YearToAvoid

2017 Volkswagen Jetta Brakes Problems

NHTSA lists 20 brake complaints for the 2017 Volkswagen Jetta, 13% of all complaints filed for the year, with 5 crashes, 1 fire, and 2 injuries reported. Median mileage at failure was 33,000 miles, and no recall is linked to this brake complaint pattern.

Brakes complaints
20
13% of 159
Crashes reported
5
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
2
Median mileage
33,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical brake symptoms owners report

  • Owners report sudden loss of braking power at moderate speeds, with the pedal failing to slow or stop the vehicle, in several cases leading to a collision.
  • Some describe the brake pedal becoming hard to depress right before a crash, occurring alongside an unrelated electrical/steering recall notice.
  • Others report brakes that feel bumpy or grabby and lose effectiveness specifically while driving in rain.
  • A separate cluster describes cruise control disengaging or the vehicle behaving erratically (dash warnings, wipers, locks, lights) just before braking failed.
  • One owner reported brake noise present since purchase that a dealer did not inspect during a service visit.

When 2017 Volkswagen Jetta brake complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 22, 2018, latest Sep 12, 2025.

2017 Volkswagen Jetta brakes complaints: complaints filed per month2Jan 2018Aug 2018Jun 2019Oct 2019Dec 2019Nov 2020Dec 2024Sep 2025
20 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jan 2018 to Sep 2025; peak Jan 2018 (2).

Brakes recalls for the 2017 Volkswagen Jetta

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Brakes complaints by Jetta model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200517 (7%)
  2. 200634 (6%)
  3. 200745 (22%)
  4. 200827 (14%)
  5. 2009221 (25%)
  6. 201062 (7%)
  7. 201140 (7%)
  8. 201245 (9%)
  9. 201329 (6%)
  10. 201428 (7%)
  11. 201520 (10%)
  12. 201627 (17%)
  13. 201720 (13%)
  14. 20181 (3%)
  15. 201934 (6%)
  16. 20207 (13%)
  17. 202126 (38%)
  18. 202212 (28%)
  19. 202311 (26%)
  20. 202411 (26%)
  21. 20251 (4%)

Frequently asked questions

How many brake complaints does the 2017 Volkswagen Jetta have?
NHTSA lists 20 brake-related complaints for the 2017 Jetta, which is 13% of the 159 total complaints filed for that model year.
Are there any brake recalls for the 2017 Volkswagen Jetta?
No recalls are listed as related to this brake complaint pattern for the 2017 Jetta.
Did the brake problems cause crashes or injuries?
Yes, NHTSA data tied 5 crashes, 1 fire, and 2 injuries to the brake complaints filed for the 2017 Jetta.
At what mileage do 2017 Jetta brake problems typically occur?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this issue is 33,000 miles.
Is the 2017 Jetta worse for brake issues than other Jetta years?
Its 13% share of complaints falls between years like 2016 (17%) and 2019 (6%), but later years such as 2021 (38%) and 2022 (28%) show higher shares of brake complaints.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.