1998 Volkswagen Golf Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Golf years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 19th of 29 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 18 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Volkswagen Golf. That ranks 19th out of 29 Golf model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (5 complaints, 28%), typically at around 75,000 miles. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
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- 18owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 Volkswagen Golf problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 5 | 28% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 4 | 22% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 17% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Volkswagen Golf recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Equipment:other:labels
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles equipped with 2.8l vr6 engines fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." the recommended cold tire inflation pressure published on the label for tires of the size 205/50 r15 86h is 0.1 bar (1.45 psi) too low. It should be 2.5 bar (36.3 psi). The label recommends 2.4 bar (34.8 psi = 35 psi).
Risk: Under inflated tires can affect vehicle handling, and driving with substantially under inflated tires puts the consumer at risk for a crash.
Fix: Owners will be provided with corrected labels, or a dealer can install the label if the owner wishes. Owner notification began september 29, 2003. 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 vw at 1-800-893-5298.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Headlights and ac intermittently went off completely and parking brake light didn't go away on dashboard; mechanic determined a faulty ignition switch was the cause. *jb
The vehicle's transmission would not shift from 2nd to 3rd gear. As a result the vehicle could not be driven more than 40 mph. Please provide any additional information. *nm
Electrical defect: when turning ignition on and engine running, i experience a total loss of headlights, a/c fan motor, defroster, drl, fog lamps, rear-window defogger, and heater. (all other electrical systems continue functioning.) sometimes the problem is intermittent where everything functions…
Ignition switch failure causes switched devices to loose power while driving. The devices i have personally identified that loose power are: headlights, drl, abs, windshield wipers, interior fan, fog lights. With the ignition switch in the on position, it is posible to rotate it slightly to the…
The service engine light came on twice due to a throttle body problem and needed replacement. *yh
Other Volkswagen Golf years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Golf | 11 | 0 |
| 2022 Golf | 81 | 0 |
| 2021 Golf | 7 | 1 |
| 2020 Golf | 6 | 2 |
| 2019 Golf | 63 | 6 |
| 2018 Golf | 29 | 6 |
| 2017 Golf | 117 | 5 |
| 2016 Golf | 85 | 9 |
| 2015 Golf | 131 | 12 |
| 2014 Golf | 12 | 5 |
| 2013 Golf | 43 | 5 |
| 2012 Golf | 48 | 6 |
| 2011 Golf | 110 | 6 |
| 2010 Golf | 69 | 4 |
| 2009 Golf | 3 | 0 |
| 2008 Golf | 1 | 0 |
| 2007 Golf | 2 | 0 |
| 2006 Golf | 12 | 1 |
| 2005 Golf | 19 | 2 |
| 2004 Golf | 28 | 2 |
| 2003 Golf | 26 | 2 |
| 2002 Golf | 74 | 3 |
| 2001 Golf | 116 | 5 |
| 2000 Golf | 88 | 5 |
| 1999 Golf | 64 | 4 |
| 1998 | 18 | 1 |
| 1997 Golf | 7 | 0 |
| 1996 Golf | 3 | 1 |
| 1995 Golf | 43 | 4 |
See all Volkswagen Golf problems by year, every Volkswagen model, or the Volkswagen VIN decoder.
Similar Volkswagen models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Volkswagen Golf?
Owners most often report electrical system, power train, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 5 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Volkswagen Golf?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 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 1998 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.