2016 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Golf Sportwagen years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 6 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 51 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen. That ranks 2nd out of 6 Golf Sportwagen model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (17 complaints, 33%), typically at around 40,835 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 51owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2016 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 17 | 33% | 40,835 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 10 | 20% | 41,690 | — | — |
| Engine | 9 | 18% | 57,250 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 6 | 12% | 36,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 6 | 12% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 10% | 135,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 4 | 8% | 56,357 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 6% | 76,200 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 6% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 6% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 4% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 2% | 23,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 2% | 86,400 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 2% | 30,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2016 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline
Problem: 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.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the suction pump, free of charge. Final owner notification letters for Audi owners were mailed on July 25, 2024. Final owner letters for VW owners were mailed on August 13, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are VW: 20UF/Audi: 20YF. Vehicles that were previously recalled under 16V-647 will need to have the new remedy completed. This recall expands and replaces previous recall number 16V-647.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2016 Audi TT Roadster, TT Coupe, S3 Sedan, R8 Coupe, A3 Sedan, A3 Etron, A3 Cabriolet, 2016 Golf Sportwagen, Golf R, Golf GTI, Golf A7, and E Golf vehicles. During air bag deployment, the front passenger air bag may explode or deploy improperly.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking occupants, resulting in serious injury or death. An improper air bag deployment may not properly restrain the occupant, increasing their risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front-passenger air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 16, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi's customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69DY and 61C1.
Electrical system:ignition:anti-theft:control module; steering:column locking:anti-theft device
Problem: 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."
Risk: Removing the key while the shift lever is in a position other than "Park" increases the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional switch and circuit board, free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 37L5.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647) (RQ23007) — opened Dec 12, 2023, closed Jul 1, 2024, led to recall 24V110.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
SRS/airbag warning light illuminated. A diagnostic scan (VCDS) confirmed stored fault codes for both front airbag crash sensors: driver's side 'short to ground' and passenger's side 'open or short to plus.' Upon further inspection, water was found pooled at the airbag control module connector…
Junction between thermostat and water pump failed leading to total loss of coolant. At the time I was driving north on I-75 in heavy morning traffic at 65 MPH. I was able to steer the vehicle off the road without hitting anyone or coming to a complete stop. Had the vehicle towed to Jim Ellis VW of…
The fuel pump on my 2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen failed approximately three months after a safety recall repair for the suction jet pump (recall 20Y6). My independent mechanic explained that failure of the suction jet pump can cause fuel leakage or vapor transfer into the EVAP system, which may…
Component: Sunroof / Roof Assembly - Water Ingress Make / Model / Year: 2016 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen VIN: [XXX] Mileage: ~40,000 Sunroof leaks water while closed and glass intact. First replacement frame arrived damaged. Repair extended into second week. Known manufacturer defect (VW bulletin…
My car started smelling like gas 10 days ago. There was no visible leak. We took it to the shop still canât figure out the issues. Took it to pick up my son from school, it started leaking fuel (I had 1/4 of a tank left). I turned off the car and it stopped leaking fuel. Needing a fix quick, I…
Other Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen years
← 2015 Golf Sportwagen · 2017 Golf Sportwagen →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Golf Sportwagen | 11 | 5 |
| 2018 Golf Sportwagen | 12 | 5 |
| 2017 Golf Sportwagen | 38 | 4 |
| 2016 | 51 | 3 |
| 2015 Golf Sportwagen | 59 | 3 |
| 2013 Golf Sportwagen | 1 | 0 |
See all Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen problems by year, every Volkswagen model, or the Volkswagen VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen?
Owners most often report air bags, unknown or other, engine problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 17 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2016 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Golf Sportwagen model years, the 2016 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.