Total Complaints
3 filings
VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SPORTWAGEN · model year
2013 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SPORTWAGEN
3 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2013VOLKSWAGENGOLF SPORTWAGEN carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 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 2013 GOLF SPORTWAGEN is structure:body with 1 filings, followed by electronic stability control (esc) (1) and electrical system (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 2013 GOLF SPORTWAGEN, 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.
3
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 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 |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20191017CrashSTRUCTURE:BODY
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. THE GARAGE WHO EXAMINED THE VW, SAID THAT IT MUST NOT HAVE BEEN ALL THE WAY IN PARK - NOTHING ELSE COULD BE FOUND AS TO THE REASON. (NO SHEARED GEARS, ETC) A CAR BEING "TOTALED" INCREASES MY INSURANCE - I HAD TO COPAY, AND BUY A NEW CAR. I HAVE THE CLAIM PAPERS AT HOME IN A FILE - IF THOSE ARE NEEDED.
Mileage: 9,888
20191017CrashELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
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. THE GARAGE WHO EXAMINED THE VW, SAID THAT IT MUST NOT HAVE BEEN ALL THE WAY IN PARK - NOTHING ELSE COULD BE FOUND AS TO THE REASON. (NO SHEARED GEARS, ETC) A CAR BEING "TOTALED" INCREASES MY INSURANCE - I HAD TO COPAY, AND BUY A NEW CAR. I HAVE THE CLAIM PAPERS AT HOME IN A FILE - IF THOSE ARE NEEDED.
Mileage: 9,888
20191017CrashELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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. THE GARAGE WHO EXAMINED THE VW, SAID THAT IT MUST NOT HAVE BEEN ALL THE WAY IN PARK - NOTHING ELSE COULD BE FOUND AS TO THE REASON. (NO SHEARED GEARS, ETC) A CAR BEING "TOTALED" INCREASES MY INSURANCE - I HAD TO COPAY, AND BUY A NEW CAR. I HAVE THE CLAIM PAPERS AT HOME IN A FILE - IF THOSE ARE NEEDED.
Mileage: 9,888
Compare 2013VOLKSWAGENGOLF SPORTWAGEN 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 2013 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SPORTWAGEN have?▼
The 2013 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SPORTWAGEN has 3 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SPORTWAGEN?▼
The most-complained component for the 2013 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SPORTWAGEN is STRUCTURE:BODY with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2013 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SPORTWAGEN 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.