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2009 Volkswagen GTI Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 167 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Volkswagen GTI, most often about the brakes (59% of complaints, typically around 80,000 miles). It is the 2nd most complained-about GTI model year since 2000 and has 2 recalls.
Most common 2009 Volkswagen GTI problems
Brakes
98 complaints · 59%Half of these problems showed up before 80,000 miles. Parts named most often: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip.
The ABS modules are failing on 2009 GTI's and possibly more years. Abs, traction control, and esp lights up and stays on for the rest of the drive, and the car has no traction control or ABS. Its incredibly dangerous because it happens while turning or braking, and halfway through the brakes lock up sending the car…
While accelerating onto highway, multiple warning lights came on in the instrument cluster. "esp" light on solid, "ABS" light on solid and "handbrake" light flashing. I pulled off the highway turned the car off then back on and lights disappeared. After research online I found hundreds of other owners with similar…
Stability control
69 complaints · 41%Half of these problems showed up before 81,000 miles.
Faulty ABS control module for 2009 models of the Volkswagen GTI. As a result of the faulty ABS control module, it causes all kinds of other errors in my car, shown in the dashboard. Some are ABS disabled, traction control/esp disabled, check engine light illuminated , emergency brake lights illuminated, hydraulic…
At roughly 11pm at night while driving home from the gym the car started beeping and the epc light came on. Shortly after the ABS, check engine light, traction control, brake light(flashing), steering wheel icon, and a message saying engine fault workshop all lit up. I imagine all these lights prompting the car to go…
Transmission
32 complaints · 19%Half of these problems showed up before 31,500 miles. Parts named most often: automatic transmission.
Problem occurred occasionally, mostly when the speed was around 0-30mph. The transmission seemed to have a problem in upshifting/downshifting between 1st-3rd gear. While acceleration from stationary, there was a lag in upshifting from 1st-2nd-3rd gear. Sometimes it did not upshift at all. When you released the…
Two out of the four engine coils went bad at the exact same moment causing the car to loose two out of four cylinders. This made the engine not able to idle or run. Had this happened while trying to clear an intersection or say merging on a highway the result could be catastrophic. Vw insists that this is normal wear…
Electrical
31 complaints · 19%Half of these problems showed up before 85,000 miles.
Airbag fault indicator is erroneously present. Now the airbags are not active even with passengers onboard. Dealership US asking me to pay the 55 dollars to get the light reset for the airbags to work.
Abs module failure at 88k miles. Multiple fault codes presents with constant beeping and an error message reading " engine fault! Workshop! In the heads up display (epc, emergency brake, electronic steering assist off, traction control off fault codes). This is a safety feature failure that can result in loss of power…
Steering
20 complaints · 12%Half of these problems showed up before 84,000 miles.
For several weeks, solid ABS, solid traction control, and flashing "brake" lights would illuminate on the dashboard occasionally upon turning on the vehicle, accompanied by 3 audible beeps. Then, the ABS, traction control, brake, epc, steering, and check engine lights began to come on while driving. Abs and traction…
Abs module failure at 88k miles. Multiple fault codes presents with constant beeping and an error message reading " engine fault! Workshop! In the heads up display (epc, emergency brake, electronic steering assist off, traction control off fault codes). This is a safety feature failure that can result in loss of power…
Engine
17 complaints · 10%Half of these problems showed up before 75,000 miles. Parts named most often: exhaust system.
I purchased my 2009 GTI feb 2015 and the carfax was great; however, the ABS control module randomly failed about two months later causing lose of steering and control, this occurred while driving in traffic and it was very scary. Loud warning beeps went off and warning lights started flashing. The warning lights…
Secondary air injection hose found taped after vw warranty expired. Had taken car in several times to the woodland hills vw dealership after the upc and check engine light appeared to no avail.
Speed control
6 complaints · 4%Half of these problems showed up before 64,000 miles.
Instrument panel displays check engine light, steering light, ABS light, traction control light, brake light, tire pressure light. Abs no longer works in a hard brake situation, wheels lock and car will skid. Engine also refuses to rev past around 3900 RPM unless manually upshift to a higher gear. Steering assist no…
Epc light issue -which means electronic power control the vehicles computer suddenly cuts power away from the accelerater pedal causing rapid deceleration leaving the driver helpless to control the vehicles speed. I was merging onto a interstate into 70mph traffic and my epc light activated and left me unable to…
Air bags
4 complaints · 2%While pulling into a gas station after leaving a stop light, the steering wheel mounted buttons and lights (horn, steering wheel, etc) flickered off when turning. At that point, the buttons failed to work unless the wheel was turned almost to full lock clockwise. It took about a day of driving until the airbag light…
Airbag fault indicator is erroneously present. Now the airbags are not active even with passengers onboard. Dealership US asking me to pay the 55 dollars to get the light reset for the airbags to work.
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2009 Volkswagen GTI recalls
Stability control: electronic stability control (esc)
Risk: A loss of vehicle control can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the ABS control module software to improve the module's self-testing abilities. Any module that fails the new diagnostic test will be replaced. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began february 2017. Owners may contact volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen group of america, inc. (volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 volkswagen jetta a5 sedan, 2009 volkswagen jetta sportwagen, eos, gti, rabbit and audi a3 vehicles, and 2010 volkswagen golf a6 vehicles. The antilock brake system (ABS) control unit may fail during ABS or electronic stability control (ESC) activation, possibly causing a loss of vehicle control.
Transmission: automatic transmission
Risk: The abrupt shift to neutral could lead to a crash without warning.
Fix: Volkswagen will reprogram the transmission control module with updated software free of charge. The recall began on october 20, 2009. Owners may contact volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
Full defect summary
Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2009 and 2010 passenger cars manufactured between september 2008 and august 2009. The wiring harness of a temperature sensor in the direct shift gearbox (dsg) may have connector wires that were insufficiently crimped. With insufficiently crimped connector wires, a temperature sensor has the potential to falsely detect a high gearbox oil temperature, causing the transmission to abruptly shift to neutral. If this happens, the selector lever position indicator within the instrument panel will flash. In addition, the "depress brake pedal" indicator light will be illuminated, alerting the driver to apply the brakes.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Vehicle stall/loss motive power
Summary
The subject vehicles are equipped with direct shift gearbox (dsg) transmissions, which feature a 6-speed automatic gearbox with two wet running clutches (dual clutch) in which the clutch mechanism and gear changes are electrohydraulically operated by a mechatronic control unit.the dsg mechatronic controller includes extensive self diagnostic functions and strategies to ensure safe operation and prevent system/component damage in the event of component failures or harsh operating conditions.the basic hierarchy of fault modes includes some that only result in the storage of a diagnostic trouble code (dtc) and cause no loss of function, some that store a dtc and reduce vehicle operation to a li
Questions about the 2009 Volkswagen GTI
- What are the most common problems with the 2009 Volkswagen GTI?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: brakes (98 complaints, typically around 80,000 miles); stability control (69 complaints, typically around 81,000 miles); transmission (32 complaints, typically around 31,500 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2009 Volkswagen GTI have?
- 2 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from December 20, 2016 (stability control). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2009 a bad year for the Volkswagen GTI?
- It is the 2nd most complained-about GTI model year since 2000, with 167 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.