2016 Volkswagen GOLF SPORTWAGEN: complaints, problems and recalls

CLOCK SPRING FAILURE IN UNDER 2 YEARS (LESS THAN 20,000 MILES ON THE CAR). WHEN CAR WAS TURNED ON ALERTS CAME UP THAT THE AIRBAG HAD MALFUNCTIONED, AND AUTOMATIC CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTION, NONE OF THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS WORKED, AND THE HORN WAS NON-FUNCTIONAL. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH LED ME TO BELIEVE IT WAS THE CLOCK SPRING, AND I ALSO NOTICED VW HAD A CLOCK SPRING RECALL ON CARS FROM 2011-2014, SEEMS LIKE THIS MIGHT BE A LARGER ISSUE. CAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRED - CLOCK SPRING WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. 17,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 11084462 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING I COMPLETED A U-TURN AND MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE CLOCK SPRING MECHANISM THAT FAILED AND WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. WARRANTY WAS 3 YEAR OR 43,000 MILES, MY VEHICLE HAD 48,846 MILES. THE COST WAS $545.95 TO REPLACE THE PART. I RESEARCHED THIS PART AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE PREVIOUS RECALLS DUE TO FAILURE.

Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11114117 at NHTSA ↗

THE DRAIN ON RETRACTABLE ROOF BECAME BLOCKED. RAINWATER DRAINED INTO CAR SATURATING CARPETS. WATER FLOWED INTO CONTROL SYSTEM CAUSING AN EMERGENCY DASHBOARD ALERT TO STOP DRIVING IMMEDIATELY WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. THIS EVENT OCCURRED TWICE: FIRSTLY IN NEW YORK THEN TWO WEEKS LATER IN PA. VW SERVICE IN PA REPLACED CONNECTORS. VW SERVICE IN BROOKLYN NY AND WESTCHESTER PA EXPLAINED THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FAULT IN THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM IN THE RETRACTABLE ROOF.

Owner-reported narrative. 23,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11118891 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SPORTWAGEN. WHILE DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED, THE CLOCKSPRING CABLE FRACTURED AND RENDERED THE HORN, AIR BAGS, AND OTHER STEERING WHEEL FUNCTIONS INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE FIRST FAILURE WAS COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,669.

Owner-reported narrative. 40,669 miles reported. Look up ODI 11165070 at NHTSA ↗

PANORAMIC SUNROOF IS LEAKING WATER IN MULTIPLE PLACES. WHILE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND EXPOSED TO RAIN OR SNOW THE INSIDE OF PASSENGER CABIN GETS FILED WITH WATER, SPECIFICALY ON REAR RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE AND TRUNK AREA. THE SPARE TIRE COMPARTMENT GET FILLED UP WITH WATER EVERY TIME IT RAINS.

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11165629 at NHTSA ↗

ON JAN. 5TH 2019 THE DASHBOARD WARNING SYSTEM SHOWED A "ERROR - TRANSMISSION". WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP - THEY SAID IT WAS THE SHIFTER UNIT, AND THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE "POWERTRAIN" WARRANTY. WE WERE TOLD IT WAS STILL SAFE TO DRIVE WHILE THEY ORDERED PARTS. WHILE DRIVING IT HOME FROM THE DEALER, IT WOULD HESITATE WHEN STARTING OFF FROM A STOP - WITH ONCOMMING TRAFFIC, THIS CAN BE A UNSAFE OPTION. LOOKING ON SEVERAL VW SUPPORT FORUMS, I SEE THIS SAME PROBLEM COME UP OFTEN - MOST ARE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY HAPPE…

Owner-reported narrative. 36,714 miles reported. Look up ODI 11165958 at NHTSA ↗

I STARTED MY CAR AND THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. I THEN NOTICED THAT ALL CONTROLS ON MY STEERING WHEEL NO LONGER WORKED. THIS INCLUDES SPEED CONTROL, HORN, HANDS-FREE PHONE CONTROLS, HANDS-FREE RADIO CONTROLS AN VEHICLE INFORMATION OPTIONS. I ASSUME THAT THE AIR BAG IS ALSO NOT FUNCTIONING. WHEN I RETURNED HOME, I GOOGLED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT THE AIRBAG CLOCK SPRING WAS THE PROBABLE CAUSE AS IT HAD BEEN RECALLED IN PREVIOUS YEARS BUT DID NOT INCLUDE THE 2016 MODEL. I TOOK THE CAR IN ON 02/12/19. THEY DIAGNOSED ERROR CODE B10001 - …

Owner-reported narrative. 39,445 miles reported. Look up ODI 11179733 at NHTSA ↗

MICRO SWITCH RECALL. THE KEY MAY BE STUCK IN THE IGNITION WHILE IN PARK AND CANNOT BE REMOVED. I WAS NOTIFIED IN JULY 2018. WANTED TO TRADE THE CAR IN JANUARY 2019 AND THE DEALER GAVE ME A VERY LOW TRADE VALUE DUE TO THE INCOMPLETE RECALL! CAN'T ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT WHEN IT HAPPENED. DOES NOT APPLY. IT WAS IN JULY 2018 WHEN I WAS NOTIFIED.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11187379 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2018-07-11 (July 11, 2018)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Volkswagen Golf and Golf Sportwagen vehicles. The build of silicate on the shift lever micro switch contacts may enable the key to be removed from the ignition while the vehicle shift lever is not in "Park." As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Consequence: 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 injury or a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional switch and circuit board, free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 37L5.

Reported: 2022-07-27 (July 27, 2022)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 Audi TT Roadster, TT Coupe, S3 Sedan, R8 Coupe, A3 Sedan, A3 Etron, A3 Cabriolet, 2016 Golf Sportwagen, Golf R, Golf GTI, Golf A7, and E Golf vehicles. During air bag deployment, the front passenger air bag may explode or deploy improperly.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking occupants, resulting in serious injury or death. An improper air bag deployment may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the front-passenger air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69DY and 61C1.

Reported: 2024-02-14 (February 14, 2024)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain front-wheel drive 2015-2020 Audi A3 Sedan, 2015-2019 Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, 2018 Golf Sportwagen GP, 2018-2019 Golf Sportwagen A7, 2015-2017 Golf Sportwagen, 2015-2020 Golf GTI, and 2015-2020 Golf A7 vehicles. Due to a problem with a suction jet pump seal inside the fuel tank, fuel may flow into the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system and possibly leak out of the charcoal canister.

Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the suction pump, free of charge. Final owner notification letters for Audi owners were mailed on July 25, 2024. Final owner letters for VW owners were mailed on August 13, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are VW: 20UF/Audi: 20YF. Vehicles that were previously recalled under 16V-647 will need to have the new remedy completed. This recall expands and replaces previous recall number 16V-647.