The 2005 Volkswagen Golf has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 1,021,284 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 27 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 5, 2026.
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
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…
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
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.
Complaints by component
AIR BAGS
6
1crashes
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OTHER FUEL TYPES:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER
2
ENGINE
1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
1
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL
1
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
1
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
1
Total complaints27
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Brake booster vacuum line fell off making me run a red light I could not stop the car in time. After getting the car stopped about 100 feet past the light I found that the brake booster vacuum line fell off its made of hard plastic that has become brittle it cracked at both ends. There was no…”
“I got in the car this morning to head to work, I reached back to pull the seat belt forward and around my lap. Next thing I knew the belt was fully extended and would not retract at all. I had no tension left in the seat belt and it hung over me completely extended. Now I am driving with this…”
“When driving the car it was running fine and then all of a sudden died on me and would restart then died again before I could move it out of the way. Now when I start it, it dies immediately.”
“When driving the car it was running fine and then all of a sudden died on me and would restart then died again before I could move it out of the way. Now when I start it, it dies immediately.”
“When driving the car it was running fine and then all of a sudden died on me and would restart then died again before I could move it out of the way. Now when I start it, it dies immediately.”
“I move my passenger seat back and for no reason the airbag came on, it would not reset.”
“Takata recall - I was in accident on 5/24/16 and the front of my car was all damaged but the airbag did not inflate causing me to hit the steering wheel”
“When exiting the freeway, the fuel lift pump died and the car stalled on the exit ramp at 55 mph. I lost control of power brakes and power steering but was able to coast off the ramp to the stop light at the end of the ramp. *tr”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2005 Volkswagen Golf as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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