RoadVitals

1996 Volkswagen Golf Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints 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.
12
Latest Jul 7, 2010
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
33%
of 36 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Volkswagen Golf submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalVisibility
Filed Jul 7, 2010
Fire reported

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 65 AND 70 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ENGAGED WHEN SUDDENLY, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING AND SMOKE BEGAN EMITTING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, THE SMOKE SUBSIDED AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY REPLACING THE IGNITION AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.

NHTSA ID
10341796
Incident
Jun 30, 2010
Mileage
110,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jun 7, 2002
1 injury reported

CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE AND HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND. THEN, SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. HE SHUT OFF ENGINE AND OPENED HOOD. BATTERY HAD EXPLODED. BATTERY WAS FACTORY REPLACEMENT PART INSTALLED BY DEALER. *AK THE BATTERY HAD BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. CONSUMER WAS BURNED FROM THE BATTERY ACID. *YH

NHTSA ID
8011305
Incident
Jun 1, 2002
ElectricalInterior & seatsSteering
Filed May 3, 2001

DOOR LOCK CYLINDER- SEPARATED FROM INNER ASSEMBLY , #2. WHILE IN HYWAY TRAFFIC, RADIO FAILED, FOLLOWED BY ,IN APPROXIMATELY 10 SECONDS, ENGINE CUTTING OFF ( FUEL/WATER GUAGE FUNCTIONED), COASTED TO ROADSIDE. ATTEMPTED TO START ENGINE, ACTED AS IF BATTERY DEAD. AFTER 1 HOUR WAIT, ATTEMPTED TO RESTART ENGINE, STARTER TURNED SLOWLY BUT DID NOT START ENGINE. HOWEVER, STANDARD ALARM SYSTEM SOUNDED. I TURNED OF ALARM BY INSERTING KEY IN DOOR (STANDARD PROCEDURE). TOW TRUCK GAVE BOOST AT BATTERY. VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY STARTED . THE BATTERY LOW POWER THING, OCCURRED ABOUT TWO WEEKS PRIOR, IN VW DEALER'S CUSTOMER PICK UP AREA, AFTER DEALER HAD REPLACED A HEADLIGHT FUSE/ ALIGNED HEADLIGHTS/WHEELS. WHEN ALARM WENT OFF AND STARTER DID NOT TURN OVER ENGINE, SERVICE MANAGER IMMEDIATELY ARRIVED W/BOOSTER UNIT AND STARTED CAR. HE SAID BATTERY PROBABLY GOT LOW FROM TECHNICIAN HOLDING DOWN BRAKE PEDAL FOR EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME? DUH? I DID NOT THINK ANYTHING MORE ABOUT PROBLEM AT THE TIME(DENIAL). PROBLEM H. *AK

NHTSA ID
744910
Incident
Apr 1, 2001
ElectricalSteering
Filed Apr 25, 2001

AFTER CONSUMER TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND THEN STARTED IT BACK ON CAR ALARM CAME ON AND STAYED ON.CONSUMER LOOKED UNDER HOOD TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. THEN, CONSUMER SMELLED SMOK, AND REALIZED THAT WIRING SYSTEM BURNED OUT NOTHING THAT WAS MOTORIZED WAS WORKING. CONTACTED DEALER AND DEALER WAS WILLING TO FIX PROBLEM AT OWNERS COST.*AK

NHTSA ID
886797
Incident
Apr 22, 2001
Body & structureElectricalVisibility
Filed Mar 23, 2001
Fire reported

DROVE INTO PARKING LOT. HEARD A NOISE & VEHICLE STOPPED. SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER HOOD, THEN FLAMES SHOT OUT. FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND PUT OUT FLAMES. GAVE INDICATION OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, CAUSING FIRE. PRIOR TO PROBLEM ,HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP 11 TIMES FOR ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMING ON/ DOOR LOCKS, AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS. DEALERSHIP WAS NOT HONORING EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT WAS SOLD.*AK

NHTSA ID
884033
Incident
Feb 25, 2001
ElectricalEngine
Filed Mar 21, 1999

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON CONSTANTLY, FAILED OXYGEN SENSOR TWICE. DOOR LOCK LITERALLY FELL OUT OF DOOR AND LEFT HOLE, WAS REPLACED. STEREO DISPLAY FADED OVER LIFE OF CAR (3.5YRS) UNTIL NOW UNREADABLE. CANNOT BE FIXED MUST BE REPLACED. CAR NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE. *AK

NHTSA ID
704713
Incident
Apr 23, 1998
Body & structureElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Dec 31, 1998

DOOR LOCK HAS FAILED SEVERAL TIMES.

NHTSA ID
543382
Incident
Dec 26, 1994
Electrical
Filed Sep 29, 1998

ELECTRICAL FAILURE RESULTING IN REPLACEMENT OF EVERY LIGHT IN THE CAR MORE THAN A FEW TIMES.

NHTSA ID
541430
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine+1 more
Filed Feb 27, 1998

BAD CHIP IN ECM COMPUTER.

NHTSA ID
531514
Incident
Mar 1, 1996
Electrical
Filed Feb 25, 1998

HORN BUTTON DIFFICULT TO FIND IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.

NHTSA ID
531388
ElectricalEngine
Filed Sep 9, 1997

ENGINE ECM FAILED.

NHTSA ID
606064
Incident
Apr 4, 1996
Electrical
Filed Mar 6, 1997

CIGARETT LIGHTER ADOPTER, AFTER BEING PUSHED IN, POPPED OUT AND THE ELEMENT STAYED INSIDE, CAUSING AN OVERHEATING PROBLEM, SAW SMOKE. *AK

NHTSA ID
808266
Incident
Jan 13, 1997

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .