1997 Volkswagen Golf Problems & Complaints

Better than average85% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Golf at the same age

Owners have filed 7 complaints about the 1997 Volkswagen Golf with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That is 85% fewer than a typical Golf model year at the same age, making the 1997 one of the better Golf years. The most reported problem area is the transmission & drivetrain (3 complaints, typically around 80,000 miles).

7complaints
0recalls
0crashes
0fires
0injuries
0deaths

Most common 1997 Volkswagen Golf problems

  • Transmission & drivetrain~80,000 miles
    343%
  • Locks & latches~30,000 miles
    114%
  • Body & structure
    114%
  • A/C & heater~81,000 miles
    114%
  • Windows, wipers & sunroof~209,000 miles
    114%

Share of the 7 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.

Volkswagen Golf complaints by model year

’95’97’98’99’00’01’02’03’04’05’06’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23437186488116742628191269110484312131851172963678111
Owner complaints per model year, Volkswagen Golf. Colour = our verdict for that year (red: avoid, orange: caution, green: better than average, blue: too new).

Best Golf years: 2020, 2014, 2021. Years to avoid: 2022, 2015, 2017, 2011, 2016. Compare all years →

What 1997 Volkswagen Golf owners say

Transmission & drivetrain

Transmission will not shift when needed into higher gears, and sometimes falls out of the proper gear and into a lower gear when it's not supposed to, causing engine to rev way too high while on the freeway. Car does not run properly as a result, and I can't really drive it until it's fixed. I tried to have volkswagon fix the known problem, but they refused.

Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Floor shift · 80,000 miles · Jan 2004

Automatic transmission, when the engine is "cold" the transmission does not shift in to gear properly. It usually gets stuck between gears, if you step on the gas at the time between gears the car will buck violently as it shifts. Even though it has happend many times I will list the date it happened last.

Automatic transmission · Apr 2004

1997 Volkswagen Golf engines & fuel economy

EngineTransmissionDriveMPG city / hwy / combined
1.9L 4-cyl turbo diesel5-speed manualFWD33 / 44 / 37
2.0L 4-cyl5-speed manualFWD21 / 29 / 24
2.0L 4-cyl4-speed automaticFWD19 / 26 / 22

EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 1997 Volkswagen Golf a good car?

Based on 7 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Golf rates better than average: 85% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Golf at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.

What is the most common problem with the 1997 Volkswagen Golf?

The transmission & drivetrain — 3 complaints, 43% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the locks & latches (1) and body & structure (1).

How many recalls does the 1997 Volkswagen Golf have?

NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1997 Volkswagen Golf. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.

What are the best and worst years of the Volkswagen Golf?

The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2014 and 2021. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2022, 2015, 2017, 2011 and 2016. See the full Volkswagen Golf years comparison.

At what mileage do 1997 Volkswagen Golf problems happen?

The median mileage reported in complaints is about 81,000 miles; 25% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.