How many problems does the 2022 VOLKSWAGEN Golf GTI have?

The 2022 VOLKSWAGEN Golf GTI currently has 102 owner-reported complaints according to NHTSA database. These complaints are organized by component to help identify common issues.

What are the most common problems with 2022 VOLKSWAGEN Golf GTI?

The most common problems reported for the 2022 VOLKSWAGEN Golf GTI are organized by component above. Each component section shows owner-reported issues, crash reports, and fire incidents to help identify patterns and problem areas.

Where does this 2022 VOLKSWAGEN Golf GTI problem data come from?

All problem and complaint data for the 2022 VOLKSWAGEN Golf GTI comes directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database. These are real complaints submitted by actual vehicle owners.

2022 VOLKSWAGEN Golf GTI Problems

POWER TRAIN

18 complaints

When shifting (6 speed manual) the shifter knob has come off the shaft multiple times and must be put back on when driving causing a safety issue. When shifting from 2-3 and 4-5 pressure on the shift knob causes it to sometimes turn counter clockwise and then the know pops of the shifting mechanism. I have to try and match up the knob with the shaft while driving and push it back and turn it clockwise. In the past, shifter knobs where screwed on and torqued tightly to keep them on. This one only requires a slight twist to come on and off the shaft.

Apr 21, 2023

The shift knob on the gear selector of my manual transmission vehicle broke off while attempting to merge into traffic while shifting into 2nd gear at roughly 10mph, leaving me unable to select a gear. This put my safety and that of others at risk by temporarily preventing me from moving my vehicle as I was merging with traffic. In addition, this is the second time a factory shift knob has broken in this car. The first one broke and was repaired by a dealer approximately 6 months ago. The shift knob is still in my car, but I will try to replace it soon. This one has not been inspected by a 3rd party yet. There were no warnings or signs of damage prior to the knob breaking off.

Mar 23, 2023

The shift knob pulls off the manual transmission shifter shaft under certain driving conditions, such as a fast shift. I believe that the shifter knob retainer clip is loose or broken. This is a safety problem. I first noticed it when I had to make a quick maneuver during a turn. Experiencing the shift knob pull off the shaft while I was downshifting was dangerous and distracting. I reported the issue to the service department at my local VW dealer. They were not aware of others having the same problem and asked me to bring in the car if I knew how to duplicate it. I can’t duplicate it in normal driving. The second time it happened I was braking for a traffic light while downshifting. I was able to push the knob back down without crashing, but it is very unnerving. No warning lights are triggered. I have not taken the car in to the dealer yet for an inspection. I don’t like the idea of trying to duplicate the problem like the dealer suggested. I want them to inspect the assembly and will probably give them an opportunity soon. I’m reporting this because I feel that VW should treat this issue with more urgency.

Feb 05, 2023

The gear shifter knob came loose during shifts while driving, detaching from the shaft inside of the leather shifter boot, making it difficult or impossible to select a gear.

Dec 21, 2022

As I was merging onto a highway, the shift lever popped up and disconnected from the linkage as I was changing gears. This left me temporarily unable to accelerate on the on-ramp with vehicle traffic around me. I was able to push back down on the lever and reinstate shifting capabilities but the connection was still loose to the touch and could be pulled up again when I came to a rest after I finished driving. This particular part was eventually replaced under warranty as it had many cosmetic cracks and chips in it. Unknown if this is related to the loose linkage as that is a separate part of the shift boot. This vehicle is the manual transmission version.

Dec 12, 2022

+ 13 more complaints for this component

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

15 complaints

The radiator fell out of it's harness, which cause the coolant hose to rub against a belt. The cooling hose broke, causing all coolant to leak out of the car. The car is now unable to be driven. This is a prevalent issue I heard about throughout the community, but has not been addressed by Volkswagen in any way. The only warning I received from the vehicle was that the car was low on coolant.

Sep 15, 2022

Radiator hose hit the serpentine belt and caused full loss of coolant. I currently have 1,483 miles on my car bought new from the dealership. I haven’t even opened my hood until today when I was alerted to low coolant levels and had them all spilling out on my driveway.

Sep 13, 2022

Common problem on 2022 VW GTI models - radiator comes loose from upper clip mount on passenger side of vehicle, causing radiator to fall out of place. This causes the lower radiator to move enough so that the coolant hose rubs against a nearby serpentine belt, resulting in a hole in the hose and loss of coolant. This happened to me on Saturday, August 6. I was alerted with a LOW COOLANT warning in the dashboard. I immediately pulled over to check it out, saw the problem, and drove straight to dealer. Technician looked at it and said, "yep, I've done two of these already in the last month". This is a widespread issue as reported on vwvortex.com and the VW Mk8 group on Facebook. My car has been at Stohlman VW for over four weeks now, awaiting parts. Some owners have had the issue multiple times.

Sep 04, 2022

When driving at highway speeds, coolant sensor light stated there was a problem. Pulled off of freeway and noticed that coolant was spewing everywhere. Opened hood and radiator had come loose and damage to coolant lines when coming in contact with belts.

Sep 01, 2022

July I broke down with a "low coolant" light, I pulled tot the side of the road, opened the hood and had a low coolant level. After further inspection of why - my radiator had come loose, pushing parts of it into the serpintine belt causing coolant to splew all over the engine bay. After a month of being at VW, they "Fixed" it. I picked up my car after they had called me yelling about the rental car they had given me, to bring it back at x date and time. So I had to break my Vacation in Oregon short which was about a 959 mile drive for me and get my car. Which, a week later broke down again from the same issue and left me stranded for 24 hours. I have pictures/videos of this.

Aug 28, 2022

+ 10 more complaints for this component

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

12 complaints

My vehicle's rear camera turns black and/or gets slow while parking. This problem was fixed a few months ago but the problem started happening again.

Aug 23, 2025

Lost my key fob during a hike. The key was attached to my belt through the key ring. Must have accidentally brushed release button for the emergency key, which dropped the key fob somewhere along a ten-mile (16 K) hike. Thought I could start the car using the emergency key. That is not possible. I became stranded. The key fob for 2022 GT1 includes an “emergency” key. The emergency key contains a metallic loop, which is the only way to attach the key fob to a key chain. The emergency key is released by pushing an exposed button on the side of the key fob (see attached picture). Unfortunately, the emergency key only unlocks the driver’s side door. It cannot start the car. In fact, the brakes are lock and the car cannot even be towed without the key fob. I believe losing the key fob was a direct result of faulty design and this problem should have been anticipated by VW. I routinely go for a long hikes from staging grounds that have no cell phone reception and are miles away from any place where I could get help (example: 37.5362566,-121.8474412). After a long hike on a hot day, I am exhausted, low on food, water and endurance. Being past retirement age, I am not equipped to further extend my hike. I believe this is a safety defect that should be rectified through recall if necessary. Fortunately, this time on July 28, I could get cell reception from my parked car. However, I do think my safety was imperiled by the poor design of the key. A single, unintentional motion disconnected the key and left me stranded. I have been unable to contact Volkswagen. Have not found any usable email address. Tried calling the listed phone number, 800-822-8987. After a 40 min. hold, it hung up on me.

Aug 25, 2024

The vehicles built-in independent navigation system frequently loses its position. When the system loses its position, it displays an inaccurate vehicle position on the map, and does not provide correct driving guidance. The incorrect driving guidance can lead to a turn into a body of water, house, or other fixed structure. The issue has been reported to the manufacturer and the vehicle was inspected by their dealer. The dealer was able to observe the condition on a test drive. The manufacturer/dealer is placing the blame on cellular phone interference, even if the phone is not connected to the car. This does not equate as the built-in navigation system is a system that is independent of any cellular phone. The manufacturer is not willing to take any further action.

Mar 21, 2024

Backup camera upon backing up, fails from time to time. The camera will freeze (showing a still image), It can lag (showing a delayed image), It will sometime show no image at all (just a black screen). Available for inspection upon request, yes. It puts the driver and anyone behind the car at risk, by showing incorrect information to the driver about the position of the car in conjunction to its surroundings. The issue has not been confirmed at a dealership, But I have been documenting it. The dealership is aware the cameras are issues in these cars but doesn’t want to act until a specific recall is made available. Not a great solution since this issue puts people at risk. No warning of errors or awareness from the car that the system has failed.

Jul 02, 2023

The panoramic moonroof in my car exploded while I was driving home. It sounded like a shotgun went off inside my car and if the sun visor would have been open, glass would have fallen on me. The moonroof exploded outward, and I have pictures if needed. The car is a little over one year old and I have an appointment with the dealer in a week to see if it is covered under warranty.

Jun 29, 2023

+ 7 more complaints for this component

ENGINE

7 complaints

Third time today I saw my radiator loose from passenger side and was rubbing on ac compressor pulley. Noticed gouge in elbow coming from lower coolant hose. I could lost all coolant on highway then lead to engine shutdown.

Jun 07, 2023

My 2022 Golf GTI SE is part of the recall with NHTSA ID of 22V707 (Radiator and Coolant Hose). The issue is the radiator comes loose causing a hose and housing to make contact with the accessory belt eventually causing a leak. In my particular instance, I caught the problem early. My radiator had become loose (wasn't loose on previous checks) but hadn't dislodged to the point of causing damage. Per this recall, there's no "fix" for my issue as only the house/housing/pulley/belt are fixed if required. This leaves me waiting on on Volkswagen to issue an ACTUAL fix for the underlying problem (radiator mounting) rather than a fix for only the symptoms. At this point, I'm unable to drive my car for fear of failure and potential engine damage.

Dec 06, 2022

Shift knob came off of lever. Plastic sleeve broke above metal clamp. Available for inspection. Could have caused an accident if happened while driving. Has not been inspected by dealer yet. Will take it o next visit. Knob was suddenly loose. Happened while backing out of garage. Replaced knob with aftermarket one. This problem has happened to many VW mk8 GTI/R drivers.

Oct 13, 2022

Low coolant light appeared on dashboard. Radiator assembly had became dislodged and caused a coolant leak. Required immediate pullover on the interstate.

Oct 04, 2022

Radiator came loose allowing the lower return hose to contact the AC pulley and become damaged. Car lost substantial amount of cooling fluid and had to be parked. Eventually it was driven a short distance to the dealership for repair involving replacement of the radiator and hose. Dealer did not advise on any modification past returning car to previous state.

Sep 07, 2022

+ 2 more complaints for this component

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE

6 complaints

1) Yes, the Travel Assist warning light comes on and says, "Trave Assist is currently not available." It then clears the warning and flashing again repetitively and loudly while driving blocking the instrument cluster and distracting the driver. This warning indicator is not accurate as the travel assist functions of the car remain working while this light and ding continue to repeat. 2) The warning light blocks the instrument cluster and continues to flash repedetively as a loud "ding" sometimes 5 or 10 times in a row, which is highly distracting and is a false warning for actual problems the car could be experiencing especially during highway driving. 3) Yes, I have video of this and there is ample evidence of other vehicle drivers of the Mk8 VW GTI (2022-2025) with this same issue. Some have replaced multiple steering wheels, like I have without a permanent solution and others have started selling an aftermarket KLR module to replace the VW one. 4) Yes, the vehicle maintains constant annual inspections and is covered still under warranty with VW inspecting the problem. 5) Yes, the issue appeared about 6 months into ownership and then has repeated constantly throughout. Somehow VW claims they are not aware of the issue despite the endless online communication on VW forums about this issue and even an entire aftermarket for a replacement KLR module. I am only filling this out because VW claims to be unaware of this issue as a larger problem outside of my car despite the endless cases I have found online. They told me that this is the method of informing them, hence my submission.

Oct 01, 2025

Travel Assist is disabled which includes Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist. The warning lights flash on and off, sometimes multiple times a second, sounding a loud beeping each time. It is triggered at engine start and persists through all speeds. I have experienced it 0-70 mph. The flashing lights and associated rapid beeping indicating the failure is extremely distracting while driving. Warning lights and warning sounds are designed to alert the driver to a potential safety issue so ignoring the lights and sounds is dangerous in the event it is a different caution/warning. However, also not ignoring it is dangerous because of the frequency of the warnings which causes the driver to look away from the road. This happens at any and all speeds. From what I've heard this is a widely known problem that is remedied only with the replacement of the steering wheel. My steering wheel was already replaced once for a different issue. There are several other sensors that are triggered by the same issue I was told by the maintenance department. They are uncertain at this time if it impacts the airbag system which is another potential safety concern.

Aug 05, 2025

Travel Assist is disabled which includes Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist. The warning lights flash on and off, sometimes multiple times a second, sounding a loud beeping each time. It is triggered at engine start and persists through all speeds. I have experienced it 0-70 mph. The flashing lights and associated rapid beeping indicating the failure is extremely distracting while driving. Warning lights and warning sounds are designed to alert the driver to a potential safety issue so ignoring the lights and sounds is dangerous in the event it is a different caution/warning. However, also not ignoring it is dangerous because of the frequency of the warnings which causes the driver to look away from the road. After speaking with the maintenance department at my VW dealership, they indicated that this is a widely known problem that is remedied only with the replacement of the steering wheel. There are several other sensors that are triggered by the same issue I was told by the maintenance department. They are uncertain at this time if it impacts the airbag system which is another potential safety concern. The steering wheel can only be ordered after inspection by the maintenance department and there is shortage and/or back order of the part to fix the problem.

Nov 21, 2024

In March of 2023, I brought my car into service at my local dealer regarding random SOS and assistive cruise control errors that were causing my cruise control to randomly disengage, which caused multiple safety incidents where the cruise control would cause me to nearly hit the car in front of me or cause the car behind me to almost collide into me. After more than a year of working with VW and the dealership, there is no resolution available to remedy this situation. I also reached out directly to VW and they're only offering a small cash settlement so I shut up and go away. Again, this car has caused multiple close calls which could have resulted in fatal accidents. I do not feel safe in this car and VW is showing zero remorse in denying claims regarding this car. I have another appointment set for August 22nd, which I doubt will resolve the issue I am having.

Aug 06, 2024

Emergency SOS and Travel Assist will intermittently fault out sending a loud chime in the cabin warning me that said assist devices aren’t available. Sometimes the chimes will go off for minutes on end and be completely random. This persistent chime is distracting and also frightening as I think I’m about to get into an accident. Further, with the persistent chime, it will make the driver immune to the noise which could be dangerous if there actually is an emergency. Took the the VW dealership multiple times and they can’t figure out the issue. They’re going to try replacing the steering wheel to see if that rectifies the issue.

Feb 04, 2024

+ 1 more complaint for this component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

4 complaints

Travel Assist is disabled which includes Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist. The warning lights flash on and off, sometimes multiple times a second, sounding a loud beeping each time. It is triggered at engine start and persists through all speeds. I have experienced it 0-70 mph. The flashing lights and associated rapid beeping indicating the failure is extremely distracting while driving. Warning lights and warning sounds are designed to alert the driver to a potential safety issue so ignoring the lights and sounds is dangerous in the event it is a different caution/warning. However, also not ignoring it is dangerous because of the frequency of the warnings which causes the driver to look away from the road. After speaking with the maintenance department at my VW dealership, they indicated that this is a widely known problem that is remedied only with the replacement of the steering wheel. There are several other sensors that are triggered by the same issue I was told by the maintenance department. They are uncertain at this time if it impacts the airbag system which is another potential safety concern. The steering wheel can only be ordered after inspection by the maintenance department and there is shortage and/or back order of the part to fix the problem.

Jun 13, 2024

I purchased the vehicle base in March of 2022. The SOS, Travel and Parking assist warning lights started coming on in August 2022. I took it in for service. They kept the car for a couple of days because they didn't know how to fix the issue. Finally they were told by VW to replace the steering wheel with hope of this resolving the issue. The steering wheel was replace and the issue went away only to come back around November 2022. I took the vehicle in once again and was told that a newer steering wheel is now available and they will replace the one they put in back in August with this newer version. They however don't have an ETA of when the steering wheel will become available. This was back in December when they ordered the steering wheel. It's now almost April 2023 and I haven't heard any updates on the availability of the steering wheel. The warning lights comes on every single time I drive the vehicle and it's to the point of being a nuisance because the lights come on at light 15 to 20 times and each time they come on, they omit a loud beeping noise which is driving me up a wall. I don't really drive the car because of this. Now VW is telling me that my Safe and Secure subscription (which expired in March 2023) needs to be paid in full in order to continue the service even though VW put out a statement stating that this feature will be free to all VW customers for 5 years. I'm basically paying $79.50 for April and May then receiving the feature for no charge starting in June which makes zero sense. I am beyond livid at this point and voe to never purchase another VW manufactured product due to all the stress I've endured while owning this new 2022 vehicle (which should not have any issues from the start). VW sold me a very defective product. I even had to have a new radiator install and the car only has 7K miles on it as of today (3/29/23).

Mar 29, 2023

Travel assist (ACC)light pops up for any reason, that scares you at the beginning because when you are driving you think is something big and could be if you are driving and crash for put attention to the warning light. I tried to desactivate but the function says is unavailable, I did my homework to investigate a little bit more and there’s more cars like mine doing the same thing. The light goes away for days or hours but later come up again.

Dec 30, 2022

The car constantly says the travel and emergency assist do not work. It’s constantly dinging. I bought the car with the expectation of having these safety features. Many if not all of these generation of GTI have this issue and VW has no fix.

Dec 26, 2022

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

3 complaints

Travel Assist is disabled which includes Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist. The warning lights flash on and off, sometimes multiple times a second, sounding a loud beeping each time. It is triggered at engine start and persists through all speeds. I have experienced it 0-70 mph. The flashing lights and associated rapid beeping indicating the failure is extremely distracting while driving. Warning lights and warning sounds are designed to alert the driver to a potential safety issue so ignoring the lights and sounds is dangerous in the event it is a different caution/warning. However, also not ignoring it is dangerous because of the frequency of the warnings which causes the driver to look away from the road. After speaking with the maintenance department at my VW dealership, they indicated that this is a widely known problem that is remedied only with the replacement of the steering wheel. There are several other sensors that are triggered by the same issue I was told by the maintenance department. They are uncertain at this time if it impacts the airbag system which is another potential safety concern. The steering wheel can only be ordered after inspection by the maintenance department and there is shortage and/or back order of the part to fix the problem.

Jul 10, 2025

The Travel Assist and SOS are not available error chime is a problem that many drivers experience with VW. For my most recent drive, the error chimed and distracted me for the whole duration of my trip and it causes unnecessary stress when driving

May 29, 2025

Travel Assist is disabled which includes Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist. The warning lights flash on and off, sometimes multiple times a second, sounding a loud beeping each time. It is triggered at engine start and persists through all speeds. I have experienced it 0-70 mph. The flashing lights and associated rapid beeping indicating the failure is extremely distracting while driving. Warning lights and warning sounds are designed to alert the driver to a potential safety issue so ignoring the lights and sounds is dangerous in the event it is a different caution/warning. However, also not ignoring it is dangerous because of the frequency of the warnings which causes the driver to look away from the road. After speaking with the maintenance department at my VW dealership, they indicated that this is a widely known problem that is remedied only with the replacement of the steering wheel. There are several other sensors that are triggered by the same issue I was told by the maintenance department. They are uncertain at this time if it impacts the airbag system which is another potential safety concern. The steering wheel can only be ordered after inspection by the maintenance department and there is shortage and/or back order of the part to fix the problem.

Apr 22, 2025

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE

3 complaints

Travel Assist is disabled which includes Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist. The warning lights flash on and off, sometimes multiple times a second, sounding a loud beeping each time. It is triggered at engine start and persists through all speeds. It is worse when temperatures are warm outside. The flashing lights and associated rapid beeping indicating the failure is extremely distracting while driving. It will some times ding 20 times in a minute with associated warning display on the dash. Warning lights and warning sounds are designed to alert the driver to a potential safety issue so ignoring the lights and sounds is dangerous in the event it is a different caution/warning. However, also not ignoring it is dangerous because of the frequency of the warnings which causes the driver to look away from the road. Quick internet research and discussions with the dealer show this is a widely experienced issue with this model of car (among others). After speaking with the maintenance department at my VW dealership, they indicated that this is a widely known problem that is remedied only with the replacement of the steering wheel. My steering wheel was replaced when the car was just over a year old. The "fix" was temporary and has now recurred. There are several other sensors that are triggered by the same issue I was told by the maintenance department. They are uncertain at this time if it impacts the airbag system which is another potential safety concern. The steering wheel can only be ordered after inspection by the maintenance department and there is shortage and/or back order of the part to fix the problem. It took two months last time to get the steering wheel. Despite there being the same issue this time, they suggest a different part. Volkswagen not doing anything to remedy this problem Waiting on steering wheel and not permit fix has put this car outside the lemon laws in my state.

Sep 24, 2024

I have errors popping up on my dashboard. It says “travel assist is currently not available “ or “emergency assist is currently not available “ . This does not happen every time I drive the vehicle but it happens quite frequently. When it happens It flashes and beeps constantly for a couple of minutes or even longer. Sometimes it beeps during the whole 30+ minutes trip. There is no way to turn it off. This is not just an annoyance but also a safety concern because it’s distracting. I brought my car to the dealership in September and after a couple of days they said that they’re not able to reproduce the problem. The problem still exists

Oct 19, 2023

Various software glitches that can lead to anything from cruise control being disabled for no reason to the buttons on the steering wheel becoming not responsive. Audio glitch can sometimes happen where no audio can be heard from the cars speakers, even parking assist sensor sounds. Backup camera flickering is another issue that can happen sometimes. Issues are all intermittent.

Jun 29, 2022

BACK OVER PREVENTION

3 complaints

Backup camera does not engage when vehicle is put in reverse.

Aug 13, 2024

My 2022 VW GTI recently experienced a malfunction where the Parking Assist feature did not function. This feature appears to encompass the Rear Back-up Camera, Rear Parking Sensors, and Parking Collision Warning system. This failure coincided with the HVAC system control system portion of the infotainment system not booting up. A video can be seen here: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Dec 29, 2023

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V823000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

Apr 05, 2023

LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

3 complaints

“Travel assist” warning comes on frequently. System activates and deactivates multiple times even in short driving trips. System is responsible for lane departure, collision avoidance, adaptive cruise control etc. Can deactivate and reactivate without any known cause multiple times within even 1 minute. Was told by my dealer that it’s “normal” because it’s “high tech”

Jul 13, 2023

The rear backup camera freezes intermittently. Intermittently the error codes flash that the VW intelligent drive safety features are not available. Car has emergency breaking has activated on an open road on two occasions with rapid slow down. Dealer examined the vehicle and found fault possibly in the touch controls of the steering wheel and the wheel must be replaced. Replacements are available and no eta. This started in January.

Jun 22, 2023

Travel Assist (ACC)light and emergency braking systems are turning off and on repeatedly and intermittently. This happened 5 or 6 times on my 15-minute drive to work a few weeks back. I heavily rely on these safety systems so the vehicle is much more unsafe when those systems are inactive, not to mention the annoyance or dinging when the system deactivates which takes my focus off the road. The vehicle has not been inspected by the dealer or independent service as of yet but I intend to do so with the dealer. The yellow system warning lamps are lit when these systems are inactive.

Feb 06, 2023

WHEELS

2 complaints

[XXX] I hit a pothole at night which punctured the right front tire. Luckily, I was close to a friend’s house and pulled into his driveway with a flat tire. Two safety issues; 1. The warning notification that there was damage to the right front tire appeared for about 10 seconds then disappeared. Only the tire icon continued illuminated. The warning notification should stay lit. Continuing to drive could have been a safety issue. This is a software issue that should be corrected. 2. I was completely unable to change the tire because I could not figure out how to remove the damaged wheel and tire. If this had happened on a deserted back road it could have been very dangerous. The car has a spare, a jack, and a lug wrench, but there are no visible lug nuts on the wheel. After complaining to VW Legal and numerous ineffective communications with VW Customer Care I now understand that there are plastic covers over the lug nuts that must be pried off to reveal the lug nuts. Unfortunately, these covers look like they should be unscrewed with a TORX wrench. I called VW roadside assistance that night; they did not understand what I was asking. The Owners Manual did not have a single section explaining how to change a tire. Later, after reading multiple sections of the Manual I did determine there is a wire loop tool to pull off these covers. Neither I nor my VW Dealer could remove it with just finger strength. VW Customer care referred me to the online Owner’s Manual. Not useful, it shows only the lug nuts, no mention of plastic covers. This is a specific example of a general problem NHTSA should look into. Namely that the Owner’s Manuals for today’s cars are written to cover many models. Finding something specific is difficult at best. In my case it could have been dangerous. What to do? Make the manufacturers publish online manuals that can be downloaded by the dealer for each specific vehicle. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

May 16, 2024

The tire pressure monitoring system failed, the front right tire had ruptured and was completely flat for 4-5 blocks and the tire pressure monitoring system did not report to the driver that there was a loss of tire pressure. Yes this car is available for inspection upon request. This could have led the driver into an unsafe situation by not reporting a tire had failed. The issue will be confirmed by a dealership when I take the tire in for repair. Tire has not been inspected yet, I simply changed out the spare tire. No warning lights, errors, or system warnings. And this is point. There is a system on this car that will tall you if tire pressure has changed. It did not tell me tire pressure changed when the tire went completely flat and the car continued to drive. This to me is a failure of the TPMS. Please note this is my third report of safety system failures that can result in harm to the driver or others. I hope you are investigating VW with their newest software and sensor systems. They are highly unreliable and unsafe.

Jul 06, 2023

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

2 complaints

Infotainment center will randomly go into "component protection" mode, and the center console will become stuck in a loop of rebooting. While component protection is active, the following systems become unavailable: Backup camera, radio, climate controls, advanced driver assist systems, park assist system, drive mode button, cruise control Situations that have occurred to me personally: Climate control fan becomes stuck on high, radio stops functioning, radio power button does not respond, parking menu button does not respond, car drive mode button does not respond, advanced driver sensor assist button does not respond, climate control button does not respond. Attempt to resolve this issue through Volkswagen certified technicians 6+ times.

Apr 16, 2024

While driving suddenly falsely detects obstructions and auto brakes , the acc system entirely turns on and off while driving , same with forward collision and lane keep assist. The dangers I’m having of auto braking on false obstructions is unfit for driving daily and is causing a road hazard as it almost has made me have accidents.

Jul 09, 2023

STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE

2 complaints

Travel Assist is disabled which includes Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist. The warning lights flash on and off, sometimes multiple times a second, sounding a loud beeping each time. It is triggered at engine start and persists through all speeds. I have experienced it 0-70 mph. The flashing lights and associated rapid beeping indicating the failure is extremely distracting while driving. Warning lights and warning sounds are designed to alert the driver to a potential safety issue so ignoring the lights and sounds is dangerous in the event it is a different caution/warning. However, also not ignoring it is dangerous because of the frequency of the warnings which causes the driver to look away from the road. After speaking with the maintenance department at my VW dealership, they indicated that this is a widely known problem that is remedied only with the replacement of the steering wheel. There are several other sensors that are triggered by the same issue I was told by the maintenance department. They are uncertain at this time if it impacts the airbag system which is another potential safety concern. The steering wheel can only be ordered after inspection by the maintenance department and there is shortage and/or back order of the part to fix the problem. I also drive my car quite often since it’s the car I use to commute to work and it is 70 miles each way (140 miles round trip) so there is no warranty anymore as I have exceeded mileage so they will not repair. This is a huge safety concern and very known issue with this model car.

Mar 11, 2024

Travel Assist is disabled which includes Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist. The warning lights flash on and off, sometimes multiple times a second, sounding a loud beeping each time. It is triggered at engine start and persists through all speeds. I have experienced it 0-70 mph. The flashing lights and associated rapid beeping indicating the failure is extremely distracting while driving. Warning lights and warning sounds are designed to alert the driver to a potential safety issue so ignoring the lights and sounds is dangerous in the event it is a different caution/warning. However, also not ignoring it is dangerous because of the frequency of the warnings which causes the driver to look away from the road. After speaking with the maintenance department at my VW dealership, they indicated that this is a widely known problem that is remedied only with the replacement of the steering wheel. There are several other sensors that are triggered by the same issue I was told by the maintenance department. They are uncertain at this time if it impacts the airbag system which is another potential safety concern. The steering wheel can only be ordered after inspection by the maintenance department and there is shortage and/or back order of the part to fix the problem

Feb 03, 2024

POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2 complaints

While shifting the manual transmission, the shift knob and boot came up and off the shifter. Being totally unexpected, I was temporarily shocked, surprised and confused. Luckily, I was on a country road with no other traffic around me and coasted to a stop. I realized what happened and was able to still shift the transmission and get home. Been waiting two months for the part to come in at dealership.

Oct 11, 2022

Shift knob broke off.

Sep 07, 2022

BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

2 complaints

I am reporting this same issue for two separate vehicles (same make, model and year): All of the sensors relating to parking, rear cross traffic, ACC, etc. fail intermittently. (They all fail as simultaneously and resolve simultaneously.) This has now occurred on two separate cars that I have owned (same make, year and model). The first was repurchased as a lemon, but the exact issue is now present on the second car (see separate report). The issue is dangerous since these are core safety features (e.g., rear cross traffic, emergency braking). The issue has been confirmed by a VW dealer on both vehicles. I also have photographs of the warning messages and lights on both vehicles. This problem is reported by many other owners of 2022 VW Golfs. For example: https://www.vwvortex.com/threads/mk8-computer-gremlins.9497807/ In addition to my vehicle, the dealer has another brand new 2022 Golf in the service department with the same issue. The warning messages are: "Rear Traffic Alert is currently not available." "Error: Park Distance Control" In addition, the parking sensors do not work.

Jun 08, 2022

I am reporting this same issue for two separate vehicles (same make, model and year): All of the sensors relating to parking, rear cross traffic, ACC, etc. fail intermittently. (They all fail as simultaneously and resolve simultaneously.) This has now occurred on two separate cars that I have owned (same make, year and model). The first was repurchased as a lemon, but the exact issue is now present on the second car (see separate report). The issue is dangerous since these are core safety features (e.g., rear cross traffic, emergency braking). The issue has been confirmed by a VW dealer on both vehicles. I also have photographs of the warning messages and lights on both vehicles. This problem is reported by many other owners of 2022 VW Golfs. For example: https://www.vwvortex.com/threads/mk8-computer-gremlins.9497807/ In addition to my vehicle, the dealer has another brand new 2022 Golf in the service department with the same issue. The warning messages are: "Rear Traffic Alert is currently not available." "Error: Park Distance Control" In addition, the parking sensors do not work.

Jun 08, 2022

STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES

1 complaint

At random times, sometimes at first start, sometimes after its parked and started again, vehicle alerts to below errors: Travel Assist is currently not available Park Distance Control Rear Traffic Alert is currently not available VW has replaced one steering wheel and did some software adjustments but errors are back. Its more noticeable in colder weather

Oct 23, 2025

STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

1 complaint

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen GTI. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact attempted to make a left turn and noticed that the travel assist feature became inoperable. The contact stated that the Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist inadvertently became inoperable. The contact stated that the steering wheel inadvertently made a left turn to ongoing traffic and the contact forcefully turned to the right, making the vehicle difficult to control. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed by the dealer that there was a waiting list for a loaner vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 9,000.

Nov 05, 2024

VISIBILITY/WIPER

1 complaint

Sunroof exploding in the highway at 70mph. No traffic nearby, no rock hit it. It just exploded super loud

Oct 13, 2024

Injuries: 1

STEERING,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE

1 complaint

Travel Assist is disabled which includes Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Keep Assist. The warning lights flash on and off, sometimes multiple times a second, sounding a loud beeping each time. It is triggered at engine start and persists through all speeds. I have experienced it 0-70 mph. The flashing lights and associated rapid beeping indicating the failure is extremely distracting while driving. Warning lights and warning sounds are designed to alert the driver to a potential safety issue so ignoring the lights and sounds is dangerous in the event it is a different caution/warning. However, also not ignoring it is dangerous because of the frequency of the warnings which causes the driver to look away from the road. After speaking with the maintenance department at my VW dealership, they indicated that this is a widely known problem that is remedied only with the replacement of the steering wheel. There are several other sensors that are triggered by the same issue I was told by the maintenance department. They are uncertain at this time if it impacts the airbag system which is another potential safety concern. The steering wheel can only be ordered after inspection by the maintenance department and there is shortage and/or back order of the part to fix the problem.

Sep 26, 2024

SERVICE BRAKES

1 complaint

This is in regard the hill hold assist on the manual transmission vehicles. The hill hold assist holds the brake for 2-3 seconds after the brake has been released, causing a delay in movement which if trying to make a quick maneuver, could cause a delay in start which could cause an accident if the driver was not prepared for it. Personally, it caused me to stall the vehicle on a hill, stopping the flow of traffic for a further 3-5 seconds as I started the vehicle back up. This seems to be a common problem in 2022-2024 model manual GTI’s and Golf R’s reported on many VW and Reddit forums that nobody seems to have a solution for, and VW has not acknowledged or addressed the issue.

Sep 19, 2024

STEERING,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

1 complaint

My GTI currently needs a new steering wheel per my dealership. However VW is unable to provide any new steering wheels or get me into a safe car. My car started having an issue around 2 months ago where I will get random cruise control, emergency braking and other safety related system errors. When this happens, it dings, disables anll buttons on the steering wheel and abruptly shuts off all safety features, including cruise control if it’s active. This poses a safety risk that could potentially cause accidents or worse. There are currently 8 GTIs waiting for a new steering wheel at my dealership, with more across the country at other dealerships waiting for a steering wheel.

Jun 08, 2023

POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

1 complaint

The shift knob for the manual transmission broke off the shift assembly while accelerating and merging onto the freeway. This is what happened the first time the knob broke off. It has happened 3 times due to the part being physically broken. My safety and the safety of others was at risk. When a car is moving at speed and no longer has the option to shift into a higher gear, you become stuck at a slower speed and this happens very suddenly. If you apply brake then the engine will loose RPM and stall out causing the car to loose control of acceleration suddenly and could result in lose of control. This is stated in the VW owners manual under how to drive a manual transmission. The issue has been confirmed by the local dealership and by VW corporate. The component has been inspected my VW dealership. The vehicle has zero warnings or ways to monitor this.

Feb 15, 2023

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY/WIPER,BACK OVER PREVENTION

1 complaint

Electronic issues with the infotainment screen that have caused the backup camera to fail to work on multiple occasions. The parking sensors also don't always work properly.

Dec 27, 2022

LANE DEPARTURE,BACK OVER PREVENTION

1 complaint

Quite often various warnings show on the screen and following features - Maneuver braking function currently not available - Rear Traffic Alert is currently not available - Error: Park Distance Control

Dec 07, 2022

POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE

1 complaint

Poor quality of the shifter knob component and installation from the factory for the 6-speed manual transmission variant of the 2022 VW GTI. The shifter knob can come loose and pop out of the metal shaft while shifting gears in the drive. The poor quality of the knob develops a crack in the corner of the component which can cause the knob to detach from the transmission over time and make the car undrivable. Since taking delivery of the car from the dealership, the shifter knob appears to not be installed properly as the component can feel loose and pop out of the metal shaft and get detached from the transmission. This incident of the shift knob popping out occurred a few times while driving. As changing gears with the shifter knob is a crucial aspect of driving the car, the current component poses a serious quality and safety issue for the car that was overlooked by the manufacturer.

Nov 19, 2022

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

1 complaint

Manual shifter knob has popped off while driving a number of times with virtually no effort (I'm not a hard shifter at all) and primarily when at speed and other dangerous times. Seems to be a poorly crafted plastic clip that is being reported by numerous manual transmission owners.

Nov 06, 2022

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

1 complaint

Nearly every morning on my way to work I get error codes warning me of Front Assist Systems not working. It stays on for a while then disappears. It's so sporadic. Sometimes it will stay on the whole way to work. I then park the car for the day and when I come out to start the car to return home, the codes are gone. I'm even getting the error codes on the VW App that communicates with the car. This is a major safety feature with the car and VW has done nothing to correct it. I've had this issue since I bought the car in December 2021.

Oct 14, 2022

POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

1 complaint

My shift knob would pop out of place easily almost everyday. One day it popped out of place and when I popped it back in it wouldn’t go into any gear at all. I was stuck on the side of the road until it eventually let me go into 1st, 3rd, and 4th but not 2nd. It took longer for it to even let me into 2nd. My car is also having electric issues. Out of nowhere it’ll say that my front sensors aren’t working. My parking brake also has gone out a few times to where I can’t even safely exit my car worried it’ll roll away. The car had a sound coming from the engine and come to find out a sensor was causing an oil leak and oil was getting on one of my belts. My shift knob also has a crack on it and it’s been there since before I hit 1k miles. My car has been at a VW shop for 2 months with no eta on parts.

Sep 26, 2022

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,BACK OVER PREVENTION

1 complaint

Each time the vehicle is started its throwing a safety warning alarm and malfunction. I’ve called VW America to file a complaint as well as the dealer and it seems like they just do care to take these software issue’s seriously. I’m truly nervous when I drive the car that in the event of a emergency on the road the systems will not function as designed and I’ve asked numerous times when are they doing a software update and or taking a serious look at the issues with no success

Sep 26, 2022

LANE DEPARTURE

1 complaint

Lane assist error And shift knob is going up and down and cracked

Sep 03, 2022

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN

1 complaint

Radiator was loose from the factory where it clips to intercooler allowing movement of radiator within engine bay. Lower radiator hose then hit crank pulley from movement in radiator causing loss of coolant. Dealer replacing radiator hose, radiator and intercooler. Factory defect, happened with less than 200 miles on the car.

Jun 02, 2022

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE

1 complaint

After hearing reports that some 2022 VW GTIs were suffer total coolant loss due to a loose radiator I checked my own new GTI. I found that my GTI’s radiator was unsecured at the top on the passenger side and it could freely move back and forth approximately 1.25 inches. This could allow the radiator, shroud and fan to contact moving parts in the engine bay. Might be duplicate report, I tried earlier and got an error message.

May 27, 2022

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE

1 complaint

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Golf. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the hill assist engaged the brake longer while the brake pedal was not depressed. The contact mentioned that the vehicle stalled afterwards. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200.

Mar 28, 2022

2022 VOLKSWAGEN Golf GTI Problems & Complaints

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