Total Complaints
28 filings
VOLKSWAGEN GOLF · model year
1998 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF
28 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998VOLKSWAGENGOLF carries 28 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 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 1998 GOLF is electrical system:ignition:switch with 4 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (3) and engine and engine cooling:exhaust system (3). 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 1998 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.
28
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 4 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 2 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:FLASHER UNIT | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20041228ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
HEADLIGHTS AND AC INTERMITTENTLY WENT OFF COMPLETELY AND PARKING BRAKE LIGHT DIDN'T GO AWAY ON DASHBOARD; MECHANIC DETERMINED A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH WAS THE CAUSE. *JB
Mileage: 75,000
20040126POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE DRIVEN MORE THAN 40 MPH. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
Mileage: 24,000
20031216ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
ELECTRICAL DEFECT: WHEN TURNING IGNITION ON AND ENGINE RUNNING, I EXPERIENCE A TOTAL LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS, A/C FAN MOTOR, DEFROSTER, DRL, FOG LAMPS, REAR-WINDOW DEFOGGER, AND HEATER. (ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS CONTINUE FUNCTIONING.) SOMETIMES THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT WHERE EVERYTHING FUNCTIONS; MOST OF THE TIME NONE OF THESE UNITS FUNCTION ELECTRICALLY. ADDITIONAL NOTE: THE "BRAKE" LAMP GLOWS ON IN THE DASH WHEN THIS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM OCCURS. (EMERGENCY BRAKE IS NOT ENGAGED.) CANNOT DRIVE AT NIGHT. VOLKSWAGON WILL NOT PAY FOR REPAIR.*AK
Mileage: 153,000
20030116ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE CAUSES SWITCHED DEVICES TO LOOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING. THE DEVICES I HAVE PERSONALLY IDENTIFIED THAT LOOSE POWER ARE: HEADLIGHTS, DRL, ABS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, INTERIOR FAN, FOG LIGHTS. WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH IN THE ON POSITION, IT IS POSIBLE TO ROTATE IT SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT AND TURN THE ABOVE MENTIONED DEVICES OFF WHILE THE CAR CONTINUES TO RUN. THIS CAN EASILY HAPPEN (AND DOES HAPPEN) WHILE DRIVING. SEARCHING YOUR DATABASE OF OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS AND OTHER SIMILAR MODELS WHICH PROBABLY USE THE SAME IGNITION SWITCH REVEALS 15 SWITCH FAILURES (865957, 897162, 876280, 899086, 608861, 609016, 758101, 888070, 8014837, 733016, 607392, 8021547, 869601, 750653, 743422) AND 5 POSSIBLE SWITCH FAILURES (733430, 9002207, 861456, 754763, 750545). THIS FAILURE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS RECURRANT ENOUGH BY MEMBERS OF WWW.VR6.ORG FOR ONE MEMBER TO ISSUE A STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE FOR REPLACING THE IGNITION SWITCH. I FEEL THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD AS HEADLIGHTS AND
Mileage: 57,000
20020702VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TWICE DUE TO A THROTTLE BODY PROBLEM AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *YH
20011114EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEADLIGHTS GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. MECHANIC DETERMINED A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH WAS THE CAUSE. *AK
20011114ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
HEADLIGHTS GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. MECHANIC DETERMINED A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH WAS THE CAUSE. *AK
20010821WHEELS
WHEELS WERE BONDED DUE TO RUST AND CORROSION. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
20010816ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
FAILURE OF BREATHER VALVE AND MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, REPAIRED BY PRIVATE MECHANIC THAT GOT A KIT TO REPLACE POORLY DESIGNED UNIT WICH HAS A DEALER BUY BACK # 0444294 , VOLKSWAGEN SAID THERE WAS NO SUCH KIT TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND NO RECALL I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR AND HAVE RECIEVED NO AID FROM VOLKSWAGEN
20010816ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
FAILURE OF BREATHER VALVE AND MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, REPAIRED BY PRIVATE MECHANIC THAT GOT A KIT TO REPLACE POORLY DESIGNED UNIT WICH HAS A DEALER BUY BACK # 0444294 , VOLKSWAGEN SAID THERE WAS NO SUCH KIT TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND NO RECALL I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR AND HAVE RECIEVED NO AID FROM VOLKSWAGEN
20010813ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
FAILURE OF BREATHER VALVE AND MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, REPAIRED BY PRIVATE MECHANIC THAT GOT A KIT TO REPLACE POORLY DESIGNED UNIT WICH HAS A DEALER BUY BACK # 0444294 , VOLKSWAGEN SAID THERE WAS NO SUCH KIT TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND NO RECALL I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR AND HAVE RECIEVED NO AID FROM VOLKSWAGEN
20010813ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
FAILURE OF BREATHER VALVE AND MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, REPAIRED BY PRIVATE MECHANIC THAT GOT A KIT TO REPLACE POORLY DESIGNED UNIT WICH HAS A DEALER BUY BACK # 0444294 , VOLKSWAGEN SAID THERE WAS NO SUCH KIT TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND NO RECALL I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR AND HAVE RECIEVED NO AID FROM VOLKSWAGEN
20010621ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN OVER WATER ON ROAD WATER GOES INTO AIR INTAKE AND ENGINE, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO HYDRO SEAL. PLEASE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
20010612AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
LIGHT ON HER DASHBOARD CAME ON FOR FRONTAL AIR BAGS. DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT FRONTAL AIR BAG (DRIVER AND PASSENGER) UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED - REASON UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
20001211EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
SOMETIMES WHEN TURNING ON AIR CONDITIONER IT DOES NOT COME ON, AND SOMETIMES WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS BINDING. LOCK CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
20001211ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
SOMETIMES WHEN TURNING ON AIR CONDITIONER IT DOES NOT COME ON, AND SOMETIMES WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS BINDING. LOCK CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
20001211VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
SOMETIMES WHEN TURNING ON AIR CONDITIONER IT DOES NOT COME ON, AND SOMETIMES WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS BINDING. LOCK CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
20000905POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION HAS LOCKED INTO 3RD GEAR WITH OUT WARNING. THIS HAS CAUSED A LACK PERFORMANCE. ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE CAR NOT ACELERATING AS EXPECTED.
19991115SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
THE "VOLKSWAGEN CERTIFIED" DEALERSHIP WAS ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE. ALL THE LISTED PROBLEMS I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THEM REPEATEDLY, AND IT WOULD NORMALLY TAKE 3-5 VISITS FOR THE ITEM TO GET FIXED. I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO LIST ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH THE SPEAKER PANEL, CLUTCH, AND FENDERS GETTING FLEXED. I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER VOLKSWAGEN, OR GO TO THE DEALERSHIP EVER AGAIN. *AK
19991115ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
THE "VOLKSWAGEN CERTIFIED" DEALERSHIP WAS ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE. ALL THE LISTED PROBLEMS I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THEM REPEATEDLY, AND IT WOULD NORMALLY TAKE 3-5 VISITS FOR THE ITEM TO GET FIXED. I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO LIST ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH THE SPEAKER PANEL, CLUTCH, AND FENDERS GETTING FLEXED. I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER VOLKSWAGEN, OR GO TO THE DEALERSHIP EVER AGAIN. *AK
Compare 1998VOLKSWAGENGOLF 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 1998 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF have?▼
The 1998 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF has 28 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM.
Is the 1998 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.