2012 Volkswagen Jetta Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/14/2026

84Engine complaints

16.8%Of all 499 complaints

#3Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM132 · 26.5%

Unspecified / other107 · 21.4%

ENGINE84 · 16.8%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM47 · 9.4%

POWER TRAIN46 · 9.2%

Share of the 499 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta overview page.

What owners report

“ACCELERATING UP FROM A STOP SIGN VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT. PUSHED ON ACCELERATOR AND VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AND WENT INTO LIMP MODE. COULD HAVE…”NHTSA complaint 10594818 — filed 05/29/2014

“MIDNIGHT, DRIVING BACK FROM A FRIENDS HOUSE. MY 16 MONTH OLD (OR RATHER NEW) JETTA SE 2012, SHAKES UP WHEN I TURN ON IGNITION. I…”NHTSA complaint 10592899 — filed 05/20/2014

“ONCE AGAIN I HAD TO WASTE MORE SCHOOL TIME AND GAS MONEY, AFTER MY LAST 20K VISIT ON MY CAR THE NOISE WAS DRIVING ME…”NHTSA complaint 10586348 — filed 05/03/2014

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta have engine problems?

Engine is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta: 84 of 499 complaints on file (16.8%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2012 Volkswagen Jetta have in total?

499 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 24 involved a crash, 6 involved a fire, 17 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.