2010 Volkswagen Golf Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Golf years
- Far more complaints than other years 9th of 29 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 69 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 Volkswagen Golf. That ranks 9th out of 29 Golf model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is fuel system, diesel (22 complaints, 32%), typically at around 18,900 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
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- 69owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2010 Volkswagen Golf 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Diesel | 22 | 32% | 18,900 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 11 | 16% | 79,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 10 | 14% | 40,504 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 9 | 13% | 5,491 | — | — |
| Engine | 7 | 10% | 49,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 7 | 10% | 4,996 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 7% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 6% | 113,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 4% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 4% | 91,356 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 4% | 91,356 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 3% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 3% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 56,878 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 1% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1% | 114,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | 285 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2010 Volkswagen Golf recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Volkswagen CC, 2010-2014 Golf, 2010-2014 Eos, 2007-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon, and 2012-2014 Passat vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 16, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q9. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.
Electronic stability control (esc); service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Volkswagen Jetta A5 Sedan, 2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen, Eos, GTI, Rabbit and Audi A3 vehicles, and 2010 Volkswagen Golf A6 vehicles. The Antilock Brake System (ABS) control unit may fail during ABS or Electronic Stability Control (ESC) activation, possibly causing a loss of vehicle control.
Risk: A loss of vehicle control can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the ABS control module software to improve the module's self-testing abilities. Any module that fails the new diagnostic test will be replaced. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began February 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a second notification when parts are available. Volkswagen will notify owners again once parts are available. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
Fuel system, diesel
Problem: Volkswagen is recalling certain model 2009-2012 jetta and jetta sportwagen vehicles, manufactured from may 2008 through september 2011, model year 2010-2012 volkswagen golf vehicles, manufactured from may 2009 through september 2011, and model year 2010-2012 audi a3 vehicles, manufactured from september 2009 through september 2011, that are equipped with a 2.0l tdi common rail diesel engine/clean diesel engine. The fuel injection pulses could coincide with the natural frequency of the injector line #2, in specific load and rpm conditions. This resonance creates additional stress in the fuel line.
Risk: Due to the resonance condition, injector line number 2 could develop small cracks which could lead to fuel leakage. Leaking fuel in the presence of an ignition source, may lead to a fire.
Fix: Volkswagen will install an improved fuel injector line for the number 2 cylinder on certain vehicles and will install vibration dampers on all of the injector lines. Volkswagen and audi will notify owners to have the vehicles repaired free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during november 2011. Owners may contact volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
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
- Air Bag Clockspring Failure (EA18003) — opened Apr 18, 2018, still open.
- Diesel Fuel Injector Line Leakage (PE11023) — opened Aug 2, 2011, closed Dec 2, 2011, led to recall 11V490000.
- High-Pressure Fuel Pump Failure (EA11003) — opened Feb 7, 2011, closed Mar 27, 2015.
- High Pressure Fuel Pump Failure (HPFP) (PE10034) — opened Aug 26, 2010, closed Feb 8, 2011.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2010 Volkswagen Golf. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS and traction control warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the ABS control module. The vehicle was not repaired. After…
The contact owns a 2010 Volkswagen Golf. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V913000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) however, the dealer declined to repair the vehicle due to the ABS and ESC warning lights being illuminated. The contact…
Shortly after acquiring this car, an airbag light appeared on the dashboard after my sister adjusted the passenger side seat. The airbag indicator showed that it was off afterward, despite my sister being adequate weight to require the airbag. Continued problems ensued when the seat would show that…
I call my call Inspector Gadget because it shifts on it's own. I could be braking and it leaps forward as if I put it in 4th or 5th gear. I heard of gears "slipping" but it is the reverse - it's rev's on it's own and speed increases. I was told it might be the manifold but I can't get that…
Abs warning lights intermittently for many months- go on and off along with airbag warning frequently- several mechanics could not diagnose. Recently brake warning lights came on at same time as abs and airbag warnings. Brake system checked out fine. On replacement of wheel speed abs sensor…
Other Volkswagen Golf years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Golf | 11 | 0 |
| 2022 Golf | 81 | 0 |
| 2021 Golf | 7 | 1 |
| 2020 Golf | 6 | 2 |
| 2019 Golf | 63 | 6 |
| 2018 Golf | 29 | 6 |
| 2017 Golf | 117 | 5 |
| 2016 Golf | 85 | 9 |
| 2015 Golf | 131 | 12 |
| 2014 Golf | 12 | 5 |
| 2013 Golf | 43 | 5 |
| 2012 Golf | 48 | 6 |
| 2011 Golf | 110 | 6 |
| 2010 | 69 | 4 |
| 2009 Golf | 3 | 0 |
| 2008 Golf | 1 | 0 |
| 2007 Golf | 2 | 0 |
| 2006 Golf | 12 | 1 |
| 2005 Golf | 19 | 2 |
| 2004 Golf | 28 | 2 |
| 2003 Golf | 26 | 2 |
| 2002 Golf | 74 | 3 |
| 2001 Golf | 116 | 5 |
| 2000 Golf | 88 | 5 |
| 1999 Golf | 64 | 4 |
| 1998 Golf | 18 | 1 |
| 1997 Golf | 7 | 0 |
| 1996 Golf | 3 | 1 |
| 1995 Golf | 43 | 4 |
See all Volkswagen Golf 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 2010 Volkswagen Golf?
Owners most often report fuel system, diesel, air bags, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, fuel system, diesel, accounts for 22 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2010 Volkswagen Golf?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2010 Volkswagen Golf a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Golf model years, the 2010 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.