repaired · 2026 Q2
Fuel system, gasoline
Risk. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
2019 Volkswagen GolfProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 63 owner complaints about the 2019 Volkswagen Golf, most often about the engine. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 19V-615 the manufacturer reports only 47% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 3, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2019 Volkswagen Golf has problems
63 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
34Engine1 crash/fire/injury
13Power train
7Fuel/propulsion system
5Electrical system
3Forward collision avoidance
2Air bags
2Suspension
2Vehicle speed control
2Steering
66 other systems
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 34 | 1 |
| Power train | 13 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 7 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 5 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 3 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 0 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 |
| 6 other systems | 6 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
6 recalls
2019 Volkswagen Golf recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2025 Q4
Ignition: switch
Risk. Ignition switch failure can cause the electrical system to shut down and the engine to stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2024 Q4
Tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems
Risk. An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.
repaired · 2020 Q2
Wheels
Do not driveRisk. The excessive stress can cause steering, traction or other stability issues or breakage relating to the front wheels, and increase the risk of a crash.
Show 2 more recalls
repaired · 2021 Q1
Anti-theft: control module
Risk. Removing the key while the shift lever is in a position other than "Park" increases the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal…
repaired · 2020 Q3
Springs: coil springs
Risk. If a coil spring fractures while driving, it may damage a rear tire causing a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Volkswagen.
Mileage at failure
When do engine problems start?
1kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 31 engine complaints. 100% were reported before 100,000 miles.
30under 30k miles31under 100k miles0100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2019 vs. every other Golf year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Golf median. How we score
'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
NHTSA crash tests
2019 Volkswagen Golf safety ratings
2019 Volkswagen Golf 4 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (13.4% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: Standard
- Lane departure warning: Optional
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2019 Volkswagen Golf, and the recalls they led to.
- Vehicle Stalling - Manual TransmissionNo recall
- Pedestrian alert soundsLed to recall 22V-063
- Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)Led to recall 24V-110
In owners' words
What Golf owners report
Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The engine completely failed while driving normally and lost power while on the highway, doing highway speeds. I had no power to safely exit the highway and it became extremely dangerous for surrounding traffic as I had to slow down. The problem has been confirmed by a Volkswagen dealer. Yes the…
Faulty/unreliable water pump resulted in sudden coolant leak and subsequently overheating the engine. This seems to be a common problem when looking at reports/discussion from other owners of this vehicle online. It’s a known issue that the stock water pump is bad.
The car idles rough during initial cold start up, intermittently hesitates during acceleration and feels like it misfires during cruising. My dealer found that the ignition timing was retarded by 5º and told me to use better gas, citing a VW field service action…
Own a 2019 Golf?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.