Most common 2014 Volkswagen Golf problems
Share of the 12 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Volkswagen Golf complaints by model year
Best Golf years: 2020, 2014, 2021. Years to avoid: 2022, 2015, 2017, 2011, 2016. Compare all years →
2014 Volkswagen Golf recalls (5)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2015 Passat, 2011-2014 Golf A6, and 2011-2013 Audi A3 diesel vehicles, thought to have been previously repaired under one of the Takata air bag recalls.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's side air bag inflators, free of charge. The recall began December 20, 2019.
Unknown or other
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.
Remedy: 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.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Volkswagen CC, 2010-2014 Golf, 2010-2014 Eos, 2007-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon, and 2012-2014 Passat vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 16, 2018.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a second notification…
Air bags › Frontal
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan, and 2012-2014 Jetta Sportwagen vehicles.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2014 Volkswagen Golf:
Air Bag Clockspring Failure
In August 2015, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) launched Safety Recall 15V-483 to address the loss of the protection provided by the front driver air bag in several models due to the failure of the clockspring.Debris entry into the steering wheel hub can result in contamination and ultimately failure of the clockspring in 2010-2014 Model Year (MY) CC, Passat, Eos, Golf, GTI, Tiguan, Jetta and Jetta…
Air Bag Clockspring Failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an investigation based on consumer allegations of steering wheel clock spring/steering column control module (SCCM) failures in model year (MY) 2012 Volkswagen Passat and CC models.The SCCM is a module within the steering column that incorporates a spiral conductor (a ribbon cable) to electrically connect the steering wheel to the vehicle's electrical system while…
Air Bag Clockspring Failure
In August 2015, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) launched Safety Recall 15V-483 to address the loss of the protection provided by the front driver air bag in several models due to the failure of the clockspring.Debris entry into the steering wheel hub can result in contamination and ultimately failure of the clockspring in 2010-2014 Model Year (MY) CC, Passat, Eos, Golf, GTI, Tiguan, Jetta and Jetta…
What 2014 Volkswagen Golf owners say
Air bags
Takata recall a vw dealer service invoice states they completed the recall on this car, but your website says it is incomplete, according to my VIN. Vw of America sent me recall notices in March & April of 2018. Community vw, santa maria, ca 93456 [[phone]] invoice date: 12/19/17 customer number: 50792 technician number: 34657 I would like to verify that the work was actually done. Is there an identifying mark, label or number that I can see somewhere on the airbag? Thank you, [redacted]
Takata recall. In April 2016 I received a safety recall from Volkswagen regarding the Takata airbags. At that time, I called to set-up an appointment and was told that there wasn't a fix for it yet. I've called intermittently over the past year and have received the same response. I called again on May 17th, to ask about the status and received yet the same response. When I mentioned that I know people who have Honda's--who have been affected--whose airbags have been replaced, she said that Honda owners, have died as a result of the airbag deployments, whereas Volkswagen owners haven't. I replied that I interpreted that to mean that Volkswagen are dragging their feet because no one has died, and it'll take a death in order for them to come up with a fix, which of course was denied.
2014 Volkswagen Golf engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo diesel | 6-speed dual-clutch | FWD | 29 / 37 / 32 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo diesel | 6-speed manual | FWD | 29 / 39 / 32 |
| 2.5L 5-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 23 / 30 / 26 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2014 Volkswagen Golf a good car?
Based on 12 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2014 Golf rates better than average: 78% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Golf at the same age. It is one of the best Golf years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2014 Volkswagen Golf?
The air bags — 4 complaints, 33% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (2) and transmission & drivetrain (2).
How many recalls does the 2014 Volkswagen Golf have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2014 Volkswagen Golf, the most recent from December 4, 2019 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Volkswagen Golf?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2014 and 2021. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2022, 2015, 2017, 2011 and 2016. See the full Volkswagen Golf years comparison.
At what mileage do 2014 Volkswagen Golf problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 39,000 miles; 67% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.