RoadVitals

1986 Volkswagen Golf Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
13
Latest May 5, 2002
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Feb 24, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 13 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1986 Volkswagen Golf. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–13 of 13

Electrical
Filed May 5, 2002

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE ON 2/8/02, AND HAVE HAD THE CAR CONTINUOUSLY IN THE REPAIR SHOP SINCE THAT PURCHASE. THE FIRST PROBLEM, THE CAR STOPPED WHILE EXECUTING A RIGHT TURN, OCCURRED TWO DAYS AFTER PURCHASE. SINCE THAT WAS A SUNDAY, I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO WAIT UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO CONTACT THE DEALER THAT FOLLOWING MONDAY. WHEN I DID TALK WITH THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD THAT SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR "AS IS" THEY HAD NO RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED, OR TO DETERMINE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. SINCE THAT OCCURRENCE, I'VE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS, HAVE HAD IT TOWED TWICE, AND HAD IT IN THE REPAIR SHOP ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS. I HAVE KEPT MOST OF THE RECEIPTS FOR THE REPAIRS MADE, ALTHOUGH I DO ADMIT TO HAVING MISPLACED A FEW. I'VE HAD TO PURCHASE AND EXCHANGE THREE STARTERS, HAVE THE FUEL INJECTORS REPAIRED, HAVE A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DIAGNOSIS, PURCHASE NEW SPARK PLUG WIRES, THERMOSTAT AND A NEW IGNITION SWITCH. ALL OF THESE ITEMS WERE REPAIRED/REPLACED BY A REPAIR SHOP WHICH CHARGED LABOR FEES TOTALLING MORE THAN $600.00.*AK

NHTSA ID
761547
Incident
Feb 12, 2002
Visibility
Filed Aug 7, 2001

WHILE DRIVING IN BUMPER TO BUMPER FAST MOVING TRAFFIC ON INTERSTATE 80 ON SUNDAY, NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ID
750038
Incident
Aug 6, 2001
Fuel system
Filed Jun 15, 2001

WHILE SITTING WITH VEHICLE RUNNING FUEL PUMP OPERATED ERRATICALLY. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC AND THEY REPLACED FUEL FILTER. CONSUMER STATED IF SITTING TOO LONG AT A LIGHT VEHICLE WILL STALL AND SHUT OFF. *AK

NHTSA ID
890465
Incident
Jun 15, 1994
Body & structure
Filed Aug 30, 2000

THIS CAR FAILED STATE INSPECTION DUE TO THE CONDITION OF ALL FOUR DOORS. THE TWO BACK DOORS CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE. ALL FOUR DOORS ARE STICKY AND DIFFICULT TO OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. ALL BUT ONE DOOR LOCK KNOB HAS LOST (BROKEN OFF) THE PLASTIC KNOB. OTHER VW GOLF OWNERS (USED AND NEW CARS) HAVE COMPLAINED TO ME ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. CAN YOU TELL ME IF THERE WAS EVER A PARTS RECALL AND / OR HOW I MIGHT CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER FOR MORE INFORMATION? THANK YOU!

NHTSA ID
729511
Fuel systemVisibility
Filed Aug 11, 2000

RECALL COMPONENTS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN FUEL PUMP 87V053, FUEL TANK 86V149, FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY 86V029 AND HEATER CORE 92V050. NLM

NHTSA ID
553773
Powertrain (other)Transmission
Filed Nov 30, 1999

VEHICLE'S CLUTCH DISC EXPERIENCED PREMATURE FAILURE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, DISC FELL APART SEVERAL TIMES. MJS

NHTSA ID
549772
Incident
Jan 21, 1992
Fuel system
Filed May 14, 1999

GAS TANK LEAKS AS IT NEARS THE 10 GALLON POINT AND IT APPEARS TO COME FROM ON TOP OF THE TANK ASSEMBLY NEAR THE POINT WHERE THE FILLER TUBE AND TANK WERE MOLDED TOGETHER DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO RECALL. *AK

NHTSA ID
706515
Incident
Nov 20, 1997
Body & structure
Filed Mar 3, 1998

WATER ENTERING VEHICLE CAUSING VEHICLE'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR TO FAIL.

NHTSA ID
531747
Seat belts
Filed Feb 25, 1998

WATER ENTERS SEAT BELT RETRACTOR HOUSING AREA. IN WINTER, WATER WOULD FREEZE & SEAT BELTS DO NOT RELEASE. ALSO FAILS TO RETRACT BACKWARDS. HAVE NOT TAKEN TO DEALER YET. *AK

NHTSA ID
821683
Incident
Sep 5, 1997
Visibility
Filed Feb 24, 1998
1 injury reported

HEATER CORE BROKE, CAUSING LEAKAGE ONTO CONSUMER/INJURIES.

NHTSA ID
531204
Incident
Jul 23, 1992
Body & structure
Filed Apr 9, 1997

DOOR HANDLE DEFECTIVE.

NHTSA ID
516291
Incident
Jul 1, 1996
Fuel system
Filed Feb 22, 1996
Fire reported

ELECTRONIC FUEL PUMP MALFUNCTIONED, RESULTING IN VEHICLE FIRE. *AK

NHTSA ID
979576
Incident
Feb 7, 1996
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 24, 1995

SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. (ORIGINAL DOCUMENT ON 482158). *SKD

NHTSA ID
479567
Incident
Mar 1, 1993

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .