2021 Volkswagen Jetta problems and complaints
Owners have filed 68 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta. The most-reported areas: Service Brakes (26), Electrical System (13), Unknown Or Other (11).
Key takeaways
- 68 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 3 involve a crash, 0 a fire, 1 reported injury.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 26 | 38% |
| Electrical System | 13 | 19% |
| Unknown Or Other | 11 | 16% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 9 | 13% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 8 | 12% |
| Engine | 5 | 7% |
| Lane Departure | 4 | 6% |
| Air Bags | 4 | 6% |
| Visibility/Wiper | 3 | 4% |
| Steering | 3 | 4% |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 4% |
| Power Train | 2 | 3% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Volkswagen Jetta 4 DR FWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Service Brakes - filed 2026-09-15
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 t...
Electrical System,unknown Or Other - filed 2026-09-02
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 we...
Service Brakes,forward Collision Avoidance - filed 2026-07-14
While traveling at the posted speed limit and approaching a signalized intersection, I attempted to brake for stopped traffic ahead. The vehicle did not decelerate as expected, and the automatic emergency braking/forward collision mitigation system did not activate or provide any braking assistance. Additionally, no fo...
Diagnose it yourself
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
More for the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.