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U.S. public vehicle records

Volkswagen GOLF SPORTWAGEN problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

171 owner complaints analyzed

9 distinct recall campaigns

45,392 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2013 to 2019 model years. Data snapshot: . 74 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 37 of 171 complaints (21.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Steering behavior2615.2%
Electrical and battery issues1810.5%
Braking behavior127.0%
Fuel system concerns105.8%
Transmission and shifting63.5%
Engine operation63.5%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Electrical System
37
Air Bags
34
Unknown Or Other
32
Suspension
26
Engine
23
Power Train
14
Fuel/Propulsion System
13
Structure:Body
12
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Electrical System37
Air Bags34
Unknown Or Other32
Suspension26
Engine23
Power Train14
Fuel/Propulsion System13
Structure:Body12

Electrical System: 37; Air Bags: 34; Unknown Or Other: 32; Suspension: 26; Engine: 23; Power Train: 14; Fuel/Propulsion System: 13; Structure:Body: 12

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
15
25,000 to 49,999
28
50,000 to 74,999
17
75,000 to 99,999
10
100,000 to 149,999
4
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00015
25,000 to 49,99928
50,000 to 74,99917
75,000 to 99,99910
100,000 to 149,9994
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 15; 25,000 to 49,999: 28; 50,000 to 74,999: 17; 75,000 to 99,999: 10; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 0

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (28). 97 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2017
2
2018
8
2019
26
2020
23
2021
16
2022
21
2023
29
2024
27
2025
13
2026
6
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20172
20188
201926
202023
202116
202221
202329
202427
202513
20266

2017: 2; 2018: 8; 2019: 26; 2020: 23; 2021: 16; 2022: 21; 2023: 29; 2024: 27; 2025: 13; 2026: 6

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 26 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 18 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 12 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 11074193 · 2018-02-21 (February 21, 2018)

LOUD SNAPPING SOUND WHILE TURNING, AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, LOST ALL ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS OF STEERING WHEEL, INCLUDING HORN & AIRBAG. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. HAD VEHICLE EXAMINED, CODES PULLED, DETERMINED IT WAS FAILURE OF THE CLOCK SPRING MECHANISM.

Owner-reported narrative. 70,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11074193 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11164399 · 2019-01-01 (January 1, 2019)

THE DISPLAY SCREEN SAYS ERROR: AIRBAG, THEN IT SAYS ERROR: TRANSMISSION. ALL THE BOTTONS ON THE STREEING WHEEL DO NOT WORK CURSE CONTROL, BOTTONS FOR CHANGING THE DISPLAY TO SEE INFO ABOUT THE CAR, AND RADIO. THE CAR WAS DRIVING ON CITY STREETS WHEN THE MESSAGES FIRST WHERE NOTICED. I THINK IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL AND THINK IT MIGHT BE THE CLOCK SPRING. THE FACT THAT IT IS SAYING ERROR: AIRBAG, I AM CONCERNED THAT THE AIRBAG WILL NOT WORK, OR MIGHT JUST GO OFF FOR NO REASON.

Owner-reported narrative. 81,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11164399 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11174488 · 2019-02-05 (February 5, 2019)

PROBLEM NOTICED DECEMBER 12TH WHEN ONE BY ONE ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON INCLUDING THE AIR BAG, THE STABILIZATION SYSTEM, THE HEADLIGHT SYSTEM AND OTHERS. THEN WHEN I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 1ST GEAR. I ENDED UP HAVING TO HAVE MY VEHICLE TOWED BACK HOME. THE NEXT DAY A MECHANIC SCANNED IT AND SAID THERE WAS A PROBLEM IN THE EMITIONS SYSTEM WHICH DISABLED THE CAR BY MAKING IT NOT ABLE TO DRIVE. I THEN HAD IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST VW DEALER WHO TOLD ME THAT THE WHOLE PROBLEM, INCLUDING THE FAILURE OF THE SAFETY …

Owner-reported narrative. 60,936 miles reported. Look up ODI 11174488 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11152664 · 2018-11-20 (November 20, 2018)

THIS IS A 2015 TDI GOLF THAT SAT ON THE DEALER CAR LOT FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS. WE BOUGHT IT SPRING 2018. MINIMAL MAINTENANCE DONE ON VEHICLE WHEN CAR WAS PURCHASED. IN FACT, WE BOUGHT THREE. TIRES HAD FLAT SPOTS, AND HAD TO ALL BE REPLACED. MY DAUGHTER'S CAR DEVELOPED SOFT BRAKES. MINE AS WELL, AND NOT STOPPING WELL. HER CAR FAILED TO STOP, RESULTING IN A CRASH...THIS NEEDS TO BE CHECKED OUT THAT THE BRAKE FLUSH AND FLUID ARE REPLACED EARLIER THAN THE "RECOMMENDED" 30,000 MILE MAINTENANCE. BEFORE OTHERS ARE INJURED. PLEASE

Owner-reported narrative. 30,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 11152664 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11265792 · 2019-10-02 (October 2, 2019)

TODAY WITH ONLY 16000 MILES THE POWER BRAKES STOPPED WORKING AND REQUIRED THAT I USE THE EBRAKE AND USE BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING I SUSPECT THERE IS A BRAKE BOOSTER PROBLEM

Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11265792 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11537410 · 2023-08-09 (August 9, 2023)

The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle started to run rough. The contact shifted the vehicle into park(P) when she reached her destination and smelled an odor of gasoline. The contact observed that gasoline was leaking out of the fuel tank under the wheel well. The contact stated that the driveway was wet from the gasoline. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had attempted earlier in the day to fuel the vehicle and was unable to fill the…

Owner-reported narrative. 68,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11537410 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11350953 · 2020-08-24 (August 24, 2020)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SPORTWAGEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE ODOR OF FUEL WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, WHILE REFUELING THE FUEL SPEWED BACK OUT OF THE FUEL FILLER NECK SOAKING THE PERSON FUELING THE VEHICLE. THE NEXT DAY WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUTOFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER CHARLES MAUND VOLKSWAGEN LOCATED AT 6900 BURNET RD, ALSTON, TX 78757, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YE…

Owner-reported narrative. 66,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11350953 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11493252 · 2022-11-12 (November 12, 2022)

A defect that meets the definition of a nonconformity in Washington State, and that is covered under warranty, caused the vehicle to stall while driving and caused the vehicle to not accelerate when the accelerator was pressed. My safety was put at risk when this happened on a 50 mph road because vehicles behind me expected my vehicle in front of them to accelerate in a predictable way with the flow of traffic. Another time, a stall happened as I turned onto a highway. I had come to a stop, waited for the traffic light, and then turned rig…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11493252 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11476587 · 2022-07-29 (July 29, 2022)

The contact owns a 2016 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen. The contact stated that there was an odor of gasoline in the vehicle. Additionally, the vehicle was stalling while driving. The contact stated she stopped at a gas station and attempted to add gasoline; however, the tank was already full. The contact was able to drive home safely. After the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that gasoline was leaking underneath the vehicle. The dealer was contacted and informed that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: …

Owner-reported narrative. 86,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 11476587 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.

2013
0
2015
3
2016
3
2017
4
2018
5
2019
5
Recall campaigns data
CategoryCount
20130
20153
20163
20174
20185
20195

2013: 0; 2015: 3; 2016: 3; 2017: 4; 2018: 5; 2019: 5

Year-by-year records

Volkswagen GOLF SPORTWAGEN model-year comparison
Model yearComplaintsRecallsChange in recalls
201310Not available
2015593Not available
20165130
2017384+1
2018125+1
20191050