Volkswagen · Golf · 2015
12
Recalls
127
Complaints
5/5
Safety Rating
The 2015 Volkswagen Golf has 12 recalls and 127 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: fuel/propulsion system (12 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
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11.1% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Golf Sportwagen, 2019 Jetta, 2015-2019 Golf, and 2018-2019 Tiguan vehicles. The rear coil springs may prematurely fracture.
Remedy Status
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear axle coil springs, free of charge. The recall began April 12, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42J5.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Volkswagen Golf and Golf Sportwagen vehicles. The build of silicate on the shift lever micro switch contacts may enable the key to be removed from the ignition while the vehicle shift lever is not in "Park." As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Remedy Status
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional switch and circuit board, free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 37L5.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Volkswagen Golf, Golf SportWagen, GTI, Audi A3 sedan and A3 Cabriolet vehicles. Due to a problem with the suction pump inside the fuel tank, fuel may flow into the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system.
Remedy Status
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suction pump, free of charge. The recall began November 2016. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298, Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 20Y6 and 20Y5. This recall has been fully superseded by recall 24V-110.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Jetta vehicles manufactured September 8, 2014, to November 28, 2014, Golf vehicles manufactured April 2, 2014, to December 3, 2014, and E-Golf vehicles manufactured July 26, 2014, to October 18, 2014. The affected vehicles are equipped a Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) that may have been manufactured improperly. As a result, the front passenger seat occupant may be improperly classified or may not be detected.
Remedy Status
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the PODS control module, free of charge. The recall began on November 20, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswgen's number for this recall is 69L6.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Golf and GTI vehicles manufactured January 27, 2014, to May 12, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the stabilizer link fasteners may come loose and possibly interfere with the steering of the vehicle.
Remedy Status
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front stabilizer links, free of charge. The recall began in July 2014. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 40K9/1W.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.
Remedy Status
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Volkswagen Atlas, 2015 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen, and 2019 Volkswagen Jetta vehicles. The rear coil springs may prematurely fracture.
Remedy Status
Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will replace the rear axle coil springs, free of charge. The recall began January 31, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 42J2/42J3.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Jetta vehicles manufactured March 28, 2014, to November 24, 2014, 2014-2015 Passat vehicles manufactured April 7, 2014, to November 18, 2014, 2015 Golf and GTI vehicles manufactured July 1, 2014, to November 20, 2014, and 2014-2015 Beetle and Beetle Convertible vehicles manufactured March 31, 2014, to November 27, 2014. A sealing cap at the fuel rail may fail, allowing fuel to leak into the engine compartment.
Remedy Status
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rails with new parts, free of charge. The recall began February 6, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24BL. Note: This recall expands and supersedes recall 14V-809 (Volkswagen recall number 24Bi) and only affects vehicles not previously repaired under that campaign.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015 Volkswagen Golf, and GTI manufactured on February 17, 2014, to May 22, 2014, and Audi A3 manufactured on February 16, 2013, to April 23, 2014. Improper nickel plating of components within the fuel pump may result in the fuel pump failing.
Remedy Status
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace any affected fuel pumps, free of charge. The recall began on June 16, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi at 1-800-253-2834.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Jetta, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Passat, Golf and Golf SportWagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the camshaft lobe that drives the brake vacuum pump may shear off, resulting in a loss of brake assist.
Remedy Status
Volkswagen dealer will update the engine control module (ECM) software. The recall began March 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23R1.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2019 GTI, 2015-2016 and 2018-2019 Golf, 2012-2019 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2017-2019 Golf SportWagen and 2011-2018 Jetta vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, manual handbrake and keyless entry. A build-up of silicate on the shift lever micro switch contacts may enable the key to be removed from the ignition when the transmission shift lever is not in "Park."
Remedy Status
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional switch and circuit board, free of charge. The recall began November 19, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 37M2.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain front-wheel drive 2015-2020 Audi A3 Sedan, 2015-2019 Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, 2018 Golf Sportwagen GP, 2018-2019 Golf Sportwagen A7, 2015-2017 Golf Sportwagen, 2015-2020 Golf GTI, and 2015-2020 Golf A7 vehicles. Due to a problem with a suction jet pump seal inside the fuel tank, fuel may flow into the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system and possibly leak out of the charcoal canister.
Remedy Status
Dealers will replace the suction pump, free of charge. Final owner notification letters for Audi owners were mailed on July 25, 2024. Final owner letters for VW owners were mailed on August 13, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are VW: 20UF/Audi: 20YF. Vehicles that were previously recalled under 16V-647 will need to have the new remedy completed. This recall expands and replaces previous recall number 16V-647.
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Golf. The contact stated that the vehicle jumped the curb while driving, but he was able to regain control. The driver turned off the vehicle and restarted it. Recently, while reversing out of a parking spot and placing the vehicle into drive, there was sudden acceleration, and he crashed into a fence in front of the dumpsters. The brake pedal was applied, but the vehicle continued to accelerate. The contact's neighbor was jumping up and down in front of my vehicle, waving his arms; the driver was able to stop approximately six feet in front of his neighbor. The vehicle was turned off. While reversing, the vehicle accelerated and crashed into a parked Jeep, causing damage to the driver's side front and rear doors. There was no police report filed, air bag deployment, fire, or injuries. Additionally, the EPC has been turning on. The engine was chugging. The vehicle was restarted, and the light cleared. On one occasion, the EPC light stayed on, and cylinder number 5 had stopped firing. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. Additionally, the contact wanted to send the complaint copy to the insurance company and manufacturer to obtain the EDR to provide to the police and insurance company for his claim approval. The failure mileage was approximately 114,500.
The chrome plastic trim coating on the START/STOP button and also the steering wheel have peeled and are razor sharp. I cut myself badly on both pieces on my right fore fingertip and middle ring finger. I try to avoid placing my hand accross the horn of the steering wheel since this happened, but the trim there is very dangerously sharp. There is a recall on the same trim on 2017 cars (Service Action 34L9), but the VW dealer told me there was not on my vehicle.
I brought my 2015 Volkswagen (with only 50,000 miles) to Island Volkswagen in NY for a fuel system recall repair. Before this, the car had no fuel smell, no leaks, and was driving normally. Immediately after the recall work, I began smelling fuel. The dealership told me the fuel line is leaking and needs to be replaced. I never had this issue before, and it’s clearly related to the repair they performed. I’m now being told I must pay $550 out of pocket for something I believe was caused by their handling of the fuel system during the recall. This is a serious safety concern. If I drive this car and something goes wrong, it could result in a fire. I believe this issue deserves review, especially if other drivers experience similar problems after this recall.
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Golf. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the fuel gauge level dropped quickly, and there was an abnormal fuel odor before the vehicle shutoff in the middle of the roadway. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact exited the vehicle and push the vehicle to the side of the road. The contact stated that while checking underneath the vehicle, the contact became aware of a fuel leak. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The independent mechanic confirmed the fuel leak and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance with the repair. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V110000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) as a possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 111,000.
Vehicle had recall for "leaking fuel fire risk" Strong smell of fuel inside car. Manufacturer recall #20UF NHTSA recall 24V110 There has not been a fix yet available. Dealer (Team Volkswagen Merrillville IN) replaced the Jet fuel pump. Problem continued, VW engineering said bring the car back and replace the entire fuel tank. Completed. Problem returned 2 weeks later (XXX). While driving home from work noticed extremely strong fuel odor in car. Pulled off in a store parking lot, someone ran up and told me my car was leaking fuel. Gas was literally pouring out, I lost 1/4 tank of fuel on way home. The fuel was leaking under hood, under fuel tank area and under the rear passenger seat. I had the car towed to the dealer. Volkswagen does not have an actual fix for the problem. I should be given a replacement car due to Volkswagen being unable to correct this serious safety issue. What should I do, I am afraid to take the car back. I have videos and several pictures but unable to upload onto this website. Call [XXX] Crown Point Indiana INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Golf. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V110000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while refueling the vehicle, there was fuel leaking from the vehicle, making it impossible to fill the fuel tank. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 73,780. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The hood release doesn’t work and cannot access anything in the engine bay. No oil changes until the hood can be opened. Clear recall due to the danger of not being able to open. The handle inside the car broke by attempting to open the hood.
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Golf. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V110000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and informed the contact that a second notice would be mailed when parts became available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Golf. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the stick shift was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed rear axle and coil springs. The contact was informed that the rear axle and coil springs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Leaking sunroof !!!!!!!
I smelled a strong odor coming from the heater that turned out to be burnt plastic and wiring associated with the auxiliary heater. This is an obvious fire/ smoke hazard that could have been deadly if other nearby components caught fire.
Thermostat/water pump housing leaking coolant at 20,000 miles. No damage to vehicle that caused this, seems to be a common issue with VW Golfs. The repair is out of pocket and the dealership which sold me the car only a year ago is quoting $1600.
One night I started hearing a crunching noise while I was turning my wheel at low speeds. I backed out of a parking spot and started to turn the wheel to hear the full extent of the noise. The next morning, I got up and went out, backed up the car, turned the wheel to the same noise coming from the steering wheel. About an hour later, I drove home and turned into my parking spot, when the noise got worse and then stopped. At the end of the noise, two error codes arose: Airbag and transmission error. The steering wheel controls, such as volume and song control do not work, as well as other functions on the wheel, such as the dash control and cruise control buttons. I quickly googled the symptoms around the make, model and year and saw mass amounts of Volkswagen vehicles around 2015 that experienced the same issues, and the issue of a faulty clock-spring being the culprit. With this in mind, I reached out to a Volkswagen dealership to relay my concerns and the conversation ended with an appointment booked and a consensus that the issue was a faulty clock-spring, as many have had this issue. This issue seems to be widespread throughout many years and models of the Volkswagen line, however, my car follows a wide group of cars by one year in manufacture date, yet it lacks a recall part, despite the believed widespread affected group of cars. My appointment with the Volkswagen dealership went as expected- they found that my clock spring was indeed the issue. The service advisor admitted that the "clock-springs are bound to break." However, my car is 6,000 miles out of warranty to be able to cover the cost of this repair at the moment of typing this. And with further confirmation, the clock spring part is not a recalled part, thus deeming the uncovered service, despite the admittance to a faulty and common issue. I drove a significant distance to reach my dealership with the fear of my stearing wheel locking up while I am driving on the freeway. It has yet to lock.
While normally driving on the street, I noticed that the car started to overheat and could hear the radiator working to keep the heat level normal. I stopped and did not notice any leaks and added coolant to the car after I left it cool for about 3 hours. The problem went away but i still took it to the dealership and i was told it might be the head gasket of the engine or thermostat/waterpump, a $4000 repair. Was advised to just sell the car. VW should address this issue as it has been a long issue now
Driving on thruway at 65 when the left rear coil spring broke. There was a loud bang and pieces of the spring exited out onto the highway where several vehicles ran over them before they bounced off the road.
Air bag error appeared on dashboard. Horn is not functioning as well. May be due to a faulty switch in the steering.
I was putting gas and it started shooting out gas from the tank fuel. I had filled up 2 gallons and the entire two gallons ended up on the floor of the gas station. I took the car to an old Volkswagen specialist and he suggested I get an evap system smoke test to determine what the problem is. I did the test and it came back as a faulty evap canister. That the evap vent valve is stuck closed and purge is allowing fuel into the canister. So I bought an oem canister and replaced the old one. For one day the car drove fine with no issue putting gas or any leaks. The next day I noticed the smell of gas and saw that it was leaking gas from behind the rear wheel. I took it to a local mechanic and the car leaked the remaining 60 miles of gas on the floor. Also the new canister is filled with gas again.
Over the last two months, I've had over 30 incidences where the car will either randomly shift extremely hard into a gear or will hesitate, stutter, lose power while accelerating. Some of the shifts have been so hard that they've thrown me forward. Some of the losses of power are extremely dangerous as I'm accelerating at highway speeds. I have a full log of at least 30 of these incidents (and detailed as best I could) and they are attached. I picked May 11th because that was the hardest shift/loss of power which caused me the greatest harm. I've been able to reproduce the errors in drive, sport, and Tiptronic mode. The errors occur in all gears, but are most common in 2nd and 3rd (although the higher gears are involved as well), which leads me to believe it's not the transmission, yet the mechatronics unit or something outside of the transmission and engine itself. The troubling issue here is that the car is recording absolutely zero fault codes for diagnosis; that is, the car is shifting, stuttering, hesitating randomly and erratically and no diagnostics are being provided to resolve the issue. Technicians are able to guess what the issue is, but cannot give a guarantee what the problem is without the fault codes. This is the greatest safety concern, but luckily no crashes so far. I was interested to learn that there was a recall on the same model by the Australian government related to the pressure accumulator and I'd like to see if this could be the issue, since I'm experiencing the same symptoms as those described in the recall: https://www.vehiclerecalls.gov.au/recalls/rec-005369. The contact stated that the loss of power issue still persists. The contact stated the issue is a faulty crank trigger.
Left rear coil spring failed and is not available for inspection. The car was difficult to control when the spring failed which put driver safety at risk. The car was brought to an independent service center and confirmed that the failure was a left rear coil spring which required replacing both the left and right rear coil springs. The component was not inspected by the manufacturer. There were no warning signs or symptoms of the problem prior to failure. The car suddenly start making a loud noise in the rear left section of the vehicle while driving.
Discovered several inches of water in the spare tire boot area. The entire back seat was also soaked through. Water appears to be leaking into the car from rear pressure vents behind the bumper or from another undetermined source, posing risks including black mold and damage to the spare tire.
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2015 Volkswagen Golf has 12 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 127 owner-reported complaints for the 2015 Volkswagen Golf.
The 2015 Volkswagen Golf received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2015 Volkswagen Golf are fuel/propulsion system (12 reports), unknown or other (12 reports), engine (11 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 12 recalls on record for the 2015 Volkswagen Golf. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.