The Lemon Index2004 Volkswagen Jetta.
The 2004 Volkswagen Jetta is worse than average by owner complaints: 101 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 117, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 5 recalls, and it gets 22 to 32 mpg combined. The best Volkswagen Jetta year is 2018.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 231 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Volkswagen Jetta year. 2004 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 30K to 100K miles on the car (191 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- engine complaints mostly came at 48K–89K miles
- electrical complaints mostly came at 49K–121K miles
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 9K–52K miles
Recalls 5
- brakes 2020
The fluid seal crimp on the master cylinder may be insufficient, causing brake fluid to leak or the cylinder to come apart.
- engine 2014
A failure of the timing belt may cause the engine to shut down, potentially increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
- brakes 2007
CERTAIN CARDONE MASTER CYLINDERS WITH PART NUMBERS 10-2925, 10-2987, 10-2987MZA, 10-3083, 11-3015, 11-3042, 11-3044, 11-3045, 11-3047, 11-3064, AND 11-3156, AND WITH DATE CODES LOWER THAN DCA7078 SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUI…
Show all 5 recalls
- lights 2007
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.
- fuel system, diesel 2004
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE HIGH PRESSURE DIESEL PUMPS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN IMPROPER FASTENER, WHICH COULD ALLOW DIESEL FUEL TO ESCAPE FROM THE PUMP.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Volkswagen told dealers about
Volkswagen sent dealers 254 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Hybrid oil pan, installing
- Engine pre-heater installation
- Gasoline engines have rough idle, have significant loss of power or stalling with reduced
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Fuel cost and engines
About $2700–3600 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 1.8L 4-cyl, 1.9L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl.
In owners' words
2004 VW Jetta with base 4 cylinder engine with 28k as of 2/1/07. Car is using 4-qts of 5w-40 synthetic motor oil every oil change (every 5000 miles). Vw claims that 1-qt per 1000 miles is normal, refuse to fix the engine.
2004 Volkswagen Jetta owner · NHTSA complaint 10182003
More owner reports
Car jerks during a cold start. Jerks hard when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear.
NHTSA complaint 10118114
2004 Volkswagen Jetta. Consumer states when driving in stop and go traffic the engine will have loss of power and hesitation when accelerating.
NHTSA complaint 10193184
Quick answers
Is the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta reliable?
No, it is worse than average by government complaints. It drew 1.2× the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 117; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Volkswagen Jetta year by this measure is 2018.
What are the most common 2004 Volkswagen Jetta problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (26%), engine (18%) and airbags (14%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta have?
5 safety recalls (latest: brakes). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta get?
22 to 32 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2004 Volkswagen Jetta problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 30,000 and 100,000 miles. The middle report was at 66,000 miles, from 191 complaints.
Does the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 26% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta cost in fuel a year?
About $2700 to $3600 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta have?
1.8L 4-cyl, 1.9L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl.
What Volkswagen Jetta year is better than the 2004?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2018, 2020 and 2015.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works