2016 Volkswagen Golf R 4 DR AWD

Trim around the shifter boot has delaminated, and when reaching into the storage compartment causes lacerations to the hand. Razor sharp Metal protrudes and cuts fingers and hands on all 2016 Golf R and GTI vehicles

I DISCOVERED A COOLANT LEAK AFTER MOVING MY CAR FROM MY GARAGE. BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND UPON THEIR TESTING THE THERMOSTAT HOUSING AND WATER PUMP WERE DETERMINED TO BE DEFECTIVE. IT APPEARS VOLKSWAGEN HAS MODIFIED THE PART TO COMPENSATE FOR THIS DESIGN FLAW. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY. IF THIS PROBLEM CONTINUES THE CAR COULD BECOME STRANDED IF IT LOSES ENOUGH COOLANT AND THE ENGINE OVERHEATS.

DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS THE CEL TURNED ON AND THE CAR INDICATED IT WAS LOW ON COOLANT. I TOPPED OF THE RESERVOIR AND A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER IT HAD GONE BACK DOWN.

THE BACKUP CAMERA INTERMITTENTLY FAILS TO OPERATE, DISPLAYING THE MESSAGE "PARKPILOT IS CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE." THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PUT INTO REVERSE AND OCCURS AT RANDOM. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE YEARS AND THEY HAVE FAILED TO FIX IT EVERY TIME. THIS IS A RECURRING ISSUE SINCE INITIAL PURCHASE IN 2016 AND NO SOLUTION HAS BEEN FOUND TO DATE. THEY HAVE PERFORMED SOFTWARE UPDATES, WORKED ON THE HEAD-UNIT, AND REPLACED THE BACKUP CAMERA, AND NOTHING HAS SOLVED THIS PROBLEM. MY BUY BACK REQUEST HAS BEEN DENIED BY VW. THIS PROBLEM EFFECTS ONLY BASE MODEL MK7 GOLF R'S AND THERE ARE NUMEROUS ONLINE FORUMS WITH OTHER OWNERS REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE. THIS FAILURE OCCURS ON AVERAGE ONCE PER DAY. THE CAMERA DOES NOT START WORKING AGAIN UNTIL THE CAR IS OFF FOR AN UNKNOWN LENGTH OF TIME. THERE IS NO WAY FOR THE DRIVER TO SAFELY RESET THE SYSTEM WHILE IN USE TO REGAIN FUNCTIONALITY. THIS MAKES BACKING UP EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND INTRODUCES LARGE BLIND SPOTS.

REAR VIEW CAMERA OPERATION IS INTERMITTENT. WHEN PARKED AND ACTIVATING REVERSE, THE DISPLAY SCREEN SOMETIMES DISPLAYS "PARK PILOT CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE" AND THE REAR CAMERA IS DISABLED. THIS HAPPENS ABOUT ONE TIME IN EVERY 10 TIMES THE CAMERA IS USED. IT HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES IN THE 1 YEAR, 5 MONTHS THAT I HAVE OWNED THE CAR. BACKING UP WITHOUT A VIEW TO THE BACK IS VERY DANGEROUS IN MANY SITUATIONS. THE DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM SIX TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS. A LEMON LAW COMPLAINT (FLORIDA) HAS BEEN MADE.

CURRENT GENERATION OF VW GOLF R (AKA MK7) WAS SOLD IN 2016 IN SINGLE WHEEL/TIRE COMBINATION. DEFAULT SELECTION CONSIST OF 19" CADIZ WHEELS PAIRED WITH LOW PROFILE SUMMER TIRES. THERE ARE NO ALTERNATIVE CONFIGURATIONS AVAILABLE. PREVIOUS MODELS WERE OFFERED WITH MORE DURABLE 18" COMBINATION. COMPLAINT IS THREEFOLD: 1. VOLKSWAGEN DECIDED TO OFFER NO SPARE TIRE (ALTHOUGH ONE CAN BE ADDED (FROM AUDI A3) BY SMALL RETROFIT). THIS FORCES DISABLED VEHICLE TO CREATE OBSTRUCTION POSSIBLY FOR EXTENDED PERIOD AS IT REQUIRES ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE FOR TOWING (VW "CONVENIENTLY" WILL TOW TO DEALER FOR TIRE/WHEEL REPLACEMENT). LACK OF SPARE OR RUN-FLATS PUTS DRIVER AND OCCUPANTS AT RISK IF VEHICLE IS DISABLED ON THE ROAD AND IMMOBILIZED FOR EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. 2. VOLKSWAGEN WILLINGLY ONLY PROVIDED ONLY SINGLE WHEEL/TIRE OPTION THAT IS UNSUITABLE FOR COMMON HIGHWAY ROADS. WHEEL IS WEAKER THAN ONE OFFERED IN PREDECESSOR AND TOGETHER WITH LOW PROFILE TIRE OFFER LIMITED REBOUND WHEN CONTACTED WITH COMMON ROAD OBSTACLES (I DEFINE THEM AS MILD POTHOLES, CRESCENT, BRIDGE JOINTS, TEMPORARY STEAL BASES). THIS IN CONSEQUENCE RESULTS IN HIGH RISK OF BLOWOUT (HAPPENED TWICE ON NORTHBOUND I-95 IN NEW YORK, BY CT BORDER). LOW REBOUND ALSO RESULTS IN TRANSFER OF SHOCK DIRECTLY TO OCCUPANTS. CONSEQUENTLY DRIVER MUST FOLLOW ERRATIC DRIVING PATTERN TO AVOID COMMON ROAD DEFECTS (OTHER VEHICLES NEGOTIATE THEM SAFELY) OR SLOW DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY, EXPONENTIALLY INCREASING RISK OF REAR-END ACCIDENT. 3. CAR IS ONLY SOLD WITH SUMMER TIRES. I BOUGHT IT IN THE MIDDLE OF NY WINTER. THERE ARE NO WARNINGS OR ANY COMMUNICATION FROM VW THAT THEY ARE HIGHLY UNSAFE IN WINTER. WHEN CONTACTING VW, THEY OFFERED TO SELL ADDITIONAL SET OF WHEELS. I BELIEVE CAR IS UNSAFE BY DEFAULT. SINCE VW OFFERED NO OPTION TO SELECT SAFER WHEELS/TIRES AT PURCHASE, I BELIEVE THEY ARE WILLINGLY PLACING PEOPLE AT RISK.

- VEHICLE IS GETTING 19MPG (MOSTLY HIGHWAY). MPG ON CAR IS WELL BELOW PUBLISHED RANGE OF 22-31. VW TELL ME THAT I WILL ONLY GET THE PUBLISHED MPG AFTER 9000 MILES!! - CARPLAY SYSTEM IS NOT CONNECTING TO *ANY* APPLE IPHONE. - INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM IS SOMETIMES NOT TURNING ON - KEYLESS START IS INTERMITENTLY FUNCTIONING. CANNOT GET CAR TO START DESPITE THE KEY BEING PLACED NEXT TO STEERING COLUMN. - REVERSING CAMERA FAILS TO ENGAGE OFTEN. - LOCKING (BEEP) CONFIRMATION IS NOT WORKING CONSISTENTLY. VW OF AMERICA WILL NOT BUY BACK THIS CAR AND EXPECT ME TO ACCEPT A BRAND NEW VEHICLE WITH ALL THESE PROBLEMS AND LEAVE IT AT THE SHOP FOR REPAIR!