2019 Volkswagen Jetta lighting problems
Updated from NHTSA data · How we count
21 owners have reported lighting problems with the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta, 6% of all complaints about this model year.
- Lighting complaints
- 21
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Related recalls
- 1
- Median mileage
- —
Specific components reported
Lighting covers: Headlights, tail lights, turn signals and interior lighting.
| Component | Complaints |
|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 21 |
Lighting complaints across Volkswagen Jetta years
Related recalls
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Jetta vehicles equipped with LED headlights. The passenger side headlight may be incorrectly positioned, reducing the driver's visibility when it is dark. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: A reduction in the driver's visibility can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side headlight, free of charge. The recall began November 2, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94L1.
What owners say
- Filed Aug 13, 2025ORElectrical SystemEngineLighting
I was driving my car on a 100 degree day and and after about a block, a warning popped up on the little screen behind the steering wheel that said "Ignition switch off, safely stop the vehicle". I feel like the engine may have shut off, but I'm not sure as I just rolled to the side of the road and turned off my car as fast as a could. I waited a few minutes and turned it on, drove about a block, and it said, "Starter system faulty, please service vehicle". I once again…
NHTSA complaint #11680499 · source - Filed May 5, 2025NYElectrical SystemLightingVisibility & Wipers
As reported by many other drivers on this website and all over the internet that 2019 having ignition switch problem in 2019 Volkswagen jettas. I started having the same problem aswell. This has happened several time already and now I am scared to drive this car on the highways. It is clearly mentioned that 2019 and 2020 ignition systems are faulty than why vw is not helping people who have those year cars. This is the big safety concern and I believe it should not be…
NHTSA complaint #11658850 · source - Filed Feb 22, 2025CAElectrical SystemLightingOther / Unknown
Without any warning whatsoever the entire electrical system goes completely off while driving the vehicle after 5 mins of it being on. This means that the lights including blinker and brake lights go off, air conditioning stops, and the entire dashboard goes off. The engine is still able to run. I am able to use the gas and breaks but I do not know what my speed is or any other information that is typically available via the dashboard. I have tried to do a reset when the…
NHTSA complaint #11644314 · source - Filed Feb 21, 2025CAElectrical SystemLightingOther / Unknown
Without any warning whatsoever the entire electrical system goes completely off while driving the vehicle after 5 mins of it being on. This means that the lights including blinker and brake lights go off, air conditioning stops, and the entire dashboard goes off. The engine is still able to run. I am able to use the gas and breaks but I do not know what my speed is or any other information that is typically available via the dashboard. I have tried to do a reset when the…
NHTSA complaint #11644221 · source - Filed Sep 6, 2023AZElectrical SystemEngineLighting
Only on days where I leave my car in the direct heat under the sun for a few hours I go to get in and start and it starts up at first and then the dashboard displays "check starter system" soon after all the electrical work in the car shuts down and doesn't turn on again until the car cools down or when the sun goes down. I live in phoenix where it's hot everyday so this issue is happening frequently with my vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11542930 · source - Filed Sep 5, 2023NYElectrical SystemLighting
While driving car ignition shuts off. Gas and breaks still work, but no lights, no speedometer, nothing else, ignition completely off. Has happened on 5 different occasions on days the temperature is 90 degrees. Volkswagen dealership aren't able to fix it.
NHTSA complaint #11542708 · source - Filed Sep 5, 2023OHElectrical SystemEngineLighting
Car stalled out while driving, restarted, car said, "check starter system". Restarted again, engine stayed running, no lights at all (brake, headlight or tail light), however the hazards still seemed to work.
NHTSA complaint #11542673 · source - Filed Jul 27, 2023ILElectrical SystemLighting
On hot days in the summer, when I start driving the car, a notice that states “systems start failure” appears. The air conditioning turns off. The speedometer turns off. The brake lights don’t work, and the turn signals do not work. The car still drives, but due to the brake lights turning off and turn signals not working, I believe this poses a safety risk to myself and others. I believe this to be an ignition switch problem, as many others have stated online that getting a…
NHTSA complaint #11534874 · source - Filed Jul 25, 2023OHLighting
Passenger side daytime running light LED has gone dim. This reduces the visibility of the vehicle in daytime conditions. The dealer has confirmed that the light is bad but the manufacturer says since there is no active recall for it, it is not covered.
NHTSA complaint #11534404 · source - Filed Jul 17, 2023LAElectrical SystemLightingTransmission & Drivetrain
Ignition system (available for inspection upon request) malfunctioned, which disallowed the engine from starting. After multiple attempts, the engine started and I was able to drive and indicate turns, but there was no dashboard display such as speed, gas level, etc. Since the first incident, this has happened 3 times. At one point while driving with no screen display, I forgot to turn off the option for the engine to stop when the car has come to a complete stop. When I…
NHTSA complaint #11532844 · source - Filed Jul 17, 2023CAElectrical SystemLightingVisibility & Wipers
Hot day (~107f), car started fine but after a mile of driving ALL ELECTRICAL systems appeared to STOP with the following error: "Starter System Faulty. Please Service Vehicle." The engine kept going, and the car was driven home (with no signals, speedo, air conditioning, lights etc.) If this had happened in a more demanding situation (e.g. weather, night or traffic) there could have been an accident. There are numerous threads online about this happening to 2019 Jettas in…
NHTSA complaint #11532838 · source - Filed Jul 2, 2023CAElectrical SystemEngineLighting
A minute after starting my car sitting in a hot parking lot, the entire car and engine shut off. A message popped up saying “please check starter system”. I looked this up and seems to be an extremely common issues with 2019 Jettas, and everyone has had issues with getting it fixed. Mechanics have said there’s “no issue” with the car because it won’t shut off every time. Some even had their cars shut off on the highway. My car has about 25,000 miles and is in great shape.…
NHTSA complaint #11530043 · source
Other 2019 Volkswagen Jetta problem areas
- Electrical System (141)
- Engine (95)
- Transmission & Drivetrain (70)
- Other / Unknown (67)
- Fuel, Hybrid & EV Propulsion (24)
- Brakes (23)
- Driver Assistance & Safety Tech (22)
- Visibility & Wipers (20)
- Airbags (13)
- Body & Structure (13)
- Steering (11)
- Acceleration & Cruise Control (11)
- Suspension (10)
- Wheels & Tires (7)
- Seats & Seat Belts (6)
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology