Golf 8 GTI in infotainment and driver assistance faults

[037]

I bought my MY21 Golf 8 GTI new from the dealership in 2021, and have had non-stop software faults with the infotainment software and driver assistance systems.


Here's a list of faults:
- (fixed through software update) no option in infotainment system to change daylight savings time
- (fixed through software update) sound system profile does not persist across restarts, despite indicating that it is saved
- sometimes wired Apple CarPlay audio playback immediately stops after playing, need to unplug/replug cable to fix
- sometimes wireless Apple CarPlay disconnects when ending WhatsApp calls
- sometimes Apple CarPlay display has image ghosting artifacts
- drive profile (eco/sport) does not persist across restarts, despite indicating that it is (known issue form Mk7)
- parking sensors intermittently stops working and shows exclamation marks
- blind spot detection intermittently stops working with fault light on dashboard
- cruise control and speed limiter intermittently stops working with fault light on dashboard
- speed limiter intermittently shuts off by itself without warning while driving
- infotainment system becomes unresponsive to touch and lags
- infotainment system occasionally crashes and reboots while driving
- wireless charging unreliable for iPhone (dealership says known issue with iPhones and VW has issued a TSB)
- climate control menu occasionally does not start up


Here is a photo album of some of the faults - Imgur: The magic of the Internet


I have contacted Volkswagen Australia about these faults over the past five months. They asked me to liaise with the dealership to diagnose and fix the faults. I have since been to the dealership at least six times for them to troubleshoot and run software updates. However many of these issues still remain. Volkswagen has refused compensation and instead offers a "4 Plus 4 Year Care Plan". I have since made a complaint to NSW Fair Trading, and will consider taking them to NCAT.


I am wondering if any other Golf 8 owners has experienced similar issues?

[genebaby]

I think there are a lot of issues with the early MK8, then there was a CPU upgrade, which didn't help the early adopters, and now more improvements coming with the 8.5.

As a buyer in 2020 I saw the MK8 as it was released in Europe and decided I wanted to avoid that interior, so I got one of the last 7.5s to arrive with my specs.

There is not a lot you can do if software updates haven't fixed these issues, sadly we don't have the lemon laws the US has.

All you can do is repeatedly see your dealer about it.

It was a bad time for VW, they moved to using software for so much but didn't have the skills in house. Someone got fired over it.

Still too many things about the MK8 generation I don't like that's carried over into 8.5 for me to ever switch.

Good luck.

[Flipper Dog]

I use to have a 7.5 Golf but it was written off in 2021. This was just when the Golf 8 was being released so there were very few examples to purchase straight away as we needed a replacement.
The alternate at that time was a T-Roc, which is very similar to the Golf 7/7.5, so this was what we went with.
Looking back at the issues the Golf 8 has had, both locally and in Europe, I am glad we went the T-Roc. On our 2nd one now and this is pretty well sorted.
From what I am reading about the Golf 8.5 I think they won't fix many problems with the Golf 8 design and can't go backwards to the Golf 7.5 where things worked.

Problem Volkswagen have is there is too much effort to flog off their EV examples to concentrate on fixing the Golf now. Market focus is on fancy touch screens and vehicles have a shorter serviceable life span to warrant any effort in perfecting their models as they are chasing those Chinese models which are released almost monthly now.