2013 Volkswagen GOLF SPORTWAGEN: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
9,888 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2013 model year. Data updated: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 1 of 1 complaints (100.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 1 |
| Structure:Body | 1 |
Electrical System: 1; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 1; Structure:Body: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 0 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 |
2019: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11269086 · 2019-10-17 (October 17, 2019)
RECALL 37M2 - MY 2013 VW JETTA SPORTWAGON/AUTOMATIC, W/KEY - IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. HOWEVER - THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR - ONLY 4 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT IT! (CERTIFIED, FROM A VW DEALER) MY VW WAS PARKED AT THE TOP OF A DRIVEWAY (THE HOUSE AND DRIVEWAY IS ON A HILL - BUT THE TOP OF THE DRIVEWAY IS FLAT - WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED) 15 MINUTES LATER IT STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS, WENT DOWN A HILL, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE AND WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. THE CAR WAS IN PARK - THE KEY CAME OUT AND THE CAR MADE NO BEEPING NOISE. T…
Owner-reported narrative. 9,888 miles reported. Look up ODI 11269086 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
1 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 2013 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 1100.0%ODI 11269086 · 9,888 miRECALL 37M2 - MY 2013 VW JETTA SPORTWAGON/AUTOMATIC, W/KEY - IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. HOWEVER - THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR - ONLY 4 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT IT! (CERTIFIED, FROM A VW DEALER) MY VW WAS PARKED AT THE TOP OF A DRIVEWAY (THE HOUSE AND DRIVEWAY IS ON A HILL - BUT THE TOP OF THE DRIVEWAY IS FLAT - WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED) 15 MINUTES LATER IT STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS, WENT DOWN A HILL, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE AND WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. THE CAR WAS IN PARK - THE KEY CAME OUT AND THE CAR MADE NO BEEPING NOISE. T… | 1830.5%ODI 11174488 · 60,936 miPROBLEM NOTICED DECEMBER 12TH WHEN ONE BY ONE ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON INCLUDING THE AIR BAG, THE STABILIZATION SYSTEM, THE HEADLIGHT SYSTEM AND OTHERS. THEN WHEN I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 1ST GEAR. I ENDED UP HAVING TO HAVE MY VEHICLE TOWED BACK HOME. THE NEXT DAY A MECHANIC SCANNED IT AND SAID THERE WAS A PROBLEM IN THE EMITIONS SYSTEM WHICH DISABLED THE CAR BY MAKING IT NOT ABLE TO DRIVE. I THEN HAD IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST VW DEALER WHO TOLD ME THAT THE WHOLE PROBLEM, INCLUDING THE FAILURE OF THE SAFETY … | 611.8%ODI 11118891 · 23,000 miTHE DRAIN ON RETRACTABLE ROOF BECAME BLOCKED. RAINWATER DRAINED INTO CAR SATURATING CARPETS. WATER FLOWED INTO CONTROL SYSTEM CAUSING AN EMERGENCY DASHBOARD ALERT TO STOP DRIVING IMMEDIATELY WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. THIS EVENT OCCURRED TWICE: FIRSTLY IN NEW YORK THEN TWO WEEKS LATER IN PA. VW SERVICE IN PA REPLACED CONNECTORS. VW SERVICE IN BROOKLYN NY AND WESTCHESTER PA EXPLAINED THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FAULT IN THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM IN THE RETRACTABLE ROOF. | 718.4%ODI 11025155 · 3,000 miTHE FOLLOWING PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED TWICE, MOST RECENTLY TODAY. CAR DOES NOT TURN ON, AND EPC AND ENGINE LIGHT FLASH. THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURRED ON 9/917, I CALLED A TOW. WHEN THE TOW ARRIVED, THE CAR TURNED ON AND I DROVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHICH CHECKED IT OVER AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS. YESTERDAY, I WAS DRIVING THE CAR HOME AND MADE A STOP AT THE POST OFFICE. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE CAR, IT WOULD NOT TURN ON. I LEFT IT WHERE I HAD PARKED IT, RETURNED TO IT 3 HOURS LATER BUT IT STILL WOULD NOT TURN ON. AM HAVING IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSH… | 216.7%ODI 11429496The vehicle went forward in Reverse and backward in Drive, multiple times in one day, observed by driver and passenger. Another vehicle was struck; no one was injured (fortunately). Dealer said they could not recreate the problem and nothing was wrong. | 327.3%ODI 11480880The vehicle suddenly shut off while going 60 mph on the highway, and a 'Check Starter System' message appeared before a message that indicated that I need to stop the vehicle appeared. Vehicle was able to restart and the same issue occurred again less than 1 mile down the road. My safety was at risk due to the loss of power, that on another road or a highway on ramp, could have caused a collision due to the loss of speed I experienced. There were no prior warnings until the loss of power. The manufacturer service center was unable to replicate … |
| Air Bags | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1322.0%ODI 11074193 · 70,500 miLOUD SNAPPING SOUND WHILE TURNING, AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, LOST ALL ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS OF STEERING WHEEL, INCLUDING HORN & AIRBAG. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. HAD VEHICLE EXAMINED, CODES PULLED, DETERMINED IT WAS FAILURE OF THE CLOCK SPRING MECHANISM. | 1631.4%ODI 11084462 · 17,900 miCLOCK SPRING FAILURE IN UNDER 2 YEARS (LESS THAN 20,000 MILES ON THE CAR). WHEN CAR WAS TURNED ON ALERTS CAME UP THAT THE AIRBAG HAD MALFUNCTIONED, AND AUTOMATIC CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTION, NONE OF THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS WORKED, AND THE HORN WAS NON-FUNCTIONAL. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH LED ME TO BELIEVE IT WAS THE CLOCK SPRING, AND I ALSO NOTICED VW HAD A CLOCK SPRING RECALL ON CARS FROM 2011-2014, SEEMS LIKE THIS MIGHT BE A LARGER ISSUE. CAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRED - CLOCK SPRING WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE PROBLEM. | 37.9%ODI 11258006 · 36,000 miAIRBAG LIGHT ON AND FAILED USB PORT WITH NO APPLECARPLAY ACCESS FAILED USB PORT NOTED WHILE CAR IN MOTION ADVISED CLOCKSPRING FAILURE- STATED NOT RECALL OR WARRANTY- RECEIVED LETTER IN MAIL REGARDING RECALL 2018 BUT NONE NOTED AS CURRENT. INTERNET SHOWS MANY ISSUES WITH VW CLOCKSPRING WAS ADVISED IT DID NOT PERTAIN TO MY VIN #. OBVIOUSLY IT DOES! | 216.7%ODI 11229699 · 9,550 miWARNING LIGHT INDICATING ERROR IN PASSENGER AIR BAG. REQUESTED IMMEDIATE SERVICING AS AIR BAG MAY DEPLOY ACCIDENTALLY OR NOT DEPLOY WHEN NEEDED. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Unknown Or Other | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1220.3%ODI 11129543 · 9,500 miJUST IN FRONT OF THE SHIFTER AND BEHIND THE CENTER STORAGE CONSOLE, METALLIC TRIM ON PLASTIC PEELED UP LEAVING A RAZOR SHARP EDGE. I DID NOT SEE THIS DEFECT. AS I PULLED MY KEYS OUT OF THE CONSOLE, THE SMALLEST FINGER ON MY RIGHT HAND WAS BADLY SLICED, CAUSING QUITE A LOT OF BLEEDING. HAD I BEEN DRIVING AT THE TIME, THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE SURPRISE, PAIN, AMOUNT OF BLOOD AND THE DISTRACTION CAUSED BY THOSE THINGS. FORTUNATELY, I HAD JUST PARKED AT MY HOME AND WAS ABLE TO RUN INSIDE AND STANCH THE BLOOD FLOW. | 1019.6%ODI 11084462 · 17,900 miCLOCK SPRING FAILURE IN UNDER 2 YEARS (LESS THAN 20,000 MILES ON THE CAR). WHEN CAR WAS TURNED ON ALERTS CAME UP THAT THE AIRBAG HAD MALFUNCTIONED, AND AUTOMATIC CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTION, NONE OF THE STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS WORKED, AND THE HORN WAS NON-FUNCTIONAL. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH LED ME TO BELIEVE IT WAS THE CLOCK SPRING, AND I ALSO NOTICED VW HAD A CLOCK SPRING RECALL ON CARS FROM 2011-2014, SEEMS LIKE THIS MIGHT BE A LARGER ISSUE. CAR WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRED - CLOCK SPRING WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE PROBLEM. | 513.2%ODI 11271720 · 58,800 miCAR LOSES POWER ON HIGHWAY EVEN WITH GAS PEDAL PRESSED DOWN TO FLOOR BOARD. SOURCE OF ISSUE IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. | 325.0%ODI 11352538 · 16,800 miTRIM SURROUNDING SHIFT CONSOLE IS MADE OF BRITTLE METAL THAT TEARS AT FOLD AND THEN LACERATES DRIVER OR PASSENGER WHEN THEY REACH INTO CENTER CUBBY. | 218.2%ODI 11497754HORN. It takes great effort to sound the horn on this model VW. I am the original owner, and took it to two (2) VW dealers and they said that it works properly, but then again, they pressed very hard to make it work, and not how a normal driver would use it. For me and other drivers however, normal pressure on the horn will not sound it. I have driven many cars over the years (I am 63 and started driving 15-1/2) and I find this dangerous. I am in a Facebook group of VW Golf Sportwagen & Alltrack (similar car) owners, and many other owner… |
| Suspension | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 58.5%ODI 11446595 · 60,000 miThe contact owns a 2015 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen. The contact stated that upon parking the vehicle, the tire pressure warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the rear end of the vehicle was very low. Additionally, her children informed her that their buttocks hurt whenever the vehicle would hit a bump while driving. The contact was able to continue to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed the failure as a bilateral rear coil spring fracture. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informe… | 47.8%ODI 11426160The 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 un… | 1436.8%ODI 11328872 · 92,000 miI HAVE 2017 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SPORTWAGEN. THE REAR AXLE COIL SPRING PART NUMBER 5QM 511 115 BROKE. IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN RECALLED (SEE SAFETY RECALL CODE 42J5). BUT MY VIN DOES NOW SHOW ANY RECALL. PLEASE HELP. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 436.4%ODI 11512910The right rear coil spring fractured at the lower control end of the coil. This model was subject to a recall (19V188000) for premature fracture of the coil spring. However, according to VW this recall did not affect the VIN of our vehicle. Suspect that the recall either should have included our VIN or that the replacement springs have a similar material defect. |
| Engine | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 58.5%ODI 11493252A defect that meets the definition of a nonconformity in Washington State, and that is covered under warranty, caused the vehicle to stall while driving and caused the vehicle to not accelerate when the accelerator was pressed. My safety was put at risk when this happened on a 50 mph road because vehicles behind me expected my vehicle in front of them to accelerate in a predictable way with the flow of traffic. Another time, a stall happened as I turned onto a highway. I had come to a stop, waited for the traffic light, and then turned rig… | 917.6%ODI 11218625 · 49,500 miWHILE DRIVING, THE EPC WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND THE ENGINE LOWERS ITS SPEED. SOMETIMES ENGINE OVERHEATING WARNING ALSO COMES ON AT THE SAME TIME. HAVE TO PULL OVER AND SHUT ENGINE OFF AND RESTART TO CLEAR THE EPC WARNING LIGHT. VW SERVICE DEPT. SAYS THEY DON'T KNOW WHY THIS HAPPENS AND NO FIX CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. | 513.2%ODI 11025155 · 3,000 miTHE FOLLOWING PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED TWICE, MOST RECENTLY TODAY. CAR DOES NOT TURN ON, AND EPC AND ENGINE LIGHT FLASH. THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURRED ON 9/917, I CALLED A TOW. WHEN THE TOW ARRIVED, THE CAR TURNED ON AND I DROVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHICH CHECKED IT OVER AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS. YESTERDAY, I WAS DRIVING THE CAR HOME AND MADE A STOP AT THE POST OFFICE. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE CAR, IT WOULD NOT TURN ON. I LEFT IT WHERE I HAD PARKED IT, RETURNED TO IT 3 HOURS LATER BUT IT STILL WOULD NOT TURN ON. AM HAVING IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSH… | 18.3%ODI 11677611Our VW Sportwagen registered owner [XXX] - my wife, which we purchased new has a coolant leak at 41000 miles. This is the 3rd time. It was repaired twice under warranty at two separate dealers - 10/2024 was the 2nd time - 3 separate leaks including the original repaired seal failing again. The new car warranty has now expired. 7/2025 is is leaking again. Will the engine seize up? VW says we aren't their customer. I wonder who made the VW? They won't tell me where to get it repaired properly. VW says everything is up to the dealer and that th… | 327.3%ODI 11245618 · 310 miTHE MOTOR COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. SOMETIMES THERE WILL BE A LOSS PF ENGINE POWER AND A 'STUTTERING' AND JERKING JUST BEFORE THE STALL OCCURS, BUT NOT ALWAYS. AT FASTER SPEEDS THERE IS A HARD THUMP AND SUDDEN DECELERATION. MY CAR HAS STALLED 14 TIMES WHILE IN MOTION AT SPEEDS FROM 20 MPH TO 60 MPH SINCE I STARTED COUNTING (THERE HAVE BEEN MORE STALLS THAN THIS). THE CAR ALSO NOW STALLS AT STOP LIGHTS, STOP SIGNS, OR SIMPLY WHILE IDLING IN NEUTRAL (I HAVE VIDEO OF THE MOTOR SHUTTING OFF). THE ISSUE FIRST … |
| Power Train | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 610.2%ODI 11019792 · 46,000 miI OWN A 2015 VW GOLF SPORTWAGEN WITH A LITTLE OVER 46,000 MILES. THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING HAS GONE BAD AND WAS DIAGNOSED AND REPLACE (OEM ONLY) BY A VW SPECIALTY GARAGE. I WAS ALSO INFORMED AND CAN HEAR, THE RIGHT FRONT BEARING GOING BAD AS WELL. IT ALL STATED WITH A LOW HUM WHICH CHANGED PITCH WITH THE SPEED OF THE CAR. OVER TIME IT GOT LOUDER AND LOUDER UNTIL I FINALLY TOOK IT IN TO A DIAGNOSIS. I RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND MANY GEN 3 LATE MODEL GOLFS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. DEFECTIVE WHEEL BEARINGS. WHEEL BEARINGS SHOULD NOT FAI… | 47.8%ODI 11165958 · 36,714 miON JAN. 5TH 2019 THE DASHBOARD WARNING SYSTEM SHOWED A "ERROR - TRANSMISSION". WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP - THEY SAID IT WAS THE SHIFTER UNIT, AND THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE "POWERTRAIN" WARRANTY. WE WERE TOLD IT WAS STILL SAFE TO DRIVE WHILE THEY ORDERED PARTS. WHILE DRIVING IT HOME FROM THE DEALER, IT WOULD HESITATE WHEN STARTING OFF FROM A STOP - WITH ONCOMMING TRAFFIC, THIS CAN BE A UNSAFE OPTION. LOOKING ON SEVERAL VW SUPPORT FORUMS, I SEE THIS SAME PROBLEM COME UP OFTEN - MOST ARE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY HAPPE… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 433.3%ODI 11418540When coasting with foot off the accelerator at normal road speeds starting at greater than ~30 mph, the vehicle will bleed speed normally until around 25 mph. At that point the transmission will suddenly grab and rapidly decelerate the vehicle down to approximately 15 mph. After reaching around 15 mph the transmission disconnects and the car coasts normally again. This has happened consistently since the car was delivered and after taking the car to two separate dealers for investigation was assured that it's part of the normal operation of t… | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 11.7%ODI 11493252A defect that meets the definition of a nonconformity in Washington State, and that is covered under warranty, caused the vehicle to stall while driving and caused the vehicle to not accelerate when the accelerator was pressed. My safety was put at risk when this happened on a 50 mph road because vehicles behind me expected my vehicle in front of them to accelerate in a predictable way with the flow of traffic. Another time, a stall happened as I turned onto a highway. I had come to a stop, waited for the traffic light, and then turned rig… | 611.8%ODI 11525519May 27 and May 28: The car turned on the EPC and check engine lights while on parking mode and on. Started to loose power and didnt want to start again. Later on, the lights turned off and it started again. While trying to fill the fuel tank at the gasoline station it stopped and it was only half tank.(The system didnt allowed to continue). While driving in the highway, started to loose power and a strong smell of fuel was inside the car so the driver had to open all the windows to avoid an intoxication with emissions(as it seemed to be). When… | 513.2%ODI 11025155 · 3,000 miTHE FOLLOWING PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED TWICE, MOST RECENTLY TODAY. CAR DOES NOT TURN ON, AND EPC AND ENGINE LIGHT FLASH. THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURRED ON 9/917, I CALLED A TOW. WHEN THE TOW ARRIVED, THE CAR TURNED ON AND I DROVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHICH CHECKED IT OVER AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS. YESTERDAY, I WAS DRIVING THE CAR HOME AND MADE A STOP AT THE POST OFFICE. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE CAR, IT WOULD NOT TURN ON. I LEFT IT WHERE I HAD PARKED IT, RETURNED TO IT 3 HOURS LATER BUT IT STILL WOULD NOT TURN ON. AM HAVING IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSH… | 18.3%ODI 11133077 · 60 miTOOK DELIVERY OF VEHICLE ON SEP.23,2018 DROVE IT FOR THREE DAYS AND NOTICED A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE COMING FROM THE AIR VENTS AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THIS OCCURRED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS WARM AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN 2017. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE VW DEALER BEING EVALUATED. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Structure:Body | 1100.0%ODI 11269086 · 9,888 miRECALL 37M2 - MY 2013 VW JETTA SPORTWAGON/AUTOMATIC, W/KEY - IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. HOWEVER - THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR - ONLY 4 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT IT! (CERTIFIED, FROM A VW DEALER) MY VW WAS PARKED AT THE TOP OF A DRIVEWAY (THE HOUSE AND DRIVEWAY IS ON A HILL - BUT THE TOP OF THE DRIVEWAY IS FLAT - WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED) 15 MINUTES LATER IT STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS, WENT DOWN A HILL, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE AND WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. THE CAR WAS IN PARK - THE KEY CAME OUT AND THE CAR MADE NO BEEPING NOISE. T… | 46.8%ODI 11064477 · 22,836 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SPORTWAGEN. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS OPENED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VIC BAILEY VOLKSWAGEN (2671 REDVILLE RD, SPARTANBURG, SC 29301). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,836. | 35.9%ODI 11118891 · 23,000 miTHE DRAIN ON RETRACTABLE ROOF BECAME BLOCKED. RAINWATER DRAINED INTO CAR SATURATING CARPETS. WATER FLOWED INTO CONTROL SYSTEM CAUSING AN EMERGENCY DASHBOARD ALERT TO STOP DRIVING IMMEDIATELY WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. THIS EVENT OCCURRED TWICE: FIRSTLY IN NEW YORK THEN TWO WEEKS LATER IN PA. VW SERVICE IN PA REPLACED CONNECTORS. VW SERVICE IN BROOKLYN NY AND WESTCHESTER PA EXPLAINED THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FAULT IN THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM IN THE RETRACTABLE ROOF. | 25.3%ODI 11328045 · 40,000 miSUN ROOF EXPLODED AND SHATTERED WHILE DRIVING ON OPEN ROAD WITH NO OTHER CARS AROUND AND NOT UNDER ANY TREES, ETC SO WAS NOT STRUCK BY ANYTHING BUT EXPLODED AND TOTALLY SHATTERED. *TR | 216.7%ODI 11440759The U-shaped on the passenger door jamb the the door latch attaches to came loose preventing the door from closing completely. Ganley VW tightened up the fasteners without writing up a service order so it would be reported to VW. They did not use a torgue wrench. I asked them to use thread locker to help prevent this from recurring. They refused and stated VW does not permit them to use thread locker. It took 8 days to get an appointment to repair this. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | Too few reports for a range | 9,888 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 11269086 · 9,888 miRECALL 37M2 - MY 2013 VW JETTA SPORTWAGON/AUTOMATIC, W/KEY - IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. HOWEVER - THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR - ONLY 4 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT IT! (CERTIFIED, FROM A VW DEALER) MY VW WAS PARKED AT THE TOP OF A DRIVEWAY (THE HOUSE AND DRIVEWAY IS ON A HILL - BUT THE TOP OF THE DRIVEWAY IS FLAT - WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED) 15 MINUTES LATER IT STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS, WENT DOWN A HILL, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE AND WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. THE CAR WAS IN PARK - THE KEY CAME OUT AND THE CAR MADE NO BEEPING NOISE. T… |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | Too few reports for a range | 9,888 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 11269086 · 9,888 miRECALL 37M2 - MY 2013 VW JETTA SPORTWAGON/AUTOMATIC, W/KEY - IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. HOWEVER - THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR - ONLY 4 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT IT! (CERTIFIED, FROM A VW DEALER) MY VW WAS PARKED AT THE TOP OF A DRIVEWAY (THE HOUSE AND DRIVEWAY IS ON A HILL - BUT THE TOP OF THE DRIVEWAY IS FLAT - WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED) 15 MINUTES LATER IT STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS, WENT DOWN A HILL, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE AND WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. THE CAR WAS IN PARK - THE KEY CAME OUT AND THE CAR MADE NO BEEPING NOISE. T… |
| Structure:Body | Too few reports for a range | 9,888 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 11269086 · 9,888 miRECALL 37M2 - MY 2013 VW JETTA SPORTWAGON/AUTOMATIC, W/KEY - IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. HOWEVER - THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR - ONLY 4 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT IT! (CERTIFIED, FROM A VW DEALER) MY VW WAS PARKED AT THE TOP OF A DRIVEWAY (THE HOUSE AND DRIVEWAY IS ON A HILL - BUT THE TOP OF THE DRIVEWAY IS FLAT - WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED) 15 MINUTES LATER IT STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS, WENT DOWN A HILL, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE AND WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. THE CAR WAS IN PARK - THE KEY CAME OUT AND THE CAR MADE NO BEEPING NOISE. T… |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2018: 4 complaints · 2019: 3 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 2019 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Electrical System | Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | Structure:Body |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | — | 1ODI 11269086 · 9,888 miRECALL 37M2 - MY 2013 VW JETTA SPORTWAGON/AUTOMATIC, W/KEY - IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. HOWEVER - THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR - ONLY 4 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT IT! (CERTIFIED, FROM A VW DEALER) MY VW WAS PARKED AT THE TOP OF A DRIVEWAY (THE HOUSE AND DRIVEWAY IS ON A HILL - BUT THE TOP OF THE DRIVEWAY IS FLAT - WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED) 15 MINUTES LATER IT STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS, WENT DOWN A HILL, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE AND WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. THE CAR WAS IN PARK - THE KEY CAME OUT AND THE CAR MADE NO BEEPING NOISE. T… | 1ODI 11269086 · 9,888 miRECALL 37M2 - MY 2013 VW JETTA SPORTWAGON/AUTOMATIC, W/KEY - IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. HOWEVER - THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR - ONLY 4 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT IT! (CERTIFIED, FROM A VW DEALER) MY VW WAS PARKED AT THE TOP OF A DRIVEWAY (THE HOUSE AND DRIVEWAY IS ON A HILL - BUT THE TOP OF THE DRIVEWAY IS FLAT - WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED) 15 MINUTES LATER IT STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS, WENT DOWN A HILL, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE AND WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. THE CAR WAS IN PARK - THE KEY CAME OUT AND THE CAR MADE NO BEEPING NOISE. T… |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 1ODI 11269086 · 9,888 miRECALL 37M2 - MY 2013 VW JETTA SPORTWAGON/AUTOMATIC, W/KEY - IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. HOWEVER - THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR - ONLY 4 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT IT! (CERTIFIED, FROM A VW DEALER) MY VW WAS PARKED AT THE TOP OF A DRIVEWAY (THE HOUSE AND DRIVEWAY IS ON A HILL - BUT THE TOP OF THE DRIVEWAY IS FLAT - WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED) 15 MINUTES LATER IT STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS, WENT DOWN A HILL, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE AND WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. THE CAR WAS IN PARK - THE KEY CAME OUT AND THE CAR MADE NO BEEPING NOISE. T… | — | 1ODI 11269086 · 9,888 miRECALL 37M2 - MY 2013 VW JETTA SPORTWAGON/AUTOMATIC, W/KEY - IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. HOWEVER - THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR - ONLY 4 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT IT! (CERTIFIED, FROM A VW DEALER) MY VW WAS PARKED AT THE TOP OF A DRIVEWAY (THE HOUSE AND DRIVEWAY IS ON A HILL - BUT THE TOP OF THE DRIVEWAY IS FLAT - WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED) 15 MINUTES LATER IT STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS, WENT DOWN A HILL, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE AND WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. THE CAR WAS IN PARK - THE KEY CAME OUT AND THE CAR MADE NO BEEPING NOISE. T… |
| Structure:Body | 1ODI 11269086 · 9,888 miRECALL 37M2 - MY 2013 VW JETTA SPORTWAGON/AUTOMATIC, W/KEY - IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. HOWEVER - THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR - ONLY 4 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT IT! (CERTIFIED, FROM A VW DEALER) MY VW WAS PARKED AT THE TOP OF A DRIVEWAY (THE HOUSE AND DRIVEWAY IS ON A HILL - BUT THE TOP OF THE DRIVEWAY IS FLAT - WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED) 15 MINUTES LATER IT STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS, WENT DOWN A HILL, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE AND WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. THE CAR WAS IN PARK - THE KEY CAME OUT AND THE CAR MADE NO BEEPING NOISE. T… | 1ODI 11269086 · 9,888 miRECALL 37M2 - MY 2013 VW JETTA SPORTWAGON/AUTOMATIC, W/KEY - IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. HOWEVER - THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR - ONLY 4 WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT IT! (CERTIFIED, FROM A VW DEALER) MY VW WAS PARKED AT THE TOP OF A DRIVEWAY (THE HOUSE AND DRIVEWAY IS ON A HILL - BUT THE TOP OF THE DRIVEWAY IS FLAT - WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED) 15 MINUTES LATER IT STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS, WENT DOWN A HILL, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE AND WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. THE CAR WAS IN PARK - THE KEY CAME OUT AND THE CAR MADE NO BEEPING NOISE. T… | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.