2019 Volkswagen Golf Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
69/100
#5 most-complained of 14 Golf years
The 2019 Volkswagen Golf has 63 NHTSA complaints, 6 recalls, and a complaint index of 69, ranking 5th worst among 14 model years. Its verdict is Caution, driven mainly by Engine complaints (57% of total, median mileage 528).
- Complaints
- 63
- Recalls
- 6
- incl. Do Not Drive
- Crashes / fires
- 2 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 32
- 29 city / 37 hwy
Top 2019 Volkswagen Golf problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine36 (57%)
- Transmission & Powertrain13 (21%)
- Other11 (17%)
- Fuel System7 (11%)
- Electrical System5 (8%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras3 (5%)
- Airbags2 (3%)
- Steering2 (3%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires2 (3%)
- Visibility & Wipers2 (3%)
What owners report
- Vehicle stalls and shuts off quietly when slowing to a stop, often with the clutch fully depressed or in neutral.
- Stalling occurred repeatedly at very low mileage, in some cases under 1,000 miles from new.
- After restarting, some owners noticed the transmission gear indicator showing an incorrect gear.
- One owner reported the steering wheel seized briefly when the car stalled at a stop sign.
- Another owner described rough idling and shuddering just before the engine stalled, with no warning lights.
- A fuel-system-related stall was reported dozens of times when braking to near-stop speeds.
2019 Volkswagen Golf recalls
6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 24V110000Feb 14, 2024Fuel System261,257 vehicles
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. Due to a problem with a suction jet pump seal inside the fuel tank, fuel may flow into the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system and possibly leak out of the charcoal canister.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
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. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are VW: 20UF/Audi: 20YF. Vehicles that were previously recalled under 16V-647 will need to have the new remedy completed. This recall expands and replaces previous recall number 16V-647.
- NHTSA 23V604000Aug 30, 2023Electrical System62,538 vehicles
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.
Risk: Ignition switch failure can cause the electrical system to shut down and the engine to stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
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. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 28H7.
- NHTSA 22V815000Oct 31, 2022Suspension, Wheels & Tires296,044 vehicles
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. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Risk: An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.
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 AudiÂs customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
2019 Volkswagen Golf fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 29 MPG
- Highway
- 37 MPG
- Combined
- 32 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,050
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- 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.
2019 compared with other Golf years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2019 Volkswagen Golf reliable?
- NHTSA lists 63 complaints and 6 recalls for the 2019 Golf, giving it a complaint index of 69 and a Caution verdict — worse than most other Golf years but not the worst.
- What is the main problem with the 2019 Volkswagen Golf?
- Engine issues dominate, accounting for 57% of complaints (36 of 63), with a median failure mileage of 528. Many owners describe the car stalling when coming to a stop.
- Does the 2019 Volkswagen Golf have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2019 Golf, including one do-not-drive recall for improperly machined front wheel bearings and recalls covering the fuel system, electrical system, and suspension.
- How does the 2019 Golf compare to other Golf model years?
- It ranks 5th worst out of 14 model years tracked, with a complaint index of 69, better than 2015 (100), 2017 (85), and 2022 (92), but worse than 2018 (31) and 2020 (0).