Total Complaints
2 filings
VOLKSWAGEN VOLKSWAGEN · model year
1998 VOLKSWAGEN VOLKSWAGEN
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998VOLKSWAGENVOLKSWAGEN carries 2 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 VOLKSWAGEN is air bags:frontal with 1 filings, followed by steering:linkages:tie rod assembly (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 33 investigation files overlapping the 1998 VOLKSWAGEN, and 1 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.
2
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 |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20031118STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
98 VOLKSWAGEN (VW) PASSAT GLS. MY MECHANIC ASKED ME TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT ABOUT THE FRONT-END TIE RODS OF THE 98 PASSAT. THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPLACED TWICE ON MY CAR AND ARE READY FOR THE THIRD REPLACEMENT. ACCORDING TO HIM IT IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE CAR. VW HAS FINALLY REDESIGNED THE REPLACEMENT, SO I THINK I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS THIRD SET SINCE THE FAULT LIES WITH THE VW'S ORIGINAL DESIGN. *LA
Mileage: 140,000
19990604AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
I WAS JUST DRIVING AND EXITING AN OFF-RAMP WHEN I THINK I RAN OVER LIKE A ROCK OR PIECE OF OBJECT THAT HIT THE BOTTOM OF MY CAR (NOTHING HARD), BUT THEN THE SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED ON ME. I THOUGHT SIDE AIRBAGS WERE SUPPOSE TO DEPLOY WHEN THERE IS A SIDE IMPACT NOT A BOTTOM IMPACT??? I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURE BUT THEY REFUSED TO WARRANTY MY SIDE AIRBAG AND TOLD ME THAT IT COST 2000 DOLLARS TO REPAIR. THEY ALSO CLAIMED THAT BECAUSE I CHANGED MY SUSPENSION AND ADDED A SUBWOOFER TO MY CAR THAT IT AFFECTED THE AIRBAG. I SEE IN NO RELATION TO THE AFTERMARKET MODIFICATIONS HOW IT WOULD AFFECT A SIDE AIRBAG. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT SOMETHING HIT ONLY THE BOTTOM OF MY CAR WHICH DEPLOYED THE SIDE AIRBAG WHICH SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED. *AK
Compare 1998VOLKSWAGENVOLKSWAGEN to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 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 VOLKSWAGEN have?▼
The 1998 VOLKSWAGEN VOLKSWAGEN has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 VOLKSWAGEN VOLKSWAGEN?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 VOLKSWAGEN VOLKSWAGEN is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1998 VOLKSWAGEN VOLKSWAGEN 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.