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
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.
What owners actually said
72 reportsPANORAMIC SUNROOF LEAKS WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN. WINDOWS FOG UP, STAINS HEADLINER AND MOISTURE WILL OVER TIME CAUSE MOLD IN VEHICLE. IN COLD TEMPERATURE FROZEN CONDENSATION OBSERVED INSIDE OF VEHICLE WINDSHIELD AND BACK WINDOW MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT.
MY PANORAMIC SUNROOF HAS HAD AN ISSUE WITH WATER INTRUSION. DECEMBER OF 2017 I TOOK THE CAR INTO VW OF POHANKA, MARYLAN. THEY REPLACED THE HEADLINER, DRAINAGE TUBES, AND SMOOTHED OUT THE WELDS TO TRY AND FIX THE PROBLEM. I NOTICED THAT THE LEAK IS BACK WITH WATER STAINS ON THE A-PILLAR AND OVERHEAD. THE PROBLEM IS WE DO NOT KNOW…
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MY PANORAMIC SUNROOF HAS HAD AN ISSUE WITH WATER INTRUSION. DECEMBER OF 2017 I TOOK THE CAR INTO VW OF POHANKA, MARYLAN. THEY REPLACED THE HEADLINER, DRAINAGE TUBES, AND SMOOTHED OUT THE WELDS TO TRY AND FIX THE PROBLEM. I NOTICED THAT THE LEAK IS BACK WITH WATER STAINS ON THE A-PILLAR AND OVERHEAD. THE PROBLEM IS WE DO NOT KNOW WHERE THE WATER HAD LEAKED INTO. WE ARE AFRAID THAT THE WATER INTRUSION MAY CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS DOWN THE ROAD AND DO NOT WANT ANY ELECTRICAL ISSUES DUE TO THE WATER LEAK. OUR MAIN CONCERN IS THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS LOCATED ON THE B-PILLAR AND THE POSSIBLE HEALTH ISSUES OF MOLD AND RUST. THE PROBLEM PERSISTS DURING THE RAIN SEASON.
PANORAMIC SUNROOF LEAKS WATER INTO INTERIOR, CAUSING CONDENSATION ON ALL INTERIOR GLASS AND MAKING IT DIFFICULT/IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE OUT. THERE IS SO MUCH CONDENSATION THAT AC/DEFROST SETTINGS CANNOT REMOVE IT IN A TIMELY MANNER. IT TAKES SO LONG THAT ONE TRIES TO DRIVE EVEN BEFORE FULL OUTWARD VISION HAS BEEN RESTORED, INCREASING …
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PANORAMIC SUNROOF LEAKS WATER INTO INTERIOR, CAUSING CONDENSATION ON ALL INTERIOR GLASS AND MAKING IT DIFFICULT/IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE OUT. THERE IS SO MUCH CONDENSATION THAT AC/DEFROST SETTINGS CANNOT REMOVE IT IN A TIMELY MANNER. IT TAKES SO LONG THAT ONE TRIES TO DRIVE EVEN BEFORE FULL OUTWARD VISION HAS BEEN RESTORED, INCREASING RISK GREATLY.
WHEN WE BOUGHT THE CAR IT CAME LIFTED WITH BIGGER WHEELS AND TIRES. THEY DID NOT TELL US IT WAS AFTERMARKET AND NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. IT IS NOT SAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD BECAUSE IT KEEPS BLOWING THE REAR SHOCKS. IT BLOWS THE REAR SHOCKS AND BASICALLY YOUR DRIVING JUST ON COIL SPRINGS . WHICH MEANS LACK OF CONTROL TO THE VEHIC…
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WHEN WE BOUGHT THE CAR IT CAME LIFTED WITH BIGGER WHEELS AND TIRES. THEY DID NOT TELL US IT WAS AFTERMARKET AND NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. IT IS NOT SAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD BECAUSE IT KEEPS BLOWING THE REAR SHOCKS. IT BLOWS THE REAR SHOCKS AND BASICALLY YOUR DRIVING JUST ON COIL SPRINGS . WHICH MEANS LACK OF CONTROL TO THE VEHICLE.IT HAS BEEN ON GOING SINCE WE BOUGHT THE CAR FOR ABOUT 8 MONTHS.
INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM RESTARTS EVERY FEW MINUTES DURING OPERATION. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT IS VERY DISTRACTING WHEN USING THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM WHILE DRIVING AND CAN CAUSE THE DRIVER TO BECOME DISTRACTED.
THE SUBJECT VEHICLE, VIN: [XXX] A 2018 GOLF ALLTRACK SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING DOWNSHIFTED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAUSING RAPID DECELERATION. THIS OCCURRED ON A TWO-LANE RURAL HIGHWAY AND AT ABOUT 60 MPH DOWN TO 40 MPH. THE YELLOW "!" ILLUMINATED WITH A MESSAGE LIKE "TRANS ERROR, REV UNAVAILABLE, SEE DEALER". WHILE I WAS ABLE T…
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THE SUBJECT VEHICLE, VIN: [XXX] A 2018 GOLF ALLTRACK SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING DOWNSHIFTED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAUSING RAPID DECELERATION. THIS OCCURRED ON A TWO-LANE RURAL HIGHWAY AND AT ABOUT 60 MPH DOWN TO 40 MPH. THE YELLOW "!" ILLUMINATED WITH A MESSAGE LIKE "TRANS ERROR, REV UNAVAILABLE, SEE DEALER". WHILE I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROADWAY SAFELY, THE TWO VEHICLES BEHIND WERE CAUGHT OFF-GUARD BY THE SUDDEN AND RAPID DECELERATION. I CONFIRMED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT OPERATE IN REVERSE AND THE PADDLE SHIFTERS WERE ALSO NOT ABLE TO CHANGE GEARS. MAXIMUM ROAD SPEED WAS 41 MPH @ 9100 RPM, SO UNSAFE TO CONTINUE. THERE WAS NO DEALER IN THE AREA, SO I CYCLED THE KEY OFF THEN RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE AND OBTAIN SERVICE. THE DEALER REPORTED THERE WAS AN "INTERNAL PART FAILURE" OF THE TRANSMISSION. HAD THIS CONDITION PRESENTED IN A HIGH TRAFFIC OR ADVERSE WEATHER SITUATION, IT WOULD HAVE LIKELY RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
PURCHASE THE CAR ON APRIL 2018 ON FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 21ST AROUND 3 P.M. I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY SR 14 GOING AROUND 55 60 MILES AN HOUR WHEN SUDDENLY A VERY LOUD EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY HUNDREDS OF PIECES OF CHARRED GLASS FALLING DOWN FROM THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF THE EXPLOSION WAS SO LOUD THAT FOR A MOMENT I THOUGHT THAT SOMEONE WAS S…
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PURCHASE THE CAR ON APRIL 2018 ON FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 21ST AROUND 3 P.M. I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY SR 14 GOING AROUND 55 60 MILES AN HOUR WHEN SUDDENLY A VERY LOUD EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY HUNDREDS OF PIECES OF CHARRED GLASS FALLING DOWN FROM THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF THE EXPLOSION WAS SO LOUD THAT FOR A MOMENT I THOUGHT THAT SOMEONE WAS SHOOTING AT MY CAR VOLKSWAGEN CLAIMS THAT DEBRIS ON THE ROAD OR PASSING CARS MAY HAVE CAUSED THE EXPLOSION OF THE SUN ROOF I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT THERE WERE NO CARS NEAR ME AND AFTER I PULLED OVER AND LOOKED AT THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF TO ME IT LOOKS LIKE THE SUNROOF BLEW UP FROM THE INSIDE OUT VOLKSWAGEN DEALER IT'S NOT WILLING TO ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF ALLTRACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUN ROOF WAS BLOCKED AND LEAKED WATER INTO THE VEHICLE WHEN IT RAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VOLKSWAGEN OF THE WOODLANDS (855-436-0113, LOCATED AT 16785 INTERSTATE 45 SOUTH, THE WOODLANDS, TX 77385) WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE T…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF ALLTRACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUN ROOF WAS BLOCKED AND LEAKED WATER INTO THE VEHICLE WHEN IT RAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VOLKSWAGEN OF THE WOODLANDS (855-436-0113, LOCATED AT 16785 INTERSTATE 45 SOUTH, THE WOODLANDS, TX 77385) WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO NEGLIGENCE BY THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STOOD BY THE DEALER'S RULING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 23,000. *DT UPDATED 11/2/18*JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED ANY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN THROUGH MUD IT WAS POSSIBLE FOR THE DRAINS TO BECOME BLOCKED, WHICH THE CONSUMER WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPAIRING. *JS
DEFECTIVE TIRE. 8,000 MILES ON TIRE AND A SIDEWALL BUBBLE DEVELOPED ON THE TIRE. PRIOR TO BUBBLE APPEARING, TIRE WAS NOT SUBJECT TO UNUSUAL IMPACT.
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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