2015 Volkswagen Jetta Brakes Problems
14 owner-reported brakes complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Brakes Recalls (1)
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
Tenneco Automotive (Tenneco) is recalling certain Beck/Arnley Master Cylinders, part number 072-9831, sold as aftermarket or replacement parts for 2004-2018 Volkswagen Jetta, and 2012-2019 Volkswagen Beetle vehicles. The fluid seal crimp on the master cylinder may be insufficient, causing brake fluid to leak or the cylinder to come apart.
Fix: Beck/Arnley will notify the distributors that sold the master cylinders and will work with the distributors to notify the end users. Affected master cylinders will be exchanged for a new master cylinder (part number 072-9990), free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2020. Owners may contact Tenneco customer service at 1-800-625-9319.
Owner Complaints (14)
Your brakes failed to stop the car while it was rolling forward on a downhill slope. When you pressed the brake pedal after putting the car in gear, there was no response and the car rolled to a stop uncontrolled. After restarting the engine, normal brake pressure returned and the brakes worked properly again. The dealer has not been able to reproduce the problem, but it may involve the brake system losing pressure when the engine is off.
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Your ABS warning light is on and the system isn't communicating with the ABS module, which is also causing your speedometer to stop working. You may also see your EPC (Engine Power Control) warning light illuminated. This will likely require diagnosis and repair of the ABS module or its wiring connections.
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The plastic button on your emergency hand brake popped off and broke internally, so you can't reattach it or engage the emergency brake. This makes it impossible to use the emergency brake until the button is replaced.
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Emergency/parking brake button broke and fell off, rendering the brake inoperative.
I HAVE OWNED THIS USED VEHICLE FOR 3 MONTHS. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKE AT LOW SPEED (10-15MPH) THE BRAKE PEDAL STUCK IN PLACE AND WOULD NOT GO DOWN. THIS BRAKE FAILURE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. DURING SAID ACCIDENT, AT LOW IMPACT, THE AIRBAG WAS TRIGGERED TO DEPLOY. THIS LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THE AIRBAG OR SENSOR IS DEFECTIVE, AS I HAVE BEEN IN A MUCH MORE SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH AN OLDER JETTA THAT DID NOT RESULT IN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. I AM AT RISK OF HAVING MY VEHICLE TOTALED OUT BECAUSE OF THESE ISSUES WHEN IT NORMALLY WOULD BE REPAIRABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED; HOWEVER, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS STIFF AND TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. ADDITIONALLY, THE BRAKES MADE AN ABNORMAL CRUNCHING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (VOLKSWAGEN OF PUYALLUP, 820 RIVER ROAD PUYALLUP, WA 98371) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A BRAKE REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS USED IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND THE "CHECK THE VEHICLE" WARNING MESSAGE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VACUUM GAUGE LINE FAILED DUE TO NOT BUILDING SUFFICIENT PRESSURE TO BRAKE. THE VACUUM GAUGE LINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO FAIRFAX VOLKSWAGEN (11505 FAIRFAX BLVD, FAIRFAX, VA 22030, (703) 359-4500), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 180105636. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS A CRACKING AND GRINDING NOISE PRESENT WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY STOP CAUSING THE BRAKING DISTANCE TO BE EXTENDED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE AT A RED LIGHT, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE, WHICH THEN CRASHED INTO A THIRD VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,907. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.
MY VEHICLE HAD A SAFETY RECALL (23R1/CAMSHAFT) WHICH ONLY HAD THE SOFTWARE UPDATED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM OF THE CAMSHAFT FAILING AND LOOSING POWER BRAKES. WE HAD THIS DONE IN MARCH OF 2016. I WAS DRIVING HOME AT ABOUT 30 MPH AND TOUCHED THE BRAKES TO TURN AND THEY WERE HARD. FORTUNATELY I WASN'T GOING TOO FAST AND BECAUSE I WAS GETTING READY TO TURN AND WAS ABLE TO COAST TO STOP IN FRONT OF MY HOME. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY DIAGNOSED A CAMSHAFT FAILURE. WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THE VEHICLE IS FIXED WITH THE SAME PART. OBVIOUSLY A SOFTWARE UPDATE IS NOT GOING TO FIX THE PROBLEM IF VOLKSWAGEN IN USING THE SAME CAMSHAFT TO REPAIR. VOLKSWAGEN IS PUTTING MANY LIVES AT RISK WITHOUT A FIX TO THIS PROBLEM. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AND DO NOT WANT TO PUT MY FAMILY IN A VEHICLE THAT WE FEEL IS A TICKING TIME BOMB. WE COULD BE KILLED OR INJURED NOT TO MENTION OTHER PEOPLE IF WE ARE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN AND THEY HAVE NO FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM. THIS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO VOLKSWAGEN AND TOLD THEM I WANT THEM TO BUYBACK THE VEHICLE, NO ONE WOULD FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH.
THE CAMSHAFT LOBE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO UNEXPECTEDLY SHEAR OFF FROM THE CHAMSHAFT. VW'S REMEDY IS A SOFTWARE UPDATE. IT SEEMS THE CAMSHAFT SHOULD BE REDESIGNED INSTEAD. HOW WILL A SOFTWARE UPDATE FIX THIS ISSUE?
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE STOPPING DISTANCE WAS EXTENDED AND THE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V70000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,500.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V705000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE THE PART FOR THE RECALL REPAIR IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FRAME. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER FOR MONTHS AND WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE SERVICED UNDER THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE PART WOULD BE SUPPLIED TO THE DEALER FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2015 VW JETTA IN JUNE 2015 IN SAN JOSE, CA. ON 7TH NOV 2015 I WAS IN THIS JETTA WITH MY FAMILY, DRIVING AT 70 MPH. TRAFFIC STARTED SLOWING DOWN AND I TRIED BRAKING BUT I HAD ALMOST NO BRAKES. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS IN THE VEHICLE TO LET ME KNOW THERE WAS A FAILURE. FORTUNATELY I WAS IN THE EXTREME RIGHT LANE AND SWERVED TO GET ON TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD TO AVOID HITTING OTHER CARS. MY FAMILY AND I AND OTHERS MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED OR INJURED. VOLKSWAGEN SAYS THEY WILL LOOK INTO IT AND ARE WILL DECIDE IF THIS IS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. MEANWHILE I AM WITHOUT A CAR AND THEY DO NOT KNOW WHEN THEY WILL GET IT FIXED.