8.1

pretty bad
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
4,670 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2011 Volkswagen Golf transmission problems

transmission problem

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2011 Volkswagen Golf Owner Comments

problem #8

Aug 272011

Golf

  • 1,800 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I own a 2011 VW gti 2-door dsg. I have experienced a "false neutral" about 7 times in the 5+ weeks I have owned this car. Specifically, it happened twice on 08/27/2011. Each time I have been in manual mode...it occurs when I am coasting to either slow down or stop...then attempt to accelerate...though the car mfd tells me it is in gear (I.e. 3), the car is in neutral...the accelerator does nothing but rev the engine...the car remains coasting. I have to take the shifter out of manual mode, and place it into D...and wait about a second or two without touching the accelerator in order for a clutch to engage a gear and allow me to move. On 8/27, both times it happened when trying to complete a left hand turn on a green...a dangerous situation to find your car being in neutral. I have brought my car to the dealership, they refuse to help me because they were unable to replicate the issue on an approximate 5 mile test drive. I talked to VW of America, and they won't help unless a dealer can replicate it...they said it costs too much money. This is a terrible safety issue...and they are worried about the money. I offered to show them a video of it happening to someone else...it is posted on youtube...and they flat out refused. They said it wouldn't help in my case...and that it would prove nothing. Here is a link to the youtube video: www.youtube.com/watch?V=8tqodoilkyk - even if I could take a video of it happening to me in my car, they said that wouldn't help...as it would have to happen in front of a VW tech for it to be diagnosed. I have a second appointment with a different dealership next week, they will keep my car for a few days and try to replicate it. I don't know what else to do.

- Arlington Heights, IL, USA

problem #7

Jul 312011

Golf

  • 4,800 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen Golf. The contact was driving 5 mph when the front passenger side tire began to wobble abnormally. The vehicle then began to decelerate despite the contact applying the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic which advised of a transmission failure. The manufacturer was contacted but the vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 4,800 and the current mileage was 5,080.

- Tinton Falls, NJ, USA

problem #6

Aug 041986

Golf

  • 988 miles
I was driving my 2011 gti dsg in tiptronic mode...and it was in 4th gear according to the dashboard reading...I was coasting in 4th as a semi was making a left turn across the side of the road I was traveling...after he was clear, I went to accelerate, and experienced a "false neutral"...the dsg said I was in 4th gear...but it was revving as in neutral. I had to shift out of tiptronic and then downshifted to 3rd before it would catch and put me back in gear.

- Arlington Heights, IL, USA

problem #5

Jul 192011

Golf 4-cyl Diesel

  • 2,495 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2011 Golf tdi 4-door with dsg transmission. Unexpectedly the dsg transmission will got to neutral and the car will be gin to slow. No amount of fiddling with the shifter will get it back into gear. It eventually goes back into gear. Car now has 2500 miles on the odometer and it has had this problem almost since day one. Fault has occurred over 10 times and is becoming more frequent and for longer durations.

- Virginia, VA, USA

problem #4

Jul 112011

Golf 4-cyl

  • 6,654 miles
Car revs and does not accelerate, put car in neutral or park and back in drive can drive car again.

- Fredericksburg, VA, USA

problem #3

Jul 082011

Golf 4-cyl

  • 12,670 miles
2011 VW gti w/ dsg transmission. Vehicle has 12K miles and requires replacement of mechatronics unit. On two occasions while accelerating from a stop with transmission in drive, the vehicle failed to accelerate. Engine revved in as if in neutral. After several attempts with throttle input, the transmission slammed into gear. On another occasions while driving at approx 65mph with the transmission in drive, the vehicle revved in neutral and would not accelerate. This lasted for a duration of at least 5 seconds and caused an extremely dangerous condition. Cars were flying by on both sides and it nearly caused a collision. Finally today, while leaving a parking lot entering into a roadway, the vehicle again revved in neutral and failed to accelerate. A collision was again narrowly avoided. I called my local dealer and advised them that I did not feel safe driving the vehicle. Per the dealer there are currently no replacement parts available in the country.

- East Greenwich, RI, USA

problem #2

Jul 022011

Golf 4-cyl

  • 6,456 miles
Cars transmission fails to engage in drive, will rev and not move. Was at a gas station and was going to leave put car in drive and it just revved, put car back in park and in drive again was able to drive away.

- Fredericksburg, VA, USA

problem #1

Feb 262011

Golf 4-cyl

  • 1,500 miles
Twice the transmission has failed to engage for approximately 15 seconds after the car was slowed without coming to a complete stop. When this happens, the engine revs freely as though the car was in neutral. In both cases the transmission eventually re-engaged on its own.

- Arlington, VA, USA

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