Volkswagen Jetta Complaints

219 consumer complaints on file.

#11744699June 17, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
My 2024 Volkswagen Jetta has about 14,429 miles, driven almost entirely on the highway between two Texas cities, with little city traffic and no mountain driving. The rear brakes are wearing out far faster than normal. At a dealer inspection on June 15, 2026, the rear linings measured 1 mm and 2 mm, nearly gone, while the front linings still measured 10 mm. This is the reverse of normal wear, since the fronts do most of the braking and should wear first. The vehicle is available for inspection. This is not sudden. A prior dealer inspection on July 7, 2025 already showed the rear linings (9 mm) more worn than the fronts (11 mm). Between the two inspections the fronts lost about 1 mm while the rears lost about 7 to 8 mm, so the rears are wearing many times faster than the fronts. Both inspections were done and documented by an authorized Volkswagen dealer. Given the low mileage and highway-only use, this cannot be normal wear. The rears are approaching metal-to-metal at very low mileage, which compromises braking and is unsafe. The pattern points to a mechanical defect, such as a seized rear caliper or a dragging or malfunctioning electronic parking brake that keeps the rear brakes partially applied. Premature rear brake wear is widely reported on this model, and the manufacturer issued a rear brake pad warranty extension for affected vehicles, acknowledging excessive wear and possible workmanship issues. No crash, fire, or injury has occurred. I am reporting this so the defect can be investigated and other owners protected.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11743357June 10, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The vehicle experienced a failure related to the steering wheel assembly that caused the "Travel Assist Not Currently Available" warning to appear while driving. The issue affected the operation of the vehicle's driver assistance systems, including Adaptive Cruise Control and Travel Assist functions. An authorized Volkswagen dealership diagnosed the vehicle and confirmed that the steering wheel assembly requires replacement. The vehicle is currently available for inspection. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The failure caused the vehicle's driver assistance and safety systems to become unavailable while the vehicle was being operated on public roadways. The unexpected loss of Adaptive Cruise Control and Travel Assist functionality could increase driver workload and create a potential safety risk, particularly during highway driving where these systems are designed to assist with vehicle control and spacing from other traffic. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. An authorized Volkswagen dealership inspected the vehicle, retrieved diagnostic fault codes, and confirmed that the steering wheel assembly is defective and requires replacement. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has been inspected by an authorized Volkswagen dealership. The dealership diagnosed the fault and determined that the steering wheel assembly requires replacement. The dealership has submitted a goodwill assistance request to Volkswagen because the issue first occurred before the vehicle exceeded the warranty mileage limit. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? The vehicle displayed a "Travel Assist Not Currently Available" war
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11742974June 9, 2026
POWER TRAIN
There is a noticable whine from the transmission or torque converted between 1000-2000 RPM that does not vary with speed and noticable when lightky pressing gas pedal on 8th geer. This happens only when transmission is waremed up and indicates an issue with 2025 Volkswagen tranmissions. I am afraid to drive it, because it can go bad in the highway and cause crash. Volkswagen dealers and manufacturer ignore this issues and state that all Jetta's make that "hormonic" whine. This is not normal and should be reported and investigated. Too many issues and could cause loss of lives in the future.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11742529June 7, 2026
LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST, LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Travel assist unavailable warning comes on several time a minute with a visual indicator and loud chime. Very distracting while driving. Known issue to VW
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11742452June 6, 2026
ENGINE
Head Gasket, premature failure at 49k miles. Online this a very common issue for Jetta and Taos owners that Volkswagen is not addressing through a recall. This will cause engines to fail.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11741996June 4, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
the components that failed are the rear brakes and rotors. we no longer have the components as the vehicle would not pass inspection without having the work completed. The manufacturer sent a letter to customers affected by this issue as it is a known issue for this year/make/model. the inspection location advised that given the mileage on the vehicle there is no reason it should need this type of work performed, under 25k miles on vehicle. the only warning that was given was the letter sent by the manufacturer. we took our vehicle back to the dealership when the letter was received and were informed they would not complete the outlined work on our vehicle. now that the vehicle would not pass inspection, the brake work had to be performed so my daughter could get back and forth to work
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11741183May 31, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
The rear service brake assembly—specifically the rear brake pads and rotors—suffered premature wear and catastrophic structural failure. The defective parts are not available for inspection, as they were discarded by Firestone during the emergency repair to restore the vehicle to a safe operating condition. The problem was first confirmed by an authorized manufacturer dealer, Larry H. Miller Volkswagen Tucson. It was subsequently confirmed, documented, and repaired by an independent service center (Firestone). The vehicle and the failing brake components were physically inspected by the manufacturer's authorized dealership service department at Larry H. Miller Volkswagen Tucson prior to the repair. No dashboard warning lamps or error messages illuminated. The symptoms appeared suddenly at approximately 33,200 miles in the form of severe metal-on-metal grinding noises, a vibrating brake pedal, and noticeably reduced stopping power during routine deceleration.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740896May 29, 2026
STEERING, LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST
The steering wheel touch sensors has malfunctioned and whenever the steering wheel is grabbed from the bottom half, the lake keeping assist errors out and the car throws a "travel assist unavailble" in the guage cluster. My steering wheel was replaced under warranty less than a year ago for this issue, it seems to have returned (unfortunately my car is out of warranty now). VW seems to be aware that this is a wide-spread issue since they have released an internal TSB for it, but refuse to issue a warranty extension for the same.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11740386May 27, 2026
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER
The contact owned a 2022 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the contact heard a dinging noise twice coming from the instrument panel. The driver assist not avaiable warning light was illuminated. An Independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the steering wheel needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact mention the failure has occurred on several different occasions. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 75,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737730May 14, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
At only 24,000 miles, the rear brakes are already showing significant wear. When checked by the dealer, they were 2mm, while the front brakes were 12mm. The service representatives at the dealership have said this is a known problem with this model year, and they have already seen several cars with the same issue of brakes wearing out way too quickly. If a driver wasn't getting regular inspections, they would assume that their brakes would still be in great condition with this mileage, and it could pose a large safety risk.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737692May 13, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
Transmission control module light comes on and the light states safely pull car over and put in park. It’s tried to been fixed multiple times, they are waiting on a software update. I’ll drive the car and have to pull over because the TCM light comes on and can’t drive/ accelerate. The dealership told me to drive the car and deal with it until it gets fixed. The issue first appeared in Nov of 2025 and it’s been a recurring issue since. I can’t take it anywhere without it happening, then i have to get towed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737662May 13, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While driving on the highway, the sunroof suddenly shattered outward. There were no other vehicles around us at the time.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737393May 12, 2026
POWER TRAIN
When I push the gas pedal the car does nothing for seconds. I was trying to do a u turn and pushed the gas to go and nothing for to long and almost got hit. It also did it trying to pull out into busy traffic that would have been no problem if the car would move when you push the gas. The car does not respond forever when pushing gas. I took to dealer to today and of course, they found nothing and said that's how those cars are. It has 20,000 miles. There is no way this is how they are. I'm going to end up getting hit at some point over it. No lights come on in the dashboard when it happens. It is available for inspection.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11736753May 9, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES
Vehicle Information: Year: 2021 Make: Volkswagen Model: Jetta Date of Purchase: March 2022 Approximate Mileage at Time of Incident: 25,000 miles --- NATURE OF COMPLAINT: I am filing this complaint regarding premature and dangerous rear brake pad and rotor wear on my 2021 Volkswagen Jetta, purchased new in March 2022. At approximately 25,000 miles — well below any reasonable expectation of normal brake wear — I was informed by a service technician that my rear brake pads required immediate replacement due to excessive wear. The front brakes showed no comparable wear, which is inconsistent with normal braking patterns and strongly suggests a manufacturing or design defect. SAFETY CONCERN: Premature rear brake failure at such low mileage presents a serious safety hazard. Degraded braking performance increases stopping distances and reduces driver control, particularly in emergency situations. I was given no prior warning indicators or alerts from the vehicle's onboard systems before being advised the brakes were critically worn. This lack of advance warning compounds the safety risk. SUPPORTING EVIDENCE OF A KNOWN DEFECT: This is not an isolated incident. Volkswagen has already acknowledged premature rear brake pad wear as a systemic issue in 2020–2023 Jetta vehicles by issuing a Rear Brake Pad Limited Warranty Extension, extending coverage from the standard 1 year/12,000 miles to 2 years/24,000 miles. Despite this acknowledgment, Volkswagen has refused to provide adequate and lasting remedy to affected owners, and many consumers — including myself — have been denied reimbursement or further assistance after the extended warranty window expired. Notably, my vehicle reached 25,000 miles just outside the extended warranty coverage limit, yet exhibits the exact defect the warranty extension was designed to address. Multiple complaints filed with NHTSA and reported on consumer safety platforms describe the identical pattern.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11736502May 8, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The SOS Module failed three times and was replaced three times under warranty. The failure mode is a battery that cannot be ordered due to manufacturer issues. The failed module limits crash reporting. I have attached the three work orders for this vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11736290May 7, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2025 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the infotainment screen was darkened and inoperative. There were several different unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: (example: 26V185000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted however, the dealer confirmed the remedy was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11736224May 7, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
Zero warning lights, dash clusters only allowing two options to show, oil temperature reading 200degrees Fahrenheit or higher, floor board feels like the firewall is almost in the interior of the vehicle and not engine port. Upon performing a thorough investigation of my own, the manifold, intake valve and wires are visibly damaged and BURNT, coil two is visibly damaged and was smoking. The battery generating system is also malfunctioning, with visibly burnt ground wires. Additionally the thermostat and temperature gauges both are not giving out any signal or alert for faulty electrical activity. However the vehicle was so hot from only driving 6 miles from my house that the arm to hold the hood up was legit bending and folding as it become unusually soft from the hot intake. Transfer case has been clicking, as well as the intake sizzling like making repeated sounds of sparking. All of which began in a matter of four days. Something is dangerously wrong with my car please help
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735957May 6, 2026
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Adaptive Cruise control stops working suddenly with message "Travel Assist currently not available". Warning goes after restart or have to go and cancel assist completely and start again and then it works for few minutes and appears again. The problem sometimes doesn’t show up for days but sometimes shows many times within hours. Happens usually on long drives. Once it occurs, it happens multiple times if I try to reset within the drive.  It gets disabled sometimes on high-speed free ways and adaptive braking suddenly goes away in middle of on ongoing braking or sometimes car suddenly starts slowing down on high speed. Happening for 18 months now. Previous dealership said we could not replicate the issue and did not provide any fix. Same goes for Front Collision Avoidance Warning, it beeps loudly up randomly with no obstacles in sight . When complained this to dealership during first service, they said it could be dust but i still have this issue ongoing intermittently showing up with no fix from dealership.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11735489May 4, 2026
AIR BAGS
When driving to work, two deer ran out infant of my car. I had seen the first one and missed it but by time I had seen the first one I already hit the second one. The impact occurred while driving 73 mph. The impact alone slowed my car down by approximately 20 mph. My whole front end was crushed in causing it to be a total loss according to the insurance assessor. the front emblem with a sensor behind it was broken and the sensor was detached from its original location, being held onto the car only by its wiring.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11734976April 30, 2026
ENGINE
About 6 months after I bought my car the check engine light came on, took to vw still under Warranty. And they said it was just a harness on sale about 4 months later, it came back on and they kept my car for a week. And when I got my car back about 2 to 3 weeks later, it came back on again, and they cound't figure it out and said its something wrong with the emmission and now it's back on so I don't know what's wrong with it, I took it to a different shop and they said they couldn't read the codes and I have to take it to Volkswagen dealership. Car is new and fail emmission.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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