2019 Volkswagen Golf: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 81 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 6 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
81
Complaints
6
Recalls
3
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
0
Injuries
14.8
Severity index
Severity index 14.8 - Low. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 123 2019 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2019 Volkswagen Golf ranks 110 of 123 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 11% of its model-year peers. See the full 2019 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 37 | 45.7% |
| POWER TRAIN | 17 | 21.0% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 13 | 16.0% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 11 | 13.6% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 9 | 11.1% |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 4 | 4.9% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 4 | 4.9% |
| AIR BAGS | 3 | 3.7% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 37 of 81 complaints (45.7%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 39 |
| 2020 | 8 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 15 |
| 2024 | 5 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 1 |
Complaint volume is broadly steady year over year.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19V188000 | 06/03/2019 | SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS | Volkswagen 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. |
| 19V615000 | 22/08/2019 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE | Volkswagen 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 |
| 19V879000 | 11/12/2019 | WHEELS | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Jetta GLI, Golf Alltrack, and Golf GTI vehicles. The front wheel bearings may have been improperly machined, potentially causing excessive stress on the wheel, wheel bolts, or wheel bearings. |
| 22V815000 | 31/10/2022 | TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas |
| 23V604000 | 30/08/2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Golf, Golf Alltrack, Golf Sportwagen, 2019-2020 Golf GTI, and Jetta vehicles equipped with a conventional ignition switch. The ignition switch may fail, especially in high temperature environments. |
| 24V110000 | 14/02/2024 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | Volkswagen 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.