2015 Volkswagen e-Golf Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
100/100
#1 most-complained of 5 e-Golf years
The 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf ranks worst of 5 model years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 100 and 29 NHTSA complaints, mostly Electrical System (69%). It carries 3 recalls, including a battery management software fix, and owners report sudden loss of power at low mileage.
- Complaints
- 29
- Recalls
- 3
- Crashes / fires
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 116
- 126 city / 105 hwy
Top 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System20 (69%)
- Fuel System9 (31%)
- Other7 (24%)
- Engine5 (17%)
- Transmission & Powertrain4 (14%)
- Brakes1 (3%)
- Steering1 (3%)
What owners report
- Vehicle suddenly loses power and shudders to a stop while driving around 25-40 mph in traffic, sometimes nearly getting rear-ended.
- Dashboard displays an "Electrical System Failure: Stop!" message right before the car stops responding.
- Car will not restart normally after the failure, requiring multiple attempts or a wait before power returns.
- Windows and other systems become inoperable, forcing the car to be pushed to the side of the road in neutral.
- Driver airbag, steering assist, and brake assist get disabled along with the electric drive during the shutdown event.
- Charging cable gets stuck in the charge port and won't release even after repeated lock/unlock attempts.
2015 Volkswagen e-Golf recalls
3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 18V329000May 16, 2018Other252 vehicles
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. 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.
Risk: If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.
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. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
- NHTSA 16V138000Mar 7, 2016Electrical System5,561 vehicles
Electrical system:propulsion system:traction battery
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 e-Golf vehicles manufactured May 21, 2014, to March 1, 2016. Oversensitive diagnostics for the high-voltage battery management system may falsely detect an electrical surge resulting in the vehicle's electric drive motor shutting down unexpectedly.
Risk: An unexpected vehicle shutdown can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen has notified owners, and dealers will update the battery management software, free of charge. The recall began March 15, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 93B4.
- NHTSA 15V627000Oct 7, 2015Airbags993 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
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.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the front passenger seat occupant is incorrectly classified or non-detected, the passenger frontal air bag may deploy improperly or not at all, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Remedy: 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.
2015 Volkswagen e-Golf fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 126 MPG
- Highway
- 105 MPG
- Combined
- 116 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $650
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Electricity
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2015 compared with other e-Golf years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2015 Volkswagen e-Golf reliable?
- Among the 5 model years tracked, the 2015 e-Golf ranks worst, with a Complaint Index of 100 and 29 NHTSA complaints, most tied to the Electrical System.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2015 e-Golf?
- The Electrical System is the top problem area, accounting for 69% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 13,576.
- Does the 2015 e-Golf have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2015 e-Golf, including one for oversensitive high-voltage battery management diagnostics and one covering airbag control modules.
- How does the 2015 e-Golf compare to the 2016 e-Golf?
- The 2015 e-Golf has a Complaint Index of 100 versus 75 for 2016, making 2015 the worse of the two years for reported problems.
- What mileage do e-Golf electrical failures happen at?
- NHTSA complaint data shows a median mileage of 13,576 for Electrical System failures in the 2015 e-Golf.