RoadVitals

1999 Volkswagen Golf Fuel system Problems

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

Data refreshed

Fuel system 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 Jan 28, 2009
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.
19%
of 64 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.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 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 fuel system

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

Fuel system
Filed Jan 28, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VALVE IN THE FUEL CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VALVE BECOMES CLOGGED WITH THE FUEL. HE HAS RESEARCHED SEVERAL COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS FAILURE AND STATED THAT VOLKSWAGEN IS AWARE, BUT DOES NOTHING TO RECTIFY THE ISSUE. ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT HAS BEEN STRANDED IN COLD WEATHER AND FACED NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES DUE TO THE STALLING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 126,900.

NHTSA ID
10256580
Incident
Jan 11, 2009
Mileage
126,900 mi
EngineFuel systemTransmission
Filed Dec 18, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. THE VEHICLE HAS A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE O RING DEFECT. THE DEFECT CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT, RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE RECEIVED THE 44K TREATMENT TO RECTIFY THE FAILURE AND NOW THE ENTIRE EXHAUST SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS ALSO DEFECTIVE AND CAUSES THE MOTOR AND OTHER COMPONENTS TO OVERHEAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A LARGE QUANTITY OF SMOKE COMES FROM THE VEHICLE AND HE DOES NOT DRIVE IT DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS. HE IS ALSO UNABLE TO SWITCH GEARS BECAUSE THE CLUTCH IS BURNED OUT. THE RECALL NUMBER, VIN, AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 72,000.

NHTSA ID
10212219
Incident
Dec 2, 2007
Mileage
72,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Sep 9, 2005

1999 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SAFETY RECALL RECEIVED REGARDING THE DEFECT WITH THE FUEL SUPPLY MODULE.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE CONSUMER STATED HE DID SMELL GAS COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER NO LONGER LIVES IN THE UNITED STATES AND WHERE SHE LIVES NOW NO ONE WAS FAMILIAR WITH AMERICAN MADE VEHICLES OR EVEN THE RECALL. *JB

NHTSA ID
10137726
Incident
Jan 1, 1901
Fuel system
Filed Jul 6, 2005

DT: 1999 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF, FUEL PUMP WAS LEAKING BECAUSE THE SUPPLY FITTING WAS CRACKED. THIS WAS CAUSED BY A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT, WHICH CAUSED A POOL OF FUEL TO FORM UNDER THE BACK SEAT. ALSO, FUEL WAS LEAKING OUT OF THE VEHICLE ONTO THE GROUND. THE CONSUMER FOUND VARIOUS WEBSITES THAT THERE HAD ALREADY BEEN A RECALL 05V154000 CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM. IN ADDITION, THE CONSUMER HAD FOUND THAT THERE WAS A LETTER FROM NHTSA TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, PEA-04-079. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, THEY INDICATED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE RECALL. WHEN THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, THEY TOLD CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. FUMES WERE CAUSING THE CONSUMER AND PASSENGERS HEADACHES AND DRY EYES. VEHICLE LEAKED FUEL WHEN THE IGNITION WAS IN THE ON POSITION, WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WAS OPENED AND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING. D.PATRICK MOTOPLEX LOCATED ON 200 NORTH GREEN RIVER ROAD EVANSVILLE, IN, 47716, PH. NO. 812-473-6500, WAS THE DEALERSHIP WORKING ON THIS PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10127689
Incident
Jun 10, 2005
Mileage
63,500 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jan 25, 2005

CAR STARTED SMELLING STRONGLY OF GASOLINE ON THE INSIDE AS WELL AS ON THE OUTSIDE. A GASOLINE PUDDLE WAS FORMING UNDER THE CAR WHEN PARKED. CAR COULD NOT BE PARKED INSIDE ANY FURTHER. VW DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP (OLD PART IS NOT AVAILABLE). REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I HAD TO PAY FOR LABOR. *NM

NHTSA ID
10107910
Incident
Aug 10, 2002
Mileage
26,902 mi
Fuel system
Filed Oct 15, 2004

FUEL PUMP LEAKED CAUSING AN EXTREMELY STRONG SMELL INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE. *BF *NM

NHTSA ID
10097470
Incident
Oct 1, 2004
Fuel system
Filed Sep 17, 2004

THE FUEL PUMP ON MY 1999 VW GOLF HAS FAILED TWICE. I FEEL THIS IS BOTH A DEFECT AND HIGHLY DANGEROUS. THE FUEL PUMP CRACKED AND DUMPED FUEL OUT ONTO THE PAVEMENT. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS UNUSUAL, BUT WHEN I WAS IN THE SECOND TIME, I MET ANOTHER VW OWNER WITH THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. VW CONTINUES TO DENY ANY RESPONSIBILITY AND REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE MATTER. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE HAPPENED ON 9-10-01 AT 26K MILES, THE SECOND ON 7-7-04 AT 52000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID
10091162
Incident
Sep 10, 2001
Mileage
52,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jul 4, 2004

SMELL OF GAS HEAVY INSIDE THE CAR. SMELL EQUALLY AS BAD IF WINDOWS ARE ROLLED DOWN. GRADUAL DECREASE IN THE MILES TO GALLON. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. THEY REPLACED THE FUEL COMPONENT THAT SITS UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE OF BACK SEAT. HAPPENED AGAIN ONE YEAR AND 1 MONTH LATER. CAR THEN OUT OF WARRANTY. TOOK TO PRIVATE MECHANIC. FIXED PROBLEM AGAIN. TOLD BOTH TIMES IT WAS REPAIRED THAT A CIGARETTE ON THE ROAD WAY COULD HAVE CAUSE CAR TO EXPLODE DUE TO GAS SPEWING OUT OF CAR. ON THE COMPONENT THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED (IM NOT SURE OF THE EXACT NAME) THERE WAS A PLASTIC "NIPPLE" THAT COMES OUT OF COMPONENT AND A PLASTIC TUBE IS ATTACHED THERE. ""NIPPLE" HAD CRACKED ALMOST COMPLETELY OFF AND GAS WAS SPEWING OUT EVERY TIME I PRESSED ON THE GAS. CAR WAS DRIVEN NORMAL AND NOT INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENTS. PERHAPS DRY ROTTING OF PLASTIC?*AK

NHTSA ID
10079259
Incident
Aug 10, 2002
Mileage
42,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jun 16, 2003

FUEL PUMP BEGAN LEAKING AGAIN JUNE 11, 2003 AT @ 30,000 MILES. FUEL PUMP HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED AFTER SEVERE LEAKAGE DUE TO CRACKED PLASTIC HOUSING SEPTEMBER, 2000 AT @ 19,000 MILES. FUEL PUMPS SHOULD NOT ROUTINELY FAIL IN SUCH HAZARDOUS FASHION EACH 15,000 MILES -- UNDER WARRANTY OR NO. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10023172
Incident
Jun 11, 2003
Mileage
31,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jul 12, 2002

CONSUMERS VEHICLE REEKED OF GASOLINE. THE FUMES WERE SEEPING THROUGH THE VENTS. THE DEALER WAS VERY CONCERNED AND SURPRISED THE VEHICLE MADE IT TO THE SHOP BECAUSE OF HOW EXTENSIVE THE LEAK WAS. THE PART NEEDED TO FIX VEHICLE IS ON A NATIONAL BACKORDER. *JG

NHTSA ID
786041
Fuel system
Filed Jan 4, 2001

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH ENGINE LOST ALL POWER, NO WARNING, CONSUMER COULD NOT START CAR UNTIL 10 MINUTES LATER, AND THIS HAPPENED TWICE. MECHANIC SAID RELAY HAS FAILED. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
877414
Incident
Dec 21, 2000
Fuel systemExterior lighting
Filed Aug 28, 2000

THESE 2 ITEMS CONCERNED ME GREATLY AS TO THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. THE PLASTIC FUEL LINE FAILED DUE TO COLD WEATHER, BELOW ZERO, AND BEING HIT BY SLUSH BALL FROM A TRUCK. HAD THE FUEL LINE BEEN METAL, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO FAILURE. THE SECOND ITEM, THE HEADLIGHTS IS MORE CRITICAL. THEY FAILED TO WORK ON LOW BEAM. THIS FAILURE HAPPENED UNANNOUNCED AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. I DROVE THE REST OF THE WAY HOME WITH MY HIGH BEAMS ON.

NHTSA ID
729319
Incident
Feb 1, 2000

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.

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .