Last updated: 2026-10-10

RELIABILITY SCORE: 77/100 (GOOD)

2022 Volkswagen Jetta Reliability Report

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta has good reliability, but early rear brake wear and sudden EPC power loss are the problems to check before buying.

Full Breakdown Compare Models

Recalls

Complaints

Complaint Rate

9.7per 10,000 sold

Est. Repair Cost

$609

Annual Fuel Cost

$1,700–$1,800

Detailed Score Breakdown

Complaint Severity65/100

Component-weighted complaints normalized by sales volume

Repair Costs80/100

Independent repair cost ratings

Recall Impact88/100

Recall count weighted by severity

Issue Diversity84/100

Breadth of reported problem categories

The Verdict

Consider

Middle of the pack among Jetta years: fewer complaints and recalls than 2021, but rear brake wear and EPC power loss still show up.

Top Issues to Watch

SERVICE BRAKES (8)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (8)
ENGINE (6)

Generation & Refresh (US)

Refresh Year

2022 received a facelift update for the Seventh generation (A7).

Changes: Updated engine options and technology features.
Year 5 in this generation (2018–2023).
7th generation Jetta (US).

What this means for buyers

Refresh years bring updates but can also introduce new issues. Check early recall data before buying.

2018: Seventh generation (A7) Launch

Generation start — new platform.

2022: This Model Year (Refresh)

2022 received a facelift update for the Seventh generation (A7).

Should You Buy the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta?

Reliability is good for this model year, and it sits above average among 2022 sedans. Within the Jetta's scored years it lands in the middle of nine. The 2021 rates worse, with 62 complaints and 4 recalls. The 2023 rates better, with 34 complaints and no recalls. Federal crash tests give the 2022 the top 5 of 5 stars.

Rear brakes draw the most repeated complaints. Owners report pads and rotors replaced between about 12,000 and 34,170 miles, sometimes twice, with squealing, scraping, and a dragging feel from the rear. Dealers often call it normal. Electrical faults are just as common. Engine power drops suddenly with the EPC light on, and some cars stall at 4,500 to 15,000 miles. Dealers often find codes but no fix. A few owners found a leaking head gasket. One federal recall covers back over prevention equipment.

Ask for rear brake service records and any dealer visits for EPC warnings or a blank instrument cluster. Confirm the recall work was done. If you want fewer recalls on file, look at the 2023.

Compared to the 2023 Volkswagen Jetta, which scored 4 points higher. See also the 2021 Volkswagen Jetta for an earlier comparison.

Pros

+Acceptable reliability score
+Infrequent unscheduled repairs
+Low major repair risk (10%)
+Low recall count

Cons

−Above-average repair costs for its class
−SERVICE BRAKES: Rear brake pads wear out far faster than expected, and rear brakes drag or stick (8 complaints)
−ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: Engine power drops suddenly with the EPC light on, engine speed capped, and... (8 complaints)

Compare 2022 Volkswagen Jetta With

2022 Mazda 3

Reliability: 78/100

Good

2022 Subaru Impreza

Reliability: 76/100

Good

2022 BMW 2 Series

Reliability: 74/100

Good

2022 Kia Forte

Reliability: 75/100

Good

2022 Volkswagen Golf

Reliability: 58/100

Mixed

Common Problem Categories

Safety

LOW RISK

1 manufacturer recall issued

Other

HIGH RISK

SERVICE BRAKES (8)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (8)

See detailed breakdown by component ↓

Recall Overview

recall on record

The 2022 Volkswagen Jetta carries 1 recall — a low count. Authorized dealers repair any open recall free of charge, regardless of warranty status.

NHTSA.gov →

Complaint Breakdown

9.7

per 10,000 sold

Segment avg: 17.8

LowAvgHigh

Low

Safety Incidents

Crashes

Fires

Injuries

Deaths

★★★★★

NHTSA 5/5 Stars

Data sourced from NHTSA complaint filings and manufacturer recall notices. Complaint narratives are owner-reported.

2022 Volkswagen Jetta Recall Details

1 recall has been issued for the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta. All recall repairs are performed free of charge at authorized dealerships.

22V5140002022-07-20

BACK OVER PREVENTION, EQUIPMENT

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Golf GTI, Jetta GLI, Jetta NF, Arteon FL, Tiguan LWB, 2022 Taos, Jetta PA, Tiguan PA, 2021-2022 Atlas Cross Sport, and Atlas FL vehicles. The manufacturing process of the eMMC memory module in the infotainment system may cause the rearview camera image not to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence

A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will update the infotainment software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91DV.

VIN History Report

Buying a used 2022 Volkswagen Jetta? Check its history first

Service brakes problems lead owner complaints about the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta, and 1 recall was issued for it. A VIN check shows whether this car's recall work was done, plus accident, title, and odometer history.

Accidents
Open Recalls
Title History
Odometer Rollback

2022 Volkswagen Jetta NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall Safety Rating

Crash Test Results by Configuration (expand)

Gas Powertrain

Driver: 4/5Passenger: 4/5

Rollover risk: 13.0%

Safety Technologies

Dynamic Head Restraints (Not Available)Head Restraint (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)Advanced Belt Feature (Standard)Adjustable Upper Belt Anchorage (Driver, Front Passenger)Seat Belt Reminder System (Driver, Front Passenger)Frontal Air Bag (Driver, Front Passenger)Curtain (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)Torso/Pelvis (Driver, Front Passenger)Knee (Not Available)Additional Air Bags (Not Available)Meets Side Air Bag Out-of-Position Requirements (Yes)LATCH Locations (Rear Seat)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) (Standard)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) locations (Driver, Front Passenger, Rear Seat)

View full safety data on NHTSA.gov →

Volkswagen JettaRepair Costs & Maintenance

Maintenance Rating

Based on NHTSA complaint patterns, recall severity, and publicly available cost benchmarks.

Est. Annual Maintenance

$609

vs $526 avg for compact cars

vs $652 avg for all vehicles

Repair Frequency

0.3

unscheduled repair visits per year

Severe Repair Probability

10%

chance of a major repair

Annual Cost Comparison

Jetta

$609

Category Avg

$526

All Vehicles

$652

Category-level averages derived from publicly available industry reports (AAA, CarMD). Model-level estimates produced by Auto Reliability Index.

Volkswagen Jetta Resale Value

The Volkswagen Jetta is estimated to retain about 67.3% of its original value after 5 years, based on observed used-car listings.

This benchmark covers the Volkswagen Jetta model overall and is not specific to the 2022 model year.

Value Retained: 67.3%
Depreciation: 32.7%
Listings Analyzed: 720

Listings observed in June 2026. Actual resale value varies by trim, mileage, condition, and location.

Explore Volkswagen Jetta depreciation and resale value on CarResaleValue.com

MPG & Annual Running Costs

Gas

33–35 MPG

Running cost: $2,300–$2,400/yr

Fuel + repair

29–31 city / 40–43 hwy MPG

Running cost includes EPA fuel-cost estimate and independent repair-cost data (repair cost estimated at model level). Excludes routine maintenance, depreciation, and insurance. Data as of 2022 EPA label cycle.

Gas trims

Trim	Drive	Trans.	City	Hwy	Comb	Fuel Cost
Jetta 1.5L 4-cyl	Front-Wheel Drive	Automatic (S8)	31	41	35	$1,700
Jetta 1.5L 4-cyl	Front-Wheel Drive	Manual 6-spd	29	43	34	$1,750
Jetta SE/SEL 1.5L 4-cyl	Front-Wheel Drive	Automatic (S8)	29	40	33	$1,800

Used Buying Checklist

Key things to inspect or verify before purchasing a 2022 Volkswagen Jetta.

Measure rear brake pad thickness, comparing the inner and outer pads on the left rear wheel.
Ask for service records showing rear brake replacements or warranty brake claims.
After a cold start, back up slowly and listen for squealing, growling, or scraping from the rear.
Accelerate hard onto a highway and watch for shaking, power loss, or a flashing check engine or EPC light.
Check the coolant level and look for low-coolant warnings or head gasket repairs in the records.
Turn on Travel Assist and confirm no "drive assist not available" message or repeated beeping appears.
Watch the digital instrument cluster during the whole test drive for blanking or rebooting.
Plug a scanner into the OBD-II port to confirm it connects and to read any stored misfire codes.

2022 Volkswagen Jetta Common Problems by Component

33 owner complaints grouped by vehicle system.

SERVICE BRAKES (8)ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (8)ENGINE (6)STEERING (3)FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE (2)AIR BAGS (1)LANE DEPARTURE (1)FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (1)Other (3)

SERVICE BRAKES

8 complaints

Rear brake pads wear out far faster than expected, and rear brakes drag or stick. Reports describe rear pads and rotors replaced between about 12,000 and 34,170 miles, sometimes twice. In some cases one inner pad wears to metal while the others still have plenty left. Symptoms include squealing and growling when cold, scraping with the brakes released, and a dragging feel from the rear. A sticking rear brake can upset handling, especially on wet roads. Dealers often call the noise normal or the wear routine. A separate report describes the brakes seizing when hill start assist releases.

8 complaints total

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

8 complaints

Engine power drops suddenly with the EPC light on, engine speed capped, and cruise control shut off. Some reports add misfires, shaking, knocking, and stalls in traffic or at intersections, which raises the risk of a rear-end or side crash. Dealers often find fault codes but no fix. The digital instrument cluster can go blank while driving and take the speedometer with it. A reset from a service bulletin did not always hold. Other reports cite a blank infotainment screen, false warnings, a repeating Travel Assist alarm, and an OBD-II port that does not connect.

8 complaints total

ENGINE

6 complaints

Two failure patterns show up. The first is a leaking head gasket. A low-coolant warning flags it and a dealer confirms it, in one case at 22,000 miles. Coolant loss can lead to overheating. The second is misfiring and power loss: the car shakes, the check engine or EPC light flashes, and the car may not go faster than about 20 mph. Symptoms often clear after a restart. Dealers frequently cannot reproduce the problem even with stored misfire codes, so the car goes back with no repair.

6 complaints total

STEERING (3 complaints)

STEERING

3 complaints

A "drive assist not available" warning comes on and beeps repeatedly while driving. Dealers usually trace it to a sensor in the steering wheel and replace the wheel, and replacement wheels can be on back order. The fault can come back after the wheel is replaced, with reports at high mileage. One complaint filed under this heading actually concerns rear brake pads and rotors wearing out in about a year, with the dealer refusing the work once the warranty ended.

3 complaints total

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE (2 complaints)

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

2 complaints

Travel Assist, which covers adaptive cruise control and lane keeping, shuts off. Its warning lights then flash with loud, rapid beeping from startup and at any speed. The constant alerts distract the driver and can hide other warnings. A separate report says forward collision warning never alerts at all, with no dash light or chime, even when it is switched on. Only two complaints are on file, so the pattern is thin. Both point to driver-assist features that cannot be relied on.

2 complaints total

AIR BAGS (1 complaints)

AIR BAGS

1 complaintSafety-related

2025-12-18Crash reported

Car was hit in rear by tractor trailer, spun into another tractor trailer. Then the second tractor trailer slammed the vehicle front end first into the median. Front end crushed, driver side door caved in, rear end damage. No airbags were deployed the entire time. 55 mph (approximate) to a complete stop in a fraction of a second. The vehicle is currently in the possession of the insurance company, and it was a massive risk to my own safety. I have no idea how I did survive, and no airbags deploying makes it a very difficult situation to ever purchase a VAG vehicle again.

LANE DEPARTURE (1 complaints)

LANE DEPARTURE

1 complaint

2024-04-16

The “travel assist currently not available” warning keeps coming on over and over through a drive cycle. The dealer is telling me that the steering wheel needs to replaced. Since the car is out of the warranty period, they advised that the cost will be $999.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (1 complaints)

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

1 complaint

2025-05-14

Difficulty gasing up the vehicle. Noticeable fuel leak coming from the rear passenger side fender well. It appears the fuel evap canister is leaking.

STRUCTURE (1 complaints)

STRUCTURE

1 complaint

2024-09-27

I have a 2022 VW Jetta and my breaks lasted 13,400 miles, I have a daily commute of 11 miles and I believe this is not a normal condition on a car. The delaer refused to replace the breaks despite the eviden condition of low quality. In addition I have a problem in my door where the door does not close in case of really cold weather. I have a video but it I cannot upload.

SEATS (1 complaints)

SEATS

1 complaint

2022-05-20

The driver’s side seat is not secured and has slight movements in some positions and wobbles in other positions, particularly when braking . The seat does not feel secure or safe when under any hard braking. I had the dealer inspect it a few months after purchase they acknowledged it and replaced the mounting brackets to the seats and within 20 minutes the seat was loose again and the rail has a stutter in it when sliding it about 2/3rds back.

When Do 2022 Volkswagen Jetta Problems Start?

Based on owner complaint patterns, here's when common issues tend to appear.

12,000–34,170 milesPremature rear brake wear

4,500–15,000 milesStalling with EPC light

Best & Worst Volkswagen Jetta Years

Best Volkswagen Jetta Years to Buy

Based on reliability index score

Top Pick

Excellent

Volkswagen Jetta Reliability Score Trend

Scores 0–100. Higher is better. Current year highlighted.

Volkswagen Jetta reliability scores by year
Year	Score	Rating
2018	79/100	Good
2019	58/100	Mixed
2020	75/100	Good
2021	74/100	Good
2022	77/100	Good
2023	81/100	Excellent
2024	82/100	Excellent
2025	81/100	Excellent
2026	88/100	Excellent

Volkswagen Jetta Reliability Compared to Other Years

Reliability scores compared across model years
Year	Score	vs Prior Year	Rating	Recalls	Complaints
2026	88/100	+7	Excellent	0	0
2025	81/100	-1	Excellent	0	11
2024	82/100	+1	Excellent	0	26
2023	81/100	+4	Excellent	0	34
2022(selected)	77/100	+3	Good	1	33
2021	74/100	-1	Good	4	62
2020	75/100	+17	Good	6	48
2019	58/100	-21	Mixed	11	519
2018	79/100	—	Good	3	27

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta reliable?

Yes, reliability is good, and it is above average among 2022 sedans. Within the Jetta's nine scored years it sits in the middle. Owners filed 33 complaints, and the car earns 5 of 5 federal crash-test stars. Rear brake wear and engine power loss are the main weak spots.

What are the most common problems with the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta?

Service brakes and the electrical system lead, with 8 complaints each. Brake complaints involve rear pads wearing out early and dragging. Electrical ones involve sudden power loss with the EPC light on and blank instrument clusters. Engine complaints follow, covering head gasket leaks and misfires, then steering warnings.

Does the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta have rear brake problems?

Yes, owners report rear pads and rotors wearing out far faster than expected, between about 12,000 and 34,170 miles, sometimes twice. Symptoms include squealing when cold, scraping, and a dragging feel. Dealers often call the wear routine. A sticking rear brake can upset handling on wet roads.

Has the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta been recalled?

Federal recall records show one recall for this model year. It covers back over prevention, listed as equipment. The 2021 has 4 recalls and the 2023 has none. Before buying, check the VIN to confirm the recall work was completed.

How much does the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta cost to repair?

Independent repair-cost data puts the estimated annual cost at $609, compared with $526 for its class. That is higher than the typical compact sedan. Early rear brake replacements, which some owners paid for more than once, are one likely contributor to that gap.

Don’t buy a 2022 Volkswagen Jetta without checking its VIN first — hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls could cost you thousands.

Look Up a VIN →

How we score the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta

Of the four inputs behind this score, the 2022 Volkswagen Jetta does best on recall impact (88/100) and worst on complaint severity (65/100). Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

Get notified when new recalls or reliability data is added for the Volkswagen Jetta.

No spam. Only data updates for this model.