Your vehicle report
2021 Volkswagen Jetta
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 70
- Received May 2021 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Front brake rotors warp and wear early17 complaints · 24% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Check engine light comes on repeatedly5 complaints · 7.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Automatic emergency braking applies without reason4 complaints · 5.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #22V514000Volkswagen 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."
- Recall #21V492000Volkswagen 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Check engine light comes on repeatedlyFirst signal: Jun 2026
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 3 crashes, 0 fires, 1 person injured, 2 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 7 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Airbags, belts & seats
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Month | Complaints |
|---|---|
| May 2021 | 1 |
| June 2021 | 2 |
| July 2021 | 0 |
| August 2021 | 0 |
| September 2021 | 1 |
| October 2021 | 0 |
| November 2021 | 0 |
| December 2021 | 1 |
| January 2022 | 0 |
| February 2022 | 1 |
| March 2022 | 2 |
| April 2022 | 0 |
| May 2022 | 0 |
| June 2022 | 1 |
| July 2022 | 0 |
| August 2022 | 2 |
| September 2022 | 1 |
| October 2022 | 1 |
| November 2022 | 1 |
| December 2022 | 3 |
| January 2023 | 1 |
| February 2023 | 1 |
| March 2023 | 2 |
| April 2023 | 1 |
| May 2023 | 1 |
| June 2023 | 1 |
| July 2023 | 0 |
| August 2023 | 2 |
| September 2023 | 1 |
| October 2023 | 0 |
| November 2023 | 1 |
| December 2023 | 2 |
| January 2024 | 1 |
| February 2024 | 2 |
| March 2024 | 2 |
| April 2024 | 2 |
| May 2024 | 0 |
| June 2024 | 2 |
| July 2024 | 3 |
| August 2024 | 0 |
| September 2024 | 4 |
| October 2024 | 0 |
| November 2024 | 3 |
| December 2024 | 2 |
| January 2025 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 2 |
| March 2025 | 2 |
| April 2025 | 1 |
| May 2025 | 1 |
| June 2025 | 1 |
| July 2025 | 1 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 1 |
| October 2025 | 0 |
| November 2025 | 1 |
| December 2025 | 0 |
| January 2026 | 0 |
| February 2026 | 1 |
| March 2026 | 0 |
| April 2026 | 0 |
| May 2026 | 1 |
| June 2026 | 1 |
| July 2026 | 2 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 3 |
| October 2026 | 1 |
| Total | 70 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 17 | 24% | 110.2× | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 5 | 7.1% | 7× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jun 2026 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.0% |
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 4 | 5.7% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 3 | 4.3% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 3 | 4.3% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 3 | 4.3% | 10.2× | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 3 | 4.3% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #22V514000July 20, 202243,091 vehicles affected
back over prevention: sensing system: camera; equipment: electrical: infotainment: software
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #21V492000June 30, 2021379 vehicles affected
air bags: air bag/restraint control module
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #21V038000February 1, 202157 vehicles affected
seats; seats: critical fasteners
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #20V716000November 18, 202032,048 vehicles affected
back over prevention: sensing system: camera
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.
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN