Recalls (4)
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2018 Volkswagen Golf R. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Modifications to Vehicles Made Them Noncompliant
- Summary
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Touareg GP, Tiguan, Golf A6, E-Golf GP, CCF, 2016-2017 Passat GP, 2018-2019 Golf R GP, and 2018 Atlas vehicles. These internal-use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
- Consequence
- Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of injury, crash, or fire.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will repurchase the vehicles. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01F1.
Modifications to Vehicles Made Them Noncompliant
- Summary
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Golf R and Atlas, 2017 Golf Alltrack and E-Golf and 2016-2018 Passat vehicles. These internal use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
- Consequence
- Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of a crash or injury to vehicle occupants.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners and will repurchase the vehicles. The recall began October 6, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01E9.
Improperly Secured Fuel Line may cause Fuel Leak
- Summary
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Golf R vehicles. The fuel hose quick connector may detach from the fuel supply line in the engine bay, resulting in a fuel leak.
- Consequence
- A fuel leak in the engine compartment can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will secure the fuel line connection, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 11, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20Bi.
Incorrectly Welded Rear Seat Guide Sleeves
- Summary
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen e-Golf and Golf R vehicles, and Audi A3 Sedan and RS3 vehicles. The rear seat frame head restraint guide sleeves may be incorrectly welded to the seat frame.
- Consequence
- If the guide sleeves are incorrectly welded, in the event of a crash, the rear seat head restraints may have reduced stability, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners, and dealers will inspect the guide sleeves for incorrect welds, replacing the rear seat frame, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 28, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 72H8 (VW) and 72H9(Audi).
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (9)
9 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The power train is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 3 | 33.3% |
| Service brakes | 3 | 33.3% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 11.1% |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 11.1% |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 11.1% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 11.1% |
| Unknown or other | 1 | 11.1% |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 11.1% |
| Wheels | 1 | 11.1% |
How 2018 compares with other Golf R years
Best and worst Golf R years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 4 | 0 |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016 | 12 | 4 |
| 2017 | 15 | 0 |
| 2018 | 9 | 4 |
| 2019 | 6 | 2 |
| 2022 | 10 | 5 |
| 2023 | 6 | 3 |
| 2024 | 12 | 1 |
| 2026 | 4 | 0 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 5 stars overall
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2018 Volkswagen Golf R 4 dr awd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 25 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $3,300
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 354 g/mi
- EPA class
- Compact Cars
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 25 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 L 4-cyl · Automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 22 / 29 / 25 | $3,300 | 354 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed manual | All-Wheel Drive | 21 / 29 / 24 | $3,400 | 366 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2018 Golf R for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2018 Volkswagen Golf R FAQ
How many recalls does the 2018 Volkswagen Golf R have?
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns: 21V321000 (unknown or other), 20V561000 (unknown or other), 18V864000 (fuel system), 18V803000 (seat). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2018 Volkswagen Golf R problems?
Owners filed 9 complaints with NHTSA. Power train (3), Service brakes (3), Electrical system (1) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2018 Volkswagen Golf R get?
EPA rates the 2 L 4-cyl · Automatic version at 22 city, 29 highway and 25 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2018 Volkswagen Golf R get?
NHTSA rated the 2018 Volkswagen Golf R 4 dr awd 5 stars overall, with 4 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (13.4% rollover risk).
How does the 2018 Golf R compare with other years?
Among the 2013–2019 Volkswagen Golf R model years at least five years old, the 2015 drew the fewest complaints (1) and the 2017 the most (15). The 2018 drew 9. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.