Volkswagen Golf R

Where it stands out against its peers

• Fuel/propulsion system: more complaints than 97% of 2017 cars — 29% of its 194 complaints, where an ordinary 2017 car has 7%.
• Gasoline: more complaints than 93% of 2017 cars — 3% of its 194 complaints, where an ordinary 2017 car has 1%.
• Fuel system: more complaints than 91% of 2017 cars — 3% of its 194 complaints, where an ordinary 2017 car has 1%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 44 owners reported this
• ENGINE — 20 owners reported this
• STRUCTURE — 11 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN — 7 owners reported this
• SUSPENSION — 7 owners reported this
• VISIBILITY — 7 owners reported this
• FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE — 5 owners reported this
• AIR BAGS — 4 owners reported this
• VISIBILITY/WIPER — 4 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 3 owners reported this
• ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 3 owners reported this
• SERVICE BRAKES — 3 owners reported this

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

27% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• 16V337000

  The listed weight limit is low enough that the vehicle owner may ignore the weight limits and overload the vehicle and exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a corrected certification label, free of charge. The recall began July 2016. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01B5.

• 16V464000

  If an unrestrained child unexpectedly opens a door, they may fall from the vehicle increasing their risk of injury.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the child lock(s), free of charge. The recall began on August 22, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 58C9.

• 18V803000

  If the guide sleeves are incorrectly welded, in the event of a crash, the rear seat head restraints may have reduced stability, increasing the risk of injury.

  Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners, and dealers will inspect the guide sleeves for incorrect welds, replacing the rear seat frame, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 28, 2018. 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 72H8 (VW) and 72H9(Audi).

• 18V864000

  A fuel leak in the engine compartment can increase the risk of a fire.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will secure the fuel line connection, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 11, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 20Bi.

• 20V561000

  Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of a crash or injury to vehicle occupants.

  Volkswagen will notify owners and will repurchase the vehicles. The recall began October 6, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01E9.

• 21V321000

  Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of injury, crash, or fire.

  Volkswagen will repurchase the vehicles. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01F1.

• 22V163000

  A loose engine design cover may contact hot surfaces in the engine compartment and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.

  Dealers will remove the engine design cover, free of charge. Once parts become available, Volkswagen will provide a free updated engine design cover under a separate Service Action. Owner notification letters were mailed by March 29, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 10H5.

• 22V542000

  A sunroof switch that is inadvertently pressed can result in unintended auto-closure of the sunroof, increasing the risk of injury.

  Dealers will replace the roof module switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 23, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 60F6.

6 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)

  Recall query, opened December 2023, closed July 2024.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Volkswagen filed 49 bulletins about the 2026 Golf R.

• Engine: 15
• Electrical system: 9
• Service brakes: 4
• Air bags: 2
• Power train: 2
• Exterior lighting: 1
• Steering: 1
• Suspension: 1
• Other: 14

• This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the issue: DA 0019 -… · August 2026
• The sporadic event entries “U112200 data bus, implausible message (with symptom 1842, 1884 and 1885) ” under diagnostic address (0013_ indicates that the view of the front camera for driver assist… · August 2026
• MIB3 Recovery Solution · August 2026
• Oil Consumption Measurement and Electronic Oil Consumption Measurement · August 2026
• Inquiries · July 2026
• Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards · July 2026
• Instruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start. · July 2026
• Lubricating engine components before reassembly. · July 2026

41 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.