2016 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SPORTWAGEN Complaints

Dealer maintained 2016 VW Golf Sportwagen - coolant level kept getting low. Recent dealer visit indicated a leak in the thermostat housing. This seems to be a common issue with many such VWs, and in some cases other owners have reported multiple repeated failures of this housing. My car only has 66K miles and i haven't had any of my other cars have this issue over 25years of various car ownership.

The passenger side rear coil spring snapped without any warning and with in normal highway and city street use with only 46,244 miles and 5 years of age. The was manufactured in August of 2015, was delivered in November of 2015, and the spring failed in the last week of June 2021. The vehicle is used on road and has had all maintenance done on time or early. I drove the vehicle on June 25th and when I was about 2 miles from home I slowed for an intersection and heard a clank sound from the rear of the vehicle, the remainder of the drive was uneventful. The next day when exiting our garage my wife and I heard a loud clanking sound. I test drove the car around the block and every turn, deceleration, and bump resulted in a clank from the back rear wheel area. The VW dealer confirmed the rear spring had snapped and also noted they had had a number of occurrences on MQB platform VWs and had a Tiguan (same chassis/platform) of similar age in the shop for the same reason. I drove slowly and on low roads to the dealer but it was clear the handling was compromised as it was not predictable in terms of both motions over bumps or when turning or reaction to steering inputs. I spoke with VW corporate and they confirmed an earlier recall on rear coil springs on VW Golf Sportwagens but that recall impacted the 2015. They were unable to assist with the repair but suggested I contact NHTSA. It is fortunate that the failure occurred when it did and not at highway speeds or severe weather. It is also fortunate no fragments of the spring impacted the tire or break components. I have owned many cars with significantly higher miles and managed armored and police vehicle fleets but have never had a car with so few miles have a spring snap.

1. I BELIEVE THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG MAY HAVE FAILED OR BEEN DISABLED DURING A RECENT COLLISION THAT OCCURRED ON 5/25/21. A DEER STRUCK THE FRONT END OF MY VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING ON A 55MPH STATE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT A COLLISION REPAIR SHOP GETTING AN ESTIMATE. THE SHERIFF'S DEPUTY WHO RESPONDED TO THE SCENE GAVE AN INITIAL DAMAGE ESTIMATE OF $9000.00. 2. IMMEDIATELY UPON IMPACT THE AIRBAG ERROR LIGHT ILLUMINATED BUT DID NOT DEPLOY. 3.ON 5/26/21, THE DAY AFTER MY ACCIDENT, I RECEIVED A WARRANTY EXTENSION NOTICE DUE TO A POTENTIAL CLOCK SPRING FAILURE THAT COULD RESULT IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING. 4. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY SHERIFF'S DEPT AND IS CURRENTLY BE EVALUATED BY COLLISION SPECIALIST AND INSURANCE ADJUSTER. 5. THE AIRBAG ERROR LIGHT HAD NEVER ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

EXISTING NHTSA RECALL 69L2 BUT ON DIFFERENT MODEL YEAR - VW DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG AND HORN/STEERING WHEEL BUTTONS DISABLED. MY AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND MY HORN AND STEERING WHEEL BUTTONS BECAME DISABLED SIMULTANEOUSLY AS I WAS IN MOTION DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. NOW MY AIRBAG AND HORN/BUTTONS ARE NOT WORKING INCLUDING CRUISE CONTROL. VW RECALLED EARLIER-MODEL VEHICLES BUT THIS APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM THAT STILL HASN'T BEEN SOLVED AND AFFECTS MORE THAN JUST THE MODELS LISTED IN THE ORIGINAL RECALL. I CALLED VW CARE TO SEE IF MY VEHICLE WAS COVERED UNDER A CAMPAIGN OR EXTENDED WARRANTY. HOWEVER THE PERSON I SPOKE TO TOLD ME THAT MY CLOCK SPRING WAS NOT COVERED AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. THIS IS INFURIATING BECAUSE IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE THAT'S DISABLING MY AIRBAG AND HORN BUT VW IS REFUSING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. JUDGING BY HOW MANY COMPLAINTS I'VE SEEN I AM DEFINITELY NOT ALONE. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS ~66K MILES. HERE IS A RELATED VW EXTENDED WARRANTY BULLETIN I FOUND POSTED TO YOUR WEBSITE: HTTPS://STATIC.NHTSA.GOV/ODI/TSBS/2018/MC-10149942-9999.PDF INVESTIGATION INTO WHETHER VW DIDN'T RECALL ENOUGH MODELS: HTTPS://WWW.FORBES.COM/SITES/JENSEN/2018/04/21/FEDS-INVESTIGATE-WHETHER-VW-SHOULD-RECALL-MORE-MODELS/?SH=159D58364C60 CUSTOMERS CONTINUING TO HAVE PROBLEMS EVEN AFTER FIXING, SUGGESTING VW HAS NOT FIXED THE ISSUE: HTTPS://WWW.RATCHETANDWRENCH.COM/ARTICLES/6185-VW-CLOCK-SPRING-RECALL-MAY-HAVE-FAILED HTTP://WWW.VWPROBLEMS.COM/CLOCK-SPRING-FAILURE/ MORE COMPLAINTS: HTTPS://WWW.VEHIE.COM/COMPLAINTS/VOLKSWAGEN?VEHIE_MODEL=GOLF+SPORTWAGEN HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/VOLKSWAGEN/GOLF_SPORTWAGEN/2016/SEAT_BELTS_AIR_BAGS/CLOCK_SPRING_BROKEN.SHTML ARTICLE MENTIONING THAT 15/16 SPORTWAGENS NOTORIOUSLY HAVE CLOCK SPRING ISSUES: HTTPS://WWW.WHEELS.CA/CAR-REVIEWS/BUYING-USED-2015-2019-VOLKSWAGEN-GOLF-SPORTWAGEN/

I PURCHASED MY 2016 VW GOLF SPORTWAGEN IN 2019. SOON AFTER, THERE WAS A RAINSTORM, AND I REALIZED THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF WAS LEAKING HEAVILY ALONG THE BACK PANEL OF THE CAR. THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM HAD THE CAR FOR ABOUT A MONTH, AND WAS ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, AS WELL AS REPLACE THE HEADLINER. VW ISSUED A RECALL ON THE FRONT SUNROOF DRAINS IN 2020, IN WHICH THEY MODIFIED THE DRAINS. ONCE THIS WAS PERFORMED, THE SUNROOF BEGAN LEAKING AGAIN. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR SENSORS, WHICH WERE DAMAGED DUE TO WATER DAMAGE. THIS REPAIR WAS EXTREMELY COSTLY, BUT I WAS TOLD I COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT, BECAUSE VW WON'T COVER COSTS FROM FAULTY PARTS. I AM NOW LOOKING AT ANOTHER COSTLY REPAIR OF THE SUNROOF, AND A SECOND HEADLINER REPLACEMENT, WITHIN 2 YEARS OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE.

MY STEERING CLOCK SPRING FAILED AT 37K MILES, THERE'S A RECALL BUT VW SAID MY CAR IS NOT AFFECTED, HOWEVER MANY PEOPLE ON THE FORUMS AND CAR GROUPS HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE MORE THAN ONCE, SOME COVERED SOME NOT.

2016 VW GOLF SPORTWAGEN EXPERIENCED A COOLANT LEAK AT THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING/WATER PUMP AT APPROXIMATELY 76,000 MILES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 1.8 ENGINE. DIAGNOSED BY THE VW DEALER AS WELL AS A SEPARATE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. BOTH RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING/WATER PUMP.

THERMOSTAT HOUSING LEAKING WITH JUST A LITTLE OVER 60K MILES - JUST OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY. COST IS ABOUT $1000 AS IT IS POORLY PLACED FOR REPLACEMENT. HAVE READ MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS.

48K MILES, 2016 VW SPORTSWAGEN, FAULTY CLOCKSPRING. REVERSING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THERE WAS A CRINKLING,CRUNCHING SOUND WHICH CAME FROM THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN, VERY INNOCUOUS NOISE, LIKE A PIECE OF PAPER WAS CAUGHT IN THE COLUMN. IMMEDIATELY A WARNING APPEARED ON THE CONSOLE 'AIRBAG ERROR' WHICH REMAINED ON FOR THE SHORT DRIVE HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN PARKED, TURNED OFF AND UPON TURNING IGNITION ON AGAIN, THE SAME ERROR WARNING DISPLAYED. UNKNOWN IF OTHER COMPONENTS WERE AFFECTED. DEALERSHIP SERVICED THE VEHICLE DETERMINING THE CLOCK SPRING REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THIS RESULTED IN $712 IN REPAIR COSTS AS REPAIR IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. SEEMS LIKE AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH VW.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SPORTWAGEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE ODOR OF FUEL WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, WHILE REFUELING THE FUEL SPEWED BACK OUT OF THE FUEL FILLER NECK SOAKING THE PERSON FUELING THE VEHICLE. THE NEXT DAY WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUTOFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER CHARLES MAUND VOLKSWAGEN LOCATED AT 6900 BURNET RD, ALSTON, TX 78757, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V647000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.