2005 Volkswagen Golf Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Golf years
- Fewer complaints than other years 18th of 29 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 19 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Volkswagen Golf. That ranks 18th out of 29 Golf model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (6 complaints, 32%), typically at around 72,731 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
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- 19owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2005 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 6 | 32% | 72,731 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 11% | 32,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 11% | 49,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 11% | 47,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 11% | 1,650 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 11% | 35,500 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 5% | 153,753 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 5% | 153,753 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 5% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 5% | 77,654 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 5% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 5% | 164,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 5% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 5% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 5% | 153,753 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2005 Volkswagen Golf recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Problem: On certain passenger, wagon, and convertible vehicles equipped with or without cruise control, a brake light switch may malfunction if it was installed incorrectly.
Risk: The brake lights could become inoperative, or remain on. Failure to provide the proper signal when braking could lead to a crash without warning.
Fix: 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.
Fuel system, diesel
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the high pressure diesel pumps were produced with an improper fastener, which could allow diesel fuel to escape from the pump.
Risk: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source may lead to a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the diesel pump. The recall began on february 8, 2005. Owners should contact volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
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.
Brake Booster Vacuum Line Fell off making me run a red light I could not stop the car in time. After getting the car stopped about 100 feet past the light I found that the Brake Booster Vacuum Line fell off its made of hard plastic that has become brittle it cracked at both ends. There was no…
I got in the car this morning to head to work, i reached back to pull the seat belt forward and around my lap. Next thing i knew the belt was fully extended and would not retract at all. I had no tension left in the seat belt and it hung over me completely extended. Now i am driving with this…
When driving the car it was running fine and then all of a sudden died on me and would restart then died again before i could move it out of the way. Now when i start it, it dies immediately.
I move my passenger seat back and for no reason the airbag came on, it would not reset.
Takata recall - i was in accident on 5/24/16 and the front of my car was all damaged but the airbag did not inflate causing me to hit the steering wheel
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 | 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 Golf | 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 2005 Volkswagen Golf?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 6 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2005 Volkswagen Golf?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2005 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 2005 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.