2017 Volkswagen Golf R
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Volkswagen › Golf R › 2017
These records cover every 2017 Volkswagen Golf R. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Owner complaints
15 complaints2 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Engine
Thermostat Sensor Failure causing check engine light P00B7. Vehicle not reading the correct engine temp causing cooling fans to run at 100% and drivability concern. Dealer diagnosed the repair as replacement of the Thermostat/Thermostat Housing quoted at $1,635. The vehicle has not been inspected…
Thermostat Sensor Failure causing check engine light P00B7. Vehicle not reading the correct engine temp causing cooling fans to run at 100% and drivability concern. Dealer diagnosed the repair as replacement of the Thermostat/Thermostat Housing quoted at $1,635. The vehicle has not been inspected by any other party other than dealership. Check Engine line appeared, thermostat not reading proper temp, and cooling fans running at 100% speed. This is a well documented problem with my vehicle: https://www.reddit.com/r/GolfGTI/comments/drna5m/mk775_thermostat_housing_issue_and_coolant_loss/
- Fuel/propulsion system
The fuel suction pump in my 2017 volkswagen golf r failed causing strong gas odors to emit whenever the car is running, loss of power, inability to put more than a small amount of fuel in, and gas leaking into the evap and charcoal canister causing them to fail. This creates a huge risk for…
The fuel suction pump in my 2017 volkswagen golf r failed causing strong gas odors to emit whenever the car is running, loss of power, inability to put more than a small amount of fuel in, and gas leaking into the evap and charcoal canister causing them to fail. This creates a huge risk for ignition and fuel dumping onto the road which, only because I stopped driving it, has not happened to me. A check engine light has still yet to appear even after part failure. I believe you can see how big of a safety risk this causes to not only the vehicle's occupants, but those around it as well. I have already taken it to the volkswagen dealer and they themselves confirmed that yes the fuel suction pump has failed and that all those parts and the fuel tank itself need replaced totaling around 3,500 to 4,000 dollars. I have not gotten anything replaced. They refuse to cover it under the warranty extension titled VWP22-12 even though my car is obviously not 15 years old and it only has around 37,000 miles. They claim they revised the part for 2017 so that it doesn't fail anymore, but if that were the case then why is that warranty extension all the way up to 2020 models. I have looked through other complaints filed on this site and see you've already been contacted several times about my exact issue on 2017 models. I am urging you to please make this a recall. Volkswagen clearly knows this is a widespread issue evidenced by the fact the it affects such a large amount of models and years and by not making a recall you are allowing them to screw people over.
- Engine
My VW on two occasions experienced coolant / water pump system failures (May 2022 and August 2023), the second of which required full water pump replacement. These are identical to the class action lawsuit outlined on https://waterpumpsettlement.com/ (civil court case Civ. No.…
My VW on two occasions experienced coolant / water pump system failures (May 2022 and August 2023), the second of which required full water pump replacement. These are identical to the class action lawsuit outlined on https://waterpumpsettlement.com/ (civil court case Civ. No.: 2:21-cv-11251-MCA-MF), though I am receiving difficulties with the settlement claim for unknown reasons. My vehicles water pump is identical to those outlined in the case, as the pump model numbers and OEM origin are identical. These two incidents posed a severe risk/hazard to both the vehicle and myself due to leakage and loss of coolant putting the car at risk of catatrosphic engine failure. It is becoming apparent that these should amount to a recall as the growing number of incidents keeps increasing.
- Unknown or other
The shift boot trim piece was poorly designed and is the metal is peeling and has cut my hand several times. It has happened once while driving and I had to stop at a gas station to get a paper towel to stop the bleeding. The trim piece peels right where the opening to the storage cubby is. The dealer is aware of the situation, but will not cover the cost of replacing the part.
- Engine and engine cooling · Fuel system, gasoline
The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Golf R. The contact stated that the fuel gauge remained on Empty after fueling the vehicle. Additionally, fuel accumulated in the EVAP system, and leaked out from the fuel tank onto the rear passenger's side wheel. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an…
The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Golf R. The contact stated that the fuel gauge remained on Empty after fueling the vehicle. Additionally, fuel accumulated in the EVAP system, and leaked out from the fuel tank onto the rear passenger's side wheel. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that recalls were VIN specific and there was no recall associated with the VIN. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V647000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.
- Engine
While driving in the left hand lane on a divided 4-lane (2 lanes each direction) road, a car in front of me slowed in order to make a left hand turn. I braked to slow, looked and saw space in the adjacent lane, moved into that lane and pressed the accelerator to get to the speed of the approaching…
While driving in the left hand lane on a divided 4-lane (2 lanes each direction) road, a car in front of me slowed in order to make a left hand turn. I braked to slow, looked and saw space in the adjacent lane, moved into that lane and pressed the accelerator to get to the speed of the approaching traffic in that lane. There was no throttle response at first so the approaching traffic was quickly closing the gap. I lifted my foot off the accelerator and then immediately pressed it again at which the throttle responded and I was able to accelerate to the speed of the approaching traffic (in this case a large dump truck) and narrowly avoided a rear-end collision. I have complained of this kind of throttle response hesitation at service visits to two different VW dealers, both of which were unable to reproduce the condition and for which they detected no error codes. I bought the car as a used car in Feb 2019. The VW dealership from which I bought the car did not disclose any such problem with the car, which car they claimed to have provided service for the previous owner. The problem has occurred intermittently since I have owned the car and I have been unable to reproduce it successfully for service personnel during service visits. Today's occurrence was the closest I have come to a collision with another vehicle. With the next occurrence I might not be so lucky.
- Forward collision avoidance › Adaptive cruise control · Forward collision avoidance › Automatic emergency braking · Forward collision avoidance › Warnings
The infotainment system randomly resets during usage regardless of what mode the system IS in (both in terms of drive mode or music listening mode). During a reset, all access to advanced safety features, drive mode selection, traction control selections, are disabled. The screen goes completely…
The infotainment system randomly resets during usage regardless of what mode the system IS in (both in terms of drive mode or music listening mode). During a reset, all access to advanced safety features, drive mode selection, traction control selections, are disabled. The screen goes completely black and then turns back on usually with a different interface mode activated (bluetooth vs radio, for instance). All steering wheel controls are disabled during a reset. This freeze and reset can occur while moving or while stationary. Additionally, the re-view camera, while in review, does not work if the reset takes place while backing up. The review camera also inconsistently works at all. The reset has taken place at both surface street speeds but also at highway speeds.
- Engine
Pcv (positive crankcase ventilation) valve malfunction. vw's pcv valve, also sometimes called the oil separator valve, which IS found on many of their cars/suvs becomes faulty around 40-50k miles. what often happens IS the the valve fails to vent internal engine pressure, which causes the…
Pcv (positive crankcase ventilation) valve malfunction. vw's pcv valve, also sometimes called the oil separator valve, which IS found on many of their cars/suvs becomes faulty around 40-50k miles. what often happens IS the the valve fails to vent internal engine pressure, which causes the pressure to build up within the engine. eventtually the pressure will find some place to vent, usually out of weakest oil gasket point, often being the rear main seal and valve cover. since the exhaust IS behind the engine, there IS a chance that oil can spray onto the hot exhaust. my golf leaked oil from the rear main seal when the pcv failed. even though the car was under warranty, VW didn't want to diagnose the problem unless I was willing to pay for it. this malfunctioning pcv valve IS a regular problem on vw's and could pose a root failure leading to a potential vehicle fire.
- Unknown or other
"Razor-like" material/defect on front of shift boot trim near the ingress to the front cubby area has cut me multiple times; drawing blood each time, when taking my phone in and out of the cubby. This cubby IS designed to hold a phone, as there IS a usb port and connects the driver's phone to the…
"Razor-like" material/defect on front of shift boot trim near the ingress to the front cubby area has cut me multiple times; drawing blood each time, when taking my phone in and out of the cubby. This cubby IS designed to hold a phone, as there IS a usb port and connects the driver's phone to the apple carplay unit. The material that has come off the trim that forms a thin "razor", seems to have delaminated from the trim. VW seems to be aware of the issue. skin that was removed by the trim can be seen in the following attached shots.
- Electrical system · Fuel/propulsion system · Wheels
Your system IS mislabeling cars. Search for 2017 golf r. It shows 58 complaints. If you look at the cars tied to these complaints it's VW alltracks. I want people to see the issues I'm having with my cars but I need you to fix the website. Please help. I find it strange that this IS happening to VW after all the issues they have had.
- Electrical system · Service brakes · Vehicle speed control
I have a 2017 golf r equipped with dsg transmission, automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. Occasionally the car would make a continuous and periodic clicking noise that can last for a few minutes when in motion and when brake IS not applied. As soon as I step on the brake, the…
I have a 2017 golf r equipped with dsg transmission, automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. Occasionally the car would make a continuous and periodic clicking noise that can last for a few minutes when in motion and when brake IS not applied. As soon as I step on the brake, the clicking stops. When brake pedal IS released, the clicking comes back. The problem started in may/june 2018 when the car had approximately 14000 miles, and has been doing that every once in a while since then. I brought it to a VW dealer in july 2018, but because this IS an intermittent issue, they were unable to find out the root cause. There was no error code either. However they suspected that the noise was coming from certain relays in the ABS / braking system, which IS concerning as it could potentially be a safety issue. a video of the problem can be seen here: https://streamable.com/pl4xk
- Power train
Premature clutch failure; clutch was worn and required replacement at 25 months and 16,000 miles. Made car dangerous and hard to drive in traffic.
- Engine
From 3 months of ownership until now 12 months I have been experiencing multiple engine misfires. I've taken it to the dealership but that has been hopeless. They simply clear the code and it pops back up on my way back home. it's a little frustrating when you pay $40,000 for a car and experience problems in as little as 2000 miles.
- Engine
Was driving down the freeway when the car lost coolant. Discovered road debris had punctured the secondary heat exchanger located on the lower front passenger side. The front facia provides absolutely no protection from debris and other damage was noted on the exchanger surface. Had to pull over as…
Was driving down the freeway when the car lost coolant. Discovered road debris had punctured the secondary heat exchanger located on the lower front passenger side. The front facia provides absolutely no protection from debris and other damage was noted on the exchanger surface. Had to pull over as the engine overheated and get the car taken to the dealer for repairs. This seems to be a design flaw - searching the internet there are several incidences of punctured heat exchangers.
- Power train
We purchased the (new) car on june 09, 2017. 5 days after we purchased, we found out the transmission had been replaced and that fact was not disclosed by the dealership. the dealership maintains they are not required to disclose service actions and further stated VW concurred. VW maintains the…
We purchased the (new) car on june 09, 2017. 5 days after we purchased, we found out the transmission had been replaced and that fact was not disclosed by the dealership. the dealership maintains they are not required to disclose service actions and further stated VW concurred. VW maintains the recall was issued by nhtsa. Here IS their email response indicating same: reference # 170784881 thank you for reaching back out to me. I apologize for the delay in my response, as well as for the experiences you've had with your vehicle and the dealer. I can see that you have been in contact with sarah g., who was the region case manager who had worked your previous case, as well as that she has reached out to the dealer to try and turn the experience around. from our understanding, the transmission was replaced due a service action that was issued by nhsta. The repairs that were completed before purchase were to benefit the safety of vehicle, as well as the driver(s). I apologize that that dealer did not disclose this information to you at the time of purchase; however, the dealer was just doing as they were told by nhtsa. At this time, there wouldn't be anything further that vwgoa would be able to do. Any resolution you're seeking would need to come from the dealer level. if you have any other concerns, please contact volkswagen group of america at 800-822-8987 or chat or email us at www.vw.com. I have complete email and text documentation from the dealer and VW. a total of 250 2017 VW golf R'S are supposed to be affected. IS VW correct in that nhtsa issued the recall or service action? Don't VW and the dealer have an obligation to disclose that a major safety/performance component was replaced prior to the sale?
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- 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…
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. This recall covered certain model year (MY) 2015-2016 Volkswagen Golf and Audi A3 passenger car vehicles. The recall remedy repair replaced SJP Version 1.0 with an improved version, Version 1.1. The SJP is designed to purge fuel from the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system. VW’s recall filing stated the SJP may have been damaged during assembly, which could potentially allow fuel to flow directly into the EVAP system. Over time, the fuel could accumulate in, and cause a leak from, the charcoal canister filter element. ODI received consumer complaints of SJP failure leading to a fuel leak, refueling spit back, refueling shutoff, and/or fuel odor in vehicles previously repaired under recall 16V-647. Additional complaints alleging SJP failure leading to the previously stated outcomes were received in vehicles outside the scope of recall 16V-647, including MY 2016-2020 VW Golf and Audi A3 vehicles. VW issued recall 24V-110 on February 14, 2024, to address issues with SJPs Versions 1.0 and 1.1. The recall remedy replaces the SJP Version 1.0 or 1.1 with an improved version, Version 2.0. Recall 24V-110 covers certain MY 2015-2020 VW Golf (including Golf GTI), 2015-2020 Audi A3, and 2019-2020 VW Jetta GLI vehicles, including vehicle previously repaired under 16V-647. Vehicle owners were notified of this recall in April 2024 and VW’s projected date for owner notification of recall remedy availability is August 2024. In view of the recall being conducted by VW, ODI is closing this Recall Query (RQ). The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 11010024Lack of paint under roof
- 11010022Engine Oil Standards
- 11010021Additional reporting
- 11010011Vehicle Concerns Before Recall Repair Available
- 11008861Fluid requirements
- 11008860Manual transmission noise diagnosing
- 11008858A list of engine oil that meet Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards
- 11008857How to perform the engine oil consumption measurement
- 11008856Checking Engine Oil and correctly reading dip stick
- 11008853How to manage software versions using VW diagnostic Tool
- 11008852Recommended Gasoline Quality
- 11008851Engine Misfire Diagnostic Aid
- 11008850Fuel additive to help with misfire faults
- 11008846Wind & Water Leak Checking
- 11007398Battery testing
- 11007393Engine Oil Standards
- 11005825Engine oil quality standards
- 11005823KESSY Key adaptation
- 11005820Engine Assembly Tip
- 11005819Engine Replacement Tip
- 11005811Closure of the campaign.
- 11002875Engine oil quality standards
- 11001522These documents are for the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) Limited Warranty Extension as part of the Class Action Settlement
- 11001508Engine oil quality standards
- 11001503Forigen objects inside seat belt buckle
- 11001494These documents are for the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) Limited Warranty Extension as part of the Class Action Settlement
- 10253481Carefree Maintenance and VW Care Maintenance Plans Interim AdBlue Refills -? Diesel Engines Model Year 2015 and Newer
- 10253477Volkswagen Carefree Maintenance Program ? Diesel Engines Model Year 2015 and Newer
- 10253474This communication contains important information and SAGA claim entry requirements for the Volkswagen Carefree Maintenance Program for all Model Year 2015 and newer VW models with Gasoline Engines.
- 10253262VW Engine oil quality standards
- 10253192Infotainment Worksheet (U.S. Only)
- 10250798VW Engine oil quality standards
- 10249418VW Engine oil quality standards
- 10249414A/C Compressor leak diagnosis
- 10249138Airbag / Pyrotechnic Safety Belt Deployment Inquiries, update to contact information due to retirement.
- 10249136Addressing Cybersecurity or Vehicle Hack concerns
- 10245617Reporting procedure for A/C compressor replacement regardless of the reason for failure. Update to model year applicability and new warranty GFF labor operation number
- 10245607VW Engine oil quality standards
- 102445913G Sunset Update
- 10244545VW Engine oil quality standards
Every Volkswagen Golf R model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.