2021 Volkswagen Jetta
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Service brakes is the leading concern among 69 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 20th highest complaint count among 26 Jetta model years with reports.
Of the 2021 reports, 3 involved a crash. 1 person was injured and 2 people died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Back over prevention, sensing system, cameraJul 20, 2022
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Golf GTI, Jetta GLI, Jetta NF, Arteon FL, Tiguan LWB, 2022 Taos, Jetta PA, Tiguan PA, 2021-2022 Atlas Cross Sport, and Atlas FL vehicles. The manufacturing process of the eMMC memory module in the infotainment system may cause the rearview camera image not to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 22V514000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, air bag/restraint control moduleJun 30, 2021
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Jetta and Jetta GLI vehicles. The air bag control module was welded in the incorrect position.
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.
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.
Campaign 21V492000 on NHTSA.gov
SeatsFeb 1, 2021
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan Long Wheelbase and Jetta vehicles. Bolts may be missing from the front seat tracks.
The seat can move front and back without restriction if bolts are missing, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
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.
Campaign 21V038000 on NHTSA.gov
Back over prevention, sensing system, cameraNov 18, 2020
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas Cross Sport, Tiguan LWB, Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas FL and Arteon vehicles. The rear view camera could malfunction during an ignition cycle, leading to a black screen or infotainment system freeze. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
A black or frozen rear view image reduces the driver's visibility when reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 20V716000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
69 reports, newest first.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 6, 2024
Rearview Mirror detached from windshield while car was in motion. There was no force of any kind applied to the mirror, and nothing hanging from it.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Sep 4, 2024
As you park the car the EPB faulty parking brake engages without being told to engage
Lane departure, Jul 30, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated while driving at various speeds in a designated lane, several messages advising that the vehicle was out of the lane were displayed. The vehicle made an abnormal beeping sound and slightly pulled to the right or to the left. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the failure recurred. Additionally, the steering wheel forcefully jerked to the left, towards oncoming traffic, causing the contact to temporarily lose control of the vehicle. The contact was able to steer the vehicle back to the lane and continued driving. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.
Service brakes, Jul 30, 2024
Vehicle was brought in for 30k miles service with vibration during braking. Under inspection the dealership condemned all the brake rotors and pads (on 4 corners). The technician associated this failure to "temperature" pointing at radial marks on the rotors. This is clearly incorrect as the marks on the rotor are corrosion marks, including a corrosion ring around the central area of the disk. VW has already extended the warranty on the rear brakes for a known issue with premature failure of the brakes. Upon calling VW corporate they refused to extend the warranty or analyze the case again.
Electrical system, Jul 24, 2024
When I started my car a light came on saying “check starter system” and I turned the car off and then turned it back on and same message appeared. I waited until it was cooler outside and tried it again and the light disappeared. I’m aware of the recalls on the 2019-2020 Jetta and the faulty ignition switch, and I believe this is what it is as well.
Service brakes, Jun 7, 2024
Right rear brake pads at 33.5K (mostly highway miles) are completely worn. (Cannot be blamed on the driving pattern)
Electrical system, Jun 5, 2024
Front passenger door latch/actuator failed and door will not lock with inside door lock, key fob, or upon auto-lock activation at 10 mph. Rear passenger door is also intermittently not locking with auto-lock feature and/or key fob. Driver side is also making an abnormal sound when auto-locking.
Service brakes, Apr 19, 2024
The right rear brake disk and inner pad wore out prematurely. Only the inside of the brake disk and pad were worn, metal to metal. ALL other brake disks and brake pads were "normal" for a car with 22,000 miles.
Service brakes, Back over prevention, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 17, 2024
Upon backing out of a parking spot a vehicle approached at a fast rate of speed. The rear cross-path sensor and emergency braking activated. This action caused the brake line to rupture and the brakes failed on the vehicle. I resumed reversing out of the parking spot and put the vehicle into Drive. Once I applied the brake, the pedal went to the floor with total brake system loss. The vehicle was towed to Armstrong Volkswagen in Gladstone, Oregon. The dealer found the rear passenger side brake like had ruptured due to it rubbing on the fuel filler neck shield. The sudden increase in brake line pressure caused the final failure of the brake line. The brake line was repaired under warranty. This could have been a significant life threatening situation had I been traveling at high speeds and the brake system failed (i.e. exiting an Interstate, etc.).
Service brakes, Mar 23, 2024
I replaced the rear brakes on this vehicle at 16,000 miles due to them prematurely wearing out and the were covered under an extended warranty due to known issue. I took the vehicle in for an oil change at 28,871 miles and was told the rear brakes were down to 2mm and needed to be changed as well as the rotors. This is only 12,000 miles since the last rear brake change and when I had the brake pads inspected at 23,000 miles they were fine. It appears there is a major defect in the rear brakes of the VW jetta since the front brake pads are fine. I was charged $522 after a discount to have the brakes and rotors replaced. I don't think it is reasonable for a car with only 28,871 miles to have already had to change the rear brake pads twice and the rotors at all.
Service brakes, Mar 18, 2024
My 2021 VW Jetta at 8 months old with 21305 miles had a grinding noise in the rear. Took it to the dealer Aug 9 2022 and was told the rear brakes and rotors needed to be replaced at my cost. I informed them I thought this was way too early to have to pay for brakes and that something must be wrong. They made me pay over $600. I later found out a TSB was issued by VW in Dec 2022 to extend brake coverage to 2 years 24,000 miles. I want my money back as they have now admitted there is an issue with the brakes. 14 months later in Oct 2023 same issue at 40,250. The dealer now informs me of this TSB and although it was intended to ONLY cover your first set of failing brakes, the Service advisor got the ok from the VW district manager to warranty them this time. Once again VW admitting to a problem with my vehicles parts and or manufacturing. The fact that they and the NHTSA know there is a problem with the electronic braking and they refuse to fix it is dumbfounding. My front pads at 41,250 have only used 3mm of the original 12 while the rear pads went through 2 complete sets or 24mm. This could not be more obvious it is a manufacturing defect as the rear pads are applied nearly 100% of time and the front nearly 0%. This is outrageously unacceptable and I demand my car be fixed properly and not be hassled with having to argue warranty issues every 15,000-20,000 miles for new pads and rotors. I will be contacting VW about the issue.
Other or unspecified, Feb 6, 2024
UNKNOWN. I was driving from Alabama to Atlanta [XXX]. Pouring rain but no hail, no thunder nor lighting. I was not around nor under an overpass and my sunroof spontaneously shatters. I just bought this vehicle 2 weeks ago at Carmax. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Feb 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated while reversing, the brake pedal was depressed, and the contact heard a grinding sound coming from the rear brakes. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and a diagnostic test was performed. The dealer stated that the rear brakes were metal on metal and the front brakes were okay. The rear brake pads and rotors were replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the repair was not covered under Extended Warranty because the warranty had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 14,469.
Service brakes, Jan 31, 2024
I purchased my vehicle brand new from VW. My vehicle only has just over 33,000 miles on it. After hearing a grinding noise in the rear brakes I took it to Les Shwab to have the brakes inspected along with a tire rotation. After a short time waiting they told me that the rear brakes were metal on metal and the front were just fine. I asked how the rear brakes could go out so soon when the front brakes are the ones that normally wear out so quickly. They had planned to replace the pads and rotors on the rear of the vehicle. When they tried to remove the calipers the piston would not release and I had to pay foe new calipers as well. A couple hour brake inspection turned into three days without my vehicle waiting for parts and a $1,314.49 bill. I went online looking for recalls and there weren't any. I did however find that this is a common issue for the 2021 Jetta, and it is presumed that the roll back brake assist is faulty causing the calipers to not release thus causing excessive wear to the rear brakes. Had my rear brakes gone out completely before I had them inspected this could have been very bad causing myself or others serious injury or even death. I am seeking for NHTSA to investigate this further and force VW to issue a recall. I am also seeking full reimbursement for my bill from VW. Thank you.
Lane departure, Dec 28, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the contact observed that the blind spot monitor and the Lane Keep Assist warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was a second failure to the system. The contact had previously taken the vehicle to a dealer and the sensor for the blind spot monitor and the Lane Keep Assist warning had been replaced once before. The contact had taken the vehicle back to the same local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the blind spot and Lane Keep Assist sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
Service brakes, Dec 16, 2023
On 01/12/2023 at approximately 4:20 PM, I paid the cost to replace the rear brakes on my 2021 VW Jetta SEL. This included parts and labor. I found this very odd due to the vehicle being less than 2 years old. About 1 week after this, I received via USPS mail, a letter from VW of America stating that an extended warranty of the rear brakes applies to my vehicle (see attached). I filled out the required information and submitted the included form as instructed. On 04/08/2023 I received an email from VW Customer Care stating they will not reimburse me for the price of the brakes I had to replace. The only reason I had to replace the said brakes is due to Volkswagen's faulty parts and I fear this is happening to many consumers as well. After a bit of "back and forth" with VWoA, I contacted NYS AG's office and with their help, VWoA finally paid me for the replacement of the stated brakes. Seeing that many others on your site have had this same issue, I think a recall should be enacted by you. This should not be an expense that VWoA's customers should have to bear.
Service brakes, Nov 27, 2023
I do not feel safe with my Vehicle. I purchased new and at 16,550 Miles it needed new rear rotors and pads. Again at 38417 it needed new rotors and pads. I drive the car softly and am not heavy on the brakes. This seems to be a known issue and the dealership says I should be prepared to replace rotors and pads this frequently. It was only 1.5 years until the 2nd pad/rotor change. Not only do I not feel safe, that is a financial hardship.
Service brakes, Sep 1, 2023
Without warning, the rear brakes started making unusual scraping sound with slight loss of braking power. Within a week of the issue took car to dealer who informed me that rear brake pads were completely worn out with calipers scraping and damaging the rotors. VW refused to fix the issue via warranty. By the end of the week, the scraping escalated and significant loss of braking power occurred. The premature failure or the braking pads and subsequent rotor damage seems to be a pervasive problem and well documented problem at VW. Their approach to safety and resolution however very troubling. The car was purchased new from the dealer 30 months ago and has 15,300 miles at the time of the incident.
Air bags, Seat belts, Aug 24, 2023, crash
Caused an accident and died
Air bags, Aug 24, 2023, crash
It cause to have an account
Power train, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Jun 4, 2023
Hill Assist system creates dangerous situations because it prevents me from moving right away while pulling out in traffic or in front of traffic lights, out of parking garages and stop signs. Hill Assist system often stalls the engine due to holding brakes engaged for an extended period of time even on a slight hill. With a manual transmission this makes it even worse because engine dies in these situations frequently. Dealer dismisses the issue because "there are no fault codes", but if it was manufactured incorrectly and/or calibrated improperly, no error/fault codes will come on. I have been driving manual transmissions all my life (from motorcycles to semi trucks) for over 40 years and it's clear to me that this vehicle is a safety concern with underpowered engine that cannot overcome Hill Assist. Other Hill Assist systems immediately disengage the brakes when an accelerator pedal is pressed. In this vehicle, the brake stays on and vehicle dies on even on a slightest hill. Please help investigate.
Visibility, May 23, 2023
The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the sunroof exploded. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.
Service brakes, Apr 27, 2023
The rear breaks wore down t 1MM(Dangerous Level) in under 2 years and at 26,973 miles. They extended the warranty to 2 years and 24,000 at 2mm at the end of December but we did not get notification of this to have the breaks checked. The vehicle was seen in September 2022 and the breaks were noted to be at 6MM which is not typical but not at the recommended replacement (3mm). This is a defective part and should be replaced by Volkswagen. The front breaks have been at 12 this whole time. No warnings or messages from the car. We took it in when we noticed a scraping sound from the rear breaks on 4/26/23. We were never going to meet the new warranty qualifications but were put in danger with them knowing there is a significant problem and no notification or recall on the break parts.
Forward collision avoidance, Mar 12, 2023
I've had 3 manufacturing defects on my 2021 VW Jetta, with 18,000 miles currently, the first issue was my sunglasses compartment on the ceiling of the car, the plastic latches broke by itself, The second issue my car had, multiple sensor lights went off simultaneously, shortly after my breaks started braking by themselves randomly, The dealership were I purchased the car, Payne Mission Mitsubishi Volkswagen, 2003 E Expressway 83, Mission, TX 78572 told me to leave the car at the dealership and maybe they could fix it in a month, I told them it was my primary car that I couldn't do that, they said well to be in line the car had to be physically present at the dealership, I thought about suing for breach of contract for refusing to fix it and giving me the run around, The 3rd Manufacturing defect that I had with the car, The front panel glass part number #17A8770559B9, shattered spontaneously on a rural highway with no one around me, it sounded like a gunshot when it exploded, The dealership and VW have refused to acknowledge that it is a manufacturing issue, I'm currently waiting to see if they will cover it with factory warranty, but I've been getting the run around. I'm aware that VW already had this issue brought to their attention several years back when they were sued, they have not resolved the issue. I'm asking for an immediate recall of their front panel glass and sunroof glass that was cheaply made and manufactured in Mexico. they are charging us 895$ MSRP for glass that's defected, part number #17A8770559B9. I was told by a VW Customer Service representative that a VW engineer would have to examine the glass. If your organization is unable to assist me my next course of action will be to fight this in court till the end, this is an injustice to the customers, an organization as big as Volkswagen should acknowledge the issue and address it in a courteous manner, their should be more laws/rules in ethics when it comes to car sales and mechanic shops.
Service brakes, Mar 9, 2023
I purchased my Volkswagen Jetta July 2021. I had been getting my car serviced ever since at the dealership in Orange Park for routine maintenance, repairs, and recalls. There were times when I brought the vehicle to the dealership and the check engine light was on but they said nothing was wrong. I continue to complain about a noise coming from my trunk but again I was informed that nothing was wrong. March 6 2023, I went back to the dealership for the same noise but this time it was very very loud, and they informed me I needed new break pads and rotors for my vehicle totaling 555.50 before tax. I declined the service and consulted with my father who is very familiar with cars and have worked on them in the past. He explained to me that it is uncommon for a car my age to have the rear break pads and rotors worn down, and the front break pads and rotors still in good condition. I then called the service department at the dealership and asked was this a common issue among these vehicles. He said yes, and that Volkswagen has issued an extension of their break pad warranty from 1 year or 12,000 miles to 2 years or 24,000 miles. But explained to me that I was now over 26000 miles and that he would have to contact management to see what they could do. After much complaining from myself and my father, the manager agreed to place aftermarket break pads on my car no charge , but I needed to pay for the rotors. I was still very upset, but could not decline the offer because my car was in need of immediate servicing. Due to the negligence of the dealership I am out of $275 and I feel that Volkswagen should cover the complete cost of the damages to my rotors, this could have been avoided if my vehicle was properly being serviced. My life could’ve been in jeopardy because of this situation. The dealership informed me that Volkswagen sent out letters in regards to the rear break issue but I never received it. Bad handling by Volkswagen and you have lost a customer!