BumperScan
Powered byNHTSA|EPA|Community Reports
Your report: 3 of 4 steps complete75%
Car identifiedData collectedBasic analysisFull AI analysis

Free Preview

#BS-1999-VOLJET-477C

1999 Volkswagen Jetta

Based on reports from 488 owners and 7 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
488
Crashes
44
Fires
11
Recalls
7
TSBs
159
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 488 complaints, 44 crashes, 11 fires, and 7 recalls. Complaint rate is 2.3x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

burns oil

6 complaints • Severity 7.7/10

$X,XXX
2

water pump failure

2 complaints • Severity 7/10

$X,XXX
3

stalls when idling

2 complaints • Severity 9/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

Each card shows a real sample from your report — unlock all 10 sections from $1.20

Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Visibility:power Window Devices And ControlsHIGH

59 owners reported visibility:power window devices and controls issues — failures commonly reported around 71K miles.

!Inspect the Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasolineMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

10
0–30K
26
30–60K
34
60–90K
26
90–120K
6
120–150K
7
150K+

Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (34 reports) • Median: 71K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls (59 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls59 (12%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline25 (5%)
Power Train:automatic Transmission20 (4%)
Other20 (4%)
Electrical19 (4%)
Air Bags:frontal18 (4%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine17 (3%)
Speed Control16 (3%)

1999 Volkswagen Jetta: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls Issues

Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls complaints account for 12% of all reports filed for the 1999 Volkswagen Jetta, with 59 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 70,500 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 71K-mile mark.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1999 Volkswagen Jetta, with 25 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 1999 Volkswagen Jetta, with 20 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to power train:automatic transmission-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 1999 Volkswagen Jetta, with 19 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

93
00
103
01
68
02
65
03
55
04
17
05
11
06
14
07
3
08
7
09
4
10
2
11
7
12
5
13

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1999 Volkswagen Jetta. Recent trend: stable.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

Get Report — From $1.20

Recall History (7 recalls)

02V026000Jun 2003

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP

ON SOME PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE FUEL TANK FILLER NECK CAN SUFFER ABRASION DAMAGE IF THE REAR TIRE GOES FLAT AND THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN UNTIL THE TIRE DISINTEGRATES.

03V156000Sep 2003

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.8L VR6 ENGINES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS." THE RECOMMENDED COLD TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE PUBLISHED ON THE LABEL FOR TIRES OF THE SIZE 205/50 R15 86H IS 0.1 BAR (1.45 PSI) TOO LOW. IT SHOULD BE 2.5 BAR (36.3 PSI). THE LABEL RECOMMENDS 2.4 BAR (34.8 PSI = 35 PSI).

04V096000Apr 2004

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ON THESE VEHICLES MAY MALFUNCTION.

06V183000Nov 2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC OR MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND CRUISE CONTROLS, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ON THESE VEHICLES MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY DURING SAFETY RECALLS 03V-265 OR 04V-096.

14E007000May 2014

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

The Gates Corporation (Gates) is recalling certain aftermarket Tru-Flow Water Pumps, part number TFW 41127, sold at certain NAPA Auto Parts and/or installed by automotive service technicians after November 1, 2013 (and manufactured August 2013 through October 2013) that have a black-colored pulley/sprocket or do not have 'US9377' stamped on the water pump housing. These service replacement parts were sold for use in model year 1999-2005 Audi A4, 2000-2006 Audi TT, 1998-2005 Volkswagen Beetle, 1999-2006 Golf, 1999-2008 and 2011-2013 Volkswagen Jetta, and 2000-2005 Volkswagen Passat. In the affected water pumps, the pulley or sprocket that turns the timing belt may develop microfractures causing the timing belt to fail.

+ 2 more recalls in the full report

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

Unlock

The worst model year for the Volkswagen Jetta is the 2019 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

1999 Volkswagen Jetta vs. Class Average (Compact Cars)

This vehicle

488

Class avg

212

2.3x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical compact cars vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 488 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 7 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Volkswagen Jetta Model Years

20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998199719961995199419931992199119901989198819871986198519841983198219811980
View all Volkswagen Jetta years →

1999 Volkswagen Jetta: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1999 Volkswagen Jetta?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1999 Volkswagen Jetta is related to the visibility:power window devices and controls, with 59 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1999 Volkswagen Jetta reliable?
The 1999 Volkswagen Jetta has 488 complaints, 44 crash reports, and 11 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 2.3x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 1999 Volkswagen Jetta problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1999 Volkswagen Jetta have any recalls?
Yes, the 1999 Volkswagen Jetta has 7 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Volkswagen Jetta problems start?
Based on 109 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 70,500 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
RaccoonEagleRoverCat

Get the Full 1999 Volkswagen Jetta Report

10 sections of AI analysis based on 488 owner reports. Know before you buy.

Get Full Report — From $1.20Money-back guarantee
Instant delivery|One-time purchase|No hidden fees