Manufacturers, or importers, issue recalls for defects or faults which have the potential to cause injury. Generally, manufacturers will inform the original buyers if their vehicle is subject to a recall and of the steps required to remedy the defect or fault. Please note that the number of recalls should not be taken as an indicator of a model’s reliability or its safety more generally.
Recalls: Volkswagen Mk.6 Golf Cabriolet
Pre-2011 Volkswagen Mk.6 Golf Cabriolet with DQ200 DSG: loss of power
In June 2013, a recall was issued for Volkswagen Mk.6 Golf Cabriolet vehicles that were fitted with seven-speed DQ200 Direct Shift Gearboxes (DSGs) and manufactured prior to September 2011. In these vehicles, sulphur in the gear oil and an inorganic heat stabiliser in the plastic parts (iodine) of the mechatronic unit could cause metallic surfaces to suffer from electrolytic corrosion, particularly in conditions with high temperatures and humidity. Conducting particles could then settle between the circuit paths of the control unit and cause a short circuit and blow the gearbox fuse. If the fuse were to blow, the clutch would open and freewheel, resulting in a sudden and total loss of power to the wheels. Although other vehicle systems such as steering and braking would continue to function, the loss of power may pose a hazard to the occupants and other road users (PRA 2013/13626).
2013 model year VW Mk.6 Golf Cabrio with DQ200 DSG: short circuit and loss of power
In November 2013, a recall was issued for 2013 model year Volkswagen Mk.6 Golf Cabriolet vehicles with seven-speed DQ200 DSG transmissions. In these vehicles, electrolysis of sulphur constituents in the synthetic oil could cause them to separate and accumulate between electrical conductor paths. In turn, this could create a short circuit and blow the gearbox fuse, causing the clutch to fully open. While the majority of failures occurred on start-up when the vehicle was stationary, a failure when the vehicle was in motion would result in a sudden loss of power at the wheels. All other functions of the vehicle, however, would remain active. As part of the recall, the synthetic transmission oil was to be replaced with mineral oil (PRA 2013/13835).
2011-12 model year Volkswagen Mk.6 Golf Cabrio: overheating of starter motor relay
In March 2018, a recall was issued for 2011 and 2012 ‘model year’ Volkswagen Mk.6 Golf Cabriolets. In these vehicles, a bent or broken spring could obstruct the clearance of the spindle in the starter motor relay. Over time, this could cause a blockage, a permanent current supply to the starter motor and overheating of the starter motor relay. If the current supply was not detected, overheating of the starter motor relay could cause local scorching damage and a possible vehicle fire. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2018/16669.
In May 2019, recall campaign 69Q7 was extended to include Volkswagen Mk.6 Golf Cabriolet vehicles that were supplied from 1 January 2012 to 1 January 2016. These vehicles had Takata front airbags and, over time, propellant wafers inside the airbag could absorb moisture. In the event of airbag deployment, this could cause excessive pressure inside the metal airbag inflator housing such that it could explode and project metal fragments through the airbag cushion and into the vehicle’s cabin. These metal fragments had the potential to cause serious injury or fatality. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2018/17197.
In June 2019, recall campaign 69Q7 was issued for Volkswagen Mk.6 Golf Cabriolets. These vehicles had Takata driver’s airbags and propellant wafers inside these airbags could absorb moisture over time. In the event of airbag deployment, excessive pressure in the airbag inflator housing could cause it to rupture and metal fragments could be projected through the airbag cushion and into the vehicle’s cabin. These metal fragments posed a risk of serious injury and fatality. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2019/17582.
Volkswagen Mk.6 Golf Cabriolet DSG: pressure accumulator crack and loss of power
In October 2019, recall campaign 35D8 was issued for Volkswagen Mk.6 Golf Cabriolet vehicles. Due to a production fault, a crack in the transmission’s pressure accumulator (within the mechatronics housing) could occur. If the pressure accumulator cracked, oil and pressure would be lost in the hydraulic system of the gearbox. If this occurred, the transmission of engine power would be interrupted, similar to depressing the clutch in a vehicle with a manual transmission – this increased the risk of a collision and injury to vehicle occupants. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2019/17886. AustralianCar.Reviews understands that the recalled vehicles had seven-speed DQ200 DSG transmissions.
2011-15 Volkswagen Mk.6 Golf Cabriolet with 7sp DSG: loss of drive
In April 2020, recall campaign 34J5 was issued for Volkswagen Mk.6 Golf Cabriolets that had seven-speed dual clutch (‘DSG’) transmissions. In these vehicles, a fluid leak could lead to a loss of pressure in the gearbox. This pressure loss could interrupt the transmission of power between the engine and gearbox, causing a loss of drive – this increased the risk of a collision and posed a hazard to both vehicle occupants and other road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2020/18258.
Problems and faults: Volkswagen Mk.6 Golf Cabriolet
Overview
This section identifies potential problems, causes and fixes based on the experiences of owners and repairers, online sources and technical service bulletins. This information is provided solely for reference purposes and AustralianCar.Reviews recommends that only properly qualified persons carry out repairs or modifications. Furthermore, the number of items below should not be taken as an indicator of a model’s reliability or the frequency with which they may occur.
To report a problem or fault to the AustralianCar.Reviews team, please use the Contact Us form. Note that AustralianCar.Reviews does not offer advice on automotive problems or disputes; such enquiries will not receive a reply. For vehicles purchased from dealers after 1 January 2011, please see our Australian Consumer Law fact sheet.
In an autobild.de article published in April 2012, a Volkswagen employee admitted that its 1.4 ‘Twincharger’ TSI engine was susceptible to stretched timing chains. According to Volkswagen, worn stamping tools caused:
The holes in the chain links to miss the targeted manufacturing tolerances; and,
Small burrs on the chain links that would cause abrasive wear to the timing chain.
If the timing chain stretched, the change in the engine’s camshaft timing could cause the valves and pistons to collide such that the engine would have to be re-built or replaced. A common symptom of a stretched timing chain is a rattling noise from the engine bay (see video below).
It is understood that the manufacturing defect was rectified for post-2012 1.4 TSI ‘Twincharger’ engines, though Volkswagen has not identified the production dates or engine codes of affected engines. As such, the 118 TSI CAVD in the Volkswagen Mk.6 Golf Cabriolet may be susceptible to this problem. According to Volkswagen, the number of poorly manufactured chains was in the ‘low hundreds’.
