11 of the 57 complaints about the 1994 Volkswagen Golf are about the electrical system — 19% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 72,000 miles.
11
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
SECONDS AFTER PULLING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, SMOKE STARTED COMING INTO THE CABIN FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR VENT. THE VEHICLE IGNITED INTO FLAMES. *AK THE SMOKE HAD COME FROM THE DRIVER SIDE VENTS. *SCC
NHTSA complaint #10038328 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CONSUMER STATES THAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WOULD INTERMITTENTLY COME ON AND OFF AND THE FACTORY INSTALLED ALARM SYSTEM WOULD NOT ACTIVATE, DEALER STATED THAT THE HARNESS AND THE WIRES FROM THE DASHBOARD TO THE FUSEBOX ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE TAIL-LIGHTS WERE COMPLETELY MELTED AND THE CAR NEEDED TO BE RE-WIRED.
NHTSA complaint #564235 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CONSUMER STATES THAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WOULD INTERMITTENTLY COME ON AND OFF AND THE FACTORY INSTALLED ALARM SYSTEM WOULD NOT ACTIVATE, DEALER STATED THAT THE HARNESS AND THE WIRES FROM THE DASHBOARD TO THE FUSEBOX ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE TAIL-LIGHTS WERE COMPLETELY MELTED AND THE CAR NEEDED TO BE RE-WIRED.
NHTSA complaint #564235 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN AT A RELATIVELY SLOW SPEED (THANK GOD) WHEN THE BRAKES FELT FUNNY. PULLED THE VEHICLE INTO A PARKING LOT, AND LOTS OF SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF IT. WHEN WE JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR, WE SAW FLAMES SHOOTING OUT THROUGH THE HUBCAPS. THE POLICE CAME RIGHT AWAY AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. SUBSEQUENTLY THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A VW DEALER (WHO DID A COMPLETE CHECK UP ON THIS VEHICLE IN SEPT. 1999). THEY SAID THE CALIPER FROZE AND CAUSED THE FIRE. THEY ALSO SAID THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HAS NEVER BEEN USED SINCE I'VE HAD THIS CAR (AUG. 1999). THIS MORNING THE DEALER CALLED AND SAID HE WAS REPLACING THE CALIPER ON THE OTHER SIDE, TOO, FOR SAFETY REASONS!!!
NHTSA complaint #722588 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
BEGINNING ON DATE ABOVE, IGNITION FAILED SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING COMPLETE LACK OF POWER. PULL-OFF TO ROADSIDE WAS UNEVENTFUL. EVERY DAY SUBSEQUENTLY IGNITION HAS FAILED WITH SIMILAR UNPREDICTABILITY, SOMETIMES ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AT HIGH SPEED. RESTART SO FAR HAS BEEN NORMAL. IGNITION SWITCH APPEARS TO OPERATE NORMALLY, BUT OCCASIONALLY BREAKS CONTACT WITHOUT ACTION OF THE DRIVER CAUSING UNPREDICTABLE AND UNEXPECTED SHUTDOWN OF IGNITION. THIS FAILURE COULD BE THE CAUSE OF SERIOUS INJURY OR FATALITY IF IT OCCURRED IN HEAVY AND OR FAST TRAFFIC WHERE TIME AND SPACE FOR RECOVERY ARE INSUFFICIENT. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THIS DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #700088 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH DUE TO FAILURE OF THE SPARK PLUGS, DISTRIBUTOR CAP AND ROTOR.
NHTSA complaint #542028 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WIRING HARNESS WIRES RUBBED THROUGH CAUSING SHORTING OUT AND SMOKING DUE TO LOCATION DESIGN.
NHTSA complaint #542028 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
INTERMITENT STALLING, ALSO REPLACED POWER LOCKS/ENGINE FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #507368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #504493 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE VEHICLE CUTS OFF AT ANY SPEED FOR NO REASON. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
NHTSA complaint #971232 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE CAR SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING.PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
NHTSA complaint #970143 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.