2016 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 84 complaints · 9 recalls
Most-reported system: FUEL SYSTEM (28 complaints · 33.3%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 1
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 2
  • Deaths 0
Compare with 2015 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution FUEL SYSTEM appears in 28 of 84 owner complaints (33.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. FUEL SYSTEM: 28 complaints, 33.3% of reports FUEL SYSTEM 28 · 33.3% ENGINE: 12 complaints, 14.3% of reports ENGINE 12 · 14.3% STRUCTURE: 6 complaints, 7.1% of reports STRUCTURE 6 · 7.1% POWER TRAIN: 5 complaints, 6.0% of reports POWER TRAIN 5 · 6.0% AIR BAGS: 4 complaints, 4.8% of reports AIR BAGS 4 · 4.8% · 1 crash reports SERVICE BRAKES: 3 complaints, 3.6% of reports SERVICE BRAKES 3 · 3.6% VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 3 complaints, 3.6% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 3 · 3.6% FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: 2 complaints, 2.4% of reports FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 2 · 2.4% STEERING: 2 complaints, 2.4% of reports STEERING 2 · 2.4% UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 28 complaints, 33.3% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 28 · 33.3% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
FUEL SYSTEM 28 33.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
ENGINE 12 14.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
STRUCTURE 6 7.1% 0 crashes · 0 fires
POWER TRAIN 5 6.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
AIR BAGS 4 4.8% 1 crashes · 0 fires
SERVICE BRAKES 3 3.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 3 3.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 2 2.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
STEERING 2 2.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 28 33.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 2015; the first recall shown was reported in Oct 2015. 2015-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2017-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2017-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2017-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2018-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2019-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2021-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2022-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2022-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2023-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2023-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2023-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2023-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2024-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2024-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2025-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Oct 2015 Apr 2026 Recall campaign 15V705000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V705000 Recall campaign 16V403000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V403000 Recall campaign 16V647000 ◆ Recall campaign 16V647000 Recall campaign 18V329000 ◆ Recall campaign 18V329000 Recall campaign 18V464000 ◆ Recall campaign 18V464000 Recall campaign 19V188000 ◆ Recall campaign 19V188000 Recall campaign 19V615000 ◆ Recall campaign 19V615000 Recall campaign 22V543000 ◆ Recall campaign 22V543000 Recall campaign 24V110000 ◆ Recall campaign 24V110000 Investigation RQ23007 ● Investigation RQ23007
  • Campaign 16V403000 was reported 160 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 16V647000 was reported 15 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 22V543000 was reported 1,478 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2015-Q4 Owner reports 1
2016-Q2 Owner reports 1
2016-Q3 Owner reports 4
2017-Q1 Owner reports 3
2017-Q2 Owner reports 3
2017-Q3 Owner reports 2
2018-Q2 Owner reports 2
2018-Q3 Owner reports 3
2018-Q4 Owner reports 1
2019-Q1 Owner reports 1
2019-Q3 Owner reports 2
2019-Q4 Owner reports 1
2020-Q1 Owner reports 1
2020-Q4 Owner reports 4
2021-Q1 Owner reports 1
2021-Q2 Owner reports 3
2021-Q3 Owner reports 2
2021-Q4 Owner reports 4
2022-Q1 Owner reports 2
2022-Q2 Owner reports 1
2022-Q3 Owner reports 8
2022-Q4 Owner reports 3
2023-Q1 Owner reports 8
2023-Q2 Owner reports 5
2023-Q3 Owner reports 2
2023-Q4 Owner reports 2
2024-Q1 Owner reports 3
2024-Q2 Owner reports 5
2024-Q3 Owner reports 1
2024-Q4 Owner reports 2
2025-Q2 Owner reports 1
2025-Q3 Owner reports 1
2026-Q2 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 15V705000
Recall campaign 1 16V403000
Recall campaign 1 16V647000
Recall campaign 1 18V329000
Recall campaign 1 18V464000
Recall campaign 1 19V188000
Recall campaign 1 19V615000
Recall campaign 1 22V543000
Recall campaign 1 24V110000
Defect investigation 1 RQ23007
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (9)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 15V705000

    Report date
    Component:
    ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
    Consequence:
    If the camshaft lobe shears off there would be a loss of brake assist, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Volkswagen dealer will update the engine control module (ECM) software. The recall began March 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23R1.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 16V403000

    Report date
    Component:
    FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
    Consequence:
    A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, can result in a vehicle fire.
    Remedy:
    Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the cylinder heads, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 15F7.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 16V647000

    Report date
    Component:
    ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
    Consequence:
    As fuel accumulates in the EVAP system, it may leak out through the charcoal canister filter element. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
    Remedy:
    Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suction pump, free of charge. The recall began November 2016. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298, Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 20Y6 and 20Y5. This recall has been fully superseded by recall 24V-110.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 18V329000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 18V464000

    Report date
    Component:
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 19V188000

    Report date
    Component:
    SUSPENSION
    Consequence:
    If a coil spring fractures while driving, it may damage a rear tire causing a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear axle coil springs, free of charge. The recall began April 12, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42J5.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 19V615000

    Report date
    Component:
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    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 November 19, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 37M2.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  8. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 22V543000

    Report date
    Component:
    AIR BAGS
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  9. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 24V110000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 84 complaints · page 1 of 4

No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources