Volkswagen GTI Complaints (2012)

40 consumer complaints on file.

#10949643February 5, 2017
ENGINE
THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER IS FAULTY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10927115November 21, 2016
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
SUNROOF EXPLODED LIKE A GUN SHOT WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY 60 MPH. HAD JUST ENTERED EXPRESS LANE AND FOUND IT VERY DISORIENTING AND DISTRACTING SINCE I THOUGHT I HAD BEEN SHOT AT. HAD TO CHECK ALL THE WINDOWS AND MY PERSON FOR GLASS OR INJURY BEFORE I LOOKED UP AND SAW THE LARGE HOLE IN THE SUNROOF. SUNROOF GLASS APPEARS TO BE PROTRUDING OUTWARD - LIKE IT WAS PUSHED OUT FROM THE INTERIOR. NOT ALL THE GLASS CHIPS RECOVERED INSIDE THE CAR APPEAR TO EQUAL THE AREA OF THE HOLE IN THE SUNROOF.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10883458July 7, 2016
SERVICE BRAKES
WHILE DRIVING, I PRESSED THE BRAKES ONE TIME AND THEY WORKED, THE NEXT TIME THEY DIDN'T. NO SLOW DEGRADATION, THEY JUST WENT FROM WORKING FINE TO NOT WORKING AT ALL. THE VACUUM BOOSTER FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY SUCH THAT THERE WAS NO ASSIST AND WHEN MORE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED BRAKE FLUID SQUIRTED ONTO THE ENGINE RESULTING IN BASICALLY NO STOPPING OF ANY KIND. NO WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN CONTACTING VW ABOUT THIS, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WASN'T EVEN EQUIPPED WITH A SENSOR CAPABLE OF DETECTING THAT THE BRAKES HAD COMPLETELY FAILED. THIS DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEIR MANUAL EXPLICITLY CALLS OUT THE DANGERS OF OPERATING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT THE VACUUM BOOSTER. WITH SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT AS THE BRAKES, SHOULDN'T THERE BE AT LEAST A WARNING LIGHT? LUCKILY THIS HAPPENED IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AT LOW SPEED, BUT THAT WAS JUST BLIND LUCK.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10872104June 2, 2016
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WAS DRIVING UNDER NORMAL, DRY CONDITIONS WHEN I BEGAN TO GET MDI NOTIFICATIONS ABOUT FAILED LIGHTING. A TOTAL OF 11 NOTIFICATIONS CAME ACROSS. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH I DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM. THE 30A FUSE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FUSE BOX HAD MELTED. THIS IS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR....THE PLASTIC MELTED WITHOUT BURNING OUT THE FUSE. THIS ISSUE AFFECTS A WIDE RANGE OF YEARS AND MODELS AND A RECALL WAS ISSUED JUST ON THE TIQUAN???. IT IS MIND BOGGLING THAT THIS IS NOT A RECALL ITEM ON ALL MODELS AS THE LACK OF LIGHTING IS MOST DEFINITELY A SAFETY CONCERN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10861973April 28, 2016
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICEL DAILED TO START. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10776477September 24, 2015
AIR BAGS
TODAY, WHILE BUYING A NEW CAR I WAS INFORMED OF AN OPEN PENDING RECALL ON THE STEERING WHEEL CLOCK SPRING. I HAVE HAD NO NOTIFICATION ON THIS AND, AS A RESULT I LOST ABOUT $2000 ON MY TRADE-IN. AREN'T COMPANIES REQUIRED TO RESOLVE ISSUES QUICKLY? I UNDERSTAND THAT THE PART AFFECTS RELEASE OF THE AIR BAG AND THEREFORE COULD BE SERIOUS. I BELIEVE VW SHOULD COMPENSATE ME FOR AT LEAST PART OF THE LOST VALUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10736006July 23, 2015
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
IN THE FIRST INCIDENT DATED 1/27/2014, THE BLADE HOLDER BROKE OFF THE IGNITION KEY. MY VW DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION KEY UNDER WARRANTY. IN THE SECOND INCIDENT DATED 7/23/2015 (62800 MILES), THE KEY BLADE HOLDER BROKE OFF AGAIN, ALL OF A SUDDEN, WHILE I WAS DRIVING. OBVIOUSLY, THE KEY BLADE REMAINED INSIDE THE IGNITION SWITCH, WHILE THE REMOTE PART OF THE KEY FELL OFF. I WAS NOT FAR FROM HOME SO I COULD DRIVE BACK AND EXTRACT THE KEY BLADE EASILY WITH NOSE PLIERS. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED I HAVE TO TALK TO VW AMERICA FOR A KEY REPLACEMENT. I WAS HINTED THAT OTHER OWNERS HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I BELIEVE THE STEEL USED FOR THE BLADE HOLDER (IT'S LIKE A CASING) IS BRITTLE AND FATIGUES ABNORMALLY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10736011July 23, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ENGINE STARTED SHAKING / RUNNING ROUGH. SIGNIFICANT POWER LOSS DURING ACCELERATION / TAKEOFF. I WAS NOT FAR FROM THE DEALER WHEN IT HAPPENED - I DROVE IT IN RIGHT AWAY AND THE DIAGNOSIS WAS BAD IGNITION COIL. SINCE THEN, OVER THE NEXT 6 MONTHS, I REPLACED (ON MY OWN) THE REMAINING 3 IGNITION COILS AS THE ORIGINALS WOULD FAIL. IT COSTS ~$18 TO BUY A NEW IGNITION COIL (VERSUS $50 FROM THE DEALER). HOWEVER, I WAS DRIVING WITH SPARE COILS IN THE TRUNK.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10716470May 14, 2015
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNAVAILABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10691598March 2, 2015
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THIS MORNING ON THE WAY TO WORK, I EXPERIENCED SHAKING AND HESITATION UPON ACCELERATING. I TURNED AROUND AND WENT BACK HOME AND IMMEDIATELY GOT THE CAR INTO THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD THAT THE NUMBER 2 IGNITION COIL WAS FAILING, WHICH WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I LOOKED UP THE PROBLEM AND FOUND THIS LINK: HTTP://WWW.VWPROBLEMS.COM/TRENDS/IGNITION-COIL/ WHICH SPECIFICALLY INSTRUCTS TO CONTACT YOU TO FILE THE COMPLAINT. I BOUGHT THE CAR ON 9/30/2011 BRAND NEW. I AM NOT SURE THE LIFE OF THE IGNITION SWITCHES, BUT THE CAR IS TECHNICALLY OUT OF WARRANTY, AND REPAIRS ARE BEING FILED UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10689703February 20, 2015
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
WITHIN SECONDS OF STARTING, THE ENGINE STALLS (MAKING A SPUTTERING SOUND) AND DIES. THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN ON WARM STARTS, NOT HOT, NOT COLD. I'M TYPICALLY ABLE TO MOVE THE CAR (ONLY A FEW FEET) BEFORE THE STALL OUT OCCURS. THE TEMPERATURE GAGE SEEMS TO BE AROUND THE 11 O' CLOCK MARK WHEN THIS OCCURS. SPECIFICALLY, IT'S HAPPENED AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR 20-40 MINUTES, THEN LETTING THE CAR SIT FOR 1-2 HOURS. THE CAR STARTS UP AGAIN AND RUNS ANYWHERE FROM 30 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR AFTER THE INCIDENT - CLOSER TO THE 30 MINUTE MARK, PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR SEEMS TO HELP THE CAR FROM STALLING. IT IS DIFFICULT TO DUPLICATE THIS BEHAVIOR, THERE ARE NO WARNING LIGHTS INDICATING WHAT THE ISSUE MAY BE, AND IT SEEMS THAT THERE IS EITHER NO FAULT CODE GENERATED BY THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OR IT IS BEING ERASED PERIODICALLY. THIS HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT TO HAVE THE ISSUE DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED BY DEALER SERVICE CENTERS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, CONSIDERING IT MAY CAUSE THE CAR TO STOP IN TRAFFIC LEADING TO AN INCREASED RISK OF CRASH. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED REPORT, THERE ARE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE AND ON SEVERAL VW FORUMS POSTED ONLINE (THESE ACCOUNTS INCLUDE SEVERAL VIDEOS THAT CONFIRM THIS IS A CONSISTENTLY EXPERIENCED PROBLEM). POTENTIAL ISSUES COMMONLY IDENTIFIED INCLUDE THE FUEL PUMP, FUEL FILTER, OR THE FUEL PUMP CONTROL MODULE. ANOTHER VW VEHICLE - VW TIGUAN, MODEL YEAR 2007-2014, HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR A SIMILAR ISSUE ATTRIBUTED TO THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10670411January 6, 2015
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE USING CRUISE CONTROL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE CRUISE CONTROL'S ACCELERATE AND DECELERATE BUTTONS OCCASIONALLY PERFORM THE OPPOSITE FUNCTION: PRESSING DECELERATE WILL ACCELERATE THE CAR, PRESSING ACCELERATE WILL DECELERATE THE CAR. THIS ONLY HAPPENS FOR THE FIRST 1-2 BUTTON PRESSES, THEN THE BUTTONS RETURN TO THEIR NORMAL FUNCTION. THIS HAS OCCURRED 6-7 TIMES IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10588645May 15, 2014
VISIBILITY/WIPER
TL* THE CONTACT OWN A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN IT RAINED HARD, THE WINDSHIELD RETAINED WATER AFTER THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE A FAILURE. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 13,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10549608October 26, 2013
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
DRIVING DOWN NEW MISSISSIPPI RIVER BRIDGE IN BATON ROUGE, HEADING WEST, HEAR A LOUD BANG, AND A FEW PIECES OF GLASS CAME OUT OF THE SUN SHIELD OF THE SUN ROOF, WHEN IT WAS SAFE TO STOP, GOT OUT OF CAR TO FIND A MY SUN ROOF HAD A HOLE IN IT, AND THE GLASS WAS SHATTERED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10542975September 10, 2013
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
IN SLOWING TO PASS THROUGH HEAVY TRAFFIC I DISENGAGED CRUISE CONTROL (WHICH HAD BEEN SET TO 70MPH) BY HITTING THE BRAKES. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 15MPH - THE CRUISE CONTROL RE-ENGAGED SPONTANEOUSLY CAUSING THE CAR TO ACCELERATE FORWARD. I SLAMMED THE BRAKES AGAIN - WHICH CAUSED THE CRUISE TO DISENGAGE AGAIN - AT WHICH POINT I SWITCHED CRUISE CONTROL OFF. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10502198March 9, 2013
TIRES
UPON SLOWING TO MY EXIT FROM THE HIGHWAY SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. I THOUGHT I WAS GETTING A FLAT AND PULLED IMMEDIATELY INTO THE NEAREST GAS STATION. WHEN I CAME AROUND TO THE RIGHT FRONT THERE WAS NO TIRE! I CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. I CALLED VOLKSWAGEN AND MADE A VISIT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE EVERYTHING INSPECTED. THE TECH'S SAID THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. I WENT TO ORDER A NEW TIRE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE REMAINING THREE WERE BUBBLING AND ALSO BAD. THE AUTHORIZED PIRELLI DEALER THAT I VISITED SAID THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING UNLESS I BOUGHT THE TIRE FROM THEM. TO MY SURPRISE AND UTTER DISBELIEF, THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP SAID THE TIRES ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY FOR THIS. ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATED VEHICLES IN THE CATEGORY OF SAFETY HAS TIRES THAT ARE UNRELIABLE, AND DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS! I JUST ORDERED FOUR NEW TIRES THAT ARE NOT PIRELLI AS I DO NOT TRUST THIS PRODUCT WHICH FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND SHOWS SIGNS OF INFERIOR QUALITY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10490920January 3, 2013
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, POWER TRAIN
WHILE PULLING AWAY FROM A FULL STOP (LIGHT) THE ENGINE RPM SURGED TO APPROXIMATELY 4000 AND THE TRANSMISSION INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHED (A "WRENCH" ICON). THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV BUT THERE WAS NO MOVEMENT OF THE CAR AS IF THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED IT. THE CAR THEN SHIFTED PROPERLY AND THE "WRENCH" ICON HAD DISAPPEARED. THIS OCCURRED WHILE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10475406September 14, 2012
SERVICE BRAKES, POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
VEHICLE IS A MANUAL 6 SPEED. TWO INCIDENTS - FIRST, THE CAR WOULDN'T ENGAGE INTO REVERSE FROM A STOP UNTIL THE VEHICLE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND ON SEVERAL TIMES. CAR OPERATED NORMALLY FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS. SECOND INCIDENT, CAR WOULDN'T ENGAGE INTO ANY GEAR WHILE MOVING 10-15 MPH UPHILL WHILE IN FIRST GEAR. DURING LOSS OF POWER TRAIN, THE ENGINE REVVED IN THE 4000-5000 RPM RANGE, SMOKE WAS VISIBLY COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE BAY AND THERE WAS COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKES, INCLUDING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARD DOWNHILL AND WAS STOPPED BY TURNING THE VEHICLE INTO THE SIDEWALK. TOWED THE VEHICLE TO BOARDWALK VW IN REDWOOD CITY, CA AND THE SERVICE PERSONNEL AND TOW TRUCK DRIVER WITNESSED THAT THE VEHICLE'S REVERSE POWER TRAIN WAS NOT ENGAGING PROPERLY. AFTER 2 DAYS OF DIAGNOSTICS, THE TECHNICIANS WERE NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE THE ISSUE AND CONCLUDED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING WITHIN MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONS. NO REPAIR WAS FORMALLY PERFORMED. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10461621June 13, 2012
POWER TRAIN
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND WAS COMING TO A STOP SIGN. I HAD THE CLUTCH ALL OF THE WAY IN AND SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL WHILE SLOWING DOWN I PUT IT INTO 1ST GEAR WITH THE CLUTCH ALL THE WAY IN AND THE CLUTCH ENGAGED, CAUSING THE CAR TO JERK VIOLENTLY. IT WENT FROM 2200 RPM TO OVER 6000 IMMEDIATELY. AFTER GETTING STOPPED AND IN NEUTRAL I RELEASED THE CLUTCH PEDAL FOR IT TO STAY SLAMMED TO THE FLOOR. IT WOULD NOT GO INTO FIRST EASILY WITH THE CLUTCH ALL THE WAY IN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10442762January 7, 2012
POWER TRAIN
DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, I HAD TO SLOW DOWN A LITTLE IN ORDER TO ALLOW THE CAR NEXT TO ME TO PASS SO I COULD CHANGE LANES WITHOUT HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE CAR SEEMED TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND DID NOT RESPOND WHEN I HIT THE ACCELERATOR. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ACTUALLY SUNK DOWN TO THE FLOOR WITH NO RESPONSE. AFTER A FEW SECONDS, THE TRANSMISSION DID SHIFT INTO GEAR AND TOOK OFF TOO FAST. IN THE MEANTIME, I WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED. THIS HAPPENS ALMOST EVERY DAY THAT I DRIVE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. I CAN'T CONTROL IT SO I HAVE TO MAKE SURE THERE IS NOT A CAR WITHIN 1/4 MILE BEHIND ME WHEN I CHANGE LANES BECAUSE THE CAR FREQUENTLY ALMOST STALLS. THIS ALSO HAPPENS SOMETIMES WHEN I MAKE A TURN - AGAIN, I HAVE TO MAKE SURE THERE ISN'T A CAR WITHIN ABOUT 1/4 MILE BECAUSE I MAY END UP PRACTICALLY STOPPED RIGHT IN FRONT OF AN ONCOMING CAR. IT GENERALLY HAPPENS WHEN I DECELERATE AND THEN ACCELERATE AND THE TRANSMISSION IS IN DRIVE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR ITS 3-MONTH CHECKUP AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THIS. THEY HAD A DSG SOFTWARE UPGRADE WHICH THEY INSTALLED. NEITHER VW NOR THE DEALER HAD NOTIFIED ME OF THIS UPGRADE EVEN THOUGH IT APPLIED TO MY CAR. UNFORTUNATELY, THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS ON AN ALMOST DAILY BASIS. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME TO LET THEM KNOW IF I STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM WHEN I COME BACK FOR THE 10,000-MILE SERVICE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH SHOULD BE ADDRESSED NOW, NOT IN 7000 MILES. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED IN GTI'S WITH DSG TRANSMISSIONS SINCE 2009, BUT VW STILL HAS NOT CORRECTED IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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