2021 Volkswagen Jetta Recalls, Complaints & Specs
4 safety recalls list the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta, and owners have filed 69 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
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4 safety recalls for the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Software (equipment) and camera (back over prevention)
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…
Remedy: 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 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's…
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Air bag/restraint control module (air bags)
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.
Remedy: 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's number for…
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Critical fasteners (seats) and seats
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.
Remedy: 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 customer service at…
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Camera (back over prevention)
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…
Remedy: 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 1-800-893-5298.…
69 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta have filed 69 complaints with NHTSA; 3 describe a crash. Reports cite 1 injury and 2 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 11,179 miles. Complaints peaked in 2024 with 21 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“There is a known issue released by Volkswagen that certain model years of their vehicles are eligible for a limited extended warranty regarding the clock spring. In their release announcement VWP-18-1”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 24, 2026 · Air bags
“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 autonomo”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 15, 2026 · Service brakes
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta (Jetta GLI). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 28–34 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 24–30 / 33–41 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Compact Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1.4/2 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (AM-S7); Automatic (S8); Manual 6-spd |
Compare Volkswagen Jetta model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Volkswagen Jetta model year in NHTSA's database.
Checking a specific 2021 Volkswagen Jetta
How do I know if my 2021 Volkswagen Jetta has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Volkswagen dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 20V716000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Volkswagen models
- Passat7,705 complaints
- Beetle2,596 complaints
- Tiguan2,300 complaints
- Atlas1,999 complaints
- Golf1,439 complaints
- GTI1,405 complaints
- ID.41,007 complaints
- Cc983 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.