Total Complaints
11 filings
VOLKSWAGEN GOLF · model year
1991 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF
11 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1991VOLKSWAGENGOLF carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1991 GOLF is visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:heater core with 3 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition (1) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:belts and associated pulleys (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 37 investigation files overlapping the 1991 GOLF, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
11
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020404VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER THE ACCELERATOR STUCK OPEN. ( IN RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I FOUND VOLKSWAGEN RECALLED CARS IN CANADA FOR THIS PROBLEM. RECALL TR (CANADA ONLY). ) THIS HAPPENED THIS WINTER -- BELOW 10*F . IT IS AN EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS SITUATION IN TRAFFIC. I HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND TURN THE CAR OFF -- PUSHING THE CLUTCH IN CAUSED HIGH REV'S. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT IDLE WHEN IT WAS BELOW 20*F PUSHING THE CLUTCH IN AT A STOP LIGH WOULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO QUIT. REPLACING THE IDLE STABILIZER VALVE HELPED THIS ISSUE -- AFTER THE ISV I REMOVED FROM THE CAR SAT INSIDE FOR SEVERAL DAYS I PICKED IT UP TO MOVE IT AND A CLEAR LIQUID RAN OUT WHICH LOOKED A LOT LIKE WATER. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR SEVERAL YEARS BUT THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR I HAVE DRIVEN IT DURING THE WINTER AND THIS YEAR I HAVE MOVED 240 MILES FURTHER NORTH WHERE THE WEATHER IS COLDER. *AK
20000918VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
TOP SECTION OF HEATER CORE CRACKED OPEN WHILE ENGINE AT IDLE SPEED ALLOWING VERY HOT COOLANT TO ENTER THE COCKPIT DRIVER AND PASS. SIDE AT THE FOOT LEVEL. AFTER EMAILING OTHER VW OWNERS GOLF, JETTA, GTI, PASSAT THEY HAVE REPORTED SAME PROBLEMS DUE TO FACT THAT VWOA USES THE SAME PART ON THESE CARS. ALSO FOUND A SAFETY RECALL W/ WWW.ALLDATA.COM WITH TSB # CMPGSD ISSUED MAY 1992 RE: HEATER CORE.
20000911VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
TOP SECTION OF HEATER CORE CRACKED OPEN WHILE ENGINE AT IDLE SPEED ALLOWING VERY HOT COOLANT TO ENTER THE COCKPIT DRIVER AND PASS. SIDE AT THE FOOT LEVEL. AFTER EMAILING OTHER VW OWNERS GOLF, JETTA, GTI, PASSAT THEY HAVE REPORTED SAME PROBLEMS DUE TO FACT THAT VWOA USES THE SAME PART ON THESE CARS. ALSO FOUND A SAFETY RECALL W/ WWW.ALLDATA.COM WITH TSB # CMPGSD ISSUED MAY 1992 RE: HEATER CORE.
20000329FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL CAMPAIGN SK IN NOVEMBER 1999 DATED AUGUST 1993, HOWEVER NOT ABLE TO RECEIVE REPAIR DUE TO LACK OF KITS AVAILABLE FOR REPAIR. (92V-058) *MJS
19990506VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING
WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL SWITCH FELL OFF DUE TO WEAK MATERIAL. MJS
19990506ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
CIRCUIT BOARD/SHEET FAILED. MJS
19980831VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
HEATER CORE FAILED POURING HOT COOLANT INTO PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR AND STEAM POURING THROUGH VENTS.
19980512STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS
WHILE PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY THE FRONT BUMPER FELL OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. THE BUMPER IS BEING HELD ON BY BUNGEE CORDS AT THIS TIME. *AK
19960310ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
ALTERNATOR/AIR CONDITIONER BELTS REPLACED. *AW
19960310ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
STARTER LOCATED TOO CLOSE TO EXHAUST MANIFOLD, CAUSING STARTER TO OVERHEAT, DAMAGING TEETH ON FLYWHEEL.
19950512CrashELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
DRIVING VEHICLE AT SPEED 40 MPH, HAD COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER, IMPACT 3:00 POSITION. TT
Compare 1991VOLKSWAGENGOLF to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA24004Engineering AnalysisOpen
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
RQ24010Recall QueryClosed
Inadvertent Door Opening
RQ23007Recall QueryClosed
Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)
PE23017Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Inadvertent Automatic Emergency Braking
EQ22001EQClosed
LGES High Voltage Battery Failures
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1991 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF have?▼
The 1991 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF has 11 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF?▼
The most-complained component for the 1991 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF is VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS.
Is the 1991 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.