RoadVitals

2019 Volkswagen Golf R

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
6
Latest Jun 22, 2026
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
2
Latest Oct 31, 2022
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1

Overview

Our database contains 6 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2019 Volkswagen Golf R, most frequently naming the driver assistance, brakes and electrical categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 392 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Driver assistance350.0%
  • Brakes116.7%
  • Electrical116.7%
  • Other / unspecified116.7%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

2 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
22V815000

TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

Oct 31, 2022
296,044 units potentially affected
The defect: 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 FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
The risk: An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi’s customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.Manufacturer number AU:45J7,VW:45J6,45J8View on NHTSA.gov
21V321000

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

May 5, 2021
46 units potentially affected
The defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Touareg GP, Tiguan, Golf A6, E-Golf GP, CCF, 2016-2017 Passat GP, 2018-2019 Golf R GP, and 2018 Atlas vehicles. These internal-use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
The risk: Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of injury, crash, or fire.
The remedy: Volkswagen will repurchase the vehicles. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01F1.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.Manufacturer number 01F1View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

RQ23007ClosedRecall Query

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

Opened Dec 12, 2023
Closed Jul 1, 2024

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 emissions (EVAP) system. VW’s recall filing stated the SJP may have been damaged during assembly, which could potentially allow fuel to flow directly into the EVAP system. Over time, the fuel could accumulate in, and cause a leak from, the charcoal canister filter element. ODI received consumer complaints of SJP failure leading to a fuel leak, refueling spit back, refueling shutoff, and/or fuel odor in vehicles previously repaired under recall 16V-647. Additional complaints alleging SJP failure leading to the previously stated outcomes were received in vehicles outside the scope of recall 16V-647, including MY 2016-2020 VW Golf and Audi A3 vehicles. VW issued recall 24V-110 on February 14, 2024, to address issues with SJPs Versions 1.0 and 1.1. The recall remedy replaces the SJP Version 1.0 or 1.1 with an improved version, Version 2.0. Recall 24V-110 covers certain MY 2015-2020 VW Golf (including Golf GTI), 2015-2020 Audi A3, and 2019-2020 VW Jetta GLI vehicles, including vehicle previously repaired under 16V-647. Vehicle owners were notified of this recall in April 2024 and VW’s projected date for owner notification of recall remedy availability is August 2024. In view of the recall being conducted by VW, ODI is closing this Recall Query (RQ). The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS:CANISTERLed to recall 24V110

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Driver assistance
Filed Jun 22, 2026
Crash reported

While turning (right hand turn) slowly into parking space, vehicle engine unexpectedly reved and accelerated causing vehicle to jump curb and strike fixed object (tree). Foot was not/not on the accelerator but rather on brake yet acceleration was so rapid vehicle could not be stopped prior to striking curb and fixed object. Filing HHTSA report due to research indicating similar incidents of unanticipated rapid acceleration at slow speeds for VW Golf models.

NHTSA ID
11745563
Incident
Jun 19, 2026
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 20, 2023

Design defect - impossible to disable active cruise control, and use regular/traditional cruise control. If adaptive cruise control sensor becomes dirty, it does not work, and there’s no option to use regular cruise control. This is a design flaw which VW rectified with new (2021+) models. VW should offer a software update to correct this defect, to allow a driver to toggle between ACC and traditional cruise control.

NHTSA ID
11545537
Incident
Sep 2, 2023
Filed Jul 20, 2023

The issue was the key fob was not detected. I put my bag in the front seat of the car and shut the door, I then put my 19month old son in her car seat and shut the door. When I shut the rear car door the hazard lights flashed as if the car had locked. I went to the driver door and tried to open the car door and it wouldn’t open. Despite the key being in the car (with batteries I never had any notices about a low battery) my son was now locked in the car. Luckily the fire department responded quickly, the key worked fine upon recovery but it took front start to end 30mins for my son to get out of the car. If we had been in a hot parking lot or somewhere else in the country this could’ve been potentially dangerous for any child.

NHTSA ID
11533562
Incident
Jul 20, 2023
Other / unspecified
Filed Jul 11, 2022

During annual state inspection on 7/8/22, tech found that the right rear wheel (19" VW Pretoria Gloss Black Alloy Wheels) was bent on both the inside and outside. Unsafe to drive. Wheel had to be replaced. Do not recall hitting any pothole or road hazard that might have caused this damage to the wheel. Apparently, other owners of this model car have also experienced bent rims. This may be a manufacturing defect or a design flaw, in that the wheels cannot withstand the forces transmitted from stock low profile tires (235/35ZR-19).

NHTSA ID
11473392
Incident
Jul 8, 2022
Electrical
Filed May 8, 2021

THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE VEHICLE'S FUSE SYSTEM. THE GOLF R CAME WITH NO SPARE TIRE BUT AN AIR PUMP, WHICH NEEDS TO BE POWERED BY THE 12V DC POWER OF THE VEHICLE. BUT WHEN I USE THIS ORIGINAL AIR PUMP, THE FUSE OF THE 12V DC POWER BURNS OUT. THIS HAPPENED FOR SEVERAL TIMES SINCE I HAD THE CAR IN OCTOBER, 2019. THE DEALER CAN ONLY GIVE ME NEW FUSE TO REPLACE THE BROKEN ONE. MANY GOLF R'S OWNERS MET THIS SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I THINK THERE IS SOME ISSUES WITH THEIR FUSE SYSTEM DESIGN.

NHTSA ID
11415660
Incident
May 7, 2021
Mileage
8,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Sep 29, 2020

FOUR TIMES OVER THE LAST WEEK WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH STRAIGHT DOWN A RESIDENTIAL ROAD, I EXPERIENCED AN UNEXPECTED ENGAGEMENT OF THE FRONT COLLISION WARNING, AND ONE OF THOSE FOUR TIMES, 4 DAYS AGO, I ADDITIONALLY EXPERIENCED AN UNEXPECTED ENGAGEMENT OF THE FRONT ASSIST EMERGENCY BRAKING WHICH CAUSED ME ALARM, AS THE SPEED DROPPED DRAMATICALLY FROM 35 MPH TO 20 MPH, AND I HAD TO BE SURE NO CARS WERE BEHIND ME TO CAUSE A REAR-END COLLISION. IN NONE OF THESE SITUATIONS WERE THERE ANY HAZARDS ON THE ROAD TO AVOID: CARS, PEDESTRIANS, OBJECTS. IN ALL OF THESE SITUATIONS, CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED AT 35 MPH. THE SENSOR IS NOT DIRTY. THE ERROR IS NOT CONSISTENT IN THE TIMING OF WHEN IT HAPPENS. WHEN THE FRONT ASSIST EMERGENCY BRAKING ENGAGED, THE FRONT COLLISION WARNING DID NOT APPEAR UNTIL ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER, WHEN THE ROAD WAS ALSO CLEAR AND MY SPEED WAS 35 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FROM AUGUST 2020 THAT DESCRIBES MY SITUATION ALMOST EXACTLY: HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/NEWS/2020/VW-FRONT-ASSIST-CLASS-ACTION-LAWSUIT-BRAKING.SHTML I HAVE NOT TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AS OF YET, BUT BASED UPON SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE, I DO NOT EXPECT THEM TO DO MORE THAN PROFESSIONALLY SHRUG.

NHTSA ID
11361705
Incident
Sep 25, 2020
Mileage
9,900 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

VOS-26-42

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the issue: DA 0019 - Hotfix 12-V battery test(s) – No battery diagnosis - Inconclusive test result.

V1718062017813_24

ENGINE

Oil Consumption Measurement and Electronic Oil Consumption Measurement

TT 10-18-02_2

ENGINE

Lubricating engine components before reassembly.

TT 13-20-01_3

ENGINE

Instruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start.

V6919012010479_17

AIR BAGS

Inquiries

V1719012012855_81

ENGINE

Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Volkswagen Golf R by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026200—
2025010—
2024111034.5
2023630—
2022105044.5
2021000—
2020001—
2019Viewing621—
2018941—
2017150142.9
2016124163.1
2015101—
2014000—
2013400—
2012100—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.