2017 Volkswagen Golf Complaint Log

Car will stutter and stall. Usually after multiple short trips (5 stops and starts) in a short period of time (2 hours). 1 min/1000 gauge is fluttering around 0.75 on gauge when stopped. When car stalls it can be when pulling out at a stop sign. It will stall when gas is applied and then I need to coast around a corner. Occasionally the car will stall out when driving between 20 and 30 miles per hour. When this happens it is extremely dangerous because I am driving in traffic and need to pull over to the side of the road. I had this problem fixed at the dealership once before in 2021 and it cost $559.08 then. I was told at the time that gas sometimes has sediment in it and I should not get gas at grocery store pumps where the price is lower. I should stick to better gas stations. I now am getting my gas at the same two better places all the time hoping that the problem wouldn’t happen again. The problem started two weeks ago and is following the same pattern. I scheduled a service appointment again for them to check my car but it never displays any codes and it is difficult for them to recreate the stalling. My car is almost at 85,000 miles when my warranty runs out.

Starting January 2023, I had issues putting fuel in my car (symptoms align with the recall issued this year). I took it to VW and paid their diagnostic fee for them to say there’s nothing wrong with the car (approx. $170) continued to drive the car and eventually due to the issue, my fuel pump went out and I had to replace it. (See attached image). This time, I took the car to a local mechanic who charged a $100 diagnostic fee. All of this was prior to the recall this year and I am hoping for reimbursement on everything I spent trying to resolve this issue.

The sunroof glass exploded while driving. Shattered glass had the potential to fall into the vehicle had the sun shield not been closed. Shattered class could fly out onto the road causing hazards to other motorists. The sunroof has not been inspected yet. No warnings or symptoms prior to failure. While driving, a loud explosion was heard coming from the top of the car. When inspecting the top of the car it was noticed that the sunroof had been shattered along the seal. No signs of impact from projectiles.

This is related to VW recal 37M2. My VIN is not in the recall list, but it has the exact same issue with the shifter assembly. The car does not recognize when the transmission is placed in Park. Unable to lock doors

There is a piece of trim near the gear selector in the interior that separated to reveal a sharp edge that caused a severe cut on my hand.

Car developed a knocking sound from the front-left which occurred during any movement of the suspension, i.e. from all minor perturbations of the road surface rather than major dynamic actions such as breaking or steering. The dealer diagnosed worn out sway bar bushings. They replaced these (and potentially other suspension components - work details from the invoice can be provided upon request) but discovered during their work that the entire front subframe had failed with a major crack. Details can be seen in the attached photos (taken by the VW dealership - Ourisman of Bethesda, MD). I authorized the replacement of the front subframe with OEM components, at a cost in excess of $2000. I have owned the car from new (first registered in January 2018) and it has ~43,000 miles. The car has never been involved in an accident and has been used as family transport on standard road surfaces / driving conditions.

Design flaw on thermostat housing leaks causing coolant loss. Common issue that is expensive to repair and should be recalled.

The fuel tank check valve is stuck closed. Gas backs up in the fuel tank neck and spills onto the ground. The auto cannot be refueled and is now covered in flammable material. Fuel may also be leaking from the EVAP canister in the passenger real wheel well.

The fuel suction pump failed. This is the same 20Y6 recall from the 2015-16. Symptoms are engine shuddering, and abruptly stalling. Gasoline leaking from the rear passenger wheel area.

Fuel will not fill. EVAP system to fail. Car stalls after trying to fill with gas.

Driver's door latch failed and often will not latch the door closed. Door just bounces off the door frame lightly. Occasionally I've missed that this has happened and started driving with the door unlatched.

Passenger window (front) and locks not working. Suddenly stopped working on my low mileage car. The wire harness had to be replaced. Similar recall for the VW Atlas that would also effect the airbag because of corroded wire contacts. Brought to VW dealer and they determined (after 2 weeks) the wire harness had to be replaced. Not functioning doors and locks and possible airbags are a huge safety issue.

The car start leaking gas, when you try to put gas won’t take any gas, the car was spitting gas from the pipe where you put the gas

The component that failed, according to Volkswagen, is the rollover valve in the gas tank. This issue caused large amounts of gasoline to leak and pool from behind the rear passenger wheel well, creating a significant fire hazard and risk of harm. The vehicle was inspected by a Volkswagen service center as part of the repair process, whereupon the Volkswagen service center documented that the issue was caused by a faulty rollover valve in the gas tank. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms prior to the failure.

Airbags, horn, cruise control and all other functions related to the steering wheel suddenly stopped working. Volkswagen has diagnosed the clock spring is defective and needs to be replaced. I’ve been quoted $712.00 for this repair. The replacement part is also on backorders with no clear indication of when it will arrive. Volkswagen will not supply a loaner car or any rental assistance and insists their customers drive a car without function airbags or a horn. This is a well known issue for Volkswagen and is a major safety concern for anyone who owns one of their vehicles. It needs to be addressed and fixed ASAP!

My car started sputtering randomly while I was driving and loosing power. Then when I tried to gas up my car, the car wouldn’t accept the gas. When I got home, gas started overflowing out of the tank all into my garage. It also soaked the whole wheel well with gas. There was no check engine line that came on. There is a current recall for this same issue which VW said is a suction pump problem on other GTI’s but not my car. There are tons of over videos on Facebook/YouTube of the exact same thing happening to them. I had the problem fixed at the dealer but it cost 3500 dollars. I still have all the receipts from the repair cost and I would like to be reimbursed since they expanded the recall but my car hasn’t received this recall even though it is the exact same issue.

I noticed that I was unable to fill the gas tank: the pump kept stopping as though the tank was full and would overflow from the fuel tank. The car was also driving sluggishly, particularly at slower speeds and gear changes. One day later, I noticed fuel pouring out of the right/passenger side rear bumper area. Purchased in 2017 and it only has 40K miles.

I am resubmitting a previous complaint as I have learned and experienced more problems with the vehicle since my initial complaint. My 2017 VW GTI only has 57K miles and I have been taking it to the dealer for proper and timely maintenance. My fuel system is showing signs of failure. Based on research I have been doing online ( I could be wrong) it seems the Volkswagen golfs have a part inside the gas tank that fails and starts causing a safety hazard. My gas tank builds up pressure and literally expels gas out from somewhere. I started finding a small pool of fuel behind my car when I park at work or at home. I have since parked my vehicle and will be taking it into the dealer for inspection and repair. I read online that the 2015 models have had a recall for a part called a “suction pump” in the gas tank. I think it is safe to assume that my 2017 is having the same issue as the 2015s. Although my year make and model has not had a recall for the unsafe issue. My car is not safe to drive currently. I cannot put gas into the tank, it throttles down and up sporadically and it literally burps and expels gas from somewhere under in the back of the vehicle and the refueling neck. Please look into this issue as I am not the only person who has experienced this. Thank you.

The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Golf. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle started jerking with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact parked the vehicle at her residence and upon exiting the vehicle, she smelled an abnormally strong gasoline odor. The contact inspected the vehicle and saw a pool of gasoline underneath the passenger’s side rear of the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer, who diagnosed that the breather valve inside the fuel tank had failed. The dealer determined that the fuel tank, fuel lines and charcoal canister needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.

The 20Y6 recall for VW Golfs is exactly what my 2017 VW Golf GTI experienced. I am surprised the 2017 model year is not included. I did not feel safe driving my car with a failing fuel suction pump causing engine issues in traffic. When I finally made it home there was smoke coming out of my exhaust and fuel spilling out of the rear passenger wheel well.

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The fuel tank, along with several related valves 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The issues with the fuel tank caused gasoline to steadily leak out of the fuel tank. This leak occurred both when the vehicle was stationary and in motion. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, the issue has been reproduced and confirmed by both an independent repair shop and by a Volkswagen dealership 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has been inspected by a Volkswagen dealership 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No, there were no warning lights or messages prior to the incident occurring

I literally cannot pump gas into my 2017 Volkswagen Golf GTI. The automatic shutoff on the gas pumps are triggered not long after I start pumping gas.if I try to force it, the gas will overflow and spill even though my tank is no where near being full. I read online about 2015/2016 models having a recall about this same exact issue. I’ve come across many other 2017 GTI owners online who are having the same issue. They say it could be the evap canister or fuel suction pump failing and preventing the gas tank from being filled. I have an appointment with the dealership on Monday to have it checked but I would like to make you all aware that this car is also having the same issues that a previous year did. Thanks

Unable to fill gas in the tank - pump clicks off after only a couple of seconds. Upon trying again, car began to "belch" up a whole volume of gas - note this without the gas filler inserted. Also, when driving on the highway, car bucks and surges and feels like it is losing power. All of these symptoms are identical to reported 2015 and 2016 MY VW Golf and GTI cars for which a recall was issued for a valve installed inside the fuel tank. I believe my car has the exact same issue but is not covered by the recall - looking at a $4K fix.

Air Bag light came on and it was determined that the clock spring failed. This car has only 38,118 miles on the speedometer

absurd oil consumption. I have never experienced a vehicle burning oil like VW golf. The vehicle manual states to check the oil every time filling the gas and it is normal for VW golf to burn oil. That said, I have owned more than ten cars in my lifetime, and I have never experienced an engine burning more than a quart every 700 to 1000 miles. I did not have any issues until ~35K miles. After hitting ~35K, I started experiencing the problem. VW service states to do the oil change every 10K, which if I wait, the engine will be toast. I have topped off at almost 10 to 13 quarts of additional between the oil change, i.e., between 10K change I am not sure what kind of complaints NHTSA has received, but I find many owners having similar issues doing google search. It seems VW is getting away with significant flaws with their engine burdening VW owners with the cost of additional oil and flawed design engine minimal lifetime. I will appreciate it if your organization looks into this issue and has VW take responsibility.

Bought the car from autonation in October 2021 and had condensation wet dog smell. Car was garaged until 4/2022 at which time I noticed headliner stains and water coming into wheel well, called dealer was advised to check drain tubes. I cannot. More rain more issues. Care warning lights all came on including airbag. Car has 38150 miles. VW refusing to cover under recall. Wants me to file insurance claim. Dealer did not acknowledge mold headliner issues until I called back after picking up the car. PANORAMIC SUNROOF LEAKS. HEADLINER I AND CARPET IS BADLY STAINED WITH VISIBLE MOLD GROWTH. PILLAR STAINING AS WELL. WATER LEAKS FROM DOME LIGHT AND SUNROOF CONTROL BUTTONS. WATER ALSO LEAKS INTO FOOT WELL. TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP WHO HAVE SAID THAT IT IS LIKELY THE SUNROOF DRAINS ARE BLOCKED BY DEBRIS AND REPAIR WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY. THERE IS NO WAY FOR THE CONSUMER TO ACCESS THE SUNROOF DRAINS TO KEEP THEM CLEAR, PARTICULARLY THE REAR DRAINS, WHICH ENTAILS DISMANTLING PART OF THE CAR. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MANY REPORTED COMPLAINTS BY OWNERS WITH A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN BEING ISSUED. PLEASE ENCOURAGE AN INVESTIGATION

Whenever you put the car in park and take your foot off the brake the car will roll a little.

Vehicle experienced copious amounts of gasoline leaking from behind the right rear tire. Further inspection indicates the fuel is being pumped out through the evap carbon canister. Researching the NTHSA information indicates the problem to be identical to the suction pump issue on both 2015 and 2016 VW GTI models that use the same gas tank (Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 20Y6 and 20Y5): : NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V647000 Manufacturer Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. Components FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING Potential Number of Units Affected 110,042 51MB MP4 video file of issue available but system will not allow me to upload video files

Clock Spring failure, air bag error, loss of horn and steering wheel button controls such as cruise control.

Gear Shift trim piece chrome plating splits and lifts up. This part caused a laceration on my finger from the fingernail to 1st knuckle. Related Reference :: Service action 347J - Gear Shift Cover Trim:: This applies only to GTI and needs to apply to Golf in general

About 2 months ago I was driving my car (VW GOLF 2017 / 32,000 miles) and when I parked it I notice that it smelled like gasoline (no warning lamps / messages were displayed). I brushed it off thinking it was another car until it happened again. I took it to an independent service center where they informed me that the car's gasoline tank broke and it could have potentially caused a fire. He also mentioned that he had a few cases just like this one; The car was only inspected by this mechanic.

Yes my concern is the water pump that is made out of plastic which is notorious to fail at low miles. My car only has 64k on it. This water pump was not build well and VW really should designed a better one. To replace this pumps are costly and its guarantee it will not be needed to be fixed again in a short time. My pump will cost me around $ 1700 to repair. These pumps are a ticking time bomb waiting to happen.

My car started to loose coolant around 50K. This is a common problem for MK7 Golf which is usually caused by failure of the waterpump housing. VW is aware of this issue since 2016 but never addressed this problem. I request a formal investigation of this issue and demand VW to recall the vehicles.

Forward collision warning malfunction made the safety feature become safety issues. I have to turn it off before I drive. Otherwise it automatically preforms hard break/ stop for no reasons, no matter how how fast am I driving, where and when. Even pulling out from parking lot w/ 5/10 mph at midnight when there is absolutely no one and nothing around or on the middle of the highway w/ 60mph in the afternoon.

Fuel leaking out of rear passenger side bumper close to exhaust. VW Dealer believes related to suction pump failure located in the fuel tank. Same issue as detailed in Safety Recall Code: 20Y6 for 2015 and 2016 VW GTI models, but no recall issued for 2017. Component has not been removed from car and can be inspected when needed. Fuel leaking out of vehicle near exhaust components while driving - fire risk. Was notified by another motorist while at stop light of rapid fuel leak onto road surface. Dealer has confirmed issue. Vehicle inspected by Dealer, but component in question (suction pump from earlier recall) is internal to the fuel tank and requires disassembly. Waiting on feedback from VW corporate. No warning lights

Leaking water pump at less than 80,000 miles causing engine to overheat and become damaged.

In December 2021, my fuel gauge read empty, so I stopped at a gas station near the Honolulu Airport and VW Honolulu dealership. As I was pumping the gasoline, it began overflowing from the top of the tank, although I had just started pumping. I immediately removed the pump which is when gas began leaking out of the bottom of the tank, like a faucet. Luckily, I was right by the dealership, and was able to make it there without anything dangerous happening. After assessing my vehicle, the VW technicians said there was an internal issue with a faulty fuel tank. They said this issue was not something that I caused. Attached are the invoices and notes provided by the technicians.

In December 2021, my fuel gauge read empty, so I stopped at a gas station near the Honolulu Airport and VW Honolulu dealership. As I was pumping the gasoline, it began overflowing from the top of the tank, although I had just started pumping. I immediately removed the pump which is when gas began leaking out of the bottom of the tank, like a faucet. Luckily, I was right by the dealership, and was able to make it there without anything dangerous happening. After assessing my vehicle, the VW technicians said there was an internal issue with a faulty fuel tank. They said this issue was not something that I caused. Attached are the invoices and notes provided by the technicians. I paid $3,877 to get the problem fixed.

Faulty clock spring causing passenger airbag warning and loss of steering wheel controls, ie: horn, volume, cruise…

Thermostat Housing Issue and Coolant Loss

I was driving to work today play in my steering wheel made a funky crinkling sound and then I had a warning about my airbag and no horn working now after and I didn't hit anything nor was I hit

On 10/23/2021 in the process of refueling the vehicle in question the gas pump shut off after only pumping less than a gallon of gas. Repeated attempts yielded the same results. Additionally gas would back up and flow down the over flow tube onto the ground. I tried other pumps on subsequent dates with same result. I was able to get enough gas into the tank, less than a gallon at a time, to drive the vehicle from 10/23/2021 to 11/2/2021 when the vehicle began to buck or act like it would shut off. I was able to drive home and stopped driving the vehicle on 11/2/2021. I contacted the local VW dealer and made an appointment to have the vehicle looked at on 11/16/2021. This problem isn't unique to my vehicle. There have been a lot of VW/AUDI vehicles that experienced the same or similar problems. On 11/16/2021 the dealer verified the problem I described. Dealer could not get flap to open in tank. Dealer removed EVAP canister and fuel sprayed out. Dealer replaced fuel tank, EVAP canister and other related parts. Repairs were completed and $3896.69 later vehicle runs fine. There were no warning lights to warn me of a problem. Of course, when gasoline and gasoline vapors are present there is always the possibility of damage, injury, or death. Consumer stated recall for vins were issued prior to consumer's vehicle but not his.

Vehicle would not take in fuel from the gas pump. Fuel would leak from the rear, passenger side of the vehicle. Dealer replaced Fuel Tank, ACF Valve and Evaporative Emission Canister to fix the problem.

The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack. The contact stated that the sunroof was leaking and allowing water to enter the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that they were unable to assist. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

My 2017 golf is 21,000 miles now. A gasoline leak occurred. It seems to be the same symptom as 2016 golf recall according to the report as attached. why 2017 golf is not covered for recall? In fact, gasoline leaked onto the street, which was a very dangerous situation. We can provide a video on this matter.

Safety: Had a charcoal canister saturated with gasoline resulting in a fuel leak; gasoline was dripping down the rear right side of the car via the charcoal filter and soaking the rear fender. Raw fuel was also being pumped into the air intake of the engine (where air is supposed to go). Fuel tank was bulging due to the high pressure and could have cracked. Other symptoms: Had fuel spillback while refueling, and also could not fill the tank because the handle kept clicking. Car was riding rough and jerking randomly. Failed component: Dealer determined a faulty suction pump was causing liquid fuel to fill the charcoal canister while the car is running. This is the same part that was previously recalled in earlier 2015-2016 Golfs (NHTSA Safety Recall Code: 20Y6, published December 2016). My 2017 Golf (16k miles) was manufactured April 2017 and sold to me in October 2017. On the 2017 Golf, the suction pump is now molded inside the fuel tank in an inaccessible location and cannot be serviced; the entire fuel tank must be replaced. Reproduction: The dealer disconnected the vent lines from the fuel tank and proved that liquid fuel was venting out of the fuel tank and into the charcoal canister via the suction pump (see attached invoice). Inspection: The car was not inspected by the manufacturer, only the dealer. Warnings: There were no warnings or lights. When I first noticed my car jerking, I ran my OBD-II scanner and found a code "P0461 Fuel Level Sensor Circuit Range/Performance" but the car did not report this to the driver (see attached image). Rectifications: The fuel tank should be recalled, and Volkswagen should release a software update to make the P0461 code trigger a Check Engine Light.

The vehicle had been making mild clunking noises for some time (at least 2.5 years) during some combinations of turns/bumps. When took to mechanic in January 2020, the sound would not reproduce during test drive, so problem was not diagnosed. Clunking sound became more pronounced over time, until on 8/27/21 while driving a neighborhood road, there was a loud clank, as if some metal part came loose. Then there was very loud clunking, as if a metal part was knocking around loose - more pronounced when turning or going over bumps. Upon inspection by a mechanic later in the day, the sway bar had come loose due to one of the bolts on the driver side sway bar bracket had come out. Both this mechanic and later, the Volkswagen dealer mechanic, said this was very odd, since they normally only see sway bar damage when a car has been in an accident. My car has never been in any kind of accident. Sway bars help ensure a vehicle doesn’t roll too much when handling turns. Aside from safety, sway bars help prevent lopsided wheel alignment and work to maintain an overall better grip on the road. A faulty sway bar puts the vehicle at risk for rolling during turns. My belief is that there was something faulty about the sway bar mounting bracket or bolt which explains the mild clunking I heard prior to deterioration (more frequent clunking) and ultimate failure (on 8/27/21). I have a write up of the inspection and repair from the dealer. I also have photos from the dealer prior to the repair.

On 8/22/21, the aluminum/plastic trim around the gear shifter boot gave me a deep cut on my pinky finger as I removed my phone from the USB adapter. The bleeding did not stop for several hours even after applying pressure and I'm very lucky that I didn't need stitches!!! That aluminum/plastic trim is RAZOR SHARP!!! This is an extreme safety hazard for drivers and passengers and not to mention children!!! Why Volkswagen has not issued a recall on this dangerously sharp part is appalling!!! I take excellent care of my vehicle and normal wear and tear does not equal a razor sharp edge on a gear shifter boot. This is shoddy craftsmanship and UNSAFE for ALL drivers and passengers. I contacted Volkswagen customer care and they asked me to send pictures of the faulty part and asked me to take it to the nearest dealership so they could assess. The VW dealership assessed the issue and advised they would need to order the part to replace. Volkswagen care agreed to a "goodwill gesture" to have the trim replaced free of charge to me. Fast forward to the dealer replacing the part and I receive the car back...THE TRIM IS STILL RAZOR SHARP!!!! What was the point of that exercise? Volkswagen offered zero help when I advised them of this and closed my case. THIS PART NEEDS TO BE RECALLED SO NO CHILDREN (or ANYONE) GET CUT!!! I am extremely disappointed at how Volkswagen handled this and how they have not done THE RIGHT THING and done a recall for this part. There is precedent for this happening on Volkswagen forums all over the internet!!! I at least want to document this complaint to NHTSA and to point out Volkswagen's bad business practice with this.

My 2017 VW Golf has been leaking oil and coolant. It was taken to a VW dealership where the problem was diagnosed as a leaking auxiliary bracket gasket behind the thermostat housing. The service advisor told me that the car could randomly undergo a catastrophic loss of power if the component were to totally fail. He advised me not to drive the vehicle due to this possibility and the safety issues involved with abrupt loss of power, especially at highway speeds. I requested that this component be repaired under the VW Powertrain Warranty which is still in force for my vehicle but this coverage has been denied by VW Customer Care. The car continues to leak but has not yet lost power. I am concerned that this is a major safety issue for my car. The car is available for inspection upon request.

Issues with thermostat housing: the part fails, causing a slow coolant leak. Coolant light eventually comes on. I bought my car in fall 2016. Issue first occurred and was diagnosed and fixed by dealer under warranty in April 2020. It has now (August 2021) reoccurred and has been diagnosed again by the dealer as the same issue. This should be a lifetime part. I should not have had to replace this part twice within a little more than a year, on a car that is just about five years old. Safety issue: possibility of sudden failure/overheating that might leave the driver stranded by the side of the road. Numerous others have reported this issue occurring repeatedly; please see https://www.reddit.com/r/GolfGTI/comments/drna5m/mk775_thermostat_housing_issue_and_coolant_loss/ VW has also settled a class action on a similar issue on an older generation of cars (Coffeng, et al. v. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.) A class action involving the current generation of cars is currently in progress (Zhao, et al., vs. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc., et al.).