Most common 2019 Volkswagen Golf problems
Share of the 63 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 →
2019 Volkswagen Golf recalls (6)
Fuel system, gasoline
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.
Remedy: 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.
Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Golf, Golf Alltrack, Golf Sportwagen, 2019-2020 Golf GTI, and Jetta vehicles equipped with a conventional ignition switch. The ignition switch may fail, especially in high temperature environments.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 1, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Tires › Pressure monitoring and regulating systems
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi's customer service at…
Wheels
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Jetta GLI, Golf Alltrack, and Golf GTI vehicles. The front wheel bearings may have been improperly machined, potentially causing excessive stress on the wheel, wheel bolts, or wheel bearings.
Remedy: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will replace the wheel bearing assemblies, wheels, and wheel bolts, free of charge. The recall began December 11, 2019.
Electrical system › Ignition › Anti-theft › Control module
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.
Remedy: 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.
Suspension › Rear › Springs › Coil springs
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: 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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2019 Volkswagen Golf:
Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)
On December 12, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened RQ23-007 to investigate the remedy repair effectiveness and scope of Volkswagen (VW) recall 16V-647. Recall 16V-647 was issued on September 2, 2016, for a defective suction jet pump (SJP) inside the fuel tank. Failure of the SJP could lead to a fuel leak from the vehicle.
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
Vehicle Stalling - Manual Transmission
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has completed its review of a defect petition received on 14 August 2019 requesting an investigation of an alleged defect of the manual transmissions in Model Year (MY) 2019 Volkswagen (VW) GTI, Golf GTI and Jetta GLI vehicles.
What 2019 Volkswagen Golf owners say
Engine & cooling all 35 →
The contact owns a 2019 Volkswagen Golf. The contact stated that the turbocharger failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the mechanic informed the contact that during the inspection, the rear coil spring fractured. The contact researched and became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V188000 (Suspension), which was associated with the failure; however, the VIN was not included. The contact stated that the dealer had replaced the turbocharger assembly after the original failure with the vehicle. The dealer also replaced the rear coil springs. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.
The car idles rough during initial cold start up, intermittently hesitates during acceleration and feels like it misfires during cruising. My dealer found that the ignition timing was retarded by 5 and told me to use better gas, citing a VW field service action (https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2020/MC-10176770-0001.pdf). The problem persisted after they treated the fuel. The car has never thrown a code causing the check engine light to turn on, and so the dealer has declined to investigate further. My records show the car was only filled with premium fuel, using VW recommended brands (BP, Exxon, Mobil, Shell) in the 2,000 miles prior to the service appointment and was only filled with regular fuel twice (due to the Colonial Pipeline shutdown) since the car was delivered new from the dealer.
Transmission & drivetrain
Purchased 2019 gti rabbit edition 6mt. Soon after purchase, vehicle began stalling unexpectedly when coming to a stop when car is in neutral. Has happened when clutch is either depressed or not. Sometimes car has stalled when fully stopped. In this case the car starts idling roughly and shudders before stalling. Car starts up again with no warning lights illuminated. Call has stalled 6+ times since purchase. Car has also exhibited excessive vibration coming from the engine since purchase. Dealers have not really been helpful; they either deny that there is a problem or say that the wheels/tires need balancing, however balancing and replacing the tires did not fix the issue. I am positive this is related to the stalling issues. …
Engine soft shut-off when in neutral (manual transmission) or with the clutch to the floor, while shifting to neutral, and coming to a stop. City street. This occurred 3 successive times over a short, 5 minute trip home on city streets. Every downshift, with gear neutral or disengaged, the engine shuts off just as or after coming to a stop. There is no "stall shudder" from the engine, and it just revs from 1K RPM to 0 when stopped or while stopping, in neutral. The vehicle had been warmed up to operating temperature. The dashboard gear reporter also misreported the current gear at this time: reported 3rd when in 2nd, or 3rd-to-5th when in 3rd. Again at low speeds, and low revs that would not be appropriate for an upshift. Vehicle bought new this week, currently at 100 miles on the odometer.
Fuel & propulsion system
The car idles rough during initial cold start up, intermittently hesitates during acceleration and feels like it misfires during cruising. My dealer found that the ignition timing was retarded by 5 and told me to use better gas, citing a VW field service action (https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2020/MC-10176770-0001.pdf). The problem persisted after they treated the fuel. The car has never thrown a code causing the check engine light to turn on, and so the dealer has declined to investigate further. My records show the car was only filled with premium fuel, using VW recommended brands (BP, Exxon, Mobil, Shell) in the 2,000 miles prior to the service appointment and was only filled with regular fuel twice (due to the Colonial Pipeline shutdown) since the car was delivered new from the dealer.
This has been an open recall for 5 years and the manufacturer will not fix it. This could lead to vehicle fires and injuries.. It is not acceptable that Volkswagen can just ignore these safety recalls!
2019 Volkswagen Golf engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4L 4-cyl turbo | 8-speed automatic | FWD | 29 / 37 / 32 |
| 1.4L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed manual | FWD | 29 / 37 / 32 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2019 Volkswagen Golf a good car?
Based on 63 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2019 Golf rates use caution: 1.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the Golf at the same age. It is one of the Golf years we suggest avoiding. 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 2019 Volkswagen Golf?
The engine & cooling — 35 complaints, 56% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine › diesel › turbo/supercharger. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (13) and fuel & propulsion system (7).
How many recalls does the 2019 Volkswagen Golf have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2019 Volkswagen Golf, the most recent from February 14, 2024 (fuel system, gasoline). 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 2019 Volkswagen Golf problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 1,000 miles; 91% 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.