2020 Volkswagen Golf Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

Incident: September 5, 2025 · Filed: February 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Volkswagen Golf. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and it was determined that there was a leak in the evaporative emissions system after scanning the vehicle and retrieving DTC: P0456. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V110000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired because the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 17,000.

Incident: October 1, 2024 · Filed: October 21, 2024

While driving with the cruise control set to 55 mph, the car began an uncommanded acceleration. When I looked down on the dashboard display I noticed that the cruise control target speed was set to 95 mph. I switched of the cruise control and resumed manual control of the speed. When I switch the cruise control back on I observed the target speed rapidly increase from the intended 55 mph to 95 mph accompanied by moderate vehicle acceleration. I again switched off the cruise control and resumed manual control of the speed. Sometime later during the drive a cruise control error message appeared on the dashboard. Subsequently the problem was identified as a faulty cruise control switch (part number 5G0-959-442-AE-ICX). The switch was replaced and the fault has not reoccurred over a few hundred miles of driving. While this malfunction can be overridden using the normal cruise control disconnect procedures, uncommanded acceleration poses a safety risk to driver and other motorists or pedestrians.

Incident: May 21, 2023 · Filed: September 28, 2024

The sunroof exploded while driving without warning and with no impact. The sliding cloth cover was closed at the time, so thankfully little to no glass entered the car, but it was very loud and, had the cover been open, would have filled the car with glass. The sunroof has since been fixed through my insurance, but it took 8-9 months to get completely fixed, and the local VW dealership refused to work on it and had no recommendations.

Incident: September 15, 2023 · Filed: December 4, 2023

I turn my vehicle on and immediately and presented with a message on the dashboard display: "SOS Emergency Call Function Not Available: See Dealer." indicating that the emergency call function of the vehicle is not working and inaccessible. The problem was reproduced/observed by my Volkswagen dealer and was inspected/confirmed to be defective. There was no indication before this warning message that there was an issue with the emergency call function in the vehicle. Without this safety feature, I am unable to make an emergency call if I/my family are in an accident putting us and others in danger. The original issue was reported to my Volkswagen dealer in September, 2023 and I was told the part is "on backorder" with no promised date when it would become available. The part involved is number J949 - Emergency Call and Communication Unit.

Incident: August 26, 2020 · Filed: August 30, 2020

I PURCHASED A VW GOLF 2020 ON AUGUST 18TH, WHAT HAPPENED TO ME A WEEK LATER NOT ONLY DISAPPOINTED ME BUT ALSO SACRED ME. I DROVE THE CAR ON THE STREET AT THE SPEED ABOUT 25MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DIED! I TRIED TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE AND PEDAL, IT DIDN'T RESPOND AT ALL. IT SHOWED "DRIVE MANNUALLY' AND THEN SEVERAL LIGHTS WERE ON, EPC, ENGINEER CHECKING LIGHT ETC, LIGHTS WERE OFF A FEW SECONDS LATER. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO CARS BEHIND ME AND NOT ON THE FREEWAY! AT THAT MOMENT, THE CAR WAS OUT OF CONTROL, I LET IT MOVE FORWARD THEN PULLED UP. A MINUTE LATER, I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, IT WAS BACK TO THE NORMAL. I DROVE IT TO THE DEALER TO FIND OUT THE PROBLEM. I TOLD WHAT HAPPENED AND ALSO I FELT IT LACK OF POWER, SOMETIME IT RESPOND SLOWLY. HOWEVER, AFTER SEVERAL HOURS, I WAS TOLD NOTHING WRONG WAS BEEN DETECT AND THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING WITH IT, SINCE THE COMPUTER DIDN'T TELL THERE WERE ANY ISSUES. ALSO I WAS TOLD TAT A MECHANIC TEST DRIVE ABOUT TEN MILES NOT TO DUPLICATE WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. SO I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO DRIVE IT HOME. HOWEVER, I STOPPED AT THE STOP SIDE, THE VEHICLE WAS KIND OF DEAD AGAIN! MY CAR STOPPED THERE AND COULD NOT MOVE FOR A FEW SECONDS, A GUY BEHIND ME PRESSED THE HONK. I WAS SO SACARY THAT I WAS AFRAID OF DRIVE HOME VIA THE FREEWAY! I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN, I TOLD THEM I DON'T FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE IT AT ALL UNLESS YOU FIGURE IT OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT. I TOLD THE MECHANIC THAT I USED TO DRIVE GOLF 2011 FOR FIVE YEARS, MY EXPERIENCE TOLD ME THERE ARE SOMETHING NOT RIGHT WITH THIS CAR, IT LACKS OF POWER AND DOESN'T RESPOND PROPERLY FOR GAS PEDAL AND I CAN SENSE IT CLEARLY. HOWEVER, HE SAID HE MIGHT NOT DO ANYTHING IF THE COMPUTER DOESN'T TELL HIM WHAT ISSUES IT HAS. I LEFT THE CAR FOR THEM TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING.

Incident: August 6, 2020 · Filed: August 6, 2020

THIS VEHICLE HAS PROXIMITY ALERT AUTOMATIC BRAKING. I EMERGENCY STOPPED THE VEHICLE WHEN THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO, NO HAZARD IN FRONT OF ME. I AM WORKING WITH THE DEALER AND VW TO TRY AND GET THIS DANGEROUS FEATURE PERMANENTLY DISABLED. I WAS NEARLY REAR ENDED BY A TRUCK BECAUSE IT EMERGENCY STOPPED THE CAR FOR NO REASON.