Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes25
- Electrical system13
- Unknown or other11
- Fuel/propulsion system9
- Forward collision avoidance9
- Air bags5
- Engine5
- Lane departure4
- Visibility/wiper3
- Seat belts3
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 1 injuries and 2 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 32 2021 Jetta vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 14 people died inside them, and 6 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta failed the safety check 1.22% of the time — 29% more often than the average 2021 passenger car (0.95%). Median odometer at inspection: 23,204 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
4 cars built in 2021 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025.
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 1 variant; 1 of 1 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Volkswagen Jetta 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | 13.1 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Optional
- Lane departure warning
- No
- Best overall rating
- 5 / 5
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 6.9–7.1 L/100 km (about 33–34 mpg US), CO₂ 162–165 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jetta · Compact · Regular gasoline | 7.9 | 5.8 | 6.9 |
| Jetta · Compact · Regular gasoline | 8.0 | 6.0 | 7.1 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta.
| 2022382 20 Jul 2022 | Visual System Issue: Under certain conditions, the rearview camera image may not appear on the center screen. Canadian regulations require the rearview image to display whe… |
| 2021404 30 Jun 2021 | Airbag Issue: On certain vehicles, the airbag control module may not be mounted properly. As a result, the airbag may not inflate in a crash, or it could inflate sud… |
| 2020556 18 Nov 2020 | Visual System Issue: On certain vehicles, a software problem could cause the rearview camera image not to display or cause it to freeze. Canadian regulations require the re… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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."
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.
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.
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."
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Volkswagen told its dealers about the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11011379 | This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication for the keyless start system. 00B7 - Interface for Access/Start: U101300: Control module not coded & Software Configuration incorrect coding hotfix |
| 11011375 | moisture witin rear tail lamp assembly |
| 11011374 | HVAC duct cleaning and deodorizing |
| 11010025 | Green Light Does Not Illuminate |
| 11010024 | Lack of paint under roof |
| 11010022 | Engine Oil Standards |
| 11010021 | Additional reporting |
| 11010011 | Vehicle Concerns Before Recall Repair Available |
| 11008861 | Fluid requirements |
| 11008860 | Manual transmission noise diagnosing |
| 11008858 | A list of engine oil that meet Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards |
| 11008857 | How to perform the engine oil consumption measurement |
| 11008856 | Checking Engine Oil and correctly reading dip stick |
| 11008853 | How to manage software versions using VW diagnostic Tool |
| 11008852 | Recommended Gasoline Quality |
| 11008851 | Engine Misfire Diagnostic Aid |
| 11008850 | Fuel additive to help with misfire faults |
| 11008846 | Wind & Water Leak Checking |
| 11008845 | This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided. |
| 11007398 | Battery testing |
| 11007396 | Car-net 2.0 may not fully complete the initial Register and Pairing process (R&P) after removal of |
| 11007393 | Engine Oil Standards |
| 11005830 | Phyical condensation within Taillamp cluster is an optical phenomenon and does not affect the function of the taillights. |
| 11005826 | Car-net 2.0 may not fully complete the initial Register and Pairing process (R&P) after removal of |
| 11005825 | Engine oil quality standards |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)