2023 Volkswagen Golf

All 2022 & 2023 Volkswagen GTI & R models with manual transmissions are impacted by this safety issue. When making a stop on any amount of road grade/hill, the vehicle brakes fully engage and will not disengage when removing your foot from the brake pedal, or by engaging or disengaging the clutch, or by applying throttle. Upon releasing the brake pedal, there is a programmed waiting period of 2-3 seconds where the brakes remain fully engaged, and the vehicle is unable to move regardless of the driver input. Once the waiting period expires, the vehicle begins an uncontrolled roll-back and the driver is able to engage or release the clutch and apply throttle for forward movement. During this waiting period, after the brake pedal is released, any vehicle input will cause a stall. During this waiting period the vehicle brake lights have turned off so drivers behind you believe you have begun forward movement, and they are likely to rearend your vehicle. If you re-apply the brake pedal, the waiting period resets, and you must go through the 2-3 second waiting period again. This feature creates a danger of entering or crossing traffic because the driver cannot 'time' when they will have the ability to move the vehicle, it also creates a danger of stalling the vehicle on a hill or while entering traffic. While in traffic on an uphill gradient, the feature continually engages the brakes and creates waiting periods; this is the case even on an uphill gradient while on an interstate causing continual extended stops. The feature cannot be turned off by the driver. VW Dealerships are unable to turn off the feature. Aftermarket tuning companies are unable to disable this feature. Please cross check your records as this is not an isolated safety complaint regarding these vehicles. Previous model years had an option to turn on a hill-assist feature that held the vehicle from a roll back. The 2022-2023 model year feature creates a roll back and prevents driver inputs.