2015 Volkswagen E-GOLF: complaints, problems and recalls

I WAS DRIVING MY 5-MONTH OLD VW E-GOLF ON A CITY ROAD WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC AND TRAVELING ABOUT 35-40 MPH WHEN ALL OF SUDDEN MY ELECTRIC CAR SHUT OFF AND CAME TO A SHUDDERING STOP. IT FELT ALMOST LIKE ANOTHER CAR HAD HIT ME FROM BEHIND. THE ELECTRIC VW GOLF CAME TO SUCH AN ABRUPT STOP THAT THE CAR BEHIND ME NEARLY HIT ME. BUT, THEY WERE ABLE TO SWERVE AROUND ME. BUT MY CAR REMAINED STUCK IN THE ROAD AND WITH AN ELECTRIC FAILURE MESSAGE ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CAR WOULD NOT START OR EVEN MOVE. I WAS FRIGHTENED BY THIS INCIDENT. THE VW CAR DEAL…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10765206 at NHTSA ↗

THE E-GOLF WAS IN MOTION ON A PEDESTRIAN ROAD, THE VEHICLE STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING. THEN, A MESSAGE DISPLAYED STATING SOMETHING LIKE "ERROR: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM." THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL. THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND ON AGAIN, YET NOTHING HAPPENED; IT COULD NOT BE RESTARTED, THE WINDOWS WOULDN'T ROLL DOWN, AND THE CAR HAD TO THEN BE PUSHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN "NEUTRAL" FOR SAFETY. THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM WAS UNKNOWN. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED AND THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP/SERVICE CENTER. THE SERV…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,250 miles reported. Look up ODI 10807870 at NHTSA ↗

I JUST EXPERIENCED THIS ERROR "ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE: STOP!" ON THE WAY HOME FORM SAN FRANCISCO TO OAKLAND THANKFULLY I WAS ALREADY OVER THE BAY BRIDGE. THE CAR JUST LOST POWER AND STOPPED. AFTER THE CAR STOPPED I PUT ON THE HAZARDS PUT ON THE BREAK AND TURNED THE CAR OFF I HAD TO DO ABOUT 5 ATTEMPTS TO TURN THE CAR OFF, WHILE STILL IN THE CAR I LOCKED THE CAR THEN RE OPENED IT WITH THE KEY FOB AND PUSHED THE START BUTTON THE CAR CAME BACK TO LIFE AND THE DASH READ "READY" IN GREEN. I WAS THEN ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME. I DECIDED TO TAKE…

Owner-reported narrative. 700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10809311 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUDDERED BRIEFLY, AND THE ELECTRIC DRIVE TURNED OFF. THE DRIVER AIRBAG WAS DISABLED, IN ADDITION TO STEERING AND BRAKE ASSIST, AND OTHER SAFETY FEATURES. THE WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE MULTIFUNCTION DISPLAY STATING "ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE, STOP!" I ENABLED THE HAZARD LIGHTS, COASTED TO A STOP, AND PLACED THE CAR IN PARK. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE ELECTRIC DRIVE WOULD NOT RESTART. VW 24-HOUR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A VW SERVICE CENTER.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10811289 at NHTSA ↗

THE E-GOLF LOST ABILITY TO DRIVE, THERE IS A RED TRIANGLE WITH AN EXCLAMATION MARK ON THE DASH, AND THE RED CAR ICON WITH AN EXCLAMATION ON IT, INDICATING A "ELECTRICAL ERROR" ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL. ALL OTHER FUNCTIONS OF THE CAR SEEM TO BE WORKING, EXCEPT IT WON'T START, AND THE KEY FOB LOCK/UNLOCK IS NOT RESPONDING, SO MY CAR IS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARKING LOT UNABLE TO MOVE. HAVING THE NO CHOICE BECAUSE MY CAR WAS NOT MOVING AND SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE VALET PARKING LOT, I TOLD THEM TO DO IT, IN THE MEAN TIME THE VALET HAD …

Owner-reported narrative. 1,020 miles reported. Look up ODI 10811305 at NHTSA ↗

TRIED TO START THE CAR AND ERROR MESSAGE APPEARED ON DASH. MESSAGE READ "ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE". TURNED CAR COMPLETELY OFF, WAITED APPROX. 1 MINUTE THEN STARTED CAR AGAIN WITH NO PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. 9,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10820530 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS DRIVING THE ALL-ELECTRIC CAR HOME FROM WORK ON A 3/4 CHARGE (~75 MILES REMAINING RANGE) WHEN I NOTICED TWO FAST, SPLIT-SECOND JERKING MOTIONS, ABOUT 30 SECONDS APART. WITHIN ANOTHER MINUTE, THE CAR'S DASH SYSTEM SOUNDED AN ALARM AND AN ERROR POPPED UP ON THE DASH SCREEN, SAYING "ERROR: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. STOP!" THE CAR EFFECTIVELY TURNED OFF, GIVING ME JUST A FEW SECONDS TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION - I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35 MPH - AND I WAS TRAVELING ON A TWO-LANE ROAD - FORTUNATELY NOT ON THE HIGHWAY - BUT T…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,576 miles reported. Look up ODI 10823647 at NHTSA ↗

AFTER THE VEHICLE IS DONE CHARGING USING THE J1772 PLUG (L2 OR L1 CHARGING), THE PLUG REMAINS LOCKED TO THE VEHICLE CHARGING INLET. PRESSING THE J1772 PLUG BUTTON DOES NOT RELEASE THE PLUG AS THE CAR MUST BE UNLOCKED USING A KEY TO RELEASE THE PLUG. IN A PUBLIC CHARGING LOCATION, ANOTHER EV DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE PLUG FROM MY CAR AND MAY HAVE BROKEN MY CAR IF I HAD NOT INTERVENED. I HAVE READ THAT OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS VEHICLE HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE INLET DAMAGED BECAUSE THE PLUG STAYS LOCKED IN THE CAR DURING CHARGING AND AFTER CHARGING…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10860617 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2015-10-07 (October 7, 2015)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Jetta vehicles manufactured September 8, 2014, to November 28, 2014, Golf vehicles manufactured April 2, 2014, to December 3, 2014, and E-Golf vehicles manufactured July 26, 2014, to October 18, 2014. The affected vehicles are equipped a Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) that may have been manufactured improperly. As a result, the front passenger seat occupant may be improperly classified or may not be detected.

Consequence: In the event of a crash, if the front passenger seat occupant is incorrectly classified or non-detected, the passenger frontal air bag may deploy improperly or not at all, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PODS control module, free of charge. The recall began on November 20, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswgen's number for this recall is 69L6.

Reported: 2016-03-07 (March 7, 2016)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 e-Golf vehicles manufactured May 21, 2014, to March 1, 2016. Oversensitive diagnostics for the high-voltage battery management system may falsely detect an electrical surge resulting in the vehicle's electric drive motor shutting down unexpectedly.

Consequence: An unexpected vehicle shutdown can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will update the battery management software, free of charge. The recall began March 15, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 93B4.

Reported: 2018-05-16 (May 16, 2018)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.

Consequence: If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.