2021 Volkswagen Jetta problems and recalls

Owner complaints on the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta include 2 fatality reports, 3 crashes and 0 fires across 67 filings.

67
Complaints
4
Recalls
3
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
1
Injuries
96.4
Severity index

Severity index 96.4 High. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 96.4p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 9 of 92 by severity index among 2021 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 90% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2021 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

Service BrakesService Brakes: 25 complaints (37.3%)25 37%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 13 complaints (19.4%)13 19%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 11 complaints (16.4%)11 16%Fuel/Propulsion SystemFuel/Propulsion System: 9 complaints (13.4%)9 13%Forward Collision Avoid…Forward Collision Avoidance: 8 complaints (11.9%)8 12%EngineEngine: 5 complaints (7.5%)5 7%Lane DepartureLane Departure: 4 complaints (6.0%)4 6%Air BagsAir Bags: 4 complaints (6.0%)4 6%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
SERVICE BRAKES2537.3%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1319.4%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1116.4%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM913.4%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE811.9%
ENGINE57.5%
LANE DEPARTURE46.0%
AIR BAGS46.0%

Complaints filed per year

010212021: 52022: 122023: 132024: 212025: 102026: 6 (partial year)21222324212526
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
20215
202212
202313
202421
202510
2026 (year to date)6
Filings in 2023 to 2025 ran 2.6x those in 2021 to 2022 (44 against 17).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
21V03800001/02/2021SEATSVolkswagen 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.
21V49200030/06/2021AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULEVolkswagen 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.
20V71600018/11/2020BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERAVolkswagen 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
22V51400020/07/2022BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERAVolkswagen 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 infotainm

Other Volkswagen Jetta model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 14 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-09-05. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.