Volkswagen GTI Complaints (2002)

124 consumer complaints on file.

#10028454July 16, 2003
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
BRAKE LIGHTS COMPLETELY FAILED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023440June 20, 2003
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
I WAS DRIVING MY 2002 VW GTI VR6 ON A SEMI-ROUGH SECTION OF THE PARKS HIGHWAY IN ALASKA AT APPROX. 30-35 MPH WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS SUDDENLY DEPLOYED. THE ROAD WAS NO WORSE THAN A MAINTAINED GRAVEL ROAD, THERE WAS NO "CRASH" OR ACCIDENT, AND I DIDN'T HIT A POTHOLE. THE DEALER LOOKED AT MY OTHERWISE MINT CONDITION AND UNDAMAGED CAR AND SAID THAT THE COMPUTER HAD "CRASH DATA" AND POSSIBLE GRAVEL DINGS ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE (WHICH COULD HAVE OCCURRED AT ANYTIME IN THE PAST 10 MONTHS I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE AS I FREQUENTLY DRIVE ON MAINTAINED GRAVEL ROADS). IT WAS THE TECHNICIAN'S BELIEF THAT THESE MINOR GRAVEL DINGS ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED THE AIRBAGS TO RELEASE AND THAT THE AIRBAG REPLACEMENTS WOULD MOST LIKELY BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT IT WAS VW'S ULTIMATE DECISION. MY INSURANCE ADJUSTOR SAID BASICALLY THE SAME THING AS MINOR DINGS TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE ARE EXPECTED AS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND TOLD THE DEALERSHIP THAT THEY WERE STRETCHING IT WHEN THEY CAME UP WITH A POSSIBLE EXPLANATION. VW HEADQUARTERS CAME BACK AND SAID SINCE THERE IS "CRASH DATA" IN THE COMPUTER AND THE CAR HAS SMALL DINGS ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE, IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AS IT WAS A CRASH. I THINK VW IS MISSING THE POINT BY SAYING THAT SINCE THERE IS "CRASH DATA" IN THE COMPUTER, THE AIRBAGS ARE MY PROBLEM. THE REAL QUESTION IS SHOULD THE AIRBAGS HAVE DEPLOYED UNDER THESE CONDITIONS? THE DEALER TECHS SAY NO, MY PASSENGER AND I SAY NO, AND MY INSURANCE AND THEIR INVESTIGATOR SAYS NO. THIS AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AND RESULTED IN MY PASSENGER BEING BRUISED. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10019417May 8, 2003
AIR BAGS
AFTER HITTING A MINOR POTHOLE THE FRONT AIR BAG UNEXPECTEDLY DEPLOYED. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10011222April 1, 2003
POWER TRAIN, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
THE VEHICLE FAILED TO GO INTO FIRST GEAR AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE DISASSEMBLED TO MAKE REPAIRS TO THE FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD GEARS. ALSO THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY IMPACT. *AK *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10013706March 31, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
HAD A COIL PACK FAILURE CAUSING CAR TO STALL AND DECREASE IN POWER WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. VW SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL WITH THIS PROBLEM. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10013635March 29, 2003
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT AND SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED ON MY 2002 VOLKSWAGEN GTI 337 EDITION FOR NO READILY APPARENT REASON. THIS LEFT ME WITH A RINGING EAR, SORE SHOULDER, AND IN A VERY SHAKEN STATE. THE DEALERSHIP THAT I TOOK THE CAR TO FOR FACTORY REPAIR AT FIRST AGREED THAT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO INDICATE ANY SORT OF ACCIDENT. TWO DAYS LATER A FACTORY ENGINEER (APPARENTLY FROM VWOA) EXAMINED THE CAR AND FOUND A NICK IN A METAL BEAM. THIS NICK (SMALLER THAN A DIME) IS APPARENTLY WHAT CAUSED THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. THE DEALERSHIP HAS STATED THAT MY INSURANCE WOULD HAVE TO COVER THE REPAIRS AS THEY ARE NOT UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE OF THIS NICK. I'M CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF FILING A CLAIM THROUGH THE BBB AUTO LINE. THEY HAVE A PROCESS THROUGH MEDIATION AND ARBITRATION THAT WILL HOPEFULLY RESOLVE MY SITUATION WITHOUT HAVING TO RESORT TO A LAWSUIT. I STRONGLY FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THE REPAIR WITHOUT QUESTION, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE DANGEROUS NATURE OF AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10011844March 17, 2003
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
THE PARK/NEUTRAL SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED , WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO START IN GEAR WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH. WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. (MANUAL TRANSMISSION) *JB THE UNIT FAILURE ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO START IN NEUTRAL OR ANY GEAR. SCC
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10010450March 14, 2003
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
PARK/NEUTRAL SWITCH FAILED ON A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10010114March 7, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE A 2002 VW GTI 1.8T. THE IGNITION COILS HAVE FAILED THREE SEPARATE TIMES. EACH TIME I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN TRAFFIC ON THE INTERSTATE, AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR WOULD ONLY DRIVE AT 30 MPH. I HESITATE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE ONE OF THE FAULTY PARTS( THE PART NUMBER ENDS IN I)IS STILL IN MY CAR. VOLKSWAGEN WILL ONLY REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS WHEN THEY BECOME DEFECTIVE. THE PROBLEM CAN LEAD TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I FEEL MY SAFETY IS IN JEOPARDY EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE CAR!*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10005186February 3, 2003
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED. WINDOW WAS DOWN AND WHEN THE SWITCH WAS HIT TO BRING IT BACK UP, IT REMAINED DOWN AND MADE AN AWFUL SOUND, AS IF THE GLASS WAS SHREDDING INSIDE. WINDOW HAD TO BE TAPED UP AND DID NOT GET AN APPOINTMENT TO FIX IT UNTIL 2 WEEKS LATER
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10005096February 2, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I HAVE A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN GTI 1.8T WITH 4700 MILES AT THE TIME OF THIS COMMON COIL PACK FAILURE. I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK WHEN I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AT A BUSY INTERSECTION. ONE OF MY COIL PACKS WENT WHILE TURNING ONTO MAIN ROAD AND CAUSING MY CAR TO SPUTTER AND LOSE POWER. ON COMING TRAFFIC HAD SLAM ON THEIR BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING ME. THANKFULLY AN ACCIDENT WAS AVERTED. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THESE COIL PACKS ARE FAILING AT EPIDEMIC LEVELS. MAJOR NEWSPAPERS ARE DOING ARTICLES ON THIS PROBLEM. MY CAR HAD TO BE TOWED WHILE I WAITED IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES AND I MISSED WORK. VW WILL ONLY REPLACE BAD COIL PACKS AS THEY FAIL AND MY DEALER ADMITS THAT IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. THEY REPLACED THE BAD COIL PACK BUT I STILL HAVE 3 THAT ARE GOING TO FAIL AT SOME POINT. CAN YOU IMAGINE LIVING WITH THIS IN YOUR MIND? PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10005006January 31, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION COIL PACK FAILURE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10005040January 31, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
HAD TWO COILS GO OUT ON MY 2002 GTI 1.8T AS I WAS LEAVING MY HOUSE. CAR LOST ALL POWER AND WAS UN DRIVEABLE. HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. ONLY THE TWO FAILED COILS WERE REPLACED LEAVING ME TO WORRY ABOUT WHEN AND WHERE THE OTHERS WILL FAIL CAUSING MY CAR TO BECOME ONCE AGAIN UN DRIVABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10004961January 30, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
I BOUGHT A NEW 2002 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI 1.8T ON JUNE 22, 2002. ON JANUARY 29, 2003 I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD PURCHASED IT FOR THE #2 IGNITION COIL FAILURE. AT THAT TIME, THE CAR ONLY HAD 10,600 MILES ON IT. NOW, AS I DRIVE DOWN ROUTE 93 FROM NH TO MASS EACH DAY FOR WORK, I BRACE MYSELF FOR THE TIME THAT THE NEXT COIL FAILS. EACH TIME THIS HAPPENS, THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE LOSS IN POWER, TO THE POINT THAT THE CAR CAN STALL. THE CAR BEGINS TO "BUCK" AND STAGGER, AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THIS BECOMES VERY DANGEROUS. AS VOLKSWAGEN IS WELL AWARE, THIS IS AN EPIDEMIC PROBLEM WITH THE 1.8T ENGINES IN ALL OF THEIR CARS. THEY REFUSE TO REPLACE ALL 4 COILS AT ONCE. THEREFORE, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME THAT THIS HAPPENS AGAIN TO MY CAR, AS WELL AS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF BUYERS THAT HAVE EITHER EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM ALREADY OR WILL BE. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THESE PARTS, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, AN INVESTIGATION ON THE IGNITION COILS AND THE LOSS OF SAFETY ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPARABLE LOSS OF POWER. HOPEFULLY, THIS CAN BE DONE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS INJURED OR KILLED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10005916January 29, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE LOSE POWER . IT'S THE IGNITION COIL. PH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10003541January 28, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I HAVE A 2002.5 VOLKSWAGEN GTI 1.8T WITH A 4-CYLINDER TURBOCHARGED ENGINE. ALL VW ENGINE IGNITION SYSTEMS ARE AFFECTED. THE COIL OR COILPACK FAILS DUE TO POOR MANUFACTURE OR DESIGN. IN SOME CASES MULTIPLE CYLINDERS WILL LOOSE POWER. I LOST CYLINDER #1 WHEN ACCELERATING AWAY FROM AN INTERSECTION. I LOST CYLINDER #2 WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MERGE WITH TRAFFIC ON SURFACE STREETS. IN BOTH CASES THE SIGNIFICANT LOSE OF HORSEPOWER COULD HAVE CAUSED ME TO REMAIN IN AN INTERSECTION LONGER THAN EXPECTED AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. VW IS CURRENTLY REPLACING FAILED COILS FREE OF CHARGE AND PROVIDING RENTAL CARS WHEN A REPLACEMENT CANNOT BE PERFORMED IMMEDIATELY. HOWEVER, VW WILL NOT REPLACE ALL COILS, JUST THOSE THAT FAIL. THIS LEAVES THE OTHERS TO FAIL AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE ACCIDENTS. I MUST DRIVE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I COULD LOSE POWER FROM ONE OR MORE CYLINDERS AT ANY TIME. THIS IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND HEAVY TRAFFIC OR WHEN CROSSING ANY INTERSECTION WHERE CROSS-TRAFFIC HAS THE RIGHT-OF-WAY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10004855January 28, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
WHILE TRAVELING THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN WITH OUT PRIOR WARNING. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10004748January 27, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
3 IGNITION COILS FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THIS RESULTED IN VEHICLE STALLING ON HIGHWAY. CONSUMER HAD TO WAIT 4 WEEKS FOR REPLACEMENT COILS IN BOTH INCIDENTS. DEALER ADVISER CONSUMER WILL NOT REPLACE REMAINING COILS UNTIL FAILURE. FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED MID-OCTOBER 2002. 2ND INCIDENT IN DECEMBER 2002. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10003460January 27, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
VW POLICY ON THERE DEFECTIVE COIL PACKS IS TO REPLACE THE BROKEN COIL WITH A NEW ONE AND SEND THE DRIVER BACK ON THE ROAD WITH 3 DEFECTIVE COILS JUST WAITING TO LEAVE THEM STRANDED. I AM PUSHING FOR A RECALL DO TO THE SAFETY CONCERNS OF THE NEAR ABSOLUTE FAILURE OF THE DEFECTIVE "H" COILS AND POSSIBLE COLLISIONS WITH OTHER VECHICLES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10003466January 27, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
COILPACKS ARE PRONE TO FAILURE, CAUSING THE CAR TO VIOLENTLY LOSE POWER. ALSO HAVING AN ISSUE WHERE THE CAR IS TRYING TO START ITSELF AGAIN WITH THE CLUTCH DEPRESSED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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