Many owners reported 2008 Volkswagen Jetta's problems to different complaint websites. These websites allow any vehicle owner to report mechanical issues they face during the lifetime of their vehicles.
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For example, the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta received a total of 40 complaints to carcomplaints.com. Furthermore, the vehicle also received more than 1,000 complaints to repairpal.com. Besides, it received a total of 110 complaints to vehiclehistory.com.
The number of reported complaints does not necessarily mean significant problems with the vehicle, especially if the problems can be easily resolved. Unfortunately, most reported 2008 Volkswagen Jetta problems are related to the engine and the transmission, which require the highest repair costs as compared to other mechanical problems.
The goal of this article is to help current 2008 Volkswagen Jetta owners predict what type of mechanical problems they will face, and what are the repair options and repair costs. We also target new shoppers by helping them make an informed decision about whether to buy this vehicle or not. Once they understand the type of problems and at which mileage, they will have a better decision.
In this article, we start by providing a high-level overview of the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta. Then we summarize the most reported complaints from a wide range of websites. In summary, we highlight the problem, the suggested repair options and repair costs, and the mileage at which the problem is expected to occur. Then, we provide some customer reviews besides the frequently asked questions about the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta problems.
2008 Volkswagen Jetta Description
The 2008 Volkswagen Jetta is one of the compact vehicles that have a lot of cargo space and has a fuel economy that is considered relatively good.
This vehicle comes with three trim levels to choose from: the S or the base model, ES, and SEL.
The base model has many great features like the power accessories, the cruise control, the heated side mirrors, the air-conditioning, and 16-inch steel wheels. Moreover, the base model includes a speaker and a CD/MP3 stereo.
The 2008 Volkswagen comes with a 2.5-liter engine that provides up to 170 horsepower. This vehicle provides about 177 lb-ft of torque. The engine is associated with either a six-speed automatic transmission or a five or six-speed manual transmission. The vehicle's fuel capacity is 14.5 gallons.
According to Kelly Blue Book, the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price for the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta is about $20,000.
2008 Volkswagen Jetta Problems
In this section, we summarize the main reported complaints about 2008 Volkswagen Jetta owners, along with the suggested repair options and repair costs. The majority of reported problems about this vehicle has to do with the brakes, the engine, the transmission, the electrical system, and other problems
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2008 Volkswagen Jetta Brakes Problems
2008 Volkswagen Jetta Brakes Problem was the most reported mechanical problems with this vehicle. Brake failure made it to the top of reported complaints.
At least ten owners indicated that their 2008 Volkswagen Jetta's brake does not function suddenly without any previous warning signs. For instance, a driver mentioned that whenever he's driving, if he tried to press on the brake, it will go all the way down without slowing the vehicle down. This problem is very critical and might put many people's lives at risk if not resolved.
To get brake's problem resolved, most owners had to replace the entire part for about $370, or perform a regular check to the brake's pads.
Brake's problems occurred mostly at vehicles around 21,000 miles.
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2008 Volkswagen Jetta Engine Problems
Engine problems are considered one of the worst problems that any driver would like to hear about. This is because these problems require a relatively high repair cost to get resolved.
Unfortunately, 2008 Volkswagen Jetta engine problems are the second most reported problems about this vehicle. Besides, it looks like the engine problem is a common problem with all Jettas, more specifically, 2001, 2002, and 2005.
A group of owners indicated issues with the check engine light illuminating continuously. While the check engine light is useful to indicate internal issues with any vehicle, if it illuminates more than usual, then there is an obvious problem with the engine.
For instance, one of the owners mentioned that the issue with check engine light illuminating was related to problems with the ECM that needed a complete replacement.
Engine weird noise is another common problem with the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta, as reported by a large group of owners who's the vehicle is at 76,000 miles.
Furthermore, it was reported that the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta engine might consume too much oil without a clear reason or any warning. The problem mostly occurred at vehicles around 140,000 miles.
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2008 Volkswagen Jetta Transmission Problems
Similar to engine problems, transmission problems are also significant and can cost a lot of money, thus, if a vehicle tends to have frequent issues with the transmission, it might not be the best choice for you.
Unfortunately, the third most reported problems with the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta have to do with its transmission. As what owner mentioned, they had a hard time shifting their transmission's gears with vehicles around 56,000 miles. The problem required either a replacement to the mechatronic unit or the valve body in the transmission for an average repair cost of $2,200.
Furthermore, the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta's transmission might mix transmission fluid with the coolant, as reported by a 50,000 miles vehicle owner. To get the problem resolved, they had to replace the transmission cooler. Unfortunately, the owner did not report any information about repair costs.
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2008 Volkswagen Jetta Electrical System Problems
The fourth most reported problems with the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta has to do with the electrical system.
A couple of owners mentioned that the vehicle's ignition system does not accept the key without a clear reason. The problem was resolved by replacing the ignition switch. While the website did not indicate information about repair cost, it did indicate that the vehicles with ignition problems were at about 65,000 miles.
Another group of owners reported that they had issues with the door locks, and it did not work properly, and they had to unlock the passenger door from inside. The complaints did not include information about repair options or repair costs. However, it indicated that vehicles with door look issues were at about 141,000 miles.
The last transmission issue we would like to highlight here is that the TPMS lights gave the wrong signal to many owners. To get this issue resolved, the owners had to replace the TPMS for about $400 in their 40,000 miles vehicles.
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2008 Volkswagen Jetta Body and Paint Problems
It is not very rare to see the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta door skin falling off, as reported by a group of owners. These owners complaint that the door skin bolts failed and had the skin fall from the internal.
The problem was resolved by replacing the bolts that hold the door skin to the internal. The website did not include information about repair cost, but it indicated that the vehicles who reported the problem were at about 22,000 miles.
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2008 Volkswagen Jetta Wheels and Hubs Problems
Wheels and hubs issues are not very common in the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta since very few complaints were reported about issues with them.
One owner mentioned that his vehicle's tire hub flew away due to issues with installation, as he thought. However, the real problem was related to the hub caps, and he had to replace them for $140. This issue occurred at a vehicle around 40,000 miles.
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2008 Volkswagen Jetta AC and Hearing System Problems
AC and heating system problems were not very common in the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta, similar to the wheels and hubs problems.
The only reported complaint about this category indicated that the AC system did not work properly. This problem was very frustrating to the owner because he was living in Texas, and the weather was extremely hot, making it very hard to drive the vehicle.
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2008 Volkswagen Jetta Lights Problems
The last problem we would like to highlight about the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta has to do with the lights. At least one owner mentioned that the headlight assembly got detached suddenly without any previous warning sign. To get the problem resolved, he had to replace the headlight assembly for about $230. the problem was reported by a vehicle at about 96,000 miles.
2008 Volkswagen Jetta Reviews – What does 2008 Volkswagen Jetta Owners Say About Their Car?
In this section, we summarize the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta reviews, as reported by their owners.
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2008 Volkswagen Jetta owner one
This owner complaint about issues with the vehicle's brake system: “The brakes fail to work intermittently. On occasion, I can step on the brake, and the brake will go all the way down but not slow down the car. I am forced to take the pressure off of the brake and step on it again for the brakes to activate. It has happened since I bought the car, but very rarely.”
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2008 Volkswagen Jetta owner two
This owner has issues with the vehicle's check engine light: “My car has a random misfire its rough idling stalling and hesitating when pushing the pedal. When looking at the engine, I notice a hizzing and knocking sound at the right side of the engine, but I'm not sure where exactly it is.”
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2008 Volkswagen Jetta owner three
This owner-reported issue with the lights: “My car is still in really good working order. It has heated leather seats with a sunroof. I do not like how the lights go out all the time. I have to replace it at least once every other month. The car still works well even though I haven't done any large repairs on it.”
2008 Volkswagen Jetta Problems – Frequently asked questions
In this section, we answer the most frequently asked questions about the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta.
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Do Jettas have a lot of problems?
In general, most Jettas have issues with the engine, and most experts always recommend “beware of engine problems in Volkswagen Jettas.”
The majority of reported complaints about Jettas indicated engine issues. For instance, owners of the 2002 Volkswagen Jetta reported continuous issues with the engine burning oil. Furthermore, 2003 Volkswagen Jetta owners reported issues with engine failure that required an average repair cost of $3,400. Lastly, the 2005 Volkswagen owners complained of significant issues with the timing chain.
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Is the Jetta a reliable car?
According to Repairpal.com, the Volkswagen Jetta received a ranking of 21 out of 36, which is not at the low end nor the top reliable, compact cars. When it comes to repairing cost, expect to pay about $609, on average.
The bottom line, Jetta, has a good reliability score since the repair needed is not sever and is not very frequent.
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What year is Jetta most reliable?
According to Truedelta.com, two Jetta's made it to the top rank of car's reliability: the 2015 and 2018 with a reliability score of 59% (the lower, the better).
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How long do Jettas usually last?
According to experts recommendation in the market, Jettas are one of the vehicles that can surpass the 100,000 miles, when people might start looking for new vehicles. This is because most Jettas do not have mechanical issues at the 100,000 miles threshold.
In general, Jettas last up to 7.5 years on average, if not ten years, with some Jettas models years.
Conclusion
It is very common for vehicles to have a lot of reported complaints at earlier model years. However, the 2008 Volkswagen Jetta received higher complaints after tens of years of production.
Most 2008 Volkswagen Jetta problems have to do with either the brakes, engine, transmission and AC and heating system. These problems required a high repair cost.
As we mentioned earlier, the goal of this article was to help current 2008 Volkswagen Jetta owners understand and predict the mechanical problems he will face. Besides, we help new shoppers decide whether to buy this vehicle or not.
With the indicated problems in this vehicle, it might not be the best option for the new shoppers considering the high number of reported complaints about the engine and the transmission.
Furthermore, current 2008 Volkswagen Jetta owners might get to a point where they need to think about whether to keep or sell their vehicles. If the required repair costs got to a level where it is close or higher than the actual worth of the vehicle, they might need to think about selling it.
While 2008 has a lot of reported complaints about significant parts with this vehicle, it is still not the worst model year nor the model year with the highest reported complaints. According to carcomplaints.com, the 2009 model year is still worst than 2008, and the 2006 model year received the most reported complaints from current owners.