There are 5 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2013 Volkswagen Golfin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
i was driving down the freeway on the way to work at 75 mph when all of a sudden my EPC went off in my 2013 volkswagon gti my entire car shut down (manual transmission) i lost all steering ability while on the freeway going 75 mph i couldn't get over to the shoulder due to loss of brakes due to entire car shutting down .i was almost smashed by a semi due to inability to steer my vehicle to total loss of power . i got the vehicle towed to a service shop they tell me that my timing chain had stretched and timing chain tensioner has failed, which caused significant damage to my engine . i bought the vehicle used and have taken meticulous car on it since i have owned it 3k oil changes ,proper oil ,proper, premium gas as notated milage based maintenance. the service center then notifies me that there was a class action lawsuit about failing timing chains and tensioners but when i called my local volkswagon dealership they told me it only covers up to125,000 miles but what i don't understand is that this issue almost cost me my life this is a known issue hence a class action lawsuit but to actually take care of the situation they refuse to do so i do enjoy the vehicle but i almost lost my life
The contact owns a 2013 Volkswagen Golf. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side seat overheated and burned the occupant. The burn injuries were minor and there was no medical attention sought. The contact mentioned that the front passenger side fan was failing as well. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but no failure was determined. The vehicle was taken to another dealer and the contact was informed that the rear passenger’s side door had mildew and mold and that there was a leak that caused electrical damage inside the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was 40,000.
KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION AND I CANNOT TURN OFF THE ENGINE.
THE EPC STARTED COMING ON, IT LOSES POWER AND SOMETIMES CUTS OFF WHILE I AM DRIVING. MY SPEED SLOWS DOWN TO 3 MILES AN HOUR.
WHEN I TURNED THE KEY TO START THE CAR , THE DASH LIGHTS FLICKERED AND TURNED DIM. IT SOUNDED LIKE IT DOES WHEN THE CAR BATTERY WAS DEAD BUT SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AS I LEFT TO GET TO THE PHONE , FLAMES STARTED TO COME OUT OF THE HOOD. I GOT TO A PHONE AS SOON AS I COULD AND CALLED 911. THE CAR WAS PARKED DOWN THE STREET FROM OUR HOUSE BECAUSE OF A SNOW STORM. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND PUT OUT THE FIRE BUT THE CAR WAS DESTROYED. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026