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
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and Attachments
2
0
0
1
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch
2
0
0
0
Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Heater Core
1
0
0
0
Vehicle Speed Control › Cruise Control
1
0
0
0
Vehicle Speed Control
1
0
0
0
Unknown or Other
1
0
0
0
Structure › Body › Hood › Hinge and Attachments
1
0
0
0
Structure › Body › Door
1
0
0
0
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum
1
1
0
0
Service Brakes, Air › Antilock
1
0
0
0
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
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.