Equal-exposure complaint evidence and changes in the reported problem mix
2011 vs 2012 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF
NHTSA Consumer Complaints complaints · snapshot 2026-08-21
Share shifts show how a vehicle's problem mix changed. They do not measure reliability, and complaint counts are not normalized for sales volume.
First 179 months on market for each model year
Exposure window calculated through Aug 22, 2026
Age-matched reports
▼ 56.4% fewer reports in the equal exposure window
NHTSA Consumer Complaints complaints · snapshot 2026-08-21
Component share shift
Bars start at the neutral midpoint. Left means a smaller share; right means a larger share.
View component share data as a table
| Component | 2011 share | 2012 share | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 15.5% | 8.3% | ▼ 7.1 pts smaller share |
| STRUCTURE | 1.8% | 8.3% | ▲ 6.5 pts larger share |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 10.0% | 4.2% | ▼ 5.8 pts smaller share |
| AIR BAGS | 10.9% | 14.6% | ▲ 3.7 pts larger share |
| FUEL SYSTEM | 32.7% | 29.2% | ▼ 3.6 pts smaller share |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 2.7% | 6.3% | ▲ 3.5 pts larger share |
| STEERING | 0.9% | 4.2% | ▲ 3.3 pts larger share |
| POWER TRAIN | 18.2% | 16.7% | ▼ 1.5 pts smaller share |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 0.9% | 2.1% | ▲ 1.2 pts larger share |
| SUSPENSION | 0.9% | not reported | ▼ 0.9 pts smaller share |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1.8% | 2.1% | ▲ 0.3 pts larger share |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 30.0% | 29.2% | ▼ 0.8 pts smaller share |
NHTSA Safety Recalls recalls · snapshot 2026-08-22
Recall campaigns
Campaign components: AIR BAGS
Campaign components: AIR BAGS
NHTSA Consumer Complaints complaints · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety signals
- ◆ Fires
- 3 → 0
- ◆ Injuries
- 2 → 4