2018 Volkswagen Golf R Recalls, Complaints & Specs
4 safety recalls list the 2018 Volkswagen Golf R, and owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
4 safety recalls for the 2018 Volkswagen Golf R
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Unknown or other
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…
Remedy: Volkswagen will repurchase the vehicles. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01F1.
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Unknown or other
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Golf R and Atlas, 2017 Golf Alltrack and E-Golf and 2016-2018 Passat 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,…
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners and will repurchase the vehicles. The recall began October 6, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01E9.
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Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (fuel system)
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Golf R vehicles. The fuel hose quick connector may detach from the fuel supply line in the engine bay, resulting in a fuel leak.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will secure the fuel line connection, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 11, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.…
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Mid/rear assembly (seats)
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen e-Golf and Golf R vehicles, and Audi A3 Sedan and RS3 vehicles. The rear seat frame head restraint guide sleeves may be incorrectly welded to the seat frame.
Remedy: Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners, and dealers will inspect the guide sleeves for incorrect welds, replacing the rear seat frame, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 28, 2018. Owners may…
9 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2018 Volkswagen Golf R have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 19,373 miles. Complaints peaked in 2019 with 4 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“After starting the car and then beginning to drive, the transmission falls into neutral when it should have shifted from 1st to 2nd gear. In order to recover, the driver has to stop applying the accel”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 23, 2024 · Power train
“The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Golf R. The contact stated that the headlights had become significantly dim while driving due to moisture accumulation inside the headlights housing. The contact sta”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 23, 2024 · Exterior lighting
Compare Volkswagen Golf R model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Volkswagen Golf R model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 Volkswagen Golf R | 0 | 1 |
| 2013 Volkswagen Golf R | 0 | 4 |
| 2015 Volkswagen Golf R | 0 | 1 |
| 2016 Volkswagen Golf R | 4 | 12 |
| 2017 Volkswagen Golf R | 0 | 15 |
| 2018 Volkswagen Golf R | 4 | 9 |
| 2019 Volkswagen Golf R | 2 | 6 |
| 2022 Volkswagen Golf R | 5 | 10 |
| 2023 Volkswagen Golf R | 3 | 6 |
| 2024 Volkswagen Golf R | 1 | 12 |
| 2025 Volkswagen Golf R | 1 | 0 |
| 2026 Volkswagen Golf R | 0 | 4 |
Checking a specific 2018 Volkswagen Golf R
How do I know if my 2018 Volkswagen Golf R has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 2018 Volkswagen Golf R; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Volkswagen dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 18V803000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Volkswagen models
- Jetta10,000 complaints
- Passat7,705 complaints
- Beetle2,596 complaints
- Tiguan2,300 complaints
- Atlas1,999 complaints
- Golf1,439 complaints
- GTI1,405 complaints
- ID.41,007 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.