Saturday, August 8, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

2011 Volkswagen Golf vs 2013 Volkswagen Golf

Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.

Metric2011 Volkswagen Golf2013 Volkswagen Golf
NHTSA complaints11043
Recall campaigns65
Service bulletins (TSBs)1,2101,296
Investigations53
Crash reports42
Fire reports31
NCAP overall rating
EPA MPG (combined)26–3226–32
Median reported incident mileage28,000 mi50,000 mi

Reported problems side by side

ComponentVolkswagen GolfVolkswagen Golf
Fuel/propulsion System3011
Engine1514
Electrical System187
Power Train211
Fuel System, Diesel193
Air Bags129
Engine and Engine Cooling110
Steering35

Symptoms owners describe

Stalling285
Loss of power130
Check engine light85
2011 Volkswagen Golf
2013 Volkswagen Golf

Compare all Volkswagen Golf vs Volkswagen Golf years →

Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.