2022 Volkswagen Golf Transmission Problems

Which parts fail

• Automatic transmission › Cooler/radiator › Hoses and fittings
  1
• Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Floor shift
  1

Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2022 Volkswagen Golf owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

The manual transmission shift knob has separated from the shift lever multiple times while driving. While shifting between gears, the knob lifts up with the boot off of the actual shift lever and I am unable to complete a shift until reconnecting the knob to the lever. The first time this happened, I was shocked and was nearly hit as I was on a highway entrance ramp and suddenly was not in gear and slowing down in a high traffic situation. Luckily I was able to get it sorted and make a shift with the knob loosely in place and then pull off the road. Firmly pressing the knob down onto the lever seemed to get it solidly attached, but unfortunately this has recurred more than once since then. …

The shift knob pulls off the manual transmission shifter shaft under certain driving conditions, such as a fast shift. I believe that the shifter knob retainer clip is loose or broken. This is a safety problem. I first noticed it when I had to make a quick maneuver during a turn. Experiencing the shift knob pull off the shaft while I was downshifting was dangerous and distracting. I reported the issue to the service department at my local VW dealer. They were not aware of others having the same problem and asked me to bring in the car if I knew how to duplicate it. I can't duplicate it in normal driving. The second time it happened I was braking for a traffic light while downshifting. I was able to push the knob back down without crashing, but it is very unnerving. No warning lights are triggered. I have not taken the car in to the dealer yet for an inspection. …

The shift knob for the manual transmission cracked at the base, causing it be become dislodged from the transmission during use. I still have the broken knob for later inspection. This was a safety risk as I was unable to put the car in gear while in an intersection. This made me unable to continue my motion out of the intersection until the problem was identified and fixed. The specific incident resulted in no further damage as there were no other vehicles at the intersection at that time. The vehicle has been brought to a certified VW dealership and identified as a problem with the hardware (meaning the technician recognized it was not due to improper use). Neither the vehicle nor the broken shift knob have been inspected by any other official bodies (i.e. manufacturer, police or insurance representative). …

Poor quality of the shifter knob component and installation from the factory for the 6-speed manual transmission variant of the 2022 VW GTI. The shifter knob can come loose and pop out of the metal shaft while shifting gears in the drive. The poor quality of the knob develops a crack in the corner of the component which can cause the knob to detach from the transmission over time and make the car undrivable. Since taking delivery of the car from the dealership, the shifter knob appears to not be installed properly as the component can feel loose and pop out of the metal shaft and get detached from the transmission. This incident of the shift knob popping out occurred a few times while driving. As changing gears with the shifter knob is a crucial aspect of driving the car, the current component poses a serious quality and safety issue for the car that was overlooked by the manufacturer.

The shift knob for the manual transmission broke off the shift assembly while accelerating and merging onto the freeway. This is what happened the first time the knob broke off. It has happened 3 times due to the part being physically broken. My safety and the safety of others was at risk. When a car is moving at speed and no longer has the option to shift into a higher gear, you become stuck at a slower speed and this happens very suddenly. If you apply brake then the engine will loose RPM and stall out causing the car to loose control of acceleration suddenly and could result in lose of control. This is stated in the VW owners manual under how to drive a manual transmission. The issue has been confirmed by the local dealership and by VW corporate. The component has been inspected my VW dealership. The vehicle has zero warnings or ways to monitor this.

My shift knob would pop out of place easily almost everyday. One day it popped out of place and when I popped it back in it wouldn't go into any gear at all. I was stuck on the side of the road until it eventually let me go into 1st, 3rd, and 4th but not 2nd. It took longer for it to even let me into 2nd. My car is also having electric issues. Out of nowhere it'll say that my front sensors aren't working. My parking brake also has gone out a few times to where I can't even safely exit my car worried it'll roll away. The car had a sound coming from the engine and come to find out a sensor was causing an oil leak and oil was getting on one of my belts. My shift knob also has a crack on it and it's been there since before I hit 1k miles. My car has been at a VW shop for 2 months with no eta on parts.

Gear shift knob came off post during shift from 1st gear to 2nd gear. Component may not be available for inspection, vehicle still at a dealer for repair. Safety was compromised by the distraction caused from shifter suddenly coming loose with no warning and from losing the ability to select a drive gear without re-seating the knob back on the post. As post is covered by shift boot, this must be done blindly by feel. Vehicle is at a dealer service center where it has been determined the vehicle requires a new "gearshift assembly" per phone call and is pending repair at time of writing. A similar failure with more detail and photos is available at the link below https://www.vwvortex.com/threads/shifter-knob-cracked-off-of-shaft-mid-traffic.9512198/#post-115640046

As I was shifting into second gear to merge onto the highway, the shift knob detached from the gear selector resulting in me being temporarily unable to select a gear. I was able to partially reattach it, but it is still very loose and comes off easily. It is available for inspection, but I will be trying to bring it to my local VW dealer ASAP. My safety was put at risk by virtue of being unable to accelerate while merging on the highway. Yes, the problem has been been reproduced by myself - the shift knob is still loose and will come detached if extreme care is not exercised when shifting. I have not had a chance to bring it to my local VW dealer yet, but plan to ASAP. There were no warnings that a malfunction was imminent until the knob came detached.

The shift knob on the gear selector of my manual transmission vehicle broke off while attempting to merge into traffic while shifting into 2nd gear at roughly 10mph, leaving me unable to select a gear. This put my safety and that of others at risk by temporarily preventing me from moving my vehicle as I was merging with traffic. In addition, this is the second time a factory shift knob has broken in this car. The first one broke and was repaired by a dealer approximately 6 months ago. The shift knob is still in my car, but I will try to replace it soon. This one has not been inspected by a 3rd party yet. There were no warnings or signs of damage prior to the knob breaking off.

As I was merging onto a highway, the shift lever popped up and disconnected from the linkage as I was changing gears. This left me temporarily unable to accelerate on the on-ramp with vehicle traffic around me. I was able to push back down on the lever and reinstate shifting capabilities but the connection was still loose to the touch and could be pulled up again when I came to a rest after I finished driving. This particular part was eventually replaced under warranty as it had many cosmetic cracks and chips in it. Unknown if this is related to the loose linkage as that is a separate part of the shift boot. This vehicle is the manual transmission version.

Transmission complaints in other Golf years