1996 Volkswagen Golf

Documented records held locally from official US and Canadian sources. Each record shows its official identifier so it can be confirmed at the source; nothing here is a score or a prediction.

Vehicle coverage

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Coverage held for this vehicle

  • OFFICIAL ACTION 1 US Recalls
  • MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATION 38 Manufacturer Bulletins
  • INVESTIGATION 1 Investigations
  • CONSUMER REPORT 36 Consumer Complaints
  • CANADIAN RECALL 1 Canada Recalls

These are counts of distinct official records held locally. They are not combined into any score, and a record count is not a failure rate. A zero means no record is held here, not that none exists.

US Recalls

NHTSA Recall US

  • 98V160000 1998-07-16

    Recall 98V160000

    VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE BOLTS SECURING THE FRONT HOOD LATCH CAN LOOSEN OVER TIME. THE LATCH WOULD MOVE CAUSING DISENGAGEMENT OF THE HOOD STRIKER FROM THE LATCH.

    Recorded model years: 1996

A further 49 records exist for the Volkswagen Golf where the source stated no model year. They are not counted above and appear on no year page.

Campaign applicability can depend on build date, equipment and market, and a remedy may already have been completed. Confirm any campaign against the official record using the VIN.

Manufacturer Bulletins

NHTSA Manufacturer Communication US

  • 10174476 2020-04-21

    V941901201152115

    Updated to include additional models and model year applicability.

    Recorded model years: 1996

  • 10159010 2019-03-27

    SM 33-2019

    The part number listed in the document is to be returned if it meets the criteria provided.

    Recorded model years: 1996

  • 10158533 2019-02-18

    V941901-2011521

    Condensation and or water droplets visible on inside of exterior light lenses. TB updated to include model year 2019 applicability.

    Recorded model years: 1996

Showing 3 of 38 records held. The full set is available from the official source named above.

A further 2,894 records exist for the Volkswagen Golf where the source stated no model year. They are not counted above and appear on no year page.

A manufacturer communication is service guidance issued to dealers. It is not a safety recall, and its existence does not mean this vehicle has the described condition.

Investigations

NHTSA Investigation US

  • PE98037 1998-07-01

    HOOD LATCH FAILURE

    ODI HAS RECEIVED THREE REPORTS, INCLUDING THE PETITIONERS, REGARDING ALLEGED HOOD LATCH FAILURES.ALL OF THE ODI REPORTS INDICATE THE HOOD FLEW UP WHILE DRIVING.FOLLOWING A TELEPHONE INQUIRY, VOLKSWAGEN PROVIDED ODI WITH SOME LIMITED INFORMATION REGARDING SIX ADDITIONAL REPORTS OF HOOD FLY-UP FOR MODEL YEARS 1995 AND 1996.THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED TO FURTHER STUDY THIS ISSUE.DEFECT DESCRIPTION:IT IS POSSIBLE THAT ON…

    Recorded model years: 1996

A further 15 records exist for the Volkswagen Golf where the source stated no model year. They are not counted above and appear on no year page.

An investigation records that a regulator reviewed a suspected defect. It is not itself a finding of defect and not a recall.

Canada Recalls

Transport Canada Recall CA

  • 1998158 1998-08-20

    Transport Canada recall 1998158

    THE BOLTS SECURING THE FRONT HOOD LATCH MAY LOSE THEIR SPECIFIED FASTENING TORQUE OVER TIME. SHOULD THIS HAPPEN, THE LATCH COULD MOVE OUT OF ITS DESIGN POSITION AND CAUSE DISENGAGEMENT OF THE HOOD STRIKER FROM THE LATCH. IN SOME VEHICLES THE LATCH MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY ALIGNED DURING PRODUCTION. REPEATED OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE HOOD WITH AN IMPROPERLY…

    Recorded model years: 1996

A further 45 records exist for the Volkswagen Golf where the source stated no model year. They are not counted above and appear on no year page.

Canadian campaigns are recorded separately from US campaigns and do not imply one another.

Consumer Complaints

NHTSA Complaint US

36 complaint records in the dataset for this vehicle and year.

Outcomes stated in those reports

  • reports mentioning a crash 4
  • reports mentioning a fire 2
  • reported injuries 3

Outcomes as stated by the person who filed the report. They are not verified, not adjudicated, and carry no exposure denominator, so they cannot be turned into a rate.

By system

  • Electrical system12 (17.6%)Official recall records for this system: 4, covering model years 2000–2019.
  • Doors, latches & locks7 (10.3%)Official recall records for this system: 1, covering model years 1995–1996.
  • Body & structure6 (8.8%)Official recall records for this system: 4, covering model years 1995–2016.
  • Engine5 (7.4%)Official recall records for this system: 4, covering model years 1995–2016.
  • Exhaust & emissions control4 (5.9%)Official recall records for this system: 1, covering model years 2015–2016.
  • Steering4 (5.9%)Official recall records for this system: 4, covering model years 2000–2019.
  • Visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors)4 (5.9%)Official recall records for this system: 4, covering model years 2021.
  • Air bags (restraint system)3 (4.4%)Official recall records for this system: 15, covering model years 2003–2017.

Other / uncategorized: 2 classifications (2.9%) were not assigned to a specific system by the source. They are counted but not treated as an issue area.

A single report can name several systems, so these figures overlap and must not be added together — their sum is larger than the report total above.

A further 1,516 complaint records exist for this vehicle where the source stated no model year. They are not counted above and appear on no year page.

These are owner-submitted allegations, not confirmed defects. Counts are record counts in the dataset. No exposure denominator exists, so no failure rate or reliability score can be derived from them.

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