YearToAvoid

2009 Volkswagen Golf Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

No verdict The 2009 Volkswagen Golf has 3 owner complaints and 0 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 11 out of 100 — #17 highest of 19 Golf model years. The most reported problem area is brakes (2 complaints, 67% of the total).

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
11/100
#17 of 19 Golf years
Verdict
No verdict
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
3
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
0
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
0
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Top issue
Brakes
Best nearby year
2020
rated Best

Top 2009 Volkswagen Golf problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Brakes2 (67%)
  2. Electrical System1 (33%)
  3. Engine1 (33%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

2009 Volkswagen Golf complaints: complaints filed per month1Jul 2016May 2017Aug 2018
3 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2016 to Aug 2018; peak Jul 2016 (1).

2009 Volkswagen Golf recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2009 compared with other Golf years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2007No verdict620—
2008No verdict010—
2009No verdict1130—
2010Caution6769429
2011Avoid83110629.5

All Volkswagen Golf years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2009 Volkswagen Golf a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2009 Volkswagen Golf ranks #17 of 19 among Golf model years (Complaint Index 11/100). It has 3 complaints and 0 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Volkswagen Golf?
The most reported problem areas are brakes (2 complaints), electrical system (1 complaints), and engine (1 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 75,200 miles.
Does the 2009 Volkswagen Golf have any recalls?
No safety recall campaigns list the 2009 Volkswagen Golf in NHTSA’s recall database at the time of the last data update.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.