1995 Volkswagen GTI

Routine

Owners filed 18 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the equipment › appliance › air conditioner. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and Attachments2
001
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch2
000
Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Heater Core1
000
Vehicle Speed Control › Cruise Control1
000
Vehicle Speed Control1
000
Unknown or Other1
000
Structure › Body › Hood › Hinge and Attachments1
000
Structure › Body › Door1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum1
100
Service Brakes, Air › Antilock1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings98V195000
Filed Aug 17, 1998153,000 vehiclesVolkswagen Of America,inc

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE REAR BRAKE LINE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS ROUTED TOO CLOSE TO THE CORNER OF THE FUEL TANK. THE LINE COULD BE DAMAGED BY CHAFING AGAINST THE FUEL TANK.

Risk. REPEATED CHAFING COULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN A LEAKING BRAKE LINE CAUSING DIMINISHED BRAKING IN ONE BRAKE CIRCUIT INCREASING THE VEHICLE'S STOPPING DISTANCE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE LINE AND REPLACE ANY DAMAGED LINES.

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch98V160000
Filed Jul 16, 1998238,000 vehiclesVolkswagen Of America,inc

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE BOLTS SECURING THE FRONT HOOD LATCH CAN LOOSEN OVER TIME. THE LATCH WOULD MOVE CAUSING DISENGAGEMENT OF THE HOOD STRIKER FROM THE LATCH.

Risk. UNEXPECTED OPENING OF THE HOOD COULD OCCUR OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE HOOD LATCH AND SECURING BOLTS AND REPLACE THEM IF NECESSARY.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System › Radiator Assembly2 injured
Filed Jul 11, 2005140,000 milesTX

STEAM COMINIG FROM DASHBOARD. EVENTUALLY, THE HEATER CORE EXPLODED CAUSING BURNS TO MY WIFES LEG. TALKED TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, AND SEVERAL FRIENDS WHO OWN THE SAME VW. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO! THE HEATER CORES WERE ALREADY RECALLED ON MK2 GOLFS, AND CORRADOS! WHEN THE HEATER CORE FAILS THE CAR FILLS WITH STEAM AND YOU HAVE NO DRIVING VISIBILITY! STILL TRYING TO TALK TO VW OF AMERICA, ITS TYPICALLY COVERED, HOWEVER, A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED YET.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Jun 27, 2005103,634 milesIN

1995 VW GOLF HEATERCORE BLEW. WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIWAY FOR NO REASON THE CORE BLEW. COULD HAVE CRASHED THE CAR OR INJURED HERSELF WHEN THE COOLANT SPILLED OUT THE CORE.

Vehicle Speed Control › Cruise Control
Filed Jul 22, 2003CO

#1 - 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF, WITHOUT RETAINING ANY FAULT CODE OR INFORMATION REGARDING THE PROBLEM. PREVIOUS OWNER HAD SAME PROBLEM; PROBABLY HAPPENING MOST OF VEHICLE'S LIFE. #2 - CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK AT ALL, AND DIDN'T WORK FOR PREVIOUS OWNER EITHER FOR MANY YEARS.*AK

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed May 17, 2002NC

CRUISE CONTROL WORKED INTERMITTENTLY AND FAILED FAILED COMPLETELY. POWER WINDOWS OFTEN GOT STUCK AT THE DOWN POSITION AND FINALLY NO LONGER WORK AT ALL. YOUR FORM ENTERS INFORMATION ABOUT THE CRUISE CONTROL IN THE IMPROPER LOCATION, THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › Switch
Filed Dec 10, 2001NY

DURING OPERATION OF VEHICLE ENGINE WILL LOSE POWER AND HEADLIGHTS WILL FAIL AT NIGHT. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH APPROXIMATELY FIVE TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

Structure › Body › Door
Filed Oct 27, 2001OR

THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLY WHICH CONNECTS TO THE AIR SYSTEM CONTINUES TO BREAK, I'VE REPLACED THIS THREE TIMES, EVEN WITH THEIR BEEFED UP REPLACEMENT PART.*AK

Unknown or Other
Filed Nov 15, 1999GA

ALTERNATOR AND ALTERNATOR HARNESS FAILURE. NO WARNING PRIOR TO INCIDENT. CAR DIED WHILE DRIVING ON ROAD. UNSURE WHEN PROBLEM FIRST STARTED. DEFINITELY KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG 2 MONTHS PRIOR BUT DEALER UNABLE TO FIND. DURING THE LAST 1.5 YEARS PRIOR HAD UNRESOLVED ENGINE CHECK LIGHT FOR WHICH DEALER COULD NOT FIND A CAUSE. *AK

Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Heater Core
Filed Sep 29, 1999OH

HEATER CORE FAILED CAUSING ENGINE COOLANT TO LEAK INSIDE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF VEHICLE, ANTIFREEZE ODOR APPARENT DURING WARM UP OF VEHICLE. NLM

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch
Filed Jun 3, 1998WA

MISSING BOLTS FROM HOOD LATCH CAUSED ACCIDENT WHEN HOOD SMASHED AGAINST WINDSHIELD.

Structure › Body › Hood › Hinge and Attachments
Filed Jun 2, 1998WA

BOLTS TO THE HOOD LATCH CAME OFF CAUSING HOOD TO SMASH WINDSHIELD RESULTING IN VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch
Filed Apr 8, 1998WA

THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE HOOD LATCH BROKE OFF, CAUSE THE HOOD TO FLY OPEN WHILE DRIVING, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *AK

Service Brakes, Air › Antilock
Filed Mar 20, 1998PA

ABS FAILURE.

Equipment › Mechanical › Accessory Scissor/Screw/Bottle Jack/Lift
Filed May 14, 1997NY

CONSUMER COMPLAINS REPLACEMENT JACK HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED YET.

Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and Attachments
Filed Dec 19, 1996CT

DOOR HINGERS DO NOT HOLD THE DOOR OPEN, CAUSING UNEXPECTED CLOSURE ON EXITING OR ENTERING PASSENGERS DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW. *AK

Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and Attachments1 injured
Filed Sep 11, 1996CA

DOOR HINGES DO NOT HOLD DOOR OPEN, CAUSING DOORS TO CLOSE ON DRIVER OR PASSENGERS, CAUSING INJURY.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › VacuumCrash
Filed Sep 4, 1996NC

BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED, CAUSING ACCIDENT.

Equipment › Appliance › Air Conditioner
Filed Jun 25, 1996MI

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. *AK

Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner
Filed Jun 24, 1996NY

CLIP HOLDING RECLINING SEATBACK FELL OFF, RESULTING IN THE ENTIRE SEATBACK COLLAPSING INTO THE REAR SEAT. *AK

18 of 18 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2019
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20250100Routine
202428200Routine
20236500Routine
202228600Routine
20214100Routine
20208300Routine
2019179400Routine
201817302Do not drive
201752200Routine
201666400Routine
201597610Routine
201410110Routine
201334211Fatalities reported
201240210Routine
201155210Routine
201053100Routine
2009167220Routine
200867100Routine
200777101Fatalities reported
200643230Routine
20058100Routine
20047100Routine
200353111Fatalities reported
2002124200Routine
200174230Routine
200045310Routine
19998200Routine
199810000Routine
199710010Routine
19969110Routine
1995 — this page18200Routine
19940200Routine
19930200Routine
19920100Routine
19911100Routine
19900200Routine

Compare every GTI year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Aug 17, 1998. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.