2001 Volkswagen Golf

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIR BAGS WERE INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED VOLKSWAGEN OF FORT MYERS (14060 S TAMIAMI TRAIL, FORT MYERS, FL 33912, (844) 283-1823) AND WAS INFORMED THAT DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 109,223.

THE DOOR LATCHES ON ALL FOUR DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS OFTEN MALFUNCTION. MOST THE TIME YOU HAVE TO PRESS ON THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE UNTIL YOU HEAR A SOFT CLICK BEFORE THE THE DOOR HANDLE WILL WORK. OTHERWISE IT IS AS IF IT WERE LOCKED WHEN IT IS UNLOCKED. ALSO MY CAR WILL LOCK ITSELF IF I UNLOCK IT WITH THE KEY FOB AND GET IN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WITHOUT STARTING IMMEDIATELY. IT DOESN'T SEEM TO RECOGNISE I'VE ENTERED THE VEHICLE.

POWER STEERING FAILURE WHEN STARTING CAR WITH WARNING LIGHT . NOT IN MOTION.

PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG AND PASSENGER SEAT SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AFTER RUNNING OVER A CURB, ~1' HIGH.

HELLO, I NOTICED A RECALL DONE ON THESE VW VEHICLES. (HTTP://HDHTEX.COM/INDEX.PHP/VOLKSWAGEN-BRAKE-LIGHT-AND-TURN-SIGNAL-RECALLS-AFFECT-MORE-THAN-1000000-VEHICLES/) THE RECALL IS DUE TO THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND BLINKER LIGHTS NOT WORKING TOGETHER. IF I AM SIGNALING LEFT AND I PUT MY BRAKES ON, THE SIGNAL SWITCHES SIDES AND THE LIGHTS START BLINKING. THIS HAPPENS WITH BOTH DIRECTIONS. THIS IS A HUGE SAFTEY ISSUE AND ITS NOT DUE TO ANY AFTERMARKET TINKERING. I CALLED VOLKSWAGON TO HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM AND THEY DECLINED ANY ASSISTANCE TO ME. IT MAKES SENSE FOR THEM TO FIX THIS IF IT WAS A RECALL AT ONE POINT. THANK YOU

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON CONTINUOUSLY INDICATING A MALFUNCTION. *TR

2001 VW GOLF TDI, 9 YEARS OLD WITH 173,000 MILES. DRIVER SEAT MOUNT (WELDED TO SLIDER) BROKE AND NOW THE SEAT TILT TOWARD THE REAR ON IT'S REAR PIVOT POINT. THIS METAL BRACKET IS ABOUT 1/8" THICK. THIS IS VERY SERIOUS AND CAN BE DANGEROUS IF IT OCCURS WHILE DRIVING. I SPOKE WITH VW CUSTOMER CARE AND THE REPLY IS; CAR IS BEYOND WARRANTY AND THEREFORE CAN'T HELP WITH REPAIR COST, TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY WILL DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND REPAIR AT MY COST. *TR

A PLASTIC BURNING SMELL IN CABIN WAS NOTED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. UPON EXITING THE HIGHWAY, SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM THE HVAC CONTROL PANEL. RECIRCULATION FAN WAS SWITCHED FROM HIGH SPEED SETTING TO OFF. THE SMOKE CONTINUED TO INTENSIFY, UNTIL ALL DC POWER WAS REMOVED FROM THE CAR. MAINTENANCE FOUND THE HVAC CONTROLLER, ROTATORY FAN SPEED SWITCH TO HAVE MELTED IN THE OFF POSITION DUE TO THE HEAT OF THE ELECTRICAL ARCHING IN SIDE THE SWITCH. DAMAGED LIMITED TO THE HVAC CONTROL PANEL P/N 1J0 820 045F MANUFACTURED BY VALEO. *TR

2001 VW GOLF WITH 192285 MI EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER TO SYSTEMS THAT ARE MOUNTED ON THE REAR HATCH BACK DOOR, (THIRD BRAKE LIGHT, REAR DEFROSTERS, AND WIPER). UPON INSPECTION OF THE WIRING HARNESS FOUND THE WIRING CHAFFED AND OR BROKEN AT POINT WHERE THE HARNESS PASSES THROUGH THE HARNESS SHIELD. (WHERE THE HARNESS PASSES FROM THE CAR BODY TO THE LIFT GATE) *TR

2. DRIVER'S SEAT LOCK MECHANISM (FORWARD & AFT MOTION) FAILED TO ENGAGE 1. DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE SEAT FORWARD TO USE THE CAR FOR AN ERRAND, AND THE SEAT WOULD NOT LOCK IN PLACE. ANY PRESSURE ON BRAKE PEDAL RESULTED IN THE SEAT MOVING BACK, PUTTING THE FOOT CONTROLS OUT OF REACH. DRIVER IS 5' 3" TALL. 3. LOCAL DEALER LOOKED AT THE CAR, DETERMINED THAT "DUST AND DEBRIS" JAMMED THE UNDER-SEAT MECHANISM. TECH CLEANED AND LUBED THE PISTON MECHANISM, RESULTING IN A TEMPORARY FIX. "IF IT EVER FAILS AGAIN," THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID, "WE MIGHT HAVE TO REPLACE THE PART." IT SHOULD NEVER HAVE FAILED AT ALL! THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE 100% FAIL-SAFE. THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER SHOULD REPLACE SUCH DEFECTIVE UNITS FOR FREE. INSTEAD, THE DEALER SAID THE PART IS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THUS CHARGED $90+TAX TO REPAIR A SAFETY DEFECT. OUTRAGEOUS! THE PROBLEM REALLY STEMMED FROM THE ORIGINAL LUBRICANT GELLING IN THE "PISTON IN BARREL" MECHANISM, PREVENTING THE PISTON FROM ENGAGING THE CENTRAL SEAT LOCK RAIL. THE CONSUMER HAS NO EASY WAY TO UN-JAM THE COMPLEX MECHANISM. IF THIS HAD JAMMED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION, ON A HIGHWAY, THE DRIVER WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL AND LIKELY BEEN INJURED OR KILLED. LUCKILY NOT IN THIS CASE. THE DESIGN IS DEFECTIVE WHEN IT RESULTS IN EVEN ONE FAILURE. NO OTHER MANUFACTURER USES SUCH A COMPLEX, VULNERABLE SEAT LOCK MECHANISM THAT IS PRONE TO FAILURE. THEY ALL USE A SIMPLE SYSTEM OF LEVERS, METAL RODS AND SPRINGS TO ACCOMPLISH A RELIABLE SEAT LOCK. PLEASE ASK VW TO RECALL CARS WITH SUCH PISTON IN SLEEVE SYSTEMS TO INSURE 100% RELIABILITY...BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. *TR

I HAVE A 2001 VW GOLF GLS. ONE DAY MY CAR'S TRUCK DOOR CAN NOT BE LOCKED, I TOOK IT TO VW DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. INITIALLY I THOUGH IT WAS JUST SOME WIRING PROBLEM, BUT AFTER THE CERTIFIED VW TECHNICIAN CHECKED EVERY POSSIBLE THINGS THAT CAUSED THE TRUCK LOCK MALFUNCTION, IT WAS SO CALLED "COMFORT CONTROL MODULE" NOT SENDING SIGNAL AND ELECTRICITY TO THE TRUCK LOCK. NO BIG DEAL, IT'S JUST A TRUCK LOCK, NO NEED TO WORRY, SO I REFUSED THE $900 ESTIMATED REPAIR AMOUNT FOR A NEW COMFORT CONTROL MODULE (CCM) REPLACEMENT. THE VW TECHNICIAN FURTHER EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS OK NOT TO REPLACE IT IF IT IS JUST THE TRUCK LOCK MALFUNCTION, BUT IF ANYTHING THAT IS ACTING FUNNY SUCH AS WINDSHIELD WIPERS NOT MOVING, DOORS LOCK BY ITSELF, POWER WINDOWS CAN NOT ROLL DOWN, OR DASHBOARD LIGHT GOING ON AND OFF BY ITSELF, THEN IT IS IMPORTANT TO REPLACE IT. NO MAJOR PROBLEM FOR A YEAR, THEN SUDDENLY DRIVING IN THE RAIN AT NIGHT, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MALFUNCTION, THEY WILL NOT MOVE AT ALL. I CAN BARELY SEE WHAT WAS IN FRONT OF ME IN HIGH SPEED ON FREEWAY IN THE RAIN. I TRIED TO OPEN THE WINDOWS SO I CAN SEE BETTER SO THAT I CAN PULL OVER SAFELY. I TRIED TO LOWER THE WINDOWS , BUT THE WINDOWS DIDN'T COME DOWN. I SLOWED DOWN AND PULLED OVER BY GUESSING, LUCKILY NO CAR WAS BEHIND ME OR NEXT TO ME. I GOT OUT AND CHECKED IF THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG OR WHAT OBSTRUCTING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. I FOUND NOTHING, IT JUST SIMPLY STOP WORKING ALONG WITH MY POWER WINDOWS. I WENT TO THE DEALER AFTER THE RAIN AND AGAIN THEY WERE CAUSED BY THE MALFUNCTION CCM. SINCE IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE A CAR WITHOUT A PAIR OF FUNCTIONAL WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WINDOWS, I WAS RECOMMENDED TO HAVE THE CCM REPLACED. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND THAT MANY VW OWNERS HAVE SOME SIMILAR CCM COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS AND I PERSONALLY THINK THAT THE CCM IS A BIG SAFETY CONCERN, THIS IS WHY I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT TO SEE IF IT CAN MINIMIZE THE DANGER AND SAFETY. THANK YOU FOR READING. *TR

VW DEALER PERFORMED 2ND REQUIRED TIMING BELT/WATER PUMP CHANGE AT 154626 MILES, 5400 EARLIER THAN REQUIRED, AT APPROX 183600 MILES, 30K MILES LATER WATER PUMP FAILED UPON REMOVAL OF WATER PUMP FOUND PLASTIC IMPELLER SLIPPING / NOT ATTACHED TO METAL DRIVE SHAFT. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILED WATER PUMP, THE ENGINE OVER HEATED. DUE TO DEFECT HISTORY DID NOT INSTALL NEW VW MANUFACTURED WATER PUMP, PLASTIC/COMPOSITE IMPELLER,. REQUIRED AN AFTERMARKET OEM BUILT WATER PUMP, WITH METAL IMPELLER ASSEMBLY TO BE INSTALLED ON VEHICLE. THE REMOVED DAMAGE WATER PUMP IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *TR

MY 2001 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF WAS MANUFACTURED ON 12/2000. THE FUEL PUMP SUPPLY LINE NIPPLE CRACKED AND HAD BEEN LEAKING GAS UNDER THE REAR SEAT. IT WAS TAKEN TO CAMELBACK VOLKSWAGEN IN PHOENIX ARIZONA WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED AS A NEW. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ACKNOWLEDGED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT THEY REPLACE A LOT OF THE FUEL PUMPS DUE TO NIPPLE CRACKS BUT VOLKSWAGEN DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THIS AS A RECALL OR SAFETY ISSUE DESPITE A RECALL NOTICE FOR GOLFS MANUFACTURED THE SAME YEAR WITH THE SAME SAFETY ISSUE AS MY VEHICLE. THE FUEL LINE TENSION CAUSED THE NIPPLE TO CRACK OFF. VOLKSWAGEN REFUSED TO REPAIR THIS AS A DEFECT. THE OLD PART IS AVAILABLE. *TR

WHILE I HAVE NO INCIDENT TO REPORT, I WOULD LIKE TO PREVENT FUTURE INCIDENTS. MY CAR, LIKE LOTS OF OLDER VEHICLES, SUFFERS FROM UV CLOUDING OF THE HEADLIGHT LENSES, WHICH DIMINISHES THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN ILLUMINATING THE ROADWAY AT NIGHT. SURELY THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. EQUALLY SURELY, THE MANUFACTURERS ARE AWARE OF IT. SO WHY IS THIS DEFICIENCY OF DESIGN OR MANUFACTURE NOT THE SUBJECT OF RECALLS? *TT

VW 2001 GOLF TDI SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTED WHILE DRIVING. AUTO WAS A TOTAL LOSS DUE TO FIRE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS, INCLUDING THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAGS, DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60-65 MPH AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NORMAL AND THERE WAS NO SUDDEN IMPACT OR CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,100 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 119,350. UPDATED 03-05-08 *BF

THE DEALERSHIP SOLD ME A VEHICLE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT IT HAS PROBLEMS WITH OIL LEAKS AND OIL CONSUMPTION (AS WELL AS OTHER PROBLEMS) EXPERIENCED WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER. I RETURNED THE VEHICLE FOR SERVICING 4 DAYS AFTER PURCHASED AND HAVE MADE 8 REPAIR ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WILL BE RETURNED, FOR THE SECOND TIME, TO THE DEALERSHIP AND RESOLD TO ANOTHER UNSUSPECTING PERSON UNLESS IT IS PROPERLY NOTED TO AUTOCHECK AND CARFAX THAT IT IS A LEMON AND HAS BEEN BOUGHT BACK TWICE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. THE CONTACT SMELLED GAS FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT LIFTED UP THE REAR SEAT AND UNCOVERED THE ACCESS COVER TO THE FUEL SYSTEM. HE NOTICED FUEL SPILLAGE ON THE FUEL TANK DUE TO A LEAK IN THE FUEL LINE. THE CONTACT CLEANED UP THE SPILL WITH A RAG. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE FUEL SPILLED ONTO THE GROUND. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 150,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

I HAVE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE THAT REQUIRESD ME TO BRING THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. I HAVE NOT CONFIDENCE THAT THE DEALERS IN MY AREA WILL PERFORM THE REPAIR WITHOUT DAMAGING THE CAR IN OTHER NON COVERED AREAS. THEREFORE, I WILL NOT BRING THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. SAFETY RECALL N4 VOLKSWAGEN. *AK

THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WENT ON, I HAD TWO HOSES REPLACED, AND WAS TOLD NOTHING ELSE WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. HOWEVER, A DAY LATER, THE LIGHT WENT BACK ON. I WAS TOLD THE AIR FILTER NEEDED CLEANING AND ALL WAS WELL. A DAY AFTER THAT, THE LIGHT WENT ON AGAIN, AND THE CAR WAS HAVING PROBLEMS AT IGNITION, IT WAS STALLING AND JUST TURNED OFF. THIS TIME I WAS TOLD IT NEEDED AN IGNITION COIL. THAT WAS FIXED. AS I WAS DRIVING HOME, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AGAIN! THE NEXT MORNING BEFORE THE DEALER OPENED, I TRIED TURNING ON THE CAR, AND NOW HAD A SECOND LIGHT THE EPC (ELECTRONIC CONTROL PANEL). THE CAR TURNED ON, BUT GEARS AND THE WHOLE SYSTEM WAS DOWN, AND I COULDN'T EVEN SWITCH GEARS. THAT WAS HARD TO GET IT ON A TOW TRUCK TO DRIVE IT BACK TO THE DEALER. THAT WAS REPLACED, AND AT THAT POINT I WAS TOLD OF A RECALL THAT WAS ISSUED FOR THE CAR, SO IT STAYED AT THE DEALER TO REPAIR THE RECALL. A RECALL I WAS NEVER TOLD ABOUT, BY MAIL OR OTHERWISE, ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOT MOVED IN 2 YEARS, AND PRIOR TO THAT I LIVED WITH MY PARENTS. ANYTHING SENT TO ME TO EITHER ADDRESS, DOES GET TO ME. AFTER THE RECALL WAS FIXED, THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AGAIN. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE SHOP FOR OVER 2 WEEKS AND THEY CAN'T FIGURE OUT WAS IS WRONG WITH IT. *AK