FaultScore

2010 Volkswagen Golf engine problems

16 of the 97 complaints about the 2010 Volkswagen Golf are about the engine — 16% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 30,200 miles.

B

16

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Engine 7 43.8%
Engine AND Engine Cooling 6 37.5%
Engine 3 18.8%

Engine & Cooling across every Volkswagen Golf year

1999 16 6.2%
2000 14 5.4%
2001 24 9.2%
2002 14 5.4%
2010 16 6.2%
2011 26 10.0%
2012 11 4.2%
2013 14 5.4%
2015 30 11.5%
2016 19 7.3%
2017 18 6.9%
2019 34 13.1%
2022 24 9.2%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

LOS Ángeles, CA

ENGINE

HAD TO REPLACE THE MAP SENSOR 3 TIMES IN 2 YEARS. MANIFOLD PROBLEM. THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. HAD TO PAY $700 EACH TIME TO FIX.

NHTSA complaint #11010598 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 51,000 miles Palatine, IL

ENGINE

THE MAIN (REAR) ENGINE OIL SEAL IS LEAKING WITH ONLY 51,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT OF THE ENGINE OIL SEAL OR IMPROPERLY MOUNTED FROM THE VW FACTORY. THERE HAS BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THIS PROBLEM WITH VW OWNERS. THE COST OF THIS REPAIR SHOULD BE FULLY COVERED BY VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA.

NHTSA complaint #10893291 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 47,000 miles Washington, DC

ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SIMPLY SHUT OFF. I TURNED ON HAZZARDS, PUT CAR INTO PARK, RESTARTED, PUT CAR BACK INTO DRIVE AND DROVE AWAY. THIS WAS ON THE I-35 FRONTAGE ROAD AND I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN REARENDED / KILLED. HAPPENED ONE OTHER TIME ON THE BQE IN NEW YORK SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT I WAS TOLD BY THE AUTHORIZED SERVICE DEPT. "PROBABLY A GLITCH, WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN." WAITING FOR A THIRD INCIDENT WHERE I'M NOT SO LUCKY.

NHTSA complaint #10671435 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 114,000 miles Shepherdsville, KY

ENGINE

HAD JUST REFUELED VEHICLE A DAY PRIOR WHEN ON LUNCH BREAK VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING. UPON ENTERING A HEAVILY CONGESTED INTERSECTION THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED CAUSING STEERING, BRAKING AND CONTROL TO BE COMPROMISED. STARTED VEHICLE TO MOVE OUT OF HEAVY TRAFFIC AND DROVE DIRECTLY TO AN AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP. UPON INSPECTION THE REPAIR FACILITY DISCOVERED METAL PARTICLES THROUGHOUT FUEL SYSTEM CAUSING UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS LISTED ABOVE INCLUDING STALLING AND LOSS OF CONTROL.

NHTSA complaint #10583653 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 40,169 miles Santa Monica, CA

ENGINE

I HAVE A 2010 VW GOLF TDI. I WAS DRIVING ALONG AT 25 MPH WHEN MY GLOW PLUG & CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, AND MY TACHOMETER DROPPED TO ZERO, INDICATING A STALL. THE POWER STEERING ALSO STARTED TO CUT OUT, BUT I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER. TRIED STARTING THE CAR AGAIN AND GOT NOTHING. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A VW DEALERSHIP DOWN THE STREET, AND ON MONDAY 11/19 THEY INFORMED ME THAT MY HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILED AND SENT METAL FRAGMENTS THROUGH THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT THE BILL WOULD BE AT LEAST $5,000 FOR THIS KIND OF FIX. OH YEAH, THIS ALSO COMPLETELY RUINED MY TRAVEL PLANS FOR THANKSGIVING, AS VW REFUSED TO GIVE ME A LOANER CAR WHILE THIS DOCUMENTED WARRANTY ISSUE WAS BEING DEALT WITH. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL CASES OF 2009-10 TDI FUEL PUMP FAILURES WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS. APPARENTLY, THERE HAVE BEEN THREE REVISIONS OF THIS PUMP SINCE THEN, AND I AM DUE TO GET THE NEWEST ONE. BUT, THERE IS ALSO TALK THAT ULTRA-LOW-SULFUR DIESEL FUEL IN THE US IS NOT PROVIDING THE PROPER LUBRICITY, AND THUS CAUSING THE PUMPS TO FAIL (THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE IN EUROPE). NONETHELESS, FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY THE NHTSA SHOULD RESULT IN VW DOING A PROPER RECALL AND REDESIGN, RATHER THAN QUIETLY FIXING AN INHERENT FLAW ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS. EVEN WITH MY CAR FIXED, I'LL STILL BE WONDERING WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. WHICH ALSO MAKES ME WONDER IF I SHOULD JUST SELL IT AND BE DONE WITH VW. VERY FRUSTRATING.

NHTSA complaint #10485995 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 30,200 miles Wilmington, DE

ENGINE

I HAVE A 2010 GOLF TDI MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAR. THE CAR WAS STALLED DURING DRIVING, AFTER JUST DOWN SHIFTED FROM 2ND GEAR TO FIRST GEAR. AFTER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE COMPLETELY, I STILL COULDN'T RESTART THE CAR RIGHT AWAY. I HAD TO WAIT FOR SEVERAL MINUTES, AND TRIED AGAIN. THE CAR STARTED ON THE NEXT ATTEMPT. I EXPERIENCE THE SIMILAR TYPE OF STALLING SOON AFTER I PURCHASE THE VEHICLE, AND IT PERSISTS AND RECURS QUITE OFTEN. OTHER TIMES, ALSO DURING DRIVING, MOSTLY NOTICEABLE IN 4TH GEAR SPEED, THE CAR COULD ALL OF A SUDDEN LOST POWER, FOR ABOUT 2 SECONDS, ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE WAS NOT STALLED OR STOPPED. I ALSO NOTICED AFTER A DIFFICULT START, THE DRIVING IS LESS SMOOTH. AND WHEN THE CAR IS STOPPED AND COMPLETELY TURNED OFF, THE ENGINE/FAN WOULD KEEP ON RUNNING IDLE FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. AND DURING THAT IDLE TIME, A LARGE AMOUNT OF HEAT IS DISPENSED OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE FRONT HOOD.

NHTSA complaint #10476937 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 53,000 miles Medford, NY

ENGINE

I GOT INTO MY CAR AS NORMAL, AND BEGAN TO DRIVE. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES OF DRIVING, I CAME TO A RED LIGHT ON A BUSY STREET. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE GLOW PLUG LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH, THE CAR IMMEDIATELY DIED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. I WAS TOLD THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILED, AND THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM HAS TO BE REPLACED... AFTER I GOT HOME, I QUICKLY GOOGLE SEARCHED THE ISSUE AND APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM ON A BAD DESIGN BY VOLKSWAGEN AND BOSCH...

NHTSA complaint #10468962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 19,000 miles Olympia, WA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF TDI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED BUT THE DIAGNOSTIC WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE CODE. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TEST DRIVEN, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

NHTSA complaint #10450585 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 5,491 miles Livermore, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

UPON MAKING A LANE CHANGE TO MERGE INTO A FASTER MOVING TRAFFIC LANE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED NORMALLY FOR ONE SECOND THEN LOST ALL ENGINE POWER LEAVING ME IN A DANGEROUS POSITION. UPON DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH, THE ENGINE STALLED. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AFTER WHICH IT WORKED NORMALLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 20 TIMES SINCE. IT USUALLY CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION SUCH AS LEAVING THE CAR WITHOUT POWER IN AN ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE DURING A LEFT TURN OR MOVING TOO SLOWLY IN A MERGING MANEUVER. SOMETIMES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL ALSO COME ON AND THE GLOW PLUG WARNING LIGHT STARTS FLASHING. CLOUDS OF WHITE SMOKE ALWAYS APPEAR AT THE TAIL PIPE DURING THE POWER LOSS. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED A SENSOR 4 TIMES WHICH MAKES THE WARNING LIGHTS GO OUT, BUT THE ENGINE CUTTING OUT PROBLEM IS NEVER ADDRESSED. VW SIMPLY STATE "CANNOT REPRODUCE PROBLEM" AND RETURN THE VEHICLE. THE BEHAVIOR IS VERY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA complaint #10448033 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 15,000 miles Dayville, CT

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I DEC 19TH 2011 I EXPERIENCED WHAT I BELIEVE WAS A HARD START. WEATHER IN THE MORNING WAS IN THE TEENS, AFTERNOON IN THE LOW 40S. LEAVE WORK, GET IN CAR, PUT KEY IN IGNITION & TURN TO ON POSITION, PUT SEAT BELT ON, AND START. CAR STARTS RIGHT AWAY BUT IS IDLING ROUGH, SHAKING VIOLENTLY LIKE A WASHING MACHINE OFF BALANCE. I DROP INTO NEUTRAL AND REV IT UP TO 2K, STILL IDLES ROUGH FOR ABOUT A MINUTE MORE BUT DOES NOT STALL. I EXPERIENCED SOMETHING LIKE THIS ONCE WHEN MY SUBARU LEGACY'S #2 INJECTOR QUIT, A MISFIRING BOXER ENGINE DOES NOT IDLE SMOOTH. THE RIDE HOME WAS UNEVENTFUL, STOPPED AT THE BANK AND RESTARTED FINE. EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL THIS MORNING, TEMPS IN THE LOW 40S. WHAT I BELIEVE HAPPENED TO MY CAR WAS MOISTURE ACCUMULATED IN THE INNER COOLER AND WAS INGESTED INTO THE INTAKE TRACT CAUSING A "HAMMERING EFFECT" AS THE ENGINE TRIED TO COMPRESS THIS MOISTURE. VW HAS ISSUED A TSB #21 11 06/2025464 BUT NO RECALL AS YET. WHEN I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE THEY FOUND NO MOISTURE SO NOTHING WAS DONE. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE COULD INGEST THIS MOISTURE AT ANY TIME WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING THE CAR TO STOP AND STRAND IN AN UNSAFE LOCATION. A RECALL AND FIX SHOULD BE ISSUED.

NHTSA complaint #10445811 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 32,500 miles Glen Oaks, NY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

INTER-COOLER DESIGN IS DEFECTIVE IN THAT IT ALLOWS CONDENSATION AND SLUDGE TO BUILD WITHIN THE CHARGE AIR INTAKE SYSTEM WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY FREEZES AND THAWS WITH LOW AMBIENT TEMPERATURE AND IT MOVES FURTHER AND FURTHER WITHIN THE INTAKE SYSTEM UNTIL THE CONDENSATE AND SLUDGE BECOME DRAWN INTO THE AIR INTAKE MANIFOLD AND BECOMES DISCHARGED INTO THE CYLINDERS CAUSING THE ENGINE TO HYDRO-LOCK AND FAIL. CAUSING POTENTIAL FOR PERMANENT AND CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE UPON RESTART. CURRENTLY FOR THIS MODEL, THE REPAIR IS COVERED UNDER THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY ALONG WITH REPLACEMENT OF THE CHARGE AIR INTER-COOLER SYSTEM WITH A REDESIGN. IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER THIS REDESIGNED SYSTEM INDEED SOLVES THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER, IF THE CAR IS BEYOND THE YEARS/MILES OF THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER'S OR EXTENDED WARRANTY, VW WILL NOT SUBSIDIZE THE REPAIRS TO THE ENGINE, NOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CHARGE AIR SYSTEM...EVEN THOUGH THE PROBLEM WAS DIRECTLY CAUSED BY THEIR DESIGN. THE OWNER WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LARGE EXPENSE OF GETTING THE CAR RUNNING AGAIN.

NHTSA complaint #10445783 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 34,600 miles Douglasville, GA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

2010 VW GOLF TDI - ENGINE DIED AFTER ACCELERATING WHILE ENTERING A HIGHWAY FROM A PARKING LOT. I HAD TO COAST BACK INTO THE PARKING LOT AT A DANGEROUSLY SLOW SPEED. IF THERE HAD BEEN ONCOMING TRAFFIC IT COULD LIKELY HAVE LED TO AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR DID RESTART AFTER PARKING AND TURNING THE IGNITION OFF AND BACK ON. I DID NOT LOSE POWER TO ANY OF THE ELECTRONICS, ONLY TO THE ENGINE. THE TACHOMETER WENT TO ZERO AND THE ACCELERATOR WAS UNRESPONSIVE. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS APPROX. 34K MILES ON IT.

NHTSA complaint #10404539 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 3,315 miles Long Beach, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING MY 2010 VW GOLF TDI WILL STALL/HESITATE FOR A SECOND OR TWO. I EXPERIENCE THIS ISSUE ABOUT ONCE EVERY COUPLE WEEKS. I REPORTED THE ISSUE TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY REPORTED THAT COULD NOT FIND ANY ISSUES WITH THE CAR.

NHTSA complaint #10395774 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 10 miles Santa Cruz, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE STALLS, ON STARTING FROM STOP, SOMETIMES WHEN GOING DOWN HILL, OR OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. SEEMS TO STALL WHEN RPM GOES BELOW 750. COMMONLY STALLS IN INTERSECTION, RESULTING IN DANGEROUS SITUATION WHILE ONE RESTARTS CAR. COMPLAINED TO DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIX PROBLEM. THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH STALLS DAILY TO ONCE EVERY SEVERAL DAYS. HAS BEEN DOING IT SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR.

NHTSA complaint #10352983 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 400 miles Yucaipa, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2010 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND OFF AND THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT STAYED ON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL 20 ROLLER LIFTERS HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE HAD BEEN ON GOING AND THAT VOLKSWAGEN HAD REFUSED TO WORK ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS ALSO A HIGH PITCH SOUND COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 400 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1600.

NHTSA complaint #10348655 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 221 miles Tarzan, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

AFTER LEASING A BRAND NEW CAR FOR 2 DAYS (WITH ONLY 221 MILES ON THE ODOMETER) THE CAR ENGINE SUDDENLY DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND WOULD NOT START, LEADING TO VERY DANGEROUS FOR LIFE AND STRESSFUL(I HAD TWO FINAL EXAMS COMING UP WITHIN 2 DAYS COMING GOT)SITUATION. AFTER THE CAR GOT TOWED TO THE OFFICIAL VW DEALERSHIP AT FLADEBOE ON JUNE 3RD, IT TOOK THEM 5 DAYS TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR THE CAR. THERE WAS NO INJECTOR PULSE AND ENGINE CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED. ALSO, THE CAR GOT SCRATCHED WHILE IN REPAIR.I WAS GIVEN A RENTAL CAR, AND ALTHOUGH I WAS TOLD BY THE VW STUFF THAT THE COVER ALL THE COSTS, I ENDED UP PAYING $63 FOR RENTING OUT A TOYOTA FROM "ENTERPRISE RENT-A-CAR". FEW DAYS AGO, I FOUND OUT THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK AT ALL IN THE CAR, THE REAR VIEW MIRROR CANNOT NOT ADJUST COMPLETELY AND THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT DOOR JAMS WHENEVER THE CAR MANUAL IS PLACED INSIDE. I AM ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM WORKED BEFORE THE REPAIR AT FLADEBOE.

NHTSA complaint #10340206 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2010 Volkswagen Golf problems

← Full 2010 Volkswagen Golf report