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Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen VIN Check

NHTSA holds 167 owner complaints on the Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen from 115 production runs; the worst run has 5, the typical one 1.5.

NHTSA complaint records · 167 complaints · 115 runs · 2008–2014 · Updated Nov 4, 2026
Quick answer

The most-reported Jetta SportWagen run is 3VWPL7AJ5EM (2014 builds) with 5 complaints, 3.3× the typical run. Electrical system problems make up 21% of reports; 2013 is the worst model year at 1.8 complaints per run; NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for Jetta SportWagen model years 2009–2014.

Which build runs owners report most

A production run is the first 11 characters of the VIN: plant, model year, body and engine. The Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen has 115 of them on record. The five runs at the top of this table hold 13% of every Jetta SportWagen complaint on file.

FIG.01·Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen — complaints by production run
Production run (VIN 1–11)YearComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
3VWPL7AJ5EM••••••20145——
3VWPL7AJ1BM••••••20114——
3VWPL7AJ3BM••••••20114——
3VWPL7AJ1CM••••••20124——
3VWPL7AJ4EM••••••20144——
3VWPL7AJ2EM••••••20144——
3VWPL7AJ4DM••••••20134——
3VWPL7AJ0EM••••••20143——
3VWPL7AJ7BM••••••20113—1
3VWPL7AJ0DM••••••20133——
3VWTZ71K89M••••••20093——
3VWPL7AJ9DM••••••20133——
ROWS 12·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records, grouped by VIN prefix

Each of the other 103 Jetta SportWagen runs has 3 complaints or fewer. ForCar has checked 22 Jetta SportWagen VINs so far, most often 2012, 2014, 2013 builds; 3 of them belong to one of the 12 runs above.

Which model years to check twice

Complaints per production run, so a year that simply sold more does not top the list. On the Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen the gap between build years is 1.6×: a 2013 car draws 1.8 complaints per run, a 2010 one 1.1.

FIG.02·Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen — complaint rate by model year
YearPer runComplaintsRunsCrashes
20141.733202
20131.836201
20121.52617—
20111.433231
20101.122201
20091.21513—
ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Heaviest year here is 2013 at 1.8 complaints per run; lightest is 2010 at 1.1.

What to inspect on this car

One system accounts for 21% of everything Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen owners report: Electrical System, 38 of 167 complaints. Start the pre-purchase inspection there.

FIG.03·Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen — most-reported systems
SystemComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
Electrical System3813
Fuel/propulsion System28——
Suspension24——
Service Brakes22——
Unknown Or Other21——
Air Bags204—
Engine1911
Power Train12——
ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Recalls to check against your VIN

NHTSA has 2 recall campaigns on the Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen; the 2 below cover build years 2009 to 2014. These are for the model and year; whether one is still open on a given car, only that VIN can tell.

FIG.04·Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen — recall campaigns
CampaignComponentModel years
16V078000Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module2010–2014
16V913000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip2009
ROWS 2·SOURCE NHTSA recall campaigns

16V078000 was opened in 2016 on cars built from 2010: 6 years on the road before the recall.

How serious were they

Of the 167 reports on the Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen, 3% involved a crash against 5.8% across all vehicles, below the norm.

FIG.06·Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen — complaint severity
OutcomeVolkswagen Jetta SportWagenAll vehicles
Complaints filed1671,115,966
Involved a crash5 (3%)64,194 (5.8%)
Involved a fire5 (3%)26,974 (2.4%)
Injuries reported458,013
Deaths reported02,728
ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Crash-related reports run 48% below the all-vehicle rate.

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How this check works

The file behind this page holds 1,115,966 complaints filed with NHTSA between 1981 and 2026, across 298,921 production runs. The Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen share of that is 167 complaints over 115 runs, 0.01% of everything on record.

Everything on the Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen
Recalls6 campaignsFuel economy32 mpg bestReliability4.0/5Common problems2,467 complaintsCargo space33 cu ftUsed prices188 listingsWhat yours is worthValue by year & mileageWindow stickerOriginal Monroney labelDecode a VINWhat each character meansAbout this car2009–2014

Frequently asked questions

How do I check a Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen VIN for free?

Enter the 17 characters above. ForCar matches the first eleven, the production run, against 167 NHTSA complaints from 115 Jetta SportWagen runs and 2 recall campaigns. No account, no card.

Which Jetta SportWagen production run has the most complaints?

3VWPL7AJ5EM, a 2014 build, with 5 complaints. The typical Jetta SportWagen run has 1.5.

Which Jetta SportWagen years have the most complaints?

Per production run, 2013 is heaviest at 1.8 complaints per run and 2010 lightest at 1.1.

How many Jetta SportWagen complaints involve a crash?

3% of 167 reports, against 5.8% across all vehicles; 5 involved a fire.

Complaint and recall records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Per-run rates computed by ForCar. Federal data covers safety only — title, odometer and insurance history are not included. Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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