Problem Lookup › Volkswagen › Golf R › 2013
Car problem report
2013 Volkswagen Golf R problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2013 Volkswagen Golf R has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 0safety recalls
- 4owner complaints
- 0crash reports
- 0fire reports
- 0injuries reported
4 complaints, against an average of 41 for the other 9 Volkswagen Golf R model years.
Every Volkswagen Golf R model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2013 Volkswagen Golf R?
The components named most often in the 4 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
Has the 2013 Volkswagen Golf R been recalled?
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2013 Volkswagen Golf R as of October 25, 2026. Recalls can be issued at any time, so check your VIN before you rely on this.
What do 2013 Volkswagen Golf R owners report?
4 of the 4 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
Failed click-spring in the steering wheel- the airbags and horn are out of commission.
Clock spring failure with airbag error light on, and steering controls & horn not functioning. Car previously had clock spring fixed under recall in Aug 2016 (car mileage 55,619), and now had the exact same issue occur in Nov 2021 at 79,596 mi. Original recall did not fix issue, service records available.
7 times now, I have heard a “pop” while turning the steering wheel & the airbag light has come on. The horn will not work after this happens. Each time, it has occurred at low speed, whilst making a turn or merely backing out of my driveway. 6 times of the 7 times, I have taken it to the Hansel VW dealership in Santa Rosa, CA & they have told me it was the clockspring in the steering column & they have replaced it. The 1st time, it was replaced under the vehicle’s warranty, 4 of the other times it was replaced under the parts warranty. On 3/18/20, the part was out of warranty & I had to pay…
REAR SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FRACTURED RESULTING IN A SHARP LOOSE PIECE OF STEEL. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS DRIVING THE CAR, AND THE CAR STARTED TO MAKE AN UNEXPECTED METALLIC NOISE. THIS LOOSE PIECE COULD HAVE RUPTURED THE TIRE AND CAUSED A SAFETY ISSUE OR ACCIDENT. THE REPAIR SHOP DEEMED THE CAR NOT DRIVABLE DUE TO SAFETY. I PAID TO HAVE BOTH REAR SPRINGS AND SPRING PADS REPLACED. THIS CAR HAS LESS THAN 51K MILES. THIS IS A SURPRISING FAILURE AND I WAS CONCERNED FOR MY AND OTHER OWNER'S SAFETY. THIS SAME EXACT FAILURE IS THE SUBJECT OF AN NHTSA RECALL FOR 2015 AND LATER VW GOLFS, THE SAME…
Volkswagen guides on CarHooq
2013 Volkswagen Golf R: questions owners ask
Is the 2013 Volkswagen Golf R reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 4 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Volkswagen Golf R; the most common categories were air bags (3, 75%), suspension (1, 25%). There are no safety recalls listed for this model year.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Volkswagen Golf R?
Across 4 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are air bags (75% of complaints), suspension (25% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2013 Volkswagen Golf R have any recalls?
As of October 2026, NHTSA lists no safety recalls for the 2013 Volkswagen Golf R. Recalls can be issued at any time, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Check your own Golf R
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2013 only.