1999 Volkswagen Jetta Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 1999 Jetta most often write about power window regulators failing on multiple doors, and about coolant leaks that travel to the water pump, heater core and wiring. Many reports come from cars with 60,000-100,000 miles and read as wear-related, gradual failures, though a few describe sudden events such as unintended acceleration or a dash fire.

1. 1
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Power window regulator failure (glass drops or sticks)

   • 68 complaints (19%)
   • median 71,512 mi at 5.7 yrs old (16 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $720 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2000–2009

   Owners describe windows that fall into the door, stay stuck up or down, or work only in one direction. Several report the regulator being replaced repeatedly, often on more than one door, and say the dealer attributed it to the plastic regulator and guide parts. A few mention an extended warranty program on the part and later being charged for repairs once it expired. Spread from very low mileage up to about 110,000 miles, with many reports in the 50,000-90,000 mile range.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Operate every window through its full travel, listening for crunching or a glass that drops, and ask whether any regulators or window clips have already been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I own a 1999.5 Volkswagen Jetta iv gls. There is a major problem with the window regulators and Volkswagen refuses to recall them. They know there is a problem as they have issued a 7-year extended warranty on the part. I have had to get the regulator replaced on my front passenger side window twice, due to window falling into door. This was under extended warranty. However my front driver side window (which I hardly ever use) has fallen into the door. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10184355, filed 2007-03, 91,650 miles

   “The auto up feature of my 1999 Volkswagen Jetta driver side window has not functioned properly since I purchased the vehicle. Over 50 percent of the time, the window does not stay closed. Instead, it automatically retracts. I complained about this several times to the dealer in fargo nd during the two year warranty period on the car. They were never able to duplicate the problem while the car was in for scheduled maintenance. The problem continues to this day.”

   NHTSA complaint #10023555, filed 2003-06, 100 miles
2. 2
   Vehicle speed control

   Throttle/EPC faults with loss of power

   • 25 complaints (7%)
   • median 77,750 mi at 5.9 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2012

   Owners describe the accelerator going dead at speed, the EPC and check engine lights coming on, and regaining normal response after switching the car off and restarting. Mechanics cited the throttle body in the drive-by-wire system as the intermittent fault. A smaller number describe the opposite: engine speed climbing unexpectedly at highway speeds until the car is shifted to neutral or shut off. Reported from about 40,000 to 110,000 miles, with no clear pattern to when it happens.

   What to check: Ask whether the throttle body has been cleaned or replaced and whether any EPC-related fault codes are stored; have a scan tool check performed before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving at any speed, under any acceleration, accelerator pedal fails and the vehicle's throttle does not respond. Once while driving 70 MPH on the e-way, vehicle began decelerating as if gas pedal were not depressed and I had to quickly pull over to shoulder to avoid being stranded in the middle of e-way. Another time I pulled out into heavy traffic and accelerator pedal failed, nearly causing a serious accident. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10109959, filed 2005-02, 90,000 miles

   “I was driving my 1999 vw Jetta at highway speeds, and it suddenly began to accelerate. I shifted the car into neutral, and the engine continued to rev to the redline. I then tapped the gas pedal and the throttle released. My wife had the same problem on a side road. The car began to accelerate, and she applied the brakes but could not stop the car. She turned the ignition off and was able to stop safely using the emergency brake.”

   NHTSA complaint #10054779, filed 2004-01, 65,000 miles
3. 3
   Body and structure

   Rear center seat belt locks and will not release

   • 17 complaints (5%)
   • median 88,100 mi at 11.0 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2012

   Owners report the middle rear seat belt retracting and locking so it cannot be pulled out or released, sometimes after the rear seat back was folded for cargo. Complaints describe the mechanism sitting inside the seat where it cannot be reached, and say the dealer quoted a repair cost or advised cutting the belt instead. Reported from roughly 50,000 to 150,000 miles.

   What to check: Pull out and retract the middle rear belt, and try folding the rear seat back down and up, to confirm the belt releases normally.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “In my 99.5 vw Jetta gls the middle rear seat belt has tightened and will not release. I have taken it to a repair shop and have had them work on it and normally they can get it to release. However once it is released, it can't be used b/c the next time I go to use the seat belt and pull it out it locks again. The seat can't be used. It has also made it impossible to lay down the back seats, or once I lay it flat the seat can't be returned to the up right position.”

   NHTSA complaint #10343827, filed 2010-07, 95,000 miles

   “The center rear seatbelt locked up and will not release, was told by dealer and vw customer service that this is extremely common, I was advised I can either pay the $200 + to get it repaired or else cut it and not use it.”

   NHTSA complaint #10062158, filed 2004-03, 50,090 miles
4. 4
   Brakes

   Brake light switch failure

   • 13 complaints (4%)
   • median 90,000 mi at 7.0 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2009

   Owners report brake lights that stop working or stay lit while parked, and in some cases the car cannot be shifted out of park. Several note the car had already been serviced under an earlier recall for the same switch and that the replacement part failed again or the car was said not to qualify for the newer campaign. Mostly reported between about 70,000 and 130,000 miles.

   Recall 04V096000Recall 06V183000

   What to check: Have someone watch the brake lights while you press the pedal, and ask whether the brake light switch has been replaced and under which recall campaign.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I drive a 1999 vw Jetta, standard transmission. I was informed by a police officer that my brake lights were not operating. After searching the internet, I learned from the NHTSA web site that there was a recall issued may of 2006 for certain vw cars that had their brake light switch replaced for an earlier recall. I called the dealership and they told me my car was serviced under the last recall, but it does not qualify for the recall. I had the brake light switch replaced and the problem has been corrected. The old part is not available.”

   NHTSA complaint #10160353, filed 2006-06, 103,090 miles

   “Recall notice for check/ replace brake light switch. The faulty brake light switch caused the emergency brake light to remain on. The vehicle was taken to a repair shop three times but they were unable to fix the problem (Volkswagen Jetta). The dealer was finally able to identify the problem and informed the consumer it would cost $6000. The consumer took the vehicle elsewhere for repairs because the service dealer's staff suddenly became rude.”

   NHTSA complaint #10076032, filed 2004-06, 74,274 miles

Buying note. On a 1999 Jetta, test all four windows, the rear center seat belt and the brake lights before buying, and get a scan-tool check for throttle and EPC codes. Records of coolant-system and window-regulator repairs are worth asking for, since these recur on many cars of this year.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.