Volkswagen GTI Complaints (2011)

55 consumer complaints on file.

#10653680November 9, 2014
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
CAME OUTSIDE TO A FAILED WATER PUMP. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH VARIOUS VOLKSWAGENS. MANY SHOP TECHS ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS ISSUE. IT IS UNSAFE FOR THE DRIVER AND OTHER CARS. THERE IS A CHANCE THE PUMP COULD FAIL WHILE DRIVING OR A PERSON MAY NOT NOTICE THE COOLANT ON THE GROUND. THAT CAN LEAD TO THE CAR OVERHEATING AND CAUSING EXPENSIVE DAMAGE. YOU COULD ALSO BE LEFT STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. ANY INSTANCE WHEN A PERSON OR CAR ARE LEFT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IS A ROAD AND HEALTH RISK. ALSO WHEN THESE PUMPS FAIL THEY OFTEN LEAK COOLANT. THE COOLANT IS NOT SAFE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. WHEN THE PUMPS DO GET REPLACED THE ISSUE OFTEN COMES BACK REPEATEDLY. THIS IS PARTLY DUE TO THE POOR DESIGN OF THE SYSTEM. A REVISION OF THE WATERPUMP SHOULD BE MADE. ALSO AN EXTENSION ON THE WARRANTY OF SAID PART SHOULD BE MADE FOR OWNERS. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. FOR PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10652930November 5, 2014
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
ENGINE WILL STALL AND DIE WITHIN 5-20 SECONDS AFTER STARTING. HAPPENS ON A WARM ENGINE AFTER IT SITS FOR 45-60 MINUTES. HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES, EACH AFTER ENGINE HAS REACHED OPERATING TEMPERATURE. THIS IS POTENTIALLY A DEADLY PROBLEM IF THE CAR DIES ON A STREET, AS IT WON'T STEER OR HAVE PROPULSION! HAD IT SEEN AT VW DEALER: THEY SUSPECT IT IS THE "IN-TANK FUEL PUMP" BUT THIS PART IS NOT COVERED UNDER DRIVETRAIN WARRANTY? I CALLED VW CUSTOMER SERVICE BUT THEY SAID THEY CAN'T HELP ON THIS $834 REPAIR. I'M PERPLEXED HOW A FUEL PUMP GOES BAD ON A 2011 WITH ONLY 45K MILES, AND THAT A VITAL COMPONENT THAT WILL MAKE THE CAR STALL & DIE IS NOT COVERED UNDER DRIVETRAIN WARRANTY. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROBLEM IF IT DIES SUDDENLY AND CARS FOLLOWING CANNOT SWERVE AROUND. VERY DISAPPOINTED. THIS WILL BE MY LAST VW, EVER. IF YOU OWN A VW WITH 2.0 TSI YOU SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10621410August 11, 2014
ENGINE
WHEN THE ENGINE IS RESTARTED AFTER IT HAS BEEN STOPPED, BUT BEFORE IT HAS FULLY COOLED DOWN, THE ENGINE OFTEN STALLS DIRECTLY AFTER AN ENGINE START. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10617058July 29, 2014
ENGINE
MY 2011 VW GTI WITH ONLY 38000 MILES LOST FIRST IGNITION COIL. THERE ARE MULTIPLE RECALL FROM VW FOR THIS PART, BUT NOT FOR THIS MODEL YEAR. AS RESULT, VEHICLE LOOSING POWER DURING DRIVING. *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10584602April 24, 2014
STEERING
LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN TRYING TO CHANGE FROM ONE LANE TO ANOTHER.TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THEY FOUND THE SAME ISSUE. THEY REPLACED: 1K1-423-055-MX STEERING AND CORE RETURN, 1K0-498-970-A REPAIR SET, 1K1-971-111-AJ STEERING RACK WIRING HARNESS THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10567933March 8, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS DRIVING NO A DOWNHILL INCLINE PICKING UP SPEED BUT NO MORE THAN 40 MPH. I HAD MY DAUGHTER IN THE BACK OF MY CAR, AND REALIZED THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING THE WAY THEY SHOULD. I HAVE A STANDARD SHIFT CAR AND DOWNSHIFTED QUICKLY FROM 6TH GEAR TO 3RD GEAR AND HAD TO PUT MY WHOLE WEIGHT ON THE BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR AND KEPT MY HAND ON THE E-BRAKE AS MY LAST RESORT. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS HURT, BUT THE EXPERIENCE WAS NOT A GOOD ONE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED. THE TECH STATED IT WAS THE BRAKEBOOSTER AND A PIN WITHIN THE PUMP THAT CAME LOOSE. I ASKED HIM IF IT WAS A USER ERROR, HE SAID NO, BUT HAD REPLACED THE "BRAKE BOOSTER" WITH A BRAND NEW ONE. IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, BUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS I FEEL SHOULD NOT FAIL AT 34K MILES, ESPECIALLY WHEN I HAVE VALUABLE PASSENGERS SITTING IN THE CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10500509February 26, 2013
POWER TRAIN
FALSE NEUTRAL WITH DSG TRANSMISSION: I WAS IN MANUAL MODE WHEN I DOWNSHIFTED AS I CAME INTO A CORNER. ONCE AROUND THE CORNER I DEPRESSING THE THROTTLE, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV FREELY AS IF IN NEUTRAL FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN POWER BY ALLOWING THE RPM TO DROP TO IDLE, THEN DOWN SHIFTING INTO SECOND. THIS ISSUE HAS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE IN 19K MILES SLOW REACTION WITH DSG TRANSMISSION: WHILE MOVING AND COMING TO A ROLLING STOP AND THEN ACCELERATING TO PROCEED, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO A LOWER GEAR. THIS ISSUE HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10491983January 9, 2013
VISIBILITY/WIPER
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, CONDENSATION COVERED ALL OF THE WINDOWS PREVENTING HIM FROM SEEING THE ROADWAY. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED FIVE TIMES AND EACH TIME THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER CONTACTED THE TECHNICAL SUPPORT DEPARTMENT, WHO INSTRUCTED THEM TO TEST A SIMILAR VEHICLE. THE TEST WAS PERFORMED AND THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED ON THE SECOND VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10432598October 24, 2011
POWER TRAIN
WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER HAVING SLOWED DOWN FOR A TURN, THE CLUTCH FAILS TO ENGAGE AND I GET A FALSE NEUTRAL. THE RPM GOES ALL THE WAY TO 5000, 6000, BUT THE CAR DOESN'T SPEED UP BECAUSE IT'S IN NEUTRAL, EVEN WHEN THE GEAR SELECTOR IS IN D. THIS IS DIFFICULT TO REPLICATE BECAUSE IT HAPPENS SPONTANEOUSLY. VOLKSWAGEN REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT CANNOT BE IMMEDIATELY REPLICATED AT THE DEALERSHIP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10432307October 21, 2011
POWER TRAIN
FALSE NEUTRAL WITH DSG TRANSMISSION: I HAD SOMETHING SCARY HAPPEN THIS MORNING. NEXT TO MY HOUSE, WHERE I PULL OUT AND MAKE A LEFT ON TO A 4 LAND ROAD, TRAFFIC IS COMING AROUND A MOSTLY BLIND CURVE AT 50MPH. I HAVE TO PULL OUT ACROSS TRAFFIC AND GO LEFT ONTO THIS ROAD (WHICH HAS A MEDIAN). THIS MORNING I PRESSED THE GAS FOR A VERY LIGHT ACCELERATION, AND IT PULLED OUT JUST A LITTLE BIT AND WHEN IT WENT TO SECOND IT DIDN'T ENGAGE... IT WENT TO NEUTRAL. I WAS ONLY 1/2 WAY ACROSS THE FIRST LANE OF TRAFFIC. MY CAR BARELY ROLLED OUT OF THE WAY OF CROSS TRAFFIC. THE ENGINE WOULD REV, BUT NO GEARS WERE ENGAGED. THE STICK WAS IN D. ONCE THE CAR ROLLED DOWN TO ABOUT 2MPH AND I LET THE RPMS DROP DOWN TO IDLE, 1ST GEAR ENGAGED AND I WENT ABOUT MY BUSINESS. IT HAD LITERALLY *JUST* ENOUGH ROLL TO GET ME OUT OF THE WAY OF A CAR THAT WAS HEADING AT MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AT 50MPH, AND THE DRIVER WAS NOT EXPECTING A CAR TO PULL OUT AND STOP IN FRONT OF IT (THEY WEREN'T SLOWING DOWN). IF IT DIDN'T HAVE THAT SMALL AMOUNT OF ENERGY FROM 1ST GEAR TO ROLL OUT OF THE WAY, I CAN'T IMAGINE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN GOOD. IT WAS QUITE FRIGHTENING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10432338October 21, 2011
POWER TRAIN
I WAS MERGING ONTO THE 5 SOUTH FREEWAY FROM THE 110 SOUTH FREEWAY, SHIFTING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MANUALLY. AFTER SHIFTING INTO THIRD GEAR AND DEPRESSING THE THROTTLE, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV FREELY AS IF IN NEUTRAL FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. SINCE THE CAR WAS COASTING AND UNRESPONSIVE, I BEGAN TO LOSE SPEED WHILE MERGING. I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN POWER BY SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL, THEN SHIFTING BACK INTO DRIVE AND DOWNSHIFTING MANUALLY. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT VERY EASILY IF THERE WAS MORE TRAFFIC. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10432267October 20, 2011
POWER TRAIN
WHILE MOVING AND COMING TO A STOP AND THEN ACCELERATING TO PROCEED, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD REV BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE SITUATION AT THE TIME IS TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND TRY TO ACCELERATE AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10427181September 26, 2011
POWER TRAIN
I OWN A 2011 VW GTI 2-DOOR DSG. I HAVE EXPERIENCED A "FALSE NEUTRAL" ABOUT 10 TIMES IN THE 2 MONTHS I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR. SPECIFICALLY, IT HAPPENED TWICE ON 08/27/2011, ONCE ON 9/25/2011, ONCE ON 9/26/2011. EACH TIME I HAVE BEEN IN MANUAL MODE...IT OCCURS WHEN I AM COASTING TO EITHER SLOW DOWN OR STOP...THEN ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE...THOUGH THE CAR MFD TELLS ME IT IS IN GEAR (I.E. 3), THE CAR IS IN NEUTRAL...THE ACCELERATOR DOES NOTHING BUT REV THE ENGINE...THE CAR REMAINS COASTING. I HAVE TO TAKE THE SHIFTER OUT OF MANUAL MODE, AND PLACE IT INTO D...AND WAIT ABOUT A SECOND OR TWO WITHOUT TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR IN ORDER FOR A CLUTCH TO ENGAGE A GEAR AND ALLOW ME TO MOVE. ON 8/27, BOTH TIMES IT HAPPENED WHEN TRYING TO COMPLETE A LEFT HAND TURN ON A GREEN...A DANGEROUS SITUATION TO FIND YOUR CAR BEING IN NEUTRAL. I HAVE BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY REFUSE TO HELP ME BECAUSE THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE ISSUE ON AN APPROXIMATE 5 MILE TEST DRIVE. I TALKED TO VW OF AMERICA, AND THEY WON'T HELP UNLESS A DEALER CAN REPLICATE IT...THEY SAID IT COSTS TOO MUCH MONEY. THIS IS A TERRIBLE SAFETY ISSUE...AND THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE MONEY. I OFFERED TO SHOW THEM A VIDEO OF IT HAPPENING TO SOMEONE ELSE...IT IS POSTED ON YOUTUBE...AND THEY FLAT OUT REFUSED. THEY SAID IT WOULDN'T HELP IN MY CASE...AND THAT IT WOULD PROVE NOTHING. HERE IS A LINK TO THE YOUTUBE VIDEO: HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=8TQODOILKYK - EVEN IF I COULD TAKE A VIDEO OF IT HAPPENING TO ME IN MY CAR, THEY SAID THAT WOULDN'T HELP...AS IT WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN IN FRONT OF A VW TECH FOR IT TO BE DIAGNOSED. I HAVE A SECOND APPOINTMENT WITH A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP NEXT WEEK, THEY WILL KEEP MY CAR FOR A FEW DAYS AND TRY TO REPLICATE IT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. UPDATED ON 9/26/2011. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10425417September 14, 2011
POWER TRAIN, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FROM SECOND DAY OF OWNERSHIP VEHICLE HAS HAD TRANSMISSION (DSG AUTOMATIC) PROBLEMS. AT WELL OVER 40 OCCURRENCES (IN 30,000 MILES) THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP INTO NEUTRAL WHEN SLOWING TO A RATE OF 10MPH OR LESS AND THEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE, CAUSING AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE CONDITION. ONE INSTANCE A COLLISION WAS AVOIDED BY ANOTHER MOTORIST SWERVING ONTO THE SIDEWALK TO MISS MY VEHICLE AND ALMOST STRUCK A PEDESTRIAN WHEN MY TRANSMISSION WENT INTO NEUTRAL AND I COASTED INTO THE INTERSECTION. ANOTHER SYMPTOM OF THE TRANSMISSION IS THAT THE CAR WILL GO INTO NEUTRAL AT HIGHWAY SPEED. AT 65-70MPH IT WILL WITHOUT WARNING OR NOTICE GO INTO NEUTRAL AND SOMETIMES WILL NOT GO BACK INTO GEAR UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAS COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I HAVE HAD THE CAR INTO THE DEALER MANY TIMES AND IT IS THE SAME STORY AGAIN AND AGAIN, UNLESS I CAN REPLICATE THE PROBLEM WITH A MECHANIC IN THE CAR THEY CANT FIX ANYTHING. I BROUGHT THE ISSUE TO THE DEALERS ATTENTION AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT THE SECOND DAY OF OWNERSHIP AND THEY LOOKED AT IT AND SAID IT IS FINE, AND THAT I'M JUST NOT USE TO THE CAR YET. AFTER TWO ACCIDENTS AVOIDED I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR AND DO NOT WANT IT. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT! *KB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10413815July 20, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE VEHICLE IS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN GTI EQUIPPED WITH A DSG TRANSMISSION. THE GTI IS NOT OFFERED AS CHOICE WHEN SELECTING VEHICLE MODEL USING THIS ON-LINE COMPLIANT FORM. OCCASIONALLY THE VEHICLE FAILS TO ACCELERATE OR ACCELERATES VERY SLOWLY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MOVE FORWARD FROM A COMPLETE STOP. WHEN THIS OCCURS THE ENGINE REVOLUTIONS WILL INCREASE BUT WITH LITTLE OR NO FORWARD MOTION, AS IF THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN NEUTRAL. AFTER SEVERAL SECONDS AT HIGH RPM (~3000 -4000) THE ENGINE REVS DROP, SOMETIMES ABRUPTLY AND THE CAR BEGINS TO ACCELERATE NORMALLY. THIS BEHAVIOR IS INFREQUENT OCCURRING, 6 TIMES OVER ~ 3000 MILES. THIS BEHAVIOR IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE THERE IS A RISK OF AN ACCIDENT IF IT WERE TO OCCUR WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN EVALUATED BY THE DEALER BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM OR FIND ANY DEFECT. *KB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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