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Volkswagen · NHTSA safety record

2025 Volkswagen Jetta

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 29 safety complaints about the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta with the US government. Of those, 4 describe a crash, 2 people were injured and no death is recorded. 2 recall campaigns are open against it, covering the electrical system.

The most complained-about system is forward collision avoidance, named in 6 complaints, 21% of the total.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers February 2025 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

29 complaints on file

29

Complaints

4

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

2

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 6 · 21%
POWER TRAIN 6 · 21%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 6 · 21%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 · 14%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 3 · 10%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 3 · 10%
LANE DEPARTURE 2 · 7%
ENGINE 1 · 3%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 1 · 3%
SEAT BELTS 1 · 3%
SERVICE BRAKES 1 · 3%
STEERING 1 · 3%
0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 29.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2026 at 20.

24 18 12 6
25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2025 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2025 Volkswagen JETTA, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test 4 DR FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 13.0%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

2 on file

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

26V185000 · March 25, 2026

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2025 Jetta and Taos vehicles. The instrument panel may fail to display warning lights or gauges. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Control and Displays."
The risk
An instrument panel that does not display critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will update the instrument panel software and replace the instrument panel as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 22, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 90Z5. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 22, 2026.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 75,323 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

26V138000 · March 11, 2026

The defect
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Jetta vehicles. The transmission ground wire may not have been properly connected during assembly, causing an open electrical circuit.
The risk
An open circuit may draw a higher current and increase the risk of a fire.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and repair transmission ground wire as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 31, 2026. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 97TC. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 13, 2026.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. · up to 48,165 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

STRUCTURE:BODY

1 injured

At least 5 times I have had my finger caught in the drivers side interior door handle release. It seems to catch my fingers in the back of the handle. I've owned 4 other VW Jettas and this has never happened. It 's mostly aggravating but it also hurts!

NHTSA complaint 11719955. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

1 injured

Rental Vehicle Door Malfunction (Claim # [Insert Complaint/Claim Number]) Date: XXX To: Damage Recovery Unit / Customer Relations Enterprise Rent-A-Car Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to formally report a serious safety defect and personal injury resulting from a rental vehicle provided by your [XXX] location, and to register a formal protest against returning this vehicle to service without a certified mechanical inspection. Rental & Vehicle Details •Rental Location: [XXX] •Pickup Date/Time: XXX at 11:15 AM •Vehicle: 2025 Volkswagen Jetta (Black) •License Plate: [XXX] •VIN: [XXX] •Vehicle Unit #: XXX •Starting Mileage / Fuel: 18,635 / 8.2 gal •Damage Recovery Unit Complaint #: [Insert

NHTSA complaint 11766995, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SEAT BELTS

crash · towed

Car was in an accident on 12/5/25 and has been in the body shop for over 5 months because Volkswagen cannot or will not provide the required rear seat belts. I have reached out to VW and they have not been cooperative and don’t seem to care about me or that these are required safety parts. VW has no ETA on when parts will be available.

NHTSA complaint 11732758. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING

crash

The steering wheel is the principal reason for this incident. Because when I'm driving on the highway almost to get an exit to the right going at the speed limit of 70 MPH the right tire passes through a high/low on the street, then my steering wheel locked lightly and started to pull to the right like for 2-3 seconds. Causing me hit the wall on the highway. Then straightened itself back, I'm just desacelerate the car and go down to see if the tire is the problem, but not really this is a risky fail on this car i feel insecure to drive it again and take the highway. I feel under risk cause its a highway with a lot of traffic of cargo trucks going more than 75 MPH Im available any day for

NHTSA complaint 11706859, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY/WIPER
I am the owner/operator of a 2025 Volkswagen Jetta S and am submitting this complaint regarding recurring optical distortion in the windshield within my normal driving field of view. The vehicle has undergone four windshield replacement attempts for this same condition, yet the distortion remains present. The distortion appears as a rippling or “funhouse” effect that can cause objects and straight lines viewed through the windshield to appear distorted while driving. The dealership and Volkswagen have inspected the vehicle on multiple occasions. Although the condition has not been consistently reproduced by every inspector, I continue to experience the distortion during normal driving.

NHTSA complaint 11761784, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
I am reporting a recurring safety defect involving the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) system in my 2025 Volkswagen Jetta. The ACC system fails suddenly and without warning while driving, including during highway operation. This creates an immediate safety hazard, as the vehicle unexpectedly disengages speed control and forces abrupt driver intervention, increasing the risk of collision. The defect first occurred during the first week after I took delivery of the vehicle and has continued for over a year. The issue is completely unrelated to any accident; it existed before the accident, persisted during body shop repairs, and continues even after completing all repairs recommended by the

NHTSA complaint 11761837, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
This submission is an update to my previous NHTSA ODI complaint #11761837. I am adding new documentation provided by the authorized repair facility, including service records, diagnostic notes, and repair details. These documents confirm that the same safety defect continues to occur despite following all repair instructions and completing the recommended work. Please attach these materials to my existing complaint and include them in the ongoing review of this unresolved safety issue.

NHTSA complaint 11761839. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
This update is for ODI #11761839. I am submitting new diagnostic evidence confirming that the ACC/Travel Assist safety defect in my 2025 Volkswagen Jetta continues to occur and existed long before any accident or windshield replacement. On August 18, 2026, a certified ADAS technician performed a full diagnostic scan and documented U112300 Databus errors and C12B3FD temporary camera view limitation. During the test drive, the technician successfully reproduced the Travel Assist failure (“Travel Assist not available”). The technician also wrote: “Owner is having issues with the ACC intermittingly since pick up. He took it to the dealer, but they were not able to find any faults.” This shows

NHTSA complaint 11761930, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY/WIPER
Description of Safety Defect The vehicle has experienced significant optical distortion in the driver’s primary line of sight with three separate replacement windshields. The distortion has included noticeable rippling, warping, and a “funhouse” effect that causes straight objects and the surrounding environment to appear distorted when viewed through portions of the windshield directly in front of the driver. Component or system that failed or malfunctioned The affected component is the windshield/front windshield glass, specifically its optical quality in the driver’s field of view. The vehicle has had three windshield replacements, and visual distortion has been present with each

NHTSA complaint 11759293, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Volkswagen Jetta

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2026 6 1 —
2024 44 0 —
2023 43 0 —
2022 43 1 —
2021 69 4 2
2020 53 6 —
2019 549 11 —
2018 31 2 —
2017 159 6 1
2016 161 4 —
2015 194 7 —
2014 386 4 —
2013 516 4 —
2012 499 5 —
2011 607 7 —
2010 852 4 —

Other 2025 Volkswagen models

Every Volkswagen on this site — 155 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst