2015 Volkswagen Jetta Brakes Problems

abs light on no communication with abs module cause speedometer not fonctionning abs light on epc light on

NHTSA ID

11690163

Incident

Apr 9, 2025

Bottom line: brakes failed to stop car on decline slope. Situation: driver depressed brake and hit start button. With brakes still depressed the driver put the car into gear. However, the gear jolted and the car began rolling forward. Driver attempted to press the brakes without any response. The car rolled to a stop without any control over braking or accelerating. Once stopped the driver put the car back into park and pressed the start button. The car then ignited and started. After starting, pressure came back into the brake pedal and the engine revved when the accelerator was pressed. No issues were detected after the car started. Available for inspection upon request. Safety: the safety of the driver and surrounding persons was endangered due to the vehicle’s inability to stop when the brakes are depressed. Reproduction: the problem has not been reproduced by a dealer, however a second Reddit user describes a similar situation happening in their Jetta. Inspection: part has not been inspected since the incident but was regularly checked before. Warning: no warning lights were on before the event occurred. Car seemed to operate normally.

NHTSA ID

11676784

Incident

Jul 28, 2025

The small PLASTIC button to engage the emergency hand brake, popped off. When inspecting it, the internal plastic is broken, unable to re-attach. Unable to engage emergency break without it. This is for a manual transmission.

NHTSA ID

11540569

Incident

Aug 23, 2023

I'm finding the brake pedal to be extremely hard to depress. This happened overnight, as the car was operating normally; now I'm afraid to move it because I can't brake properly at very low speeds.

NHTSA ID

11503624

Incident

Jan 23, 2023

You will be driving the car and it will shut off with no warning. You can not steer th ecat you have no brakes.

NHTSA ID

11458402

Incident

Mar 25, 2022

Emergency/parking brake button broke and fell off, rendering the brake inoperative.

NHTSA ID

11421503

Incident

Jun 18, 2021

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.

NHTSA ID

11365653

Incident

Oct 19, 2020

Mileage

47,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11084216

Incident

Jul 1, 2015

Mileage

55 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11072917

Incident

Jan 27, 2018

Mileage

31,000 mi

WHEN I PRESS BRAKE ON FREEWAYS , I FELT LIKE MY CAR STOPPED BECAUSE IT WONT GIVE SMOOTH BRAKE ,I DON'T PUT HARD AND SUDDEN BRAKES , IT WILL LIKE GO FRONT AND BACK AND WILL STOP. MY VOLKS SUSPENSION ARE TOO BAD . I AM, USING 2015 VOLKS JETTA MY TRANSMISSION WILL SHOW ME ALL THE GEARS FROM FIRST TO FINAL , I CAN FEEL WHEN IT GETS PICK UP. I HAVE TOLD MY DEALER BUT THEY DON'T CARE. MY STEERING WHEEL ALWAYS GOING PULLING LEFT SIDE WHEN EVER I DRIVE .

NHTSA ID

11032685

Incident

Sep 1, 2017

Mileage

40,350 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10918692

Incident

Jun 1, 2016

Mileage

39,000 mi

JUST SECONDS AFTER THE EPC LIGHT CAME ON (I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANT) MY BRAKES WENT OUT. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS STIFF AND MY CAR HAD NO RESPONSE IN SLOWING DOWN. LUCKILY I HAD BEEN IN A POSITION WHERE THERE WAS TIME AND SPACE TO REACT AND TO SLOW DOWN USING THE E BRAKE. JUST MINUTES EARLIER I HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY, AS WELL AS IN SOME CITY TRAFFIC - IF I LOST MY BRAKES AT ANY OTHER MOMENT THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY. VW ENDED UP SWAPPING OUT THE ENTIRE ENGINE. THE CAMSHAFT HAD BROKEN IN HALF. I WAS TOLD BY THE TECHNICIAN THAT THIS WAS RELATED TO SOME SORT OF RECALL ISSUE THEY HAD IN THE PAST, BUT I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT. I'M VERY TROUBLED THAT A LESS THAN 2-YEAR-OLD CAR WITH 16K MILES ON IT CAN HAVE SUCH A SUDDEN AND SERIOUS MALFUNCTION. PLEASE ADVISE AND ENSURE THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. OH AND TO MAKE THINGS WORSE, I WAS ON MY HONEYMOON...

NHTSA ID

10914204

Incident

Sep 27, 2016

Mileage

16,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10905727

Incident

Sep 10, 2016

Mileage

14,907 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10894427

Incident

Jul 25, 2016

Mileage

8,500 mi

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?

NHTSA ID

10850197

Incident

Mar 17, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE ELECTRONIC POWER CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V705000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); HOWEVER, THE PART FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE VEHICLE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

10838473

Incident

Feb 23, 2016

Mileage

8,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10825271

Incident

Feb 9, 2015

Mileage

35,500 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10823577

Incident

Nov 10, 2015

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.

NHTSA ID

10789263

Incident

Nov 7, 2015

Mileage

9,517 mi