NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
I was on the highway when it sounded like an explosion happened in my car. My sunroof shattered without any debris hitting it. It was 55 degrees, so no extreme temperatures, sunny, I was not behind a truck or under a bridge or around any construction. I wasn't able to pull over for at least a mile or two until I reached an exit. When I parked and examined the window it looked like the glass was angled upwards as if the issue came from within the car and there were large shards as well as tiny one. They seemed to break into rectangular like pieces. My ears were ringing a bit from the sound that was made by the break.
I have brought my car into my dealership 3 times now for the same problem (a creaking noise in the suspension system) The first time they replaced the parts that I suppose they couldn’t replicate easily see needed replacing, the suspension boot, mounting, and nuts and bolts. For a week I thought the suspension system was fixed then it started creaking (only over speedbumps, and mostly when the weather is colder) again 3 times until it finally stopped. The sound is very situational it happens once or twice a week. If this is what the sound had always been like I would’ve just thought it was normal car functionality but it’s the exact same sound that was cause for repair the first time. I brought it in a second time my service advisor told me they test drive it twice and were unable to replicate the sound so they proceeded to tighten the bolts on the parts they had replaced the first time and gave it back to me. The creaking sound happened 3 more times and I scheduled service once again. This time they practically refused service because 1: I told them it was highly unlikely they could replicate the sound as it only happens on my way over from my apartment complex with 7 speedbumps I have to go over (the creaking would stop after these) and 2: that my warranty for sounds was over and that cars are imperfect machines. Sure but the suspension system makes the same sound that was cause for repair the first time and now it happens on the passenger front side it just happens very occasionally but it is still not a good sound.
My 2023 vehicle has needed coolant topped off every 5-10K miles. This appears to be a very common occurrence for several owners however dealerships are just telling folks to top off as it's due to evaporation (it's a closed system and shouldn't evaporate). It is due to a faulty head gasket that VW even later redesigned. If you review reddit and numerous forums about the 1.5T produced before July 2023 it is a known issue that caused VW to redesign the headgasket. The powertrain warranty on new vehicle purchases is very short (50K miles) so they avoid replacing and tell folks to just "top off" until the warranty expires.
The SOS Module has failed three times over 24 months of ownership. Each time, the dealer replaced the module and the faults comes back. This failure means I cannot contact VW for help in case of accident or breakdown. Part number: SWA-035-283-D
While driving home from work (I travel with the railroad weekly) on Thursday, [XXX], I had my vehicle set on cruise control going west on [XXX] in TN. Out of nowhere, my engine overheated and I lost my coolant. Upon pulling over, I observed no trail of coolant and nothing leaking under my vehicle. I refilled the coolant and made it home. The next morning, my coolant tank was empty again. I took it to my local VW dealership and was informed that the head gasket needed to be replaced. Upon research, I found that on August 17th, 2023, VW put out a Technical Service Bulletin stating that the "Original engine production head gasket design can lead to coolant leaks." This Bulletin did list the engine for my vehicle purchased that year. I was told that "Our manager name is Tim. He informed me that TSB is sent out when they are seeing these issues occur. It is a tech tip to help the technician diagnosis the vehicle. Your vehicle is out of warranty therefore it wouldn't be cover." The engine issue is well known with VW, with a statement that the issue is known. The Bulletin also advised "Improve head gasket design and coating as of Engine Number DNKA 234 458 July 27th 2023." So there is a fix to this issue and BW refuses to fix the issue at hand and is attempting to charge just under $3,500 for the repair. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Rear brakes worn prematurely with only 16k miles on a brand new purchased 2023 VW Jetta. Dealer said, VW will not replace until the brakes at 2mm and the warranty will expire next month and I will end up paying for it out of my pocket.
Coolant reservoir keeps getting empty every 1000 miles. Similar issue as reported under [XXX] nhtsaId=11613107 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The rear brake calipers are not fully opening, causing the pads to drag on the rotors. The dealership has replaced the pads per instructions from VW Engineering; however, per the dealership, they state that it's a software problem causing the calipers to drag against the rotors and VW hasn't issued any software updates to fix the known problem. They did "extend" the brake warranty for consumables to 2 years/24000 miles at no cost the customer however, the software problem has not been fixed and VW is ignoring the problem. The front breaks are also gripping and causing a varnish build up and there is no fix for that problem, either. I have a 2023 VW Jetta SE with only 14,362miles and I've had to have the breaks serviced 3 times due to the breaking problem.
Rear brake pads wore out quick
SOS Emergency Call Function Error. One yellow warning light on left bottom side of the dashboard and “Emergency call function! Service vehicle” on the right side bottom.
I was driving 50 mph and hit a very large deer. The airbag did not deploy and there was no warning
The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the engine coolant reservoir was empty. The contact added coolant to the coolant reservoir, but one week later the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that engine coolant had leaked into the head gasket and that the head gasket and sealant needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 43,000.
While in operation the dash cluster goes completely black. Aprox 45mph. Dealer had to replace entire dash cluster
The backup camera in my 2023 VW Jetta has been malfunctioning since the car was new. It intermittently fails to display an image when shifted into reverse, creating a serious safety hazard. Backup cameras are federally required safety equipment, and when it doesn’t work, visibility behind the vehicle is completely lost. This failure also affects all associated safety systems, including rear cross traffic alerts and lane assist, reducing driver awareness and increasing the risk of a collision. We were advised early on that the issue would probably be resolved through a future software update, but that never happened. The issue continues without warning and has been documented on video. Despite this, Murdock Volkswagen in Logan Utah refuses to perform warranty repairs because no diagnostic trouble codes are present. They have been offered video proof but declined to review it. According to the dealer, VW policy requires technicians to personally witness the malfunction or retrieve a fault code, otherwise Volkswagen will not approve warranty work. This policy effectively blocks repair of an ongoing federally mandated safety feature failure and raises serious concerns about compliance with safety obligations. I have had a lot of trouble with this car with mechanical and electrical issues. The manufactures policy of no pay if no codes is not acceptable and making our highways more dangerous than they should be. I bought the car in part because of all the safety features.
3 times in the past year, the automated braking activated with no other cars in front of me. Luckily, the cars behind me we following at a large distance and it was on a "slower" road around 50mph
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The components that failed or malfunctioned include the rear brake system and the EVAP (Evaporative Emission Control) system of my 2023 Volkswagen Jetta SE 1.5T FWD. Both components are available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The safety risks include premature wear of the rear brakes, which could lead to reduced braking efficiency or failure, especially under emergency braking situations. The EVAP system malfunction poses an environmental risk by potentially releasing excessive emissions, and it could also lead to engine performance issues, including stalling or hesitation during acceleration, which may cause hazardous driving conditions. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, the issues with both the rear brakes and the EVAP system have been reproduced and confirmed by the service departments at two authorized Volkswagen dealerships. Despite multiple repair attempts, the problems have not been fully resolved. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? The vehicle has been inspected multiple times by Volkswagen service departments, but no inspections have been conducted by the police or insurance representatives. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Yes, for the EVAP system, the check engine light illuminated repeatedly, indicating a malfunction. The brake issues were not accompanied by warning lamps but were noticeable through audible grinding noises and reduced braking performance, which started occurring within the first few thousand miles after purchasing the vehicle. The brake issue was first reported to the dealer when the vehicle had less than 10,000 miles.
This is now the second time this has happened on my brand new 2023 Jetta SE. The vehicle only has 1831 miles on it. The fault happens when the car is being driven after approx. 15 minutes. EPC light, Check Engine Light, and Yellow Warning Light illuminate. Also sounds like a misfire when limping off the road. Codes read at dealer are P0304, P0363, P1D74, and P1D75. All of these codes relate to Cylinder 4 misfire. Car is driven only at highway speeds, since it is a commuter car. This happened on 2/16/2024 and 2/22/2024. I attached PDFs of the Service Invoice from the first instance. I also attached a PDF of a NHTSA file containing a list of VW vehicles that are having the same issue, with the same engine.
Car has less than 30k miles on it and already the brakes are grinding and the brake pads are wearing out. This car is only a year old and should not be wearing out like this! Brakes are a major safety issue if they do not work.
Rear brakes grinding after 1 year. It also took 8 months for dealer to repair knocking sound on driver side while turning steering wheel to the right.
Vehicle has been misfiring at interstate Rt 95 putting driver at very high risk of a crash. This vehicle has been service for this problem and also for a coolant leak 04 times at dealership. They were unable to find any problem. Right now, this vehicle is at dealership, and they said, engine has a blown head gasket (several vehicles from VW model Taos and Jetta from 2022 and 2023 has the same issue.).
The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH in traffic, the vehicle lost motive power and shut off. The contact was able to steer into a parking space. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the cam magnet needed to be replaced. The mechanic informed the contact that an expert would be contacted for assistance with repairing the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 2,000.
I have 20,000 on my 2023 Jetta and have had to have the breaks and rotors replaced twice (at both by 10K and 20K service) at the last service the service technician stated that they are seeing this on both the 2023 Jetta and Taos and they have not figured out why they are going through the breaks and rotors like this. While I am still under warrantee this is not a problem cost wise, but how do I know that my breaks are going to function properly when I need them if rotors and pads are having to be replaced so often, should they be checked every 5K miles. This is a major safety issue that needs to be corrected.
When driving roughly 75mph on the interstate the passenger door opened on its own. No warning was shown for 10 minutes or 8 miles. When taken to get serviced I was told it was due to freezing from the cold weather and the latch couldn’t latch. This not only confused me because I’ve never had that issue with any vehicle but the vehicle also did not show a warning of it earlier. This was extremely scary due to the fact I had a passenger in the vehicle at the time who could have been injured or someone else could have.
The follow failed module faults have REPEATEDLY FAILED: U010400 lost communication with cruise control module, U112100 databus missing message & U112300 databus error value received, C110BF0 Adaptive Cruise Control Sensor, C111207 Haldex Clutch Pump Mechanical Malfunction, P030400 Cyl 4 Misfire, ***P085000 Park/Neutral Switch Input Circuit Open or Short***, U105400 Information Electronics Control Module 1 No Communication. I’ve had it repaired once by VW. Been at dealership multiple times for all of these issues. Currently, they are not helpful. My car does not recognize PARK, it thinks it’s in NEUTRAL.
- Navigation system (GPS) constantly not working. - The navigation system stop working completely or works imprecisely, taking the attention of the driver from the road in order to locate himself. - Yes, two service. One software update and a module replacement, neither solved the problem. - Volkswagen South Charlotte dealership is the company responsible for the service. - No, it worked fine for about 3 months and has been showing this symptoms ever since.
The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while his son was driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard an abnormal squeaking sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed failures with the rear brake pads and rotors. The contact was informed that the rear brake pads and rotors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: VWP-22-18. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 20,000.
Car has multiple electrical issues that can affect the safety of driving. OCU Module is the main one which allows for 911 services to be called in case of an accident. This module failed in September and now it failed again in January. The cruise control also sometimes doesn't work and the front assistance sensor doesn't seem to always work as indicated in the screenshots.
After parking the car one day the remote app functions stopped working. The next morning, a scary warning came on the dash stating: SOS Error: Emergency Call Function! Service Vehicle! It also blocks off many functional areas of other dash display and the error will not go away. The bluetooth in the car no longer works and the post-crash and SOS emergency calling are disabled.
The control unit for the Emergency SOS button and car microphone has failed and needed replacement multiple times in my car. My Volkswagen dealership has replaced the unit several times, and each time it fails after replacement. My safety is put at risk because I am unable to use the Emergency SOS function if necessary. The problem has been confirmed by my Volkswagen dealer several times, each time the issue was repaired. After the part fails, a warning light and message appears stating that there is an issue with the Emergency SOS system.
The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that upon coming to a complete stop on an incline, the hill start assist system activated but activated the brakes for an extended period causing the contact to stall the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to diagnose a failure. The contact was informed that the system was functioning as intended. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 0.
Accelerator petal does not always result in acceleration from a stopped position. This causes the hill assist to hold and does not allow movement forward, resulting in an engine stall. The vehicle has also set the EPC light while traveling resulting in reduced engine power to the point of not enough power to move forward. Turn the ignition off, then on resets the EPC and limb mode.
The check engine light would come on due to it misfiring on cold starts, dealer seems to have fixed it by replacing the coil packs. Many others also have this issue and haven’t been able to get it fixed. This is a serious issue that seems to be only happening on 2023 and newer model year Jetta GLIs.
I would like to report a safety issue with my wife’s new 2023 VW Jetta sedan with standard transmission. It has a hill hold feature that clamps the brakes on for approximately three seconds after you remove your foot from the brake pedal, if you are on a hill. Three seconds is way too long and often causes the following: you see an opening to pull into traffic, move your foot to the accelerator and start letting the clutch out. The car stalls, leaving you in the middle of the road with the electronic parking brake now applied where it was not before. This is very dangerous. Both of us have been driving standard transmission vehicles for many years. Our previous VW models with standard transmissions and hill hold, as well as my present 2014 VW GTI, did not have this safety defect. They released the brakes quickly and smoothly on hills and never caused us to stall or roll back. The behavior of the 2023 Jetta was a shock to both of us. There are lots of comments online about this unacceptable behavior of hill hold. Please require VW to issue a recall to change the coding of its ABS module on these cars to release sooner. System: hill hold via ABS. Risk of collision. Not confirmed by dealer. Not inspected. Symptoms on every hill.
The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH in traffic, the Forward Collision Avoidance system activated, causing the vehicle to slow down and the Forward Collision Avoidance warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle needed to be diagnose. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 25.
A few weeks after purchasing my car, my brakes started to squeak. I went to the dealership to get them fixed and they told me that they didn’t see anything wrong with the brakes. All they did was clean the brakes because they said they weren’t ready to be replaced. This did not fix the issue and my brakes started to squeak again that same day. I went to the dealership again a couple months ago for the same issue. I showed the lady a video of what my brakes sound like while I’m driving to showcase how irregular the squeaking sounds. I was told that the squeaking is normal and that there is no fix for them. She told me that Volkswagen hasn’t been able to find a pad that fits properly which causes the squeaking to occur. My breaks were replaced that same day and the squeaking occurred again as I was driving out of the dealership. Paying thousands of dollars for my car just for it to squeak disturbingly loud and for there to be no fix for it just a few weeks after purchasing it and still two years later, is absolutely frustrating and unacceptable. I expect a vehicle of this quality and price to perform without persistent, unresolved issues—especially concerning safety-related components like brakes. At this point, I would like to escalate the matter. I believe Volkswagen should take responsibility for this defect, whether through a permanent fix, a recall, or another solution. What are my options for further action? Should I contact Volkswagen corporate, file a complaint with a consumer protection agency, or explore legal options under the Lemon Law?
On April 1, 2023 I leased a 2023 VW Jetta for 39 months. I test drove the car. Upon delivery, it had 12 miles on the car. I drove the car for 150 miles (162 TOTAL miles on car) At 11:30PM on April 6th, it left me stranded in the middle of the road. I called VW 36 month/36,000 roadside assistance for help. They asked if I was in a safe place. I told them No, I am in the middle of the road, in the middle of the night. They proceeded to tell me to call 911 and hung up on me. I then went to push the SOS button in my car, to my disbelief, “this feature is not active in your vehicle.” I called AAA. 3 hour wait. Called multiple towing agencies and was finally picked up after an hour. Tow truck driver arrived. He asked what happened. I explained. He got in the car. The emergency brake was not on, however, he had to manually take a tool to disengage the emergency brake. I had the car towed to the dealership in which I leased the car 5 days prior. It has now been almost 3 weeks and I am being told that I am responsible for a burned out clutch because warranty has been denied by VW because of “outside influences”. I talked with several mechanics and I am simply being told, I am being taken. There is NO WAY a clutch can be burned out in 150 miles. I am reaching out for help anywhere and everywhere I can because this is unacceptable. I am beyond furious and frustrated. I will keep fighting until someone helps me get through to VW about how ridiculous this claim is. PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026