2008 Volkswagen Jetta Engine cooling Problems
- Complaints
- 7about this part
- Share
- 4%of 188 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 53,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 7 complaints about the engine cooling of the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta, 4% of the 188 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 53,000 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I purchased my 2008 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0 in may of 08. Since my purchase the car is jerky all the time while in motion, especially during acceleration. I brought this to the attention of the dealership I purchased it from and they found no issues each time it was serviced. This is not normal for a car to do this however Volkswagen states there are no problems.”
NHTSA complaint #10281898, filed 2009-08, 200 miles“On 10 february 2012, at approximately 7:45 am, I was driving on interstate 395 north , washington, dc. In the high occupancy vehicle (hov) lane when I heard noise from the engine and I saw white smoke coming from underneath the hood of the engine. I checked the indicator lights and no lights were on that indicated there was a problems. At the stop sign near the entrance near the navy annex off colombia pike, I noticed a smell similar to burning oil. First, the vehicle was checked by jack taylor toyota in alexandria, va. …”
NHTSA complaint #10447795, filed 2012-02, 53,000 miles“I first took my car to the dealership june 1st for an obvious rattling noise in between my front tires. On june 15th back to the dealership for them to replace my bushings but problem still existed so they ordered pins for caliper bracket. In july after replacing struts the problem still existed. Aug 31st they replaced the sway bar and declared the problem was resolved. When I got in my car the problem still existed and they had left my car out of alignment it was almost impossible to drive. Sept 14th I returned back to the dealership for the same problem. They replaced both sway bars. …”
NHTSA complaint #10442308, filed 2012-01, 39,247 miles“The contact owns a 2008 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that when the A/C was operated, there was a strong odor emitted from the vents. The failure recurred on several occasions. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised that the evaporator coil needed to be cleaned. The failure mileage was 59,000 and the current mileage was 66,000.”
NHTSA complaint #10593056, filed 2014-05, 59,000 miles“The contact owns a 2008 Volkswagen Jetta. When driving various speeds, the check engine light illuminated. The contact also noticed a leak in the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to dealer where it was diagnosed that the cooling fan malfunctioned and the leak was a caused by faulty purge pressure sensor. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 132,911.”
NHTSA complaint #10722920, filed 2015-06, 132,911 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10241177Aug 21, 2023Update to Volkswagen engine oil standards
- 10239653Jul 10, 2023Volkswagen Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
- 10238307Jun 20, 2023Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards, updated to include model year 2024.
- 10238306Jun 20, 2023Engine Oil Consumption Measurement Instruction and Work sheet.
- 10238300Jun 15, 2023Gasoline quality information in regards to gasoline engine performance.
- 10238297Jun 15, 2023Diagnostic Aid for engine misfire.
- 10237427May 30, 2023Volkswagen Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
- 10236610May 22, 2023Introduce new engine coolant compatible with all models and all model years.
- 10235138Apr 24, 2023Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
- 10233279Mar 21, 2023Volkswagen Engine Oil Quality Standards
Engine cooling: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | 2% |
| 2023 | 1 | 2% |
| 2019 | 2 | 0% |
| 2017 | 2 | 1% |
| 2016 | 1 | 1% |
| 2015 | 3 | 2% |
| 2014 | 6 | 2% |
| 2013 | 4 | 1% |
| 2012 | 8 | 2% |
| 2011 | 25 | 4% |
| 2010 | 71 | 8% |
| 2009 | 72 | 8% |
| 2008 | 7 | 4% |
| 2007 | 9 | 4% |
| 2006 | 54 | 9% |
| 2005 | 41 | 17% |
| 2004 | 37 | 16% |
| 2003 | 45 | 10% |
| 2002 | 104 | 15% |
| 2001 | 109 | 16% |
| 2000 | 121 | 28% |
| 1999 | 78 | 22% |
| 1998 | 15 | 8% |
| 1997 | 11 | 20% |
| 1996 | 1 | 3% |
| 1995 | 26 | 12% |
| 1994 | 20 | 17% |
| 1992 | 6 | 20% |
| 1991 | 5 | 16% |
| 1990 | 7 | 32% |
| 1989 | 2 | 7% |
| 1987 | 3 | 17% |
| 1985 | 2 | 15% |
Other parts of the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
53 complaintsElectrical system
42 complaintsBrakes
23 complaintsAir bags
20 complaintsEngine
20 complaintsOther or unknown
14 complaintsFuel system
10 complaintsLatches, locks and linkages
10 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
8 complaintsSeats
6 complaintsVehicle speed control
6 complaintsExterior lighting
5 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology