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 2019 Volkswagen Golf submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 34 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 34, in the owner's own words
The engine completely failed while driving normally and lost power while on the highway, doing highway speeds. I had no power to safely exit the highway and it became extremely dangerous for surrounding traffic as I had to slow down. The problem has been confirmed by a Volkswagen dealer. Yes the vehicle has been inspected by Volkswagen. No warning lights or check engine lights prior to the failure
Faulty/unreliable water pump resulted in sudden coolant leak and subsequently overheating the engine. This seems to be a common problem when looking at reports/discussion from other owners of this vehicle online. It’s a known issue that the stock water pump is bad.
The car idles rough during initial cold start up, intermittently hesitates during acceleration and feels like it misfires during cruising. My dealer found that the ignition timing was retarded by 5º and told me to use better gas, citing a VW field service action (https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2020/MC-10176770-0001.pdf). The problem persisted after they treated the fuel. The car has never thrown a code causing the check engine light to turn on, and so the dealer has declined to investigate further. My records show the car was only filled with premium fuel, using VW recommended brands (BP, Exxon, Mobil, Shell) in the 2,000 miles prior to the service appointment and was only filled with regular fuel twice (due to the Colonial Pipeline shutdown) since the car was delivered new from the dealer.
ENGINE STALLED WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD ON NEW CAR. START/STOP FEATURE WAS DISABLED AND I WAS RETURNING HOME. THE ENGINE WAS WARMED UP. THE VEHICLE DISPLAY INFORMED ME TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND RESTART THE VEHICLE MANUALLY. THIS GTI HAS THE DSG AUTO TRANSMISSION.
ENGINE HESITATE, STUMBLE AND JERK FROM STOP TO THE FIRST 5 GEARS AND MAKE WHINING NOISE. BRAND NEW CAR! SCARY DO DRIVE AND DANGEROUS. HAVE THE CAR FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS, 1,500 MILES.
ENGINE STALLS REPEATEDLY WHILE SLOWING TO A STOP
2019 GTI 6MT STALLS. THE ISSUE PRESENTS ITSELF SLOWING DOWN TO A STOP, WHERE THE ENGINE WILL SOFT STALL AND REQUIRE RESTARTING. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHEN STOPPED AT A LIGHT, AS WELL AS WHEN IN MOTION, COASTING TO A STOP. IT HAS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, AS WELL AS PARKING IN A PARKING SPOT. THE UNSAFE CONDITION IS WHEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, IN RUSH HOUR ON RT 287 (MAJOR HIGHWAY) COASTING TO A STOP, THE ENGINE DIES AND I LOOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROL AND ACCELERATION. THE START STOP BUTTON NEEDS TO BE PUSHED TO GET THE CAR TO START UP AGAIN. THE CAR IS BRAND NEW AND HAS ROUGHLY 650 MILES ON IT.
I HAD SOME ENGINE STALL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE WHEN FIRST PURCHASED. THE ENGINE WOULD CUT OFF QUIETLY WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT AND BEGINNING TO DEPRESS THE CLUTCH WHILE IN NEUTRAL. HAPPENED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY AND IN STOP-AND-GO CITY TRAFFIC. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CLAIM TO HAVE RESET THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. UPON A FEW DAY AFTER RETURN, THE ENGINE CUT OFF WHILE THE CLUTCH WAS DEPRESSED IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE A FEW DAYS AGO. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED TWICE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE ECO AND NORMAL MODES, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT ALSO DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO SEE IF THE VEHICLE WOULD START, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CONTACT HAD TO MANUALLY START THE VEHICLE WITH THE KEY AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE. THE CONTACT CALLED NORM REEVES VOLKSWAGEN SUPERSTORE (20 AUTO CENTER DR, IRVINE, CA 92618, (949) 830-7300) AND WAS INFORMED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT OR TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 320.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. WHILE DRIVING FREQUENTLY AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE CLUTCH ENGAGED ON ITS OWN. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOW COUNTRY VOLKSWAGEN (1001 JOHNNIE DODDS BLVD, MT PLEASANT, SC 29464, (843) 881-8555) WHO STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 800. THE VIN WAS INVALID.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. WHILE DRIVING 5-15 MPH, THE VEHICLE SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT VEERED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, MANUALLY RESTARTED THE ENGINE, AND THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUNTRUP VOLKSWAGEN (6000 S LINDBERGH BLVD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63123, (314) 892-8200) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MCKENNA VOLKSWAGEN (18711 BEACH BLVD, HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 92648, (888) 355-5733), BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 900.
I WAS PULLING UP TO A RED LIGHT, CLUTCHED IN, SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND NOTICED MY STEERING HAD LOCKED. I RESTARTED THE CAR, IT STUMBLED, AND THEN DIED. RESTARTED AGAIN, IT STUMBLED AND THEN DIED. RESTARTED AGAIN, IT STUMBLED, AND THEN DIED. RESTARTED AGAIN, AND THEN THE LIGHT HAD TURNED SO I GAVE IT THROTTLE TO KEEP IT FROM STALLING AND THEN GOT GOING. ONCE MOVING I DID NOT HAVE ANY DRIVEABILITY ISSUES. IT HAD ABOUT A 1/4 TANK OF 93 OCTANE FUEL AND I HAD JUST DRIVEN A FEW MILES ON SOME CITY BACKROADS. DURING THE STALL THE GAUGE GEAR INDICATOR SHOWED 5>4 WHEN IN NEUTRAL MEANING THE CAR THOUGHT IT WAS IN 5TH GEAR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HARPER VOLKSWAGEN LOCATED AT 9901 KINGSTON PIKE, KNOXVILLE, TN 37922, (865) 691-0393, TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A FAULT CODE OR TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON THE FIFTH OCCASION OF HAVING THE VEHICLE TAKEN TO THE DEALER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD SHIFTED TO ECONOMY MODE WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF. ON ONE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK IN THE REAR BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE OFF FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THERE WAS NO INJURY SUSTAINED IN THE REAR END COLLISION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE TECH CALLED THE MANUFACTURER TO INFORM THEM OF THE FAILURE WITH THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER'S RESPONSE WAS STILL PENDING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,604.
AS I AM BRAKING TO A STOP WITH THE CLUTCH FULLY DEPRESSED (AT A RED STOP LIGHT OR TO MAKE A LEFT TURN), THE CAR QUIETLY AND COMPLETELY STALLS OUT AND SHUTS DOWN. THE DASH LIGHTS REMAIN ON. I CAN RESTART THE CAR. THIS SEEMS TO OCCUR RANDOMLY BUT OCCURRED 3 TIMES YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. NO ENGINE CHECK LIGHT.
THE CAR STALLS FREQUENTLY WHEN IDLE AND STOPPED AT LIGHT OR OTHER AND NEEDS TO BE RESTARTED FROM THE PUSH START BUTTON AND ONLY HAS LESS THAN 1000 MILES IF STARTED SOON AFTER BUYING IT AND CALLED DEALER BUT COULD NOT FIND THE GOOD TIME FOR APPT
ENGINE STALLS. INTERMITTENT. PROBLEM RELATES TO 2019 GTI (S MODEL) WITH 6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WHEN FULLY WARM OR HOT, THE ENGINE RANDOMLY STALLS WITH TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND WHEN BRAKING TO A STOP, USUALLY WITH THE CLUTCH DEPRESSED AND USUALLY AT SPEEDS FROM 10-0 MPH. THE ENGINE STALLS ARE GENTLE WITH NO STUTTERING OR SHAKING. EXAMPLE: COMING TO A STOP AT A STOP SIGN OR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, THE ENGINE QUIETLY DIES WITHOUT WARNING. ENGINE RESTARTS AND RUNS NORMALLY THEREAFTER UNTIL THE NEXT UNEXPECTED STALLING EVENT. VEHICLE PURCHASED NEW IN MAY OF 2019. FIRST STALL AT 250-300 MILES. MOST RECENT STALL ON 6/30/19 AT 1150 MILES. NO "CHECK ENGINE" WARNING APPEARS ON DASHBOARD. NO ERROR CODES SHOW UP VIA OBD-2 DIAGNOSTIC SCAN. 92 OCTANE CHEVRON GAS USED EXCLUSIVELY. OWNER HAS DECADES OF EXPERIENCE DRIVING MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS WITH NO ISSUES UNTIL NOW - DOUBTFUL THIS IS OPERATOR ERROR. VW DEALER IS FRIENDLY, BUT BAFFLED.
IN SOME SITUATIONS WHEN COMING TO A STOP WITH THE CLUTCH DEPRESSED THE ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF QUIETLY. DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME I COME TO A STOP BUT HAS SEVERAL TIMES.
2019 GOLF GTI SE 6MT PURCHASED WITH 12 MILES. ENGINE RANDOMLY STALLS IN NEUTRAL WHEN ROLLING TO STOP WITH CLUTCH FULLY DISENGAGED AFTER HAVING DOWNSHIFTED TO EITHER SECOND OR FIRST GEAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED (3) TIMES SINCE PICKING UP THE BRAND NEW CAR (4) DAYS AGO. THE ELECTRONIC DISPLAY THAT SHOWS WHICH GEAR YOU ARE IN HAS ALSO REPORTED THE WRONG GEAR ONCE (SO FAR). THIS IS AN ISSUE AFFECTING *MANY* 2019 GOLF GTI OWNERS. HERE ARE SOME NOTES OF THE ISSUE SO FAR: - 6-8-19 @ 1AM (131 MILES) - NO CEL - CLUTCH WAS OUT AND CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL COMING TO STOPLIGHT IN LEFT TURN LANE. GOING LESS THAN 5MPH WHEN CAR DIED. SEEMED LIKE IT HAPPENED WHEN THE TACH WAS AT IDLE-RANGE. RESTARTED WITH BUTTON. - 6-8-19 @ 10:56PM (225 MILES) - NO CEL - PULLING UP TO DRIVEWAY. CAR DIED AT LESS THAN 2MPH GOING UP A VERY SLIGHT HILL WHEN CLUTCH WAS DEPRESSED TO GO INTO FIRST FROM NEUTRAL. WAS GOING *VERY SLOW* WHEN THIS HAPPENED. RESTARTED WITH BUTTON. - 6-9-19 @ 3:30PM (276 MILES) - NO CEL - BROTHER WAS DRIVING WITH ME IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. PULLING UP TO STOP SIGN IN HIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND HE WAS IN NEUTRAL WITH CLUTCH OUT SLOWING TO A STOP AND THE CAR SOFTLY DIED AGAIN. RESTARTED WITH BUTTON. - 6-9-19 @ 11:44PM (418 MILES) - NO CEL - DRIVING UP A STREET IN A NEIGHBORHOOD GOING 20-25MPH IN 2ND GEAR AND THE DISPLAY BETWEEN MY TACH AND SPEEDO SAID I WAS IN 3RD AND SHOULD SHIFT INTO 4TH. WHEN I CRESTED THE HILL AND HIT THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN FOR A PART OF THE STREET THAT WAS DAMAGED, THE GEAR DISPLAYED SWITCHED TO 2ND (WHICH IS WHAT I WAS IN AND HADN'T CHANGED). THESE ISSUES ARE VERY WELL DOCUMENTED BY DRIVERS IN ENTHUSIAST FORUMS SUCH AS REDDIT AND GOLFMK7.COM. YOU CAN ALSO FIND VIDEOS OF THE ISSUE ON YOUTUBE: HTTPS://WWW.REDDIT.COM/R/GOLFGTI/COMMENTS/B9CPB7/POSSIBLE_2019_6MT_STALL_ISSUE_YOUR_FEEDBACK/ HTTPS://WWW.GOLFMK7.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?P=776852#POST776852
BRAND NEW PURCHASED 2 DAYS AGO ON 5/30/19 WITH 24 MILES ON IT. IT'S A 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND WHEN APPROACHING A STOP EITHER IN GEAR WITH CLUTCH DEPRESSED OR IN NEUTRAL, CAR WILL STALL AND NEED TO BE RESTARTED. DANGEROUS, SAFETY IS A CONCERN. IT'S A VERY SUBTLE STALL AND YOU REALLY HAVE TO BE PAYING ATTENTION OR BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN. HAPPENING MORE OFTEN NOW, VEHICLE NOW HAS 122 MILES AND GOING BACK TO DEALER FOR MORE TESTING. INITIAL TESTING AT DEALER WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM 1 DAY AFTER PURCHASE. IT'S NOW 2 DAYS OLD! BUILD DATE WAS 3/2019. IT APPEARS TO ME TO BE SLOW SPEED COASTING, CLUTCH NOT ENGAGED IN NEUTRAL TO A STOP OR CLUTCH ENGAGED IN GEAR COASTING TO A STOP.
2019 MANUAL TRANSMISSION GTI'S STALL WHEN COMING TO A STOP IN TRAFFIC.
ENGINE STALLS AS CAR COMES TO A FULL STOP IN NORMAL STREET TRAFFIC: BRAKING WITH TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL, CLUTCH ENGAGED OR DISENGAGED, NEAR-STATIONARY OR FULL-STATIONARY; BRAKING WITH TRANSMISSION IN GEAR AND CLUTCH FULLY DISENGAGED, NEAR-STATIONARY OR FULL-STATIONARY.
VEHICLE WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION, ENGINE STALLS AT LOW SPEEDS IN NEUTRAL. BRAND NEW CAR, ONLY 100 MILES.
AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR 30 OR SO MINUTES ON BOTH CITY AND HIGHWAY STREETS, MY NEW GLI WITH 800 MILES ON THE ODOMETER WILL INTERMITTENTLY STALL WHEN COMING TO A STOP. THIS ENGINE STALL HAPPENS WHEN THE CLUTCH IS TO THE FLOOR AND IN GEAR AND SOMETIMES WITH THE CLUTCH OUT AND IN NEUTRAL. IT IS A VERY GENTLE STALL - NOTHING LIKE THE LURCHING THAT OCCURS DURING A TYPICAL STALL, IN FACT THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN I DIDN'T NOTICE THE ENGINE DIED. AFTER THE OCCURRENCE OF THE FIRST STALL IT USUALLY CONTINUES TO HAPPEN AT EACH SUBSEQUENT STOP FOR THE REST OF THAT PARTICULAR DRIVING TRIP. THE CAR RETURNS TO NORMAL AFTER SITTING FOR ALONG PERIOD OF TIME. THIS ISSUE HAS HAPPENED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS OVER THE FIRST MONTH OF OWNERSHIP.
WHEN COMING TO A STOP, UNDER 5 MPH. THE CAR STARTS TO DROP RPMS AND THEN IT WILL STALL.
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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