2021 Volkswagen Jetta Problems, Recalls & Reliability
99 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 10/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Brakes & stability leads the reports.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2021 sits among all Jetta years
What owners report
“Right rear brake pads at 33.5K (mostly highway miles) are completely worn. (Cannot be blamed on the driving pattern)”— owner report to NHTSA, 2021 Jetta
Recalls (4)
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…
Fix: 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…
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.
Fix: 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 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.
Fix: 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 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…
Fix: 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…
Technical service bulletins
479 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta reliable?
The 2021 Volkswagen Jetta drew 99 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 10/100, scored against the model's worst year (2002).
What are the most common 2021 Volkswagen Jetta problems?
The top reported problems for the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta are brakes & stability (26 complaints), driver assistance (16), and electrical (13).
Does the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.