Volkswagen Golf R — Recalls, Reliability, Specs & VIN Decoder

Strong smell of gasoline inside car while driving on a 55mph divided highway and 1/2 tank of gas indicated. Within approximately 10 miles of driving on the highway and back roads attempting to make it to a service station, ~1/8 tank of gas was indicated by gauge, the engine stopped running after only 1 stumble. Heavy smell of raw gasoline inside of car and under hood. No puddle of gas was observed under car. The local police were called out and confirmed no currently leaking gas before aaa would dispatch a tow truck. The car was towed to the selling dealer and diagnosed as a failed high pressure fuel pump and a clamp not connected between high pressure fuel pump and high pressure fuel hose. I was told this fault would cause an incorrect fuel level to be shown but dealer would not confirm it was the cause of the lost gasoline. The car had previously had the fuel recall performed by the same dealer and dealer said the recall had been performed properly and this failure was not related. When car was retuned after pump replacement, interior of car and engine still smelled of gasoline but car seemed to be driving normally.

I've been experiencing a recurring issue with my vehicle where the EPC light frequently activates. When this happens, the car significantly reduces its speed, making it difficult to drive safely. I've noticed this situation over the past six to eight months, and it typically requires me to pull over. After turning off the vehicle multiple times, I'm usually able to reset it and drive normally again. I'm seeking advice on how to address this problem effectively.

The component that failed, according to Volkswagen, is the rollover valve in the gas tank. This issue caused large amounts of gasoline to leak and pool from behind the rear passenger wheel well, creating a significant fire hazard and risk of harm. The vehicle was inspected by a Volkswagen service center as part of the repair process, whereupon the Volkswagen service center documented that the issue was caused by a faulty rollover valve in the gas tank. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to the failure.

I had a suction jet pump recall due on the car. I took it to the dealer to fix. Mind you, I have never had an issue with this car ever. Now about a week later from the car being in the shop I get an engine malfunction light that comes on due to the evap system. Vw dealership of cool springs has not worked with me on this at all and it is frustrating to say the least.

Car has been leaking fuel for over a year. Had to pay out of pocket to get it fixed and VW refused to refund cost of repairs even though there is now a recall over a year later acknowledging the issue.

Starting January 2023, I had issues putting fuel in my car (symptoms align with the recall issued this year). I took it to VW and paid their diagnostic fee for them to say there’s nothing wrong with the car (approx. $170) continued to drive the car and eventually due to the issue, my fuel pump went out and I had to replace it. (See attached image). This time, I took the car to a local mechanic who charged a $100 diagnostic fee. All of this was prior to the recall this year and I am hoping for reimbursement on everything I spent trying to resolve this issue.

July 30,2024 I own a Golf 2017. My suction jet pump has failed. I cannot drive my car because I can't put gas into it. I need my car for work. The recall does not have the part available and it seems there hasn't been a part to fix this for a very long time. I'm really at a loss. What are my next steps? Should I report this to the Better Business Bureau? So far I've been on Volkswagen Of America's phone wait for 40 minutes. I've already taken my car to a dealership to have this problem verified. There were no warning messages.  

On July 7, 2024, the fuel tank system on my car (2017 VW Golf) failed. I was unable to pump gas into the gas tank. Upon arrival back to my house, gas started leaking out of the backside of the car near the gas tank (I later found out from the VW service manager it was leaking out of the charcoal canister). I had the car towed ($173) to a local VW dealership the next morning, 7/8/24. It is now 7/30/24 and the car is still not fixed. I was without a car for two and a half weeks (7/7 to 7/24), then finally got a rental from the dealership that is costing me $40/day (totaling $240 as of today). According to the service manager at the VW dealership, VW engineers are saying the failure is not due to the fuel tank suction jet pump (which there is a current recall on but no fix available) but all the symptoms I experienced point to that part being the problem. The service manager said that VW will cover the cost of the repair under a PZEV warranty, not the fuel tank suction jet pump extended warranty/recall. The replacement parts are taking weeks for the dealership to receive and there was confusion/miscommunication about which parts were included or needed. My complaints are: 1) the length of time it's taking for the car to be fixed, 2) the amount of money it's costing me for towing, rental car and any other potential expenses related to this issue, and 3) if it's not the fuel tank suction jet pump that is the problem, then there's potentially a larger problem at play with the fuel tank system not included in the original recall.

A recall was published on 02/14/2024 and remains unresolved. Since the safety risk of "leaking fuel, in the presence of an ignition source, may result in a fire" it seems like this should be a priority. (Manufacturer Recall Number20UF, NHTSA Recall Number24V110)

***DATE OF OCCURRENCE: 07/03/2023*** SOLUTION REQUIRED IMMEDIATELY: I have been without a working vehicle for nearly 1 full year without recourse. ONE YEAR! Initially the recall for the exact suction jet pump issue did not include 2017 GTI models. I was furious. Repair estimates I received ranged rom $2,000-4,000 to replace the entire fuel system. Being unable to afford this, I was forced to leave it parked and completely unusable. I even had to change my car insurance to "garaged" status to avoid paying premium on a vehicle I couldn't even drive. I am extremely disappointed in the timeline for this recall. I'm glad that the recall for suction jet pump issue now includes my vehicle's year, but a repair solution is needed immediately. INCIDENT DESCRIPTION: Vehicle began losing engine power a day or so before the incident. I was driving home and noticed the intermittent engine power issue. Thankfully, I was not far from home. As I approached my neighborhood gate, I rolled down the window to enter the code. That's when I smelled a strong fuel odor. There were NO indicator lights or warning lamps displayed on my dashboard panel that suggested an issue with my vehicle. I looked around nearby for lawn maintenance trucks, suspecting they were refueling or had potentially spilled fuel from their equipment. As I pulled into my parking space and exited the vehicle, I immediately noticed fuel streaming down from the inside of the wheel well and pooling on the ground below the gas tank door. Honestly, it was a really scary experience. I was afraid for my safety. It looked like my car could explode at any moment. The only good news is that my gas tank was relatively low on fuel so the spill didn't last long. I have not started my vehicle since the incident, nearly 1 year ago. It's a gut punch every day to see it parked, unusable AND have to continue paying for it. Please issue a repair solution for this recall immediately. Thank you.

The infotainment system attempts to call for information or help. It disconnects my cell phone from bluetooth or USB and causes the screen to swap to either of the above call pages and makes a loud 'click' sound. It then cancels the call and attempts them again around a second or two later and gradually speeds up until the car is entirely turned off. The screen flashing and clicking is extremely distracting and there is no way to resolve it short of entirely shutting the vehicle off and letting it sit for a few minutes. In order to full reset, I have to find an exit or risk completely turning the vehicle off and getting out on the highway. I was unable to reset it with it detecting me in my seat. I have multiple videos where I was able to find a parking lot and record the issue. I have tried to reset it and turn the vehicle on and off with no success. I have videos of that as well. I have been to multiple dealers and they told me that there are no error codes, so they can not fix or assess it unless I bring it to them while it's happening. It happens a few times a week. I have been driving to Pittsburgh for work (5 hours each way) and I have it happen at least once each way. There does not seem to be any specific trigger to make it happen. I have had it at low speeds in town (15-25 mph) or highway speeds (60-70 mph). I have a third dealer looking at it on 1/31/2025. No warning lights on dash. Below date is the first date I recorded it happening on video. Started around a month or two sooner but no proof of it.

Sunroof would operate without touching switch, or fail to operate if switch was touched. Similar to 2022 Golf R recall: NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V542000 I took multiple videos of the problem and VW replaced switch module under warranty.

The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Golf R. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at a stop light on an incline, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that there was a three-second delay before the vehicle responded. The contact stated that due to the failure, the vehicle was almost rear-ended by a local fire truck that was responding to a call. In addition, the contact stated that the failure had occurred over ten times since the vehicle was purchased in August 2023. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20.

These issues are related to unintentional use of controls on the steering wheel while driving. Pressing the blue “R” button on the left-side of the steering wheel initiates an immediate change in the Driving Mode. Driving Mode includes settings to the engine, transmission, suspension, steering, driver displays and dynamic safety systems. There is an orange warning panel in the Owner's Manual stating that this feature is active when driving. The “R” button is covered by my hand when holding the steering wheel in the 9 o’clock position. I often engage this function by mistake while driving due to the flawed ergonomic design of the steering wheel. There is a similar issue with the “View” buttons on the other side of the steering wheel.

This vehicle constantly displays and announces erroneous “Emergency Assist Is Currently Not Available” and “Travel Assist Is Currently Not Available” warnings. These warnings distract drivers and put the safety of the driver, passengers, and the public at risk because drivers have to take photographs of these erroneous warnings while they are occurring. Drivers have to document this defect through photographs because the dealerships deny the existence of the defect or request documentation when the defect does not appear as a fault in the vehicle's electronics modules . This is a widespread problem with this vehicle model and apparently is caused by a defective steering wheel. Dealerships are uncooperative in fixing this defect.

Car’s GPS appears to loose location while navigating. Head unit display will behave erratically causing distractions along side noises. Additionally, car will display warnings on dash with additional noises again causing distraction. Eventually after losing GPS location car will snap back onto correct location on map. Self correction can happen between 30 seconds and 20+ minutes.

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.

Travel assistance failure are constant and the emergency braking system engages occasionally which can be a detriment to the occupants. The constant chiming and notifications are a distraction and the car has to be stopped and turned off in hopes of the system resetting properly. Dealerships do not know of any updates and Volkswagen has updated these issues in Europe but still to this date has not acknowledged these issues in USA

The problem is with the vehicle's fuse system. The golf r came with no spare tire but an air pump, which needs to be powered by the 12v dc power of the vehicle. But when i use this original air pump, the fuse of the 12v dc power burns out. This happened for several times since i had the car in october, 2019. The dealer can only give me new fuse to replace the broken one. Many golf r's owners met this similar problems. I think there is some issues with their fuse system design.

Backup camera may not display upon shifting to reverse - i had an android phone projecting an android auto session. With the engine running, stationary at a parking lot, i depressed the clutch and shifted to reverse. The infotainment system did not show the backup camera nor a warning popup of an error - it just displayed the media screen. I tried 3 times more - the 2nd time the infotainment display showed "parkpilot is currently not available". Picture is attached. Video is available if needed.

I've been experiencing a recurring issue with my vehicle where the EPC light frequently activates. When this happens, the car significantly reduces its speed, making it difficult to drive safely. I've noticed this situation over the past six to eight months, and it typically requires me to pull over. After turning off the vehicle multiple times, I'm usually able to reset it and drive normally again. I'm seeking advice on how to address this problem effectively.

Turbo Wastegate actuator rod/flap failure/seizure. VW dealership & Independent service center both diagnosed the issue as a seized wastegate actuator flap/rod. This is due to poor design and is a common issue on all 2015-2020 VW/Audi 1.8l TSI engines. This issue causes intermittent engine codes for "low boost" related codes. P00AF00 and similar codes without warning. A key cycle usually temporarily fixes the problem until under boost again. This prevents safe operation of the vehicle while on highways and freeways. Engine shaking & prevention of acceleration and shifting happens after the engine code occur and the car is put into a limp mode. It is unsafe to maneuver the vehicle to the side of the road during these events.

Thermostat Sensor Failure causing check engine light P00B7. Vehicle not reading the correct engine temp causing cooling fans to run at 100% and drivability concern. Dealer diagnosed the repair as replacement of the Thermostat/Thermostat Housing quoted at $1,635. The vehicle has not been inspected by any other party other than dealership. Check Engine line appeared, thermostat not reading proper temp, and cooling fans running at 100% speed. This is a well documented problem with my vehicle: https://www.reddit.com/r/GolfGTI/comments/drna5m/mk775_thermostat_housing_issue_and_coolant_loss/

Fuel evaporation canister started leaking raw fuel after a strong gas odor was present before hand. The fuel suction pump failed and pressure built up in my gas tank. I was at risk because the presence of raw fuel near ignition sources can cause a fire. Verified at Volkswagen dealership. No warning signs by car when issue first started. Only sign of problem before raw fuel leaking was poor car performance, car stalled and I could not put more than a gallon of gas in the fuel tank.

Vehicle EPC light comes on dash. OBD code is "P00AF00 - Turbocharger Boost Control "A" Module". This error causes sudden loss of power and loss of driver assistance (forward collision assist, blind spot assist, cruise control, etc.). Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Upon checking turbo charger, the wastegate actuator arm is seized up, keeping the wastegate from functioning properly, failing to maintain boost pressure and entering limp mode causing sudden loss of power and acceleration. This has happened while on the roadway, attempting to merge into highway traffic, change lanes & pass other vehicles. This caused the vehicle behind me to close the distance very rapidly almost resulting in multiple rear end collisions. The vehicle has not been inspected by others, yet. The only warning that came on was when it first did it. I had a sudden loss of power, a warning beep from the dash and the EPC light illuminated. It fixed itself after a few moments then occured again. It is now stuck with this error and will not operate accordingly.

My VW on two occasions experienced coolant / water pump system failures (May 2022 and August 2023), the second of which required full water pump replacement. These are identical to the class action lawsuit outlined on https://waterpumpsettlement.com/ (civil court case Civ. No.: 2:21-cv-11251-MCA-MF), though I am receiving difficulties with the settlement claim for unknown reasons. My vehicles water pump is identical to those outlined in the case, as the pump model numbers and OEM origin are identical. These two incidents posed a severe risk/hazard to both the vehicle and myself due to leakage and loss of coolant putting the car at risk of catatrosphic engine failure. It is becoming apparent that these should amount to a recall as the growing number of incidents keeps increasing.

Breaks are not fuctioning well Engine is not fuctioning well

The thermostat housing leaked all my radiator fluid across the front of the engine block. I have to refill the reservoir every 2-3 days in order to keep the coolant in the engine and to keep it from overheating. Low coolant lights came on at a stop light, to initially alert me of the problem. There's currently a class-action suit against VW for this and it's time to issue a recall.

Turbo wastegate actuator arm seized casing turbo failure. Wastegate stuck in the semi-open position.

Car will stutter and stall. Usually after multiple short trips (5 stops and starts) in a short period of time (2 hours). 1 min/1000 gauge is fluttering around 0.75 on gauge when stopped. When car stalls it can be when pulling out at a stop sign. It will stall when gas is applied and then I need to coast around a corner. Occasionally the car will stall out when driving between 20 and 30 miles per hour. When this happens it is extremely dangerous because I am driving in traffic and need to pull over to the side of the road. I had this problem fixed at the dealership once before in 2021 and it cost $559.08 then. I was told at the time that gas sometimes has sediment in it and I should not get gas at grocery store pumps where the price is lower. I should stick to better gas stations. I now am getting my gas at the same two better places all the time hoping that the problem wouldn’t happen again. The problem started two weeks ago and is following the same pattern. I scheduled a service appointment again for them to check my car but it never displays any codes and it is difficult for them to recreate the stalling. My car is almost at 85,000 miles when my warranty runs out.

VW implemented hill hold assist for all new GTI and Golf R manual transmission vehicles. Hill hold does not disengage when you start to engage the clutch to go. Instead, the brakes will remain locked, up to 3 seconds on steep hills. This prevents the driver from moving the car quickly, especially on hills, making a left crossing traffic... we've had close calls due to this delay. It can also cause the vehicle to stall since the brakes are locked while attempting to engage clutch. VW must allow drivers / owners option to disable or fix it so it disengages as soon as the clutch is engaged. This can easily be recreated...dealer cannot make changes and has confirmed many owners complaining about this safety problem.

Last night when driving home, I came to a stop at a red light. I put the car in first gear and held the brake, waiting for the light to turn green. When the light turned green, I proceeded to drive like normal, when suddenly I stalled out! I felt like my e-brake was on, but it clearly wasn't. I started the car back up and the same thing happened. I had cars piling up behind me and the one closest to me I could tell was very close to making contact with me. On the third attempt, I overpowered the system and "pushed through" the brake, which I know wasn't good for the vehicle. I was very confused what might have been going on as I'm a pretty experienced driver and have never encountered this kind of thing before, at all. Upon researching, I've found within the VW community, the problem is tied to the hill-assist feature. Apparently in the MK8 Volkswagen manuals, the hill-assist was changed from previous generations and now when you are in gear and release the brake, you have to wait for three seconds for the hill-assist to disengage. There is no other way to drive the car forward. This is CLEARLY a safety concern, as I have read of two rear end accidents in my brief time researching this issue. In fact, a member of the VW community has submitted a complaint through NHTSA already. The tracking # is 11587076. I feel strongly that this is a safety issue, there has already been accidents and at some point something major will happen, for example if somebody needs to hit the gas to get out of a bad situation and the hill-assist prevents forward movement. I believe Volkswagen needs to address this issue. Can your agency help get that moving for us? Thank you.

My car has a manual transmission and a hill hold system that is supposed to aid in starting when the car is stopped on an incline. However, the system is implemented so poorly, I feel it is a safety hazard. This is at least the third car I've owned with a system like this, but it's the first time I've felt unsafe driving a car with it. I've done some testing with it and it appears that the only parameter VW uses to release the hill hold is time. That time is about 2 seconds. Nothing the driver can do with the accelerator or clutch pedal will cause it to release faster than 2 seconds. If you try to be aggressive with gas and clutch, the best outcome is that you prematurely wear the clutch from excessive slip. The worst is the car stalls. The steeper the slope, it appears the more aggressively the system tries to hold the car in place. This makes it even worse, because anyone who has driven a manual transmission is going to reflexively be more aggressive with the gas and clutch. That's what their experience has taught them and it's going to almost inevitably end up with the car stalling. I view this as a huge safety issue. There are times when the best thing a driver can do to extract themselves from a potentially unsafe condition is to immediately get themself out of it by driving clear. If they are on a incline, in this car they have no option but to sit there an additional 2 seconds. That 2 seconds can be the difference between safety and injury, or even death. If that driver reverts to their experience and aggressively works that gas and clutch, they could stall the car and add even more time before they can extricate themselves. In the other cars I've had with this system - including a VW Mk6 GTI, depressing the accelerator pedal enough to take the engine off idle would cause the hill hold to release. Obviously, they incorporated input from the Throttle Position Sensor to release the hold. They appear to have omitted that critical override.

The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Golf R. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at a stop light on an incline, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that there was a three-second delay before the vehicle responded. The contact stated that due to the failure, the vehicle was almost rear-ended by a local fire truck that was responding to a call. In addition, the contact stated that the failure had occurred over ten times since the vehicle was purchased in August 2023. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20.

After starting the car and then beginning to drive, the transmission falls into neutral when it should have shifted from 1st to 2nd gear. In order to recover, the driver has to stop applying the accelerator and then wait a second or two for the rpm’s to approach idle rates before the transmission will re-engage. It is not repeatable, and is sporadic but always when first driving the car after it has been recently started. This has occurred about 5times in 35k and is happening more often. I have taken it to the dealer multiple times but they dismiss the concern because they haven’t yet been able to repeat it. This bad shift / loss of power is dangerous when trying to initially accelerate and merge into traffic.

When driving the car it occasionally slips into neutral when it should be making the 1st to 2nd shift. Happens rarely; about 12-15 times in 60K miles. More common after filling up with gas, but has happened at other times. Very dangerous as one pulls out to merge into traffic to have the car do this when trying to accelerate. Acceleration is moderate and not flooring it when this happens. I know of 3-4 others on VW forum reporting the same issue. Again, this is potentially DANGEROUS.

Around 5 times now over the last year or two, most recently yesterday, the (DSG automatic) transmission has dropped out of gear into neutral when pulling away from a stop. Note that the shifter was not moved and did not move - but the transmission pops out of gear. Every time this has been when pulling pretty gently away from a stop sign or intersection.. It has happened both when the car was cold, and also after driving 15 miles. Yesterday was a highly dangerous situation - I was making a left turn out of a gas station across 4 lanes of traffic, and when it dropped to neutral was left rolling across the lanes with revs up and in neutral gear unable to accelerate. This was when it occurred to me that this could cause serious injury or death. I asked about this behavior on a VW owners forum, and so far have one response from another owner saying the same thing has happened to him 15-20 times (also a 2018 R) and his dealer says is "normal". I've not talked to my dealer yet. So does not appear to be unique to me. - No warning indicators - Not taken to dealer yet - Component - dual clutch automatic transmission (DSG) - Safety - Highly dangerous loss of gear/ability to accelerate out of path of oncoming traffic. - Available for inspection on request

The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle and shifting to the park, the contact turned off the vehicle and the vehicle rolled backward. The driver depressed the brake pedal and activated the parking brake to stop the vehicle from rolling. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 170,000.

I am facing an issue with my car where it tends to roll back even when it's in park, regardless of whether the engine is on or off. The only time it remains stationary is when I apply the brakes and engage the emergency brake. This situation poses a safety concern for me and my family, and I would like to find a solution to ensure our vehicle stays securely in place when parked.

This is related to VW recal 37M2. My VIN is not in the recall list, but it has the exact same issue with the shifter assembly. The car does not recognize when the transmission is placed in Park. Unable to lock doors

On 10/17/17 at 6:30 pm, i was driving very slowly in slow traffic in town when a man driving in back of me was looking down slightly to the right and distracted (was on his phone although he said he fell asleep) when he hit the back (rear-ended) my car. I had my seat belt on. My head and body thrusted forward and back and my head hit the lower part of the head rest hard because the head rest and seat are too tall (i'm short) and the headrest doesn't fit my head. I suffered a concussion, whiplash, and significant pain. This is the 2nd accident which was exactly the same as the 1st accident on 6/21/17 which i previously reported to you, vw of america, and dirito brothers in walnut creek. I suffered a 2nd concussion and whiplash. Both times, the other party was at fault and both parties admitted they were at fault and i did nothing wrong both times. I requested that vw recall these headrests and seats and replace them with headrests and seats that are adjustable and fit properly for short people. My request was denied despite this being a safety concern which caused my vehicle damage and my body was injured. I, am, again, respectfully requesting a recall so my headrest and seat will fit properly and i will be at reduced risk for injury when there is an accident. Both times, i filed claims with my state farm insurance co. I received medical treatment both times.

Chrome trim around the DSG shifter has peeling chrome which is razor sharp. It has cut my hand deeply and is a safety hazard to me and my family.

Water got inside of door causing damage to door, vehicle was previously repair via 57J3 service bulletin to prevent said damage but i believe repairs were made to late to prevent said issue i believe will eventually cause door to prematurely rust and create a hole in a 2022 model year vehicle Local dealerships will not repair as they state it was cause by road damage which doesn’t make sense as the damage is protruding out not in and also on the opposite side of which the paint is protruding there is another bulge No body work was ever performed on vehicle

driving down the highway at 70mph and what sounded like a gunshot inside the car. glass started falling on us driving down the road. the sunroof glass exploded. got pulled over and looked and the glass is literally blown outward not inward like something falling on it. the hole it bulged up and the glass from the hole was missing.

2017 VW GTI, incredibly common issue of the sunroof surround cracking and allowing water to leak into the electrical components and headliner of the vehicle. VW does not care to admit fault on this even though there are hundreds of documented cases about this issue. Less than a year out of warranty and now dealing with potential mold issues or worse, an electrical shortage problem that could cause a fire. Not sure how this can be seen in hundreds of cases from VW owners and they haven’t done anything about it. Major issue.

Driver's door latch failed and often will not latch the door closed. Door just bounces off the door frame lightly. Occasionally I've missed that this has happened and started driving with the door unlatched.

Front and rear radio speakers are not sealed properly leading to rain leaking into the floor and body of the car. This has been reported significantly and frequently online. VW will fix my car for approximately $4500.

Leaking sunroof is ruining interior components, including headliner. Multiple fixes and service bulletins covered under warranty have not been successful. Very concerned it's going to lead to larger electrical, body rot, and mold issues, not to mention completely ruining any value the car has. Most recent photograph uploaded was following a rainstorm on 4/11/2021.

Vehicle was stationary while being washed. Water leaking into the interior through the headliner on both the right and left sides behind the panoramic roof. Concerned for mold, electrical component damage. Could also be further safety issue if this happens when in motion.

On or about 6.13.2019, my 2017 vw golf alltrack se leaked water through the light in the roof, behind the visor (driver's side) while stationary. Each time the headliner was stained, water sat in the light and it leaked all over my lap. As of 6.11.2020, it is still leaking. This appears to be a known issue and a class action suit is pending. Vw claims this is a repair defect, not a manufacture defect and only offers to cover 75% of a $12k repair on a vehicle that has 34k miles, been mostly garage kept or covered and all maintenance completed only at vw dealerships. I have filed several complaints with vw. They state that since vehicle is outside of 3 year warranty (3yr/36k mi), they are offering goodwill. I do not feel it is fair or right to have to spend even $1 to repair a known structural defect related to the spot welds and sunroof, which were likely the cause of each and every leak that the car has experienced. Additionally, the car likes to suddenly attempt to activate the collision warnings for no reason - after further research, this is a known issue as well, possibly related to water damage. Vw of america refuses to take any action beyond their offer of 75% coverage of costs as goodwill on a car that wasn't built right to begin with and frankly, is a risk to the safety of my two children, 4 & 2, as a spot weld in the sunroof is surely a sign that it's likely not the only structural defect or failure of the vehicle. This is my 4th vw and clearly will be my last.

3 occasions, the car went into emergency brake mode. once on hiway at 70mph warning came up and told me to grab the wheel and take control and prepare for impact. Nothing was in front of me to trigger this scenario. On hiway I was nearly rear ended but driver slid around me and didn't hit. This could have been a serious accident or death. The other two times it was at 45 mph and locked them up for no reason. Third was in a parking lot at 5 mph and it locked em up impending traffic and upsetting people.i have sent the dealer ship, where I purchased the vehicle in last two weeks and nothing has responded.

The Hill Hold Assist system on my 2024 Volkswagen GTI (manual transmission) repeatedly holds the brakes too long when starting on an incline. The brakes remain engaged for 1–2 seconds even after I begin releasing the clutch and applying throttle, which causes the car to stall or hesitate before moving. This creates a safety risk when pulling into traffic or when other vehicles are behind me on a hill. This issue has occurred at least four times within the first 1,000 miles of driving. It is easily reproducible on normal hills and happens under normal driving conditions. I have many years of experience driving manual transmission vehicles, including a 2019 GTI, and I have never experienced this kind of delayed brake‑release behavior on any other vehicle. The system’s interference is abnormal and unexpected. There is no option in the vehicle settings to disable or adjust Hill Hold Assist, and many other 2023–2024 GTI manual owners report the same problem. This appears to be a calibration issue that results in unexpected stalls, hesitation, and delayed acceleration, creating a potential safety hazard.

I own a manual transmission MK8 Golf R, the ‘hill assist’ system cannot be turned off. The brakes will hold for 2-5 seconds after being released even on very slight inclines. I unfortunately upgraded from a 2017 MK7 Golf R manual that was damaged in an accident (I was not at fault). In that model VW the hill assist or ‘auto hold’ was able to be turned off with a button. The new models ‘assist system’ is an unsafe as is requires heavy clutch/throttle input in order for it to release. I’m [XXX] and have driven manual cars and trucks my entire driving life so I’m aware of what is required to drive a manual. This system needs to be addressed or somehow needs to have the ability to be disabled. There are multiple threes and complaints online some even siting accidents that the system has caused due to it not releasing when it should have. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Hill Hold Assist: This feature appears to be on most manual transmission Volkswagen vehicles, and activates on a forward facing incline. In newer models the feature completely immobilizes movement for almost 3 seconds when stopped on an incline, after breaks are released, potentially causing a safety hazard. Request this feature either be removed all together, shortened to approximately 1 second, or become disabled when accelerator is depressed.

VW implemented hill hold assist for all new GTI and Golf R manual transmission vehicles. Hill hold does not disengage when you start to engage the clutch to go. Instead, the brakes will remain locked, up to 3 seconds on steep hills. This prevents the driver from moving the car quickly, especially on hills, making a left crossing traffic... we've had close calls due to this delay. It can also cause the vehicle to stall since the brakes are locked while attempting to engage clutch. VW must allow drivers / owners option to disable or fix it so it disengages as soon as the clutch is engaged. This can easily be recreated...dealer cannot make changes and has confirmed many owners complaining about this safety problem.

My car has a manual transmission and a hill hold system that is supposed to aid in starting when the car is stopped on an incline. However, the system is implemented so poorly, I feel it is a safety hazard. This is at least the third car I've owned with a system like this, but it's the first time I've felt unsafe driving a car with it. I've done some testing with it and it appears that the only parameter VW uses to release the hill hold is time. That time is about 2 seconds. Nothing the driver can do with the accelerator or clutch pedal will cause it to release faster than 2 seconds. If you try to be aggressive with gas and clutch, the best outcome is that you prematurely wear the clutch from excessive slip. The worst is the car stalls. The steeper the slope, it appears the more aggressively the system tries to hold the car in place. This makes it even worse, because anyone who has driven a manual transmission is going to reflexively be more aggressive with the gas and clutch. That's what their experience has taught them and it's going to almost inevitably end up with the car stalling. I view this as a huge safety issue. There are times when the best thing a driver can do to extract themselves from a potentially unsafe condition is to immediately get themself out of it by driving clear. If they are on a incline, in this car they have no option but to sit there an additional 2 seconds. That 2 seconds can be the difference between safety and injury, or even death. If that driver reverts to their experience and aggressively works that gas and clutch, they could stall the car and add even more time before they can extricate themselves. In the other cars I've had with this system - including a VW Mk6 GTI, depressing the accelerator pedal enough to take the engine off idle would cause the hill hold to release. Obviously, they incorporated input from the Throttle Position Sensor to release the hold. They appear to have omitted that critical override.

The vehicle has a feature called "hill hold" that can not be disabled where it holds the brakes when stopped on a hill untill 3 seconds after removing your foot from the brake pedal. This has resulted in many near miss safety hazards because I can not move the vehicle quickly enough to make a safety maneuver in the event of imminent collision from another vehicle when stopped on a hill.

Hello, The problem that I am having, and that many people have been having with the 8th generation Volkswagen Golf Rs (and GTIs as well) is with the "hill hold" feature. My car is manual transmission. When on a hill, the hill hold feature automatically holds the brakes after you take your foot off the brake. The way this feature is supposed to work is that the hill hold is supposed to release upon clutch disengagement and throttle input. It does not do that. Rather, it bites really hard on the brakes and makes it very hard to move the car forward, often resulting in brake and clutch wear. This is a safety issue in that it can cause the car to stall, leaving the car without the ability to move out of the way of danger in the middle of an intersection. This has happened to me at least ten (10) times since purchasing this car in July of 2023. There is no way to adjust the hill hold feature or to turn it off. The design of this feature is counter-intuitive to the way that all manual transmission drivers have learned to drive. It should not be necessary to "plan ahead" to take your foot off the brakes and wait three seconds (about how long the hill hold stays engaged) before you can move forward. Cars should be designed to go forward when the driver wants to go forward. With this feature, it makes it dangerous to move from a stopped position on a hill because the car may stall, i.e. the hill hold doesn't let the brakes go upon throttle input and clutch disengagement. I have read hundreds of posts on social media and Volkswagen forums regarding this complaint. No one has had any luck with Volkswagen regarding fixing this issue. It's written into the code and would need to be coded out in a firmware update, or coded to permit adjustment. Prior versions of this car (6th, 7th generation) and other cars do not have this problem. This is specific to the 8th generation Golf R and GTI. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Four times over the last week while driving 35 mph straight down a residential road, i experienced an unexpected engagement of the front collision warning, and one of those four times, 4 days ago, i additionally experienced an unexpected engagement of the front assist emergency braking which caused me alarm, as the speed dropped dramatically from 35 mph to 20 mph, and i had to be sure no cars were behind me to cause a rear-end collision. In none of these situations were there any hazards on the road to avoid: cars, pedestrians, objects. In all of these situations, cruise control was engaged at 35 mph. The sensor is not dirty. The error is not consistent in the timing of when it happens. When the front assist emergency braking engaged, the front collision warning did not appear until about 5 minutes after, when the road was also clear and my speed was 35 mph with cruise control engaged. There is a class action lawsuit from august 2020 that describes my situation almost exactly: https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2020/vw-front-assist-class-action-lawsuit-braking.shtml i have not taken my car to the dealership as of yet, but based upon several other complaints regarding this issue, i do not expect them to do more than professionally shrug.

Exiting a parking lot with a 15% incline @3mph merging into the road, the front park assist sensors beeped and the vehicle automatically applied brakes instead of accelerating. The engine stalled since i had the clutch fully released, incoming traffic had to stop when they noticed the vehicle not moving. Parkpilot system will often misread the road as an obstacle and apply brakes on its own, specially below the 3mph speed. It could be a combination of the ride height of this vehicle and the layout of regular parking lots in the us.

Failure of wheel speed sensor in front right wheel. This is the THIRD time I have had a wheel speed sensor fail on this car, which has 35,000 miles on it. Failure caused loss of power steering, airbags, abs, etc.

This is the second time since November 2022 that our clock spring has failed. While it's broken the driver has no airbag, horn, or usability of controls on steering wheel. This is a huge saftey concern especially driving in winter conditions.

Airbags, horn, cruise control and all other functions related to the steering wheel suddenly stopped working. Volkswagen has diagnosed the clock spring is defective and needs to be replaced. I’ve been quoted $712.00 for this repair. The replacement part is also on backorders with no clear indication of when it will arrive. Volkswagen will not supply a loaner car or any rental assistance and insists their customers drive a car without function airbags or a horn. This is a well known issue for Volkswagen and is a major safety concern for anyone who owns one of their vehicles. It needs to be addressed and fixed ASAP!

Bought the car from autonation in October 2021 and had condensation wet dog smell. Car was garaged until 4/2022 at which time I noticed headliner stains and water coming into wheel well, called dealer was advised to check drain tubes. I cannot. More rain more issues. Care warning lights all came on including airbag. Car has 38150 miles. VW refusing to cover under recall. Wants me to file insurance claim. Dealer did not acknowledge mold headliner issues until I called back after picking up the car. PANORAMIC SUNROOF LEAKS. HEADLINER I AND CARPET IS BADLY STAINED WITH VISIBLE MOLD GROWTH. PILLAR STAINING AS WELL. WATER LEAKS FROM DOME LIGHT AND SUNROOF CONTROL BUTTONS. WATER ALSO LEAKS INTO FOOT WELL. TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP WHO HAVE SAID THAT IT IS LIKELY THE SUNROOF DRAINS ARE BLOCKED BY DEBRIS AND REPAIR WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY. THERE IS NO WAY FOR THE CONSUMER TO ACCESS THE SUNROOF DRAINS TO KEEP THEM CLEAR, PARTICULARLY THE REAR DRAINS, WHICH ENTAILS DISMANTLING PART OF THE CAR. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MANY REPORTED COMPLAINTS BY OWNERS WITH A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN BEING ISSUED. PLEASE ENCOURAGE AN INVESTIGATION

Clock Spring failure, air bag error, loss of horn and steering wheel button controls such as cruise control.

Faulty clock spring causing passenger airbag warning and loss of steering wheel controls, ie: horn, volume, cruise…

I was driving to work today play in my steering wheel made a funky crinkling sound and then I had a warning about my airbag and no horn working now after and I didn't hit anything nor was I hit

Heard an odd clicking sound when turning right. Next time driving, turned steering wheel to make wide turn and suddenly several indicator lights came on: transmission error, airbag, cruise control. Concerned about airbag safety, and very concerning to have several issues come up instantly. Will bring vehicle to VW authorized dealership for service, will diagnose/confirm then.

Srs warning light for unoccupied passenger seat would not go off even after restarting the car; it did go off when fastened the seat beat (on the empty seat). Headlights and dash light suddenly turned off twice; this has been several months ago with no repeat however with covid-19, i' probably driven only a few hundred miles in the last year.

Failed clockspring at 37500 miles and not offered warranty replacement..i can provide dealer service record if needed

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.

Panoramic sunroof drains leaked water into passenger compartment down the A pillar on the drivers side. Leak was intense and occurred during rain, even light rain or mist. Material covering the A pillar was soaked through, and water droplets were dripping from the pillar onto the driver and dashboard. Water soaked the gauge cluster electronics and airbag contained within the A pillar. The electronics continued to operate, and water did not immediately cause them to malfunction. No warning lights illuminated. The windshield would become foggy any time there was moisture outside and visibility was severely reduced even when using the defroster. This occurred for the entire length I owned the vehicle, even after multiple drain cleanings at a dealer/ technician, and inspections at a Volkswagen dealer. Volkswagen and the dealer I purchased the used vehicle from were uncooperative in fixing this problem, which began within weeks of my vehicle ownership. Volkswagen dealer service department admitted this is a known issue. I took the vehicle to be inspected and repaired, which did not fix my issue after multiple attempts. I have since sold the vehicle with the known defect at a large loss because I was afraid for my safety and the safety of my family.

While driving in light, medium or heavy rain, water makes it into the front and back of the cab of the vehicle. When it comes in through the front water drips on my wife while driving which is distracting. When it comes in through the back the humidity builds and fogs the windows which makes it unsafe to drive. My local VW service center tells me the drain tubes are clogged. I have taken my vehicle in five times for clogged drain tubes. Our service advisor Robert Dominguez confirmed the problem. Our service technician Paul Macfarland inspected the vehicle and components. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms prior to the failure.

Purchased a used 2017 vw alltrack april 2 years ago. Presently has ~30k miles. Christmas day this year, 4 warning lights appeared lit-up in the console-air-bag, tire pressure, abs and traction control. Took it to the dealership where it was purchased, and advised that water-intrusion occurred due to blocked sun-roof drains [which are not immediately accessible. Advised that it was not considered standard maintenance and an expensive repair. Also repaired were corroded wiring connectors and corroded wires! Dealer advised that once corrected 'it shouldn't be a problem again' which we don't trust or believe. Research indicates that this is a well-known and well-documented problem. We are very frustrated and concerned this problem will be continuously occurring. Rust never sleeps

I have water leaking from the sun roof coming down to the floor, now my windows fog up with any precipitation in the interior of the glass. Also made all my sensors fail, abs, traction control, tire pressure monitor, and airbags were stated 'failed' upon engine start. Vehicle was stationary at our house.

Roof/sunroof leaking causing stained headliner and wet carpeting. Vehicle smells of mold and mildew and causes excessive condensation on windshield. Vw dealership in fair lawn nj attempted repair by replacing sunroof drain tubes but did not resolve the issue. New leaks have developed and dealer service is unclear where or what is causing them. As of 6/12/2019 dealer is attempting second repair stating the sunroof frame needs to be replaced. Unsure if this will resolve the issue

Panoramic sunroof leaks after 40+ days and counting of repair at vw dealership under warranty. Dealer can't seem to find root cause or not capable of finding multiple problems, or maybe do not want to find root cause. Water leaks into car after rain/snow limits visibility on windshield, electrical problems arise from speakers, door locks and power windows not functioning properly. Location of sunroof leak is also next to side airbags and electrical connections probably causing premature deterioration.

Panoramic sunroof leaks when driving in the rain. Windows fog up, stains headliner and moisture will over time cause mold in vehicle. In cold temperature frozen condensation observed inside of vehicle windshield and back window making it difficult to see out.

Panoramic sunroof leaks water into interior, causing condensation on all interior glass and making it difficult/impossible to see out. There is so much condensation that ac/defrost settings cannot remove it in a timely manner. It takes so long that one tries to drive even before full outward vision has been restored, increasing risk greatly.

The car is one year old, and the panoramic sunroof is leaking. I contacted vw and scheduled an appointment. They will need to have the car in the shop to see if it is a structural issue. The water is coming in on the driver's side and on the center console above all of the electrical (lights, switches for sunroof, etc) components. The windshield stays fogged up when driving because of all of the moisture in the cabin. This affects visibility. Vw should recall this vehicle to repair. A rental car will be costly, and vw has offered no loaner to me.