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U.S. public vehicle records

2017 Volkswagen GOLF problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

115 owner complaints analyzed

5 distinct recall campaigns

21,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2017 model year. Data snapshot: . 31 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Fuel/Propulsion System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 51 of 115 complaints (44.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Fuel system concerns3732.2%
Engine operation97.8%
Steering behavior65.2%
Braking behavior54.3%
Electrical and battery issues43.5%
Transmission and shifting21.7%

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.

Fuel/Propulsion System
51
Engine
18
Unknown Or Other
12
Electrical System
9
Structure:Body
7
Air Bags
6
Service Brakes
5
Power Train
4
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Fuel/Propulsion System51
Engine18
Unknown Or Other12
Electrical System9
Structure:Body7
Air Bags6
Service Brakes5
Power Train4

Fuel/Propulsion System: 51; Engine: 18; Unknown Or Other: 12; Electrical System: 9; Structure:Body: 7; Air Bags: 6; Service Brakes: 5; Power Train: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000
16
25,000 to 49,999
10
50,000 to 74,999
2
75,000 to 99,999
3
100,000 to 149,999
0
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00016
25,000 to 49,99910
50,000 to 74,9992
75,000 to 99,9993
100,000 to 149,9990
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 16; 25,000 to 49,999: 10; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (16). 84 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
5
2018
11
2019
8
2020
3
2021
16
2022
27
2023
22
2024
18
2025
3
2026
2
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20175
201811
20198
20203
202116
202227
202322
202418
20253
20262

2017: 5; 2018: 11; 2019: 8; 2020: 3; 2021: 16; 2022: 27; 2023: 22; 2024: 18; 2025: 3; 2026: 2

Pattern summary

Fuel/Propulsion System leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 37 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 9 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 6 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 10944077 · 2017-01-10 (January 10, 2017)

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE FLASHED THE EPC WARNING LIGHT AND SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER AND RAPIDLY DECELERATED. THE CAR HAD TO COAST OFF THE HIGHWAY AND WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE INPUT ONCE STOPPED. CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND ON WHICH RESULTED IN "LIMP" MODE BUT CAR WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON THE ROAD. HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A FAULTY FUEL INJECTOR. CAR HAS 700 MILES ON IT.

Owner-reported narrative. 700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10944077 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11180563 · 2019-02-17 (February 17, 2019)

EVAP CANISTER FAILED WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES ON THE CAR. I FIRST NOTICED WHEN I WAS PUMPING GAS ONE DAY, I OPENED MY TANK AND HEARD A LOUD WOOSH NOISE LIKE PRESSURE HAD BEEN BUILDING UP INSIDE THE GAS TANK. I THEN WENT TO FILL UP MY TANK AND GOT MAYBE $3 WORTH OF GAS IN THE TANK BEFORE THE PUMP SHUT ITSELF OFF LIKE THE TANK WAS FULL THOUGH IT WASN'T. WAS TOLD IT'S NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BY VOLKSWAGEN, AND EVEN THOUGH THE 15-16 GTI HAD RECALLS FOR THE SAME ISSUE THE PROBLEM WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FIXED FOR THE 17 GTI. I EITHER HAVE A LEMON O…

Owner-reported narrative. 36,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11180563 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11083743 · 2018-04-07 (April 7, 2018)

JUNE 16,2017 , I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND ATTEMPTED TO LEAVE THE PARKING SPACE. ALL WHEEL BRAKES WERE LOCKED/THE CAR STALLED. 2-3 MINUTES LATER, THEY FREED UP. ON FEB.15,2018 WHILE WAITING IN TRAFFIC ON RT.580 IN DUNEDIN, THEY LOCKED UP AGAIN. 2-3 MINUTES LATER, THEY FREED UP AND I SHUT OFF MY EMERGENCY FLASHERS. MARCH 28 ,2018 , DITTO IN MY DRIVEWAY AFTER JUST BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE. TWO VW DEALERS ON MAR.22 AND AGAIN ON APRIL 5, THEIR COMPUTERS COULD FIND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. MY SCAN OF THE INTERNET ALL POINTED TO THE MA…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,365 miles reported. Look up ODI 11083743 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11403092 · 2021-03-15 (March 15, 2021)

UNABLE TO FILL GAS TANK. FUELING AT PUMP SHUTS OFF AFTER SMALL AMOUNT OF GAS FLOW. GAS THEN BACK FLOWED OUT OF FUEL TANK NECK ONTO GROUND. VEHICLE EXHIBITED LOSS OF POWER SYMPTOMS AT MID-RPM ENGINE SPEED PRIOR TO FAILED FUELING ATTEMPT. SIMILAR SYMPTOMS TO 2015-2016 RECALL ON PREVIOUS MODEL VW GOLF GTI; SERVICE # 20Y6.

Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11403092 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11180256 · 2019-02-15 (February 15, 2019)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V464000 (STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. VOLKSWAGEN OF CHERRY HILL (2261 MARLTON PIKE W, CHERRY HILL, NJ 08002, [phone removed]) WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PAR…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11180256 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11441191 · 2021-11-21 (November 21, 2021)

I was driving to work today play in my steering wheel made a funky crinkling sound and then I had a warning about my airbag and no horn working now after and I didn't hit anything nor was I hit

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11441191 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11113145 · 2018-07-23 (July 23, 2018)

BRAKES SEIZED.

Owner-reported narrative. 5,345 miles reported. Look up ODI 11113145 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11209670 · 2019-05-24 (May 24, 2019)

FOR THE PAST 2+ YEARS, I WILL HAVE HAD THIS CAR 3 YEARS IN NOV.2019, AND FOR THE PAST 2 YRS+ THE DEALER HAS NOT FOUND THE TROUBLE WITH THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT SENSOR COMING ON FOR NO REASON. IT COMES ON WHILE DRIVING, THE LDRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT LIGHT COMES ON AND THE SENSOR STARTS BEEPING - THE WORST WAS OVER A HALF HOUR STRAIGHT WHILE DRIVING HOME. IT HAS HAPPENED ON CITY STREETS- CANNOT RECALL IT ON HIGHWAY DRIVING. IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS THE SEATBELT UNIT WAS REPLACED- BUT THE LIGHTS AND BEEPING HAS RETURNED. I AM NOW THINKING IT MAY …

Owner-reported narrative. 21,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11209670 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11282273 · 2019-11-25 (November 25, 2019)

I NOTICED A VIBRATION AT SPEEDS NEAR AND OVER 80 MPH. I TOOK IT TO THE VW DEALER WHERE I HAD PURCHASED AND THEY FOUND THE BOLTS WHERE THE DRIVER FRONT AXLE CONNECTS TO THE TRANSMISSION OUTPUT SHAFT WERE LOOSE AND BACKING OUT. THEY REPLACED THE BOLTS, BUT I'M STILL HAVING VIBRATION IN THE DRIVELINE. I'M WORRIED WHAT OTHER BOLTS MAY BE LOOSE OR WHAT ASSOCIATED PARTS MAY HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED AS THIS IS POTENTIALLY A VERY DANGEROUS SAFETY SITUATION FOR MYSELF AND ANYONE NEAR MY VEHICLE WERE THE AXLE TO COME APART AT SPEED.

Owner-reported narrative. 16,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11282273 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11496535 · 2022-12-08 (December 8, 2022)

This is related to VW recal 37M2. My VIN is not in the recall list, but it has the exact same issue with the shifter assembly. The car does not recognize when the transmission is placed in Park. Unable to lock doors

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11496535 at NHTSA ↗