RoadVitals

1990 Volkswagen Golf Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
10
Latest Oct 24, 2002
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
6
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.
3

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1990 Volkswagen Golf, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

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

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Seat belts330.0%
  • Brakes220.0%
  • Driver assistance220.0%
  • Body & structure110.0%
  • Electrical110.0%
  • Visibility110.0%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Seat belts

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

THIS VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED WITHOUT FRONT LAP BELTS, BUT DO HAVE SHOULDER BELTS. DEALER SAYS VEHICLE IS SAFE. *AK

NHTSA ID 837067 · filed Jun 7, 1999

THE VEHICLE ISN'T SAFE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE DOESN'T HAVE LAP BELTS. *AK

NHTSA ID 830759 · filed Nov 13, 1998

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 TO 45 MPH HEARD A SNAP AND THAT WAS ROTORS SNAPPING IN HALF, LOST ALL BRAKES AND STEERING. THERE WERE FIVE RECALLS ON VEHICLE THAT HAD NEVER BEEN DONE.*AK

NHTSA ID 874536 · filed Nov 7, 2000

CONSUMER HAS RECEIVED A RECALL LETER, AND HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID 830091 · filed Nov 4, 1998

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

CAR WAS PUT INTO DRIVE DIDN'T PRESS ON THE GAS CAR ACCELERATE AND HIT A PARK CAR NO INJURY . TT

NHTSA ID 972547 · filed Sep 27, 1995

SUDDEN ACCELERATION OF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. *AK

NHTSA ID 968823 · filed Jul 14, 1995

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Body & structure

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING THE WIRING IN THE TRUNK CAUGHT ON FIRE AND THE CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED TS CONSUMER HAD TURNED ON THE REAR DEFROST FOR THE FIRST TIME. THERE WAS A CRACKING SOUND AND A STREAM OF SMOKE CAME UP FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR HATCH AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. *JG *JB

NHTSA ID 8021548 · filed Oct 24, 2002

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE DRIVING COULD SEE A LIGHT BURNING ON FLOOR OF VEHICLE . CONSUMER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE AND SAW U A BLUE FLAME. VEHICLE STARTED FILLING UP WITH SMOKE. FIRE COULD NOT BE PUT OUT. FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT FIRE STARTED FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO TRUNK. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

NHTSA ID 880404 · filed Feb 12, 2001

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Visibility

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF MY CAR SUDDENLY BEGIN TO FOG UP. I WAS COASTING TOWARD A STOP LIGHT AND AS SOON AS I STOPPED I NOTICED ANTIFREEZE POURING IN FROM AROUND THE FIREWALL AREA. I WAS ONLY A FEW BLOCKS FROM HOME SO I WATCHED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND PROCEEDED SLOWLY- SOMEHOW KEEPING MY FEET SUSPENDED OFF OF THE FLOOR TO AVOID THE HOT ANTIFREEZE. I SUSPECTED THE HEATER CORE BECAUSE I KNEW THAT IT WAS INTERNAL TO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. I REPLACED THIS MYSELF BECAUSE THE DEALER SAID THEY WOULD CHARGE BETWEEN 600-800.00 FOR THIS REPAIR. THIS WAS THE BIGGEST PAIN THE NECK TO REPAIR BECAUSE I HAD TO REMOVE THE DASHBOARD TO ACCESS THE HEATER CORE. PLUS I HAD TO REPLACE THE CARPET BECAUSE IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ANTIFREEZE OUT OF CARPET. NOW I KNOW WHY THE DEALER CHARGES SO MUCH! *AK

NHTSA ID 721312 · filed Apr 11, 2000

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

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.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .