2018 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF — Owner-Reported Problems
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 28 complaints · 6 recalls
Verdict & Safety Summary
Most-reported system: FUEL SYSTEM (9 complaints · 32.1%)
Safety signals:
- Crashes 0
- Fires 0
- Injuries 2
- Deaths 0
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)
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 | 9 | 32.1% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| ENGINE | 2 | 7.1% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 2 | 7.1% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| POWER TRAIN | 2 | 7.1% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 2 | 7.1% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| STRUCTURE | 2 | 7.1% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 3.6% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| LANE DEPARTURE | 1 | 3.6% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| STEERING | 1 | 3.6% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 8 | 28.6% | 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
- Campaign 20V372000 was reported 490 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2019-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2019-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2019-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2020-Q4 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2021-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2022-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2022-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2023-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2023-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2024-Q1 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2024-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2024-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2025-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2026-Q2 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 18V369000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 18V464000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 19V188000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 19V615000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 20V372000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 24V110000 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | RQ23007 |
Safety Recalls (6)
Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA
-
Manufacturer action
Recall campaign 18V369000
- Report date
- Component:
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
- Consequence:
- A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners. Audi dealers will bleed the rear brakes. Volkswagen dealers will bleed the front and rear brake calipers. Note: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the brake system has been checked. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 47N8, 47N9, and 47N6.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Manufacturer action
Recall campaign 20V372000
- Report date
- Component:
- EQUIPMENT
- Consequence:
- If the stamped vehicle identification number (VIN) does not match the VIN on the Vehicle Certification Label, owners may be unable to tell if their vehicle is under an important safety recall, possibly exposing them to an increased risk of a crash, fire or injury.
- Remedy:
- Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a correct certification label, free of charge. This recall began July 9, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01E7.
-
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.
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
Showing 0 of 28 complaints · page 1 of 2
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
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.