Volkswagen Golf complaints by model year
1,439 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Red numbers above the columns are recall campaigns for that model year.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 81 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2020 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2019 | 63 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| 2018 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 2017 | 116 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| 2016 | 85 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
| 2015 | 131 | 7 | 3 | 12 |
| 2014 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| 2013 | 43 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 2012 | 48 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| 2011 | 110 | 4 | 3 | 6 |
| 2010 | 69 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 2009 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2005 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 2004 | 28 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| 2003 | 26 | 0 | 7 | 2 |
| 2002 | 74 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 2001 | 116 | 4 | 2 | 5 |
| 2000 | 88 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 1999 | 64 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 1998 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1997 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1995 | 43 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 1994 | 41 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| 1993 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 1992 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1991 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1990 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 1989 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 1988 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| 1987 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 1986 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 1985 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Among the last 15 model years at least five years old; newer years are left out because owners are still filing reports. Every year compared →
Problem areas by model year
Complaints that name each component, 2014–2023. Darker cells mean more reports. One complaint can name several components.
| Component | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 16 | 29 | 51 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Engine | 2 | 26 | 18 | 18 | 3 | 34 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 2 |
| Unknown or other | 2 | 23 | 14 | 12 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 1 |
| Power train | 2 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 18 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 6 |
| Air bags | 4 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 |
| Structure | 0 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Volkswagen Golf recalls (54)
Recall campaigns NHTSA lists for at least one Golf model year, newest first.
| Campaign | Filed | What | Model years | Repaired |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24V110000 | Feb 14, 2024 | Fuel Leak from Fuel Tank Suction Pump Failure | 2015–2020 | 56.9% |
| 23V604000 | Aug 30, 2023 | Ignition Switch May Fail | 2019 | 63.8% |
| 22V815000 | Oct 31, 2022 | Tire Pressure Loss Not Detected/FMVSS 138 | 2019, 2020 | 84.4% |
| 22V543000 | Jul 27, 2022 | Air Bag Inflator May Explode or Deploy Improperly | 2016 | 63.2% |
| 21V321000 | May 5, 2021 | Modifications to Vehicles Made Them Noncompliant | 2017 | 37% |
| 20V716000 | Nov 18, 2020 | Black Or Frozen Rear View Camera Image/FMVSS 111 | 2021 | 99.8% |
| 20V372000 | Jun 24, 2020 | Incorrect VIN on Label/FMVSS 567 | 2018 | 100% |
| 19V879000 | Dec 11, 2019 | Front Wheel Bearings Improperly Machined | 2019 | 100% |
| 19V862000 | Dec 4, 2019 | Driver Side Air Bag Inflator May Explode | 2011–2014 | 65% |
| 19V615000 | Aug 22, 2019 | Key May Be Removed When Not In Park | 2015–2019 | 49.1% |
| 19V188000 | Mar 6, 2019 | Rear Coil Springs May Fracture | 2015–2019 | 90.1% |
| 18V904000 | Dec 19, 2018 | Rear Coil Springs May Fracture | 2015 | 88.8% |
| 18V464000 | Jul 11, 2018 | Key May Be Removed While Not In Park/FMVSS 114 | 2015–2018 | 76.9% |
| 18V406000 | Jun 13, 2018 | Driver's Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode | 2003 | 8.3% |
| 18V369000 | Jun 1, 2018 | Insufficient Coating on Brake Caliper Pistons | 2018 | 98.6% |
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. Open a model-year page for each campaign's official text, or check your VIN on NHTSA.
Check on NHTSA ↗Crash-test stars by model year
| Model year | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Tested as |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ★★★★★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ | 4 dr fwd |
| 2020 | ★★★★★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ | 4 dr fwd |
| 2019 | ★★★★★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ | 4 dr fwd |
| 2018 | ★★★★★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ | 4 dr fwd |
| 2017 | ★★★★★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ | 4 dr fwd |
| 2016 | ★★★★★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ | 4 dr fwd |
| 2015 | ★★★★★ | 4★ | 5★ | 4★ | 2 dr fwd |
Compare stars only between vehicles of similar size and weight. Source: NHTSA NCAP, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy by model year
EPA combined mpg range across engine and transmission configurations. Your mileage will vary. Source: EPA, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Where to next
Volkswagen Golf FAQ
How many recalls has the Volkswagen Golf had?
NHTSA lists 54 recall campaigns that cover at least one Volkswagen Golf model year from 1985 to 2023. Each campaign card on the model-year pages has NHTSA's official text and the repair completion rate. Only NHTSA's VIN lookup can tell you whether a specific car was repaired.
Which Volkswagen Golf year has the most complaints?
Among the last 15 model years with settled counts, the 2015 drew the most owner complaints filed with NHTSA (131) and the 2008 the fewest (1). Counts are owner reports, not failure rates, and sales volume affects them.
What are the most common Volkswagen Golf problems?
Across the 2014–2023 model years, owners most often name the fuel/propulsion system, engine, unknown or other in complaints filed with NHTSA.
What mpg does the Volkswagen Golf get?
EPA rates the 2021 Volkswagen Golf at 32 to 33 mpg combined, depending on engine and transmission.
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.