Used 2009 Volkswagen Jetta Consumer Reviews
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2009 Jetta problem vehicle
Dave, 05/29/2010
2009 Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg Edition PZEV 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
13 of 13 people found this review helpful
Our car has been in the shop 12 times this year, and continues to have problems. VW of America offered $1500 toward a new VW, or $500 for all the service visits. The fuel system and front suspension have been rebuilt, and new problems surface daily. This is a German car built in Mexico, and is of poor quality. Also, when it runs, during moderate acceleration, the front wheels are overpowered. This causes front wheel hop that shakes the dash and prevents forward progress. The chassis can not handle the turbo engine. On the highway, the vehicle is very loud, lots of road, tire and wind noise. Another point, the dealerships Do not stock parts. pass this car up.
2009 VW TDI DSG Tranny Update
adrenalinetdi, 07/19/2011
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6AM)
19 of 20 people found this review helpful
Seriously folks, you must have to get this Dealer Warranty replaced. Our 2.0L TDI has a Mechtronic Controller Unit that sits atop the DSG Tranny. This Unit controls and puts a stop to the jerky and hesitation. Palisades VW in New York replaced mine last summer and WOW it has made a significant difference in the fuel economy, quickness, and safety. Now, when I press the pedal lightly, the TDI shifts smooooth and quick. Also, when slowing down, no more jerks. At 58 MPH I get 52 MPG with the AC blowing cold. In the city, at 45 MPH I get 60 + MPG. Seriously, do not let the dealers tell you otherwise. We spent extra money for the TDI for a reason. Make the call and beat the BMW driving uphill.
2009 Volkswagen Jetta for sale near you
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2009 Jetta Wolfsburg
brishimmel, 11/14/2011
2009 Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg Edition 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
37 of 41 people found this review helpful
I LOVE my Jetta. Before I started having problems with it I swore by VW and said my future cars would be VW's. Well in the past three weeks, that has changed. Once my Jetta hit 25k, everything went wrong. Check engine light always comes on, it has left me stranded two times in three weeks. Both times have been the fuel pump. The first time (3 weeks ago) the dealer said they replaced it, now I am doubting that they did. Now they are saying it is the fuel pump again. I called roadside asst which is still under my warranty and they charged me $250+ to have it towed to my dealer where I live. Again, love my Jetta but be sure you have $$ to fix it when it goes out of warranty.
Good car, but bad reliability, warranty
Carlo Mirak, 02/24/2010
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6AM)
13 of 14 people found this review helpful
I have had this car for one year, and put 40,000 miles on it. The radio stopped working several weeks ago and a radio should not stop working after only 12 months. My warranty was up at this time because I am at 40,000 mi. And was told that it would cost me $980 not including tax and labor! I called the 1-800 number and was transferred to a "customer advocate" to hear my problem. I explained to them that if it was a moving part in the vehicle I would understand but this was outrageous to pay for something like the radio which should last longer than one year. I love german cars, however I am never going back to a volkswagen. No wonder they have 200 complaints out of every 1000 cars sold.
I love my Jetta, mostly...
Barnaby S., 11/13/2010
2009 Volkswagen Jetta S PZEV 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
12 of 13 people found this review helpful
I enjoy driving this car very much. I had a Toyota Camry before and that car was so boring to drive I didn't really enjoy going place, it almost put me to sleep. This car is a joy to drive, I get in it sometimes to drive just for no reason other than to drive. It does have more annoyances than I am used to however. It has many squeaks and rattles, which seems unusual for a newer car. Though the seats are very comfortable, and the interior looks nice, and everything is very easy to use, the car makes many noises that are disturbing. There are probably 6 or 7 different intermittent squeaks and rattles that present themselves regularly, very annoying.
If you want economy, you must pay for it!
bud8138, 04/10/2013
updated 10/11/2018
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6AM)
31 of 37 people found this review helpful
We have a 2009 Jetta TDI with 115,000 miles on it. It gets great fuel economy, is fun to drive, looks good.....BUT....The regular maintenence costs will negate that great fuel economy, especially if you have the 6 speed automatic transmission, which is actually two manual transmissions in one case that is shifted hydraullicly. It requires regular maintenence every 80,000 miles tat makes one think they are buying a new tranny. Add to that a new timing belt at 90,000 miles that will run another $1200. So you see, you pay for that economy. I love the car but will not buy another. Oh yeah, a faulty fuse holder for one bank of headlights is another $520.00. Last maintenance service, computer indicated a "possible" cracked exhaust manifold, along with some other suggested items. Estimated cost to repair all, $7,200.00. Car unsafe to drive; could stop at any time. Since cost of repairs was about what the car is worth, I declined. Had the car repaired locally for $400. VW's service Dept. Is highly suspect in my book. Following infamous diesel tampering fiasco, VW America bought the car in the settlement. I now drive a Ford Edge.
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BW loves his VW
BW, 12/02/2010
2009 Volkswagen Jetta S 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
14 of 16 people found this review helpful
I bought this car a month ago from Carmax and am very glad I did. I wanted did buy an imported car and was very pleased at the standard options that come with the S model of VW Jetta. The triptonic automatic is excellent, it has 6 speeds and has an S mode which is excellent at launching the car to terminal velocity at any street light. This car is very fast 0 to 30 and 60 mph to get on a highway. The gas mileage is great on the highway and gets at least 30 mpg. City mileage is disappointing around 20-22 mpg, but it makes up for it for being geared to go very fast. The trunk is HUGE! You have to see it to believe it. Its amazing how VW engineers did a tons of things great for this car.
Best car that I have ever own
semper, 08/10/2008
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen SE PZEV 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
16 of 19 people found this review helpful
nice handling, more than enough power, sporty feeling, gorgeous interior design, well equipped standard options that can't be found in other cars in the same price range, nice panoramic sunroof that covers almost entire roof - I feel like I am driving a convertible car. My two year old son loves this. Aside from the things above, I was a huge fan of Japanese cars. I have owned Corolla, Accord, Camry, and Sienna so far. But, I don't know if I like Japanese cars any more. Now, I like VW Jetta 100x better than any of my previous cars.
fuel pump failure
Steelyeyed, 09/04/2010
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6AM)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
While still under warranty, the HPFP failed and the whole fuel system has to be replaced as a result. AND VW will not pay for repairs which are $10k. VW developed a HPFP which is susceptible to lack of lubrication using the ULSF which is required by law, and it comes apart after 25k miles. VW blames it on bad fuel, but what reasonable person buys a car that one has to test the fuel on fill up? The Siemens pump is especially vulnerable and you should insist on the Bosch fuel pump.
Great Sportwagen!
Donnie Blue Eyes, 10/31/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen S 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
I wanted an "adventure-mobile" to replace my beloved 1993 Toyota Corolla. I checked out the RAV4, CR-V, and Escape but they didn't do it for me. Then I found the VW Sportwagen. After four thousand miles it has performed flawlessly. It has a strong engine, solid build, ample cargo room and excellent MPG. The ride on the highway feels lush and well cushioned. The handling is very agile and responsive. My one real complaint is that the sunvisor is too short! They cut off three or four inches to accommodate a fancy ceiling console that I hardly ever use. Not a deal- breaker but it just seems kind of dumb to me. Tinting the windows should take care of it which I was going to do anyway.
So far so good...
mdbla, 09/14/2011
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SE 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 5M)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
Bought this CPO Jetta 1 month ago after owning an Audi A4 for 10 years. The Jetta is a fun car to drive, handles great. Manual transmissions shifts effortlessly. The exterior styling is nice (mine is black with the chrome trim) and the interior is very nice, has a upscale feel to it. Huge trunk! I was hoping with the 5-sp manual I'd get the higher miles per gallon (75% freeway, 25% city) but I've been getting exactly as advertised - 26 mpg. Finally not crazy about the front seats, wish there was more options to adjusting the position. I prefer a more horizontal seat and these have a big angle (6 inches height difference from front to back).
SEL is Sports Car with Wagon Utility
NoVaSpeed, 12/05/2008
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen SEL 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
With all the attention on the TDI, the SEL is perhaps the most unsung bargain in the Sportwagen lineup. With the same 2.0T engine (and sporty-sounding noise pipe) as the GTI and GLI, the SEL is a blast to drive. It's loaded with leather/memory seats, dual climate control, Premium sound, Sirius radio, sporty 17-inch wheels, Highline instrument cluster, and a myriad other options not found on any other Jetta. Mine has the enormous moonroof that is actually best appreciated in the backseat due to its size. The cargo space is amazing--more room behind the rear seat than a Passat wagon. Rowing through the six-speed manual transmission and feeling the rush of acceleration is great. What a car!
VW Jetta Wolfsberg
azaero, 07/05/2011
2009 Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg Edition 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
8 of 9 people found this review helpful
One of the least reliable cars I have ever owned. The interior is cheap plastic that constantly breaks and the dealerships will not replace it. The glove compartment latch has broken 3 times in 60,000 miles and the center arm rest is broken from normal wear. The engine reliability is very poor. The struts have failed twice, the oil leaks constantly, the brake lines leak, the computer constantly says to"check engine," it requires at least 91 octane or it gums-up, the vacuum hose plastic parts fail and leak. I've put thousands into this car. Never again will I own a VW.
Still Smooth Sailing After 5+ Years
jasonpdx, 03/19/2015
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6AM)
11 of 13 people found this review helpful
My 2009 TDI SE has treated me very well for over five years and 70K, and I am still happy with it. The build quality on this generation is really, really good (unlike the dumbed down start to the next gen after): the interior is premium and the exterior is quietly upscale and distinctive in a good way. Having heard from some about VW's prior reliability problems when I bought it, I wondered whether I'd be in for some unexpected bumps in upkeep. But this car has been 100% reliable, with no time in the shop except for the regular maintenance, a new set of tires, and (just recently at 70K) a new pair of rear brake pads. And I still get about 43 highway and low 30s city MPG-- above EPA.
too many things go wrong
B. J. Seale, 10/31/2018
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen S 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 5M)
7 of 8 people found this review helpful
We have gone over board to do the proper maintenance and this is what has happened. We have had to replace the heater core 4 times. Warranty took care of 3 but something is wrong because it still does not work right. The door locks/security system does not work. $995.00 to fix. Developed oil leakage in gaskets. $900. 00 to fix. AC gone bad, $1005.00 to fix. Speed control unit out. $340.00 to fix. Just put it in the shop, probably coil and plugs to be replaced according to the mechanic, $300 to 500 to fix. My chevy truck 3 years older and 40,000 more miles only had a tune up with plugs and wires etc and still running good. Did we go wrong buying VW? Looks like it. Now back in the shop, smoking, probably blown gaskets, and possibly leaking water and anti-freeze. What next?
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2009 Wolfsburg 2.0T 6sp Auto
doit, 09/10/2008
2009 Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg Edition 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
I picked up a new 2009 Wolfsburg 2.0T with the 6sp automatic a about 5 days ago and still have nothing to say about the car other than it's great. The interior design is well laidd out and comfortable. The red led lighting from the overhead console is a nice touch for driving at night. Outside the car design just looks sharp, love the unique wheels. Performance is great, trading in a 2006 GTI 1.8T 5 sp manual, I was not expecting the power this car has, but it does put a smile on your face. So far the first couple tanks of gas has given me an average of 30.1 mpg that too was a great surprise as well. The mpg should get a little better when things break in a little more.
Base Jetta Wagon
None, 04/28/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen S 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
4 of 4 people found this review helpful
Who needs an SUV? I work for a band and haul equipment all the time, but wanted something a little smaller for parking downtown. The VW wagon ticked both boxes, and was actually the roomiest wagon in this price range. If you can swing for the diesel, do it, but the base 5-cylinder has quite a bit to recommend it. Throw in standard heated seats and a telescoping wheel and you get a very refined and functional package for not a lot of money. Tall guys fit well, and legroom in the back is decent. Spring for the winter floor mats. Niggles are few. First gear is too short, and gas mileage isn't what it should be for a car this size. Still, I'd buy it again.
Maintenance repair shop queen
Keith, 09/17/2015
updated 03/20/2017
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6M)
13 of 17 people found this review helpful
The car achieves outstanding mileage with the TDI engine with enormous low end torque. However it is a maintenance nightmare. The Satellite radio failed at 18 months along with the aux port. The TDI engine intercooler had a design fault resulting in bent valve and engine freeze up. Volkswagen replaced the engine under warranty. All four struts, shocks and wheel bearings have failed in the last 24 months. Car is religiously washed and waxed. The paint failed at 70 months on all four wheel wells and the rocker panels with large chunks of paint blistering and peeling off. Volkswagen has only agreed to pay 20% of the repair cost. I buy the best tires rated for ride and noise. Despite that the car rides rough and there is so much wind and road noise that I wear ear plugs during my commute and I will not drive it on long drives.
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Love hate relationship
ronald, 09/10/2015
updated 03/12/2017
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6AM)
15 of 20 people found this review helpful
The 2009 TDI sportwagon. I love about everything about this car except reliability and that is a show stopper. Virtually every system has had major overhauls except the engine. I guess I have grown spoiled driving about a dozen Toyotas over the years as they are reliable and run forever. Expect to pay the cost of the car for repairs during the first 120K for this model. The least reliable and most expensive to repair automobile I have owned. I will never purchase another VW.
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great vehicle until 80,000 miles
Duke M, 07/30/2015
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6AM)
6 of 7 people found this review helpful
dealership support has always been an issue. I don't trust them to tell me the truth. After an dealership oil change I left on a long trip. 500 miles from home in the middle of nowhere, loud flapping noises from the engine compartment. I inspected and discovered that the underbelly pan was missing bolts. I limped along at 60 miles an hour for another 500 miles to a town that had a VW dealership. I had to pay to have the missing bolts replaced. Local home dealership denied to refund me the cost of the repair. It appears that it's a myth...Diesel engines are good for 100,000 's of miles. At 100,000 miles, the repair saga has begun. Do I dump and run or do I take my chances that the worst is behind me?
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So much potential!
Carson C., 09/15/2016
2009 Volkswagen Jetta S 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 5M)
7 of 9 people found this review helpful
I purchased my 2009 Volkswagen Jetta S in 2013. It was a certified used vehicle purchased from Volkswagen Van Nuys in Van Nuys, CA, and it only had 27,000 miles on it. Since I've owned the car, the resale value has tanked. It now has about 85,000 miles, and is only worth about $8,500 max (and that's including all the upgrades). I've had many electrical issues with the car...such as: 1.) In 2014, the fuse panel under the engine melted, 2.) In 2016, my front driver seat almost caught fire, as the seat warmer burned through the seat & caused black marks...luckily, I noticed before it turned into a fire, 3.) In 2016, my fuse panel inside the car melted. Although Volkswagen considers some of these "safety issues", they will refuse to take care of the problem...which is why it is unfortunate, but I will never purchase another Volkswagen again. I will give this car credit -- it handles very well. The only other negative about this car, is that I feel as though the car goes through gas a lot faster than it is supposed to. I even borrowed a 2015 Volkswagen Jetta while mine was being repaired, and the car would say "125 miles until empty"...5 miles later, it would read "110-115 miles until empty", and so forth. I would not recommend this car to anyone over 5'8". I am about 5'6"/5'7", and even I sometimes will hit my head getting in and out of the car.
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Great car!!
Jay in Dallas, 11/21/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I had never owned a front wheel drive, or a diesel or a Volkswagen. I'm sold! The 6-speed manual shifts very smoothly and the engine has plenty of torque. It handles great - not much torque steer. I'm 6'4" and am very comfortable on longer trips - even with the sunroof I have plenty of headroom. Huge trunk. The fit and finish couldn't be better. The safety features were a real selling point too. All that and 40 mpg. A lot of car for the money!
Great car!
Joe, 09/16/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg Edition 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
The most bang for your buck of any car on the market. I have the 2008 Wolfsburg, 2.0T and I'm getting an AVERAGE of 29.5 MPG over the least 10 - 15 tanks. I've never had one under 27 and my last tank was 31. I also think it has a perfectly tuned transmission - I never feel like I need to be in manual mode. Bottom line: great car.
Love my TDI
doczachary, 04/25/2011
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6AM)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
Purchased my 2009 TDI when I got tired of the gas mileage of my big truck. Put everything on it execpt for the Navigation system, fearing, and sun roof. I currently have 63K on my Jetta and really have had no issues to complain about. I get combo mileage of 35mpg and freeway of about 45 - 48 mpg with the AC on. The heated (fake) leather seats are great in the winter and really help the lower back on a long trip. The AC is good but not great. It could be colder. The AM/FM/CD/Sat stereo is great and works well. More speakers than you can find or count. Kids would probably complain since you probably can't turn it up as loud as they listen to it these days. Great finish and looks good
Happy with recent pruchase
MIchael, 08/04/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen SE 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I have had the vehicle for 1 week. Adverstised combined epa is 24 mpg. Dealership told me to expect to get a lot more. Took a roadtrip right away and foumd my highway mpg was 38 mpg (70 mph set on cruise). No Joke. I was shocked and thrilled. This is a regular 5 cylinder gas engine not the TDL. Seems to be a solid car with good looks. If reliability holds up I'll be very happy with my purchase.
This car is 10 y/o and running great!
Micah Butler, 02/07/2019
2009 Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg Edition 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
This car is almost been owned for 10 years and has 100k miles on it. The only problem so far has been the timing belt which was fully covered from the VW 10-year/100k mile warranty. The car rides beautifully. I think it is important to know that this car isn't "luxury". It's a sports car with heated leather seats. The engine isn't made to be comfortable, it's a GTI engine after all, which might steer a lot of people away if they don't want a quick car. It also has launch control.
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Well built car that is fun to drive also
jet25s, 12/30/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta S 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
I have had the car for three months and it has been good to me as a daily commuter car. The engine pulls hard from the low rpm range and the manual transmission shifts very smoothly but with assurance. The suspension is dialed between comfort and handling so it is not very cushy but it has more body roll than I would like. It feels as quick as my 2500lb Miata in the straight line acceleration. I have autocrossed the Jetta and it pleasantly surprised me in its stock form with the all season tires. The rear view mirror developed a crack this morning when the heat came on when it was frozen. I am hoping it will be covered under warranty...
2nd set of coilovers
NoneYa, 08/25/2016
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SE 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
so I changed my oem suspension to a reputable company's coilovers about some 3 or 4 years. OMGOGMGGOMG, the car handled sooo much differently and moooar enjoyable to drive.....even with a drop of about 1" or 1.5" car runs great on long drives...although a little more road noise....but that's fixed via the radio volume. Other than getting new tires....the oil change and small things I've had NO problems w/my car....except the stupid door dings at the grocery store....
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Great Car
poopoopeepee, 02/13/2012
2009 Volkswagen Jetta S PZEV 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 5M)
3 of 3 people found this review helpful
This is a great car. My car is at 38k miles and the only problem I've had is weak break pads, but that can happen to any car. It is extremely smooth to drive. It has delayed steering, a great suspension, smooth shifting, and a VERY quiet engine. Im pretty young, and I drive manual transmission so I think that the quiet engine is a negative quality of the car, but that is a great thing for a lot of people. And the inside is amazing, I haven't had a person sit in my car and not give me a compliment. With heated seats (not leather), electric Everything, and plenty, i mean PLENTY of room in both the front and back seats, it feels like a $30k+ luxury vehicle. (only paid $14k)
A Wonderful Terrible Car
Garren, 05/25/2020
2009 Volkswagen Jetta S 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
I have owned a 2009 Jetta since Dec. 2012. Took collection of it with 36000 miles (approx 58000 km) on the clock. It drives and handles unlike anything else in its class. Superb feel in the steering, brakes, and road feel (while still remaining plenty comfortable). Fuel economy is so-so. I get about 25 mpg combined. I perform oil changes regularly and keep up on all maintenance. The car, while it handles great and is stylish, has been rife with problems. In July 2013 the master cylinder went and caused a brake fire. In May 2014, the Cruise Control began to stop working intermittently. It stopped working entirely a few months later. In January 2015, the car's interior window switches stopped working on the driver's door. In February 2015, the sensor for the windshield washer fluid stopped functioning and also needed replacing. Throughout 2015 the windows would randomly roll down. In April 2017, the car started shifting roughly, and I was told the valve body needed replacing, or I could shift the car manually through the TipTronic system. The transmission had always been incredibly difficult, and shifted at weird times. I've never had this issue in other automatic cars. In December 2017, the driver door switches needed to be replaced again. In Spring 2018, the back doors occasionally wouldn't open from the outside and needed to be opened from the inside, despite them being unlocked. In September 2019, at 85,100 miles, the transmission died entirely. It needed to be rebuilt and cost $3500. I called VW and was given no help with finding a less costly solution to fix a car that had been regularly maintained and cared for. After coughing up the money for the rebuild, the transmission is still not shifting correctly, and I'm in talks with the transmission shop to have it rebuilt (again). The washer fluid sensor died again in December 2019, and the door switches generally are not responsive and will need to be replaced again. On top of that, the speakers in the driver's door stopped working when the radio or a CD plays, but works for the AUX cable. Now all doors will intermittently not work and need to be opened from a working door, or in once case, from crawling through the trunk. Sometimes the rear doors don't lock, too. My verdict: The car has a lot of great aspects that make it clear why it was such a popular car when new. There are a lot of reasons why it's a likeable machine. That said, the long list of problems that I have encountered with this car makes me say you should pass on it. People I know that also own Jettas in this same generation have similar electrical/transmission problems. This was not a well built car. I currently have a bit over 91000 miles, and will be selling the car hopefully within the year to get something far more reliable and headache free.
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Reliability Diaster
mike_t, 03/24/2011
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6M)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
The car is ideal in concept and I enjoyed it very much in the beginning - especially the 6 speed and low end torque. But the initial quality was poor. Problems included the navigation system, ABS, and exhaust system. Then the fuel pump failed at 27k miles. Very, very disappointed. I have 2 Toyota's with 255k miles combined and I've never thought about the fuel system failing => Much less to the tune of $10k. VW is covering under warranty, but I would consider the quality very much below average.
Pretty shoddy. Lots of problems. Dealers don't care.
kingtaco, 08/18/2011
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen SE 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
4 of 5 people found this review helpful
So, I've had my wagon for about 32 months and I've given up. I've had multiple problems with the suspension, the alloy wheels break from even the most minor potholes. I've replaced something like 7 wheels at this point and finally started buying steel wheels. Those haven't had any problems. The dealers are hideously overpriced and don't seem to care about any of the problems I've had. They just want me to keep coming back and spending more money when something breaks. After another $600 bill for a small pothole I've given in. I'm waiting for Kia to get their 2012 models in and as soon as they do the Jetta's gone. I got 120k miles out of my last car (Honda), but only 45k out of this junk heap
Good for 79,500 miles
chrislongo, 11/11/2013
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6M)
7 of 11 people found this review helpful
I was a good car for 79,500 miles. Did all routine maintenance plus a new intake manifold but this was not enough to keep it going. It need a whole new engine after 79,500 miles.
Love This Car
Stoked!, 11/12/2010
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SE 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
This car is beautiful, understated, stylish and comfortable. The interior style and quality are remarkable, from the leather wrapped steering wheel to the red and blue lighted instrumentation. The perception of elegance and quality is high throughout. It's a baby German sports sedan with everything I want, and I paid $17,000 for it! That was a steal. Amazing value. In summary, a refined piece of automotive art. Finally, note the spread between the reviewers rating's # and the consumer's ratings # above. People who buy this car love it.
35k Miles
jettaowner5, 01/09/2012
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SE 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I bought this car a month ago with 34k miles. First of all, the exterior design of this car is a beauty. The 2012 Jetta is no where near as nice as this one. In addition, the newer models have backtracked in quality to make Jettas more competitive with Japanese and Korean sedans (another reason why I went with this 2009 Jetta) This 2009 interior is great. It is top notch quality with seat heaters, auxiliary input and soft touch dashboard. I feel like I'm riding a luxury car (which I think it is). Bought it for 14k. I love this car!
FUN CAR!!
keithk75, 07/17/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg Edition 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
The car is a great car for the money! It is also a great car to throw around, handles like a dream. I went to the VW dealer with the intend of buying a used A4. So far I'm not regretting the decision to by a new Jetta when it comes time to make the monthly payment. I would think the gas mileage for this size of car should be better. But the gas mileage is coming in as advertised (plus its too much fun driving this car with a heavy foot).
VW Jetta 2.0T 2009
Anthony (NJ), 06/11/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg Edition 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I was in the market for either a BMW 3 series or Audi A4. The prices were too much. I found the Jetta 2009 Wolfsburg AM and took it for a test drive and was VERY impressed. Very close to the Audi. Great car bumper to bumper and the dealership (Palisades) was great unlike the BMW and Audi dealerships I went to. This car is very responsive with great handling. It is the Audi A4 without all the glamor and that is ok with me because I saved the extra $13-$15K in my pocket. You will not find a similar sedan in American or Japanese for the price.
ALMOST THERE
TN, 06/24/2020
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6AM)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I bought mine 5 years ago it was my first “adult car”. The highline model has a beautiful interior, amazing features for a 2009, looks sharp and very comfortable to drive. The problems are everything under the hood. I feel this car would be much better if you were a person that knew how to do more advanced work on an engine. I personally don’t know anything about repairs so everything that goes wrong has to be paid out pocket and every repair is more expensive than you would think. This year has a problem with leaky brake Calipers and mine has a transmission between “the 2 halves”. Car people will know what I mean. But that was the death sentence for me. Overall it was a good car but every 6 months it seems I had to spend atleast 500$ on a repair. At times I loved this car but I don’t think I’ll be buying. VW ever again.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Reliable & Fun to drive sedan.
phani9, 08/31/2010
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SE 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I never had any issue with my Jetta in these 2years. It has been fun to drive. Mileage is not bad. It's a very good small family sedan with HUGE trunk space. I easily fit 3 big luggages into it.
Finally a complete car
Our Family Car, 03/31/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SE 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Our Family has Corolla and Civic. This time we choose Jetta. After seeing Jetta we are so pleased. We just realized how much of a car we missed in the last years. Carefree Maintenance is something really amazing. This clearly show the reliability of a car. Cargo space is well designed. I guess its bigger than Camry. It was an amazing experience when we took it on a high way. Over all it was fun. When dealer explained the safety and the construction I don't think no compact car come close to it. German engineering is amazing. I guess we will replace Corolla and Civic at the earliest. I would say from now on we are Volkswagen family.
Jetta sportwagon SEL manual
eurosteve, 03/05/2010
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen SEL PZEV 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
This is a great car! Buy it. It gets better gas mileage than my mini cooper S. Its fast, corners wonderfully. Is a great family car for 5. Its a GTI with kids. I still don't know why people buy minivans. Its hard to keep it under 95. Had it for a year without any regrets. Oh by the way, either get a manual transmission, or ride a bicycle instead.
Never again will I buy a VW
Mark, 08/24/2015
updated 02/21/2016
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6M)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
Car was okay until 90K miles. The turbo on the diesel grenaded, causing not only all the damage in the turbo, but also the exhaust system (which had been redesigned and you had to buy the newer version). Very expensive repair. Asked VW to help, but there comment was that it was out of warranty, your on your own. The car was three years old at the time. They also made the comment that I had put a lot of miles in a short time. Really, a diesel should be good for 300K+. At 140K miles, radiator starts leaking, and was replaced. Radiator fan had to be replaced as it liked to run until it ran the battery down. Now one of the glow plugs needs to be replaced, one of the rear window regulators, and the electric steering is humming. With "dieselgate" now, the car is worth half than prior, and VW seems to be more concerned with saving their hide then customers. They don't even seem to really get it that the chicanery they did really is not justified because superior german engineering could not come up with a solution that was within their price point for producing the car.
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- Technology
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Yikes
chris72, 07/23/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen S 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
I bought my Jetta wagon. Had fun purchasing and driving it. Left the dealership with 25 miles on it. 12 days later, at 540 miles the car beeped, red light flashed, air conditioning blew hot air. The needle on the temp gauge went to 260! all the way to the right. VW road service came. Towed the car to dealer. Needless to say, the thrill of the new car is gone, and doubt has set in. Until then I loved the car. Now I worry about reliability and high repair costs after warranty wears out. Dealer handling it well, just a disappointment to me that the car had problems before I even got my license plates.
Great car for the money
Andy, 08/30/2008
2009 Volkswagen Jetta Wolfsburg Edition 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 6AM)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
I got a smokin deal on my Wolfsburg. It is the only normal jetta (not GLI) that comes this model year 2009 with the 2.0T. What a fun engine. Not opened it up yet but wow half throttle and it really goes. Seats are mostly comfortable, I haven't been able to get mine exactly where I want it. The only things I would change would be fuel economy readout in dash and steering wheel controls for the radio. I love it and look forward to driving it every morning. PS Don't get the Wolfsburg Jetta if you don't like to clean wheels (Look great but dirty quickly). Overall great car for the money.
This car is a money pit!
Skye, 09/05/2018
2009 Volkswagen Jetta S 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 5M)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
One thing Shoppers need to know before buying this car is that this certain make and model and year 135,000 were made in Mexico and those ones are having problems lots of problems I've had mine sense March of this year 2018 and I've done nothing but poor money into it and I only have a little over 81000 miles I purchased it and it had 79,000 miles I've already had to invest almost $4,000 into it and now there's more problems happening like the electrical and the fuel pump as well as the ABS control module so on doing my research after purchasing this I've noticed many people having the same problems as me and the sucky thing is that VW with their warranties on the recalls they're worth nothing you end up paying for the true problem but their warranty recalls are written to wear the cover not the underlying problem but the problem that you get after the problem solved it's ridiculous you end up spending more money than the car is worth and when you go to sell it you're not even making half back it's just so sad how VW as we sorted to search cheap materials that their car quality is not as good as it used to be and that they will not take responsibility for their actions it's truly sad unless you have money to do it or your mechanic buying this car is going to be a money pit and you're going to be investing in it more than it's worth in the end.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Not a great ownership experience
Iggy, 12/19/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen SE 4dr Wagon (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
The Jetta Sportwagen is a nice car with decent performance and fuel economy. However, the dealer experience leaves a lot to be desired. I've been told by the service dept multiple times that "VW doesn't cover squeaks and rattles after six months". I made an appt & dropped my car off first thing in the morning for a routine 90 minute service. Four hours later I telephoned for a status and was told that customers who wait there are given preference and they'd call me back in an hour. Before you buy ask about what's excluded from the "free" routine service - it'll cost you about $40 to have a turn signal bulb replaced. Less than 18 mos & I'm already looking for my next car. It will NOT be a VW!
VW should give cars away for free and charge for repair.
starzyd, 01/26/2015
2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6AM)
6 of 10 people found this review helpful
The 09 TDI Jetta was the worst car I've ever owned. At 67,000 miles it fell into the exhaust manifold warranty and VW put an entire new system in my car at a value of $8,000. At 78,000 miles the ABS system went out, AC stopped working, Exhaust system failed again, and transmission was slipping. It needed $8,000 in repairs to keep running and was only worth that much for a trade in. I prayed for months that someone hit me so I could dump this car as the trade in value was only $500 bucks with all it needed. I'm severely disappointed in VW. This car cost $23k to purchase and within 4 and 5 years it needed $17,000 in repairs to maintain it barely running. Stay away from this vehicle!
Beware!
shallquist, 01/15/2015
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbodiesel 6M)
3 of 5 people found this review helpful
This review is for the 2009, but based on my research affects all TDI models. All TDIs have a High Pressure Fuel Pump (HPFP) and they are prone to failure when the diesel fuel gets contaminated. My Diesel somehow got water in the diesel and apparently based on the rust in the tank this had been an on going problem. At 107000 miles the fuel system had to be replaced to the tune of $5,800 dollars. Apparently diesel fuel standards in the US are lower than that of Europe and VW hasn't taken that into consideration. Please CONSIDER this when purchasing.
Driven 11,000 miles since new.
tappan, 02/24/2012
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SE 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
5 of 10 people found this review helpful
Pros: Styling is a homerun. Much better looking than anything else in its segment. It looks classy and expensive even when standing still. Interior is also a homerun. Nice quality material; leatherette (fake leather) looks real, but does not require any special care or maintenance and does not age or crack like real leather. Very peppy 170 Hp 2.5L I-5 engine. Power everything, including both front seats! Cons: Engine technology dates back 30 years to old Audi 5000. It's buzzy, growly, and noisy, especially when cold. Fuel economy is just OK, not remarkable. Great in-town car.
Solid Performer
jetta_power, 12/03/2009
2009 Volkswagen Jetta SE 4dr Sedan (2.5L 5cyl 6A)
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
I leased a 2009 Jetta SE. Overall, this is a solid compact sedan. For the price paid, the car comes loaded with a lot of options, such as express windows up and down, heated seats, power seats, and a very plush leatherette interior. The interior is without a doubt the high point of the Jetta. It makes me feel like I'm in a more expensive car. The ride is compliant and sound. It is firm yet supple. Power is good, not great, but brake performance is no better than average. Fuel economy is decent, but I feel it should be better. If I'm easy on the engine, I can get 26- 27 MPG. Overally, I really like the Jetta and have no regrets so far. It's been reliable at 2K miles. VW has style and uniquenes