2016 Volkswagen Golf: owner complaints and recalls

Owners have filed 85 complaints about the 2016 Volkswagen Golf and NHTSA has issued 9 recall campaigns. The most-reported system is fuel/propulsion system, named in 29 of them.

85
Complaints
9
Recalls
1
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
2
Injuries
23.5
Severity index

Severity index 23.5 - Low. It weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints, so a vehicle attracting serious reports scores above one attracting many trivial ones (how this is calculated).

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 23.5p25 35p75 96cleanestworst
Where the 2016 Volkswagen Golf sits against the quartiles of every vehicle we track.

Among the 140 2016 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2016 Volkswagen Golf ranks 126 of 140 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 10% of its model-year peers. See the full 2016 ranking.

What actually fails

Fuel/Propulsion SystemFuel/Propulsion System: 29 complaints (34.1%)29 34%EngineEngine: 18 complaints (21.2%)18 21%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 14 complaints (16.5%)14 16%Air BagsAir Bags: 10 complaints (11.8%)10 12%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 8 complaints (9.4%)8 9%StructureStructure: 7 complaints (8.2%)7 8%Power TrainPower Train: 5 complaints (5.9%)5 6%Service BrakesService Brakes: 4 complaints (4.7%)4 5%
Systems named in complaints. One complaint can name several, so shares overlap.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM2934.1%
ENGINE1821.2%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1416.5%
AIR BAGS1011.8%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM89.4%
STRUCTURE78.2%
POWER TRAIN55.9%
SERVICE BRAKES44.7%

Complaints filed per year

09182015: 12016: 52017: 82018: 62019: 42020: 52021: 102022: 142023: 182024: 112025: 22026: 1 (partial year)15161718192021222318242526
Complaints filed per calendar year, not model year. The hatched bar is the current year and is still incomplete.
YearComplaints
20151
20165
20178
20186
20194
20205
202110
202214
202318
202411
20252
2026 (year to date)1
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
18V46400011/07/2018STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICEVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Volkswagen Golf and Golf Sportwagen vehicles. The build of silicate on the shift lever micro switch contacts may enable the key to be removed from the ignition while the vehicle shift lever is not in "
18V32900016/05/2018UNKNOWN OR OTHERVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal
19V18800006/03/2019SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGSVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Golf Sportwagen, 2019 Jetta, 2015-2019 Golf, and 2018-2019 Tiguan vehicles. The rear coil springs may prematurely fracture.
19V61500022/08/2019ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULEVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2019 GTI, 2015-2016 and 2018-2019 Golf, 2012-2019 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2017-2019 Golf SportWagen and 2011-2018 Jetta vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, manual handbrake and keyless e
16V40300006/06/2016FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAILVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2016 Jetta vehicles manufactured October 31, 2015, to January 21, 2016, 2016 Passat vehicles, equipped with 1.8T engines manufactured November 13, 2015, to December 9, 2015, and 2016 Golf vehicles manu
16V64700007/09/2016FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINEVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Volkswagen Golf, Golf SportWagen, GTI, Audi A3 sedan and A3 Cabriolet vehicles. Due to a problem with the suction pump inside the fuel tank, fuel may flow into the evaporative emissions (EVA
15V70500026/10/2015ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINEVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Jetta, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Passat, Golf and Golf SportWagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the camshaft lobe that drives the brake vacuum pump may shear off, resulting in a loss
22V54300027/07/2022AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULEVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 Audi TT Roadster, TT Coupe, S3 Sedan, R8 Coupe, A3 Sedan, A3 Etron, A3 Cabriolet, 2016 Golf Sportwagen, Golf R, Golf GTI, Golf A7, and E Golf vehicles. During air bag deployment, the front passenger air bag
24V11000014/02/2024FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINEVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain front-wheel drive 2015-2020 Audi A3 Sedan, 2015-2019 Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, 2018 Golf Sportwagen GP, 2018-2019 Golf Sportwagen A7, 2015-2017 Golf Sportwagen, 2015-2020 Golf GTI, and 20
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.