Volkswagen · Jetta · 2023
0
Recalls
36
Complaints
5/5
Safety Rating
The 2023 Volkswagen Jetta has no recalls and 36 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: service brakes (7 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
Frontal Crash Test

Side Crash Test

Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
13.0% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
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.).
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2023 Volkswagen Jetta has 0 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 36 owner-reported complaints for the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta.
The 2023 Volkswagen Jetta received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta are service brakes (7 reports), engine (6 reports), unknown or other (4 reports).
NHTSA does not currently list any recalls on record for the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta. To verify the status of your specific vehicle, check nhtsa.gov/recalls with your VIN.
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This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.