There are 35 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2008 Volkswagen Jettain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The ignition switch gets stuck sometimes and I can't crank my car nor turn it off I'm just dating that because that's what's going on on my end. Therefore, I've had times where I can't crank my car or I can't turn it off when I need to. So you may tell me if there was a recall on ignition switch or whatever
Sometimes I feel as if my car is possessed I own a 2008 Volkswagen Jetta and sometimes the passenger headlight works sometimes it doesn't I've replaced the bulbs doesn't matter. My sunroof All of a sudden stopped working. My turn signals on the right side don't work when the headlight is not on. I have no sound from my stereo cuz my speakers automatically went out. It has a lot of electrical issues not sure why.
The contact owns a 2008 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed during the daytime, the speedometer failed to illuminate adequately, causing her to be unable to see the speed she was driving. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
car go into a safe mode take to dealer they said car is no reparable because the part they need is no longer made by VW and is no a substitution part for it. so basically they talk me to send it to a junk lot or I can buy a new car and they will gime some money for it also at the end they recommend a shop that maybe be they can fixit so I think why ???? ia safety advised for a dealer.????
The contact owns a 2008 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated the front driver’s side seat heaters would overheat when choosing option 1 or 2 and failed to turn off. The contact stated that the heat was overwhelming for her and would feel like it was burning her back. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE SAFETY ANTI-LOCK WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE STARTED HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS THEN UNABLE TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE OR REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WITH EXTRA EFFORT SHE WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. SUNTRUP VOLKSWAGEN LOCATED AT 6000 S LINDBERGH BLVD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63123, (314) 892-8200, WAS CONTACTED AND MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 167,000.
COULD NOT START VEHICLE BUT ONCE ABLE TO START WAS UNABLE TO TURN OFF VEHICLE. KEY IS STUCK IN IGNITION IN THE ON POSITION. HAD TO DISCONNECT BATTERY AND PULL FUEL PUMP RELAY TO KILL POWER. DID SOME RESEARCH AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON AND EXPENSIVE MANUFACTURE DEFECT FOR CERTAIN VOLKSWAGEN MODELS. DUE TO THE REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SPECIALIZED TOOLS NEEDED TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE, VW SHOULD HAVE RECALLED AND REPAIRED. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE BUT NOW UNABLE TO DRIVE.
IGNITION SWITCH WAS STUCK IN THE ON POSITION WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING. THE CAR WAS STOPPED AND IN PARK IN A DRIVEWAY. BUT THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE EASILY OCCURRED INSIDE A GARAGE. THE CAR WAS SUCCESSFULLY TURNED OFF AFTER BREAKING THE PLASTIC KEY TRANSMITTER AND FORCING THE KEY WITH PLIERS. OTHERS MAY NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH OR TOOLS TO FORCE THIS TO TURN OFF. I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD OCCUR AND THE ENGINE NOT BEING ABLE TO BE TURN OFF COULD START A FIRE OR PRODUCE CO POISONING IN A CLOSED ENVIRONMENT. PART FAILURES SUCH AS THIS SHOULD FAIL IN A SAFE MODE. THIS IS CLEARLY NOT A SAFE FAILURE MODE.
I UTILIZED MY SEAT WARMER ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND ONLY HAD THE SETTING ON 2 (OUT OF 5). AFTER APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR OF MY TRIP HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, I STARTED TO FEEL MY LOWER BACK (ON MY RIGHT) BURN BECAUSE THE SEAT WAS EXCESSIVELY HOT. WHEN I REACHED MY HAND BEHIND MY BACK TO FEEL THE SEAT THAT IS WHEN I DISCOVERED THE HOLE IN MY SEAT AND I BURNT MY HAND IN THE PROCESS.
CLUSTER..IINTERAL WIRING CLOCK ALWAYS RESETS AT 12:00 WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP STOPPED WORKING AIR CONDITIONING POPS FUSES POWER SUPPLY PORTS HAVE NO POWER.
THE IGNITION KEY GETS STUCK IN KEYLOCK AND YOU ARE UNABLE TO TURN OFF ENGINE. WENT ONLINE AND THERE ARE TONS OF COMPLAINTS ON FORUMS.
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY, THE TURN SIGNALS BEGAN TO ACT ERRATICALLY. INITIALLY ONLY THE LEFT TURN SIGNALING APPEARED TO BE AFFECTED, AND WOULD FAIL TO MAKE ANY INDICATION ON THE DASH OR ILLUMINATE THE LIGHTS. SHORTLY AFTER THIS, ATTEMPTING TO SIGNAL A RIGHT TURN WOULD ACTUALLY RESULT IN THE LEFT TURN INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATING (YES, THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WAS INTENDED). AS I AM ONE OF THE INDIVIDUALS DEALING WITH THE DOOR CONTROL ISSUE, I AM UNABLE TO USE MY WINDOW. I COULD NOT USE ARM SIGNALLING TO MAKE MY INTENTIONS CLEAR TO OTHER DRIVERS. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO CHANGE LANES ON THE HIGHWAY. I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A SIMILAR ISSUE, AND ASSOCIATED RECALL, WITH THE 2002 JETTA TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR/SWITCH.
I PULLED INTO A GAS STATION AND TRIED TO TURN OFF ENGINE TO FUEL THE CAR. AN IGNITION MALFUNCTION WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO TURN ENGINE OFF OR REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION.
REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCK INOPERABLE. LOCK MECHANISM FAILED CAUSING THE DOOR TO NOT LOCK MANUALLY OR WITH REMOTE. ALSO, THE ALARM SYSTEM FAILED TO "CHIRP" WHEN PRESSING REMOTE. TOOK TO DEALER AND SPENT $500 ON A LOCK MECHANISM IN THE DOOR. I HEAR THIS IS VERY COMMON WITH THIS MODEL. BUYER BEWARE.
I FIRST STARTED EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM WITH THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR ON MY VW JETTA IN DECEMBER 2015. THE DOOR WOULD NOT LOCK USING THE KEY REMOTE. I HAVE TO MANUALLY LOCK THE DOORS BY PUSHING THE KEY INTO THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR IN ORDER TO GET A BEEP SOUND AND FLASHING INDICATORS TO CONFIRM THAT ALL THE DOORS ARE LOCKED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE VW DEALERSHIP WHICH COST $480 TO FIXED ONE DOOR. ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AFTER FIXING THE DOOR, SOMEONE BROKE INTO THE CAR WHICH I LATER FOUND OUT THAT THE DRIVER SIDE REAR DOOR LOCK ALSO FAILED AND WASN'T WORKING. THE DIFFERENCE THIS TIME WAS, MANUALLY USING THE KEY WOULD ONLY LOCK THREE DOORS (2 FRONT DOOR AND PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR, WHICH I HAD FIXED PRIOR TO THE SECOND FAILURE). I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN AND HAD TO PAY ANOTHER $480 TO GET IT FIXED. ABOUT A MONTHS AFTER THE SECOND FAILURE, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR LOCK STOP WORKING WHICH COST ME ANOTHER $480. CURRENTLY, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK IS NOT WORKING. I ASKED THE VOLKSWAGEN SERVICE ADVISOR IF VOLKSWAGEN IS GOING TO OR PLANNING ON CORRECTING THIS PROBLEM AND THE ANSWER I GOT WAS 'NO, IT'S NOT A SAFETY ISSUE.' WHY DO CAR DOORS LOCK AUTOMATICALLY WHILE DRIVING? COULD IT SOMEWHAT BE FOR SAFETY REASON? WHEN ONE OF THE DOOR LOCK FAILS, THE CAR DOORS ARE NOT LOCKED WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM WITH MOST OF THE VOLKSWAGEN MODELS. DOES VOLKSWAGEN CARES? COULD THIS BE DANGEROUS FOR A CHILD OR ADULT IN THE BACK/FRONT SEAT OF A CAR DRIVING AROUND WITH UNLOCK DOORS? PLEASE, PLEASE I'M CRYING FOR HELP! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR FAILED TO LOCK. THE DOOR FAILED TO LOCK MANUALLY AND WITH THE KEY FOB. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, AND THE DOOR LOCK MECHANISM WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED INTO PARK, THE KEY WOULD NOT RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG CRASH SENSORS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A SHORTAGE WITHIN THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000.
SUNROOF WOULD OPEN AND CLOSE AT RANDOM, HAD THAT FIXED WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. NOW THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WILL NOT LOCK AND THE ALARM WILL NOT TURN ON. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL AS A THEFT ISSUE AND APPEARS ITS PRETTY COMMON DUE TO PREVIOUS VW THREADS. AT $400 REPAIR COSTS AND VW KNOWING THIS IS AN ISSUE, I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE ELEVATED TO A RECALL STATUS AND NOT CHARGEABLE TO OWNERS. PLEASE HELP ME/US, I CANT AFFORD THE REPAIR!!! *TR
DRIVER SIDE FRONT AND REAR DOORS DON'T LOCK. THERE IS NO OPTION TO MANUALLY LOCK IT, THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION HAS MALFUNCTIONED AND THERE IS NO WAY TO LOCK THESE DOORS. THERE IS RISK OF THE DOORS FLINGING OPEN IN CASE OF ACCIDENT ESPECIALLY WITH A CHILD SITTING IN THE REAR SEAT. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 35 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026