Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Volkswagen Golf, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Fuel/propulsion system51
- Engine18
- Unknown or other12
- Electrical system10
- Structure8
- Air bags7
- Service brakes5
- Fuel system, gasoline5
- Power train5
- Steering4
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 5 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 2017 Golf vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 1 person died inside them. 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 2017 Volkswagen Golf failed the safety check 2.02% of the time — 13% more often than the average 2017 passenger car (1.79%). Median odometer at inspection: 57,501 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2017
533,463 new Volkswagen Golf cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2017; the largest markets were Germany (228,076), the United Kingdom (68,372), Italy (41,429).
- Average mass
- 1,366 kg
- Average CO₂
- 118 g/km (WLTP)
- Average power
- 106 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Petrol 56% · Diesel 39% · Natural gas 1.6% · Petrol/electric 1.2% · Electric 1.2%
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
Engines
The most common engines in 2017 Volkswagen Golf cars on Dutch roads are the 1.0 petrol (81 kW, 109 hp), 1.4 petrol (92 kW, 123 hp) and 1.0 petrol (85 kW, 114 hp), out of 12 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 petrol | 81 kW 109 hp | 3,335 |
| 1.4 petrol | 92 kW 123 hp | 2,912 |
| 1.0 petrol | 85 kW 114 hp | 2,345 |
| 1.4 petrol | 110 kW 148 hp | 1,267 |
| 1.5 petrol | 110 kW 148 hp | 1,114 |
| 1.6 diesel | 85 kW 114 hp | 1,112 |
| 1.2 petrol | 81 kW 109 hp | 1,053 |
| 2.0 petrol | 169 kW 227 hp | 548 |
| 2.0 petrol | 180 kW 241 hp | 421 |
| 1.5 petrol | 96 kW 129 hp | 419 |
| 1.6 diesel | 81 kW 109 hp | 401 |
| 2.0 petrol | 228 kW 306 hp | 394 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
17,796 first registered in 2017 are on Dutch roads; 51% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €32,525.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde8,380
- Band onvoldoende profiel4,298
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld3,202
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm2,441
- Band beschadigd1,402
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage1,335
- Schokdemper aanwezig die lekkage vertoont1,104
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt922
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
70,566 cars built in 2017 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 942 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
In 2023, 70,383 of these cars first registered in 2017 took their annual MOT test. 87% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2017 the figure was 82%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2017 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 5.8% | 5.7% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 2.4% | 4.7% |
| Brakes | 2.2% | 3.6% |
| Visibility | 2.2% | 3.5% |
| Suspension | 1.7% | 3.1% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.7% | 1.4% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
In Finland
5,454 of these cars first registered in 2017 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 125,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
1,320 2017 cars are on the New Zealand register; 34% arrived as used imports, 65% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 Volkswagen Golf 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | 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 4 variants: combined 8.1–8.5 L/100 km (about 28–29 mpg US), CO₂ 190–199 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golf · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.3 | 6.6 | 8.1 |
| Golf · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.4 | 6.7 | 8.2 |
| Golf GTI · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.6 | 7.2 | 8.5 |
| Golf GTI · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.7 | 7.0 | 8.5 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
6 Transport Canada recalls for the 2017 Volkswagen Golf.
| 2024095 14 Feb 2024 | Fuel System Issue: On certain vehicles, a seal for the suction jet pump inside the fuel tank could fail. As a result, fuel may flow directly into the evaporative emission… |
| 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… |
| 2020353 4 Aug 2020 | Label Issue: On certain vehicles, the warning label for the engine block heater cable is written in English only. As a result, a French user may not receive importa… |
| 2019116 6 Mar 2019 | Suspension Issue: On certain vehicles, the rear suspension coil springs may not have been properly manufactured and could break over time. This could cause damage to a r… |
| 2018371 11 Jul 2018 | Powertrain On certain vehicles, the park position switch may malfunction due to a problem with the electrical contacts. This could allow for removal of the ignition key wi… |
| 2017053 3 Feb 2017 | Label Certain vehicles with factory installed 15-inch tires may fail to comply with the requirements of Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 110 - Tire Select… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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 2017-2019 Golf Sportwagen, 2019 Jetta, 2015-2019 Golf, and 2018-2019 Tiguan vehicles. The rear coil springs may prematurely fracture.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Volkswagen Golf and Golf Sportwagen vehicles. The build of silicate on the shift lever micro switch contacts may enable the key to be removed from the ignition while the vehicle shift lever is not in "Park." As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2017 Audi A7, A4, A6, Volkswagen Golf and Tiguan vehicles and 2016 Volkswagen e-Golf vehicles for driver frontal air bags, passenger frontal air bags or head air bags that may not deploy properly. Additionally, certain 2017 Audi Q7, A4 Sedan, A4 Allroad, and 2018 Audi Q5 vehicles are being recalled because the seat belt pretensioners may not activate properly.
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 2017 Volkswagen Golf: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11011377 | This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication for the airbag control module. For trouble code DTC B10001B. Driver airbag igniter resistance too high -N95 |
| 11011371 | This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed and only order the successor parts going forward. |
| 11010024 | Lack of paint under roof |
| 11010022 | Engine Oil Standards |
| 11010021 | Additional reporting |
| 11010011 | Vehicle Concerns Before Recall Repair Available |
| 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 |
| 11007402 | Multiple Update closures: 20AH Atlas Quality Package 1, 24AE 1.8T ECM/TCM SW, 24BG Jetta Hybrid ECM SW, 24BM 2.0L Jetta MPI SW Update, 24X7 Jetta ECM SW, 24X8 CC ECM/TCM SW, 24Y4 MPI Jetta SW, 24Z5 Jetta Hybrid System SW, 27G2 Battery, 37H3 DSG SW, 37J2 TCM SW, 69V7 Atlas Quality Package 3, 87F6 Atlas Quality Package 2, 91P3 Adaptive Cruise Calibration |
| 11007398 | Battery testing |
| 11007393 | Engine Oil Standards |
| 11005825 | Engine oil quality standards |
| 11005823 | KESSY Key adaptation |
| 11005820 | Engine Assembly Tip |
| 11005819 | Engine Replacement Tip |
| 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