Most common 2021 Volkswagen Arteon problems
Share of the 14 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Volkswagen Arteon complaints by model year
Best Arteon years: 2022. Years to avoid: 2023. Compare all years →
2021 Volkswagen Arteon recalls (4)
Back over prevention › Sensing system › Camera
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.
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.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Critical fasteners
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.
Remedy: 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.
Tires › Pressure monitoring and regulating systems
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.
Remedy: 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.
Back over prevention › Sensing system › Camera
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.
Remedy: 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.
What 2021 Volkswagen Arteon owners say
Driver assistance
Auto ran into a slow moving car at the top of a hill. Minor damage to other car. Fire started on the arteon and then totalled the car. This could have caused death. Car was inspected by insurance company and they determined the car to be a total loss. No other analysis has been completed. No warning lamps or message or symptoms of problems existed before.
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 the road and look at the dash. There is no way to turn the alarm off. It occurs even if you have the feature it is alarming about disabled or turned off. When the alarm triggers, the display has multiple yellow icons and frequently a large text/graphic in the middle of the digital cockpit. It can be extremely distracting. Apparently the fix is to replace the steering wheel. The steering wheel is on backorder for over four months now.
Wheels & tires
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 information and stated that they would have to deal directly with the dealership in order to complete the process. Dealership is stating to me at this point I will have to purchase the tires, the manufacturer will reimburse used them and they in turn will reimburse me. The dealer is in possession of my vehicle since Friday, 9/26/25 because they told me Ithe vehicle had to be on their premises before they could initiate the work order. …
Continental 245 35 20 tires. Experienced six (6) sidewall failures in 10 months from relatively average pothole or road bumps. Only one of the six failures occurred at a speed above 35 mph. Incident occurred between February 2021 and October 2021
2021 Volkswagen Arteon engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 32 / 25 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | AWD | 20 / 31 / 24 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2021 Volkswagen Arteon a good car?
There isn't enough complaint history for the Arteon to compare model years reliably. So far owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Volkswagen Arteon?
The driver assistance — 6 complaints, 43% of all complaints for this model year, most often about adaptive cruise control. Next are the wheels & tires (4) and electrical system (2).
How many recalls does the 2021 Volkswagen Arteon have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2021 Volkswagen Arteon, the most recent from July 20, 2022 (camera). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Volkswagen Arteon?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2022. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2023. See the full Volkswagen Arteon years comparison.
At what mileage do 2021 Volkswagen Arteon problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 6,000 miles; 100% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.