2023 Volkswagen Golf

The vehicle has a feature called "hill hold" that can not be disabled where it holds the brakes when stopped on a hill untill 3 seconds after removing your foot from the brake pedal. This has resulted in many near miss safety hazards because I can not move the vehicle quickly enough to make a safety maneuver in the event of imminent collision from another vehicle when stopped on a hill.

Reported

Oct 2025

Incident date

Oct 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Hello, The problem that I am having, and that many people have been having with the 8th generation Volkswagen Golf Rs (and GTIs as well) is with the "hill hold" feature. My car is manual transmission. When on a hill, the hill hold feature automatically holds the brakes after you take your foot off the brake. The way this feature is supposed to work is that the hill hold is supposed to release upon clutch disengagement and throttle input. It does not do that. Rather, it bites really hard on the brakes and makes it very hard to move the car forward, often resulting in brake and clutch wear. This is a safety issue in that it can cause the car to stall, leaving the car without the ability to move out of the way of danger in the middle of an intersection. This has happened to me at least ten (10) times since purchasing this car in July of 2023. There is no way to adjust the hill hold feature or to turn it off. The design of this feature is counter-intuitive to the way that all manual transmission drivers have learned to drive. It should not be necessary to "plan ahead" to take your foot off the brakes and wait three seconds (about how long the hill hold stays engaged) before you can move forward. Cars should be designed to go forward when the driver wants to go forward. With this feature, it makes it dangerous to move from a stopped position on a hill because the car may stall, i.e. the hill hold doesn't let the brakes go upon throttle input and clutch disengagement. I have read hundreds of posts on social media and Volkswagen forums regarding this complaint. No one has had any luck with Volkswagen regarding fixing this issue. It's written into the code and would need to be coded out in a firmware update, or coded to permit adjustment. Prior versions of this car (6th, 7th generation) and other cars do not have this problem. This is specific to the 8th generation Golf R and GTI. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Reported

Feb 2025

Incident date

Feb 2025

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The car’s own navigation calibration system has been inoperable for at least eight months and is known issue to VW. The system incorrectly places the car’s location, gives false navigation directions based upon that false location, corrupts the navigation calibration of any linked phone, which prevents that phone from giving correct navigation directions through the phone. This issue is ongoing and VW has not offered any fix.

Reported

Jun 2024

Incident date

Jun 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Golf R. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at a stop light on an incline, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that there was a three-second delay before the vehicle responded. The contact stated that due to the failure, the vehicle was almost rear-ended by a local fire truck that was responding to a call. In addition, the contact stated that the failure had occurred over ten times since the vehicle was purchased in August 2023. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20.

Reported

Jun 2024

Incident date

Aug 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Back up camera not working due to infotainment system not working. Dealer is aware, says they are waiting for a software update.

Reported

Mar 2024

Incident date

Jan 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

While driving, Front Safety System Light came on. Additionally, Drive System light came on and car would not go over 25-30 mph.

Reported

Feb 2024

Incident date

Jan 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The VW Golf current generation starting has “haptic” controls on the steering wheel and dash under the radio. As it stands right now you cannot make changes to radio, or cruise control without taking your eyes off th me road and look down at the steering wheel to find the button you are looking for. In most cars with normal buttons you learn where they are and can feel your way around them with having to look. The VW design of making the button touch sensitive makes it that if you would try to feel where it is located you would make other unwanted changes since all steering wheel controls are touch sensitive. Also the volume and hvac “haptic” controls under the radio screen are not illuminated, thus at night time making adjustments you again have to look at your steering wheel or look down and try to find in the darkness where the “haptic” sliding control is.

Reported

Jan 2024

Incident date

Jan 2024

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Infotainment system fails to start/load. Infotainment screen provides multiple error messages such and “component protection active” and/ or “you can activate this function at dealer” and subsequently becomes inoperable, including multiple safety related features: Back up/ rear view camera freezes image or does not turn on at all. Autonomous emergency braking (front assist) fail light comes on. Park distance control fail light comes on. Have been to the VW dealer on two different occasions for these issues specifically and the systems and problems not resolved. They reset/ updated the infotainment system at 1st visit. System failed again/ unresolved. Took back to dealer and they called VW corporate for help. Picked up from 2nd visit and systems promptly failed again. Online search suggests common, unresolved problem. Thank you for aiding consumers in resolving these safety issues

Reported

Dec 2023

Incident date

Oct 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The infotainment of the car with the navigation gave wrong directions and almost drove me into a canyon rather than the street. I took it to the dealership and left it there for two days and the problem was still there.

Reported

Oct 2023

Incident date

Oct 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Having consistent issues with safety features and infotainment system that locks up with errors. Since new my VW Gti has been experiencing drivers' assistants' issues. At times the backup camera does not work. At times the the whole infotainment system will have various different errors that prevent any of the safety features to be turned on. The errors don't easily go away unless turning off the car and trying to restart it all.

Reported

Oct 2023

Incident date

Sep 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The vehicle has a manual transmission and is equipped with a hill start assist feature. This holds the brake on a hill so the clutch and gear may be engaged and keep the car from rolling back. The feature in this vehicle does not release the brake when the vehicle starts moving forward and holds it for a set amount of time based on hill gradient. This had led to stalling of the vehicle, as the clutch and gear engagement process is completed before the brakes are released. This can be dangerous in traffic situations, especially in intersections.

Reported

Sep 2023

Incident date

Aug 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

All 2022 & 2023 Volkswagen GTI & R models with manual transmissions are impacted by this safety issue. When making a stop on any amount of road grade/hill, the vehicle brakes fully engage and will not disengage when removing your foot from the brake pedal, or by engaging or disengaging the clutch, or by applying throttle. Upon releasing the brake pedal, there is a programmed waiting period of 2-3 seconds where the brakes remain fully engaged, and the vehicle is unable to move regardless of the driver input. Once the waiting period expires, the vehicle begins an uncontrolled roll-back and the driver is able to engage or release the clutch and apply throttle for forward movement. During this waiting period, after the brake pedal is released, any vehicle input will cause a stall. During this waiting period the vehicle brake lights have turned off so drivers behind you believe you have begun forward movement, and they are likely to rearend your vehicle. If you re-apply the brake pedal, the waiting period resets, and you must go through the 2-3 second waiting period again. This feature creates a danger of entering or crossing traffic because the driver cannot 'time' when they will have the ability to move the vehicle, it also creates a danger of stalling the vehicle on a hill or while entering traffic. While in traffic on an uphill gradient, the feature continually engages the brakes and creates waiting periods; this is the case even on an uphill gradient while on an interstate causing continual extended stops. The feature cannot be turned off by the driver. VW Dealerships are unable to turn off the feature. Aftermarket tuning companies are unable to disable this feature. Please cross check your records as this is not an isolated safety complaint regarding these vehicles. Previous model years had an option to turn on a hill-assist feature that held the vehicle from a roll back. The 2022-2023 model year feature creates a roll back and prevents driver inputs.

Reported

Aug 2023

Incident date

Aug 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

These issues are related to unintentional use of controls on the steering wheel while driving. Pressing the blue “R” button on the left-side of the steering wheel initiates an immediate change in the Driving Mode. Driving Mode includes settings to the engine, transmission, suspension, steering, driver displays and dynamic safety systems. There is an orange warning panel in the Owner's Manual stating that this feature is active when driving. The “R” button is covered by my hand when holding the steering wheel in the 9 o’clock position. I often engage this function by mistake while driving due to the flawed ergonomic design of the steering wheel. There is a similar issue with the “View” buttons on the other side of the steering wheel.

Reported

May 2023

Incident date

May 2023

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

The problem is Component Protection, When the car goes into Component Protection you lose A/C and defrost, crash protection, It has been see by a Volkswagen dealer.

Reported

May 2023

Incident date

Nov 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

Vehicles infotainment system does not turn on at startup - several error messages for safety features by most importantly, rear camera does not work when infotainment system screen is down and requires the dealer to activate it or fully black screen. Took to VW three times and they cannot determine the issue. Says it’s a software issue, but also showing “low voltage” warnings in computer diagnostics. Audi, owned by Volkswagen, just issued a recall for infotainment systems disabling rear cameras due to low voltage issues. The symptoms are identical to the VW issues. This is Audi recall internally coded 91Ei and it impacted many makes and models. I believe the components are possibly shared and the recall needs to extend to the GTI as well. Contacted VW and they have been unresponsive to me. I have video of the issue that shows the issue in more detail. Also attached the work order from VW that noted “low voltage”.

Reported

Dec 2022

Incident date

Dec 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

2023 GTI’s rear camera, cross traffic sensors and parking sensors not functioning as Infotainment system controls these systems, and is consistently blacking out and showing errors. Had VW in for several services and dealer told me it’s a VW Software issue. Hence, this issue is likely systemic. Considering it renders the backup camera intermittently non functional I consider this a big safety problem. VW needs to address this issue immediately and issue a TSB or a fix. Many owners having same issue. Taken vehicle to two dealer and they have told me it is a Volkswagen technology issue and is unsolvable unless VW fixes the software. Contacted Volkswagen - no response.

Reported

Dec 2022

Incident date

Dec 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported

This car should be under an active recall for 2022/2023 Volkswagen GTI/R due to insecurely installed radiator. But it's not listed somehow. The radiator was loose and caused rupture in coolant hose, and loss of coolant.

Reported

Nov 2022

Incident date

Nov 2022

Mileage

Not provided

Outcome flags

None reported