1996 Volkswagen Golf

1996 Volkswagen Golf 4-DR.

Overall

Not Rated

Front Crash

Not Rated

Side Crash

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH

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.

Campaign: 98V160000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 65 AND 70 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ENGAGED WHEN SUDDENLY, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING AND SMOKE BEGAN EMITTING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, THE SMOKE SUBSIDED AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY REPLACING THE IGNITION AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT RECALL # 98V160000, WHICH REFERS TO THE HOOD LATCH, APPLIED TO THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE SERVICE DEALER REFUSED TO PERFORM THE RECALL. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER, THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO REFERRED THE CONTACT BACK TO THE SERVICE DEALER.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE VEHICLE'S HOOD FLEW UP WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT THE WINDSHIELD GLASS WAS SHATTERED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

INSTRUMENT DISPLAY CLUSTER ON 96 PASSAT WAGON GLX TOTALLY FAILED, RESULTING IN LOSS OF ODOMETER AND TACHOMETER READINGS. PANEL WAS REPLACED FOR $500. WRITTEN LETTER TO VWOA WENT UNANSWERED. *JB

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ENTIRE DASH BOARD WENT DEAD AFTER A FEW DAYS OF EXTREME COLD WEATHER. I HAVE HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING WITH MANY OTHER VOLKSWAGEN'S AND FEEL THAT MANUFACTURER HAS NOT ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM PROPERLY. *JB

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL (FUEL, TEMP, SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER AND ODOMETER DISPLAYS) FAILED DURING COLD WEATHER. MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM CAN BE FOUND VIA A GOOGLE NEWSGROUP SEARCH.

SEAT BELTS

THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION AND COULD BE INOPERATIVE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. DEALER NOTIFIED. MR JG *JB

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

CONSUMER STARTED VEHICLE AND HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND. THEN, SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. HE SHUT OFF ENGINE AND OPENED HOOD. BATTERY HAD EXPLODED. BATTERY WAS FACTORY REPLACEMENT PART INSTALLED BY DEALER. *AK THE BATTERY HAD BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. CONSUMER WAS BURNED FROM THE BATTERY ACID. *YH

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

OIL IS LEAKING FROM CONNECTOR SENSOR AND THIS IS GETTING DOWN INTO ENGINE. *AK

STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES,EQUIPMENT

DOOR LOCK CYLINDER- SEPARATED FROM INNER ASSEMBLY , #2. WHILE IN HYWAY TRAFFIC, RADIO FAILED, FOLLOWED BY ,IN APPROXIMATELY 10 SECONDS, ENGINE CUTTING OFF ( FUEL/WATER GUAGE FUNCTIONED), COASTED TO ROADSIDE. ATTEMPTED TO START ENGINE, ACTED AS IF BATTERY DEAD. AFTER 1 HOUR WAIT, ATTEMPTED TO RESTART ENGINE, STARTER TURNED SLOWLY BUT DID NOT START ENGINE. HOWEVER, STANDARD ALARM SYSTEM SOUNDED. I TURNED OF ALARM BY INSERTING KEY IN DOOR (STANDARD PROCEDURE). TOW TRUCK GAVE BOOST AT BATTERY. VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY STARTED . THE BATTERY LOW POWER THING, OCCURRED ABOUT TWO WEEKS PRIOR, IN VW DEALER'S CUSTOMER PICK UP AREA, AFTER DEALER HAD REPLACED A HEADLIGHT FUSE/ ALIGNED HEADLIGHTS/WHEELS. WHEN ALARM WENT OFF AND STARTER DID NOT TURN OVER ENGINE, SERVICE MANAGER IMMEDIATELY ARRIVED W/BOOSTER UNIT AND STARTED CAR. HE SAID BATTERY PROBABLY GOT LOW FROM TECHNICIAN HOLDING DOWN BRAKE PEDAL FOR EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME? DUH? I DID NOT THINK ANYTHING MORE ABOUT PROBLEM AT THE TIME(DENIAL). PROBLEM H. *AK