What 42 owners told NHTSA about the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta Hev

Car was started on afternoon of XXX and the Low Coolant alert sound and dashboard light came on. Opened hood and car was completely out of coolant. Took to Royal Automotive, Vestavia Hills, AL on Wednesday XXX to be fixed. Dealer assessment was “PERFORMED COOLING SYSTEM LEAK TEST. THE VEHICLE PASSED TEST. CHECK FOR VISUAL LEAKS. FOUND NO LEAKS, BUT FOUND SEEPAGE AT THE HEAD GASKET. VOLKSWAGEN SAID THIS WAS NORMAL PER 00-26-01 - DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FLUID LEAKAGE AND SEEPAGE. TOP OFF COOLING SYSTEM.” The car was purchased new by me in October 2022 and my warranty expires in October 2022. It has just over 17,100 miles on it. Further, Volkswagen published a Technical Service Bulletin 15-23-01 - Head Gasket Leakage on XXX documenting known problems with head gaskets for my car’s engine. Despite dealership stating the head gaskets is leaking, Volkswagen stated to the dealership it doesn’t warrant repair. I believe Volkswagen should repair at their expense the defect of their vehicle. The dealership acknowledged the head gasket is clearly “seeping” coolant. Coolant shouldn’t be leaking at all from a closed loop system. This is causing a potential safety issue for my [XXX] daughter who drives the car, as when the head gasket fully fails as documented by Volkswagen, the car could be in traffic and put my daughter’s life and other peoples lives in jeopardy from a blown engine or an overheated engine. It’s unacceptable that Volkswagen’s direction is for us to carry around a gallon of coolant and constantly check the coolant levels because they don’t want to fix their known defect. I called Volkswagen customer care and complained. They refused to assist, stating they stand by the dealership’s assessment. I reminded them that the dealership was doing what Volkswagen directed, but that didn’t change their decision. I asked for escalation, was told it was escalated twice and that their decision is not changing. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11751628

I bought car back in June or July 2024. Since then Ive had issues with vehicle. Bad breaks, bad wheel bearings that were replaced & car just never drove smooth. Since buying car & driving it around for months I have felt a jerk/pull when in drive mode from 0mi when stepping on gas. The Engine has completely shutt off at random at a light when in drive mode & Ive had to put in parking & restart engine while making a right hand turn & while pulling into a parking lot. I notified dealer & taken in but told nothing was found & they didnt seem to see the safety issue at hand or care. It has done this a few times since Ive had it. Very scary, thankfully no accident YET! The lane assist warning light randomly comes/came on before this happened. Dash read, error stop/start engine when it shutt off. It happened so fast I was unable to take a pic. I was able to take a picture of dash reading; please manually start engine in Drive mode at time of last inccident June 22, 2026. This issue seems to get worse the more I drive it.

NHTSA ODI 11745939

At only 24,000 miles, the rear brakes are already showing significant wear. When checked by the dealer, they were 2mm, while the front brakes were 12mm. The service representatives at the dealership have said this is a known problem with this model year, and they have already seen several cars with the same issue of brakes wearing out way too quickly. If a driver wasn't getting regular inspections, they would assume that their brakes would still be in great condition with this mileage, and it could pose a large safety risk.

NHTSA ODI 11737730

The SOS Module failed three times and was replaced three times under warranty. The failure mode is a battery that cannot be ordered due to manufacturer issues. The failed module limits crash reporting. I have attached the three work orders for this vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11736502

Adaptive Cruise control stops working suddenly with message "Travel Assist currently not available". Warning goes after restart or have to go and cancel assist completely and start again and then it works for few minutes and appears again. The problem sometimes doesn’t show up for days but sometimes shows many times within hours. Happens usually on long drives. Once it occurs, it happens multiple times if I try to reset within the drive.
 It gets disabled sometimes on high-speed free ways and adaptive braking suddenly goes away in middle of on ongoing braking or sometimes car suddenly starts slowing down on high speed. Happening for 18 months now. Previous dealership said we could not replicate the issue and did not provide any fix. Same goes for Front Collision Avoidance Warning, it beeps loudly up randomly with no obstacles in sight . When complained this to dealership during first service, they said it could be dust but i still have this issue ongoing intermittently showing up with no fix from dealership.

NHTSA ODI 11735957

About 6 months after I bought my car the check engine light came on, took to vw still under Warranty. And they said it was just a harness on sale about 4 months later, it came back on and they kept my car for a week. And when I got my car back about 2 to 3 weeks later, it came back on again, and they cound't figure it out and said its something wrong with the emmission and now it's back on so I don't know what's wrong with it, I took it to a different shop and they said they couldn't read the codes and I have to take it to Volkswagen dealership. Car is new and fail emmission.

NHTSA ODI 11734976

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.

NHTSA ODI 11731172

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.

NHTSA ODI 11726197

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.

NHTSA ODI 11721906

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.

NHTSA ODI 11701619

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.

NHTSA ODI 11683124

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

NHTSA ODI 11675004

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)

NHTSA ODI 11659290

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.

NHTSA ODI 11655966

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.

NHTSA ODI 11653789

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?

NHTSA ODI 11652199

Rear brake pads wore out quick

NHTSA ODI 11651533

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)

NHTSA ODI 11648350

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.

NHTSA ODI 11630896

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.

NHTSA ODI 11629906

I was driving 50 mph and hit a very large deer. The airbag did not deploy and there was no warning

NHTSA ODI 11625391

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.

NHTSA ODI 11619883

While in operation the dash cluster goes completely black. Aprox 45mph. Dealer had to replace entire dash cluster

NHTSA ODI 11617764

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.

NHTSA ODI 11613107

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.

NHTSA ODI 11609446