White metal used in front and read windshield wipers and also rear hatch door latch flake apart and crumble making wipers and latch unusable. Replaced front wiper assembly june 2012, rear wiper does not work, same with rear door latch. Front wipers stopped working suddenly while in a summer downpour causing a major safety problem.
The worst 1999 Volkswagen Golf problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine16
- Fuel system12
- Electrical9
- Visibility8
- Lights5
- Seat belts4
- Transmission4
- Suspension2
- Airbags1
- Body1
- Brakes1
- Locks1
- Steering1
- Tires1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1999 Volkswagen Golf
Recalls 4
Exterior lighting: brake lights: switch
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger, wagon, and convertible vehicles equipped with or without cruise control, a brake light switch may malfunction if it was installed incorrectly.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 07V063000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles equipped with gasoline engines and double-layer fuel tanks, tension on the fuel supply line may cause the fuel pump supply nipple to crack which could result in a leak.
- Risk
- Leaking fuel, in the presence of an ignition source, may cause a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the fuel supply line for tension, and inspect the fuel pump supply nipple for cracking. If necessary the fuel line and the fuel pump will be replaced free of charge. The recall began on july 25, 2005. Owners may contact volkswagen at 1‑800‑822‑8987.
Recall number 05V154000 · Recall details
Equipment: other: labels
- What is wrong
- Certain passenger vehicles equipped with 2.8l vr6 engines fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, "tire selection and rims." the recommended cold tire inflation pressure published on the label for tires of the size 205/50 r15 86h is 0.1 bar (1.45 psi) too low. It should be 2.5 bar (36.3 psi). The label recommends 2.4 bar (34.8 psi = 35 psi).
- Risk
- Under inflated tires can affect vehicle handling, and driving with substantially under inflated tires puts the consumer at risk for a crash.
- Remedy
- Owners will be provided with corrected labels, or a dealer can install the label if the owner wishes. Owner notification began september 29, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact vw at 1‑800‑893‑5298.
Recall number 03V155000 · Recall details
Structure: frame and members
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The sound absorbing mat attached to the inside of the b-pillar side trim panel could have been improperly installed. Surface and edges of the mat could have been damaged during the assembly process. It could ignite when exposed to the exhaust gas of the seat belt pre-tensioner igniter in the event of a severe front or side collision.
- Risk
- This could result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will remove the matting materials from inside the b-pillar on both sides of the vehicle.
Recall number 99V022000 · Recall details
See all 4 recalls for the 1999 Volkswagen Golf
Defect investigations
Fuel pump leaks
This investigation was opened on november 29, 2004, based on five consumer reports alleging fuel leaking from the fuel pump.by letter of april 14, 2004, volkswagen of america (volkswagen) notified the agency that it will conduct a safety recall of 35,000 golf and gti vehicles manufactured in wolfsburg germany for the north american market.the recalled vehicles are in model years 1999 and 2000 and are equipped with gasoline engines.volkswagen has identified a condition in which the fuel supply line from the fuel delivery module (pump) to the fuel filter may come under tension. In this condition the fuel pump supply nipple can crack, resulting in a gasoline leak.volkswagen dealers will inspect for tension on the fuel line and cracks in the fuel pump supply nipple.if tension is found in the line, it will be replaced with a revised line.if the fuel pump supply nipple is cracked, the line and the pump will be replaced.please see safety recall 05v154 for details.
PE04079
Technical service bulletins for the 1999 Volkswagen Golf 147
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Update to Volkswagen engine oil standards
- Volkswagen Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
- Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
- Update model year applicability to include 2023.
- Battery testing and charging using special tools VAS6161 & GRX3000VAS Charger
- Update engine oil quality standard lists (attachments)
- Tool number added to table
- Updated to include additional models and model year applicability.
- Quick Reference Update Guide.
- The part number listed in the document is to be returned if it meets the criteria provided.
1999 Volkswagen Golf fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | FWD | 19-21 | 26-28 | 22-24 |
What 1999 Volkswagen Golf owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Window regulator switches and interior lights started to malfunction early in the life of the car, starting about 2003. My passenger window fell into the door once, and the same happened for my driver side window twice. The window switches are flaky and require intense concentration to tap them just right to make the window go in the direction that you want. If you tap too strongly or too long, the windows reverse direction. This is extremely distracting and dangerous when you are trying to focus on the road. Dealership and local mechanics replaced regulator switches and motors several times, years ago. I was tired of replacing them, so now I try to use the windows as little as possible. I keep a flashlight permanently on the passenger seat to compensate for 12 years of darkness in the cabin. Alarm system occasionally chirps for no reason, as if detecting an intruder, and sometimes will not generate the beep beep when I hit the engage button on my key fob. Alarm sometimes goes off when I start the car, as if I'm carjacking my own car. I suspect the 1999 batch of volkswagen cars had serious grounding or electrical issues. Car continues to run fine (current mileage is 392,000) despite the electrical demons, but with reduced safety and increased distractions.
Instrument cluster fire in 1999 vw golf tdi: 2003-01-14, mileage 88290, lights and gauges on instrument cluster were acting flaky and not working properly. Some lights were dim and some were burnt out. 2003-02-05, I bought new instrument cluster. Plan was to have dealership replace faulty one with new one on 2003-02-10. A few days after I bought new one, the cars existing one suddenly emitted sparks while I was driving in a snow storm, and caught on fire! Thick, acrid smoke billowed from underneath the dashboard, forcing me out of the car. I put out the fire with my jacket and some snow. 2003-02-10, dealership replaced instrument cluster. During the first heavy snowfall after that, car started bucking at low rpms and when attempting to shift gears. Speedometer started fluctuating wildly, showing me going anywhere from 0 to 120 MPH. Temperature gauge started fluctuating between 0 and danger zone, and temperature alarm sounded whenever the gauge jumped into the danger zone. Fuel gauge dropped to empty. Odometer froze up. 2003-04-04, mileage 90906, technician at dealership found 300 kilo-ohm resistance in wiring harness grounds. The four main ground wire ends were horribly corroded. As a result, there was no power going to the engine coolant temperature sensor, vehicle speed sensor, or coolant bottle sensor. Technician left the existing wiring harness in place, since most of the harness wires were working fine. He disconnected and capped the ends of the four corroded wires. He then ran new wires to the affected sensors (creating an overlay harness), crimped new connectors on the ends, and used heat shrink on the crimps. I haven't had any instrument cluster fires since then; however, I have replaced the ect sensor 7 times during the 15 years I have owned this car, possibly because of lingering grounding issues. Current mileage is about 392,000.
This started to occur about 2009, about 6 years ago. When I pushed up the rear seats, I discovered that the center seat belt was tight and would not release. I couldn't even push the rear seat back down because the seat belt was so extremely tight. Within a year or two later, all of the rear seat belts locked up. The rear seats are now unsafe for passengers.
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen golf. The contact stated that the valve in the fuel causes the vehicle to stall without warning. The valve becomes clogged with the fuel. He has researched several complaints regarding this failure and stated that volkswagen is aware, but does nothing to rectify the issue. On separate occasions, the contact has been stranded in cold weather and faced near death experiences due to the stalling. The vehicle has not yet been repaired. The failure and current mileages were 126,900.
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen golf. The vehicle has a recall notice for the o ring defect. The defect causes the vehicle to overheat, resulting in engine failure. The contact stated that the vehicle received the 44k treatment to rectify the failure and now the entire exhaust system needs to be replaced. The manufacturer has not been notified. The catalytic converter is also defective and causes the motor and other components to overheat. The contact stated that a large quantity of smoke comes from the vehicle and he does not drive it due to safety concerns. He is also unable to switch gears because the clutch is burned out. The recall number, VIN, and engine size were unknown. The failure and current mileages were 72,000.
Windshield wiper failure.
Tl*the contact owns a 1999 volkswagen golf. The vehicle has douglas & lomason (19570r14) tires. While driving 65 MPH, the contact heard a loud noise coming from the vehicle. He pulled over, noticed a flat tire, and replaced it with a spare. The dealer stated that the case separated. The failure was duplicated with both front tires and the rear driver side tire. The failure mileage was 124,000 and current mileage was 125,000.
Brake light switch malfunctions.
1999 volkswagen golf safety recall received regarding the defect with the fuel supply module.***no answer required***. *mr the consumer stated he did smell gas coming from the vehicle, however the consumer no longer lives in the united states and where she lives now no one was familiar with american made vehicles or even the recall.
Compare the 1999 Volkswagen Golf
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Questions about the 1999 Volkswagen Golf
Is the 1999 Volkswagen Golf reliable?
Owners have filed 64 complaints about the 1999 Volkswagen Golf, 2.2 times a typical Golf model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Volkswagen Golf?
Engine and cooling, with 16 complaints. Next is fuel system (12).
How many recalls does the 1999 Volkswagen Golf have?
4 recalls, covering exterior lighting, fuel system, gasoline and equipment.
What year does the Volkswagen Golf have bad engine?
The Volkswagen Golf model years with the most engine complaints are 2019 (35 complaints), 2015 (28 complaints) and 2011 (26 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1999 Volkswagen Golf get?
Official estimates for the 1999 Volkswagen Golf range from 22 to 24 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.0L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 19-21 city and 26-28 highway.
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