2001 Volkswagen GOLF: complaints, problems and recalls

2001 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GLS 1.8T ON MONDAY, DEC 2, 2002, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FLASHING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (INDICATING THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN), ENGINE STUTTERING, AND LOSS OF POWER. UPON INSPECTION BY THE DEALER THE CAUSE WAS FOUND TO BE A FAULTY IGNITION COIL. A REPLACEMENT WAS ORDERED BUT DUE TO THE NATIONAL SHORTAGE OF IGNITION COILS FOR VW/AUDI 1.8TS IT WAS NOT KNOWN WHEN THE PART WOULD ARRIVE. THE REPLACEMENT IGNITION COIL WAS RECEIVED AND INSTALLED BY THE VW DEALER ON THURSDAY, DEC 5, 2002. DUE TO THE PARTS SHORTAGE ONLY ON…

Owner-reported narrative. 22,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000157 at NHTSA ↗

THE IGNITION COIL FAILED, WHICH RESULTED IN VEHICLE LOOSING POWER. DEALER HAD BEEN CONTACTED AND REPLACED THE COILS.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003638 at NHTSA ↗

CAR SEAT HANDLE UNSNAPS AND BABY FALLS FORWARD. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004667 at NHTSA ↗

MARCH 2, '03 WHILE TRAVELING ON A SECONDARY ROAD WITH 5 OCCUPANTS, IN A NON-ACCIDENT EVENT, THE SUBJECT VEHICLE PASSED OVER A LARGE METAL PLATE THAT IS USED TO COVER ROAD WORK FOR THE EVENING OR WEEKEND. WITHOUT WARNING THE DEFECTIVE AIRBAG SYSTEM DEPLOYED THE PSGR SIDE AIRBAGS! NO DAMAGE OR IMPACTS WERE NOTED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE BODY. HOWEVER, A SMALL SCRATCH WAS NOTED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE BETWEEN THE DOORS (RIGHT SIDE) AND WHAT APPEARED TO BE A THUMB PRINT IN THE UNDERCOATING UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. NEITHER OR…

Owner-reported narrative. 21,405 miles reported. Look up ODI 10013628 at NHTSA ↗

SEAT BELT FAILURE. WHEN PULLING ON FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT TO BUCKLE UP, SEAT BELT "JUST CAME OUT" TO FULL LENGTH. NO TENSION AT ALL, LOOSE. DRIVER REPORTED HEARING A NOISE AS BELT WAS COMING OUT, AND IT CAME OUT TOTALLY SLACK. WON'T GO BACK IN NOW. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 211,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021127 at NHTSA ↗

MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR FAILURE HAS CAUSED INTERMITTENT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHICH MAY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD, AND REPEATED FAILURES ARE OCCURRING WITH MANY DIFFERENT OWNERS. CARS AFFECTED ARE DIESEL ENGINE MODELS.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 21,523 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021149 at NHTSA ↗

CAR CONSUMES TOO MUCH OIL. OIL CONSUMPTION TEST IN PROGRESS FROM MANUFACTURER. 3RD TIME WITH TEST. I'VE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE MANUFACTURER 3 TIMES AND THEY TELL ME THAT THEY NEED TO DO THE TEST 3 TIMES IN ORDER TO GUARANTEE THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG. THE CAR JUST EATS UP OIL LIKE CRAZY AND IT ONLY HAS 39K MILES. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10023186 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE ENGINE RUNNING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE OXYGEN SENSOR WOULD LEAK CARBON MONOXIDE THROUGH OUT THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SERVICE DEALER AFTER INSPECTION AND HAD A FAULTY O2 SENSOR REPLACED. *AK *CB

Owner-reported narrative. 22,067 miles reported. Look up ODI 10027067 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2000-09-20 (September 20, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. ONE OF TWO BRACKETS USED TO BOLT THE FRONT SUSPENSION CONTROL ARM IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE TO THE BODY STRUCTURE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN WELDED SUFFICIENTLY.

Consequence: THE CONTROL ARM COULD GRADUALLY LOOSEN AND ULTIMATELY SEPARATE FROM ITS BRACKET IN NORMAL DRIVING WHICH COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO BE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL OR RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL. AS THE BRACKET LOOSENS, LOUD METALLIC KNOCKING SOUNDS IN FROM THE VEHICLE WILL BE HEARD.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BRACKET AND IF THE WELDING IS INSUFFICIENT, WILL REPLACE THE CONTROL ARM.

Reported: 2002-01-31 (January 31, 2002)

ON SOME PASSENGER VEHICLES, SHORT CIRCUITS CAN OCCUR WITHIN THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS).

Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ABS CONTROL UNIT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 8, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

Reported: 2002-09-12 (September 12, 2002)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS." CHILD SEAT ANCHORAGES INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE'S REAR SEATS MUST BE IDENTIFIED BY MARKINGS, AND THEIR LOCATION AND USE BE DESCRIBED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL.

Consequence: THESE VEHICLES WERE NOT MARKED OR DESCRIBED AS REQUIRED BY THE STANDARD.

Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A SUPPLEMENT FOR THE OWNER'S MANUAL AND ALSO ONE SET OF FOUR GUIDANCE FIXTURES INTENDED TO USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH CHILD SEATS EQUIPPED WITH RIGID OR SEMI-RIGID LOWER ANCHORAGE ATTACHMENTS. ALSO ENCLOSED WILL BE FOUR DECALS TOGETHER WITH INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS AND A TEMPLATE FOR ATTACHING THE DECALS TO THE LOWER SEAT BACKS. OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN SEPTEMBER 15, 2002. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VWOA AT 1-800-822-8987.

Reported: 2004-12-16 (December 16, 2004)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE HAZARD SWITCH AND FLASHER SYSTEM FUNCTION MAY DEGRADE OVER TIME BECAUSE OF DISTORTION AND MATERIAL TRANSFER OF THE CONTACTS OF CERTAIN HAZARD SWITCH RELAYS WHICH OCCURS DUE TO SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED ELECTRICAL CURRENT LOAD FROM HIGHER WATTAGE TURN SIGNAL BULBS.

Consequence: THIS MAY RESULT IN INTERMITTENT OR INOPERATIVE TURN SIGNAL AND HAZARD FLASHER FUNCTION.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HAZARD FLASHER SWITCH/RELAY KIT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 31, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

Reported: 2007-02-20 (February 20, 2007)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.

Consequence: THE BRAKE LIGHTS COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE, OR REMAIN ON. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE PROPER SIGNAL WHEN BRAKING COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE NEWLY DESIGNED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 27, 2007, AND WILL BE CONDUCTED IN SEVERAL STAGGERED MAILINGS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21, 2007. VEHICLES WITHIN THE MAKE, MODEL, AND MODEL YEAR OF THIS POPULATION MAY BE INVOLVED IN EITHER THIS RECALL OR 06V-183, BUT NOT BOTH. THE REMEDY IS THE SAME FOR EACH RECALL. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERS WILL APPLY THE REMEDY BASED ON THE VIN NUMBER OF THE VEHICLE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987.