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2020 Volkswagen Jetta

Verified August 31, 2026Sources: NHTSA · EPA · vPIC

Compare
Safety
5
of 5 stars
Recalls
6
on record
MPG
28
combined

Open recalls on record

6 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.

Vehicle Summary

2020 Volkswagen Jetta

6 recalls
51 complaints
28 MPG combined
5/5 safety rating

Before You Buy

Confirm all 6 recalls were repaired — a dealer checks by VIN, free
Read the 1 complaint reporting a crash
Review the 51 owner complaints on record
Get a pre-purchase inspection
Check vehicle history report
Verify title is clean

Safety record at a glance

Recall campaigns
6
Owner complaints
51
Complaints citing a crash
1

These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.

6 Recalls on Record

These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.

Enter your VIN to check if specific recalls apply to your vehicle.

Safety recalls

6 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.

  • 20V505000high

    Safety restraint issue

    SEATS

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen ) is recalling certain 2020 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport, Jetta, Jetta GLI and Tiguan and Audi Q5 and SQ5 and 2021 Volkswagen Atlas vehicles. Parts of the front seat frame and backrest adjuster may not have been welded properly.

    Consequence

    In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.

    Remedy

    Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seats, and, as necessary, replace the seatback frames, free of charge. The recall began September 11, 2020. Volkswagen owners may contact their customer service at 1-888-241-2289. Audi owners may contact their customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 72L1, 72K8, and 72K9.

    Full campaign record
  • 21V492000high

    Airbag system issue

    AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Jetta and Jetta GLI vehicles. The air bag control module was welded in the incorrect position.

    Consequence

    Incorrect positioning of the air bag control module can cause the vehicle's air bags to deploy improperly during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, the vehicle's air bags can deploy unintentionally, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the air bag control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 28, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69CK.

    Full campaign record
  • 20V359000high

    Brake system issue

    SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling one 2020 Jetta vehicle. The front brake caliper bolts may come loose.

    Consequence

    If a brake caliper bolt comes loose, it may affect the vehicle's brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Volkswagen will notify the owner, and a dealer will replace all four front brake caliper bolts, free of charge. The recall began July 1, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47Q2.

    Full campaign record
  • 22V815000high

    Tire/wheel issue

    TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

    Consequence

    An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi’s customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.

    Full campaign record
  • 23V604000high

    Electrical issue

    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Golf, Golf Alltrack, Golf Sportwagen, 2019-2020 Golf GTI, and Jetta vehicles equipped with a conventional ignition switch. The ignition switch may fail, especially in high temperature environments.

    Consequence

    Ignition switch failure can cause the electrical system to shut down and the engine to stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 1, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 28H7.

    Full campaign record
  • 24V110000high

    Fuel system issue

    FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain front-wheel drive 2015-2020 Audi A3 Sedan, 2015-2019 Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, 2018 Golf Sportwagen GP, 2018-2019 Golf Sportwagen A7, 2015-2017 Golf Sportwagen, 2015-2020 Golf GTI, and 2015-2020 Golf A7 vehicles. Due to a problem with a suction jet pump seal inside the fuel tank, fuel may flow into the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system and possibly leak out of the charcoal canister.

    Consequence

    A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the suction pump, free of charge. Final owner notification letters for Audi owners were mailed on July 25, 2024. Final owner letters for VW owners were mailed on August 13, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are VW: 20UF/Audi: 20YF. Vehicles that were previously recalled under 16V-647 will need to have the new remedy completed. This recall expands and replaces previous recall number 16V-647.

    Full campaign record

NHTSA crash-test ratings

NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta.

  • Frontal crash

    Driver
    4 / 5
    Passenger
    4 / 5
  • Side crash

    Driver
    5 / 5
    Passenger
    5 / 5
    Side pole
    5 / 5
  • Rollover

    Rollover risk
    13.1%
    Dynamic tip
    No Tip

Driver-assistance technologies

Electronic stability control
Standard
Forward collision warning
Optional
Lane departure warning
No

What the ratings mean

NHTSA gives the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 10 comparable 2020 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.

NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.

NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 13.1% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.

NHTSA crash tests

2020 Volkswagen Jetta Frontal crash crash test
Frontal crash Video
2020 Volkswagen Jetta Side crash crash test
Side crash Video
2020 Volkswagen Jetta Side pole crash test
Side pole Video

Fuel economy & emissions

EPA figures for the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.

25

City

32

Hwy

28

Comb

Annual fuel cost
$2,200
Tailpipe CO₂
315 g/mi

How this compares

At 28 MPG combined, the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta ranks 12th of 18 compact cars EPA rated for 2020 — 2 MPG short of the 30 MPG median for that group.

That places it in the lower third of its class. If annual mileage is high, the running-cost gap against a class-average rival compounds quickly.

EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,200, $125 more than the $2,075 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $11,000, a $625 difference against a class-median vehicle.

Tailpipe CO₂ is 315 grams per mile — about 4.7 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.

Consumer complaints

51 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

51
Total
1
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries

Most reported components

  • ENGINE14
  • OTHER9
  • ELECTRICAL9
  • BRAKES6
  • FUEL SYSTEM4

Notable Issues

51 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 2 reports involve injuries. 1 report involves a crash.

Most reported problems

engine problems (stalling, power loss, warning lights)14
miscellaneous issues9
electrical issues (battery, wiring, infotainment)9

Safety timeline

Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta, newest first.

  1. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation RQ23007

    Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)

  2. Recall

    Recall 24V110000

    A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

  3. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation RQ23007

    Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)

  4. Recall

    Recall 23V604000

    Ignition switch failure can cause the electrical system to shut down and the engine to stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

  5. Recall

    Recall 22V815000

    An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.

  6. Recall

    Recall 21V492000

    Incorrect positioning of the air bag control module can cause the vehicle's air bags to deploy improperly during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, the vehicle's air bags can deploy unintentionally, increasing the risk of a crash.

  7. Recall

    Recall 20V505000

    In the event of a rear-end crash, the backrest adjustment could break, possibly reducing the amount of occupant restraint, thus increasing risk of injury.

  8. Recall

    Recall 20V359000

    If a brake caliper bolt comes loose, it may affect the vehicle's brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash.

Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.

Specifications & ratings

Specifications

Body class
Sedan
Drive type
FWD
Engine
2.5L 4-cyl
Fuel type
Regular Gasoline
Transmission
Automatic
Seats
5

Fuel economy

25

City

32

Hwy

28

Comb

Annual cost
$2,200
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

NHTSA crash ratings

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

Explore related

Safety timeline

Full timeline
  1. Investigation closed

    NHTSA closed investigation RQ23007

    Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)

  2. Recall

    Recall 24V110000

    A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

  3. Investigation opened

    NHTSA opened investigation RQ23007

    Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)

  4. Recall

    Recall 23V604000

    Ignition switch failure can cause the electrical system to shut down and the engine to stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

  5. Recall

    Recall 22V815000

    An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.