2006 Volkswagen GTI: complaints, problems and recalls

THE CONSTANT TICKING SOUND OF THE FUEL LINES HITTING THE FIREWALL CAN BE HEARD WHILE THE CAR IS AT IDLE BEHIND THE GLOVE BOX. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO SECURE THE FUEL LINES AT THE FACTORY WHEN THE CARS ARE BEING BUILT. MANY VW DEALERS DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 45 miles reported. Look up ODI 10155139 at NHTSA ↗

IN MARCH 2006 I PURCHASED A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. THE SPEEDOMETER READS 10% FASTER THAN THE ACTUAL SPEED OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN THE CASE SINCE I TOOK DELIVERY. I HAVE VERIFIED THIS ERROR USING A GPS AND BY DRIVING A MEASURED MILE. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY DEFECT BECAUSE I MUST MENTALLY CORRECT THE SPEEDOMETER READING. THIS IS A DISTRACTION WHICH DIVERTS MY ATTENTION FROM THE TASK OF DRIVING. IT IS DIFFICULT TO KNOW THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE AT A GLANCE. BOTH THE DEALER AND VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA ACKNOWLEDGE THE ERROR, BUT CLAIM THAT THE ERR…

Owner-reported narrative. 30 miles reported. Look up ODI 10157615 at NHTSA ↗

1) THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL ACCESS PLATE AT THE BASE OF BOTH THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SEAT TOWARDS THE DOORS. 2) WHEN I GET IN AND OUT OF THE CAR, I KICK OFF THE PLASTIC ACCESS DOOR. 3) THIS IS MORE A NUISANCE, BUT NEEDS TO BE REDESIGNED. I WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE THE DEALER REPLACE THE DOOR AND HOPE IT FITS TIGHTER THAN THE ORIGINAL. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 30 miles reported. Look up ODI 10158946 at NHTSA ↗

REAR CUP HOLDER (LOCATED ON THE BACK OF THE DRIVERS CENTER CONSOLE) IS BULKY. THIS IS A NUISANCE AND A DISTRACTION PARTICULARLY IF THERE IS A REAR PASSENGER WHO IS HAVING TROUBLE WITH WHILE I AM DRIVING. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10158947 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10169017 at NHTSA ↗

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 B…

Owner-reported narrative. 20,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10174090 at NHTSA ↗

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 UN…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10183375 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2006 VA GTI NEW BODY STYLE SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, IT HAS BEEN GIVING ME PROBLEMS. THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN GOING OFF. CAR HAS BEEN AT DEALER FOR REPAIR MORE THEN 7 TIMES AND PROBLEM IS STILL NOT FIXED. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10184377 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2007-02-20 (February 20, 2007)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.

Consequence: THE BRAKE LIGHTS COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE, OR REMAIN ON. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE PROPER SIGNAL WHEN BRAKING COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE NEWLY DESIGNED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 27, 2007, AND WILL BE CONDUCTED IN SEVERAL STAGGERED MAILINGS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21, 2007. VEHICLES WITHIN THE MAKE, MODEL, AND MODEL YEAR OF THIS POPULATION MAY BE INVOLVED IN EITHER THIS RECALL OR 06V-183, BUT NOT BOTH. THE REMEDY IS THE SAME FOR EACH RECALL. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERS WILL APPLY THE REMEDY BASED ON THE VIN NUMBER OF THE VEHICLE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987.

Reported: 2007-09-24 (September 24, 2007)

CERTAIN VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." SOME VEHICLES MAY NOT HAVE HAD A REQUIRED CAP INSTALLED WHICH DISABLES THE HEADLIGHT HORIZONTAL AIM AND SOME VEHICLES MAY CONTAIN A CAP THAT DISABLES THE VERTICAL AIMING SCREW.

Consequence: NONCOMPLIANCE CAN INHIBIT PROPER HEADLAMP AIM ADJUSTMENT FOR ROADWAY ILLUMINATION, IMPROPERLY AIMED HEADLAMPS COULD CAUSE REDUCED ROAD VISIBILITY, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR THE PRESENCE OF A CAP IN THE SOCKET OF THE LOW BEAM HORIZONTAL AIMING SCREW AND INSTALL ONE IF MISSING, AND INSPECT FOR THE PRESENCE OF A CAP IN THE SOCKET OF THE VERTICAL AIMING SCREW AND IF PRESENT, THE CAP WILL BE REMOVED. THE RECALL WILL BEGIN ON OCTOBER 31, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987.