The drivers seat moves by it's self while driving. And apparently while it is parked which runs the battery dead
The worst 2005 Volkswagen Jetta problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Transmission84
- Engine68
- Electrical48
- Airbags26
- Fuel system21
- Brakes14
- Lights14
- Body12
- Acceleration11
- Locks7
- Seat belts7
- Visibility7
- Suspension5
- Driver assistance3
- Seats3
- Tires3
- Steering2
- Wheels1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
Stalling 22Check engine light 21Jerking 18Door locks 13Airbag light 12Loss of power 12Fire or smoke 11Won't shift 11Transmission failure 10Harsh shifting 9Hesitation 9Grinding brakes 7Engine failure 7Headlights 7Misfire 7Fuel pump 6
Recalls 4
Exterior lighting: headlights
- What is wrong
- Certain vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." some vehicles may not have had a required cap installed which disables the headlight horizontal aim and some vehicles may contain a cap that disables the vertical aiming screw.
- Risk
- Noncompliance can inhibit proper headlamp aim adjustment for roadway illumination, improperly aimed headlamps could cause reduced road visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect for the presence of a cap in the socket of the low beam horizontal aiming screw and install one if missing, and inspect for the presence of a cap in the socket of the vertical aiming screw and if present, the cap will be removed. The recall will begin on october 31, 2007. Owners may contact vw at 1‑800‑822‑8987.
Recall number 07V442000 · Recall details
Exterior lighting: brake lights: switch
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger, wagon, and convertible vehicles equipped with or without cruise control, a brake light switch may malfunction if it was installed incorrectly.
- Risk
- The brake lights could become inoperative, or remain on. Failure to provide the proper signal when braking could lead to a crash without warning.
- Remedy
- 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.
Recall number 07V063000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.5l gasoline engine, a fuel supply line clamp located in the engine compartment may not be positioned properly and could cause a fuel leak.
- Risk
- Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the position of the engine compartment fuel supply line clamp and, if necessary, replace the clamp. The recall began on july 11, 2005. Owners may contact vw at 1‑800‑822‑8987.
Recall number 05V305000 · Recall details
Fuel system, diesel
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source may lead to a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the diesel pump. The recall began on february 8, 2005. Owners should contact volkswagen at 1‑800‑822‑8987.
Recall number 04V586000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta 393
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.
- Update to Volkswagen engine oil standards
- Volkswagen Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
- Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
- Update model year applicability to include 2023.
- Battery testing and charging using special tools VAS6161 & GRX3000VAS Charger
- This bulletin contains general instructions for software updates.
- Body surfaces (engine compartment and underside of hood) are not directly visible (exposed) therefore do...
- Battery testing
- This special notice is to inform dealers to return the part numbers listed (State of California only).
2005 Volkswagen Jetta fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9L 4‑cyl Diesel | FWD | 28-32 | 38-41 | 32-35 |
| 1.8L 4‑cyl | FWD | 19-21 | 27-29 | 22-24 |
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | FWD | 20-21 | 27-28 | 23-24 |
| 2.5L 5‑cyl | FWD | 19 | 28 | 22 |
What 2005 Volkswagen Jetta owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The transmissions are bad on these cars and when it's shifting gears it jerks and almost takes you off the road. I've had my car completely stop as I was driving and almost cause a wreck hurting myself in the process of not trying to kill someone walking because these cars are KNOWN TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM THERE WAS AN ENTIRE LAWSUIT AGAINST VOLKSWAGEN AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. Please help if there is a recall done I can get the car fixed and continue working as an in-home caregiver. I am currently out of work because IT IS NOT SAFE TO TRANSPORT CLIENTS IN THAT DEATH TRAP. The mechanic said the entire transmission is built to brake and it's not a new problem these cars are bad.
The contact owns a 2005 VOLKSWAGEN Jetta equipped with Supermax Tm-1 205/55r16 Tires. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds the front driver tire began to have a vibrating sensation after a month of being placed on the vehicle Within a few days the tire began to bounce becoming unsafe to operate. The contact returned to Walmart to be advised to order online and have it shipped. The mechanic stated there was tread separation. The left front tire was replaced with a different brand tire the right front tire began to display the same issue. The vehicle was returned where the tire was replaced with another brand tire. The rear tire (unsure left or right) had since been displaying the same failure. The manufacturer for the tire was made aware of the failure. The vehicle failure mileage was 93,869 the tire failure mileage was approximately 4,494.
My daughter was in a serious accident, she hit a guard rail and lost control after spinning and hitting two more guard rails the never deployed. My daughter suffered a close head injury and facial lacerations. The car is a total lose, why didnt her air bags go off ? Is so she may have not sustained such injuries.
My car while parked and the engine going will stop. Also when I'm on the freeway the epc light will turn on and feel like I have a loss of power and it feels like it is accelerating. My mechanic has no idea what is going on with my car.
Started having electrical problems (random dashboard lights, doors, locks, windows wouldn't work, key fob battery died, etc) then I had to replace the battery. Continued electrical issues with new battery, passenger side window/door wouldn't operate or work at all. Needed master key fob to lock driver's side door but all other doors wouldn't lock with fob. Next, I am having issues with the car not starting, put another battery in it. From there random dashboard lights, dinging with drl and first few minutes of operating vehicle, and airbags lights are on. My mechanic sends me to a mechanic shop that specializes in vw. Mechanic replaces window manager and driver side door harness. Still find issues with airbags so I take my car to the dealership in st peters mo during a snow storm. Hand them all my paperwork, they go in and find that my car is being worked on and see that their are splices, connections butted, so they "fix" the airbags and send me on my way. However, I have a toddler in the backseat and she was able to open the doors while the vehicle was in motion, the windows stopped working, etc. Dealership cannot speak to other mechanic shop's work so they did the recalls needed (airbags) and replaced the harness, apparently again. I have all the receipts from the work, all the parts are in my trunk of my car, another appointment to see what the issue is. Car appears to be stuck in security mode but doesn't properly lock, not able to use child lock, and unable to protect vehicle safely with proper locking mechanism. I don't feel safe if there is an intruder or if my toddler were to try this stunt again, also concerned of the fuel issues I've been having. Replaced my gas cap in hopes I wouldn't see loss of fuel, and the car has a slight oil leak that no mechanic can seem to find. Unable to attach paperwork as the dealership has it at this time.
Front end collision on highway at approximate 45 MPH, possibly slower. Airbags did not deploy. Damage primarily on driver side of vehicle. Flame ignited on front driver side of vehicle under the hood. Fire quickly spread causing total loss of vehicle. Unknown what caused fire.
Tugging occurs, but rarely. The car drives smoothly but will do a bit of a tugging. It had this problem for a while ever since it was purchased back in 2015 it was worse at those times but fixed throughout the years. I've invested major money to get the transmission, motor, and so on of what the mechanic has told me of the problems the car has had fixed.
Was in a front end collision going 45mph. Air bags never deployed
On certain passenger, wagon, and convertible vehicles equipped with or without cruise control, a brake light switch may malfunction if it was installed incorrectly. When turning on the car, the air bag default button comes on. The interior lights do not come on. While idle car rumbles and shakes, while accelerating or decelerating car shakes (front end). My fueling system is terrible it seems as if gas sometimes doesn't get to my car it stales very often while driving or braking and accelerating again. Terrible electrical problems. Trunk will not open front light and brake lights work when they want to. When the heater is on it makes loud noise and tick even with the A/C on it does the same thing. While turning it stales and then take off really fast. While idle car rumbles and shakes, while accelerating or decelerating car shakes (front end). My fueling system is terrible it seems as if gas sometimes doesn't get to my car it stales very often while driving or braking and accelerating again. Terrible electrical problems. Trunk will not open front light and brake lights work when they want to. When the heater is on it makes loud noise and tick even with the A/C on it does the same thing. While turning it stales and then take off really fast. The vehicle suddenly caught fire, while idled in a drive thru line at a fast food restaurant. The fire started under the hood.
Compare the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
Jetta vs Ford FocusJetta vs Honda CivicJetta vs Toyota CorollaJetta vs Hyundai ElantraJetta vs Nissan SentraJetta vs Chevrolet CruzeJetta vs Mazda MAZDA3Jetta vs Subaru Impreza
Other model years
19901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024202520262027
Questions about the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta
Is the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta reliable?
Owners have filed 248 complaints about the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta, close to a typical Jetta model year.
What is the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta year score?
The 2005 Volkswagen Jetta scores 73 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Volkswagen Jetta: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta?
Transmission and drivetrain, with 84 complaints, typically around 78,000 miles. Next is engine (68).
How many recalls does the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta have?
4 recalls, covering exterior lighting, fuel system, gasoline and fuel system, diesel.
What year does the Volkswagen Jetta have bad transmission?
The Volkswagen Jetta model years with the most transmission complaints are 2006 (245 complaints), 2019 (163 complaints) and 2009 (141 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta get?
Official estimates for the 2005 Volkswagen Jetta range from 22 to 35 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.9L 4-cyl diesel, FWD) gets 28-32 city and 38-41 highway.
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