2001 Volkswagen Golf: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2001 Volkswagen Golf. The newest campaign is 07V063000. NHTSA received the report on 20 Feb 2007. The NHTSA record gives the component Exterior Lighting / Brake Lights / Switch. NHTSA has 116 complaints on file for this model year. 3 NHTSA investigations name this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 07V063000, in the NHTSA record

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.

NHTSA VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 30 Sep 2026. Recall file through 30 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

5 campaigns, newest first. 1,804,168 units in total.

07V06300020 Feb 2007Exterior Lighting / Brake Lights / Switch
04V58400016 Dec 2004Exterior Lighting / Hazard Flashing Warning Lights / Switch
02V24400012 Sep 2002Equipment / Other / Owners/Service/Other Manual
02V03100031 Jan 2002Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
00V28000020 Sep 2000Suspension / Front / Control Arm / Upper Arm

07V063000Received 20 Feb 2007. 1,002,000 units.
Exterior Lighting / Brake Lights / Switch
Defect, in the NHTSA record
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, in the NHTSA record
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, in the NHTSA record
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.
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC. Manufacturer campaign number N4. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 27 Apr 2007.
04V584000Received 16 Dec 2004. 410,000 units.
Exterior Lighting / Hazard Flashing Warning Lights / Switch
Defect, in the NHTSA record
On certain passenger vehicles, the hazard switch and flasher system function may degrade over time because of distortion and material transfer of the contacts of certain hazard switch relays which occurs due to substantially increased electrical current load from higher wattage turn signal bulbs.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
This may result in intermittent or inoperative turn signal and hazard flasher function.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the hazard flasher switch/relay kit. The recall began on march 31, 2005. Owners should contact volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC. Manufacturer campaign number VX. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 31 Mar 2005.
02V244000Received 12 Sep 2002. 332,950 units.
Equipment / Other / Owners/Service/Other Manual
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." child seat anchorages installed in the vehicle's rear seats must be identified by markings, and their location and use be described in the owner's manual.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
These vehicles were not marked or described as required by the standard.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Owners will be provided with a supplement for the owner's manual and also one set of four guidance fixtures intended to use in conjunction with child seats equipped with rigid or semi-rigid lower anchorage attachments. Also enclosed will be four decals together with installation instructions and a template for attaching the decals to the lower seat backs. Owner notification is expected to begin september 15, 2002. Owners should contact vwoa at 1-800-822-8987.
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 29 Jul 2003.
02V031000Received 31 Jan 2002. 55,000 units.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Defect, in the NHTSA record
On some passenger vehicles, short circuits can occur within the electronic control unit of the anti-lock braking system (ABS).
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
This can result in a fire.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the ABS control unit. Owner notification began march 8, 2002. 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 volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 8 Mar 2002.
00V280000Received 20 Sep 2000. 4,218 units.
Suspension / Front / Control Arm / Upper Arm
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. One of two brackets used to bolt the front suspension control arm in front of the vehicle to the body structure may not have been welded sufficiently.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
The control arm could gradually loosen and ultimately separate from its bracket in normal driving which could cause the vehicle to be difficult to control or result in loss of control. As the bracket loosens, loud metallic knocking sounds in from the vehicle will be heard.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will inspect the bracket and if the welding is insufficient, will replace the control arm.
Report filed by VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

116 complaints, 152 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. The figure per 1,000 component mentions shows how many of each 1,000 mentions name the component.

2001 Volkswagen Golf
All 2001 vehicles

2001 Volkswagen Golf: complaints by component, per 1,000 component mentions
Component	2001 Golf	All 2001 vehicles	Golf, all years	Mentions
Air Bags	217.1	67.1	96.1	33
Engine and Engine Cooling	157.9	114.2	79.4	24
Electrical System	98.7	98.6	107.5	15
Exterior Lighting	98.7	31.1	30.4	15
Visibility	92.1	35.1	44.2	14
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	65.8	85.2	30	10
Power Train	52.6	91.9	78.5	8
Vehicle Speed Control	46.1	44.2	31.4	7
Seat Belts	26.3	18.9	20.9	4
Latches/Locks/Linkages	26.3	11.6	18.6	4

The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 20.

Complaints that report a crash: 4
Complaints that report a fire: 2
Injuries in the complaints: 6
Deaths in the complaints: 0
Date of the newest complaint: 21 Apr 2021

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Complaints about the 2001 Volkswagen Golf, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 2005, with 23 complaints.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 2001 Volkswagen Golf
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
DP05004	Defect petition	ENGINE STALLING	Electrical System / Ignition / Module	11 Aug 2005	8 Dec 2005
PE04081	Preliminary evaluation	INADVERTENT SIDE-AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT	Air Bags / Side/Window	16 Dec 2004	1 Apr 2005
PE04073	Preliminary evaluation	TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE	Exterior Lighting / Hazard Flashing Warning Lights / Switch	19 Oct 2004	16 Dec 2004	04V584000

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

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Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
NHTSA page of the 2001 Volkswagen GolfThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 2001 Volkswagen Golf: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/volkswagen/golf/2001/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 30 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 30 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 30 Sep 2026
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 2001 Volkswagen Golf?: 1,804,168 units in 5 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Volkswagen Golf have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 54 recall campaigns for the Volkswagen Golf, model years 1985 to 2023. 5 of them name the 2001 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 2001 Volkswagen Golf name most often?: Air Bags: 33 of 152 component mentions, or 217.1 per 1,000. For all 2001 vehicles the figure is 67.1 per 1,000.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 2001 Volkswagen Golf open?: No. Each of the 3 investigations that name this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.