Total Complaints
5 filings
VOLKSWAGEN GOLF · model year
2009 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF
5 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2009VOLKSWAGENGOLF carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2009 GOLF is service brakes with 2 filings, followed by electronic stability control (esc) (1) and engine (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 37 investigation files overlapping the 2009 GOLF, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES | 2 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20180803ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V913000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STONE MOUNTAIN VOLKSWAGEN (3500 STONE MOUNTAIN HWY, SNELLVILLE, GA 30078, 678-367-4286) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW CONTROL MODULE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 116,000.
Mileage: 116,000
20180803ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V913000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STONE MOUNTAIN VOLKSWAGEN (3500 STONE MOUNTAIN HWY, SNELLVILLE, GA 30078, 678-367-4286) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW CONTROL MODULE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 116,000.
Mileage: 116,000
20170505SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS DRIVING MY VW GTI MK5, AND FROM ONE MOMENT TO ANOTHER I TURNED ON 3 LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL OF MY CAR, A BRAKE LIGHT, TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS, THE CAR BEGAN TO SOUND A WARNING AND TURN IT OFF IMMEDIATELY
Mileage: 31,875
20160701SERVICE BRAKES
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL , SERVICE BRAKES
Mileage: 75,200
20160701ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL , SERVICE BRAKES
Mileage: 75,200
Compare 2009VOLKSWAGENGOLF to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA24004Engineering AnalysisOpen
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
RQ24010Recall QueryClosed
Inadvertent Door Opening
RQ23007Recall QueryClosed
Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)
PE23017Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
EQ22001EQClosed
LGES High Voltage Battery Failures
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2009 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF have?▼
The 2009 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF?▼
The most-complained component for the 2009 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF is SERVICE BRAKES with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) and ENGINE.
Is the 2009 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.