Volkswagen GTI Complaints

1,407 consumer complaints on file.

#10956215February 22, 2017
ENGINE
FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, I NOTICED OCCASIONAL MISFIRES UPON STARTUP AND ACCELERATION. THEN, THE VEHICLE BEGAN RUNNING LOUDLY AND CONSUMING A LOT OF OIL. THE VEHICLE ALSO SHUDDERED WHILE DRIVING. ONE MORNING, THE CAR SHUDDERED AND BUCKED WHILE I ATTEMPTED TO START IT, AND ULTIMATELY FAILED TO START AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THIS IS NOT A BATTERY ISSUE; THE BATTERY IS ONLY A FEW MONTHS OLD AND WAS TESTED IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS (HOLDS CHARGE AT 100%). I HAVE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO TWO MECHANICS AND THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILURE LEADING TO CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. ACCORDING TO THE FIRST MECHANIC, THE ENTIRE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR APPROXIMATELY $4500. ACCORDING TO THE SECOND MECHANIC, THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER NEEDS REPLACING AND THE TOP HALF OF THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED, LEADING TO A QUOTE OF $2800 FOR REPAIR. THE MECHANIC STATED TO ME THAT HE HAS ALREADY PERFORMED APPROXIMATELY 8 OF THESE REPAIRS ON VOLKSWAGENS IN THE LAST YEAR AND DIRECTED ME TO INVESTIGATE A PENDING NEW JERSEY LAWSUIT AGAINST VOLKSWAGEN FOR THE SAME ISSUE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON COMPLAINT. IF MY ENGINE HAD FAILED WHILE AT SPEED ON A ROADWAY IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10956324February 22, 2017
SERVICE BRAKES
16V913. THE MANUFACTURE HAS FAILED TO COVER THE COST OF REPLACING THE ABS MODULE. THE REASON GIVEN WAS THAT ALTHOUGH MY VIN IS COVERED, THE ABS MODULE PART NUMBER IS NOT ON THE LIST OF PARTS THAT ARE COVERED. MY CAR HAS EXPERIENCED ALL THE SYMPTOMS OF RECALL NUMBER 16V913 AND THE SOFTWARE UPDATE DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10955598February 20, 2017
SERVICE BRAKES
AN 25,2017 MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER45F2 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER16V913 RECALL STATUSRECALL INCOMPLETE SUMMARY ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, A FAULT WITHIN THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) MAY CAUSE THE MODULE TO FAIL DURING ABS AND/OR ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL(ESC) ACTIVATION. THIS WILL CAUSE WARNING LIGHTS FOR ABS, BRAKE AND THE ESC SYSTEMS TO ILLUMINATE. SAFETY RISK IF THIS HAPPENS, THE BRAKE SYSTEM RELATED VEHICLE STABILIZING FUNCTIONS (ABS/ESC) MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND COULD LEAD TO A CRASH CAUSING INJURY AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. REMEDY TO HELP CORRECT THIS DEFECT, YOUR AUTHORIZED VOLKSWAGEN DEALER WILL UPDATE THE ABS CONTROL MODULE SOFTWARE WITH IMPROVED DIAGNOSTIC CAPABILITY TO DETECT INSUFFICIENT PCU GROUND CONNECTION. ABS MODULES WITH INSUFFICIENT GROUND CONNECTIONS WILL BE REPLACED. THE SOFTWARE UPDATE WILL TAKE LESS THAN AN HOUR TO COMPLETE; IF THE ABS MODULE REQUIRES REPLACEMENT, THIS WORK CAN TAKE UP TO A FULL DAY TO COMPLETE. THE RECALL REPAIR WILL BE PERFORMED FOR YOU FREE OF CHARGE. TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD MODULE DID NOT FAIL IN A WAY THAT VW WOULD COVER THE REPLACEMENT COSTS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10953955February 10, 2017
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), POWER TRAIN
ABS AND STABILITY CONTROL LIGHTS ON PERMANENTLY. BRAKE LIGHT BLINKS ALWAYS. STEERING WHEEL, EPC AND CHECK ENGINE LIKE ALL COME OUT INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN STEERING WHEEL LIGHT IS ON STEERING IS STIFF AT LOW SPEEDS. SPEEDOMETER ONLY WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. ENGINE FAULT WORKSHOP AND PLEASE REFUEL COME UP RANDOMLY ON THE INFO SCREEN EVEN WHEN GAS IS FULL. WHEN SPEEDOMETER IS NOT WORKING, AUTOMATIC DSG TRANSMISSION WILL RANDOMLY DOWNSHIFT GEARS MAKING CAR QUICKLY AND DANGEROUSLY DECELERATE. HAS ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENTS WHILE DRIVING ON WET OR SNOWY ROADS. CAR HAS ALSO LOCKED DOORS WHILE IN PARK WHEN SPEEDOMETER NOT WORKING, LOCKING ME OUT OF THE CAR. GIRLFRIEND ALSO WITNESSED IT HAPPEN WHILE WAITING IN IDLING CAR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10950296February 8, 2017
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
WHEN I BRAKE SOMETIMES THE BRAKES LOCK UP, ABS LIGHT COMES ON, TRACTION CONTROL AND BRAKE LIGHT COME ON. THE LIGHTS STAY ON UNTIL I SHUT OFF CAR AND RESTART. HAS HAPPENED AT SLOW AND FAST SPEEDS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10949818February 6, 2017
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
TIMING CHAIN FAILURE 60000 MILES; 6 MONTHS LATER ENGINE COILS FAILED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10949643February 5, 2017
ENGINE
THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER IS FAULTY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10946674January 20, 2017
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN THE WARNING LIGHTS FOR ABS, BRAKE AND THE ESC SYSTEMS ILLUMINATED MAKING A BEEP NOISE, THE GAS INDICATOR SAID THE CAR HAD LESS GAS THAN REALLY HAD. WHILE IN THE ROAD THE CAR LOST POWER. I THINK IT IS RELATED WITH THE ABS AND STABILITY CONTROL RECALL: NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V913000. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY SAY THEY DO NOT HAVE THE RECALL NUMBER YET.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10946204January 18, 2017
POWER TRAIN
DSG TRANSMISSION MECHATRONICS UNIT FAILED AT 70,000 MILES JULY 2016. TRANSMISSION GOES INTO LIMP MODE...WON'T GO INTO REVERSE AND JUMPS DOWN TO AND REMAINS IN FIRST GEAR WHEN IN D. ALL SERVICE DONE ON SCHEDULE. MFR REFUSES TO COVER REPLACEMENT OF UNIT DUE TO LIMITED WARRANTY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10944646January 12, 2017
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING
VEHICLE HAS FAILED ABS MODULE, AS DIAGNOSED BY MECHANIC. ABS LIGHT IS ON AND BRAKE LIGHT FLASHES, AS TO BE EXPECTED. WHILE IN MOTION, ON EITHER CITY STREET OR FREEWAY, VEHICLE RANDOMLY DOWNSHIFTS TO FIRST GEAR AND IS UNABLE TO SWITCH BACK. ONLY WAY TO GET CAR WORKING AGAIN IS TO TURN CAR OFF AND ON, A DANGEROUS PROPOSITION WHEN YOU'RE ON THE FREEWAY. IN ADDITION, POWER STEERING GOES OUT AND ENGINE FAULT WORKSHOP! COMES ON AFTER A FEW MINUTES IN MOTION. SPEEDOMETER ALSO RANDOMLY STOPS WORKING WHILE TACHOMETER GOES OUT OF CONTROL. WHAT BEGINS AS A SIMPLE BRAKE PROBLEM IS NOW AN UNDRIVEABLE CAR. HAVE HAD TO PUSH CAR TO SIDE OF THE ROAD SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS. COMPLETELY UNSAFE CONDITIONS TO DRIVE IN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10936539December 20, 2016
VISIBILITY/WIPER
REAR WINDOW SHATTERED WHILE STATIONARY UNDER A CAR PORT IN BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURE. BOUGHT THE CAR BAND NEW SATURDAY. OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES WERE BELOW 0. SUNDAY (THE DAY AFTER BUYING THE CAR) THE REAR WINDOW WAS SHATTERED. CAR HAD A LITTLE OVER 200 MILES ON IT WHEN I PICKED IT UP FROM DEALER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10936247December 19, 2016
POWER TRAIN, SERVICE BRAKES
2009 89,000 MILES. ABS CONTROL MODULE FAILURE FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS MY CAR WOULD INTERMITTENTLY THROW UP THE ABS AND TRACTION LIGHTS BUT THIS WOULD GO AWAY SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. I GET IN MY CAR ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND START DRIVING FOR MAYBE 1/16TH OF A MILE AND EVERYTHING JUST FREAKS OUT. SPEEDOMETER IS DROPPING TO ZERO (WHILE IN MOTION DOING ABOUT 15 MPH) AND FLUCTUATES ALL OVER BETWEEN 0 AND 20 MPH. BRAKE LIGHT IS ON. TRACTION LIGHT IS ON. ABS LIGHT IS ON. STEERING LIGHT IS ON. EPC LIGHT IS ON. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. AND THE MFD IS SAYING "ENGINE FAULT WORKSHOP". AS TIME HAS GONE ON IT NOW TENDS TO HAPPEN ATLEAST 15+ TIMES A DAY. IT NOW HAPPENS AS SOON AS I TURN THE KEY ON. I'M TO SCARED TO EVEN DRIVE IT. I DON'T WANT TO DRIVE MY 10 YEAR OLD SON IN IT. PLEASE DO A RECALL, NOT SOMETHING WE SHOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10934067December 9, 2016
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2009 75,000 MILES. ABS CONTROL MODULE FAILURE FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS MY CAR WOULD INTERMITTENTLY THROW UP THE ABS AND TRACTION LIGHTS BUT THIS WOULD GO AWAY SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. I GET IN MY CAR ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND START DRIVING FOR MAYBE 1/16TH OF A MILE AND EVERYTHING JUST FREAKS OUT. SPEEDOMETER IS DROPPING TO ZERO (WHILE IN MOTION DOING ABOUT 15 MPH) AND FLUCTUATES ALL OVER BETWEEN 0 AND 20 MPH. BRAKE LIGHT IS ON. TRACTION LIGHT IS ON. ABS LIGHT IS ON. STEERING LIGHT IS ON. EPC LIGHT IS ON. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. AND THE MFD IS SAYING "ENGINE FAULT WORKSHOP". AS TIME HAS GONE ON IT NOW TENDS TO HAPPEN ATLEAST 15+ TIMES A DAY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10934167December 9, 2016
SERVICE BRAKES
ABS MODULE AND PUMP IS FAULTY, WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE CASE WITH MANY OTHER VOLKSWAGEN GTI SPECIFIC TO THE 2009 YEAR. THIS CAUSES THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL TO NOT WORK, ALONG WITH LOSS OF POWER STEERING, NO OR FAULTY READING ON SPEEDOMETER AND GAS GAUGE AT ANY SPEED IN BOTH CITY AND HIGHWAY DRIVING. CORNERING IS VERY DIFFICULT AS THE POWER STEERING IS TURNED OFF. INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AND FIXED BY VW OF AMERICA. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10934176December 9, 2016
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I GOT A RECALL LETTER FROM VOLKSWAGEN REGARDING SUCTION PUMP IN EARLY NOVEMBER 2016. I IMMEDIATELY ASKED FOR AN APPOINTMENT AND FIRST DEALER IN FAIR LAWN, NEW JERSEY GAVE ME THE APPOINTMENT 2 WEEKS LATER THEN AGAIN RESCHEDULED TO 12/10/2016. UNFORTUNATELY, TODAY I CALLED AGAIN BUT PART IS STILL NOT AVAILABLE AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY WILL HAVE IT. I EVEN ASKED VOLKSWAGEN TO SWAP MY CAR WITH ANOTHER VOLKSWAGEN BUT THEY ASKED MORE MONEY AND REJECTED MY OFFER. WE STILL SMELL GAS IN THE CAR AND WE ARE SCARED. NOW, MY AND MY FAMILY'S LIFE UNDER RISK. WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE IF CAR GOT FIRE AND WE ALL DIE..PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO GIVE THIS CAR BACK WITHOUT ANY COST TO ME?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10933637December 7, 2016
SERVICE BRAKES
THE ABS PUMP MODULE FAILS ON 2009 CARS REGULARLY. THE ABS, STABILITY CONTROL AND TRACTION CONTROL NO LONGER FUNCTIONS AND VOLKSWAGEN REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER WHEN IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY FOR THEM TO LOOK AT AND ALL THEY COULD SAY WAS IS THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. NOW IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE ISSUE IS CONSTANT TO THE POINT WHERE I DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR DUE TO THE SPEEDOMETER AND STEERING BEING AFFECTED BY THIS ISSUE. THE CAR WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND WHEN THE BRAKES WERE HARD PRESSED THE CAR SKIDDED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10930191December 6, 2016
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING, THE RPMS REVVED TO A HIGHER LEVEL AND AN OIL LEAK WAS NOTICED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR MAIN SEAL WAS LEAKING, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SURGE. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 93,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10928704November 30, 2016
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ABS BRAKES AND STABILITY CONTROL FAILURE, EVERY TIME THE ABS OR STABILITY CONTROL IS ACTIVATED THE SYSTEMS IMMEDIATELY FAIL AND DASH LIGHTS ALL TURN ON WITH THREE LOUD CHIMES. OTHER TIMES THE FAILURE HAPPENS DURING NORMAL DRIVING. POWER CYCLING THE VEHICLE RESETS EVERYTHING BUT THE FAILURE WILL SOON OCCUR AGAIN. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH 2009 MODELS AND IN MY OPINION IS DANGEROUS -- ABS & STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM ARE CRITICAL TO SAFETY DURING EMERGENCY BRAKING. SOME TIME AGO I HAD TO USE THE BRAKES TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT, MY WHEELS ALL LOCKED UP AND MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO SKID SIDEWAYS -- NOT WHAT ONE WOULD EXPECT ON A VEHICLE THAT COMES WITH ABS BRAKES. I JUST NOW LEARNED I CAN FILE A COMPLAINT. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR OVER APPROXIMATELY 18 MONTHS. I REGULARLY TURN THE IGNITION OFF/ON WHILE DRIVING TO POWER CYCLE AND RESET THE ABS MODULE WHEN IT ERROR FAILS - THOUGH I DON'T EXPECT IT TO WORK WHEN NEEDED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10928755November 30, 2016
POWER TRAIN
I TOOK MY CAR TO GUNTHER VOLKSWAGEN IN FT LAUDERDALE, FL. MY AUTOMATIC DSG TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SHIFTING INTO GEAR ON MANY OCCASIONS AS I WAS DRIVING, PARKING STOPPED AT A LIGHT. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THIS PROBLEM HAD RESULTED IN SOME NEAR ACCIDENTS WITH OTHER CARS, AND ON TWO OCCASIONS I HAD HIT A POLE AND A WALL. THE NEAR ACCIDENTS WITH CARS HAD OCCURRED IN PARKING SITUATIONS AS WELL AS ON THE STREET AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS WHEN MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE AND CARS BEHIND ME ALMOST HIT ME. ANOTHER OCCASION MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN I WAS AT AN INTERSECTION WAITING FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR TO TURN LEFT, AND THE LIGHT CHANGED. WHEN THIS PROBLEM WAS OCCURRING THE SHIFT INDICATOR LETTERS IN THE ELECTRONIC DISPLAY WOULD FLASH WITH BOXES AROUND THEM. IT WAS DISCOVERED BY THE DEALER THAT THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM I WAS HAVING WAS THE SUBJECT OF A VOLUNTARY RECALL BY VOLKSWAGEN. I WAS TOLD THAT THE MECHATRONIC UNIT OF MY TRANSMISSION WOULD BE REPLACED UNDER THIS VOLUNTARY RECALL AS WELL AS THE OTHER FUSE RECALL. LATER IN THE DAY I WAS CALLED BY CAR DEALERSHIP AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE FUSE RECALL WORK WOULD BE DONE BUT THE TRANSMISSION RECALL WOULD NOT BE DONE BECAUSE MY CAR HAD A REBUILT TITLE. THE CAR HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE IT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO RIGHT FRONT SUSPENSION AND INSURANCE COMPANY HAD PAID OUT CLAIM AND DECLARED VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS. I BOUGHT "SALVAGED" VEHICLE AND REPAIRED DAMAGE FOR UNDER $1,000 AND RETITLED (REBUILT) VEHICLE UNDER FLORIDA LAW. ACCORDING TO WHAT I HAVE READ ON NHTSA WEBSITE IF VEHICLE IS ON THE ROAD AND BEING DRIVEN AROUND MANUFACTURERS ARE REQUIRED TO PERFORM RECALL REPAIRS ON THEM. THE RECALL ON THIS TRANSMISSION ISSUE WAS SUBJECT OF AN INVESTIGATION BY NHTSA (ACTION NUMBER PEO9035) SEVERAL ACCIDENTS HAD OCCURRED BECAUSE OF IT BUT NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. CAN YOU PLEASE ADVISE IF VW IS REQUIRED TO REPAIR MY VEHICLE UNDER THIS VOLUNTARY RECALL? *TR
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

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