Volkswagen GTI Complaints

1,407 consumer complaints on file.

#10161784July 7, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
I EXPERIENCED A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILURE WHICH RESULTED IN MY CAR NOT MEETING SAFETY STANDARDS. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10161044June 29, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH HAS FAILED TWICE IN APPROXIMATELY 18 MONTHS, SO VEHICLE WAS OPERATING WITHOUT BRAKE LIGHTS. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10160934June 27, 2006
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
EVERY MAJOR COMPONENT OF OUR AIRBAG SYSTEM HAS FAILED WITHIN A PERIOD OF SIX MONTHS. - IN 12/05 OUR AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE DEALER SAID THE PASSENGER AIRBAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED SO WE DID (VW PAID FOR THE PART AND WE SPLIT THE LABOR WITH THE DEALER FOR A TOTAL COST TO US OF APPROXIMATELY $250) - IN 04/06 OUR AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE DEALER SAID THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED SO WE DID (VW SAID WE'D USED UP OUR "GOOD WILL" AND DIDN'T COVER A THING BUT THE DEALER CUT INTO THEIR MARGINS TO GIVE US A BREAK SO THE TOTAL COST TO US WAS IN THE MID $800'S) - AND IN 06/06 OUR AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND THE DEALER SAID THE AIRBAG CONTROLLER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (WE'RE NOT SURE AT THIS POINT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO). *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10160440June 22, 2006
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST
I'M THE OWNER OF A GOLF GTI 2 DOORS FROM 2001, WITH 49000 MILES, BOUGHT IN 2004 AT THE VW DEALER IN GREENVILLE. I'VE BEEN ABOUT 15 TIMES TO THE DEALER FOR DIFFERENT PROBLEMS THAT WERE ALL MINOR. AND 10 MONTHS AGO, I LEFT THE CAR AT THE GARAGE FOR 3 DAYS ASKING THEM TO MAKE A FULL REVISION OF THAT CAR BECAUSE I WAS UPSET BY ALL THESE PROBLEMS. YESTERDAY, I WAS DRIVING WHEN SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS SIGNS, THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME VERY HARD, I LOST BRAKING, THE ASR (TRACTION CONTROL) SIGNAL WENT ON, AND I COULDN'T STOP THE CAR. HOPEFULLY FOR ME, I WAS ONLY AT 40 MPH, I PUT THE GEAR SHIFT IN NEUTRAL (BECAUSE THE CAR WAS TRYING TO ACCELERATE), AND I PULLED THE HAND BRAKE. I WAS ABLE TO STOP ON A PARKING ON THE SIDE WITHOUT HITTING ANYBODY OR ANY CAR. I WAS VERY LUCKY NOT TO HAVE PANICKED. IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND I WROTE TO VW USA TO EXPLAIN MY MAJOR CONCERN. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10158933June 4, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
ON MARCH 3, 2006, I WENT TO THE METRO VOLKSWAGEN TO HAVE MY INSPECTION AND AN OIL CHANGE DONE. THE SERVICE REP TOLD ME I HAD A SMALL HOLE IN MY OIL PAN, SO I AGREED TO REPLACE THE PAN. THE NEXT MORNING WHEN I STARTED MY CAR IT SHUT OFF THREE TIMES. SINCE THEN, MY CAR HAS SHUT OFF EVERY TIME I START IT. IF I PULL OFF BEFORE THE CAR COMPLETELY HEATS UP, THE CAR SHUTS OFF IN MID DRIVE. THIS CAUSES ME TO PULL OVER AND RESTART THE CAR AND HOLD MY FOOT ON THE GAS IN ORDER TO KEEP THE CAR FROM SHUTTING DOWN. I HAVE NOTICED WATER IN MY CAR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLOOR (BACK), BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS CONDENSATION CAUSED FROM THE PLASTIC MAT I KEEP UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE RUG. I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL AND TOOK THE CAR IN ON MAY 25, 2006 FOR A FUEL LINE, AND HAZARD SWITCH REPLACEMENT. AS OF FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 2006, I'VE SMELLED GASOLINE WHEN I TURNED MY CAR ON, AND THE RUG IN THE BACK (DRIVERS SIDE) WAS SOAKED WITH WATER. IT HAD NOT RAINED UNTIL 3:45 PM, AND I HAD NOT DRIVEN THE CALL ALL DAY EXCEPT FOR THAT MORNING. SATURDAY JUNE 3, 2006, I OPENED MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR TO DISCOVER A HUGE PUDDLE ON THE REAR FLOOR OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE FRONT RUG AND MAT SOAKED WITH BROWN WATER. IT WAS RAINING SLIGHTLY BUT THERE WAS NO LEAK COMING FROM THE WINDOWS, OR THE MOON ROOF, AND THE TOP OF THE CAR (INSIDE) WAS COMPLETELY DRY. I ALSO SMELLED GASOLINE AGAIN WHICH PROMPTED MY DECISION TO CALL VOLKSWAGEN. I WAS TOLD BY A SERVICE REP TO BRING THE CAR BACK IN ON JUNE 5 2006. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10158946June 4, 2006
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1) THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL ACCESS PLATE AT THE BASE OF BOTH THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SEAT TOWARDS THE DOORS. 2) WHEN I GET IN AND OUT OF THE CAR, I KICK OFF THE PLASTIC ACCESS DOOR. 3) THIS IS MORE A NUISANCE, BUT NEEDS TO BE REDESIGNED. I WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE THE DEALER REPLACE THE DOOR AND HOPE IT FITS TIGHTER THAN THE ORIGINAL. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10158947June 4, 2006
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
REAR CUP HOLDER (LOCATED ON THE BACK OF THE DRIVERS CENTER CONSOLE) IS BULKY. THIS IS A NUISANCE AND A DISTRACTION PARTICULARLY IF THERE IS A REAR PASSENGER WHO IS HAVING TROUBLE WITH WHILE I AM DRIVING. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10158771June 1, 2006
WHEELS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, WHEN THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10158302May 25, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
I BOUGHT A NEW VOLKSWAGEN GTI IN '02. EVERY SIX DAYS WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WENT OVER 85 DEGREES, THE CAR DIED AND LEFT ME STRANDED. THIS ALSO HAPPENED IN MOVING TRAFFIC, AND I LOST THROTTLE, STEERING, TRANSMISSION, AND BRAKING ABILITY. VW REPLACED THE CAR TWO MONTHS LATER. THE SAME PROBLEMS OCCURRED. EVERY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN THE CAR THEN BEGAN TO FAIL. AFTER TWO MONTHS OF RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS, SINCE I AM A RETIRED FEDERAL ENGINEER, I NOTICED THAT THE FACTORY WAS PUTTING 90 AMP ALTERNATORS IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CARS, AND WHEN IT GOT HOT, AND THE COOLING FANS CAME ON, THE ALTERNATOR COULD NOT SUPPLY ENOUGH POWER TO THE BATTERY, WHICH DISCHARGED OVER A 5 OR 6 DAY INTERVAL, THEN STRANDED PEOPLE. I REPORTED THIS TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA. THEY THANKED ME FOR SOLVING A PROBLEM THEIR ENGINEERS HAD BEEN UNABLE TO FIX. I WAS HORRIFIED, WHEN I GOT A 2005 GTI, TO AGAIN FIND MYSELF STRANDED ON THE ROAD, HELPLESS, WHEN IT GOT HOT. SURE ENOUGH, THERE WAS A 90 AMP ALTERNATOR IN THAT CAR, NOT THE REQUIRED 120 AMP. THIS WAS 3 YEARS AFTER THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THEY HAD A PROBLEM. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT THIS WAS NOT A FACTORY ERROR, BUT A DELIBERATE DECISION BY VW TO SAVE MONEY BY USING THE CHEAPER ALTERNATOR. THEY HAVE STRANDED TOTALLY DISABLED PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF, AND FAMILIES, FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS, TO SAVE A FEW DOLLARS. I WAS TOLD BY VW THAT WHEN THE OWNER GETS STRANDED, THE CORRECT ALTERNATOR IS THEN PUT IN THE VEHICLE. BY THEN, THE ELECTRONICS HAVE BEEN FRIED, AS HAS HAPPENED WITH MY NEW CAR. I ASK THE GOVERNMENT TO STEP IN, AND ORDER VW TO RECALL ALL 2002-2005 VW GTIS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, AND TO REPLACE MY VEHICLE, WHICH HAS FAILED 4 TIMES SO FAR, WITH A VEHICLE WITH THE PROPER ALTERNATOR IN IT. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10157615May 15, 2006
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
IN MARCH 2006 I PURCHASED A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. THE SPEEDOMETER READS 10% FASTER THAN THE ACTUAL SPEED OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN THE CASE SINCE I TOOK DELIVERY. I HAVE VERIFIED THIS ERROR USING A GPS AND BY DRIVING A MEASURED MILE. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY DEFECT BECAUSE I MUST MENTALLY CORRECT THE SPEEDOMETER READING. THIS IS A DISTRACTION WHICH DIVERTS MY ATTENTION FROM THE TASK OF DRIVING. IT IS DIFFICULT TO KNOW THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE AT A GLANCE. BOTH THE DEALER AND VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA ACKNOWLEDGE THE ERROR, BUT CLAIM THAT THE ERROR IS WITHIN ACCEPTABLE TOLERANCE LIMITS. I DISAGREE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10155885April 22, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS, POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
I HAVE TAKEN MY '03 GTI VR6 TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES FOR THE SAME COMPLAINT. WHEN IT IS RAINING, THERE IS A SQUEALING NOISE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. DEALER COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM EACH TIME I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THEM. THEY SAID THAT IT COULD BE THE BELT BUT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I REPLACED THE BELT MYSELF AND I STILL GET THE SQUEALING NOISE, EVEN WITH BELT DRESSING. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED A DECREASE IN ENGINE POWER WHEN THE SQUEALING NOISE IS OCCURRING. MY MOST RECENT PROBLEM NOW IS MY SPEEDOMETER AND FUEL GAUGE STOP WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. THE SPEEDO WILL BE READING MY CURRENT SPEED AND THEN DROP TO ZERO, BOUNCE BACK UP AND BACK DOWN TO ZERO, UP A LITTLE BIT MORE AND THEN STAY AT ZERO UNTIL THE NEXT TIME I DRIVE THE CAR. SEEMS TO DO THIS ONLY ON TRIPS GREATER THAN 20 MINUTES. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10155392April 14, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
SINCE CAR WAS BOUGHT IN 2001 MIL LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON IN RAINING CONDITIONS. VW SAID IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND REPLACED IN AT NO CHARGE IN MARCH OF 2003. SINCE REPLACEMENT LIGHT STILL COMES ON, AND IS NOW PERMANENTLY ON. WHEN CAR IS WET YOU CAN SEE SPARKS COMING FROM THE IGNITION COIL. THERE ARE NOTICEABLE CRACKS IN THE COIL HOUSING. *******EPA REFERENCE INFORMATION(IHTTP://WWW.EPA.GOV/OTAQ/CERT/RECALL/420B04018.PDF) *******EPA STATES THE FOLLOWING: CYLINDER IGNITION COIL FAILURE. CAUSING THE ENGINE TO MISFIRE AND ILLUMINATE THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL). TWO SEPARATE FAILURE MODES MAY EXIST WITHIN THE DEFECTIVE IGNITION COILS TESTED, (1)COIL HOUSING DAMAGE CAUSED DURING THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS AT THE APPLICABLE VW OR AUDI FACTORY, (2)COIL DESIGN SHORTCOMINGS BY THE SUPPLIER. *****************NOTE: THE 2002 GOLF GTI VR6 (ENGINE CLASS 2VWXV02.8224) AND THE 2001 EURO VAN VR6 (ENGINE CLASS 1VWXV02.8225)USE THE SAME IGNITION COILS AS MY CAR, THE 2001 GOLF GTI VR6 (ENGINE CLASS 1VWXV02.8224). PLEASE HELP TO INCLUDE MY CALL THE 2001 GOLF GTI (VR6). MY CAR IS NOW AND HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH ALL KINDS OF ELECTRICAL ISSUES, EXCESS FUEL CONSUMPTION, EMISSIONS FAULTS, LOSS OF POWER ENGINE POWER WHILE DRIVING, EXCESS OIL COMSUMPTION ETC. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10155139April 12, 2006
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
THE CONSTANT TICKING SOUND OF THE FUEL LINES HITTING THE FIREWALL CAN BE HEARD WHILE THE CAR IS AT IDLE BEHIND THE GLOVE BOX. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO SECURE THE FUEL LINES AT THE FACTORY WHEN THE CARS ARE BEING BUILT. MANY VW DEALERS DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10154971April 10, 2006
AIR BAGS
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65MPH THE FRONTAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THERE WERE NO KNOWN ROAD HAZARDS AND GASOLINE HAD NOT BEEN PUT INTO THE VEHICLE FOR TWO DAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IS CURRENTLY AWAITING INSPECTION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10155190March 29, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, INTERIOR LIGHTING, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
CONSUMER 2000 GTI MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR FAILED TWICE AFTER REPAIRS. *TS ***NAR*** THE DRIVERS DOOR HANDLE WAS LOOSE. THE LEFT FRONT WINDOW REGULATOR WAS REPLACED. THE DOME LIGHT SWITCH WAS BROKEN. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10152201March 8, 2006
AIR BAGS
CAR WAS FINE AT NIGHT WHEN PARKED. AIRBAG FAULT LIGHT CAME ON IN THE MORNING, AND WILL NOT TURN OFF. ALREADY AS HAPPENED BEFORE AND HAD AIRBAG REPLACED. AS HAPPENED AGAIN LESS THAN TWO YEARS LATER. WILL KEEP PARTS REPLACED THIS TIME. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10152195March 8, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
LEFT WORK AFTER SUNSET. ON MY WAY HOME MY HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. I THEN NOTICED THAT MY TURN SIGNALS, WIPERS, AND DEFROSTER STOPPED WORKING AS WELL. LUCKILY I AM A MECHANIC SO I WAS ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM AS SOON AS I GOT HOME. THAT WAS AFTER DRIVING 5 MILES WITH NO LIGHTS AT ALL ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE CAR. THE PROBLEM WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH. WHEN I TOOK EVERYTHING APART I NOTICED THAT THE WIRE AND CONNECTOR WAS MELTED. I REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH, MELTED WIRE, AND CONNECTOR. I HAVE THE OLD PART AND THE RECEIPT. MY ONLY CONCERN IS THAT MY CAR COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10151492February 28, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, CAR LOST POWER. I FIGURED IT WAS AN ENGINE COIL, BECAUSE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE, LAST TIME IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, #6 COIL. SINCE I WAS 30 MILES AWAY FROM DEALER, I TOOK MY 2002 GTI TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS THE # 5 IGNITION COIL. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT IF THERE WAS A RECALL OR EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS PART SINCE THIS WAS THE SECOND ONE TO FAIL. DEALER SAID "NO RECALL AND THE CHARGE WOULD BE ABOUT $200.00 SINCE THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. VEHICLE HAS 50,850 MILES AT THIS TIME. SINCE IT WASN'T COVERED, I HAD IT FIXED LOCALLY. GTI HAS THE 24 VALVE VR 6 ENGINE.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10150179February 13, 2006
AIR BAGS
AIR BAG DEFAULT LIGHT AND BUZZER HAS COME ON MANY TIMES. JAN 2001, APRIL 2001, AUG 2005, JAN 2006 AND NOW AGAIN FEB 2006. VW OF AMERICA HAS REPAIRED AND PAID FOR FIRST THREE PROBLEMS. IN JAN THEY SAID THAT THEY COULD ONLY COVER 75% OF COST OF REPAIR. EACH TIME I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT MY CAR FOR AS LONG AS A WEEK. I NOW HAVE A CALL INTO THE DEALER FOR THIS FIFTH PROBLEM AND AM WAITING AND OBVIOUSLY AM FRUSTRATED. THE FAULT CODE HAS BEEN 00588 032-RESISTANCE BEING TOO HIGH IN THE AIR BAG IGNIGHTER...I AM THANKFUL I HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT SO I AM UNABLE TO KNOW WHETHER THE AIR BAG WOULD BE OF ANY HELP. BUT THIS DOES KEEP ME WONDERING...I EXPECT VW OF A TO PAY FOR ALL SUCH REPAIRS AND PROVIDE ME WITH A LONER CAR. THEY ARE NOT STANDING BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10149314February 2, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, EQUIPMENT
ENGINE MISFIRES ON DAMP MORNINGS CREATING SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION AND INTERMITTENT STALL CONDITION. MIL LIGHT MAY FLASH BUT DOESN'T REMAIN LIT AFTER EPISODE. DIAGNOSED AS SECOND COIL FAILURE IN JUST 2 YEARS TOTALING OVER $1,200 IN REPAIRS. THIS IS THE VR6 ENGINE WITH A SINGLE COIL UNIT - THE "GOOD" COIL NOT SUBJECT TO VOLKSWAGEN'S SECRET WARRANTY AS OFFERED ON COILS OF OTHER 2001 MODELS AND ON THE 2002 MODEL OF THE VR6. IT WOULD SEEM THE SECRET WARRANTY MAY HAVE BEEN ARBITRARILY LIMITED IN SCOPE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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