Cleared codes, new errors reported, tracing to the transmission. Quoted $6K to fix! Update: indy shop said $3k. 
Oct 2013

132000 mi
Transmission slamming into gears. A tie rod was also flagged to replace soon. An electrical gremlin popped up on the drivers side door (wouldn't lock/unlock or lock/unlock on its own). 
Volkswagen Jetta in New York, United States
Mar 2015 - May 2015
May 2015

262000 mi
Won't shift out of 1st (automatic) if not allowed to settle into idle before driving. 

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Wagon

115-horsepower 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD

Volkswagen Jetta in Ontario, Canada
Aug 2014 - Sep 2014
Sep 2014

148800 mi
Engine coolant sensor Ignition coil Loose heat shield 
Volkswagen Jetta in California, United States
- Jun 2009
Sep 2005

40000 mi

US $800
timing belt repair 
Apr 2007

70000 mi

US $1400
engine bolt broke. engine fell out bottom of car 
Jun 2009

95000 mi

US $400
glove box latch broke. entire glovebox door needed to be replaced 
Volkswagen Jetta in Pennsylvania, United States
Jun 2015 - Jun 2018
Jun 2015

118000 mi
Under the 3 month warranty the small dealer replace the catalytic converter Just after purchasing the vehicle it began to not want to start. Strangely it would start when in gear, but not when not in gear. The small dealer from whom we bought the car found that the wire to the starter had bent and was getting caught in the gear linkage. This wire was replaced. Evap canister was causing the check engine light to come on, and was replaced. 
Nov 2015

121000 mi

US $100
Replaced driver's side front tie-rod Replaced the front rotors and pads 
May 2016

125000 mi

US $150
Replaced the two mufflers 
Feb 2017

132000 mi

US $20
Replaced parking brake cable 
May 2017

134000 mi

US $350
Replaced the rear driver side caliper, which was freezing up when the parking brake was engaged Replaced the rear coil springs 
May 2018

145000 mi

US $100
Replaced rear rotors and pads 

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Wagon

115-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed automatic FWD

Volkswagen Jetta in Massachusetts, United States
Nov 2016 - Jun 2018
Nov 2017

135000 mi

US $300
replace muffler 
Volkswagen Jetta in Maine, United States
Sep 2009 - Oct 2014
Jan 2014

US $300
Starter went 
Volkswagen Jetta in Virginia, United States
Dec 2011 - Sep 2012
Apr 2012

95000 mi

US $600
Sunroof leaked into headliner, smelled moldy. Dealer had removed the drip tray to fix a rattle when I bought it, so it was leaking for 2 years. Another shop had to replace the entire assembly (with used parts). Works fine now. 

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 90hp 1.9L I4 Diesel 5-speed manual FWD

Volkswagen Jetta in New York, United States
Feb 2010 - Apr 2017
Jun 2010

110000 mi

US $1350
The shocks were gone, front and rear. The $1350 is the cost for an OEM repair. I actually paid $2000 for a Shine Real Street suspension with stiffer (but NOT dropped) springs and Bilstein gas shocks all around installed by Shine:GREATRIDE 
Jun 2012

159000 mi
Fan belt tensioner broke, it and fan belt replaced 
Nov 2012

170000 mi

US $1470
Caliper had to be replaced Alternator clutch failed, causing alternator to fail and tensioner to break power steering fluid hose got punctured 
Oct 2013

188700 mi

US $250
Air intake manifold and EGR valve was choked with crud, when cleaned out worked fine 
Aug 2014

202000 mi

US $475
Front strut bearing going on one side, replace both, realigned front suspension 
Sep 2015

217000 mi

US $200
Window regulator failed 
Dec 2015

220000 mi

US $230
Brakes worn, sticking caliper 
Apr 2017

235000 mi

US $635
Front wheel bearing almost gone, much wheel slop, which damaged the right front rotor and pads. Luckily the brake pad wear-out light went off and I took it to the shop before the wheel fell off! 
Volkswagen Jetta in Kentucky, United States
Jan 2013 - Sep 2013
Feb 2013

146700 mi

US $30
Center console hinges broke. Replaces with upgraded part from IDparts.com 
Volkswagen Jetta in Texas, United States
Aug 2010 - May 2014
Feb 2011

673000 mi

US $120
alternator ripple replaced one way pulley 
Jan 2013

725300 mi

US $1400
Engine mount bolt broke due to incorrect tightening of middle bolt, broke ear off engine causing coolant to leak. replaced block with used block transferred parts from old engine, used new rings, bearings, and gaskets. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Missouri, United States
Jun 2011 - Jul 2012
Apr 2012

165000 mi

US $900
throwout bearing failed, replaced clutch. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Michigan, United States
May 2012 - Oct 2013
Jul 2013

197300 mi

US $24
Replaced A arm bushings on passenger side. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Minnesota, United States
Dec 2011 - Dec 2016
Aug 2013

268000 mi

US $20
No AM radio reception, limited FM reception. Replaced antenna base. 
Nov 2013

270000 mi

US $42
Exhaust blown into passenger compartment when stopped or idleing through the Climate control system. Replaced exhaust Flexpipe. Sudden slop in parking brake lever.Parking brake lever on caliper working, so determined cables were hanging up. Removed cables, observed sheathing worn through and Flex cable inside rusted. Replaced both cables. Easy repair. 
Dec 2013

273000 mi

US $550
Bendix spring began to fail. Crank, Crank and then ZZZIIINNNNNGGG. Happened Three times. Taking no chances in -25 weather, had starter replaced. 
Aug 2014

283000 mi

US $50
Rear caliper pins rusted in. Broke one off trying to remove. Had to purchase new caliper mounting bracket and pins. 
Sep 2014

285000 mi

US $150
Temp indicator went dead. Replaced temp sensor,thermostat, and found radiator hose was chaffing through. Also coolant was orange not red. Replaced radiator hose and flushed and replaced coolant. 
Mar 2015

293000 mi

US $65
#3 glow plug code. Replaced all glow plugs, cleared code. 
Jun 2015

298000 mi

US $3
Attempted to repair Drivers door latch switch, which activates Key left in ignition alarm, the door light and makes the alarm system function correctly. Did the radio shack fix --$3.00. Unfortunately now the outside door handle doesn't work 
Sep 2015

301000 mi

US $296
Replaced drivers door lock assembly. Did not have buzzer for key in ignition, lights left on,courtesy lights wouldn't light when door opened and radio had to be manually shut off. All fixed with this repair. Drivers door not aligned properly. Rear of door sagged about 2 inches. Had Body shop align door. Rear Axle Bushings worn. Car would bang over bumps like it was riding on the frame. Replaced both rear axle bushings. Front end shot. Replaced inner and outer tie rods,front and rear control arm bushings, stabilizer bushings and connectors and ball joints. Front end was shaking and vibrating when brakes were applied. Loud bang on right turns. 
Oct 2015

301300 mi

US $25
Hard to start in winter. Replaced Glow plug harness, it was 13 yrs. old Shift boot worn out. Replaced boot and knob. 
Jun 2016

315000 mi

US $244
Lost power steering, rack and pinion seals leaking. Replaced entire unit. 
Volkswagen Jetta in New Jersey, United States
May 2008 - Mar 2010
Feb 2008

58000 mi

US $300
replaced alternator - pulley broke 
Jul 2008

65000 mi

US $250
ABS sensor cable frayed. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Maryland, United States
Oct 2015 - Nov 2015
Oct 2015

227000 mi

US $50
Replaced both front wheel bearings. Loud noise from the front. 
Nov 2015

227000 mi

US $100
Timing was retarded, very difficult to start. Adjusted fuel pump pulley. Price was for purchase of VAGCOM software and cable. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Ontario, Canada
Nov 2006 - Mar 2010
Jun 2006

74400 mi
Moonroof plastic rails broke. Replaced under extended warranty. 
Nov 2006

93000 mi

C $53
Replace manual transmission fluid as per TSB to stop buzzing at full lock turning. 
Dec 2006

89900 mi

C $700
Replace timing belt and waterpump. 
Aug 2007

120900 mi

C $110
One glow plug was out of spec. Replace all 4. Purchased online and did the repair myself. Expect 2 hours labour at the dealer. 
Sep 2007

120900 mi

C $20
Coolant temperature switch. 1 hour labour at dealer. Did myself 
Mar 2008

137640 mi

C $15
Oil fill cap seal leaking. 
Jul 2008

145700 mi

C $580
Alternator. VW uses a special alternator that has a self slipping pulley incase the serpentine belt seizes. Don't cheap out a unit somebody says that can fix for $145. These units have complex electronics and the pulley needs to be replaced. 
Sep 2008

158100 mi

C $400
Diesel Jetta and Golfs have known paint flake on top of front fender from a foam pad inside. After a few years a large chunk of paint falls off. VW will provide new fenders painted and installed for free. Wheel bearing failing. Had both sides repaired. 
Volkswagen Jetta in South Carolina, United States
Jun 2007 - Sep 2007
Jul 2007

63000 mi

US $300
Latch on glove box broke causing the need to replace the entire glove box. 
Volkswagen Jetta in New Hampshire, United States
Sep 2006 - Mar 2010
Dec 2006

63700 mi

US $40
Upper Timing Belt bearing started making noise- replace myself. 
Apr 2007

75000 mi

US $28
Replace Coolant Temp sensor - common problem with older Black sensor. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Maine, United States
Jan 2007 - Oct 2011
May 2009

107000 mi

US $1030
Problem was premature Injection pump failure. Called trusted TDI guru and had car towed to him. IP was replaced with rebuilt Bosch unit, and car is fine now. 
Volkswagen Jetta in California, United States
Aug 2009 - Mar 2010
Sep 2009

53000 mi

US $20
Headlight bulbs go out often. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Maine, United States
Dec 2007 - Jul 2018
Jun 2008

130000 mi

US $135
Front sway bar bushing cracked and causing knock in steering. Bushing replaced. 
Nov 2009

142000 mi

US $280
glow plugs on diesel engine were worn out. replaced as well as air intake tube replaced. 
Dec 2009

142000 mi
Air intake was still not correct after first repair. Replaced more air intake tubes. Dealer did not charge because problem not fixed from the first trip for the issue. 
Jun 2010

151000 mi

US $1300
passenger side transmission arm to right wheel was worn out and had to be replaced.  
Oct 2010

155000 mi

US $280
wiring harness for glow plugs was faulty. replaced successfully. did not impact driving of the car.  
Oct 2011

158000 mi

US $2500
alternator wore out from too much mileage - replaced 
Jun 2013

191000 mi

US $275
Wheel bearing wore out at almost 200k miles. 
Mar 2014

212000 mi

US $535
There was a vibration that was most likely the CV joint - replaced both driver and passenger side because of mileage so I wouldn't have to bring it in again. This is a standard replacement at 200k. 
Feb 2015

230900 mi

US $375
Battery replaced after 6 years and majorly cold winter. 
Jun 2015

238000 mi

US $160
Coolant was leaking out and car was overheating. Replaced clamps that connect cooling tubes to engine, which had gotten old and started to leak. No problems since fix. 
Sep 2016

262000 mi

US $800
Vacuum hoses and pump for turbo had to be replaced 
Jan 2018

290000 mi

US $400
300,000 timing belt change to fix leaking/cracked water pump CV boot torn, in meantime before repair axle broke, replaced front axle 
Volkswagen Jetta in California, United States
Feb 2009 - Jun 2018
Sep 2010

103000 mi

US $2000
new timing belt, water pump, thermostat, serpentine belt,  alternator and pulley. 
Oct 2011

131000 mi

US $1400
need new fuel injector pump 
Apr 2015

173300 mi

US $400
Water pump bearing bad 
Jun 2018

220000 mi

US $50
Replace EGR valve 
Volkswagen Jetta in Michigan, United States
Jan 2006 - Dec 2013
Jul 2006

58900 mi

US $7
replaced water temp sensor 
Nov 2007

83300 mi

US $986
Alternator seized/pulley fell off. Replaced timing belt, water pump with repair as labor was shared 
Mar 2008

89850 mi

US $5
Replaced rear right brake light 
May 2008

93600 mi

US $63
Replaced antenae base - terminals rusted and no AM signal 
Feb 2009

110000 mi

US $50
Replaced sway bar bushings 
Sep 2009

120800 mi

US $33
AC Servo replaced (operates recirc flapper on HVAC unit) 
Sep 2013

201000 mi

US $30
replaced rear control arm bushings 
Volkswagen Jetta in Germany
Jan 2008 - Mar 2010
Jun 2008

45880 mi
Right rear brake sticking. Could not replicate. 
Jul 2008

46500 mi
Front struts worn out prematurely. 
Sep 2008

48980 mi
Right rear brake sticking. Second repair attempt, VW can't find the problem. Could not replicate. Yet to be fixed.... 
Volkswagen Jetta in Michigan, United States
Aug 2014 - Jan 2017
Nov 2014

228100 mi

US $1000
Replaced the entire exhaust from the turbo back. The cat was clogged and not functional. The intermediate pipe was broken at a rusty weld seam. Failure was mostly caused by a rusted rear hanger. Replaced worn shocks/struts, strut mount bearings, bushing, tie rod ends, and ball joints. The shocks/struts were no longer functional. The strut mount bearing was rusted out and caused "popping" 
Jul 2016

239500 mi

US $140
Replaced turbo VNT actuator and vacuum lines 
Volkswagen Jetta in Alberta, Canada
Aug 2008 - Jun 2016
Sep 2008

89900 mi

C $1000
Immobilization Light would intermittantly come on and disable the vehicle. Wiring in the steering column and wiring going to the computer had to be changed 
Dec 2008

91760 mi

C $500
Tension roller for the timing belt was "panting". In order to replace it the mechanic would have to take of timing belt ect. labor cost was the same for a whole timing belt & water pump job. So all of it was done.  
Feb 2009

93000 mi

C $80
Typical issue with VW suspension is that a nub on the springs breaks off. Which is the part that locks the spring into place. Not really serious and quite inexpesive to fix. Maybe 15min, $30 for used spring.  
Apr 2009

94240 mi
Check Engine light. Code was for glow plugs, common issue. Erased code and hasn't come back. If resistance drops across the glow plugs by 0.1ohm it trips the Check Engine light. Far too easy. 
Jan 2010

101680 mi

C $400
The door locking mechanism has been known to be faulty since 00. Complex pieces and expensive parts. Replaced with an upgraded model and all is fine.  
Aug 2010

109740 mi

C $300
Springs are known to have issues wear they break at the tip in the cups. Strut bushion was cracked. Only front suspension need to be fixed but aftermarket suspension FR and RR, purchased, installed. So price only reflects FR cost to repair Gasket on the Transmission was showing some leakage. Replaced. No more issue. 
Jan 2014

151280 mi

C $500
Egr valve was leaking oil. 
Apr 2015

169440 mi

C $2000
Turbo blew. Original with 270k km on it. 

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 90hp 1.9L I4 Diesel 4-speed automatic FWD

Volkswagen Jetta in Texas, United States
- Nov 2008
Nov 2008

85000 mi

US $1200
short in electrical system, fuse box above battery fried, electrical cord between alternator and battery burned through 
Volkswagen Jetta in Alberta, Canada
Dec 2009 - Jul 2011
Mar 2010

63860 mi

C $5000
1) engine decoke 2) timing belt change 
Jun 2010

66340 mi

C $300
Bushing change on the sway bar. Bushing/bearing change on the front shock towers. 
Volkswagen Jetta in South Carolina, United States
Nov 2008 - Feb 2010
Dec 2009

194000 mi

US $900
Alternator and serpentine belt tensioner replaced 

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 180hp 1.8L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD

Volkswagen Jetta in Quebec, Canada
Aug 2012 - Oct 2013
Sep 2012

86800 mi

C $1000
Rusted exhaust and full length pipe 
Aug 2013

117800 mi
AC completely shut down. Told by garage that it is a big job over 1000$, not worth repairing since we are about to sell the car. 
Oct 2013

117800 mi
AC out. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Saskatchewan, Canada
Aug 2012 - Aug 2014
Nov 2012

127800 mi

C $1143
replace front struts and springs, replace left real wheel bearing, repair rear bumper 
Volkswagen Jetta in Virginia, United States
Mar 2012 - Apr 2013
Jul 2012

154000 mi

US $150
Cooling temperature sensor had corroded and was causing the computer to go into "limp mode." Replaced cooling temperature sensor. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Ontario, Canada
Feb 2010 - Oct 2012
Jun 2010

53940 mi

C $186
Parking handbrake cables were rusting and binding and were replaced as a preventative measure. Handbrake was still working at the time but better safe than sorry. 
Apr 2012

61380 mi

C $1209
Inner CV joint failed - replaced with OEM part 
Oct 2012

63860 mi

C $250
Drivers side driveshaft replaced with refurbished unit due to inner CV joint boot splitting open and grease being expelled. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Colorado, United States
Jan 2010 - Mar 2010
Feb 2010

77000 mi
One coil misfired periodically, mileage was a little low, could feel a hiccup at idle in gear, but drove fine. I replaced a coil trying to figure out problem (to make sure it was not something else). Then they recalled them so I let them replace them all 
Volkswagen Jetta in Virginia, United States
Apr 2008 - Jun 2011
Aug 2008

96000 mi

US $325
Water pump had gone bad and needed to be replaced. 
Oct 2008

98000 mi

US $100
Plastic coolant hose connector fractured and began to leak antifreeze. 
Jul 2010

124000 mi

US $191
Coolant leak found at the water housing and seal. Replaced the water housing, replaced a new water angle. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Vermont, United States
Oct 2003 - Dec 2019
May 2003

1344 mi
Unsuccessful diagnosis of rough idle when vehicle started for 1st time of day 
Apr 2006

30000 mi
Front and rear driver side door trim replacement/repair plus driver door damage (body work) repair (door damage caused by loose rear trim piece) 
May 2006

31961 mi
replaced broken latch on armrest storage compartment - warranty repair replaced defective brake light switch - warranty repair 
Sep 2006

35331 mi
headlight adjustment for proper aim - "courtesy" repair due to issue with prior incorrect part ordered for door handle repair replace right rear door handle trim - warranty repair 
Dec 2006

38098 mi
Repair of faulty coolant temperature sensor. Performed ECM update per service bulletin "01-05-08" to address "cold start misfires" (seems to have corrected our rough idle problem first noted in May 2003) Check engine light came on and diagnosed as defective coolant temp sensor - warranty repair Performed technical service bulletin V010508 - reprogram ECM and it seemed to fix our rough idle issue previously undiagnosed. 
Mar 2007

40760 mi

US $16
Driver side headlight replacement. replaced headlight 
Jun 2007

43195 mi

US $33
Unidentified noise from passenger side front wheel/suspension. Was not making noise when brought in to shop. Mechanic was unable to diagnose. Noise from passenger side front wheel/suspension identified as coming from dry sway bar bushing. Noise only, chose not to repair due to cost. unable to diganose noise issue (subsequently diagnosed as dry sway bar bushing) 
May 2008

52923 mi

US $74
Diagnose rattle coming from undercarriage. Replaced exhaust hanger and washers. Replaced broken exhaust hanger 
Jun 2008

53843 mi

US $41
"Rumble" noise when steering wheel turned hard to right. Broken clamp found and replaced (unknown which specific clamp). Replaced broken hanger to eliminate noise noticable on hard turns. Installed additional exhaust clamp where old hanger broke off 
Nov 2008

58271 mi

US $132
Check engine light came on. Diagnosis was evap emissions leak from loose fuel cap. ($90 diagnostic charge, grrrr....). Fuel door will not open intermittently (switch on driver door). $42 diagnostic charge, to determine switch needs to be replaced. Part ordered (however, we are likely not to complete the repair right away).  Diagnosis of check engine light. Reported as loose gas cap. Diagnosis of fuel door only opening intermittently. Found faulty switch in driver door. Not replaced because part not in stock. 
Sep 2009

68000 mi
Bad rollers in both front seats causing "clunking" sound when sat upon. (Tow due to dead battery) 
Jan 2010

70678 mi

US $21
Replaced brake light 
Feb 2010

72000 mi
Brake light bulb burned out. 
May 2010

74578 mi

US $18
Noise coming from exhaust hanging too close to one of the hangers, noticeable on hard left turn. Hanger bent to move exhaust ~1 inch. Replaced catalytic converter under warranty. Found via check engine light. adjusted position of exhaust hanger 
Oct 2010

80021 mi

US $45
When we had it in for routine maintenance (80K service) we had them diagnose an intermittent issue with the door locks sometime lock randomly. Diagnosis was right front door latch was defective. We opted not to repair due to the $400 estimated cost. Diagnosis of doors locking randomly. Advised front right door latch to be defective. Estimated $400 to repair. Elected not to fix. 
Jun 2011

87034 mi

US $97
In door switch to open gas fill door working very infrequently (would take >20 attempts to get the fuel door open). replaced switch in driver door that opens fuel dorr 
Mar 2012

94975 mi

US $93
diagnosis of LF marker light not working 
Jun 2012

97579 mi

US $66
replace left front corner marker lamp and bulb in bumper 
Aug 2012

99662 mi

US $419
Leak in coolant pump. Replaced pump. Diagnose fast idle. Unable to duplicate Diagnose slight oil leak. Valve cover gasket issue, very slight. Elected not to repair Replace after run coolant pump 
Nov 2012

101700 mi

US $5
Small oil leak (drip) due to bad (cracked?) oil pan drain plug (noticed after last oil change). Shop replaced with new plug. 
Mar 2014

114000 mi
Car was running rough upon initial start in the morning. Would stall on backing out of drive way. Mechanic found broken crankcase vent causing vacuum leak and skewing MAF readings. 
Apr 2014

114156 mi

US $144
Replaced broken crank case vent hose. Cracked crankcase vent hose replacement. Hoped it would address rough running issue when car is first started 
May 2014

114894 mi

US $25
Check engine light on. Car intermittently idling poorly. Mechanic could not duplicate rough idle. Warning light reset. Code indicated issue with cooling system, but no issues observed. Reset for free as car was in for preventive maint. Removed nail and patched tire 
Sep 2014

119000 mi
During brake job (front) mechanic noted the front wheel bearing was "starting to wear out, not loose yet however" 
Oct 2014

119741 mi

US $396
Passenger side headlight replacement, 14.96 Engine runs rough for short period of time when first started. Replaced valve cover gasket and spark plugs, $301.21 replaced brake light replaced headlight replaced valve cover gasket and spark plugs - included diagnostic labor. Reported oil noticed on spark plugs. Hoping will have died rough start issue. Several misfire codes in computer along with prior temp sensor codes. 
Mar 2015

122853 mi

US $111
Replaced the plastic outer cover of passenger side mirror which had broken(a long time ago). Previously we had set it back in place (not fully secured), but it flew off while driving and was run over by another car. 
Apr 2015

124825 mi

US $77
Car would not start. Car occasionally will not shift into reverse. Occurs after initially starting the car. Usually turning the car off and restarting "clears" the problem. Had mechanic investigate after tow for when car would not starts. Couldn't duplicate. Unsuccessful diagnosis of reason car would not start. Short reported vehicle started hard and appeared to be flooded, but could not find cause. Unsuccessful diagnosis of reason car would not go into reverse as mechanic could not duplicate problem. 
Jul 2015

126732 mi

US $272
Replaces worn right front wheel bearing. Replaced right front wheel bearing 
Dec 2015

132149 mi

US $591
Car would not go into reverse. Replaced transmission reverse solenoid in valve body. Car would not shift into reverse. Replaced transmission solenoid in valve body 
Jul 2016

128369 mi
Right front wheel bearing replaced under shop warranty (same one replaced ~1 year ago) Right front wheel bearing replaced under shop warranty (previously replaced ~1 year ago) 
Aug 2016

130969 mi

US $110
Trunk release actuator failed. Rod for manual key release adjusted to allow manual operation. AC not working. Fixed with recharge. 
Nov 2016

142361 mi

US $342
Car had rough idle. Replaced thermostat and ECT. Flushed coolant system. Removed, cleaned and re-installed throttle valve. Thermostat issue known for >1 year, had not previously caused stalling. Replaced thermostat and ECT sensor and flushed coolant. Removed, cleaned, and reinstalled throttle valve. Replaced front O2 sensor 
Aug 2017

150000 mi

US $31
Headlight bulb replaced 
Nov 2017

151510 mi

US $131
Low coolant level indicator light came on. Coolant level low in vehicle but no obvious sign of leak (i.e. no puddle under car). Towed to mechanic. No leak found under pressure testing "hot" and "cold." Coolant refilled with no other work. Paid for labor to try to diagnose. 
Jun 2018

156000 mi

US $300
repair and repaint rust in both from wheel wells just above rocker panels. Rust fit notices ~2 years ago. 
Jul 2018

156601 mi

US $58
Oil and filter change Driver side break light replaced some smoke from exhaust, repeated in shop but no resolution 
Aug 2018

157353 mi

US $1629
Replaced front struts and rear shocks  right side axle 
Oct 2018

159473 mi

US $1103
Replace rear break pads, brake rotors and hardware. Clean and lubricate calipers and break pad slides. Replace right front wheel bearing 
Dec 2018

160054 mi

US $82
Driver door window stuck in down position. Reattached to track. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Maryland, United States
Oct 2006 - Jun 2011
Jun 2008

62000 mi
Water pump failed 
Mar 2009

72000 mi

US $5
PCV ventilation hose cracked. 
Sep 2009

76000 mi

US $10
Rear mounts of catalytic converter rusted away. 
Aug 2010

85000 mi
Cylinder ignition coil failed. Replaced free under Extended warranty Cylinder ignition coil failed. Replaced free under Extended warrantly 
Sep 2010

87000 mi

US $750
Replaced shocks, ball joints and CV boots 
Oct 2010

87300 mi

US $10
Replaced sway bar bushings 
Volkswagen Jetta in Illinois, United States
Jun 2009 - Jul 2010
Sep 2009

53000 mi

US $100
CV joint boot. Replaced transmission, extended warranty paid for this. 
Apr 2010

60000 mi

US $500
Fan motor.  New dipstick. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Pennsylvania, United States
Mar 2008 - Mar 2010
Apr 2008

76500 mi

US $250
Brake hose replacement. breaker hose replacement 
Volkswagen Jetta in Ohio, United States
Feb 2012 - Sep 2018
Mar 2012

150000 mi
broken catalytic converter, and a engine exhaust return hose cracked. Broken emission tube from the EGR valve. I taped the tube up since I didnt want to spend the money for a new one yet. 
Feb 2013

163100 mi

US $50
The coolant flange was made of plastic and it broke right at the nipple. 
Oct 2014

175200 mi

US $4200
Transmission issues 3rd gear incorrect ratio. Complete overhaul 
Apr 2017

193000 mi

US $250
Water pump failed. Went to long to replace. Replaced water pump and refilled G13 coolant 
Volkswagen Jetta in Ontario, Canada
Sep 2012 - Dec 2015
Mar 2013

53320 mi

C $3000
Replaced Transmission 
May 2013

54220 mi

C $1000
Brake Booster need to be replaced. Air was hissing into the cabin when brake not pressed 
Apr 2014

60760 mi

C $1200
Ignition coils 
Dec 2015

73160 mi
2 broken springs 
Volkswagen Jetta in Maryland, United States
Sep 2010 - Dec 2010
Dec 2010

124000 mi
Valve cover gasket leak. Coolant flange leak. Transmission shifting issue. Swaybar bushings needed to be replaced. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Ohio, United States
Oct 2006 - Apr 2012
Sep 2006

100000 mi

US $700
Replaced water pump from engine overheat 
Aug 2007

120000 mi

US $550
Replaced 4 spark plugs and ignition coil 
Oct 2008

130000 mi

US $900
Replaced fuel pump 
Jun 2009

145000 mi

US $1250
Replaced front axle Replaced water pump (second time) 
Aug 2009

146000 mi

US $279
Sensor and thermostat 
Nov 2009

149500 mi

US $1470
Exhaust bracket broke Front struts Replaced oil pan (was leaking) Strut mounts and bearings 
May 2010

155000 mi

US $400
Auxiliary water pump 
Aug 2011

168000 mi

US $700
Catalytic converter rusted after 9 years. VW extended a warranty, but at 168k too many miles to qualify. 
Dec 2011

174000 mi
Sway bar bushings and 8 brackets. Suspension was previously original. Fuel injector o-ring wearing out Rear driver caliper seized, recommended replace rear brakes 
Jan 2012

175000 mi

US $450
Replaced corroded exhaust pipe and muffler pipe after 10 midwest winters. 
Apr 2012

178000 mi
Fuel injector o-ring wearing out when sold Brake caliper still seized. Sway bar bushings still in need of replacement. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Florida, United States
Jan 2011 - Nov 2011
Feb 2011

96000 mi

US $50
Check engine light was on again. After paying the dealer $50 to read the code, they reported it is a failing catalytic converter that they discovered at the last maintenance interval. Due to expense, choosing not to repair. Dealer reports control arm bushings and strut top bushings are cracked and require replacement. Impact of not replacing is increased front tire wear. Chose not to repair because of cost. Car is driving fine for now. 
Aug 2011

102000 mi

US $250
Mechanic reports that strut top mounts and bearings on front wheels need replacing. This was reported at the previous 5000 mile service. Neglected to repair due to cost. Interior headliner has fallen. Had the headliner previously replaced to fix same problem at 30K miles. Dealer and manufacturer refuses to repair defective headliner for free or at a discount. Repair not attempted due to cost. Mechanic reports that oil is leaking from the cam adjuster seal, and seal needs to be replaced. Repair not attempted due to cost. Interior headliner fabric was falling. Price quoted by dealer to fix was too expensive ($780.00). Took the car to a headliner repair shop who re-upolstered the headliner. Shop did a great job for reasonable price, looks like new. 
Nov 2011

103000 mi
oil leaking from the cam adjuster seal when sold 

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Sedan

turbocharged 180hp 1.8L I4 5-speed manual FWD

Volkswagen Jetta in Quebec, Canada
Dec 2003 - Jan 2013
Dec 2003

589 mi
defogger wouldn't work. car steamed up terribly when cold weather came. 
Feb 2004

744 mi
trunk latch broken, couldn't close trunk. fixed by dealer. no charge 
Apr 2004

1550 mi

C $465
handling funny. took in to garage and the tie rod on right side was bent. had it fixed and repaired some other affected components. not all covered under warranty, also damaged from driving on bent tie rod 
Oct 2004

5580 mi
fuel injection faulty. turbo not working properly. had to have parts replaced. covered under warranty. 
Feb 2005

8990 mi
rubber on both driver's side window and moonroof had to be patched up. leaked when rained hard and went through carwash. covered by warranty. 
Sep 2005

13640 mi

C $650
front struts and bushings were replaced. not covered under warranty, figures! Only covered under power train plus - extra coverage package. Nice. 
Feb 2006

16151 mi

C $165
flickering dash lights, moonroof opens without turning switch, alarm setting itself while in car and after locking it from fob. The did a check by plugging it into computer. said they could find nothing wrong and charged me for the labour. 2nd trip to dealer in a week. same problems. They said they reset it and it should be fine. charged me for labour. oh and by the way, we found some hoses and a vacuum hose that need replacing, but were okay 3 days before.??? 
Apr 2006

20150 mi
Severe electrical probs, dealers in Montreal useless. Had to drive to Calgary, where I bought it. The dealer there, rewired things, put in new battery. charged me $0, said under warranty. I guess Quebec has different warranty laws too! 
Nov 2006

25730 mi

C $120
engine warning light came on when temp dropped below -15 degrees celsius. took to dealer. said they could find nothing wrong. here we go again. 
Feb 2007

27280 mi

C $1525
front brake repair. not covered. $699. also had to replace catalytic converter, and a engine exhaust return hose was cracked. Just my day. check engine light has been on since November, by the way. and they still don't know why... 
Dec 2007

32891 mi

C $2685
nightmare. 3 weeks after warranty ends. plagued electric probs, while driving, cause accelerator to fully depress by itself causing engine to smoke, burn. turned off car while driving. dealership closed for xmas. took no responsibility. the manager of the dealership in downtown montreal actually said this: "planes fall out of de sky every day. If I could predict what's going to appen to every car that leave ere I'd be a rich man." What a tool! VW Canada was no help either 
Jan 2013

59520 mi

C $150
loose gearbox. tightened, greased, screw needed to tighten 
Volkswagen Jetta in Pennsylvania, United States
Feb 2010 - Feb 2010
Feb 2010 gas cap switch broke 
Volkswagen Jetta in Alabama, United States
Mar 2012 - Sep 2013
Nov 2012

67000 mi

US $100
Replaced broken coolant flange with OEM part Replaced broken cooling fans with OEM parts Replaced broken passenger tail light Replaced OEM N75 valve with ECS N75 race valve 
Jan 2013

68500 mi

US $500
Replaced failing driver door lock module with OEM part Replaced entire PCV system with silicone hoses in order to prevent boost leaks 
Feb 2013

70000 mi

US $30
Replaced failing coolant temperature sensor 
Apr 2013

72000 mi

US $50
Leaking cam tensioner seal, valve cover gasket and fouled plugs in cylinder 1 and 2. Replaced cam tensioner gasket and seal, valve cover gasket with OEM parts. Replaced plugs with NGK platinum PFR7B gapped to .028 Replaced worn shift boot with OEM part 
Volkswagen Jetta in California, United States
May 2011 - Nov 2012
Jun 2011

81000 mi

US $140
Had been experiencing a short loss of power during acceleration, especially coming out of right angle turns. Mechanic found loose wire attached to fuel injector module. He re-soldered it and the problem was solved. One headlight, and one taillight were out. Mechanic replaced both. 
Sep 2011

83000 mi

US $50
There was a noise coming from the steering fluid pump, especially when turning the steering wheel. My mechanic flushed the power steering fluid and replaced with new fluid. The noise is gone. 
Dec 2011

88000 mi

US $280
Acceleration has been "jittery" for many, many months. Always thought it was the turbo, but after research, I replaced the MAF, spark plugs, ignition coil packs, fuel filter. Also reset the car to "ready" position. 
Apr 2012

94000 mi
I need a new Oxygen Sensor. My engine light keeps turning on. I have a code reader, so I just keep deleting the code, but after a few days, the engine light turns on again. 
Nov 2012

100000 mi
Engine light still going on. Car now is occasionally stalling during driving. Mechanic says engine light due to failing secondary air pump. Doesn't know what stalling is from. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Virginia, United States
Nov 2013 - Jul 2015
Aug 2014

109600 mi

US $30
Exhaust hanger welded 
Jun 2015

112000 mi

US $700
Front struts mount broke, replaced mounts & struts. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Georgia, United States
Nov 2008 - Aug 2011
Dec 2009

108000 mi

US $600
Replaced timing belt, also replaced clutch and flywheel during same visit for an additional $800, but seems to be considered a wear item so I didn't include it. 
Feb 2011

131300 mi

US $20
Check engine light from engine coolant temperature sensor. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Pennsylvania, United States
Dec 2008 - Dec 2013
Aug 2009

80000 mi

US $110
Replaced MAF sensor. 
Apr 2011

110500 mi

US $50
Replaced passenger side seat heater switch. 
May 2011

113000 mi

US $30
Car would not stay warm on long downhill grades and had code related to cooling system performance. Replaced thermostat. 
Oct 2012

138000 mi
Control arm bushing was loose. Replaced control arm. 
Volkswagen Jetta in British Columbia, Canada
Feb 2011 - Apr 2018
Jul 2011

92380 mi

C $800
Car would not start every now and then for no good reason. Shop diagnosed bad water pump. Did full tune-up after water pump replaced. Runs like a little dream again. 
Feb 2015

106100 mi

C $1192
rear rotors, rear calipers 

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Sedan

200-horsepower 2.8L V6 6-speed manual FWD

Volkswagen Jetta in Ohio, United States
Jan 2009 - Jun 2011
Feb 2010

87000 mi

US $182
The engine light came on and was throwing a code about a bad Catalytic converter. It was actually in error and a reflash and complete reprogram of engine management computer solved the problem. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Alabama, United States
May 2014 - Jun 2018
Jun 2014

100000 mi

US $140
3 ignition coils were misfiring. Replaced coils. Brought car in for leaking valve(s) (smoke on start) after mechanic put in new cylinder head and unidentified oil leak (turned out to be rear main seal). Water pump failed after engine was reassembled. Also coolant flush, replaced with G12. 
Feb 2015

103000 mi

US $380
Code P0420. Replaced catalytic converter with Magnaflow CA-legal cat. 
May 2015

103500 mi

US $40
Replaced headlights. Replaced headlights. 
Jun 2015

104000 mi

US $183
Took car to mechanic for SAI pump issue. Found needed new O2 sensor and misfire from injector. Replaced O2 sensor and bought injector cleaner. Will do SAI soon. Took car to mechanic for SAI pump issue. Found needed new O2 sensor and misfire from injector. Bought and added fuel system cleaner. Took car to mechanic for SAI pump issue. Found needed new O2 sensor and misfire from injector. Replaced O2 sensor. 
Dec 2015

106800 mi

US $603
Bought Pierburg secondary air injection pump for P0411 code. Replaced pump in car. Bought Pierburg secondary air injection pump for P0411 code. Replaced pump in car. 
Mar 2017

114000 mi

US $480
MAF sensor went out. Replaced MAF, some vacuum hoses and cleaned throttle body. 
Jun 2018

120000 mi

US $55
P1338 – camshaft position sensor open circuit. Replaced camshaft position sensor 
Volkswagen Jetta in Ohio, United States
Apr 2015 - Jun 2016
Apr 2015

161123 mi

US $100
Replaced both outer tie rod ends. Align 
Jul 2015

162300 mi

US $1000
cooling fans, and control module 
Jan 2016

172000 mi

US $400
Engine coolant temp sender, and mass air flow sensor. 
Mar 2016

176000 mi

US $999
Replaced both front wheel bearings 
Volkswagen Jetta in North Carolina, United States
Oct 2006 - Sep 2020
Dec 2006

49000 mi

US $190
temperature sensor was bad had caused some minor cold starting problems on 2 seperate occassions 
Jul 2007

60000 mi

US $650
replaced leaking water pump found during 60,000 mile check-up 
Dec 2009

92000 mi

US $440
check engine light on, car running rough, obdII code p0302, cylinder 2 needed a new ignition coil. noticed red liquid on garage floor, took to mechanic for repair. was told that coolant was leaking from thermostat and housing and needed to be replaced. check engine light came on, obdII code p0304 listed on scan, cylinder 4 required new ignition coil, later in day re-scanned and code p0301 also appeared. Mechanic replaced ignition coils on all cylinders except #2 which was repaired 3 wks previously 
Apr 2010

99000 mi

US $650
exhaust leak found when performing yearly state emissions inspection, part replaced, passed emissions inspection 
Jul 2010

104000 mi
ignition coil previously replaced by mechanic failed at approximately 4000 miles after original repair. mechanics parts and labor guarantee covered the payment 
Sep 2010

105000 mi

US $1500
a/c compressor failed and needed to be replaced 
Jan 2011

110000 mi

US $565
ignition coil failure, auto was recalled by vw at approx 38k miles and fixed. coils remained functional until approx 100k miles since then individual coils were replaced and then all coils were replaced in early 2010. 2 coils failed here. replaced leaking valve cover gaskets 
Apr 2011

113500 mi

US $600
front cv boots and joints needed repair/changing 
Nov 2011

121000 mi

US $720
coolant leak from radiator hoses and connecting pipe 
Apr 2012

128000 mi

US $1750
replaced catalytic converter,  ign. coils, spark plugs and wires when check engine light came on 
Mar 2013

132000 mi

US $900
upon routine maintenance check it was discovered that the water pump was failing, previously replaced in 2007. 
Nov 2013

133400 mi

US $1100
motor mounts needed to be replaced 
Aug 2015

145300 mi

US $3000
car was misfiring, mechanic diagnosed and replaced all 6 ignition coils, replaced 1 fuel injector, cleaned and restored intake manifold 
May 2016

149000 mi

US $500
AC system not working 
Volkswagen Jetta in Texas, United States
Aug 2003 - Mar 2010
Feb 2003

3950 mi
Bad rain sensor, wipers inoperative. 
Nov 2004

27302 mi

US $13
Brake light switch. State inspection. 
Jan 2008

70000 mi

US $913
Oil change. 70K maintenance. Shine springs, FDS shocks installed. Bildon axles installed. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Pennsylvania, United States
Apr 2006 - Mar 2010
May 2006

50000 mi
Brake light switch failed causing a light to illuminate on the dash. The switch was repaired under warranty. I've just received a letter saying that the brake light switch is being recalled. 
Sep 2007

59000 mi
Torn CV boot - covered under certified pre owned warranty by the dealer. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Michigan, United States
Feb 2008 - Oct 2011
Jul 2008

49000 mi

US $185
Front sway bar bushings replaced. 
Mar 2009

55000 mi
Driver's side window local down switch inoperative. 
Nov 2010

69000 mi

US $450
Auxiliary coolant pump was replaced with OEM part. Minor oil drip, caused by leaking seals in the oil cooler. Seals were replaced, problem is solved. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Maryland, United States
Oct 2010 - Jun 2011
Jun 2011

103000 mi
Ongoing electrical issues that would cause the speedometer and odometer to malfunction. The passenger side turn signal light would often refuse to turn off, which led to a dead battery more than a few times.  A/C stopped working. 
Volkswagen Jetta in New York, United States
Apr 2003 - Apr 2011
Mar 2003

500 mi
Two days after taking delivery, the check engine light came on. The engine would warm up to normal temperature, then go cold again. Repaired after four repair trips when VW field engineer overheard a mechanic complaining about the car. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Pennsylvania, United States
Apr 2012 - Mar 2013
May 2012

137800 mi

US $1350
The smog pump had to be replaced. There was an exhaust manifold leak. Thrust bushings were worn out. It needed a new wiper motor. The junction box melted down. Shut the car down, had to be towed. 
Nov 2012

152400 mi

US $350
Smog pump 

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Sedan

200-horsepower 2.8L V6 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD

Volkswagen Jetta in Florida, United States
Oct 2009 - Mar 2010
Nov 2009

57000 mi

US $100
Sunroof leak Full head light assembly leak Door panels and factory tint falling off sunroof leak caused headliner to warp and pull loose and mold 
Volkswagen Jetta in California, United States
Aug 2010 - Mar 2014
Jan 2013

138200 mi

US $360
battery died and replaced. voltage 12v should be 14v 
Apr 2013

144500 mi

US $314
slipping in 1st, & 3rd gear. Replaced entire transmission car sounded louder after the transmission was replaced, so I brought car back to same mechanic. I was told the front axle needed to be replaced. 
Volkswagen Jetta in New York, United States
Mar 2010 - Mar 2014
Aug 2010

94900 mi

US $500
CV boot ripped. 
Jan 2011

US $12
CEL, coolant temp sensor. 
Mar 2012

108000 mi

US $600
torn boot 
May 2013

113300 mi

US $450
Wheel bearing 

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Sedan

115-horsepower 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD

Volkswagen Jetta in North Carolina, United States
Oct 2010 - Apr 2011
Nov 2010

89000 mi

US $78
periodic visit to check chronic electronic gremlins that don't affect the driving 
Volkswagen Jetta in Virginia, United States
Aug 2016 - Aug 2016
Aug 2016

143000 mi
Flex pipe repair 
Volkswagen Jetta in Georgia, United States
Apr 2007 - Jun 2011
May 2007

72000 mi
Oil leak detected and determined to be leaking from one loose bolt on engine oil pan. Unknown how bolt became loose. CEL occurred from loose air hose from intake to engine. CEL corrected with tightening of hose. 
Jan 2009

108000 mi
P0420 Engine code showing cat. problem. Cat. was recently replaced so new plugs, wires, air filter, and MAF sensor was replaced by self. Thus far, repairs hace cleared the code. 
Volkswagen Jetta in New York, United States
Nov 2006 - Jun 2009
Dec 2008

76000 mi

US $5
Temp sensor replaced by myself, 5 min job.  
Volkswagen Jetta in Quebec, Canada
Feb 2018 - Mar 2018
Mar 2018

77500 mi
The spring in the truck latch fell off the inner hook. I had the remove the latch and reattach the spring. It was an easy repair. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Washington, United States
Mar 2012 - Apr 2012
Apr 2012

190000 mi

US $600
plastic impeller water pump failure, overheating 
Volkswagen Jetta in Maine, United States
Nov 2013 - Mar 2014
Dec 2013

150000 mi

US $500
cv joint failed, and numerous suspension parts replaced wheel bearing failed Ball joint / Control Arm bushings worn completely 
Volkswagen Jetta in California, United States
Mar 2010 - Mar 2012
Apr 2010

113000 mi

US $250
Glove compartment door was the source of the problem. The latch broke. The entire door needed to be replaced. 
Nov 2010

124000 mi

US $800
catalytic converter was replaced 
Dec 2010

125000 mi

US $650
Fuel pump was replaced 
Mar 2011

129000 mi

US $700
Front axles replaced.  Front tie rod ends replaced. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Utah, United States
Jan 2007 - Mar 2010
Oct 2007

65347 mi

US $883
Alternator & battery... 
Nov 2008

489 mi

US $67230
Fuel pump. 
Dec 2008

67445 mi

US $378
Wire harness & fuse box. 
Jan 2009

67462 mi

US $170
Gas gauge!!! 
Volkswagen Jetta in California, United States
Jul 2015 - Jun 2016
Feb 2016

209600 mi

US $635
Engine boiled over, replaced thermostat, radiator reservoir tank and thermo switch. 
Mar 2016

211000 mi

US $278
Check engine light was on and rthe codes reflect needs ignition coil, spark plugs and spark plug wires.However, the engine now shakes and number one cylinder is not functioning. Transmission was leaking. Seals were replaced. 
Volkswagen Jetta in New Jersey, United States
Jul 2015 - Jan 2016
Dec 2015

141000 mi

US $200
Fuel Pump failed. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Texas, United States
Dec 2012 - Apr 2013
Mar 2013

189000 mi

US $380
Crank position sensors had failed. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Tennessee, United States
Jun 2007 - May 2012
Dec 2009

50000 mi

US $200
Check engine light came on. Diagnosed as ignition coil. Bought new from eBay (less than half the price of auto parts store). Friend put it on in two hours and ran good as new. 
Aug 2010

55800 mi

US $150
Replaced spark plugs. Looked pretty worn for only 55000 miles. Replaced spark plug wires also. Light came on within minutes. Had to ground ignition coil to frame.  Also had to replace thermostat. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Ohio, United States
Jun 2009 - Feb 2013
Jul 2009

97000 mi

US $200
Rear brake calipers as well as a rear brake line replaced. Rear brake calipers as well as a rear brake line replaced. 
Jan 2011

108000 mi

US $200
Replaced rear calipers. Metal arm on caliper that emergency brake cables attach to had sheared off the caliper rendering the emergency brake useless. Replaced rear calipers. Metal arm on caliper that emergency brake cables attach to had sheared off the caliper rendering the emergency brake useless.  
Sep 2011

132000 mi

US $168
Flex line for the exhaust coming from the engine past the front subrame was rotted and needed to be replaced. 
Feb 2012

141000 mi

US $20
Rear brake caliper emergency brake levers were hanging and causing the rear brakes to drag. I replaced the rear brake calipers. 

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Sedan

115-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed automatic FWD

Volkswagen Jetta in California, United States
Nov 2006 - Jan 2009
Nov 2007

53000 mi

US $500
Engine light was on. they found a couple of problems. one of them was related to earthing on steering wheel (i guess??). 
Mar 2008

53000 mi
Had to tow the car twice for a battery fault - they replaced the battery the first time, and replaced the cable the next time (in less than a week). had to towe the car twice for a battery fault - they replaced the battery the first time, and replaced the cable the next time (in less than a week). 
Dec 2008

58000 mi

US $400
Alternator died (and battery replaced) alternator died (and battery replaced) 
Jan 2009

59300 mi

US $1000
O2 sensor, serviced throttle body. Towed it to another dealer - just to be safe - and had them diagnose. They worked on it for 10 days, found random problems and fixed them (finally ignition coil seemed to have fixed the problem). towed it to another dealer - just to be safe - and had them diagnose. they worked on it for 10 days, found random problems and fixed them (finally ignition coil seemed to have fixed the problem). 
Volkswagen Jetta in Pennsylvania, United States
Jan 2013 - Jul 2016
Mar 2013

127000 mi

US $500
Fuel pump stopped working, car would not start at all 
Jan 2014

US $300
There was a severe parasitic electrical drain that had been causing my battery to get drained. I had to install a kill switch. 
Jul 2014

138200 mi
My car had a parasitic electrical drain and a lot of the electrical modules were going haywire. Earlier mechanic unable to fix it. I had the timing belt, water pump, and alternator belt replaced. The water pump was leaking coolant and the timing belt had to be replaced anyway. I then took it to a 2nd mechanic who fixed the electrical issues. The 2nd mechanic told me my speedometer cluster was bad and the wiring to one of the headlights was messed up. 
Feb 2015

141300 mi

US $280
Faulty airbag wiring harness was causing a parasitic electrical drain and causing several electrical modules to malfunction (turn signals would not work, headlights did not light up, windshield wipers would randomly go off while driving car) 
Jun 2016

146000 mi

US $79
Coolant leak, plastic part had a crack in it 
Volkswagen Jetta in Texas, United States
Jan 2013 - Jan 2015
May 2013

146000 mi

US $60
The dash light dimmer switch shorted out and melted! A replacement part was ordered and installed. 
Sep 2014

154000 mi

US $1933
Needed a new A/C compressor and A/C receiver/dryer. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Florida, United States
May 2009 - Mar 2010
Jun 2009

54000 mi

US $1500
Light for engine service soon was on and the dealer repaired few things. 
Volkswagen Jetta in California, United States
Feb 2012 - Oct 2017
Feb 2013

54200 mi

US $1300
failed plastic impeller on water pump; replaced timing belt as preventive maintainence included in cost 
Apr 2015

68300 mi

US $400
front window regulator replaced 
Oct 2016

78000 mi

US $300
replaced rear brakes 
Dec 2016

79000 mi
struts, mounts, shock absorbers 
May 2017

83000 mi

US $500
replace ox sensor.  will need a new catalytic converter. 
Oct 2017

85000 mi

US $25
failed driver side door lock cylinder 
Volkswagen Jetta in New York, United States
Dec 2012 - Jun 2015
Oct 2014

99200 mi

US $350
Replaced broken water pump. Also replaced timing belt, drive belt, thermostat, and changed oil. 

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4-door

turbocharged 4-cylinder diesel manual 2WD

Volkswagen Jetta in South Carolina, United States
Feb 2007 - Nov 2007
Sep 2007

91000 mi

US $780
alternator pulley came off while driving, causing damage to alternator. Replaced alternator and pulley. 
Oct 2007

91000 mi
CEL for Glow Plug #2, a common issue with VE engine TDIs, not critical to fix at this time because I hardly use them in Charleston, SC winters. 
Volkswagen Jetta in Ontario, Canada
Sep 2007 - Jun 2008
Mar 2008

106640 mi

C $220
Glow plug wiring harness had to be replaced. Fault caused no detrimental effects other than check engine light. 

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4-door

turbocharged 4-cylinder manual 2WD

Volkswagen Jetta in Ontario, Canada
Feb 2007 - Jan 2009
Apr 2007

91760 mi

C $500
Solenoid. 
Mar 2008

112840 mi

C $500
Engine thermostat replaced. 
Apr 2008

113460 mi

C $1000
Timing belt tensioner failed; entire timing belt redone (second time). Improper service at dealership, tensioner should have been replaced with original timing belt. 
Jun 2008

115940 mi

C $295
Cooling fan failed. 

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4-door

4-cylinder manual 2WD

Volkswagen Jetta in Massachusetts, United States
Feb 2008 - Apr 2008
Mar 2008

80000 mi
Check engine light came back yet again. After resets the light comes back on after few days. Numerous fixes done-cat converter (twice), O2 sensor, clean sensors, etc. Still happens. This time told unknown error codes. 
Apr 2008

80000 mi
The car engine shut off while driving on the highway at 70 MPH. Did this 3 times over a 2 week period. They changed the drive shaft sensor to fix the problem. In half a day the check engine light came back on. Was told that codes indicated cat converter out of spec (the cat converter had been changed twice over the last 6 months). Time in shop 1 hour. Decided to sell. 

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta

4-cylinder manual 2WD

Volkswagen Jetta in Oregon, United States
Nov 2009 - Mar 2010
Dec 2009

72000 mi

US $200
leaking from front windshield driver's side 6 months ago repaired passenger side. 

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2002.5 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr Wagon

turbocharged 180hp 1.8L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD

Volkswagen Jetta in California, United States
Feb 2013 - Oct 2014
Jul 2014

145500 mi

US $1200
Replaced primary & secondary water pump, and replaced timing belt (for the 2nd time). 

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2003 Volkswagen Jetta Repair Histories

See our lemon odds and nada odds page to see vehicles with no repairs or vehicles with more than three repairs. To see how frequently 2003 Volkswagen Jetta problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.