1997 Volkswagen Golf Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1997 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
- Transmission520.0%
- Engine416.0%
- Airbags312.0%
- Electrical312.0%
- Interior & seats312.0%
- Visibility28.0%
- Other / unspecified14.0%
- Powertrain (other)14.0%
- Tires & wheels14.0%
- Body & structure14.0%
- Heating & air conditioning14.0%
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
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT WHEN NEEDED INTO HIGHER GEARS, AND SOMETIMES FALLS OUT OF THE PROPER GEAR AND INTO A LOWER GEAR WHEN IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO, CAUSING ENGINE TO REV WAY TOO HIGH WHILE ON THE FREEWAY. CAR DOES NOT RUN PROPERLY AS A RESULT, AND I CAN'T REALLY DRIVE IT UNTIL IT'S FIXED. I TRIED TO HAVE VOLKSWAGON FIX THE KNOWN PROBLEM, BUT THEY REFUSED. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE SHIFTING. DRIVER PULLED OVER, AND NOTICED THAT TRANSMISSION LIGHT FLASHED ON AND OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE HOUSING SHAFT. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN DRIVING AND ACCELERATING THERE IS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE. DEALER SAYS PIPE NEEDS TO BE REWELDED OR REPLACED. *AK
EXHAUST DOWN PIPE SHEID OUTSIDE LOOSE BOTTOM & TOP NEED TO BE "RECRIMED" (VW 7/24/00) VW DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT'S A MANAFACTURERS DEFECT BUT MY WARRANTY IS VOID "2 YEARS 24,000 MILES" THE OXYGEN SENSOR/GASKETS/FLEX PIPE ARE ALL EFFECTED TO DO THIS PROBLEM LEADING TO MANIFOLD PROBLEMS ? THE AUTOMOBILE IS 3 YEARS OLD WITH ALL ORIGINAL PARTS. NEW CAR WITH EXHAUST PROBLEMS? THIS PART WAS OF POOR QUALITY ON THE MANAFACTURERS END I FEEL THIS IS A DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO BY VW. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
AIRBAGS IN THE CAR DEPLOYED CAUSING ME TO HIT A CURB MORE THAN ONCE DESSIMATING MY PASSENGER SIDE AND KNOCKING ME THROUGH A LOOP, MY INSURANCE COMPANY IS INVESTIGATING , BUT IM NOT SURE WHAT THE CAN FIND OUT ,I KNOW AUDI(PART OF VW) WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH AIRBAGS DEPLOYING BECAUSE OF STATIC CHARGE IN LOW HUMIDITY CONDITIONS ... THANK YOU . JASON A CULLIGAN. *AK
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE IGNITION BROKE IN APRIL 2000 & WAS REPLACED BY DEALER. ON 9/1/2000, WHITE, ODORLESS SMOKE CAME FROM LEFT SIDE OF STEERING COLUMN. ON 9/18/2000, BROWN SMELLY SMOKE CAME FROM SAME AREA. CAR TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER KEPT FOR 3 DAYS, COULDN'T FIND PROBLEM, SAID CAR WAS SAFE. ON 9/24/2000, BROWN SMELLY SMOKE CAME FROM STEERING COLUMN ON 3 OCCASIONS. CAR TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER KEPT CAR FIVE DAYS, COULDN'T FIND PROBLEM. THE CAR IS NOW AT ANOTHER REPAIR PLACE. I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THIS CAR. I THINK THE PROBLEM IS DIRECTLY CAUSED BY THE IGNITION REPLACEMENT. VERY UNHAPPY WITH DEALER AND VW USA.
NO SUMMARY
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK INTERMITTENTLY MALFUNCTIONED IN COLD TEMPERATURES. DOOR KNOB POPPED UP, BUT THE DOOR FAILED TO OPEN AUTOMATICALLY OR MANUALLY. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER WAS TRAPPED IN OR LOCKED OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK
DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LOCK BROKE. NLM
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT BRINGING A FRIEND HOME AND AS I WAS APPROACHING AN OFF RAMP, I FELT SOMETHING BURNING ON MY LEGS. I LOOKED DOWN TO TRY TO SEE WHAT IT WAS AND WHEN I LOOKED UP, MY WINDSHIELD WAS COMPLETELY COVERED IN FOG. THANKFULLY THERE WAS A SHOULDER ON THE EXIT, SO I PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF AND DID SOME INVESTIGATING. THERE WAS A SMALL STREAM OF COOLANT COMING DOWN FROM BEHIND MY DASH, AND ONTO THE FLOOR. IF THERE HAD BEEN TRAFFIC I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE BUT, I HAD TO CALL ANOTHER FRIEND AND COME GET US AT 12:30AM ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. I DID SOME INVESTIGATING ONLINE AND SEARCHED FOR RECALLS, AND I FOUND THAT THE MARK 2 JETTAS AND GOLFS HAD A HEATER CORE RECALL. I DID SOME FURTHER INVESTIGATING AND FOUND OUT THAT THE MARK 2 HEATERCORES AND THE MARK 3 HEATERCORES HAVE THE SAME PART NUMBER - SO WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL FOR THE MARK 3'S? THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE ONLINE AND ON A FORUM CALLED VWVORTEX.COM WHERE THERE IS AT LEAST 40+ REPORTED ISSUES IN THAT SMALL COMMUNITY ALONE. (HTTP://FORUMS.VWVORTEX.COM/ZEROTHREAD?ID=1593587&PAGE=9). *TR
NO SUMMARY
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEEL LUG:BOLTS THAT ARE CAUSING THE WHEEL TO SEPARATE FROM VEHICLE DUE TO IMPROPER LUG: NUTS THAT ARE ATTACHED TO WHEEL AND VEHICLE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
NO SUMMARY
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE GOODYEAR EAGLE GA TIRES (195/60R14) EXPERIENCED 2 FAILURES, THE RIGHT REAR SIDEWALL HAD A DEFECTIVE CRACK AND THE RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING AN ADJUSTMENT FROM ONE OF TIRES THAT WAS PAID FOR AT A PRO-RATED COST. *SLC
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.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER NOTICED FOUR DOORS' MOLDING SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE. CONSUMER GLUED MOLDING ON TWICE, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
AIR CONDITIONING IS LEAKING CONDENSATION INTO THE CAR, FOGGING UP FRONT WINDOW AND COMPROMISING VISIBILITY. FLOORBOARD IS SOAKED WITH WATER, CLOUDING WINDOWS. *NM
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
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .