2004 Volkswagen Golf

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

28Owner complaints

Model-year median: 18

2Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2004 Volkswagen Golf

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 28 owner complaints · 2 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Electrical System: 4 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling: 4 reports
Air Bags: 3 reports
Fuel/propulsion System: 3 reports
Power Train: 3 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Golf years →

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

What owners reported most

Electrical System

4 Engine And Engine Cooling

4 Air Bags

3 Fuel/propulsion System

3 Power Train

All reported categories

Fuel System, Diesel

2 Latches/locks/linkages

2 Vehicle Speed Control

2 Equipment

1 Exterior Lighting

1 Fuel System, Gasoline

1 Fuel System, Other

1 Seat Belts

1 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

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

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

0–25K

25–50K

50–75K

75–100K

100–150K

150K+

25 reports with mileage · 3 unknown

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.

Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

1 reports

Clear category filter

75,192 miles · Apr 3, 2010

Unknown Or Other

Read full complaint

MY 2004 VW GOLF WAS RUNNING ROUGH. THE RPM'S WERE VERY HIGH BUT THE CAR WAS GOING VERY SLOW. I HAD NEW SPARK PLUGS AND IGNITION WIRES PUT IN. AFTER A HEAVY RAIN A FEW WEEKS LATER I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS TIME I HAD A NEW IGNITION COIL PUT IN. IN TOTAL I SPENT $699.24 HAVING THE CAR REPAIRED. VW IS CURRENTLY RUNNING AN IGNITION COIL INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT PROGRAM BUT MY VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED. I CALLED TO COMPLAIN BUT VW TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO BUT COMPLAIN TO THE NHTSA.

NHTSA ODI #10323626

Recall campaigns

07V063000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Feb 20, 2007

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE BRAKE LIGHTS COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE, OR REMAIN ON. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE PROPER SIGNAL WHEN BRAKING COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: 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.

04V586000 · Fuel System, Diesel

Dec 15, 2004

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY LEAD TO A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DIESEL PUMP. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 8, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

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

Defect investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.