Vehicle recall 98V160000 · July 16, 1998
Volkswagen Golf, GTI and 1 more model
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles.
Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.
- Summary
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The bolts securing the front hood latch can loosen over time. The latch would move causing disengagement of the hood striker from the latch.
- Consequence
- Unexpected opening of the hood could occur obstructing the driver's view of the road while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the hood latch and securing bolts and replace them if necessary.
- Notes
- Owner notification began October 15, 1998.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 vwoa at 1-800-822-8987.ALSO contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).
Recall details
- NHTSA campaign
- 98V160000
- Reported to NHTSA
- July 16, 1998
- Filed by
- VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC
- Owner notification
- October 15, 1998
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 238,000
- Initiated by
- NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation
- Components
- Latches/locks/linkages › Hood › Latch
Vehicles covered
As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.
- Volkswagen Golf (1993-1996): 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993
- Volkswagen GTI (1993-1996): 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993
- Volkswagen Jetta (1993-1996): 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993
Has your Volkswagen been repaired?
Recalls here come from NHTSA’s records for the model and year. Not every vehicle of a model is included in every recall, and this site can’t see whether a repair has been done. Only a VIN lookup can tell you that.
NHTSA’s VIN search doesn’t show recalls that were already repaired, recalls more than 15 years old, or some small manufacturers’ recalls. Recall repairs are free.