Owners have filed 14 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the fuel system, electrical, and transmission. The 8 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2020Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/8 checked
2020 Volkswagen Golf: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/3
Engine off, key in hand0/1
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/3
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/1
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
These years share the 2020's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2020 checks
Worth adding to your 2020 checks
Worth adding to your 2020 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2020 Volkswagen Golf. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1.4L 4-cyl | FWD | 32 mpg |
NHTSA complaints for the 2020 Volkswagen Golf, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
A check engine light that stays on is the one actual failure described. An independent mechanic traced it to an evaporative emissions leak, code P0456, at about 17,000 miles. The rest of these complaints are about a recall repair that owners cite, not a breakdown. Dealers and the manufacturer confirm that parts are not yet available, and owners say the wait has gone on too long. In one report the dealer would not diagnose or repair the car. No crash or fire is reported.
The most serious report is a sudden shutdown while driving. At about 25 mph the car dies, the brake and accelerator stop responding, and the dash shows "drive manually" along with EPC and check engine lights. A restart a minute later brings the car back to normal, but the driver loses control while the car is moving. A separate report covers an "SOS Emergency Call Function Not Available" message. A dealer confirmed that defect, which leaves the car without its emergency call feature.
The engine stalls with the clutch pedal fully depressed as the car comes to a stop, and these reports come from manual-transmission cars. One owner had only 150 miles on the car. The stall comes with no warning lights or error codes. When the driver restarts, the idle can be very unsteady and the engine may stall again several times until the driver adds throttle. The problem comes and goes and is hard to reproduce. Each stall happens without warning while the car is slowing.
Stalling happens when the clutch is fully in and the throttle is released, for example while coasting downhill or stopping at a stop sign. The electronics stay on, but power steering and throttle are lost and engine speed drops to zero. No check engine light comes on, and code readers find no stored codes. Restarting can take several tries, and the idle may stutter or fluctuate and die again. Stalls are reported from the day of purchase, on both local streets and highways.
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2020 ranks fifth for owner complaints among 7 Golf years, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2020 is the sixth model year of the Golf's seventh generation (2015–2021).
It includes the 2018 update.
What changed for 2018
Recall repairs are free at any Volkswagen dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain front-wheel drive 2015-2020 Audi A3 Sedan, 2015-2019 Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, 2018 Golf Sportwagen GP, 2018-2019 Golf Sportwagen A7, 2015-2017 Golf Sportwagen, 2015-2020 Golf GTI, and 2015-2020 Golf A7 vehicles. Due to a problem with a suction jet pump seal inside the fuel tank, fuel may flow into the evaporative emissions (EVAP) system and possibly leak out of the charcoal canister.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the suction pump, free of charge. Final owner notification letters for Audi owners were mailed on July 25, 2024. Final owner letters for VW owners were mailed on August 13, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are VW: 20UF/Audi: 20YF. Vehicles that were previously recalled under 16V-647 will need to have the new remedy completed. This recall expands and replaces previous recall number 16V-647.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Golf, Golf Alltrack, Golf Sportwagen, 2019-2020 Golf GTI, and Jetta vehicles equipped with a conventional ignition switch. The ignition switch may fail, especially in high temperature environments.
Risk: Ignition switch failure can cause the electrical system to shut down and the engine to stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 1, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 28H7.
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas, Golf A7, Audi A3, 2020-2021 Atlas Cross Sport, and 2021 Atlas FL vehicles. The tire pressure monitoring system may not detect an air pressure loss in adequate time when deflating occurs among all four tires simultaneously. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems.".
Risk: An undetected sudden loss of pressure in all four tires increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audis customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are (Audi) 45J7, and (VW) 45J6 and 45J8.
Cars shoppers compare with the Volkswagen Golf, with their own 2020 checklists.
2020 owner complaints, side by side
