Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Volkswagen Golf R, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes3
- Power train3
- Exterior lighting1
- Electronic stability control (esc)1
- Unknown or other1
- Fuel/propulsion system1
- Wheels1
- Vehicle speed control1
- Electrical system1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 3 2018 Golf R vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 5 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2018 Volkswagen Golf R failed the safety check 0.71% of the time — 57% less often than the average 2018 passenger car (1.65%). Median odometer at inspection: 45,387 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2018
8,874 new Volkswagen Golf R cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2018; the largest markets were the United Kingdom (8,874).
- Average mass
- 1,447 kg
- Average CO₂
- 144 g/km (WLTP)
- Fuel type recorded
- Petrol 89% · Diesel 11%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 1 variant; 1 of 1 rated variants score five stars overall. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 Volkswagen Golf R 4 DR AWD | ★★★★★ | 13.4 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Optional
- Lane departure warning
- Optional
- Best overall rating
- 5 / 5
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 9.4–9.8 L/100 km (about 24–25 mpg US), CO₂ 220–227 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golf R · Compact · Premium gasoline | 10.6 | 8.0 | 9.4 |
| Golf R · Compact · Premium gasoline | 11.1 | 8.1 | 9.8 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
4 Transport Canada recalls for the 2018 Volkswagen Golf R.
| 2021326 26 May 2021 | Fabrics Issue: On certain models, the chrome layer could peel off of the trim located around the gear shift cover. If this happens, sharp edges can be created. Sa… |
| 2018679 5 Dec 2018 | Fuel System On certain vehicles, an underhood fuel connector may not have been securely attached to the fuel supply line and could result in a fuel leak into the engine com… |
| 2018626 14 Nov 2018 | Structure On certain vehicles, the rear seat head restraint guides may not have been properly welded to the seat frame. In a crash, the rear seat head restraints may not … |
| 2018191 18 Apr 2018 | Seats And Restraints Certain vehicles may have been built with defective front seat head rest guide sleeves. This could result in the head rest(s) not locking properly which, in the… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Touareg GP, Tiguan, Golf A6, E-Golf GP, CCF, 2016-2017 Passat GP, 2018-2019 Golf R GP, and 2018 Atlas vehicles. These internal-use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Golf R and Atlas, 2017 Golf Alltrack and E-Golf and 2016-2018 Passat vehicles. These internal use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Golf R vehicles. The fuel hose quick connector may detach from the fuel supply line in the engine bay, resulting in a fuel leak.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen e-Golf and Golf R vehicles, and Audi A3 Sedan and RS3 vehicles. The rear seat frame head restraint guide sleeves may be incorrectly welded to the seat frame.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Volkswagen told its dealers about the 2018 Volkswagen Golf R: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11011374 | HVAC duct cleaning and deodorizing |
| 11010024 | Lack of paint under roof |
| 11010022 | Engine Oil Standards |
| 11010021 | Additional reporting |
| 11010011 | Vehicle Concerns Before Recall Repair Available |
| 11008866 | Inspecting sensors for damage |
| 11008861 | Fluid requirements |
| 11008860 | Manual transmission noise diagnosing |
| 11008858 | A list of engine oil that meet Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards |
| 11008857 | How to perform the engine oil consumption measurement |
| 11008856 | Checking Engine Oil and correctly reading dip stick |
| 11008853 | How to manage software versions using VW diagnostic Tool |
| 11008852 | Recommended Gasoline Quality |
| 11008851 | Engine Misfire Diagnostic Aid |
| 11008850 | Fuel additive to help with misfire faults |
| 11008846 | Wind & Water Leak Checking |
| 11007398 | Battery testing |
| 11007393 | Engine Oil Standards |
| 11005825 | Engine oil quality standards |
| 11005823 | KESSY Key adaptation |
| 11005820 | Engine Assembly Tip |
| 11005819 | Engine Replacement Tip |
| 11005818 | Engine No Start, ECM shorted due to incorrect battery removal |
| 11002875 | Engine oil quality standards |
| 11001522 | These documents are for the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) Limited Warranty Extension as part of the Class Action Settlement |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation