Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 Volkswagen Golf submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 26 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 26, in the owner's own words
Electrical Short caused catastrophic fire in engine compartment, suspected issue is a water leak due to faulty manufacturing. Leak was noted by Volkswagen repair facility and was to be inspected and repaired within 30 days
Driving on interstate at 70 mph with cruise control on when car suddenly slowed and warning lights began flashing. I slowed to 60 mph and within a minute the engine shut off and was almost rear ended by a semi truck before I could get to the shoulder of the highway. Engine would not restart and I was stranded on the highway. Had to have the vehicle towed by AAA back to my home. Used my Ross-Tech VCDS scanning tool to troubleshoot and found codes: P0087 (fuel rail system pressure too low), P020 (cylinders 1-4 injection timing), P1004-P1007 (torque difference cylinders 1-4). Examined fuel filter and fuel metering valve and found metal chips and particles in both places. Based on this evidence, the high pressure fuel pump has likely failed. My safety was put at risk when the failure occurred due to the sudden loss of power and subsequent near collision with a truck. Additionally I was in danger of being hit by other vehicles as I sat on the shoulder of the highway waiting for a tow truck. My vehicle is available for inspection by the local VW dealership, but will have to be towed at my expense to be examined.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED BLACK SMOKE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND OBSERVED FLAMES. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPAIRED THE COIL PACK, HARNESS WIRING, AND ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE TWICE AFTER THE REPAIR. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.
INTERCOOLER EXPERIENCED CONDENSATION CAUSING THE ENGINE TO "HYDROLOCK" RESULTING IN DESTRUCTION OF THE ENGINE. THIS IS A CONDITION THAT VW IS AWARE OF BUT FAILED TO NOTIFY IT'S CUSTOMERS OF.
CHECK ENGINE AND GLOW PLUG LIGHT CAME ON, THE CAR EVENTUALLY WOULD ONLY RUN AT AROUND 50% POWER. AFTER DRIVING FOR ANOTHER 20 MILES IT EVENTUALLY SHUT DOWN. VW CONDUCTED A DIAGNOSTIC AND TOLD ME THE HPFP WAS DAMAGED AND THAT DEBRIS MADE ITS WAY INTO THE ENGINE. ALSO THE PARTICULATE FILTER AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE CAR HAS 130K AND HAS NEVER HAD A GASOLINE INCIDENT. I EXPECTED THE TDI TO MAKE IT A LOT LONGER THAN THIS.
MY GOLF TDI SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP (HPFP) CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. LUCKILY EVERY WARNING LIGHT ON MY DASH LIT UP ABOUT 30 SECONDS PRIOR TO COMPLETE FAILURE ALLOWING ME TO BEGIN TO MERGE FROM THE LEFT HAND LANE AND COAST WITH MY HAZARDS ON TO THE RIGHT LANE. FROM INITIAL SYMPTOM TO COMPLETE VEHICLE FAILURE WAS LESS THAN 1 MINUTE. SEARCHING ONLINE THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE, ONE THAT RESULTS IN UPWARDS OF AN $8000 REPAIR.
WHILE EXITING THE OFF RAMP OF THE HIGHWAY AT 1100 AT NIGHT THE CAR DIED AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO MAKE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS TRAFFIC BEHIND ME WAS LOCKING UP THEIR BRAKES AND SWERVING TO AVOID A COLLISION. AFTER AN EXPENSIVE TOW AND FINALLY GETTING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP HAD EXPLODED IN THE TANK SENDING METAL INTO THE WHOLE FUEL SYSTEM. I AM TOLD THE REPAIR BILL WILL COST AROUND $6500 TO FIX. THIS CAR HAS 54000 MILES AND I HAD RECEIVED A LETTER FROM VW STATING MY HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY A MONTH PRIOR HOWEVER VW WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE VW DEALER TOLD ME THEY DID A FUEL SAMPLE TEST AND THE FUEL DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH LUBRICATION IN IT WHICH CAUSED THE FUEL PUMP TO FAIL. AS I HAVE RESEARCHED VW HAS HAD MORE THAN 3500 REPORTED CASES OF THESE FUEL PUMP FAILURES AND REFUSES TO STAND BEHIND THE BOSCH PRODUCTS THEY USE. I ALSO TALKED WITH THE SERVICE STATION WHERE I PURCHASED THE FUEL TO LET THEM KNOW THE PUMP FAILURE IS BEING BLAMED ON LACK OF LUBRICATION IN THEIR FUEL AND THEY HAVE NOT HAD ONE OTHER COMPLAINT OF FUEL ISSUES REPORTED. ON A SIDE NOT I FILLED MY DODGE DIESEL TRUCK WITH THE SAME PUMP AND FUEL AND HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS. TO ME THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT VW IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR AND IF THERE IS NOT A RECALL ON THESE FUEL PUMPS IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED BECAUSE A KNOWN BAD PART THAT IS NOT GETTING REPLACED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. MOMENTS AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, IT CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT; HOWEVER, THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000.
2011 VW GOLF TDI (DIESEL ENGINE). AFTER DRIVING FROM RAINY WEATHER INTO FREEZING AND SNOW CONDITIONS, THE CAR WAS PARKED FOR SEVERAL HOURS IN A 50 DEG. GARAGE. WHEN THE CAR WAS NEXT STARTED, IT WOULD STRUGGLE TO START AND STALL OUT. I HAVE READ OF SEVERAL ISSUES WITH THE VOLKSWAGEN GOLF TDI ENGINES AND KNOW ABOUT CONDENSATION IN THE INTERCOOLER FREEZING, THEN THAWING, CAUSING WATER TO BUILD UP IN THE INTERCOOLER PIPING. I REMOVED THE INTERCOOLER TO ENGINE INTAKE PIPE AND DRAINED ABOUT A CUP OF WATER AND INTERCOOLER. IF THIS WATER WAS DRAWN INTO THE ENGINE, IT COULD HAVE DESTROYED THE ENGINE. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE ON SEVERAL VOLKSWAGEN FORUMS. MY VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY AND DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR ANY VOLKSWAGEN FACTORY UPDATES WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT COST TO ME. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE AND THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTER-COOLER HAD ICE INSIDE THE HOSES. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE INTER-COOLER WITH A NEW KIT; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.
AFTER DRIVING MY 2011 GOLF TDI FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES IN THE MORNING, I WAS TRAVELING AROUND 25 MPH AND MY ENGINE SUDDENLY STUTTERED AND THEN DIED. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED AS FAR OVER AS I COULD TO LET TRAFFIC GO BY. I TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE SEVERAL TIMES, BUT TO NO AVAIL. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES OF SITTING IN TRAFFIC, I DECIDED TO JUST HOLD THE KEY IN THE STARTER POSITION UNTIL, AFTER ABOUT 20 SECONDS, THE ENGINE WAS STARTING TO CATCH AND THEN IT STARTED AGAIN. THE SAME DAY, IN THE EVENING, AS I WAS DRIVING HOME, I CAME ACROSS THE SAME STUTTERING ISSUE BUT I PUSHED THE CLUTCH IN AND JUST GAVE IT MORE GAS TO KEEP THE IDLE UP; THE STUTTERING THEN WENT AWAY. I TOOK IT TO THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALER 4 DAYS LATER AND EXPLAIN THE SITUATION, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANY REASON IT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. *TR
WHEN DRIVING CAR AND ACCELERATING, THE ENGINE SIMPLY STOPPED. THE DASH-BOARD LIGHTS WERE ON, BUT THE ENGINE LOST POWER. ATTEMPTS TO RE-START THE CAR WERE NOT IMMEDIATELY SUCCESSFUL. IN TWO OF THE THREE CASES, THE ENGINE DID RE-START. HOWEVER, THE E-STARTS OCCURRED OVER 4 HOURS AFTER THE INITIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. IN ONE OF THE THREE CASES, THE CAR COULD NOT BE RE-STARTED. IN THIS LAST CASE, THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND AS OF TODAY (10 NOVEMBER), THE DEALER HAS NOT DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. A NEAR MISS ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN ONE OF THE CASES. AFTER THE ENGINE STOPPED, ANOTHER CAR NEARLY REAR-ENDED MY DISABLED CAR. THE OTHER CAR SKIDDED AND SERVED OUT OF THE WAY OF MY DISABLED CAR. *TR
WHEN DRIVING THE CAR AND ACCELERATING, THE ENGINE STOPPED. THERE WAS A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER; HOWEVER, AFTER ENGINE LOST POWER, THE DASH-BOARD LIGHTS WERE ON. THE CAR WOULD NOT RE-START IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ENGINE STOPPING. THIS SCENARIO OCCURRED THREE TIMES. IN TWO OF THE THREE SITUATIONS, THE CAR DID RE-START LATER IN THE DAY (APPROXIMATELY 3 HOURS AFTER THE INITIAL FAILURE). IN ONE OF THE THREE SITUATIONS, THE CAR COULD NOT BE RE-STARTED AND REQUIRED TOWING TO THE CAR DEALER. IN ONE OF THE THREE SITUATIONS, A NEAR MISS ACCIDENT OCCURRED. A SECOND CAR NEARLY REAR ENDED MY CAR AFTER THE ENGINE STOPPED WORKING. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, BUT IT WAS A CLOSE CALL. THE SECOND CAR SKIDDED AND SWERVED AROUND MY CAR. *TR
ON THE NIGHT OF AUGUST 5 ABOUT 8:30PM, WHILE DRIVING AT 45MPH, MY CAR LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING. I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE TRAFFIC FLOW AND COAST UNTIL I COULD GET TO A SIDE ROAD AND THEN PUSHED IT INTO A PARKING LOT. I LOOKED AT THE ENGINE AND SAW THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS DAMAGED. I ALSO NOTICED FUEL SITTING ON TOP OF SURFACES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I ASKED MY SON TO VERIFY IF HE SMELLED FUEL WHICH HE DID AS I HAVE LITTLE SENSE OF SMELL. AFTER SEEING THE DAMAGED SERPENTINE BELT, I DID NOT ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE ENGINE. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. AT THE DEALER, THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE ATTEMPTED TO TRY TO START THE VEHICLE AND MOVE IT AND SAID IT WOULDN'T START, POSSIBLY CAUSING ADDITIONAL DAMAGE SINCE THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS SHREDDED. AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION THE DEALER'S SERVICE MANAGER EXPLAINED THAT THEIR LEADING THEORY IS THAT DIESEL FUEL LEAKED FROM FUEL FILTER GASKET ONTO THE SERPENTINE BELT. THEN THE SHREDDED SERPENTINE BELT TOOK OUT THE TIMING BELT AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO ROTATE OUT OF TIME CAUSING INTERNAL DAMAGE. CAR HAD BEEN MAINTAINED PER MANUFACTURER SCHEDULE BY THIS DEALER, AND THIS FAILURE OCCURRED 6K MILES AFTER MOST RECENT SERVICE. DEALER WAS UNSURE WHY THE DIESEL FUEL LEAKED, BUT THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL FILTER SEEMED VIABLE PROBLEM POINTS. AFTER GETTING ENGINE PARTS REPLACED AT GREAT EXPENSE AND GETTING THE ENGINE RUNNING ON AUG 30, 2014, DEALER INDICATED THAT THEY COULDN'T DETECT A FUEL LEAK AND SAID SERPENTINE BELT CONDITION SHOWED NO CONDITION TO INDICATE FAILURE BUT FAILED ANYWAY CAUSING THE CAVALCADE OF ENGINE DAMAGE. MANY PARTS WERE REPLACED OR REMOVED AND REINSTALLED DURING THE REPAIR, SO IT IS QUESTIONABLE THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL LEAK. *TR
I WAS ENTERING AN INTERSECTION AT 10MPH AND HALFWAY INTO THE INTERSECTION, MY CAR STALLED AND STOPPED. IT SLOWLY BUMPED THE CAR IN MY REAR. NO INJURY OR DAMAGE NOTED. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, TURNED OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED IT AND DROP IT TO THE NEAREST PARKING LOT. THIS IS A VW GOLF TDI 2011! *TR
HAD DRIVEN CAR 20 MILES THAT DAY. WENT INSIDE FOR 15 MINUTES, CAME BACK. UNABLE TO START CAR. UNABLE TO ENGAGE ENGINE. LIGHTS AND SHIFTERS ALL WORKING. 5 ATTEMPTS BY 3 DIFFERENT PEOPLE OVER NEXT HOUR AND UNABLE TO START CAR. VW TOW TRUCK DRIVER UNABLE TO START CAR. NEXT MORNING VW ABLE TO START CAR. VW DEALER ATTRIBUTES PROBLEM TO WATER/ALGAE IN FUEL. LINE CLEANED AND FUEL REPLACED BY DEALER. CAR PICKED UP. CAR DRIVEN 15 MILES TOTAL AFTER PICK-UP. LEFT CAR FOR 5 MINUTES, RETURNED TO CAR BUT UNABLE TO RESTART CAR. MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS FAILED. TOW TRUCK DRIVER ABLE TO START CAR AFTER 5 MINUTES OF CONSTANTLY ENGAGING ENGINE. BEING INVESTIGATED BY VW DEALER NOW. *TR
DURING REGULAR SLOW TRAFFIC DRIVING CONDITIONS MY 2011 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF TDI DISPLAYED THE "ENGINE CONTROL MALFUNCTION" LIGHT ON MY INSTRUMENT PANEL. I QUICKLY PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. AFTER WAITING SEVERAL MINUTES I STARTED THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND THE LIGHT TURNED OFF. AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING, THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND I NOTICED AN EXTREME LOSS OF POWER. I PULLED OVER AGAIN WITHIN A FEW MINUTES AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. THIS TIME I WAITED ALMOST 15 MINUTES BEFORE TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND IT WOULD NOT START. I THOUGHT I WAS OUT OF DIESEL AS THE LOW FUEL LIGHT HAD ALSO JUST COME ON SO I CALLED SOMEONE TO BRING ME 5 GALLONS OF DIESEL THINKING MAYBE I WAS OUT. AFTER REFUELING, THE VEHICLE STILL WOULDN'T START SO I HAD IT TOWED TO THE CLOSEST VW DEALER. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP AND I AM CURRENTLY WAITING FOR IT TO BE REPAIRED. THIS HAPPEND ON A SATURDAY AND IT IS NOW 4 DAYS LATER. *TR
2011 VW GOLF TDI 6-SPEED MANUAL. MY CAR WAS AT THE VW DEALERSHIP TO HAVE AN INTERCOOLER KIT INSTALLED (TSB 2025464). ON DEALER'S TEST DRIVE, CAR ABRUPTLY STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. ALL POWER LOST, CAR HAD TO BE TOWED OFF OF ROADWAY. FINALLY DIAGNOSED AS A MALFUNCTIONING HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. 03L-130-851-AX WAS THE REPLACEMENT PART NUMBER. REPAIR DESCRIPTION STATED THAT THE COMMON RAIL FUEL PRESSURE WAS TOO LOW, SO THE CAR'S ECM WOULD NOT ALLOW INJECTION - EVEN IN A LIMP-HOME MODE. THIS LEFT THE ONE-YEAR-OLD CAR WITH UNDER 14,000 MILES DEAD ON THE ROADWAY. *TR
WAS TOLD BY VW SERVICE THAT INTERCOOLER HAD CONDENSATION THAT FROZE AND THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE. CURRENTLY MORE THAN 600 AWAITING MODIFICATIONS AND PARTS ARE UNAVAILABLE FOR UP TO 6 WEEKS. TEMPORARY "FIX" APPLIED BUT PROBLEM REOCCURRED WHEN TEMPERATURE DROPPED BELOW 25 DEGREES F. DEALER NOW HAS VEHICLE DUE TO ICE REMAINING INSTEAD OF MELTING. NO TIMETABLE, NO FIX. *TT
I STARTED MY CAR ON 12/10/2011, DURING WHICH IT WAS AROUND 28 DEGREES. A FEW SECONDS LATER, THE CAR STALLED. AFTER STARTING IT A SECOND TIME, I DROVE THE CAR TO BETWEEN 3-5 MPH, AT WHICH TIME IT STALLED AGAIN. ON THE THIRD TRY, I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING, BUT THE ENGINE RAN ROUGH FOR THE FIRST FEW MINUTES. ON JANUARY 4 FOLLOWING ANOTHER BOUT OF COLD WEATHER, THE CAR'S ENGINE REFUSED TO START EVEN AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY ATTEMPTED TO START IT. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP, IT STARTED IMMEDIATELY. THE DEALERSHIP IS CURRENTLY LOOKING INTO THE ISSUE. THEY BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE INTERCOOLER PIPES FREEZING DURING COLD TEMPERATURES. WHEN IT THAWS, WATER ENTERS THE ENGINE AND HYDROLOCKS IT, PREVENTING IT FROM STARTING OR STALLING THE ENGINE IF IT IS ALREADY RUNNING. THIS ISSUE POSES SEVERAL SAFETY RISKS, ESPECIALLY IF THE CAR STALLS IN THE MIDST OF HIGH-SPEED TRAFFIC. *TT
UPON ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE THE ENGINE WOULD NOT REV ABOVE APPROXIMATELY 1500 RPM. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET THE CAR MOVING. AFTER REACHING ABOUT 10 MPH THE CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. FORTUNATELY, DUE TO THE TIME OF DAY THERE WAS NOT MUCH TRAFFIC AND I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE STREET. I REPORTED THE ISSUE TO MY LOCAL VW DEALER AND INQUIRED IF THE ISSUE WAS RELATED TO VW SERVICE BULLETIN "??FROZEN CHARGE AIR COOLER"?? DATED 9/6/2011. DURING A SUBSEQUENT VISIT FOR AN UNRELATED REPAIR THE DEALER TECHNICIAN EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUES. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE SERVICE BULLETIN WAS APPLICABLE AND ATTEMPTED TO ORDER THE REPAIR KIT. THE SERVICE ADVISOR INFORMED ME THAT VW AGREED THAT I WAS EXPERIENCING THE SYMPTOMS RELATED TO THE SERVICE BULLETIN, BUT THE RECOMMENDED REPAIR HAS PROVEN INEFFECTIVE AND THEY WOULD NOT INSTALL THE KIT. I WAS INFORMED THAT VW HAS, AS YET, NO PERMANANT SOLUTION AND THAT THE TEMPORARY SOLUTION IS TO ALLOW THE "??CHARGE AIR COOLER"?? TO THAW AND DRY OUT ANY REMAINING WATER. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT THE SITUATION IS LIKELY REOCCUR. IF THIS ISSUE HAPPENS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC I WOULD BE LIKELY BE UNABLE TO MOVE OUT OF DANGER SAFELY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY STARTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE STARTER WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,100. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
ENGINE RPM SURGES/SPIKES 500-800 RPM'S FROM IDLE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SLOWLY ACCELERATE FROM A STOP OR NEAR STOP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY. THIS SURGE/SPIKE OCCURS PRIMARILY WHEN ON SLIGHT UPHILL GRADES OR INCLINES AND AFTER RELEASING THE BRAKES AND GENTLY APPLYING THROTTLE PRESSURE. THIS SEEMS TO OCCUR WHEN THE HILL ASSIST SYSTEM IS ACTIVATED. EXAMPLES: SURGE/SPIKE OCCURS WHEN ON A SLIGHT GRADE OR INCLINE FROM A STOP OR NEAR STOP SUCH AS PULLING UP A DRIVEWAY, TRYING TO INCH FORWARD IN STOP-AND-GO TRAFFIC, OR WHEN ACCELERATING NORMALLY FROM A STOP. IT IS AS THOUGH YOU PUMPED THE THROTTLE FOR A SECOND THEN RELEASED IT. IF THE VEHICLE IS ON A VERY STEEP UPGRADE INCLINE IT IS NOT AS NOTICEABLE AS THE BRAKES ARE NOT IMMEDIATELY DISENGAGED WHEN THE SURGE/SPIKE OCCURS DUE TO THE HILL ASSIST SYSTEM ENGAGING THE BRAKES. IF THE VEHICLE IS ON A DOWN GRADE DECLINE OR LEVEL ROAD THE ENGINE RPM USUALLY ACCELERATES AND OPERATES NORMALLY. THE VW AUTHORIZED SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS CONFIRMED THIS TO BE NOT NORMAL. THEY HAVE BEEN CLAIMING TO INVESTIGATE THE RPM SURGE/SPIKE WITH NO SOLUTION AFTER SEVERAL SERVICE APPOINTMENTS IN THE PAST YEAR AND OVER 15,000 MILES. *KB
2011 GOLF TDI AUTOMATIC (DSG) TRANSMISSION. COLD START, STALLED WHILE PULLING ONTO MAIN ROAD, NO ACCIDENT ONLY BECAUSE ONCOMING TRAFFIC STOPPED. *TR
VEHICLE HAS 5800 MILES, HAS BEEN RUNNING PERFECTLY. DRIVING ON I-70 IN MARYLAND AT 70MPH, SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE STALLS AS THE GLOWPLUG WARNING LIGHT LIT. *TR
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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