2000 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30MPH THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY THE OCCUPANTS OF BOTH VEHICLES. THE CONTACT WAS WEARING A SEATBELT. THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT FILED AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS DETERMINED TOTALED BY THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP.

AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED. DEALER STATED THAT CAR WAS OUT WARRANTY AND I MUST PAY $102.00 TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND MAYBE MORE TO HAVE IT FIXED. DEALER STATED THERE WAS A NEW POLICY AGAINST FIXING EVEN SAFETY DEFECTS OUT OF WARRENTY UNLESS CUSTOMER PAYS. CAR HAS 36.000 MILES ON IT. NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER WARNED IT MUST BE FIXED OR AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. *NM

2000 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF CV JOINTS FAILED, RIGHT FRONT CALIPER FROZE, FAULTY STEERING HOSE. *TS THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED TWICE AND THE WHEEL BEARING FAILED AT AN UNUSUAL LOW MILEAGE. THE FRONT SEAT HAD A PIECE OF METAL THAT WAS MOLDED. *JB

LOOSE AIRBAG IGNITER CONNECTION UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL, CAUSING THE AIRBAG SYSTEM TO DEACTIVATE. THIS INCIDENT IS FREQUENT AS REPORTED BY MANY OWNERS ON VARIOUS ONLINE FORUMS (AUDIWORLD, VWVORTEX, USENET NEWSGROUPS, ETC). AN INTERNET SEARCH ON "AIRBAG IGNITER: DRIVER SIDE RESISTANCE TOO HIGH" ON GOOGLE RETURNED NUMEROUS REPORTING ON THIS ISSUE. IN MY PARTICULAR INSTANCE, THIS HAS HAPPENED ON BOTH A 1999 VW PASSAT 1.8T/20V AND A 2000 VW GOLF 1.9L TDI. *NM

2000 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF FRONT AXLE SHAFTS WERE REPLACED DUE TO CV JOINT FAILURE. THE RIGHT FRONT CALIPER FROZE, POWER STEERING HOSE HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO LEAKAGE LOCATED NEAR THE REAR OF THE HOSE. *TS ***NAR RECEIVED 10-20-05*** DUE TO THE CALIPERS BEING REPLACED, THE ROTORS HAD TO BE TURNED AND THE BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE FRONT WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED. THE FRONT SEAT HAD A PIECE OF METAL THAT WAS MOLDED BREAK WHEN THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 36,600 MILES ON IT. *JB

2000 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI WAS BROUGHT IN FOR SERVICE FOR A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THERE EXISTS A RECALL ON THIS MODEL FOR A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP CRACKING DUE TO A DESIGN FAULT. THIS RECALL WAS NOT HONORED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN MEXICO. VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA DOESN'T DEAL WITH ANY VEHICLES NOT PURCHASED IN THE UNITED STATES OR CANADA NOR DO THEY ATTEMPT TO DEAL WITH ANY OTHER SEGMENT OF VOLKSWAGEN WORLDWIDE.

WHEN ANY ELECTRIC OR ELECTRONIC COMPONENT ON MY 2000 VOLKWAGEN GOLF TDI FAILS, THE TRANSMISSION LOCKS IN 3RD GEAR, MAKING ACCELERATION VERY DIFFICULT. RECENTLY, THESE COMPONENT FAILURES HAVE ALSO BEEN RESULTING IN COMPLETE POWER FAILURES AT SPEED.

VEHICLE IS A 200 VW GOLF TDI. AT APPROX. 40K MILES ENGINE DEVELOPED EXCESSIVE CARBON BUILD UP IN THE EGR SYSTEM AND REQUIRED CLEANING. VW PERFORMED THIS SERVICE AT NO CHARGE. AT APPROX 60K MILE EXCESSIVE CARBOIN BUILD UP AGAIN NOTED. VW CONTENDS THAT THIS IS A MAINTENACVE PROBLE CAUSED BY EXZCESS SULFER IN THE FUEL. CUSTOMER REQUESTED VW TO PERFORM CLEANING AND PROVIDE PERMANENT REPAIR OR OTHER MITIGATION TO PREVCENT RE-OCCURANCE. CUSTOME BELIEVES THAT THE TDI ENGINE IN GOLF 200 MODELS WAS NOT PROPERLY DESIGNED OR TUNED FOR DISIEL FUEL IN USE AND THAT VW EITHER SHOULD PROVIDE CORRECTIVE ACTION OR PAY ON-GOING COSTS THAT WILL BE NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN PROPOER ENGINE PERFORMANCE. VW IS NON-RESPONSIVE. VW CASE NUMMER IS 501-830-79. COMPLAINT INITIATED WITH VW ON 6/3/05.

THE HAZARD BUTTON ON THE 2000 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF APPEARS TO BE IN WORSE STATE AFTER THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. *MR RECALL CAMPAIGN# 04V584000. *SC THE CONSUMER STATED THE PART NEVER PUSHED BACK TO NORMAL.*JB

OIL PAN ON MY 2000 VW GOLF IS MADE OF CAST ALUMINUM OR MAGNESIUM, VERY BRITTLE. BY DESIGN, THE CAR HAS MINIMAL GROUND CLEARANCE. A HOLE WAS PUNCHED IN THE OIL PAN BY CONTACT WITH THE ROADWAY ON PASSING OVER A SMALL BUMP. LED TO DISCHARGE OF ALL ENGINE OIL ONTO THE ROADWAY, POSING A HAZARD FOR OTHER MOTORISTS. WHILE VISITING THE VW SHOP FOR MAINTENANCE ON MY CAR, I HAVE HEARD THE SERVICE MANAGER DEALING WITH OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. BELIEVE NHTSA SHOULD QUERY VW ABOUT RATE OF OIL PAN DAMAGE ON CARS WITH CAST ALUMINUM OIL PANS, AND IF STATISTICS WARRANT, REQUIRE VW MAKE AVAILABLE STURDIER OIL PANS, PERHAPS OF STEEL. I HAVE INSTALLED A STEEL SKIDPLATE ON MY VW (COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE, WHICH TELLS YOU SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT THE MARKETPLACE FEELS ABOUT THE ISSUE OF VW OIL PAN TOUGHNESS) TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE. I AM CONVINCED IT HAS SAVED MY ENGINE MANY TIMES OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS IN NORMAL DRIVING ON PAVED ROADS. *JB