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Volkswagen Jetta 2003

The 2003 Volkswagen Jetta has a 1.9 L engine. It gets 33 MPG combined (29 city, 40 highway), per the EPA. 4 recall campaigns and 40 owner complaints are on record.

Compact Cars Front-wheel (FWD)
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Volkswagen Jetta
Representative photo of the Jetta. It may show a different year or version. Photo: Kevauto · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Specs

Engine
1,900 cc
4
Cylinders4
TransmissionAutomatic · 4 speeds
DrivetrainFront-wheel (FWD)
Dimensions (L × W × H)4,380 × 1,740 × 1,450 mm (172.4 × 68.5 × 57.1 in)
Wheelbase2,510 mm (98.8 in)
Curb weight1,377 kg (3,036 lb)
Body styleCompact Cars

Dimensions and weight: median of the 6 versions in Canada's official specifications (NHTSA vPIC). Each version differs slightly.

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Safety

Crash-test results across markets. They can vary by version and equipment.

NHTSA NCAP
Results · 2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4-DR. Wagon w/SAB
🇺🇸 Local data
NHTSA NCAP
Results · 2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4-DR. w/SAB
🇺🇸 Local data

Fuel economy (MPG)

🇺🇸 Local data
City
29 MPG
Highway
40 MPG
Combined
33 MPG
Emissions
192 g/km
COâ‚‚

Recalls

4 campaigns🇺🇸 Local dataNHTSA
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 18V406000 · 2018-06-13 · NHTSA
Consequence · Remedy

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began May 2, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69X3.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE 14E007000 · 2014-03-07 · NHTSA
Consequence · Remedy

A failure of the timing belt may cause the engine to shut down, potentially increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Gates will notify owners, and dealers will replace the water pump, free of charge. The recall began during May 2014. Owners may contact The Gates Corporation at 1-303-744-1911.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER 07E023000 · 2007-03-29 · NHTSA
Consequence · Remedy

LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID CAN RESULT IN POOR BRAKING PERFORMANCE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

CARDONE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE ANY DEFECTIVE MASTER CYLINDERS. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING APRIL 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT CARDONE AT 1-800-777-4780.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH 07V063000 · 2007-02-20 · NHTSA
Consequence · Remedy

THE BRAKE LIGHTS COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE, OR REMAIN ON. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE PROPER SIGNAL WHEN BRAKING COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE NEWLY DESIGNED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 27, 2007, AND WILL BE CONDUCTED IN SEVERAL STAGGERED MAILINGS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21, 2007. VEHICLES WITHIN THE MAKE, MODEL, AND MODEL YEAR OF THIS POPULATION MAY BE INVOLVED IN EITHER THIS RECALL OR 06V-183, BUT NOT BOTH. THE REMEDY IS THE SAME FOR EACH RECALL. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERS WILL APPLY THE REMEDY BASED ON THE VIN NUMBER OF THE VEHICLE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987.

Common problems

40 reports🇺🇸 Local data

Reported by owners to the source below. It is not a verdict on this car: it is what people wrote.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING,AIR BAGS 2026-09-17 · NHTSA

Airbag delopy

SEATS Fire 2023-10-01 · NHTSA

Heated seat set on fire! Burned me pretty bad

POWER TRAIN 2023-04-23 · NHTSA

Since New we noticed transmission malfunctioning, transmission would jerk on the upshifts and downshifting also, then it would take longer than normal to go into gears Im the original owner, I parked it for 11 years waiting for a recall letter, I heard the beatle had gotten a recall on this failure,, the Jetta had the…

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2022-02-07 · NHTSA

My jetta stalls without warning when the gas gauge is at a quarter of a tank or less. No engine check light or any other any other device comes on to warn me it is going to stall. My speed does not matter. It happens at freeway speeds or around town. It does not occur if the gas gauge shows more than 1/4 of a tank o…

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2020-11-27 · NHTSA

RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW IS BLOCKED INSIDE DOOR

POWER TRAIN 2020-08-29 · NHTSA

NO TRANSMISSION FILTER .SO THERE IT IS MR VAR NO EONT GO IN ANY GEAR.I WENT TO CHONGE FILTER AND AFTER DAYS OF RESEARCH FOUND OUT THEY CAME W NO FILHER AND THAT MY FRIEND. CAN NOT BE JUSTIFIED. EVERY ONE HAS THESE PROBLEMS WHK OWNS ONE

SERVICE BRAKES 2020-02-10 · NHTSA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS INOPERABLE INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER DICK HANNAH DEALERSHIPS 10808 NE COXLEY DR, VANCOUVER, WA 98662 (360) 605-1726 WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT SUBJECTED TO A REC…

UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2019-12-16 · NHTSA

I CLOSED MY TRUNK ONE DAY AND NOW IT WILL NOT OPEN WITH FOB OR INSIDE DOOR LATCH OR THE KEY.

STEERING,AIR BAGS,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 2019-10-13 · NHTSA

THE TIRES EXPLOTED UNDER 23PSI OR LESS. THE IGNITERS WENT OFF AND I LOST POWER STEERING ABILITY. I LOST THE EXTERNAL FUEL PUMP WHICH WAS NOT EVEN MOLESTED BY ANY MEANS. THE RIMS WERE DAMAGED IN A WAY THAT ONE NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. DAYS BEFORE THE INCIDENT WHILE TRAVELING ON THE NJTURNPIKE, SENSORS ON THE BATTERY BURNE…

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2018-12-17 · NHTSA

THE CAR STALLS WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED OR WHILE IDLING WHEN THE FUEL GAUGE IS AROUND OR UNDER 1/4 OF A TANK. I HAVE READ UP ON THIS AND PEOPLE ARE DUMPING A LOT OF MONEY ONTO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ISSUE IS AND THERE IS NO ANSWER. STALLING ON A HIGHWAY WITHOUT A MEDIAN OR PULL-OFF IS NOT ONLY INCONVENIENT …

EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2018-08-30 · NHTSA

DRIVING HELLO ALL STATE ROUTE AFTER DARK AT 55 MI./H THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT COMPLETELY AND THEN CAME BACK ON IN A SHORT MATTER OF SECONDS. HAD THE ROAD NOT BEEN STRAIGHT AT THAT SECTION I COULD HAVE VERY EASILY COLLIDED WITH TREES OR GUARDRAILS. THE 1ST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS 2012-08-01. I HAD THE LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN EX…

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ENGINE 2018-06-04 · NHTSA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ADDED WATER TO THE VEHICLE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE …

All 40 reports, grouped by component

Questions

What engine does the 2003 Volkswagen Jetta have?
The 2003 Volkswagen Jetta has a 1.9 L engine.
What is the fuel economy of the 2003 Volkswagen Jetta?
It gets 33 MPG combined (29 city, 40 highway), per the EPA.
Does the 2003 Volkswagen Jetta have recalls?
4 recall campaigns are on record. The latest concerns Air Bags (2018-06-13).
What are the common problems of the 2003 Volkswagen Jetta?
40 owners have filed complaints, most often about Electrical System.

Other years

Other models by Volkswagen

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