2008 Volkswagen RABBIT: complaints, problems and recalls

I BOUGHT VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT 2008 MODEL TWO MONTHS AGO, AND LESS THAN 4,500 MILES THE OXYGEN SENSOR WIRE RIPPED YESTERDAY WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK THE CAR STRAIGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THIS MORNING I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL TELLING ME THAT THE CUT WAS DUE TO AN ANIMAL!! (SO IT WOULDN'T BE COVERED BY THE WARRANTY). I LOOK AT THIS WIRE JUST BEFORE DROPPING THE CAR AT VW, AND CONCLUDED EITHER A MANUFACTURER DEFECT (ASSEMBLY PLAN, MANUFACTURING...). I WAS FURIOUS AT THEIR CONCLUSION, BECAUSE THIS COULD BE DUE TO A LOT OF FACTORS (DEFINITELY NOT AN ANIMAL!…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10228354 at NHTSA ↗

STANDARD AUTOMATIC RABBIT 2.5 COUPE... STALLS OFTEN DURING TAKE OFF AFTER WARM UP. NOT COMPLETELY, BUT POWERING DOWN FROM 1500 NORMAL IDLING RPM TO ABOUT 5-700 AS IF IT IS GOING TO QUIT. IF I BACK OFF ON ACCELERATION, IT RECOVERS SLOWLY. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN TURNING IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. DRIVERS BEHIND ME CAN'T TELL I AM STOPPING BECAUSE MY FOOT IS NOT ON THE BRAKE. BUT WHEN IT WILL NOT GO FORWARD I JAM ON THE BRAKE TO KEEP FROM GETTING T-BONED BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC! HAPPENS PRIMARILY ON LEFT TURNS, BUT OCCASIONALLY ON STRAIGHT ACCELERAT…

Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10242359 at NHTSA ↗

THE ENGINE LOSS POWER NOT ONLY WHEN YOU STOP BUT WHEN RUNNING TOO. IT HAPPENS IN A INTERMITENT TIME. IF YOU NEED MORE POWER IN A SPECIFIC TIME AND PUSH FOR MORE GASOLINE THE ENGINE GOES DOWN FOR A PERIOD OF 4 TO 6 SECONDS. IT HAS A NOISE IN THE REAR LIKE WHEN THE EXHAUST PIPE ARE LOOSE. ALL THIS ISSUES HAD BEEN REPORTED AT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT EUROCLASS VOLKSWAGEN DEALER IN PUERTO RICO AND THEY DONT FINF ANITHING. REGARDING THE NOISE IN THE REAR THEY CHANGED A FEW PARTS OF THE SUSPENSION AND SOCK ADSORVERS BUT THE NOISE IS THERE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10265350 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT. THE CONTACT STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD-ON, WHICH SEVERELY DAMAGED THE FRONT END OF HER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THE CONTACT AND OCCUPANTS WERE INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE REPAIR WOULD COST MORE THAN $12,000. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 14,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10280447 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED A 2008 VW RABBIT, W/MANUAL TRANSMISSION, NEW DURING APRIL OF 2008. SINCE THE FIRST MILES DRIVEN TO TODAY, THERE HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT FUEL SHUTOFF PROBLEM THAT RESULTS IN A STALL OR A LURCH THAT RESULTS IN A NEAR-STOP. THIS OCCURS IN LOW-SPEED, HEAVY TRAFFIC SITUATIONS WITH TRAILING THROTTLE (TYPICALLY NO BRAKE APPLICATION). EVENTUALLY THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE ME TO BE REAR ENDED. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP (PAUL CLARK VW - ONE OF THEIR TECHNICIANS EXPERIENCED IT DURING A TEST DRIVE) AND THEY TOLD ME THAT OTHER CUSTOMERS H…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10286419 at NHTSA ↗

MY 2008 VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT, WITH ONLY 4130 MILES, HAD BEEN PARKED FOR FOUR HOURS (IN A SHADED AREA) WHEN THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE IMPACT WAS SUCH THAT THE BUMPER SEPARATED FROM THE CAR. AFTER INSPECTION BY OUR MECHANIC IT WAS SUGGESTED THE REMAINING FOUR CONTINENTAL TIRES BE REPLACED, SINCE THEY SHOWED VISIBLE DEFECTS. THE TIRES SHOWED EXCESSIVE CREASES. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 4,130 miles reported. Look up ODI 10293443 at NHTSA ↗

I OWN A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT, 2 DOOR MODEL. THIS VEHICLE HAS AN AUXILIARY POWER PLUG (12V CIGARETTE LIGHTER TYPE) INSIDE THE TRUNK. IN ORDER TO OPERATE THE POWER PLUG, THE IGNITION SWITCH MUST BE IN THE "ON" POSITION (WITH THE CAR ENGINE OFF). I REVERSED INTO A PARKING LOT OPENING THE HATCH AND PROCEEDED TO USE THE AUXILIARY POWER PLUG IN THE TRUNK WITH THE HATCH OPEN (REVERSE LIGHTS ARE IN THE HATCH). ONCE I GOT HOME, I NOTICED THAT BOTH REVERSE LIGHTS HAD MELTED AND WERE DESTROYED, IT WOULD APPEAR HAS IF A FIRE TOOK PLACE INSIDE THE LIGH…

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10297987 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE DOES NOT RESPOND TO ACCELERATOR ON OCASSIONS, NO RESPONSE WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE FRON STOP. HAVE COMPLAINED TO VW DEALER @ 5,000,10,000, & 15,000 MILES. THEY SAY THEY CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A DANGERIOUS SITUATION AS IT STALLS, THEN ACCELERATES VERY FAST . I NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN AS THERE IS NO SET PATTERN. I FEEL LIKE THE DEALER IS NOT RESPONSIBLE AS THEY SAY IT MIGHT GET WORSE THEN THEY CAN FIND THE PROBLEM. IT DOES NOT SHOW UP ON THE SCANNER,AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON.

Owner-reported narrative. 14,484 miles reported. Look up ODI 10323362 at NHTSA ↗

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.

Reported: 2010-12-10 (December 10, 2010)

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2010 JETTA, NEW BEETLE, NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE, MODEL YEAR 2009 JETTA SPORTWAGEN AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 RABBIT VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L ENGINES. THE JETTA, JETTA SPORTWAGEN, AND RABBIT VEHICLES MAY HAVE A SMALL PLASTIC TAB LOCATED ON THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR THAT MAY CHAFE AGAINST AN UNDERHOOD FUEL SUPPLY LINE. THE NEW BEETLE AND THE NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A FASTENING CLAMP ON A HYDRAULIC HOSE OF THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM THAT MAY BE LOCATED IN AN IMPROPER POSITION WHICH COULD CAUSE CHAFING AGAINST AN UNDERHOOD FUEL SUPPLY LINE.

Consequence: IF CHAFING OCCURS, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A FUEL LEAK TO DEVELOP. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE THE UNDERHOOD FUEL LINE. ADDITIONALLY, DEPENDING ON THE VEHICLE MODEL, DEALERS WILL EITHER REMOVE THE PLASTIC TAB FROM THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR, OR INSPECT THE POSITION OF THE FASTENING CLAMP AND ADJUST THE RELATED FASTENING CLAMP INTO THE CORRECT POSITION. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 31, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.