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Transmission and drivetrainPart report

2020 Volkswagen Jetta Transmission and drivetrain Problems

Complaints
7about this part
Share
13%of 54 total for the year
Median mileage
843miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 7 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta, 13% of the 54 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 843 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.

“As I was driving home late last night from work on a city street , my car suddenly would not accelerate in speed while in motion but you can hear the car accelerate when I was pushing on the gas. It felt as if the car has turned off because then my steering wheel got hard was hard to move while in motion. Cause of problems is unknown but may not be safe to drive if it continues”

NHTSA complaint #11388795, filed 2021-01, 843 miles

“I came to a stop light and had my car in neutral. Put it into first at a green light and there was no power, the engine had cut off. I drive a manual and have for my entire life. There was no lurching or anything, just a silent cut. Hard to get it turned back on, the vehicle seemed confused when I hit the start button... Was nearly rear ended.”

NHTSA complaint #11394406, filed 2021-02

“Was is merging onto interstate i95 and the Jetta wouldn’t accelerate no matter how hard I pushed the gas pedal eventually took my foot off and had to turn on emergency lights then The Jetta started slowly moving as if it was just going to stall almost got rear ended and then the car wanted to send me in to another lane. Due to the angry driver behind me.”

NHTSA complaint #11444593, filed 2021-12

“When I was driving my engine randomly increased rpms and i was forced to apply the brake. Regarding my brakes, my brakes make a clicking noise and sometimes have decreased braking performance at times which is a serious safety concern.”

NHTSA complaint #11461542, filed 2022-04

“I recently purchased a vehicle on July 11th, and on July 12th, I noticed a significant issue with the transmission. Specifically, the vehicle began grinding when I attempted to engage reverse gear. Concerned for safety, I promptly contacted the dealership. Initially, they advised that the proper procedure was to shift from first gear to reverse, attributing the issue to a known Volkswagen transmission characteristic. Upon further inspection at the dealership, they acknowledged the problem as a documented issue with Volkswagen transmissions, providing a tech tip confirming its severity. …”

NHTSA complaint #11605105, filed 2024-07

Related service bulletins

Transmission and drivetrain: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
2025825%
2024715%
202325%
202123%
2020713%
201916330%
2018516%
2017159%
20162214%
20152312%
20147419%
201314127%
2012469%
2011549%
201011113%
200914116%
20085328%
20073316%
200624542%
20058434%
20043515%
20035412%
200210315%
2001629%
2000378%
1999309%
1998147%
1997815%
199626%
19952210%
199487%
199316%
199213%
199126%
199015%
198617%
1985431%

Other parts of the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta

Electrical system
17 complaints
Other or unknown
13 complaints
Engine
12 complaints
Brakes
7 complaints
Fuel system
5 complaints
Steering
4 complaints
Suspension
3 complaints
Vehicle speed control
3 complaints
Air bags
2 complaints
Forward collision avoidance
2 complaints
Body and structure
2 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
2 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2020 Volkswagen Jetta

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 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