1995 Volkswagen Golf Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Apr 11, 2012 · 43 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Golf years
More complaints than other years 13th of 29 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 43 complaints with NHTSA about the 1995 Volkswagen Golf. That ranks 13th out of 29 Golf model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (12 complaints, 28%), typically at around 202,800 miles. Complaints mention 4 crashes, 2 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.

Volkswagen Golf
VW Golf GOAL (VIII, Facelift). Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: © M 93, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 1995 Volkswagen Golf problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Electrical System12 · ~202,800 mi
Equipment10
Latches/locks/linkages8
Air Bags6
Structure5
Engine and Engine Cooling4
Service Brakes, Hydraulic4
Exterior Lighting3
Steering3
Fuel System, Gasoline2
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Electrical System1228%202,800——
Equipment1023%———
Latches/locks/linkages819%———
Air Bags614%———
Structure512%———
Engine and Engine Cooling49%———
Service Brakes, Hydraulic49%———
Exterior Lighting37%———
Steering37%———
Fuel System, Gasoline25%———
Power Train25%———
Seat Belts25%———
Visibility25%———
Interior Lighting12%———
Seats12%———
Tires12%———
Unknown or Other12%———
Vehicle Speed Control12%———

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2000, with 10 complaints
1995: 7199571996: 6199661997: 7199771998: 7199871999: 4199942000: 102000102004: 1200412012: 120121

n = 43 complaints · Source: NHTSA

1995 Volkswagen Golf recalls (4)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsAug 17, 1998 · NHTSA campaign 98V195000 · 153,000 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The rear brake line on the passenger side was routed too close to the corner of the fuel tank. The line could be damaged by chafing against the fuel tank.

Risk: Repeated chafing could eventually result in a leaking brake line causing diminished braking in one brake circuit increasing the vehicle's stopping distance.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the brake line and replace any damaged lines.

Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latchJul 16, 1998 · NHTSA campaign 98V160000 · 238,000 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: Unexpected opening of the hood could occur obstructing the driver's view of the road while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the hood latch and securing bolts and replace them if necessary.

Engine and engine cooling:cooling system:fanSep 20, 1995 · NHTSA campaign 95V178000 · 34,000 vehicles

Problem: Improper material was used in manufacturing the radiator fan motor shaft causing the shaft to wear and become noisy.

Risk: A worn and noisy fan motor shaft can seize renderingthe fan motor inoperative, eventually causing the engine to overheat and stall. A stalled vehicle in traffic can increase the potential for a vehicle accident.

Fix: Dealers will replace the complete cooling fan assembly on vehicle having the potential shaft material problem. Dealers will install a new fan blade including a new lock nut on vehicle with loose fan blade lock nuts.

Equipment:mechanical:integrated jack/leveler/stabilizer; equipment:mechanical:accessory scissor/screw/bottle jack/liftMar 13, 1995 · NHTSA campaign 95V054000 · 104,000 vehicles

Problem: The jacks supplied with these vehicles were assembled with an improperly machined spindle, so that a sharp ridge on the edge of spindle's thread would have remained.

Risk: This ridge can damage the inside thread of the jack's scissor shoe when the jack is used to lift the vehicle. The jack could collapse with the possibility that a person standing close to the vehicle could be injured.

Fix: Owners will be provided with a new jack.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

NHTSA defect investigations

  • Hood latch failure (PE98037) — opened Jul 1, 1998, closed Jul 20, 1998, led to recall 98V160000.
  • Hood fly-up (DP98006) — opened Jun 11, 1998, closed Jul 1, 1998.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

The speedometer works fine in the morning, but after work (approx 5 pm) it either does not work or only works for a few minutes/miles. Sometimes tapping on the front of the gauge helps it resume registering the speed, sometimes it does not help. I searched the internet and found several other…

Electrical System · received Apr 11, 2012 · NHTSA complaint 10454885

It is suspected the whole electrical system is faulty. Brake lights will constantly blow, car won't start, dashboard lights stay off, sunroof will not work.*ak

Electrical System · received Mar 4, 2004 · NHTSA complaint 10060456

While driving with windshield wipers on, they could quit working. Headlights could be on, then turn off.*ak

Visibility · received Nov 13, 2000 · NHTSA complaint 874851

Trying to keep driver's side door closed at all time, but could never keep it closed because of the door channel. This problem had been there since the begining.*ak

Structure · received Oct 6, 2000 · NHTSA complaint 872458

Wiring under the hood is terrible- sunroof latch broke after 2years- battery leaks 3 times causing damages to the power steering reservoir twice, master cylinder leaks so often. Plastic parts that the mfg are using are bad quality therefore causing constant breakdows .. Ak..

Service Brakes, Hydraulic · received Jul 24, 2000 · NHTSA complaint 725878

Other Volkswagen Golf years

1996 Golf →

See all Volkswagen Golf problems by year, every Volkswagen model, or the Volkswagen VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 1995 Volkswagen Golf?

Owners most often report electrical system, equipment, latches/locks/linkages problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 12 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 1995 Volkswagen Golf?

Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 1995 Volkswagen Golf a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Golf model years, the 1995 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.