2016 Volkswagen Jetta
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 161 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 18th highest complaint count among 26 Jetta model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 18 involved a crash and 5 involved a fire. 14 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Fuel system, gasoline, fuel injection system, fuel railOct 21, 2020
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Jetta vehicles. The fuel rail bolts may become loose over time, allowing fuel to leak.
A fuel leak increases the risk of a fire.
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rail bolts and, as necessary, the fuel rail. The recall began March 31, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24Gi.
Campaign 20V648000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, master cylinderSep 23, 2020
Tenneco Automotive (Tenneco) is recalling certain Beck/Arnley Master Cylinders, part number 072-9831, sold as aftermarket or replacement parts for 2004-2018 Volkswagen Jetta, and 2012-2019 Volkswagen Beetle vehicles. The fluid seal crimp on the master cylinder may be insufficient, causing brake fluid to leak or the cylinder to come apart.
If there is a brake fluid leak, it can reduce braking ability, increasing the risk of a crash.
Beck/Arnley will notify the distributors that sold the master cylinders and will work with the distributors to notify the end users. Affected master cylinders will be exchanged for a new master cylinder (part number 072-9990), free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2020. Owners may contact Tenneco customer service at 1-800-625-9319.
Campaign 20E064000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, ignition, anti-theft, control moduleAug 22, 2019
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2019 GTI, 2015-2016 and 2018-2019 Golf, 2012-2019 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2017-2019 Golf SportWagen and 2011-2018 Jetta vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, manual handbrake and keyless entry. A build-up of silicate on the shift lever micro switch contacts may enable the key to be removed from the ignition when the transmission shift lever is not in "Park."
Removing the key while the shift lever is in a position other than "Park" increases the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional switch and circuit board, free of charge. The recall began November 19, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 37M2.
Campaign 19V615000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, fuel injection system, fuel railJun 6, 2016
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2016 Jetta vehicles manufactured October 31, 2015, to January 21, 2016, 2016 Passat vehicles, equipped with 1.8T engines manufactured November 13, 2015, to December 9, 2015, and 2016 Golf vehicles manufactured November 5, 2015, to November 11, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the fuel rail may detach from the cylinder head and result in a fuel leak.
A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, can result in a vehicle fire.
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the cylinder heads, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 15F7.
Campaign 16V403000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, engineOct 26, 2015
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Jetta, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Passat, Golf and Golf SportWagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the camshaft lobe that drives the brake vacuum pump may shear off, resulting in a loss of brake assist.
If the camshaft lobe shears off there would be a loss of brake assist, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
Volkswagen dealer will update the engine control module (ECM) software. The recall began March 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23R1.
Campaign 15V705000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
161 reports, newest first.
Electrical system, Jul 5, 2023
I got off work and was on my way to the pharmacy to pick up a very critical medication. When I got to the destination I was not able to turn off my car the key was stuck in the ignition and the car was in running mode I could not turn it. I struggled with it for about 20 minutes and eventually had to leave the car running unattended to go in and and get the medication. Thankfully the car was still there when I returned so I drove it to a mechanic and they were not able to turn it off...there were no warning lights that came on to warn me that this would happen, by this time it was after business hours. I was stranded with a running car and no way to turn it off my only option was to let it run and run out of gas so I drove to a wolkswagen dealership planning on leaving it there overnight and letting it run out of gas. When I got there a sales representative was still on site, he could not turn the car off either the key was stuck. He had to kill the battery in order to get the car to stop running. I feel very indenjured driving this car because I don't know what to expect anymore. It was a very horifing evening. I had to figure out a way home with no warning. This is not safe and the malfunctioning part should be recalled...I have done some research online and there have been other people with the same problem and no warning including one of them to be a coworker of mine who had to pick up her daughter from school and was forced to leave her car unattended with the same problem. I am in very much stress over this while the dealership says they want me to pay over $ 900 hundred dollars to fix the problem. There was no warning light it is a malfunction and there should be a recaall this is not safe. Please help!
Service brakes, Jul 3, 2023
Emergency brake handle button came off, rendering the emergency brake not functional.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jun 30, 2023
We purchased the car in May 2021, within a week, the check engine light, EPC and oil lamp became illuminated. Contacted dealership who "inspected" it and said "nothing was wrong and reset the lights." A few weeks go by and the same thing. We noticed the car was "stuttering" during acceleration. We attempted to bring it to the dealership they couldn't inspect our vehicle because they didn't have "availability". My husband brought it to a local mechanic who recommended bringing it to the dealership again because of the codes it was throwing. We scheduled an appt which was 4 months out. During that time the oil was changed every 1.5 months because the lights kept coming on. Moved to Mississippi and the issues became worse. The vehicle would seem to lose power while driving on the interstate causing a Semi to veer into the other lane because the car went from 70mph to 20mph in a matter of seconds. Brought it to VW of South MS, was told Timing case, sealant, rail, tensioner, gasket, and several other things were needed to be replaced. Was told the vehicle was burning oil, lower timing cover was replaced and found bolts from tensioner broken and metal shavings. Was charged over $2500. 1 week later same exact issues occurred again. Brought it in, reset lights told us "it's fine" Few weeks of the car not being driven, happens again. We bring it back and they inform us of an array of "new issues" charges us $2000 and within a week the car is back for the same exact issue. I reviewed the recalls but it is saying none of them apply to my vehicle but they are the exact things that are going on. It is unsafe to drive the car. My husband will not allow me to drive it out of fear that it will stall and result in a serious MVA. Why isn't VW doing anything about this issue? How many people have to get injured or killed for them to conduct an investigation for this issue?
Steering, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jun 15, 2023
Key stuck in Ignition lock cylinder; stuck in the on position with engine running and cannot switch to the off position to remove ignition key. -ALSO, CAR DOORS WILL NOT LOCK WITH KEY IN IGNITION- Note: Other complaints for this same issue are listed under: UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, STEERING, ENGINE VW dealer estimated a $1100 repair
Other or unspecified, May 30, 2023
I returned the 1st car I got because it was a little bit too expensive.I started the process of buying a vehicle through carviana a month ago. I returned the 1st car I got because it was a little hard to drive. The 2nd vehicle a kia opitima i received had mechanical issues. the car would constantly try to turn over when you pushed the push start and it wouldn't catch for a good 5 seconds. So I return the optima for a jetta. When I looked at the mileage on the Kia Optima I noticed that the mileage that was showing on the screen was way off from what they posted online. But I figured it was just a one time mistake. Now the 2016 jetta that was delivered on May 24th 2023, came with no headlight, a radio/navigation system that didn't work, the brakes were bad and they used some type of editing software on their photos and blurred out the ripped and torn leather seat. I called and they reluctantly agreed to take it back and allow me to purchase a 2018 Honda Civic. So I cleaned my stuff out from the jetta. I am supposed to meet them tomorrow at 7 PM. I looked at the mileage so I could try to figure out if I was going to owe them any money because I have had the car since the 24th of May. I live right next door to where I work and I only left a few times to go to my father's who lives a 1/2 hour from me. Online carvana stated that this car came with 80XXX miles. When I looked down at the dash I see that the car is at 83XXX miles. Now I have proof of me on camera,my boss can vouch for me, my roommate can vouch for me, my father can vouch for me and I can show on video that there's no way possible that I had time to drive 3000 miles. Carvana puts the wrong odometer reading. And this is now the 2nd car that this has happened with. I bet i am not the only consumer who they have done this to. Carvana purposefully posts the milage as less so if/when you exchange the car they charge you $1 for miles that you never drove.
Electrical system, Firerelated, May 30, 2023, fire
The contact’s mother owns a 2016 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked outside, the contact’s mother was notified that the vehicle had caught fire. The contact stated that upon her mother and sister approaching the vehicle, they noticed that the front driver’s side door was on fire. The contact then stated that her sister used her hand in an attempt to pat the fire away. As a result, the contact’s sister sustained an injury to her right hand that required medical attention. The fire department was notified, and the fire was extinguished. The fire department determined that the origin of the fire was electrical. A police report was filed. The contact stated that her mother then received recall notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V648000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the contact stated that the dealer refused service. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 151,217.
Vehicle speed control, Wheels, Engine, May 17, 2023
UNKNOWN; once the car started, it would not accelerate, the EPC and Engine warning lights came on; car still starts up The Tire Pressure sensor light has been going off/on, regardless of the tire pressure being correctly set
Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 28, 2023
There was no incident. Engine light came on. EVAP EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM Current Engine Control module software does not always allow the N80 valve to close completely so seems like there is a small leak detected
Power train, Engine, Apr 25, 2023
While driving in the morning rush hour my vehicle lost power. As I pushed on the accelerator the vehicle did not speed up and maxed out at 40 mph. I was not able to keep up with the speed limit or traffic and I pulled over to the shoulder to get out of traffic so that I did not cause an accident. Dealer confirmed that my transmission had gone out. The check engine light came on.
Electrical system, Apr 2, 2023
The car horn has stopped working along with my alarm horn. Not the first jetta ive had this issue with. My previous one had the same issue where one day it wud work and then stop working.
Fuel system, Gasoline, Mar 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated upon entering the vehicle, there was a strong gasoline odor. Additionally, the vehicle experienced a rough start. The electronic power control (EPC) and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to drive the vehicle; however, the gasoline odor became stronger and stronger while driving and the vehicle would not exceed 20 MPH. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact’s father met her on the side of the road and upon inspecting the vehicle, he noticed that gasoline was leaking out of the fuel rail upon starting the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the fuel rail needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V648000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was previously repaired under the recall and recall repairs were completed one-time free of charge. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised as the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Electrical system, Engine, Jan 18, 2023
- Evap System, it is available for inspection upon request. - The check engine light will not turn off because of electrical wiring due to a faulty connection with the Evap system. It has been checked and there are no leaks and I have been told by three locations that it is a electrical wiring issue. Since the check engine light will not turn off I can not be notified if there are other issues that may cause a check engine light to turn on and my family's safety is at risk because I do not know if it is only because of a electrical wiring issue. - The problem has been checked by three local auto shops who have all smoked the Evap system but have never found a leak and have each individually told me it is a wiring issue. - It has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others to my knowledge because the car was sold to me by a dealership anything prior to that event I am not aware of. - They first appeared one week and a half from purchase from the dealership. The dealership said it would not fix it because it wasn't in their books. The check engine light turned on when I turned on the car after that time period. I was not driving when it had turned on.
Power train, Sep 27, 2022
The vehicle lost it's ability to shift into gear and accelerate on a busy road, almost causing a collision. Pulled over and it failed to shift into any gears, (as if it was in neutral with a higher engine RPM). According to the technician at the Volkswagon dealership it was a complete internal failure of the transmission, with an estimated cost of $8,600 for a new transmission. Looked up the issue on a popular car complaint site and saw the exact same symptoms from another driver but their technician suggested to replace the Mechatronic J743 with the transmission hydraulic pressure sensor G270. Their repair estimate was approximately $3,800. I brought this issue up to my technician's representative but I feel it fell onto deaf ears. Considering commission being attributed to the cost of repairs, I don't think it would be unbiased. I contacted VW customer service as I was told this was a "known issue" for the hybrid models and my year being the last of the 4 years in production. They were no help either. Major loss of trust on this car and Volkswagon in general.
Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 5, 2022
My car went into limp mode and smelled heavily of gas I went to a garage to have it checked out and they told me there diagnostic said it was fuel rail.
Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 4, 2022
I brought my car in for the 60k service and the check engine light had just turned on. After being told they had to run a diagnostic and keep my car for several days, the dealership came back with "it had a fault for a purge valve. Tested the purge valve with a vacuum tester and found it would not hold a vacuum." I was asked if my emissions was due soon, but I had emissions completed two months ago with no problems. This issue is a big deal and I know VW has had many public issues with their emissions. I barely drive this car and to have such a major issue occur is mind blowing. The dealership quoted me $890. for this repair when I see the average cost of this repair is about $300-400 with parts. I had it completed, but no one wants to talk to me about why I was charged so much when this technically should be a recall.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 7, 2022
At 52,000 miles check engine light came on , car would not go over 50mph, EPC light came on , lights went out. After having car towed to the dealer, had to have EPC ,Turbocharger Boost rod / actuator replaced .
Power train, Fuel/propulsion system, Jun 19, 2022
Fuel rail , fuel pump,fuel filter fuel driver, leak in injector
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion system, Jun 13, 2022
The problem happens when the car is on, and when attempting to accelerate the car will feel like it was put into neutral and you cannot do anything other than coast. The car has done this a few times while driving. Also, when trying to accelerate from a stop at a signal light, the car can suddenly stall, and you won't be able to do anything. From a safety standpoint, this is very bad since if you had to quickly accelerate to avoid a collision or other possible scenario and the car won't move, or accelerate, to reach speeds on a freeway or highway. Problem occurred last night when attempting to accelerate and merge onto the highway, felt like the car was in neutral ('D' light was blinking as well as the 'Hybrid' light). What is concerning is that VW did know about this problem and they only did a recall for very small number of vehicles. We called VW and they said no recalls on our 2016 Jetta Hybrid for this problem. I'm reporting the problem here because we have experienced the same problem multiple times and the dealer said to replace the Mechatronic J743 unit, this was very cost prohibited for us at the time.
Other or unspecified, Apr 17, 2022
Key gets stuck in ignition when turning off the engine
Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 18, 2022, fire
My car started on fire as driving to work January 21 2022 at 7:30 am.After researching after the fire Not knowing how and why that happened car had been perfectly fine no warning signs or any difference with the way it drove , I came to find out about fuel rail recall on my car that will cause car to start on fire .I almost and could have got stuck in the car which as i panicked was having trouble getting safety belt off and the door is so heavy that it had always closed back on me getting my leg smashed.I have not got any update from Manny the VW Man he ignores my calls and only left a message in response to my request to customer service i have lost my job because i do not have a car now my son has been missing school now about to be getting evicted as soon as the eviction lift is up i have 5 children i am a single widowed mother and need a car i was still paying on my car for 3 and a half years the bank screwd me over and insurance only covered them to pay off car for the bank i was financing it threw this is not fair i see q&a's on VW and they say yes to providing loaner vehicles to the ones that are having recall repaired why can i not get treated the same Manny response was that i had to pay for my own rental car they have to investigate my car to see if it was the recall that caused fire i sent him the fire police report . My car clearly had a recall this is ridiculous and not fair Do You think i did this on purpose expecting something back from these greedy not caring people in the world today lol yeah right . i loved my car was satisfied and had no issues until this one complete horrific incident that i almost got locked in and could of got injured or died. I was working and paying for my car i do not expect anything from anyone for free and that is why all the VW customer satisfaction guarantee literature i have read is of course just a bunch of sound good tell the customers what they want to hear and of course yeah Of coursr to good to be true !!!!
Fuel system, Gasoline, Feb 16, 2022, fire
The contact owned a 2016 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving at 15-25 MPH, she smelled a strong burning gas odor. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact felt an intense heat on her legs. The contact saw a flame on the driver's side of the hood and quickly exited the vehicle. The contact stated that there was also fire underneath the driver's side of the hood. The fire was extinguished with the assistance of the fire department. There were no injuries sustained. A fire department report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot, where it was totaled. A police report was not filed. The contact became aware that her VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V648000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). An unknown dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.
Engine, Feb 7, 2022
Water pump and thermostat housing inspected and needing to be replaced according to inspection by Volkswagen Welsey Chapel on this 2016 Jetta. The quoted repair needs immediate attention and costs $1025.46. A leaking water pump could also cause the engine to stop functioning while the car is in motion. Even if the driver pulled over, being stranded on the side of a highway waiting for a tow could be dangerous. I notified VW customer care and was directed NHTSA as there is no recall for this cars year. There were not warnings of this issue until noticed at inspection. Volkswagen has yet to issue a recall for this severe problem.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Structure, Jan 8, 2022, fire
-The front right passenger electrical system that contains the wiring in order for the front headlight and front high beam to function properly suddenly started a short circuit and caused the front passenger light system wiring to catch fire to that part and the parts that surround it. The car is available for inspection at any time. -My safety was put at risk because my vehicle caught fire in a matter of seconds and spread so fast that it was impossible to stop the fire without requesting help of the Miami Gardens Fire Department that arrived on the scene as fast as they could a few minutes later. Other vehicles waiting at the traffic light were also put at risk because of the fire, smoke, and the hazardous wastes that could've possibly led to an explosion from the fire spreading over the whole right side of the engine. -The problem hasn't been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer; however, I do have a police report that states that the Miami Gardens Fire Department confirmed it was an electrical problem that started the fire and the severity of the damage that they believed was a total loss. The vehicle fire was able to be put out once the Miami Dade Fire Rescue got there and managed to stop the fire. The police officer inspected the vehicle once the fire was extinguished and was able to write the police report and gave me the police case #. -There was one warning light on on the driver dashboard that had appeared a week prior to the vehicle catching fire and it was that the front headlight bulb was not working and had to be replaced.
Engine, Nov 22, 2021, crash
I got this vehicle at 36,000 miles and I have put 23,000 on it in one year. There have been no warning messages. I was in idle and my RPMs started jumping I put it in reverse ( jumping stopped) , then drive to have the vehicle get a mile or two down the road and completely die. I was rear ended . Got it into a repair shop to be told by a certified mechanic it was throwing codes for the camshaft as well as needing an evap purge at just under 60,000 miles.
Power train, Nov 3, 2021
This driver has been quoted for a new transmission by VW. There is an existing recall for 2013-2015 Jetta hybrids for the same symptoms as listed below. The issue was preceded by a check engine light and a service hybrid system light and inconsistent braking force that would often pose a system risk as regenerative braking would often stop working forcing the driver to quickly apply more pressure unexpectedly (almost resulting in front end accidents). Now , the car is jerky while stopping and still unpredictable in its application of brake force. When taking off from lights, occasionally the transmission will stop providing power from the hybrid system to the wheels forcing driver to stop and restart the car in the intersection resulting in near accidents. The car’s gas engine often will fail to start while driving resulting in a loss of power when the car’s hybrid battery is depleted. The driver has had to pull over to stop and restart the car. Failure to start often happens on first startup as well. The car will no longer remain in electric mode due to this issue and often cycles the engine on and off many times while sitting at red lights.