1998 Volkswagen GTI

Owner complaints

What owners report most

1. Engine and engine cooling3
2. Service brakes, air2
3. Air bags2
4. Structure1
5. Unknown or other1
6. Visibility1
7. Electrical system1
8. Service brakes, hydraulic1

Latest complaints

• Sep 17, 2005MA92,448 mi
  Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
  I was driving at night, in the rain, when all of a sudden my headlights went out. I had to pull over and see what was going on. I also noticed that my wipers and my fan also stopped working. I turned off the ignition and turned the car back on again, all was fine for about 10 sec., then it…

  I was driving at night, in the rain, when all of a sudden my headlights went out. I had to pull over and see what was going on. I also noticed that my wipers and my fan also stopped working. I turned off the ignition and turned the car back on again, all was fine for about 10 sec., then it went out again. I noticed that when I touched the keys in the ignition that it went back on again, and I held the key forward and held it there, and the headlights, wipers, and the fan started to work again. when I let it go, it stopped working. I had to hold the key in the ignition forward all the way home to have headlights to see my way home. the next day I checked again and knew for sure that the ignition switch was the problem, it needed to be replaced. I looked it up online and found that this problem IS very common on volkswagen golf's or gti's and that there wasn't a recall on this dangerous defect. I own a 1998 volkswagen GTI. thank you, and I would appreciate it if this problem was addressed to volkswagen and a recall were to be made of this problem. I heard it cost's a lot of money to replace the ignition switch.*jb

• Oct 21, 2004NY105,000 mi1 injury
  Air bags › Side/window

  Side airbag (passenger) deployed upon impact with a pothole with the front drivers side wheel

• May 14, 2003ME
  Visibility › Power window devices and controls

  1998 volkswagen GTI VR6. electric window regulator failure. saw this site on www.vwvortex.com. *nlm

• Apr 1, 20030010,000 mi
  Engine and engine cooling › Engine

  The engine stalled when the consumer made a turn. *jb

• Apr 1, 20030010,000 mi
  Engine and engine cooling › Engine

  The engine stalled when the consumer made a turn. *jb

• Feb 21, 2003CA59,000 miCrash1 injury
  Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module · Service brakes, air › Antilock

  1998 volkswagen golf GTI rolled into a ditch off 101 near gilroy. Three days prior it had had serviced entirely by michael's auto body in downtown san jose. With repairs totalling $2000. These repairs were supposedly merely "wear and tear" from a towing by the sjpd. The antilock brakes locked and the airbag did not release.

• Feb 23, 2001UT
  Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline · Unknown or other

  Vehicle stalled out and died without warning. Just before vehicle stalled engine check light illuminated. consumer stated vehicle has stalled and died several times prior to this incident. manufacturer will be notified. *ak

• Sep 21, 1999CA
  Structure › Body › Door

  Door panels came off. *yc

• Jul 6, 1999NJ
  Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip

  ABS warning light came on when the car was started and never went *ak

• Aug 23, 1998LA
  Service brakes, air › Antilock

  ABS light comes on and stays on when vehicle IS started. not sure if ABS IS working during this time.

Service bulletins

Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.

• 10243011VW Elsa Newsletter
• 10242996VW Elsa Newsletter
• 10242349VW Elsa Newsletter
• 10241340Engine Oils Which Meet Volkswagen Oil Quality Standard VW 502 00/505 00/505 01 and VW 504 00/507 00
• 10241266Squeaks, Rattles, Noise, Repair Materials
• 10241265Fuel Additive to Help Prevent Sporadic Misfire Faults
• 10241177Update to Volkswagen engine oil standards
• 10239831Battery, Testing and Charging Using Midtronics VAS6161, MCR340V, InCharge 940, or GRX3000 Charger
• 10239789To detect which line(s) is inoperative, utilize a volt meter to check for 0 V, which will be present after the open in the grid line. The check must be performed with the engine running and heated rear window switched on. Switch OFF the ignition and visually locate the damage. Proceed with checking any other lines as necessary. Once the damaged line is identified, repair utilizing the Repair kit by Permatex ITEM 09117.
• 10239592Exterior Lights, Moisture Accumulation
• 10239591Exterior Lights, Moisture Accumulation
• 10239590Exterior Lights, Moisture Accumulation
• 10239541Air Conditioning, Cleaning of the Refrigerant Circuit (U.S.Only)
• 10238572Fault code P1297 may be set and fuel mixtures may go lean if the vehicle is driven under load or revved up and then returned to idle.
• 10237427Volkswagen Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
• 10235138Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
• 10228180Update model year applicability to include 2023.
• 10228178Battery testing and charging using special tools VAS6161 & GRX3000VAS Charger. Updated to include additional model year applicability.
• 10213836Airbag Issues.
• 10193577Update engine oil quality standard lists (attachments)
• 10175799Tool number added to table. Removal of Behr Flush Kit. VAS 6337/1A
• 10174476Updated to include additional models and model year applicability.
• 10159016Engine Oils Which Meet Volkswagen Oil Quality Standards
• 10159014Alternative method for radio code retrieval.
• 10159010The part number listed in the document is to be returned if it meets the criteria provided.
• 10158533Condensation and or water droplets visible on inside of exterior light lenses. TB updated to include model year 2019 applicability.
• 10158529Battery Testing and Charging instruction. Updated to include model year 2019 applicability.
• 10157383VAS 6154 Replacement Part Setup Guide
• 10155644This special notice is to inform dealers to return all part numbers listed in the document and order the superseded part numbers going forward.
• 10133469Tip for Scan tool concerns that may occur duing a test plan
• 10128105This document contains the VW Elsa Newsletter that contains a general overview of wiring diagrams updates, technical bulletins, pending service solutions, tech tips, campaigns, updates, and suggestions.
• 10128104This document contains the VW Elsa Newsletter that contains a general overview of wiring diagrams updates, ElsaPro infomedia icons grayed out, workshop equipment tool storage application, technical bulletins, pending service solutions, tech tips, campaigns, updates, and suggestions.
• 10128055This communication is to update our ProFi dealers of the current status of the latest inbound and outbound ProFi requests.
• 10127969Data Link connector pin assignment chart that is applicable to all models. Update model year applicability.
• 10126861Update to model year applicability.
• 10126785Update model year applicability to include 2017.
• 10125850Golf Perfect Delivery Inspection (PDI) - Technician and Detailer Inspections: A checklist to insure a customer receives a wonderful delivery of a vehicle that looks, feels, and meets the expectations of a new vehicle that he/she has purchased
• 10125765Golf Perfect Delivery Inspection (PDI) - Technician and Detailer Inspections: A checklist to insure a customer receives a wonderful delivery of a vehicle that looks, feels, and meets the expectations of a new vehicle that he/she has purchased
• 10125661Update to existing tip for fuel quality checking.
• 10122255Golf/GTI Perfect Delivery Inspection (PDI) - Technician and Detailer Inspections:

Every Volkswagen GTI model year

Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.