2023 Volkswagen Jetta problems, complaints & recalls
NHTSA has received 42 owner complaints about the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta, or 11.4 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.27, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 92 model-year 2023 vehicles we track, it ranks #27 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Volkswagen models its rate is 61% lower; against other Compact cars it is 50% lower.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2023-04-25 and 2026-07-20. Median delay from incident to filing: 25 days.
Analysis
The previous model year (2022) drew 9.0 complaints per year, fewer than this one. The following model year (2024) drew 15.3 per year, more than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2023 model collected 24 complaints, 71% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Engine (28.6% of complaints), followed by Brakes (26.2%) and Electrical (19.0%). Within Engine reports, owners most often mention “head gasket”, “coolant”, “empty”, “engine” and “check”. 1 reports (2.4%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 15 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was the second year (36% of incidents). In the last 12 months 10 new complaints were filed, versus 14 in the 12 months before — a steady pace.
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year.
Complaint index
- vs. all tracked vehicles0.27
- vs. other Volkswagen models0.39
- vs. other 2023 models0.27
- vs. other Compact cars0.5
- Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (24)0.29
- #27 of 92 · 2023Rankings ›
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.
What owners complain about
vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average
Engine · Common terms in reports
- head gasket5
- coolant6
- empty3
- engine8
- check5
- light6
Brakes · Common terms in reports
- pads5
- rear brakes4
- rotors3
- grinding3
- breaks3
- sound3
Electrical · Common terms in reports
- sos3
- module3
- warning4
Problem areas: Engine · Transmission / powertrain · Electrical · Interior & equipment · Brakes · Body & structure
When complaints were filed
- Crashes reported: 1
- Fires reported: 0
- Injuries: 0
- Deaths: 0
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 15 months
What owners report
I was driving 50 mph and hit a very large deer. The airbag did not deploy and there was no warning
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.
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.
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 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.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · 2023 · Compact cars
| Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Subaru Impreza | 4 | 1.1 | 0.03 |
| 2023 Mazda Mazda3 | 12 | 3.3 | 0.08 |
| 2023 Nissan Sentra | 19 | 5.2 | 0.12 |
| 2023 Toyota Prius | 24 | 6.5 | 0.15 |
| 2023 Volkswagen Jetta | 42 | 11.4 | 0.27 |
| 2023 Kia Forte | 60 | 16.3 | 0.39 |
| 2023 Toyota Corolla | 83 | 22.6 | 0.54 |
| 2023 Hyundai Elantra | 165 | 44.9 | 1.07 |
| 2023 Honda Civic | 326 | 88.7 | 2.11 |
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year.
Investigations
No NHTSA investigation covers the tracked model years.
Frequently asked questions
How many complaints were filed for the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta?
42 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta, or about 11.4 per year on the road.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta?
The most common category is Engine, accounting for 28.6% of complaints.
Does the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta have any recalls?
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year.
Is the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta still generating complaints?
In the last 12 months 10 new complaints were filed, versus 14 in the 12 months before — a steady pace.
How does the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta compare with similar vehicles?
NHTSA has received 42 owner complaints about the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta, or 11.4 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 0.27, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 92 model-year 2023 vehicles we track, it ranks #27 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Volkswagen models its rate is 61% lower; against other Compact cars it is 50% lower.