There are 50 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2001 Volkswagen Jettain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKES SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 13 MPH THE ABS LIGHT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CONTROL MODULE FOR THE ANTI LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V031000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: ANTI LOCK) WAS RELATED; HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000. UPDATED 02/14/11 *BF UPDATED 02/22/11
ABS UNIT MALFUNCTION CAUSING A STOP BRAKE LIGHT. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT EXISTS IN ALL VW AND AUDIS FITTED WITH A BOSCH ABS MODULE. NOTHING ON MY PASSAT HAS WORKED RIGHT! I HAVE SPENT ABOUT 3000 USD TO FIX A CAR SO IT CAN FUNCTION LIKE ONE, NOT THE DEAL I WAS LOOKING FOR WHEN I WENT OUT TO BUY A CAR. NOW THIS UNIT NEEDS ABOUT 1400 USD BEFORE LABOR TO FIX? 5000 USD AND SOME ON A 2001 PASSAT? SHORT OF GETTING A HORSE AND CARRIAGE, COULD VW JUST ACCEPT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS UNIT AND RECALL IT ALREADY. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO BE ON FIRE, RUNNING DOWN THE FREE WAY AND GET ON LOCAL NEWS HOLDING A VW OR AUDI EMBLEM FOR SOMETHING TO BE DONE? ASKING MECHANICS AT DEALERSHIPS IF THIS IS A KNOWN COMMON OCCURRENCE ELICITS A CHUCKLE ONE WOULD ONLY GET IF THEY WERE DOING STAND UP. THEY KNOW IT, DEALERSHIPS KNOW IT BUT WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. EVERYONE IS LIVING OFF EVERYONE'S BACK POCKET...WE CALL IT CAPITALISM! SO CAN THIS TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMICS FOR ONCE GET TO THOSE WHO ARE IN NO POSITION TO SEE THE FUTURE AND REALIZE THE LEMON THEY ARE BUYING IS SUCH BEFORE THE FACT! GUIDELINES AND REGULATIONS ARE SET FOR THIS NOT TO HAPPEN, AND WHEN IT DOES, THEY SHOULD BE USED TO CORRECT SAID ISSUE.*TR
ABS/ASR LIGHTS CAME ON. DEALERSHIP SAID THAT I NEED A NEW ABS MODULE AND PUMP. AFTER READING ONLINE, I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. CAR ONLY HAS 61,000 MILES ON IT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT PURCHASED A USED CAR AND, WITHIN THE SAME WEEK, IT BEGAN TO STALL. THE DEALER COULD FIND NO FAILURES. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER VOLKSWAGEN DEALER AND THEY GAVE HER A LIST OF ALL THE FAILURES. THE LIST INCLUDED THE TRANSMISSION, RATTLING IN THE ENGINE, AND THE BRAKE SENSORS. THERE ARE FOUR DIFFERENT TIRES ON THE VEHICLE AND EACH ARE THE INCORRECT SIZE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE DOES NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO REPAIR ALL THESE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V031000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK). HE WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.
WE HAVE A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA TDI THAT WE BOUGHT IN DAYTONA BEACH, FL. THE CAR HAS 39,000 MILES ON IT. WE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. WE WERE ON RT92 WHEN THE CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN AND WOULD NOT GO ANY FASTER; THIS IS IN A 50MPH SPEED ZONE. MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AND AS SOON AS TRAFFIC WOULD LET HIM HE GOT OVER IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE AND ALL THE TIME THE CAR IS GOING SLOWER AND SLOWER. HE DECIDED TO CHECK THE BRAKES AND FOUND THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN, PUTTING HIS FOOT UNDER THE PEDAL HE GOT IT BACK UP AND THEN THE CAR STARTED MOVING FASTER. THIS CAR HAD APPLIED THE BRAKES ALL ON ITS OWN. THEN WE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE BRAKES WOULD MAKE A NOISE SOUNDING LIKE AIR BRAKES. WE DROVE THE CAR HOME (20 MILES) THAT DAY AND PARKED IT IN THE GARAGE AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE ATTEMPTING A U-TURN AT 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST ALL ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL ABILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE RECALL NUMBER AND DESCRIPTION WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,239 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,239. UPDATED 06/09/08 *BF
MY CAR HAS HAD MODULATION PROBLEMS WHICH COME AS POWER SURGES WHILE DRIVING AND MORE RECENTLY WHILE IDLING AT RED LIGHTS, STOP SIGNS AND IN TRAFFIC. *TR
2001 JETTA. IN TRAFFIC, A CAR STOPPED SUDDENLY TWO CARS BEFORE ME.... I STOPPED IN RESPONSE AND MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR - BRAKES FAILING , ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM FAILING - AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. MY CAR WAS TOTALED. *TR
ON A CLEAR DAY, DRY PAVEMENT, WENT TO BRAKE IN CITY TRAFFIC AND BRAKES FAILED CAUSING ME TO REAR END THE CAR IN FRONT ( CAUSING $2600 DAMAGES) AND TOTALLING MY CAR. NO INJURIES. AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, POSSIBLY DUE TO THE LOW SPEED I WAS TRAVELLING. *TR
ABS/BRAKE LIGHT ON WITH NO ENGINE CODE. 1600 REPLACEMENT. *TR
THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT OF THE ABS SYSTEM ON MY 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA IS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $2,500.00!! I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THIS PART FOR THIS YEAR, MAKE, MODEL BUT AM BEING TOLD THAT MINE IS NOT ONE OF THEM-THAT MY VIN # DOES NOT FALL INTO THE RECALLED ONES. I DO NOT KNOW HOW THIS CAN BE SINCE ALL OTHER INFORMATION MATCHES UP AND AM HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THE PART, WHICH I AM BEING TOLD CAN CAUSE FIRE HAZARD! *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, THE REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP. THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH AND THE SECOND FAILURE, WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED IN SMOKE. HE WENT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER RECALL NOTICE # 02V031000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC: ANTILOCK). SINCE THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED, HE HAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER TWICE DUE TO THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 127,000.
I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 VW JETTA AND I BRAKED SUDDENLY. BRAKE LIGHT AND AUDIO ALARM CAME ON. TOOK THE CAR INTO GARAGE FOR REPAIR. WAS TOLD THAT IT NEEDED NEW ABS CONTROL UNIT. THE GARAGE CHECKED FOR RECALLS AND FOUND THAT THIS SAME PART HAD BEEN RECALLED ON OTHER VW MODELS. *NM
WE PURCHASED OUR 2001 JETTA 1.8L TURBO WOLFSBURG EDITION IN JAN OF 2003 FROM A CERTIFIED USED VW DEALER. WHEN WE DROVE OFF THE LOT, NOT 5 MINUTES LATER, THE TURBO SEEMED TO FAIL AND WE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER, EPC LIGHT CAME ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALER AND THEY FIXED PROBLEM. EVERYTHING RAN FINE UNTIL SEPT 2003 OUR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, SHORTLY AFTER WE RECEIVED NOTICE THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL REGARDING IGNITION COILS. WE TOOK OUR VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY REPLACED THE COILS FREE OF CHARGE. THIS SOLVED THE LIGHT ISSUE FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS, THEN IT CAME BACK ON AGAIN, THIS TIME WHEN IDLING FLUCTUATING BETWEEN 700 RPM AND ABOUT 1500 RPM AND STALLING ON OCCASION. WE TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL GARAGE AND THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTICS, CLEARED THE FAILURES TO SEE IF THAT SOLVED THE PROBLEM, WHICH IT DID TEMPORARILY...EVER SINCE WE HAVE BEEN RUNNING DIAGNOSTICS TRYING TO DETERMINE WHY OUR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON, EACH TIME THE PROBLEM IS TEMPORARILY SOLVED. AT FIRST THE MECHANIC THOUGHT IT WAS THE AIRFLOW SENSOR, BUT ONCE THEY LOOKED CLOSER DETERMINED IT WAS A DIFFERENT PROBLEM. WE HAVE HAD CORROSION REMOVED, CONNECTIONS CLEANED, AND OUR LAMBDA SENSOR REPLACED. NOW OUR CAR CONTINUES TO RUN AND IDLE POORLY AND SPORADICALLY, THE CAR STALLS WHEN YOU SLOW, THE TURBO WORKS ON OCCASION, LOSSES POWER WHEN ACCELERATING, WHEN CAR FIRST STARTS IT BARELY MOVES WITH ACCELERATOR FLOORED, BRAKES ARE VERY SLUGGISH, SOMETIMES REALLY HAVING TO PUSH TO GET CAR TO STOP. NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. EVERYTIME WE TAKE IT IN MULTIPLE ERRORS POP UP, LAST TIME THERE WAS 17 FAULT CODES, MECHANIC KEEPS GOING DOWN THE LIST OF WHAT TO CHECK HOPING TO FIND THE PROBLEM. THE BILL JUST KEEPS GETTING BIGGER AND NOTHING HAS BEEN SOLVED. RECENTLY THINK THAT THE ORIGINAL ISSUE AND CURRENT ISSUES ARE ONE IN THE SAME AS SYMPTOMS ARE BECOMING MORE SIMILAR. HELP! *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEED, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE BRAKES MAKE A RATTLING NOISE, AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME DIFFICULT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE THE DEALER WAS ALSO UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL # 02V031000 WHICH PERTAINS TO THE HYDRAULIC ANTILOCK BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT REPORTED TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REMEDIED THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND ONE MONTH LATER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EPC LIGHTS BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION. WHEN THE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED THE CURRENT SPEED IN WHICH THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING, REDUCED DRASTICALLY. THE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS BAD WIRING AND PERFORMED THE REMEDY, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUES TO PERSIST. THE CONTACT THEN STATED FAILURE WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL SWITCH, HOWEVER IT WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED BY THE DEALER. THE BRAKE PEDAL SWITCH FAILURE ALSO CONTINUED TO PERSIST. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 52,908 , AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000.AK
THE BRAKES STARTED GRINDING. AFTER DEALER INSPECTED THE BRAKES THE ROTORS AND CALIPERS WERE REPLACED. *AK
I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2001, VW JETTA TDI. I TOOK MY CAR TO WEST BROAD VOLKSWAGEN, RICHMOND VA, TO HAVE THE BRAKES CHECKED BECAUSE I HEARD A SQUEALING NOISE (JUST ONCE). THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT MY REAR BRAKES NEED TO BE CHANGED VERY SOON AND THE COST WOULD BE $427.00! I ASKED, HOW COULD IT JUST BE THE REAR BRAKES? THE SERVICE ADVISER COULD NOT EXPLAIN. I STATED TO HIM THAT EVERY CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED WAS FRONT WHEEL DRIVE AND IN ALL MY YEARS, IT WAS ALWAYS THE FRONT WHEELS TO GO FIRST! I ASKED HIM DIDNT HE THINK IT STRANGE THAT JUST ONE SET OF BRAKES HAVE GONE BAD?&AGAIN, NO ANSWER. BASED ON WHAT I HAVE READ, IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE BRAKE PADS ARE DEFECTIVE AND IT APPEARS THAT THIS DEALERSHIP IS PRICE GOUGING!*AK
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026