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Volkswagen GolfModel year report

2013 Volkswagen Golf Problems

Compared with other Volkswagen Golf years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

12/100 0.4× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
43filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
50,000miles, 31 complaints with mileage
Recalls
5campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
26 mpgcombined, 2.5L 5-cyl FWD · 24 city / 31 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2013 Volkswagen Golf (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 43 consumer complaints for the 2013 Volkswagen Golf. The part named most often is engine, with 14 complaints (33% of the total), followed by fuel system (14) and air bags (9). 31 of the complaints include a mileage, and 45% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 50,000 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 1,313 technical service bulletins for this model year. Engine complaints overlap with 119 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Fuel system complaints overlap with 85 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Compared with the other 9 Volkswagen Golf model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 12 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Body and structure (1), Tires (1), Transmission and drivetrain (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Engine: “Driving in freeway traffic at around 35-40 MPH. Prior,to this incident, car has been well maintained and trouble free. Engine died, subsequently power steering stopped working and I needed to steer vehicle to shoulder of road. I consider myself to be an experienced driver and was able to adjust to situation, concerned that a less experienced driver could have had an accident in the same situation.”

NHTSA complaint #10633456, filed 2014-09, 37,500 miles

Fuel system: “After exiting the freeway, I was driving in stop and go traffic and the engine cut out without warning. I was unable to change lanes due to lack of power and power steering, so I tried to re-start the engine while coasting in the fast lane. The hud indicated that I had to put the car in park, so I stopped the car in the fast lane in order to do so. The engine started and I was able to drive away. The car was 6 weeks old at the time, and had about 1100 miles on the odometer.”

NHTSA complaint #10534805, filed 2013-08, 1,150 miles

Air bags: “Takata recall one year has passed since the recall was initiated for the drivers airbag for my vw vehicle and to date my I have not been contacted by vw and there website states NHTSA recall number 16v078 has quote repair not yet available. This is both disappointing and worrying since not a single vw affected vehicle appears on your published priority groups list or the completed so far list. Despite the fact that I live in texas which is deemed a priority zone a ! …”

NHTSA complaint #10954954, filed 2017-02

Electrical system: “When I turned the key to start the car , the dash lights flickered and turned dim. It sounded like it does when the car battery was dead but smoke started to come out from under the hood. As I left to get to the phone , flames started to come out of the hood. I got to a phone as soon as I could and called 911. The car was parked down the street from our house because of a snow storm. The fire department came and put out the fire but the car was destroyed.”

NHTSA complaint #10564035, filed 2014-02, 11,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

45% of the 31 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 15,000 and 81,500 miles.

19%0–1016%10–2510%25–5016%50–7526%75–10013%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (31 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 50,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

2013201520177201920212023
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2013 Volkswagen Golf. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Golf · sedan AWDnot rated———4 · 12.1% risk
Golf · sedan FWDnot rated———4 · 12.1% risk

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2013 Volkswagen Golf version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Golf FWD2.5L 5-cyl6-speed automatic243126$2,600
Golf FWD2.5L 5-cyl5-speed manual233326$2,600
Golf FWD2.0L 4-cyl · diesel6-speed automatic293732$3,000
Golf FWD2.0L 4-cyl · diesel6-speed manual293932$3,000

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2013 Volkswagen Golf → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 1,313 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 1,313 bulletins →

Other model years of the Volkswagen Golf

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
202311—0———Too new
2022812000——42 · TypicalFalling
20217—1533—Not enough data
202068,5902532—Not enough data
201963556653271 · MoreRising
2018293,300652921 · FewerRising
201711724,306552953 · TypicalStable
20168530,000952945 · TypicalStable
201513119,5001252983 · MoreStable
20141236,6115—26—Not enough data
20134350,0005—2612 · FewerFalling
20124817,7756—2650 · TypicalFalling
201111028,0006—2782 · MoreFalling
20107033,8004—2650 · TypicalFalling
20061270,0001—24—Not enough data
20051962,4002—24—Falling
20042847,2332—24Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20032669,1522—24Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20027459,7203—24Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200111665,3005—24Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20008860,0005—24Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19996471,0004—24Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19981866,0001—24—Stable
1997780,5000—24—Not enough data
199543202,8004—24Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19944172,0004—24Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19937—4—22—Not enough data
19926—1—25—Not enough data
19918—2—25—Not enough data
19901083,0004—25—Not enough data
19891765,0003—25—Stable
19889—5—25—Not enough data
198613—4—26—Not enough data
198510—5—25—Not enough data

All Volkswagen Golf model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2013 Volkswagen Golf have?

NHTSA recorded 43 consumer complaints for the 2013 Volkswagen Golf as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2013 Volkswagen Golf is reported most often?

Engine is named most often, in 14 complaints (33% of the total), followed by fuel system with 14.

Has the 2013 Volkswagen Golf been recalled?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2013 Volkswagen Golf get?

The EPA rates the 2013 Volkswagen Golf (Golf, 2.5L 5-cyl) at 26 mpg combined, 24 city and 31 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,600 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2013 Volkswagen Golf reported?

Among the 31 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 50,000 miles and the middle half falls between 15,000 and 81,500 miles; 45% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.