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1997 Volkswagen Golf

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
7Owner complaints

Model-year median: 18

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
41
199443
19953
19967
199718
199864
199988
2000
Compare all Golf years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Power Train
3Equipment
1Latches/locks/linkages
1Structure
1Visibility
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 4 of 7 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Equipment. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Power Train complaints

3 reports
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80,000 miles · Mar 10, 2005
Power Train

TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT WHEN NEEDED INTO HIGHER GEARS, AND SOMETIMES FALLS OUT OF THE PROPER GEAR AND INTO A LOWER GEAR WHEN IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO, CAUSING ENGINE TO REV WAY TOO HIGH WHILE ON THE FREEWAY. CAR DOES NOT RUN PROPERLY AS A RESULT, AND I CAN'T REALLY DRIVE IT UNTIL IT'S FIXED. I TRIED TO HAVE VOLKSWAGON FIX THE …

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TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT WHEN NEEDED INTO HIGHER GEARS, AND SOMETIMES FALLS OUT OF THE PROPER GEAR AND INTO A LOWER GEAR WHEN IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO, CAUSING ENGINE TO REV WAY TOO HIGH WHILE ON THE FREEWAY. CAR DOES NOT RUN PROPERLY AS A RESULT, AND I CAN'T REALLY DRIVE IT UNTIL IT'S FIXED. I TRIED TO HAVE VOLKSWAGON FIX THE KNOWN PROBLEM, BUT THEY REFUSED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10113868

Mileage unknown · Mar 9, 2005
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE SHIFTING. DRIVER PULLED OVER, AND NOTICED THAT TRANSMISSION LIGHT FLASHED ON AND OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO THE HOUSING SHAFT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10113852

Mileage unknown · Apr 22, 2004
Power Train

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, WHEN THE ENGINE IS "COLD" THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT IN TO GEAR PROPERLY. IT USUALLY GETS STUCK BETWEEN GEARS, IF YOU STEP ON THE GAS AT THE TIME BETWEEN GEARS THE CAR WILL BUCK VIOLENTLY AS IT SHIFTS. EVEN THOUGH IT HAS HAPPEND MANY TIMES I WILL LIST THE DATE IT HAPPENED LAST. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10067685

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.