Car Defect Radar
Get the report
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated October 26, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.
Confirm 4 recalls before you buy.

Ask the seller for proof the repair was completed, or run the free VIN check. Recall repairs are done at no cost by a dealer.

Recalls

4 total · 4 to confirm

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

Safety recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 22V514000 · Jul 2022

A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will update the infotainment software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DV.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Airbags recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 21V492000 · Jun 2021

Incorrect positioning of the air bag control module can cause the vehicle's air bags to deploy improperly during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, the vehicle's air bags can deploy unintentionally, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will replace the air bag control module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 28, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69CK.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Safety recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 21V038000 · Feb 2021

The seat can move front and back without restriction if bolts are missing, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front seat tracks and, as necessary, install the bolts, free of charge. The recall began February 18, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 72L6.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Safety recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 20V716000 · Nov 2020

A black or frozen rear view image reduces the driver's visibility when reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the infotainment system software, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91BB/91BC.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Owner complaints by system

68 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Minor
13

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 5sudden stalling 3
A recent report: EPC light comes on and vehicle starts losing power while driving, you lose all acceleration. Check engine light has also illuminated I have taken in to have repairs done on this same issue 4 times in…
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EPC light comes on and vehicle starts losing power while driving, you lose all acceleration. Check engine light has also illuminated I have taken in to have repairs done on this same issue 4 times in a span of owing this car for 7 months, this vehicle has become unreliable and a safety hazard while driving. They have replaced battery replaced ignition coils replaced EVAP valve reset my computer software updated my computers. I have spent a ton of money on this car for a repair that is unrepairable. And it currently sits in the VW dealership shop again because it is become a safety hazard to drive with myself let alone putting my child's life at risk driving on highways.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11744747 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
10

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 6electrical shorts 2sudden stalling 1
A recent report: Mid June 2026 infotainment update was over the air software update. Update caused infotainment failures: looping screen resets, unable to play audio, disruption to screen during safety features such…
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Mid June 2026 infotainment update was over the air software update. Update caused infotainment failures: looping screen resets, unable to play audio, disruption to screen during safety features such as back up cam, unable to accomplish directions, CarPlay no longer consistent feature. None of these listed problems were present before over the air software update.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11761522 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
27

Most reports here involve premature wear. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.

premature wear 20loss of braking 3software faults 2
A recent report: There appears to be a known issue with the rear braking system on the VW Jetta for various model years including 2021. The issue seems to be a combination of soft brake pads combined with the…
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There appears to be a known issue with the rear braking system on the VW Jetta for various model years including 2021. The issue seems to be a combination of soft brake pads combined with the autonomous braking system which overuses the brakes and causes premature wear. This rear autonomous braking system cannot be turned off. VW acknowledged this issue by issuing Policy and Procedure Bulletin VWP 22-18 on 12/20/2022 which extended the warranty on the rear brake pads to 2 years or 24K miles. This extension was due to a premature wear issue though they did not acknowledge in the bulletin that the autonomous braking system was to blame or faulty. I had to replace my rear brakes and rotors at 25,100 miles and have now been told I need to do this again at 47,800 miles. I paid over $500 the first time and have been quoted over $600 this time. I believe VW is aware that the rear braking system is faulty and is causing excessive wear to brake pads and resulting damage to rotors. This premature wear could lead to a safety issue if the rear brakes do not function as needed. I believe VW should issue a recall for the rear braking system and fix the issue rather than force consumers to keep replacing pads/rotors every 24K miles. I will attach the service bulletin from VW along with my invoice for replacing my brakes at 25K miles and the estimate to replace them again at 47,800 miles.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11764312 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Minor
3

Most reports here involve loss of steering.

loss of steering 2
A recent report: When driving the vehicle, the steering wheel while jiggle violently while an electrical noise is heard. This happened while driving on the interstate at 70 mph and I had to hit my breaks as I was…
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When driving the vehicle, the steering wheel while jiggle violently while an electrical noise is heard. This happened while driving on the interstate at 70 mph and I had to hit my breaks as I was fearful I didn't have control of the vehicle. It then continued to do it even at lower speeds. The vehicle has been to a service department where they state the steering rack and pinion has failed. There are no warning lights, lamps or messages. The vehicle is at 72k miles.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11615555 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Minor
3

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 1
A recent report: I have noticed an issue with how easily the rear, passenger-side seatbelt is able to be clicked into the buckle. Initially when I got the car, passengers using that seatbelt did not seem to have any…
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I have noticed an issue with how easily the rear, passenger-side seatbelt is able to be clicked into the buckle. Initially when I got the car, passengers using that seatbelt did not seem to have any issue with easily clicking the seatbelt into the buckle. More recently, it seems my passengers using that seatbelt have a more difficult time clicking it into the buckle because the buckle seems to go down into the cushion when they put pressure on it. Passengers now have to hold the buckle in place while clicking it in. The only thing I can think of that could explain this change in how easily the seat belt can be clicked in could be that I put the seats down at one point using the pull lever in the trunk. I'm not sure this "ease of use" issue was the result of putting down the seats at one point but it's what comes to mind. This does not seem to affect the seat belt in terms of it being securely connected to the car, it only seems to affect how easily someone is able to click it into the buckle. People now seem to need to use two hands to click it in versus being able to do it with one hand.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11480550 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
8

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 8
A recent report: While driving home from work last night, I heard a loud noise that sounded like a gun going off right in the passenger compartment of my Jetta. A lot of wind noise followed. I thought initially that…
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While driving home from work last night, I heard a loud noise that sounded like a gun going off right in the passenger compartment of my Jetta. A lot of wind noise followed. I thought initially that a tire might have blown out, but it was the car’s sunroof that had spontaneously and inexplicably exploded. There was no one close to me on the road, so I don’t believe a foreign object struck the roof. I was able to drive the car home, but the sunroof is demolished.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11700262 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Read closely
4

Most reports here involve other issues. Of these, 2 mention a crash.

other issues 4
A recent report: It cause to have an account

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11540550 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 68 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2021 and 2026, roughly 13 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.

How does it compare with other years? The 2021 has 68 complaints on file, more than the 2020 (52) and more than the 2022 (42). Of the 16 model years of the Volkswagen Jetta we cover, the 2010 has the most (852). Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.