Volkswagen GolfYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 1,442 NHTSA owner complaints across 39 model years, no Volkswagen Golf year stands out as one to avoid, and the strongest years are 1994, 2003, 2004 and 2018. The Golf has 54 safety recalls on record.

Years to avoidNoneUse caution: 2001, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2022 Best years'94 '03 '04 '18Fewest complaints for their age Owner complaints1,442Top: Electrical system Safety recalls541985–2023 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Best & worst years

Volkswagen Golf years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Golf median. Tap a year for its full report.

10 13 4 9 17 10 8 6 7 41 43 3 7 18 64 88 11674 26 28 19 12 2 1 3 70 11048 43 12 13185 11729 63 6 7 81 11

'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23

Avoid
Caution
Solid
Best
Not rated

2023Not rated–/10011 complaints · 0 recalls 2022Caution33/10081 complaints · 0 recalls 2021Not rated–/1007 complaints · 1 recall 2020Not rated–/1006 complaints · 2 recalls 2019Solid49/10063 complaints · 6 recalls 2018Best69/10029 complaints · 6 recalls 2017Caution38/100117 complaints · 5 recalls 2016Solid47/10085 complaints · 9 recalls 2015Caution32/100131 complaints · 12 recalls 2014Not rated–/10012 complaints · 5 recalls 2013Solid61/10043 complaints · 5 recalls 2012Solid56/10048 complaints · 6 recalls 2011Caution38/100110 complaints · 6 recalls 2010Solid51/10070 complaints · 4 recalls 2009Not rated–/1003 complaints · 0 recalls 2008Not rated–/1001 complaint · 0 recalls 2007Not rated–/1002 complaints · 0 recalls 2006Not rated–/10012 complaints · 1 recall 2005Not rated–/10019 complaints · 2 recalls 2004Best69/10028 complaints · 2 recalls 2003Solid63/10026 complaints · 2 recalls 2002Solid45/10074 complaints · 3 recalls 2001Caution36/100116 complaints · 5 recalls 2000Solid44/10088 complaints · 5 recalls 1999Solid52/10064 complaints · 4 recalls 1998Not rated–/10018 complaints · 1 recall 1997Not rated–/1007 complaints · 0 recalls 1996Not rated–/1003 complaints · 1 recall 1995Solid59/10043 complaints · 4 recalls 1994Solid61/10041 complaints · 4 recalls 1993Not rated–/1007 complaints · 4 recalls 1992Not rated–/1006 complaints · 1 recall 1991Not rated–/1008 complaints · 2 recalls 1990Not rated–/10010 complaints · 4 recalls 1989Not rated–/10017 complaints · 3 recalls 1988Not rated–/1009 complaints · 5 recalls 1987Not rated–/1004 complaints · 3 recalls 1986Not rated–/10013 complaints · 4 recalls 1985Not rated–/10010 complaints · 5 recalls

Complaints by system

Most common Volkswagen Golf problems

All model years combined: 1,442 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

195Electrical system23 crash/fire/injury

188Air bags35 crash/fire/injury

181Fuel/propulsion system1 crash/fire/injury

165Engine9 crash/fire/injury

153Power train4 crash/fire/injury

133Engine and engine cooling3 crash/fire/injury

82Visibility

61Vehicle speed control

59Exterior lighting

58925 other systems39 crash/fire/injury

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.

Complaints by system
System	Complaints	Crash, fire or injury
Electrical system	195	23
Air bags	188	35
Fuel/propulsion system	181	1
Engine	165	9
Power train	153	4
Engine and engine cooling	133	3
Visibility	82	9
Vehicle speed control	61	9
Exterior lighting	59	1
25 other systems	589	39

54 recalls

Volkswagen Golf recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

Fuel system, gasoline24V-110 · 2015–2020 · Feb 14, 2024 · 261,257 vehicles Ignition: switch23V-604 · 2019 · Aug 30, 2023 · 62,538 vehicles Tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems22V-815 · 2019–2020 · Oct 31, 2022 · 296,044 vehicles Passenger side: inflator module22V-543 · 2016 · Jul 27, 2022 · 1,216 vehicles Unknown or other21V-321 · 2017 · May 5, 2021 · 46 vehicles Sensing system: camera20V-716 · 2021 · Nov 18, 2020 · 32,048 vehicles Other: labels20V-372 · 2018 · Jun 24, 2020 · 2 vehicles Wheels19V-879 · 2019 · Dec 11, 2019 · 8 vehiclesDo not drive Driver side: inflator module19V-862 · 2011–2014 · Dec 4, 2019 · 226 vehicles Anti-theft: control module19V-615 · 2015–2019 · Aug 22, 2019 · 679,027 vehicles Springs: coil springs19V-188 · 2015–2019 · Mar 6, 2019 · 56,173 vehicles Springs: coil springs18V-904 · 2015 · Dec 19, 2018 · 6,322 vehicles

Showing the 12 newest of 54 recalls. Each model-year page lists all recalls for that year.

21 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Golf

Dec 12, 2023
Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)RQ23007 · 2015–2020 · closed Jul 1, 2024
Led to recall 24V-110
Jan 27, 2023
Pedestrian alert soundsDP22005 · 2019 · closed Aug 7, 2023
Led to recall 22V-063
Sep 3, 2019
Vehicle Stalling - Manual TransmissionDP19003 · 2019 · closed Jun 30, 2020
No recall
Apr 18, 2018
Clockspring failureEA18003 · 2010–2014 · closed Nov 6, 2026
No recall
Nov 13, 2017
Air Bag Clockspring FailureRQ17009 · 2011–2014 · closed May 4, 2018
No recall
Mar 24, 2015
Air Bag Clockspring FailurePE15010 · 2011–2014 · closed Sep 28, 2015
Led to recall 15V-483
Aug 2, 2011
Diesel Fuel Injector Line LeakagePE11023 · 2009–2012 · closed Dec 2, 2011
Led to recall 11V-490
Feb 7, 2011
High-Pressure Fuel Pump FailureEA11003 · 2010–2012 · closed Mar 27, 2015
No recall
Aug 26, 2010
High Pressure Fuel Pump Failure (HPFP)PE10034 · 2010 · closed Feb 8, 2011
No recall
Aug 11, 2005
ENGINE STALLINGDP05004 · 2000–2003 · closed Dec 8, 2005
No recall