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2019 Volkswagen Golf R

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2019 Golf R.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (AM-S7)

The 2019 Volkswagen Golf R is a passenger car configured with a seven-speed automated manual transmission (AM-S7) and an EPA rating of 23 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, and 26 mpg combined. Its documented reliability footprint for the model year is modest, with just six total owner complaints—led by concerns in the forward collision avoidance and back over prevention categories—and two recalls on file. Set against the nameplate's broader complaint history spanning 2012 to 2026, the 2019 figure of six is a small fraction of the 194 complaints logged for the 2017 high point and only modestly above the single complaint recorded in 2012, the historical low. For researchers, this places the 2019 firmly on the calmer end of the model's reliability arc, a useful reference point for understanding how complaint volume shifted after the mid-decade peak.

Model year202620252024202320222019201820172016

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque89 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy23/30/26 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 06L115562B. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Tire sizeP225/40R18, P235/35R19OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.5, P235/35R19: 8.0 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter06L115562B
Engine air filter5Q0129620B
Spark plug06K905601L
Front wiper blades5G1998002
Serpentine belt06L903137A
Cabin air filter5Q0819669

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (AM-S7)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length167.3 in
Overall width70.9 in
Overall height57.1 in
Wheelbase103.5 in
Curb weight3424 lb
Track (front / rear)60.6 / 59.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)60/40

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined23 / 30 / 26 mpg
DrivetrainAll-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

Torque lug nuts to 89 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-5-3-6-2-4.

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or StudsDiesel Engines: 84 inch lbs. ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts6.6 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts18.4 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts89 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-5-3-6-2-4
Spark Plug ManufacturerVolkswagen
Spark Plug Torque22 ft-lbs

Service checks

Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum58.0
Fuel Pump Pressure Maximum101.0
Residual Pressure43.5 Minimum pressure after 10 minutes. psi

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 15; Rear: 15
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 15
ABS Sensor TorqueFront: 6.0; Rear: 6.0
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.0787; Rear: 0.0787 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .863; Rear: .315

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Front Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages
1148.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: Lower vehicle and tighten an additional 180°148 ft. lbs
Rear Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages
1148.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: Lower vehicle and tighten an additional 180°148 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
129.5 ft. lbs. Step 2: 90°. Step 3: 90°. Step 4: Bolt 11: 3 ft. lbs. Step 5: Bolt 11: 90°.29.5 ft. lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
144 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90°.44 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 10,000 mi.

Every 10,000 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 20,000 miBattery (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Assembly (leak inspection) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Exterior Lighting (inspect)
At 40,000 miSunroof Assembly (lubricate)
Every 40,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Drive Axle Assembly (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Instrument Cluster Warning Indicator (inspect)
Every 60,000 miAir Intake Hose Debris Screen (clean) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Air Filter Housing (clean)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2019 Golf R sits at the low‑point of the generation’s complaint and recall curve, with only six consumer complaints, two recalls and one investigation—far fewer than the spikes seen in 2015 (123 complaints, 12 recalls) and 2017 (194 complaints, 6 recalls). Its technical service bulletin count (390) also trails the earlier peaks of 1,152 in 2015 and 703 in 2017, and continues the downward trend that began after 2017. The limited complaint categories for 2019 (forward‑collision‑avoidance, back‑over prevention, wheels, and an “unknown/other” entry) suggest no dominant systemic issue, and there were no fire complaints reported. Overall, the data indicates that 2019 was a comparatively clean year for the Golf R, making it a relatively safe choice within the model’s lifecycle.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
390
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
6
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’12’13’15’16’17’18’19’22’23’24’25’26

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 6 complaints on record, top 6 components.

Forward Collision Avoidance,Back Over Prevention1
Forward Collision Avoidance1
Unknown Or Other1
Wheels1
Electrical System1
Electronic Stability Control (Esc),Service Brakes1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

21V321000Unknown Or OtherReported 05/05/2021

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Touareg GP, Tiguan, Golf A6, E-Golf GP, CCF, 2016-2017 Passat GP, 2018-2019 Golf R GP, and 2018 Atlas vehicles. These internal-use vehicles were… Remedy: Volkswagen will repurchase the vehicles. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number…

22V815000Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating SystemsReported 31/10/2022

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan LWB, Golf Sportswagen A7, Golf Alltrack, Golf R GP, Audi Q3, Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Jetta NF, Jetta GLI, Golf GTI, Atlas… Remedy: Dealers will update the TPMS software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 18, 2022. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 390 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TT 10-18-02_22026-06-18EngineLubricating engine components before reassembly.
TT 13-20-01_32026-06-18EngineInstruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start.
V6919012010479_172026-06-11Air BagsInquiries
V1719012012855_812026-06-04EngineVolkswagen Engine Oil Standards
V0026012081638_12026-05-19Unknown Or OtherDifference between Component fluid leakage and seepage

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Golf R. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Engine oil filter 06L115562BEngine air filter 5Q0129620BSpark plug 06K905601LFront wiper blades 5G1998002

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesTorque specificationsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

Does the 2019 Golf R have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Golf R get?

EPA figures are 23 city / 30 highway / 26 combined mpg.