Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 543 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 86 | 16% |
| Electrical system | 66 | 12% |
| Unknown or other | 64 | 12% |
| Engine | 45 | 8% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 17 | 3% |
| Air bags | 16 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 12 | 2% |
| Steering | 12 | 2% |
| Power train | 12 | 2% |
| Suspension | 11 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
I had lost power driving over the grapevine on Highway and then recently I had difficulty putting vehicle in gear and it would make a loud noise. Independent service center confirmed that the TCM was faulty.
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The car has turned off at idle and at low speeds, almost causing accidents and to be rear ended in busy streets and during stop and go traffic on the highway. After numerous mechanic diagnostics at both Volkswagen Dealer
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that whenever the temperature fell below 20 degrees, the windshield wipers became inoperable. The contact stated that the Body Control Module (BCM) had previou
NHTSA complaint: Visibility/wiper
Car one day decided to have issues. It wouldn't turn over. So we called a row truck to come take it and run diagnostics. The tow truck driver showed up and on his decision making as im not a professional like he is he sa
NHTSA complaint: Engine
My Bosch CP4 fuel pump failed causing my engine to stall while turning at a very busy/fast intersection. This can occur at speed without any warning of sudden failure, putting everyone on the road at risk. Fault code
NHTSA complaint: Engine
My car has 80,000 miles on it. The high pressure fuel pump sent metal shavings all through the entire system. Dealer quoted $9,000 to fix. This should have never happened. They said that the extended warranty from the di
NHTSA complaint: Fuel/propulsion system
The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the compliance recall Campaign Number: 3M02 was completed. The contact stated that while attempting to remove t
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Cp4 pump failed on car with 85,000 miles on it sending metal pieces throughout the fuel system causing damage and a $9,000 bill to fix a car worth $9,000 so it is essentially totaled.
NHTSA complaint: Fuel/propulsion system
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a
| Reliability raw | 72 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 70 | good |
| Maintenance | 77 | good |
| Depreciation | 69 | good |
| Performance | 52 | average |
| Efficiency | 52 | average |
Percentile ranks against other wagons in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 543 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 86 of them (16%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 72/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 70/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2013 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 68/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.