Vehicle Data Hub

2016 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen air bags problems

Owners reported air bags problems in 17 complaints for the 2016 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen, 23% of the complaints on file. It is the most reported problem area for this model year.

At a glance

Complaints
17 23% of this year's complaints
Typical mileage
41,000 miles 12 complaints with mileage
Crashes and fires
2 and 0
Injuries and deaths
0 and 0

Source: NHTSA owner complaints

When air bags problems show up

Air bags complaints by mileage, 2016 Volkswagen Golf Sportwagen Complaints by odometer reading in 20,000-mile steps. The median is about 41,000 miles. 0k to 20k miles: 1 complaints 20k to 40k miles: 4 complaints 40k to 60k miles: 5 complaints 60k to 80k miles: 2 complaints 80k to 100k miles: 0 complaints 100k to 120k miles: 0 complaints 120k to 140k miles: 0 complaints 140k to 160k miles: 0 complaints 160k to 180k miles: 0 complaints 180k to 200k miles: 0 complaints 200k+ miles: 0 complaints 040k80k120k160k200k miles Typical: 41,000 miles
Based on 12 complaints that include mileage. 83% were reported before 60,000 miles. The amber marker shows the median: half of these complaints happened before that mileage.
View the numbers
MileageComplaints
0k to 20k miles1
20k to 40k miles4
40k to 60k miles5
60k to 80k miles2
80k to 100k miles0
100k to 120k miles0
120k to 140k miles0
140k to 160k miles0
160k to 180k miles0
180k to 200k miles0
200k+ miles0

What the data shows

Of the 12 air bags complaints that report mileage, the median is about 41,000 miles, and 83% were reported before 60,000 miles.

These complaints mention 2 crashes.

What owners wrote

I was in a very minor accident involving only the front end. I was a a complete stop at a traffic light and hit the car directly in front of me, I hit the car car going no more than 10 miles per hour. All of the air bags deployed, driver, passenger, as well as front and back side airbags. Additionally, when the airbags deployed the windshield completely shattered on the passenger side. Luckily my son was not injured with the extreme fore of the airbag deployment.

Reported at 38,000 miles, December 2019 Crash

I started my car and the airbag warning light came on. I then noticed that all controls on my steering wheel no longer worked. This includes speed control, horn, hands-free phone controls, hands-free radio controls an vehicle information options. I assume that the air bag is also not functioning. When I returned home, I googled the problem and found that the airbag clock spring was the probable cause as it had been recalled in previous years but did not include the 2016 model. I took the car in on 02/12/19.

Reported at 39,445 miles, February 2019

Air bags problems in other years

  • 2019
  • 2018
  • 2017
  • 2016
  • 2015

Air bags problems across all Volkswagen models