2021 Volkswagen Arteon Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Arteon years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 5 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Volkswagen Arteon. That is the most of any Arteon model year in the database (5 years). The most reported problem area is forward collision avoidance (6 complaints, 43%). Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 fire. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 14owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2021 Volkswagen Arteon problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 6 | 43% | — | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 3 | 21% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 21% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 14% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 14% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 7% | 6,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 7% | 6,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2021 Volkswagen Arteon recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Equipment:electrical:infotainment:software; back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Problem: 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."
Risk: A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Service brakes, hydraulic:critical fasteners
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Arteon vehicles. The pressure input rod connection on the brake booster may be loose and could detach.
Risk: A detached pressure input rod will cause the brake pedal to fail, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will tighten the pressure input rod connection, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 28, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 47R3.
Tires:pressure monitoring and regulating systems
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Arteon vehicles. The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensors were incorrectly calibrated and may not detect the position of a wheel sensor after tire rotation. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Risk: The TPMS may misidentify a tire with low air pressure, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wheel electronics and tire valves, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 25, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 44R2.
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2021 Atlas Cross Sport, Tiguan LWB, Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas FL and Arteon vehicles. The rear view camera could malfunction during an ignition cycle, leading to a black screen or infotainment system freeze. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A black or frozen rear view image reduces the driver's visibility when reversing, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the infotainment system software, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 91BB/91BC.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Date: March 9, 2026 FORMAL COMPLAINT: Safety Concern Regarding Unintended Acceleration** Vehicle Information: Year/Make/Model: 2021 Volkswagen Arteon VIN: [XXX] Purchased From: Clay Cooley Volkswagen (October 2024) To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally report a series of escalating…
Several of the tires showing delamination according to the dealership. Extremely hazardous to drive on tires as is. Manufacturer (Continental) advised me on 9/25/2025 they would replace 5 tires (car purchased new, came with full size spare). Continental representative give me their contact…
Travel assist alert keeps going off for no reason. It is very annoying
The contact owns a 2021 Volkswagen Arteon. The contact stated that while driving approximately 18 to 23 MPH, there was a loud clanking noise coming from the engine. The air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was…
This defect causes multiple, non-periodic, but repeated, "Travel assist unavailable" audible and visual alarms at seemingly unrelated and unpredictable times while driving. My favorite times are when you start making a turn after coming to a full stop and it alarms, asking you to take your eyes off…
Other Volkswagen Arteon years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Arteon | 14 | 1 |
| 2022 Arteon | 5 | 0 |
| 2021 | 14 | 4 |
| 2020 Arteon | 2 | 0 |
| 2019 Arteon | 8 | 1 |
See all Volkswagen Arteon problems by year, every Volkswagen model, or the Volkswagen VIN decoder.
Similar Volkswagen models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Volkswagen Arteon?
Owners most often report forward collision avoidance, lane departure, tires problems. The top one, forward collision avoidance, accounts for 6 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2021 Volkswagen Arteon?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2021 Volkswagen Arteon a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Arteon model years, the 2021 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.