Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Volkswagen Golf, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Fuel/propulsion system10
- Unknown or other5
- Power train4
- Structure3
- Engine3
- Exterior lighting2
- Electrical system2
- Suspension2
- Steering2
- Service brakes2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 2 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2018 Volkswagen Golf failed the safety check 1.37% of the time — 17% less often than the average 2018 passenger car (1.65%). Median odometer at inspection: 42,050 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2018
473,192 new Volkswagen Golf cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2018; the largest markets were Germany (211,228), the United Kingdom (56,914), Italy (35,269).
- Average mass
- 1,352 kg
- Average CO₂
- 135 g/km (WLTP)
- Average power
- 97 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Petrol 64% · Diesel 30% · Electric 2.7% · Natural gas 2.2% · Petrol/electric 1.7%
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 2018 Volkswagen Golf cars on Dutch roads are the 1.0 petrol (81 kW, 109 hp), 1.5 petrol (110 kW, 148 hp) and 1.5 petrol (96 kW, 129 hp), out of 12 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 petrol | 81 kW 109 hp | 3,754 |
| 1.5 petrol | 110 kW 148 hp | 2,555 |
| 1.5 petrol | 96 kW 129 hp | 2,106 |
| 1.0 petrol | 85 kW 114 hp | 1,103 |
| 1.4 petrol | 92 kW 123 hp | 1,083 |
| 1.6 diesel | 85 kW 114 hp | 848 |
| 2.0 petrol | 180 kW 241 hp | 520 |
| 1.0 petrol | 63 kW 84 hp | 360 |
| 1.4 hybrid | 110 kW 148 hp | 279 |
| 2.0 petrol | 228 kW 306 hp | 252 |
| 2.0 petrol | 169 kW 227 hp | 154 |
| 2.0 diesel | 135 kW 181 hp | 146 |
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
15,323 first registered in 2018 are on Dutch roads; 49% arrived later as imports. Median list price when new: €33,597.
Most common APK defects
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde6,338
- Band onvoldoende profiel3,244
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld2,242
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm1,757
- Band beschadigd1,102
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage827
- Schokdemper aanwezig die lekkage vertoont721
- Ruitenwisserinstallatie geeft onvoldoende zicht700
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
61,616 cars built in 2018 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 731 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, 62,388 of these cars first registered in 2018 took their annual MOT test. 88% passed first time; among all cars first registered in 2018 the figure was 84%.
| Failed on | These cars | All cars from 2018 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyres | 5.6% | 5.2% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 2.2% | 4.0% |
| Visibility | 1.9% | 3.6% |
| Brakes | 1.7% | 2.9% |
| Suspension | 1.1% | 1.6% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 0.4% | 1.0% |
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
5,070 of these cars first registered in 2018 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 109,000 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
1,073 2018 cars are on the New Zealand register; 23% arrived as used imports, 76% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 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 8.2–8.6 L/100 km (about 27–29 mpg US), CO₂ 192–200 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golf · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.3 | 6.9 | 8.2 |
| Golf · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.6 | 7.2 | 8.5 |
| Golf GTI · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.6 | 7.2 | 8.5 |
| Golf GTI · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.6 | 7.3 | 8.6 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
7 Transport Canada recalls for the 2018 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… |
| 2019423 22 Aug 2019 | Powertrain Issue: On certain vehicles, a build-up of silicate on the shift lever switch could cause the transmission to detect that it is in the Park position when it is… |
| 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… |
| 2018292 1 Jun 2018 | Brakes On certain vehicles, a problem with the brake system may cause gas bubbles to form in the brake fluid. This could cause a soft brake pedal feel and a reduction … |
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 two 2018 Golf GTI vehicles. The VIN printed on the Federal Certification label may not match the actual VIN on the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification."
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2019 GTI, 2015-2016 and 2018-2019 Golf, 2012-2019 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2017-2019 Golf SportWagen and 2011-2018 Jetta vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, manual handbrake and keyless entry. A build-up of silicate on the shift lever micro switch contacts may enable the key to be removed from the ignition when the transmission shift lever is not in "Park."
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 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, Passat, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Golf, Golf SportWagen and GTI and Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have insufficient coating, potentially reducing the brake performance.
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: 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 |
| 11011374 | HVAC duct cleaning and deodorizing |
| 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 |
| 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 |
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