Volkswagen GTI Complaints

1,407 consumer complaints on file.

#10183644February 27, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I DRIVE A 2004 GTI 1.8T AND FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR THE FOLLOWING: DEFECTIVE HOOD LATCH, DEFECTIVE RADIO, DEFECTIVE ALARM, WINDOW RECALL, DEFECTIVE BATTERY, AND NUMEROUS DEFECTIVE HEAD LIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS AND BREAK LIGHTS. EACH TIME, THE PROBLEM IS FIXED, DUE TO THE WARRANTY, THEN I AM TOLD THAT ITS JUST DEFECTIVE PARTS. IS THE WHOLE CAR DEFECTIVE??? *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10183375February 23, 2007
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
I OWN A 2006 VW GTI (NEW BODY STYLE). THE PASSENGER DOOR WAS DAMAGED LAST WEEK WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR. FROM WHAT I'VE GATHERED IT LOOKS LIKE ITS A DESIGN FLAW OR MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS WATER FROZE IN THE LOWER LEAD EDGE OF THE DOOR AREA AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY DOOR WHEN IT WAS OPENED. HERE ARE THE STEPS I HAVE TAKEN SINCE THE INCIDENT. THE REASON I'M REPORTING THIS IS THAT I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, IF SOMEONE WAS TO GET INTO A CAR ACCIDENT IN THIS WINTER WEATHER, ITS VERY POSSIBLE THAT THE DOOR WOULD HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO OPEN DUE TO ICE ACCUMULATION IN THE JAM/FENDER AREA. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10180748January 25, 2007
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN MY 2002 VOLKSWAGEN GTI WHEN SUDDENLY THE SIDE AND CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON AT ALL. I DID NOT HIT A POTHOLE, ROCK, OR ANY OBJECT OF ANY KIND. THE ENGINE THEN SHUT OFF BUT I MANAGED TO SAFELY MOVE MY CAR TO THE RIGHT LANE. AS A RESULT OF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT I SUFFERED MINOR BURNS AND A SORE BACK. I CALLED VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA AND THEY IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TELLING ME IT WAS NOT THEIR FAULT AND THAT I MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING. THEY ADVISED ME TO BRING THE GTI INTO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP TO CHECK FOR DAMAGE. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE CAR AND FOUND NO DAMAGE. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THE AIRBAGS TO HAVE DEPLOYED. HE THEN SENT THAT INFORMATION TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA. TWO DAY LATER THEY CALLED ME TO ASK ME TO ONCE AGAIN BRING THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP SO THAT A REPRESENTATIVE COULD INSPECT THE CAR. I WILL BE BRINGING THE CAR IN TOMORROW. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED OVER 400,000 TIMES. IT DOES NOT SEEM THAT VOLKSWAGEN IS GOING TO PAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM SINCE MY CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I AM NOW PURSUING A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA. I AM ABSOLUTELY STUNNED THAT VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA CAN GET AWAY WITH NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR MANUFACTURE DEFECTS. I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER VW AGAIN, AND I WILL DO ALL THAT I CAN TO DISCOURAGE ANYBODY I KNOW FROM PURCHASING A VOLKSWAGEN. THESE CLAIMS NEED TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT IT BEFORE SERIOUS INJURY, OR EVEN DEATH, OCCURS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10178748January 15, 2007
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
REAR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILED CAUSING ALL REAR BRAKE LIGHTS TO FAIL. THIS CAUSED EXTREME DANGER AS IT CAN EASILY CAUSE A REAR-END COLLISION. PART SEEMS TO BE RECOGNIZED AS FAILURE-PRONE SINCE OTHER OWNERS ALSO HAVE REPORTED FAILURES. VW JETTA'S WERE RECALLED, GTI'S WERE NOT, EVEN THOUGH CHASSIS AND PART ARE THE SAME. SWITCH WAS REPLACED BY DEALER AT A COST OF APPROX. $110.00 *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10178009January 7, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
VEHICLE: 2007 VW GTI W/DSG TRANSMISSION SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE CONSISENTLY OVERSTATES ACTUAL SPEED ABOVE 20 MPH. THE OVERSTATEMENT VARIES FROM 1 MPH (AT 30 MPH) TO 5-6 MPH (AT 65 MPH). THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE ALSO DISAGREES WITH THE SPEED REPORTED BY THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRONIC TRIP COMPUTER. BASED ON ALL MY TESTS IN OPEN-ROAD DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE ELECTRONIC TRIP COMPUTER IS PROVING ACCURATE INFORMATION-- THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE (WHICH GETS ITS INPUT FROM THE ELECTRONIC TRIP COMPUTER) HAS BEEN DELIBERATELY DESIGNED OR DELIBERATELY CALIBRATED TO OVERSTATE VEHICLE SPEED. THE DEALER HAS CHECKED THE ENTIRE SYSTEM OUT, FINDING NO RECORDED FAULTS IN THE SYSTEM. ALL KNOWN TSB'S HAVE BEEN APPLIED. THE DEALER REPORTED THAT THEY CHECKED OUT OTHER SIMILAR VEHICLES AND FOUND IDENTICAL SPEED OVERSTATEMENT ISSUES. THE DEALER FURTHER STATED THAT THEY HAD CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND WERE TOLD THAT THE OVERSTATEMENT OF SPEED WAS "WITHIN OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS". THE FUNCTION OF A SPEEDOMETER IS TO PROVIDE A REASONABLE DETERMINATION OF ACTUAL VEHICLE SPEED. WHILE A 1-2 MPH VARIANCE IS REASONABLE, A 5-6 MPH VARIANCE IS NOT. AT INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SPEEDS, DRIVERS ARE UNABLE TO REASONABLY DETERMINE THEIR SPEED WITHOUT MENTALLY ADJUSTING FOR A CORRECTABLE DESIGN DEFICIENCY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10177440January 1, 2007
AIR BAGS
AS I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM VISITING MY PARENTS IN LOUISIANA OVER THE HOLIDAYS. I WAS GETTING ONTO 45/75 GOING NORTH FROM INTERSTATE 30W HERE IN DALLAS, TX. AS I CROSS OVER THE LANES, I HEAR A REALLY LOUD POP. THERE WAS A LARGE FLASH AND THE CAR FILLED WITH SMOKE. I WAS REALLY SURPRISED, WHICH CAUSED ME TO SWERVE TO MISS ANOTHER CAR. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WENT WRONG. MY FIRST ASSUMPTIONS WERE THAT EITHER I BLEW A TIRE OR THAT SOMEONE HAD SHOT A FIREARM AT MY VEHICLE. I PULLED OVER DOWNTOWN AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH THE EXTERIOR OF MY VEHICLE (TIRES WERE FINE AND I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING). FOR SOME REASON MY PASSENGER SIDE UPPER FRONT AND REAR AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AS DID THE SIDE AIR BAG IN THE SEAT. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THIS HAPPENED AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THE AIRBAGS. I AM VERY HAPPY AND FORTUNATE THAT I DID NOT HAVE A PASSENGER IN MY CAR AT THE TIME AND THAT I DID NOT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. I AM REPORTING THIS TO VWOA. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10176308December 16, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE FAILURE AT ONLY 800 MILES. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10175984December 12, 2006
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
WAS DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT DOWN INTERSTATE 5 IN WASHINGTON, ADHERING TO THE SPEED LIMIT. WHEN MY PASSENGER CURTAIN AIRBAG AND SIDE SEAT AIR BAG DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT IS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. MY FRIEND SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS BRUISED UP RATHER NEATLY. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10174090November 22, 2006
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
WHILE COMMUTING TO WORK, VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH SYSTEM. THIS IMMEDIATELY IMMOBILIZED MY VEHICLE WHILE STILL WITHIN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF THIS IMPENDING FAILURE; IT HAPPENED SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. I WAS FORTUNATELY ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SAFELY PULL TO THE SHOULDER. HOWEVER, I DO FEEL THAT MY PERSONAL SAFETY WAS IN JEOPARDY DURING THIS INCIDENT. THIS VEHICLE IS APPROXIMATELY 9 MONTHS OLD WITH APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE CLUTCH PLATE APPARENTLY BROKE INTO SEVERAL PIECES WHILE IN OPERATION. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE EITHER A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10170589October 11, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2007 GTI 2.0, PACKAGE2, DSG. VEHICLE SPEEDOMETER IS NOT ACCURATE. IN ORDER TO TRAVEL 60 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER MUST READ 65 MPH. THE ONLY WAY TO SEE THE CORRECT SPEED, IS WITH THE CLIMATRONIC. HOLD DOWN ECON AND AIR UP BUTTONS AT SAME TIME. TURN DRIVER'S SIDE KNOB TO 19.0, TURN MIDDLE KNOB UNTIL SAYS 19.1. THE UNCORRECTED SPEED IS SHOWN IN THE PASSENGER SIDE CLIMATRONIC WINDOW. THE UNCORRECTED SPEED MATCHES UP TO OTHER VEHICLES AND IS ACCURATE FROM ALL TESTS. VOLKSWAGEN IS TAKING THE ACTUAL SPEED, AND MAKING IT WRONG, AND SENDING TO THE SPEEDOMETER. THE SAME HOLDS TRUE IN EVERY 2007 GTI WITH 18" WHEELS. A VEHICLE COSTING OVER $25,000 SHOULD AT LEAST BE ABLE TO GIVE ACCURATE SPEED. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO HAVE TO LOOK DOWN TO CLIMATRONC TO GET ACCURATE SPEED. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10169756October 2, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAULTY. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10169017September 23, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1) NONE 2) HAVING A PRE-MISCALIBRATED SPEEDOMETER CAUSES ME CONFUSION AS I DRIVE AND HAS RESULTED IN MY GETTING A TICKET. 3) NOTHING YET. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10168479September 17, 2006
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
"SWITCHES" OR SENSORS IN BOTH FRONT SEAT BELT LATCHES FAILED AT THE SAME TIME REQUIRING THE REPLACEMENT OF BOTH LATCH MECHANISMS. ONE OF THE REPLACEMENT SEAT BELT LATCH MECHANISMS WAS DEFECTIVE. THESE DEVICES COMMUNICATE WITH THE AIR BAG SYSTEM AS TO WHETHER A SEAT BELT IS IN USE. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, THE AIR BAG(S) MAY NOT DEPLOY PROPERLY AS THE RESULT OF A FAULTY "SWITCH" OR SENSOR LEADING TO UNINTENDED INJURY OR DEATH (VIS-A-VIS A PROPER DEPLOYMENT) TO THE DRIVER AND/OR PASSENGER.. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10168123September 13, 2006
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SPEEDOMETER IS ABOUT 9% OFF. (SPEEDOMETER READS 70 MPH, ACTUAL SPEED IS 63-64 MPH). *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10167867September 11, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
I OWN A 2002 JETTA VR6 AND MY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH HAS GONE OUT. I HAVE READ THE LATEST RECALL NUMBER 06V183000, HOWEVER, VOLKSWAGEN WANTED TO CHARGE ME FOR THE REPAIR STATING MY CAR WAS NOT FOUND TO HAVE ANY RECALLS ON IT. MY BRAKE LIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING AND I DID NOT KNOW IT. SOMEONE ALMOST RAN INTO THE BACK OF MY CAR. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10166555August 25, 2006
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
THE CLUTCH FAILED ON MY '03 VW GTI AFTER ONLY 48,000 MILES LEADING TO AN $1,800 REPAIR. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER THE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY, THE CLUTCH IS NOT COVERED. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10165727August 17, 2006
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
DEFECTIVE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, MULTIPLE FAILURES (4) IN GTI/GOLF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 06V183000 THE ABOVE RECALL SHOULD INCLUDE THE GOLF/GTI SINCE IT IS THE SAME PART THAT FAILS REPEATEDLY. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10165250August 11, 2006
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
BOTH DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS (POWER) "FELL" DOWN INTO THE DOOR. INDEPENDENT SERVICE STATION REPAIRED WITH A WINDOW REPAIR KIT. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10163157July 22, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I JUST PURCHASED A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN GTI GLS [XXX] FOR MY GRANDSON. WE RECEIVED TWO REMOTE ENTRY KEYS AND ONE PLAIN KEY. THE REMOTE KEY USED AT THE DEALER TO SHOW THE CAR WAS USED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE HOME. UPON ARRIVAL WE TRIED THE SECOND REMOTE ENTRY KEY. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. WE THEN TRIED THE PLAIN KEY AND STILL NOTHING. ACCORDING TO VICTORY MOTORS IN HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA THE CHIP IN ONE OF THE KEYS IS DEFECTIVE. NOW THE AUTOMATIC ANTI-THEFT FEATURE IS ON. THE VW GTI NOW SETS IN THE DRIVEWAY WAITING TO BE TOWED 7 MILES WHERE VICTORY MOTORS WILL HAVE TO RESET THE CHIP IN ALL THE KEYS AND DO SOMETHING TO THE VEHICLE. I HAVE FOUND STORIES ON THE INTERNET WITH OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD BE MADE TO CONTACT OWNER THAT THIS PROBLEM COULD ALSO HAPPEN TO THEM. *NM UPDATED 07/12/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10162732July 18, 2006
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
THE REAR CENTER SEAT BELT OF MY 1999.5 VOLKSWAGEN GTI TRAPPED A PASSENGER IN MY CAR. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE REAR CENTER SEAT BELT LOCKED UP AND WOULD NO LONGER RETRACT OR EXTEND, WHICH LEFT A PASSENGER STUCK IN MY CAR RECENTLY (IT WAS NECESSARY TO UNBOLT THE SEAT BELT TO FREE THE PASSENGER). THE UNIT IS NO LONGER FUNCTIONING. BASED ON THE INFORMATION GATHERED FROM OTHER VOLKSWAGEN GOLF/GTI OWNERS IN THE 1999-2005 YEAR RANGE, THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND HAS OCCURRED SPECIFICALLY. I BELIEVE THIS CLEARLY SHOWS PRODUCT DEFECT AND IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN. I CAN OBTAIN AND SUBMIT PROOF THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED IN SEVERAL OTHER GOLF/GTI MODEL VEHICLES IF NECESSARY, THERE IS A VERY LARGE VW FORUM ONLINE WHICH HAS SEVERAL INSTANCES OF THIS COMPLAINT STRETCHING BACK SEVERAL YEARS. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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