Chrome trim around the DSG shifter has peeling chrome which is razor sharp. It has cut my hand deeply and is a safety hazard to me and my family.
2017 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Golf Alltrack years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
42 reports with mileage · 30 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Electrical System. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Structure complaints
14 reportsLEAKING SUNROOF IS RUINING INTERIOR COMPONENTS, INCLUDING HEADLINER. MULTIPLE FIXES AND SERVICE BULLETINS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL. VERY CONCERNED IT'S GOING TO LEAD TO LARGER ELECTRICAL, BODY ROT, AND MOLD ISSUES, NOT TO MENTION COMPLETELY RUINING ANY VALUE THE CAR HAS. MOST RECENT PHOTOGRAPH UPLOADED WAS…
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LEAKING SUNROOF IS RUINING INTERIOR COMPONENTS, INCLUDING HEADLINER. MULTIPLE FIXES AND SERVICE BULLETINS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL. VERY CONCERNED IT'S GOING TO LEAD TO LARGER ELECTRICAL, BODY ROT, AND MOLD ISSUES, NOT TO MENTION COMPLETELY RUINING ANY VALUE THE CAR HAS. MOST RECENT PHOTOGRAPH UPLOADED WAS FOLLOWING A RAINSTORM ON 4/11/2021.
VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHILE BEING WASHED. WATER LEAKING INTO THE INTERIOR THROUGH THE HEADLINER ON BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDES BEHIND THE PANORAMIC ROOF. CONCERNED FOR MOLD, ELECTRICAL COMPONENT DAMAGE. COULD ALSO BE FURTHER SAFETY ISSUE IF THIS HAPPENS WHEN IN MOTION.
ON OR ABOUT 6.13.2019, MY 2017 VW GOLF ALLTRACK SE LEAKED WATER THROUGH THE LIGHT IN THE ROOF, BEHIND THE VISOR (DRIVER'S SIDE) WHILE STATIONARY. EACH TIME THE HEADLINER WAS STAINED, WATER SAT IN THE LIGHT AND IT LEAKED ALL OVER MY LAP. AS OF 6.11.2020, IT IS STILL LEAKING. THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE AND A CLASS ACTION SU…
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ON OR ABOUT 6.13.2019, MY 2017 VW GOLF ALLTRACK SE LEAKED WATER THROUGH THE LIGHT IN THE ROOF, BEHIND THE VISOR (DRIVER'S SIDE) WHILE STATIONARY. EACH TIME THE HEADLINER WAS STAINED, WATER SAT IN THE LIGHT AND IT LEAKED ALL OVER MY LAP. AS OF 6.11.2020, IT IS STILL LEAKING. THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE AND A CLASS ACTION SUIT IS PENDING. VW CLAIMS THIS IS A REPAIR DEFECT, NOT A MANUFACTURE DEFECT AND ONLY OFFERS TO COVER 75% OF A $12K REPAIR ON A VEHICLE THAT HAS 34K MILES, BEEN MOSTLY GARAGE KEPT OR COVERED AND ALL MAINTENANCE COMPLETED ONLY AT VW DEALERSHIPS. I HAVE FILED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS WITH VW. THEY STATE THAT SINCE VEHICLE IS OUTSIDE OF 3 YEAR WARRANTY (3YR/36K MI), THEY ARE OFFERING GOODWILL. I DO NOT FEEL IT IS FAIR OR RIGHT TO HAVE TO SPEND EVEN $1 TO REPAIR A KNOWN STRUCTURAL DEFECT RELATED TO THE SPOT WELDS AND SUNROOF, WHICH WERE LIKELY THE CAUSE OF EACH AND EVERY LEAK THAT THE CAR HAS EXPERIENCED. ADDITIONALLY, THE CAR LIKES TO SUDDENLY ATTEMPT TO ACTIVATE THE COLLISION WARNINGS FOR NO REASON - AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AS WELL, POSSIBLY RELATED TO WATER DAMAGE. VW OF AMERICA REFUSES TO TAKE ANY ACTION BEYOND THEIR OFFER OF 75% COVERAGE OF COSTS AS GOODWILL ON A CAR THAT WASN'T BUILT RIGHT TO BEGIN WITH AND FRANKLY, IS A RISK TO THE SAFETY OF MY TWO CHILDREN, 4 & 2, AS A SPOT WELD IN THE SUNROOF IS SURELY A SIGN THAT IT'S LIKELY NOT THE ONLY STRUCTURAL DEFECT OR FAILURE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS IS MY 4TH VW AND CLEARLY WILL BE MY LAST.
LEAKY SUNROOF TO DO INCORRECT REWORK IN PRODUCTION OF THE WELDING POINTS OF THE SUNROOF FRAME AREA. SPOT WELDS AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE SUNROOF OPENING MAY BE TOO LARGE.* THIS PREVENTS THE OUTER SUNROOF SEAL FROM PROPERLY ADHERING TO THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE, ALLOWING WATER TO LEAK THROUGH THE SEAL. INSUFFICIENT CLEANING PR…
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LEAKY SUNROOF TO DO INCORRECT REWORK IN PRODUCTION OF THE WELDING POINTS OF THE SUNROOF FRAME AREA. SPOT WELDS AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE SUNROOF OPENING MAY BE TOO LARGE.* THIS PREVENTS THE OUTER SUNROOF SEAL FROM PROPERLY ADHERING TO THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE, ALLOWING WATER TO LEAK THROUGH THE SEAL. INSUFFICIENT CLEANING PROCESS PRIOR TO APPLYING OUTER SUNROOF SEAL. THE SUNROOF FRAME OPENING MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY CLEANED PRIOR TO APPLICATION OF THE ACRYLIC TAPE ON THE OUTER SUNROOF SEAL. THIS PREVENTS THE OUTER SUNROOF SEAL FROM PROPERLY ADHERING TO THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE, ALLOWING WATER TO LEAK THROUGH THE SEAL.
I AM SEEING WATER STAINS ON MY HEADLINER AROUND THE ENTIRE PANORAMIC SUNROOF. THERE IS WATER SOAKING THE CARPETS ON THE FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER CARPETS. THERE IS ALSO A MUSTY SMELL DUE TO THE STANDING WATER THAT HAS BEEN LEAKING FROM THE SUNROOF.
PANORAMIC SUNROOF LEAKS. HEADLINER I AND CARPET IS BADLY STAINED WITH VISIBLE MOLD GROWTH. PILLAR STAINING AS WELL. WATER LEAKS FROM DOME LIGHT AND SUNROOF CONTROL BUTTONS. WATER ALSO LEAKS INTO FOOT WELL. TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP WHO HAVE SAID THAT IT IS LIKELY THE SUNROOF DRAINS ARE BLOCKED BY DEBRIS AND REPAIR WOU…
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PANORAMIC SUNROOF LEAKS. HEADLINER I AND CARPET IS BADLY STAINED WITH VISIBLE MOLD GROWTH. PILLAR STAINING AS WELL. WATER LEAKS FROM DOME LIGHT AND SUNROOF CONTROL BUTTONS. WATER ALSO LEAKS INTO FOOT WELL. TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP WHO HAVE SAID THAT IT IS LIKELY THE SUNROOF DRAINS ARE BLOCKED BY DEBRIS AND REPAIR WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY. THERE IS NO WAY FOR THE CONSUMER TO ACCESS THE SUNROOF DRAINS TO KEEP THEM CLEAR, PARTICULARLY THE REAR DRAINS, WHICH ENTAILS DISMANTLING PART OF THE CAR. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MANY REPORTED COMPLAINTS BY OWNERS WITH A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN BEING ISSUED. PLEASE ENCOURAGE AN INVESTIGATION AND REPARATIONS FROM VW.
THIS PAST SPRING I NOTICED THE CAR'S HEADLINER WAS WET AND STAINED. IT THEN BEGAN TO DRIP COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF WATER INTO THE VEHICLE DURING HEAVY RAINSTORMS. THE CAR IS ONLY A YEAR AND A HALF OLD AND HAS 20,000 MILES. BUT THERE ARE WATER STAINS EVERYWHERE AND IT WILL BE A MOLD ISSUE SOON, I'M AFRAID. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, TH…
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THIS PAST SPRING I NOTICED THE CAR'S HEADLINER WAS WET AND STAINED. IT THEN BEGAN TO DRIP COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF WATER INTO THE VEHICLE DURING HEAVY RAINSTORMS. THE CAR IS ONLY A YEAR AND A HALF OLD AND HAS 20,000 MILES. BUT THERE ARE WATER STAINS EVERYWHERE AND IT WILL BE A MOLD ISSUE SOON, I'M AFRAID. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THE CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY. THEY SAID IT'S A MAINTENANCE ISSUE, NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE BECAUSE THE DRAINS THAT RELEASE THE WATER FROM SUNROOF ARE ALL BLOCKED WITH DEBRIS. DEALER FIRST ASKED ME IF I HAD JUST SIMPLY LEFT THE SUN ROOF OPEN AND WAS VERY PATRONIZING, BY ASKING ME IF THERE WAS JUST A LEAF STUCK UP THERE, CALLING ME HUNNY OVER THE PHONE. I TOLD HIM NO, SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND WE DROPPED IT OFF. $600 TO CLEAR DRAINS. WE REFUSED BECAUSE WE FOUND MANY OTHER PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME CAR AND THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THE PROBLEM. WE READ THE VW HELPED COVER THE COSTS FOR MANY PEOPLE SO WE CALLED VW CUSTOMER CARE. I ASKED FOR A BUYBACK OR FOR THEM TO FIX THE CAR. THEY CALLED ME BACK SAYING THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AND REFUSED TO ADMIT THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE CAR. EVEN IF I JUST GOT THE DRAINS CLEARED, THERE WAS STILL DAMAGE DONE BY THE "MAINTENANCE" NOT BEING TAKEN CARE OF. "MAINTENANCE" THAT WE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT AND THERE IS NOTHING IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL ABOUT CLEARING THE DRAINS UNTIL AROUND 40,000 MILES. I WAS ASKED IF I PARKED UNDER TREES. WELL, YEAH, WE CAMP A LOT. THIS CAR IS ADVERTISED AS AN ADVENTURE CAR. I ALSO DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF PARKING IN A GARAGE. I'M A TEACHER. I WORK HARD TO MAKE CAR PAYMENTS, BUT I BOUGHT BRAND NEW CAR NOT KNOWING I WOULD NEED TO BE SPENDING HUNDRED UPON HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO "MAINTAIN" SUNROOF DRAINS. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT ANOTHER DEALER AND THEY WANT NUMBERS IN THE THOUSANDS TO FIX THE WATER DAMAGE.
ROOF/SUNROOF LEAKING CAUSING STAINED HEADLINER AND WET CARPETING. VEHICLE SMELLS OF MOLD AND MILDEW AND CAUSES EXCESSIVE CONDENSATION ON WINDSHIELD. VW DEALERSHIP IN FAIR LAWN NJ ATTEMPTED REPAIR BY REPLACING SUNROOF DRAIN TUBES BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE. NEW LEAKS HAVE DEVELOPED AND DEALER SERVICE IS UNCLEAR WHERE OR WHAT I…
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ROOF/SUNROOF LEAKING CAUSING STAINED HEADLINER AND WET CARPETING. VEHICLE SMELLS OF MOLD AND MILDEW AND CAUSES EXCESSIVE CONDENSATION ON WINDSHIELD. VW DEALERSHIP IN FAIR LAWN NJ ATTEMPTED REPAIR BY REPLACING SUNROOF DRAIN TUBES BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE. NEW LEAKS HAVE DEVELOPED AND DEALER SERVICE IS UNCLEAR WHERE OR WHAT IS CAUSING THEM. AS OF 6/12/2019 DEALER IS ATTEMPTING SECOND REPAIR STATING THE SUNROOF FRAME NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. UNSURE IF THIS WILL RESOLVE THE ISSUE
BODY SEAMS NEAR VEHICLE SUNROOF ARE NOT WELDED PROPERLY - RESULTS IN EXCESSIVE WATER LEAKAGE INTO THE CAR AND FOGGING INSIDE THE CAR AT ALL TIMES THAT OBSTRUCTS VISIBILITY
Official recalls
120V561000 · Unknown Or Other
Sep 16, 2020
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Golf R and Atlas, 2017 Golf Alltrack and E-Golf and 2016-2018 Passat vehicles. These internal use vehicles were sold without confirmation that they were built to all applicable regulatory requirements and may have been modified prior to sale. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of various Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Vehicles that do not meet all regulatory requirements may have an increased risk of a crash or injury to vehicle occupants.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners and will repurchase the vehicles. The recall began October 6, 2020. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01E9.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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