NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2011 Volkswagen Golf. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL I.E. TO SHIFT IN D (WHEN STANDING) , IT FEELS LIKE BEING REARENDED. INTENSITY OF THE PULSE OR SHUDDER VARIES, AND SOMETIMES DOES NOT OCCUR. LAST WEEK, SUTLIFF TECHNICIAN AND SERVICE MANAGER ON DUTY FELT THE PULSE, AND IN ADDITION A DISPLAY LIGHT EPC CAME ON, AND THE DISPLAY SAID "SERVICE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY". THE CAR WAS IN THE SHOP THREE TIMES OVER THE PAST 3 OR 4 MONTHS, AND I WAS TOLD EVERY TIME THAT THE ERROR CAN NOT BE REPRODUCED. IN ADDITION TO THAT, I TOOK A PICTURE AT ODOMETER READING 6048 MILES, SAYING "STEERING COLUMN LOCK: SERVICE NOW!", WITH AN ADDITIONAL YELLOW STEERING WHEEL LIGHT ON. I FOUND BOTH ERRORS ON BLOGS. HOWEVER, SUTLIFF VW CLAIMS THAT THEY CAN NOT READ ERROR CODES FROM THE VEHICLE, AND THAT THIS DOES NOT ALLOW ANY ACTION. VW CORPORATE ADVISED SUTLIFF ALSO NOT TO FIX THE ISSUE. *TR
2011 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF TDI. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO HPFP INVESTIGATION *TGW
TWICE THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED TO ENGAGE FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 SECONDS AFTER THE CAR WAS SLOWED WITHOUT COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE ENGINE REVS FREELY AS THOUGH THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL. IN BOTH CASES THE TRANSMISSION EVENTUALLY RE-ENGAGED ON ITS OWN. *TR
2011 GOLF TDI (DIESEL) WHEN DOWN SHIFTING INTO 2ND GEAR, THE CAR OFTEN STALLS. IT SOMETIMES HAPPENS WHEN WE SLOW DOWN TO MAKE ALEFT TURN, AND THE CAR STALLS IN FRON OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. IT HAS CREATED A NUMBER A DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF DIESEL. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STALL IF THE GEAR WAS DOWNSHIFTED TO FIRST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL EVEN WHEN DOWNSHIFTED INTO FIRST GEAR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 900.
WARNING BELL CHIMED; GLOW PLUG LIGHTS FLASHED AND CAR LOST POWER BUT KEPT DRIVING. TOOK INTO DEALER NEXT DAY. TOLD ON PHONE THERE WAS MOISTURE ON GLOW PLUGS BUT STATEMENT SAID LOW FUEL PRESSURE CODE P0087. STATEMENT SAID FUEL LOOKED OK AND CAR DROVE FINE - SENT HOME WITH NO REPAIR. TWO DAYS LATER SAME THING OCCURRED EXCEPT CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO SHOP. IN SHOP FOR 6 DAYS - REPLACED AUX FUEL PUMP. NINE DAYS LATER EXACT SAME OCCURRENCE - LIMP MODE AND TOWED TO SHOP AGAIN. CAR CURRENTLY IN DEALER SHOP FOR THE LAST 10 DAYS. LAST WORD FROM DEALER IS DROPPING FUEL TANK TO CHECK FOR DEBRIS.
SUNROOF ON 2011 VOLKSWAGEN TDI EXPLODED DURING MORNING COMMUTE AT 65MPH. FOREIGN OBJECT IMPACT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE THE CAUSE. OUTSIDE TEMP WAS ~29F, NO VEHICLES IN CLOSE PROXIMITY, NO OVERPASSES. CONTINUED DRIVING AS PROBLEM WAS APPARENT, BUT NOT GETTING WORSE AFTER THE INITIAL BOOM! AND SHOWER OF GLASS SHARDS. IMAGES AVAILABLE, TOOK WITH MY CELL PHONE AFTER ARRIVING AT MY WORKPLACE. DEALER IS COVERING UNDER WARRANTY, INCLUDING PROVISION OF A RENTAL CAR. *LN
JUST PURCHASED A VEHICLE THAT CAME WITH DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS AS A SAFETY FEATURE. THERE ARE NO DEFECTS OR FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE BUT THIS DRL FEATURE CREATES AN UNSAFE CONDITION. MY VEHICLE CAME EQUIPPED WITH THE XENON HEADLAMPS. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE AN AUTO ON HEADLIGHTS FEATURE. THE MAIN THING I'M CONCERNED WITH IS THAT YOU COULD BE DRIVING WITH JUST YOUR HEADLIGHTS ON AND THE REST OF THE LIGHTS OFF, WHICH I HAVE DONE ALREADY SEVERAL TIMES AND SEEN OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD DOING THE SAME THING AND THAT IS VERY UNSAFE. I'VE ALSO BEEN PULLED OVER BY THE POLICE FOR NOT HAVING MY LIGHTS ON. I THINK THAT I'M DRIVING WITH ALL MY LIGHTS ON JUST TO REALIZE THAT I'M DRIVING WITH JUST THE DRL. ON MY VEHICLE, ONCE YOU RELEASE THE PARKING BRAKE, MY REGULAR LOW BEAM XENON LIGHTS AUTOMATICALLY COME ON AND IF YOU ARE DRIVING INTO THE NIGHT, YOU DON'T REALIZE THAT YOU ARE DRIVING WITH YOUR LIGHTS OFF, LIKE I MENTIONED THE NORMAL LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS COMES ON ONCE THE PARKING BRAKE IS RELEASED. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE AUTO MAKER IS TRYING TO MAKE THE VEHICLE AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE BUT IS ALSO CREATING AN UNSAFE CONDITION AT THE SAME TIME. THE AUTO MAKER REFUSE TO ALLOW THE DRL FEATURE TO BE TURNED OFF EVEN THOUGH DRL ARE NOT MANDATORY. *TR
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
I WAS DRIVING MY 2011 GTI DSG IN TIPTRONIC MODE...AND IT WAS IN 4TH GEAR ACCORDING TO THE DASHBOARD READING...I WAS COASTING IN 4TH AS A SEMI WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN ACROSS THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I WAS TRAVELING...AFTER HE WAS CLEAR, I WENT TO ACCELERATE, AND EXPERIENCED A "FALSE NEUTRAL"...THE DSG SAID I WAS IN 4TH GEAR...BUT IT WAS REVVING AS IN NEUTRAL. I HAD TO SHIFT OUT OF TIPTRONIC AND THEN DOWNSHIFTED TO 3RD BEFORE IT WOULD CATCH AND PUT ME BACK IN GEAR. *TR
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026