1998 Volkswagen Jetta Problems, Recalls & Reliability
253 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 22/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 75,000 miles.
Typical
Where 1998 sits among all Jetta years
What owners report
“Starter failed in oct, 99. New part replaced by dealer. Starter failed again may, 2000. New part is needed again.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Jetta
“Front driver and passenger windows completly stopped working. Stuck in "up" position. To expensive to fix.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Jetta
“The ski racks installed by a dealer came off the vehicle with the snow boards caused severe damage. Yh”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Jetta
“Good year tire (195/60 r 14) blew out completely, only 1/8" of rubber left on rim. Yh”— owner report to NHTSA, 1998 Jetta
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 43 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 82,563 miles. Half of those reports fall between 50,000 and 102,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.8L VR6 ENGINES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THE RECOMMENDED COLD TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE PUBLISHED ON THE LABEL FOR TIRES OF THE…
Fix: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH CORRECTED LABELS, OR A DEALER CAN INSTALL THE LABEL IF THE OWNER WISHES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 29, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED…
ON SOME PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL TANK FILLER NECK CAN SUFFER ABRASION DAMAGE IF THE REAR TIRE GOES FLAT AND THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN UNTIL THE TIRE DISINTEGRATES.
Fix: DEALERS WILL FIT PASSAT VEHICLES WITH A NEW WHEEL HOUSE LINER THAT WILL BETTER PROTECT THE CAR'S FILLER NECK. JETTA VEHICLES WILL BE FITTED WITH A DIFFERENT METAL SHIELD DESIGNED TO ENHANCE ABRASION…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 02V026000.
Technical service bulletins
74 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta reliable?
The 1998 Volkswagen Jetta drew 253 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 22/100, scored against the model's worst year (2002).
What are the most common 1998 Volkswagen Jetta problems?
The top reported problems for the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta are electrical (49 complaints), visibility & wipers (44), and other (25).
At what mileage do 1998 Volkswagen Jetta problems show up?
Owners most often report 1998 Volkswagen Jetta problems around 82,563 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 50,000 and 102,000 miles.
Does the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 1998 Volkswagen Jetta. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.