FaultScore

FaultScore report

2019 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen problems

Owners have filed 12 complaints about the 2019 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen with NHTSA between 2019 and 2024. The largest single group is the engine & cooling. Across this model's run it ranks 5 of 5 worst.

A

FaultScore 8/100

Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen.

How this is worked out

The numbers

12

Complaints

0

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

0

Injuries reported

What kind of bad

The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.

Complaint volume 12 vs 50 Severity 0 vs 50 Early failure not reported
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 12
Against the median year of the Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen. 50 means typical for this model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 0
0% of these complaints involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of 9.7%.
Early failure — not reported
Too few complaints recorded a mileage to measure this.

How 2019 compares with every other Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 2019 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Electrical System 3 25.0%

Median failure at 61,000 miles

Engine & Cooling 3 25.0%

Median failure at 30,655 miles

Other & Unspecified 2 16.7%
Suspension 2 16.7%

Median failure at 78,000 miles

Fuel & Propulsion 1 8.3%
Acceleration & Cruise Control 1 8.3%

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

Under 1,000 miles 1 25.0%
50,000 – 74,999 miles 2 50.0%
75,000 – 99,999 miles 1 25.0%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Aug 2019 peak 3 Apr 2024

NHTSA investigations into the 2019 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen

An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.

RQ23007 Opened 12 Dec 2023 Closed 1 Jul 2024 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS:CANISTER

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

On December 12, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened RQ23-007 to investigate the remedy repair effectiveness and scope of Volkswagen (VW) recall 16V-647. Recall 16V-647 was issued on September 2, 2016, for a defective suction jet pump (SJP) inside the fuel tank. Failure of the SJP could lead to a fuel leak from the vehicle. This recall covered certain model year (MY) 2015-2016 Volkswagen Golf and Audi A3 passenger car vehicles. The recall remedy repair replaced SJP Version 1.0 with an improved version, Version 1.1. The SJP is designed to purge fuel from the evaporative emiss...

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

New York, NY

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Gulf Sportwagen. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V110000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. The contact was concerned about the vehicle catching fire. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA complaint #11583342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Clintondale, NY

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The grab handles to not remain flush to interior roofliner. The springs or appartatus is defective. All four handles hang down (some were never used). Passengers and drivers hit their head on these handles when entering or exiting the vehicle.

NHTSA complaint #11574049 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 61,000 miles Platte City, MO

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle restarted after 15 minutes but then stalled again. While driving 45 MPH on three other occasions, the vehicle stalled. The check starting system message was displayed. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the part to repair the vehicle was not available. The contact called another local dealer, Volkswagen Lee’s Summit (2225 NE Independence Ave., Lee's Summit, MO 64064) and was informed that the parts were not available. The manufacturer was contacted but the contact was awaiting a call back. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTS Campaign Number: 23V604000 (Electrical System). The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.

NHTSA complaint #11568828 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 61,000 miles Platte City, MO

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle restarted after 15 minutes but then stalled again. While driving 45 MPH on three other occasions, the vehicle stalled. The check starting system message was displayed. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the part to repair the vehicle was not available. The contact called another local dealer, Volkswagen Lee’s Summit (2225 NE Independence Ave., Lee's Summit, MO 64064) and was informed that the parts were not available. The manufacturer was contacted but the contact was awaiting a call back. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTS Campaign Number: 23V604000 (Electrical System). The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.

NHTSA complaint #11568828 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Portsmouth, NH

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V604000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA complaint #11563225 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 78,000 miles Piermont, NH

SUSPENSION

The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen. The contact stated while the vehicle was being inspected by a certified mechanic, the contact was informed that the coil springs were fractured. The vehicle was not repaired; however, the dealer and the manufacturer were made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.

NHTSA complaint #11527263 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Upper Jay, NY

SUSPENSION

The right rear coil spring fractured at the lower control end of the coil. This model was subject to a recall (19V188000) for premature fracture of the coil spring. However, according to VW this recall did not affect the VIN of our vehicle. Suspect that the recall either should have included our VIN or that the replacement springs have a similar material defect.

NHTSA complaint #11512910 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Brooklyn, NY

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

HORN. It takes great effort to sound the horn on this model VW. I am the original owner, and took it to two (2) VW dealers and they said that it works properly, but then again, they pressed very hard to make it work, and not how a normal driver would use it. For me and other drivers however, normal pressure on the horn will not sound it. I have driven many cars over the years (I am 63 and started driving 15-1/2) and I find this dangerous. I am in a Facebook group of VW Golf Sportwagen & Alltrack (similar car) owners, and many other owners state the same issue, and that it is dangerous. I have an older 1998 Volkswagen Passat 1.8T Wagon, which the horn performs much better. You can tap it and it goes "beep" like to communicate "thanks" (or other) to drivers, pedestrians, etc., or press normally and it goes "HONK". The horn on the 2019 Golf Sportwagon often doesn't sound when pressed, and it is a serious safety issue for me and my family. My wife has witnessed this multiple times and thinks it dangerous too. It is a serious flaw of this vehicle and I wish I had reported it sooner. Here are some comments from other Facebook users (same vehicle / model / year): "It is about the sensitivity of the pressure switch. Takes too much force to engage and it's not easy to modulate it.", "The horn is horrible. I have hit it in panic and it doesn't blow. If there is a VCDS code to shange it, please share." "Same behaviour on my 2017 VW Alltrack"; "Yep - another thing I don't like about this car. I have to remove one hand from the control rim if I have a situation where another car is about to hit me"; "I smash the steering wheel and it honks". I live in NYC and haven't yet, but will ask a Police officer or fireman to try to sound it. I haven't reported it to my Insurance, and no OBD-II codes or check engine lights -- supposedly this is "normal". This has been this way since Aug 27 2019 when I purchased the car, and hasn't improved or gotten better. END

NHTSA complaint #11497754 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Lansing, MI

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

The vehicle suddenly shut off while going 60 mph on the highway, and a 'Check Starter System' message appeared before a message that indicated that I need to stop the vehicle appeared. Vehicle was able to restart and the same issue occurred again less than 1 mile down the road. My safety was at risk due to the loss of power, that on another road or a highway on ramp, could have caused a collision due to the loss of speed I experienced. There were no prior warnings until the loss of power. The manufacturer service center was unable to replicate the issue or make any corrective action.

NHTSA complaint #11480880 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Lansing, MI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The vehicle suddenly shut off while going 60 mph on the highway, and a 'Check Starter System' message appeared before a message that indicated that I need to stop the vehicle appeared. Vehicle was able to restart and the same issue occurred again less than 1 mile down the road. My safety was at risk due to the loss of power, that on another road or a highway on ramp, could have caused a collision due to the loss of speed I experienced. There were no prior warnings until the loss of power. The manufacturer service center was unable to replicate the issue or make any corrective action.

NHTSA complaint #11480880 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

East Lansing, MI

ENGINE

The vehicle suddenly shut off while going 60 mph on the highway, and a 'Check Starter System' message appeared before a message that indicated that I need to stop the vehicle appeared. Vehicle was able to restart and the same issue occurred again less than 1 mile down the road. My safety was at risk due to the loss of power, that on another road or a highway on ramp, could have caused a collision due to the loss of speed I experienced. There were no prior warnings until the loss of power. The manufacturer service center was unable to replicate the issue or make any corrective action.

NHTSA complaint #11480880 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 310 miles Odenton, MD

ENGINE

THE MOTOR COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. SOMETIMES THERE WILL BE A LOSS PF ENGINE POWER AND A 'STUTTERING' AND JERKING JUST BEFORE THE STALL OCCURS, BUT NOT ALWAYS. AT FASTER SPEEDS THERE IS A HARD THUMP AND SUDDEN DECELERATION. MY CAR HAS STALLED 14 TIMES WHILE IN MOTION AT SPEEDS FROM 20 MPH TO 60 MPH SINCE I STARTED COUNTING (THERE HAVE BEEN MORE STALLS THAN THIS). THE CAR ALSO NOW STALLS AT STOP LIGHTS, STOP SIGNS, OR SIMPLY WHILE IDLING IN NEUTRAL (I HAVE VIDEO OF THE MOTOR SHUTTING OFF). THE ISSUE FIRST APPEARED AT ABOUT 310 MILES ON THE ODOMETER ON 19 AUGUST 2019. THE CAR NOW HAS ONLY 372 MILES ON IT. ALL STALLS HAVE OCCURRED WHILE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN IN A STRAIGHT LINE, ON BOTH LOCAL ROADS AND A STATE ROUTE HIGHWAY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON WHEN THESE STALLS OCCUR. THERE HAVE BEEN THREE NEAR-ACCIDENTS SINCE THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. CAR WAS PURCHASED 29 JULY 2019, VEHICLE HAD 122 MILES ON IT FROM DELIVERY FROM A PENNSYLVANIA DEALER TO MY DEALER IN MARYLAND.

NHTSA complaint #11245618 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.