2019 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Engine Problems

140 NHTSA complaints on file

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Engine Issues in the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

140 engine complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2019 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. Of these, 4 involved a crash, 2 involved a fire, and 4 resulted in injury.

140
Complaints
4
Crashes
2
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths

All Engine Complaints

#11719261 |
VIN: [XXX] Previous Report: XXX.. This a report of a continuing problem with my vehicle. The engine randomly shuts down endangering both myself and my passengers who are often my [XXX] and [XXX] grandchildren . No warning lamps. the car both stumbles and stops while driving and at stop signs and traffic lights. I repeatedly have taken it to my dealer (Elgin IL VW) they have been unable to determine the fault and fix it. This has been going on since June 2026 and progressively worsened. The most recent incident was on the afternoon of 19 June 2026. The “fixes’ so far have included bith replacing the fuel taknk fuel pump and today a part of the fuel feed system. It’s still at the dealership. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
#11707428 |
Miles on car 79,000 December 1, 2025 Car started to slow down while driving on bay bridge, San Francisco speed went suddenly from 55 miles an hour to 30 miles and hour Lights went off EPC and RPM maximum was showing on dashboard. Car suddenly started running at 25 to 35 miles an hour while driving on the highway. I was at risk of getting hit by another vehicle since everyone else was driving at 55 and 65 miles an hour on the highway. I was Unable to drive to the mechanic or dealer and requested a towing company to take it to the dealer Important facts to add Transmission was replaced with only 50 thousand miles (2 years after bought from the dealer) On Feb 2025 Car was making noises and showing EPC light and RPM maximum. Car taken to dealer and dealer said that EVAP line was lose...
#11693395 |
Initial call out for oil change and investigation of oil consumption and knocking from engine. Upon examination in person the timing cover was found to be heavily leaking and had pools of oil around the valleys that surround it. further examination if taking the cover off revealed metal shavings and debris caked all around the interior of the cover and deep inside the engine and oil in areas where there should not be. Even further investigations revealed that one of the bolts on the cam gear was missing and after researching it was found that this is a common issue/failure found on many of the 1.4tsi engines but is not widespread enough to form a recall as of yet. Many reports state very similar issues of the cam gear/phaser bolts becoming loose and falling down into the engine causing catastrophic failure and metal shavings/debris/fragments inside the engine. I paid nearly...
#11690714 |
Exhaust camshaft actuator oil cap bolts loosen and fall out and could cause engine failure. Volkswagen has issued a service bulletin for this problem but not a recall.
#11689580 |
MY Jetta is only 6 years old and has only 27,350 mileage when this issue happened. Low oil light came and took it to a Local Shop where they put it on a lift and saw oil all over the bottom of the car. The technician told me this car is not safe and you need to have it towed to VW and see what is happening. I had it towed to VW where I purchased the car. The technician removed the upper timing cover and found camshaft sprocket bolts backed out 1 and another one ready to come out, causing oil to leak out all over. When I asked the service manager what caused this, he had no answer. I also asked him have you ever seen this in any of the Jetta. He said he never seen this. I told the service manager that what happened to my...
#11683100 |
Started car in the morning to go to work and 20 minutes later heard loud clunking coming from engine bay. Pulled over and got towed. Upper timing cover was removed and found that screws from camshaft phasers had backed out causing issue. Issue was confirmed at German car shop. No prior problems. Mentioned at last service visit that a rattling was coming from the engine bay. Was told that it was normal. Googled issue and found multiple people complaining of same issue. Car has not ever had work done in that area. Seems like a failure of quality control in the factory.
#11681729 |
engine stalling and cutting off while driving. unsafe while in heavy traffic.
#11680499 |
I was driving my car on a 100 degree day and and after about a block, a warning popped up on the little screen behind the steering wheel that said "Ignition switch off, safely stop the vehicle". I feel like the engine may have shut off, but I'm not sure as I just rolled to the side of the road and turned off my car as fast as a could. I waited a few minutes and turned it on, drove about a block, and it said, "Starter system faulty, please service vehicle". I once again turned it off, waited a few minutes. I googled on my phone instances of this and people saying they were still able to drive that car, so I turned it back on and started to drive it the two blocks back to my house, the "Starter system faulty" message popped up again and suddenly all...
#11677090 |
Faulty started. Per your website, Volkswagen issued a recall for certain 2019 and 2020 Jetta models with traditional ignition keys(not push-button start) due to a faulty ignition switch that can cause the electrical system to shut down and the engine to stall, increasing crash risk. This recall, identified as Recall 23V-604 by NHTSA. My vehicle needs to be included in this recall.
#11672502 |
My 2019 Volkswagen Jetta cannot be refueled — gas nozzle clicks off instantly or overflows. The check engine light came on, and VW Corporate confirmed code P00FE, indicating a failure of the EVAP system vent valve. This is a sealed emissions component integrated with the fuel tank. Dealership initially claimed there were “no codes,” but a video shows their technician confirming the EVAP code, disconnecting the EVAP system, and concluding the tank must be replaced. However, since the valve is a powered solenoid, unplugging the system wouldn't allow it to open — this invalidates their test and diagnosis. VW has denied warranty coverage even though the issue clearly falls under the 8-year/80,000-mile federal emissions warranty as defined by the EPA and VW’s own documentation. I also discovered they misrepresented an active recall (#28H7) and falsely told me I had none. VW Customer Care told me about the recall and informed...
#11672517 |
1. The car started making a rattle noise from inside the engine. Immediately stopped the car and contacted a mechanic , discovered that the bolts holding the cam shafts became loose and were hitting the timing belt cover. Upon further research, the dealer wasn't aware of said problem, however there are numerous VW customers experiencing the same problem. 2. EVAP CODE. EXPERIENCING STRONG GASOLINE SMELL INSIDE CARS, AND CAR HAS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. dealer is aware of the problem, they said is the EVAP canister purge valve defective, there's no safety recall on the problem. Car has 95,000 miles.
#11664872 |
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with the starter failure message displayed. The vehicle was able to be restarted; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
#11664444 |
2 bolts came lose in engine, need timing belt replaced, caused oil leak and other problems yet to be identified. Volkswagen admitted that should never happen but will not take responsibility
#11650917 |
It was a hot day and I went to start my 2019 Jetta, it sent me a warning code to safely stop the vehicle and then all electrical shut off but the engine then proceeded to stall in place and not want to start back up. I got it to restart and the parking break locked up. I turned it off again and restarted it and managed to get the parking break off after several attempts. I had to have it towed as it was clearly not safe to drive. As soon as the temperature dropped the car was completely fine no electrical errors making me think this is similar to other Volkswagen vehicle issues. There is no recall in place but this is extremely unsafe for me to drive and I just purchased the vehicle
#11623203 |
My manual transmission clutch went to the floor without warning and the car suddenly was inoperable. Bay VW in Great Neck, NY performed a $4,000 repair.. I picked uo the car today and within five miles drive the clutch failed again and the car was inoperable. In December 2022 the same thing happened while driving on [XXX] . I was in the passing lane and lost complete control of the car except for steering. I had an elderly passenger with dementia and it was providential that we weren't in an accident. It's now three breakdowns of the same kind. Obviously, another part is defective causing these operational failures. It's a safety risk and the three two VW repair shops, on three occasions, have not been able to detect it. I am afraid for my safety and that of my passengers. I can provide the repair invoices. Please look into this....
#11611893 |
I purchased 2019 Volkswagen Jetta RLine Turbo in 2022 with 30 something thousand miles with warranty. The car was and only serviced at Volkswagen dealership since purchased(oil changes, etc.). My daughter mentioned several times to the service people the coolant was empty and needed to be refilled they checked and said it probably do to the heat and use of AC. So we took car in for an oil change at 60,000-70,000 to a Volkswagen dealership in Tampa because oil light came on. They said that the engine oil had sludge all throughout the engine. How no way possible. The car had only been serviced at Volkswagen in Brandon were we lived since we purchased it. I couldn’t believe it. They had just serviced our car at Brandon location not even a month or so. They couldn’t find the problem is all I was told. I have spent over $3500...
#11610175 |
I took my car for ignition switch recall but after one month I have same issue tge car won't start
#11609409 |
I live in Florida where it is very hot - one day my car doesn't turn on and I get the notice on my dashboard that says "STARTER SYSTEM FAULTY. SERVICE VEHICLE". It wont turn on again. I searched the NHTSA website and it seems there is an open recall already, however for some reason my 2019 Jetta is NOT included, and the dealership refuses to claim it under recall. NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V604000 I am submitting this complaint to include this batch of 2019 Jettas also affected.
#11607212 |
While driving, the car's electrical system failed and came to a complete stop. Identified as a faulty ignition switch by the dealer's service center. I contacted Volkswagen regarding the issue and provided NHTSA's campaign number of 23V604 for a recall on the 2019 Jetta's for ignition switch failure. Volkswagen took my information but stated the recall did not include my car based on the vin number. I am reporting it here to see if there are other Jetta owners who have reported the same issue. The case number with Volkswagen is #06375019.
#11595087 |
Driving on a highway when all of a sudden my car completely shut off and would not turn back on, had to sit in 110 degree weather with my children. everything was completely dead and we could not open the trunk to get our jumper cables.
#11592978 |
VW Jetta should be included in the ignition switch recall. Problem started last year August on a trip out of state. After a day sitting in the hot parking lot on drive back car reported ignition switch failure and all electronics shut off and eventually the car shut off and wouldn't restart until the interior of the car cooled off. Once inside of car cooled down car was drivable again. Contacted dealer they stated they had not serviced another Jetta with this problem yet. They adivised to continue driving and see if problem occurs again. All winter (living in cold climate) it was no problem. In March as things warmed up problem occurred multiple times. Multiple occasions the car shut off in the middle of the road luckily no accidents occurred. Had car serviced at VW dealer, they were able to replicate problem and talked with VW field rep. who...
#11583416 |
The car is making a weird sound when I break. It sounds like liquid is moving around and another sound. The central caution off in my car and the airbags too
#11578161 |
Exhaust cam phaser cover bolt backed out. It hit the engine casing which caused the exhaust cam phaser to misfunction.disfunction. The car has not been checked by a dealer but is available for inspection.
#11569330 |
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while her husband was driving approximately 30–40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The instrument cluster was blank. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V604000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown. Parts distribution disconnect.
#11566961 |
when getting into the car the ignition switch failed to start 8 times. This happens every time I enter the vehicle where I live which is a cold climate. The recall is suspected only to affect the car in hotter climates but my car has been affected in the cold. It stalled while I was driving as well and I was able to turn the car back on. On the screen, it said failed transmission. This recall has been mailed to me 5 months ago and is still not yet fixed. I have been paying for my car on time monthly and am struggling to drive my car to the ignition switch failing. The car stalling did not hurt me and luckily no one was behind me. volkswagen has recognized the issue and sent out a recall in the mail but It's taking so long to fix and was not...
#11560262 |
Whenever the outside temperature reached 85 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, all computer systems and electrical functions would shut off. If I was driving at the time, the engine would continue to run, but I wouldn't be able to use even the most basic functions -- blinkers, hazard lights, radio, air conditioning -- and all the gauges on the dashboard -- speedometer, gas gauge, etc. -- would stop working, creating a dangerous driving experience. If the car was already parked, or I came to a stop, the ignition would flutter and then shut off as soon as it was put into gear. And only start working again after the car had cooled down, oftentimes by having to dump cold water on the vehicle, or by parking it in the shade for an extended period of time.
#11555703 |
I have already submitted a complaint but today I am submitting another one because I see the vw 2019 jetta recall for ignition switch does not yet have a remedy and today I experienced my engine stalled and the engine light is currently on. This recall increases the risk of crashing which can cause harm and poses a threat to overall safety. A solution needs to be made as I have work and school and overall errands and now am worried about driving a vehicle with a life threatening recall
#11553743 |
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30-35 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed and stalled. The voltage 1200 message was displayed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was jumpstarted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who tested the battery and informed the contact that the battery failed to register. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where the battery was replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V604000 (Electrical System). The failure mileage was approximately 88,822.
#11553313 |
Starter System Faulty light came on. I believe there's an issue with the VW Jetta's starter system and A/C actuator.
#11553007 |
The purge valve and hose assembly for the EVAP system has failed and is leaking gas fumes into the cabin.
#11551365 |
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V604000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds the main computer screen displayed a warning advising the driver to pull to the side of the road due to the vehicle ready seize. The message also stated, "Check the starter". The main computer screen went completely black, and the vehicle stalled as a follow up. The vehicle failed to start after several attempts. The contact stated that the vehicle would start but cut off almost immediately. The vehicle started after approximately 30 minutes. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who was unable to find the cause of the failure. The vehicle was taken...
#11546730 |
My 2019 VW Jetta runs well, but recently there are two safety incidents cause my deep safety concerns. 1)9/20/2023 around 12:15 pm, I parked my VW Jetta in front of Wells Fargo. When I put shifter in reverse, tried to backwards out of the parking lot, suddenly the car lost control and kept rolling forward, there was a deep ditch in front of my car, but the car kept rolling forward. I was very scared. I drove the Jetta to nearby VW Princeton and asked a technician to check the Jetta and find out the system defects, but the technician scanned the Jetta and couldn't find any problems, then suggested to schedule an in depth diagnostics into the Jetta to address my incident. 2) 9/26/2023, around 9:00 pm, I was entering a gate, entered the code, suddenly my car couldn't go forward or backwards, the engine stopped working, the car...
#11543681 |
Car engine stalling while driving and failure of the EPS/EPC light comes on When attempted to start the car warning start stop system malfunctioning unable to start at times
#11542930 |
Only on days where I leave my car in the direct heat under the sun for a few hours I go to get in and start and it starts up at first and then the dashboard displays "check starter system" soon after all the electrical work in the car shuts down and doesn't turn on again until the car cools down or when the sun goes down. I live in phoenix where it's hot everyday so this issue is happening frequently with my vehicle.
#11543016 |
Starter Ignition failed on my screen as a turned on a street with oncoming traffic. Car shut down and engine stayed on. Has been happening when my car is sitting in the heat.Going to the dealership to get it diagnostic tomorrow.
#11542673 |
Car stalled out while driving, restarted, car said, "check starter system". Restarted again, engine stayed running, no lights at all (brake, headlight or tail light), however the hazards still seemed to work.
#11537311 |
When the 8-speed automatic transmission attempts to shift from 3rd to 4th gear it will slip into neutral causing the engine to redline at maximum RPM. The accelerator pedal does not function and poses a serious safety issue. The vehicle will unexpectedly stall when the auto start stop is used and intermittently requires you to shift into park and restart the engine. The transmission also has difficulty shifting into reverse and puts the vehicle in neutral until it slams into gear.
#11534961 |
Car shut off while turning left. Display says check starting system. Car restarted
#11534707 |
My VW Jetta 2019 car just stopped twice with “Check Starter System” error and failed to turn on right in the middle of the road which might have lead to some serious accident. Once on a light the steering and brakes both got locked and all the electrics (dash, radio etc) shut off and so had to somehow safely get on the side of the road and had to use the handbrake abruptly to stop the car which was a difficult situation. Tried turning on the engine again but it kept on giving me “CHECK IGNITION” switch and “STARTER SYSTEM” errors and all the electrical parts turned off including the engine. It could have been a fatal accident and calls for serious service negligence on VW part. I see so many complaints in different forums for the same ignition switch and electrical failure on 2019 VW Jetta models but never...
#11534699 |
While driving the Please “check starter system” error and “ignition switch error” popped up and the dashboard died , AC died, no brake lights, no speedometer but the car kept running. There is no check engine light. I live in Texas where temperature is 105+ which could be the reason. This only happens if my car is sitting in the sun for hours, verses me driving it in the morning and then throughout the day. This is dangerous because I was on a busy highway, and should be a recall.
#11534165 |
My car started fine, but turned off in the middle of my drive. I live in Las Vegas, NV so the extreme heat and a faulty car is very dangerous. There has been many issues with the ignition switch on the 2019 Jettas. Unfortunately the switch is on backorder.
#11532302 |
As I was driving the vehicle the car just randomly shut off. It turned off the air conditioning and wiper blades as it was raining. It said to check starter system or ignition system or something like that. I recently had the software update recall done at the dealer also had a new battery installed by the dealer between two days. Also said something about checking the key battery. It has happened on two separate occasions this week alone.
#11532119 |
Left my work parking lot and my jetta said there was an ignition problem and “starter system failure”. Then all electronics systems went dark but the engine kept running, until I came to a stoplight and stopped. I pulled over and turned it off. Then restarted. This is VERY DANGEROUS
#11531816 |
Jan 2023-check engine light for oil came on-just had oil change November 21, 2022 and only went 3000 miles. No oil in engine so it was topped off at a local Volkswagon Satellite and inspected for leaks no leaks found. Mid Feb 2023 had to put 2 quarts oil in car and high pitch noise/humming coming from car when driving. Mar 2023 went to VW dealership and explained noise and oil. They said noise was bad wheel bearings and it was ok to drive until backorder came in to replace. Was told the oil consumption is normal for VW despite us telling them it’s not normal consumption and they told us to read the owners manual. They couldn’t find leak, they topped it off and sent us on our way. April,May 2023 humming noise louder and a creaky, clanking, cricket chirp noise began and gear shifting became delayed. Made an...
#11530013 |
When interior gets hot, check starter system message displays and all gauges, air conditioning system, infotainment system and all associated systems become inoperable. This becomes especially dangerous as it will happen while driving.
#11530043 |
A minute after starting my car sitting in a hot parking lot, the entire car and engine shut off. A message popped up saying “please check starter system”. I looked this up and seems to be an extremely common issues with 2019 Jettas, and everyone has had issues with getting it fixed. Mechanics have said there’s “no issue” with the car because it won’t shut off every time. Some even had their cars shut off on the highway. My car has about 25,000 miles and is in great shape. I’m terrified to drive it for safety reasons, and I don’t have money to take it in anywhere. I’m so disappointed there has not been a recall on this common, extremely dangerous issue. There were no prior warning lights or signs.
#11526445 |
Car stalled and turned off after a red light turned green and pressed on the gas pedal. Error message popped up: Error: Start-Stop System. The red triangle with exclamation point symbol appeared. The check engine light has been on since. I had to immediately put my hazard lights on, put the car in park, press the start button to turn on again. It happened again immediately afterwards when the red light turned green again. Thankfully I was able to pull over safely. Will be sending the car to VW dealership tomorrow to be serviced to diagnose issue.
#11521570 |
THE CAR WILL JUST SHUT DOWN. IF THE CAR IS PARKED IN THE SUN IT WILL JUST RANDOMLY NOT START. SINCE THE TEMPATURES OUTSIDE HAVE GOTTEN WARMER IT HAS NOW DONE 3 TIMES: THE CAR WILL START FINE AS I AM DRIVING THE ELECTRICAL PANELS AND EVERYTHING SHUTS OFF BUT THE GAS STILL WORKS AND THE CAR SAYS CHECK STARTER SYSTEM. MY 16 YEAR OLDS DRIVE THIS CAR. THE INSTRUMENT PANELS ALL TURN OFF. THE CAR HAS ALSO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE WHILE IN MOTION THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOESNT SHOW AND BECAUSE IT IS RANDOM MY MECHANIC CANNOT FIND THE MAIN PROBLEM AND PARTS RELATED TO THIS ARE SOLD OUT WITH VW DUE TO IF YOU LOOK EVERYONE IS HAVING THIS ISSUE. SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE PLEASE. MY CAR HAS SERVICE RECORDS JUST 50,000 MILES AND ITS BEEN AN ON GOING ISSUE FOR AWHILE....
#11519802 |
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with an unknown warning light illuminated and an unknown message displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.
#11518599 | Crash
The vehicle steering has been off and alignment when driving. My gas gauge has been off constantly, since I've owned the vehicle. I documented this many times and reported this to the dealership under warranty and Volkswagen care.

Other 2019 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA Problem Areas

Power Train 158 complaints Electrical System 135 complaints Unknown Or Other 93 complaints Service Brakes 27 complaints Exterior Lighting 25 complaints Fuelpropulsion System 24 complaints Structurebody 19 complaints Vehicle Speed Control 16 complaints Visibilitywiper 16 complaints Air Bags 15 complaints Suspension 12 complaints Steering 11 complaints Forward Collision Avoidance Automatic Emergency Braking 6 complaints Lane Departure Blind Spot Detection 6 complaints Wheels 6 complaints Electronic Stability Control Esc 5 complaints Forward Collision Avoidance Warnings 5 complaints Seat Belts 5 complaints Fuel System Gasoline 3 complaints Electrical System Instrument Clusterpanel 2 complaints Forward Collision Avoidance 2 complaints Seats 2 complaints Visibilitydefrosterdefoggerhvac System 2 complaints Electrical System12v24v48v Battery 1 complaint Electrical Systemignition 1 complaint Electrical Systemignitionswitch 1 complaint Electrical Systemstarter Assembly 1 complaint Engine And Engine Coolingengineengine Control Module Ecuecm 1 complaint Engine And Engine Coolingenginegasolineturbosupercharger 1 complaint Exterior Lightingheadlights 1 complaint Fuel System Gasolinestorageevaporative Emissionshosesvalvessensors 1 complaint Lane Departure Assist 1 complaint Latcheslockslinkages 1 complaint Parking Brake 1 complaint Power Trainautomatic Transmission 1 complaint Seat Beltsfront 1 complaint Structurebodydoor 1 complaint Tires 1 complaint Tirespressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems 1 complaint Visibility 1 complaint Visibilitysunmoon Roof Assembly 1 complaint Visibilitywindshield 1 complaint
Check any vehicle history by VIN - Free vehicle history report