There are 27 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2009 Volkswagen GTIin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The warning light went on engine oil pressure off. Search manual. Then it wouldn't start. But lights where on so we put a new starter. But it wouldn't turn the engine. So We thought it must be the battery needs a jump start. And then wire from battery to starter caught on fire? I Googled the problem, and found that there had been recalls for that faulty wire before.
AFTER DRIVING MY CAR FOR FIVE MINUTES, I HEARD A LOUD "POP" FROM THE CAR'S RIGHT SIDE. I LOOKED OVER AND OBSERVED THAT MY RIGHT SIDE VIEW MIRROR WAS BLACK BUT STILL INTACT. WHEN I PULLED OVER AND EXITED MY CAR, I FELT THE MIRROR WHICH FELT TO NO LONGER BE FLAT BUT WARPED IN VARIOUS SPOTS. IT IS QUITE APPARENT THE MIRROR OVERHEATED. MY MIRROR FUNCTION NOB WAS NOT IN THE "HEAT" POSITION AND WAS SET TO THE LEFT SIDE MIRROR POSITION. MY CONCERN IS THAT IT COULD HAVE STARTED A FIRE. *TR
ONE OF THE HID HEADLAMP STOPPED WORKING CAUSING THE BULB FAIL WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH TO BE ILLUMINATED. I WENT TO THE AUTO PARTS STORE AND BOUGHT A NEW BULB. UPON REMOVAL OF THE BULB ACCESS COVER I FOUND THAT ALL THE INSULATION ON ALLOF THE WIRING IN THE HEADLIGHT UNIT TO HAVE DISINTEGRATED CAUSING THE BARE WIRES TO TOUCH AND SHORT OUT. I THEN INSPECTED THE OTHER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THE EXACT SAME CONDITION. UPON CONTACTING THE DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT AS THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY I WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE TWO NEW HEADLAMP UNITS AT A COST OF $500 PER UNIT. I THEN CONTACTED VWOFA ( CUSTOMER CARE REF #[XXX]) ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT AGAIN BEING OUT OF WARRANTY IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO INCUR THE REPAIR COSTS. AS THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 60K AND THIS IS NOT ONLY A SAFETY ISSUE BUT POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS AND A MANUFACTURING DEFECT PLEASE INVESTIGATE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT
MY GEAR INDICATOR LIGHTS (PRNDS) FLASH AND MY CAR EITHER WILL NOT ENGAGE INTO GEAR OR WILL LIMP. IT HAS DONE IT SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. IT WILL SLAM INTO A LOW GEAR CAUSING RPM TO MAX TO 8000 AND ACTS AS IF I SLAMMED ON THE BREAKS. ALSO THE NUMBER 3 FUSE ON TOP STARTED SMOKING AND MELTED INSIDE THE FUSE BOX. FEARED MY CAR WAS KING TO CATCH FIRE.
I RESEARCHED MY VIN WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND AN INCOMPLETE SAFETY RECALL ON THE ABS MODULE. THAT RECALL NUMBER IS 16V913. BEFORE I COULD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT THE ABS MODULE FAILED. THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALER IN TACOMA, WASHINGTON CHARGED ME A DIAGNOSTIC FEE BECAUSE THE MODULE FAILED COMMUNICATION, IN WHICH THEY FOUND THE MODULE DID INDEED FAIL, BUT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE IT BECAUSE THEY CLAIM IT WASN'T COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY OR THE RECALL. THEY SUBMITTED A SECONDARY CLAIM TO VW OF AMERICA TO TRY TO HAVE THEM APPROVE THE CLAIM WHICH WAS ALSO DENIED. I AM REACHING OUT TO HOPEFULLY GET HELP WITH GETTING MY VEHICLE FIXED AND ONCE AGAIN SAFE TO DRIVE. ATTACHED WILL BE A COPY OF THE INVOICE FROM THE DEALER AND THEIR FINDINGS.
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON STREET ROADS AND HIGHWAYS THE CAR WILL SHIFT DOWN INTO A UNKNOWN GEAR AND ALL LIGHTS START FLASHING PUTTING THE CAR INTO A NEUTRAL THAT DOESN'T FIX UNTIL IT'S RESTARTED.
THE 12 VOLT OUTLETS IN MY CAR AREN'T WORKING. WHEN I WENT TO CHECK THE FUSE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE DIAGRAM OF THE FUSE BOX PROVIDED BY VOLKSWAGON IN MY MANUAL DOES NOT MATCH THE ACTUAL FUSE BOX IN MY CAR. I CAN'T TELL WHICH FUSE TO REPLACE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ON-LINE, MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE COMMENTED THAT THEIR FUSE BOX DIAGRAMS IN THEIR MANUALS ARE WRONG TOO. PLEASE HELP US GET ACCURATE DIAGRAMS OF OUR FUSE BOXES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE ABS INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. ALSO, WHILE MAKING A TURN AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE FUEL GAUGE RANDOMLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL ANCIRA VOLKSWAGEN DEALER LOCATED IN SAN ANTONIO, TX WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS MODULE NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V913000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE CODES DID NOT MATCH THE FAULTS LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT WAS DENIED THE RECALL REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 81,600.
TIMING CHAIN FAILURE 60000 MILES; 6 MONTHS LATER ENGINE COILS FAILED.
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.
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
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
WHEN DRIVING THE CAR, A LOT OF THE WARNING LIGHTS FLASH OUT OF NOWHERE. THE ABS LIGHT, TRACTION, POWER STEERING, EPC LIGHTS ALL FLASH. I ALSO LOSE POWER STEERING. ON TOP OF THAT, THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK. THIS HAPPENS ABRUPTLY AND SOMETIMES AT HIGH SPEEDS. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. FROM WHAT I'VE READ, IT IS THE ABS MODULE FAILING. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM OF 09 GTIS AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED!
JUST LAST WEEK MY GTI STARTED HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND SOON REALIZED MOST 2009 GTIS EVENTUALLY HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR ABS CONTROL MODULES. SOLID ABS, SOLID POWER STEERING LIGHT, SOLID CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, 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 CONTROL STAY ILLUMINATED, WHILE THE EPC, STEERING, CHECK ENGINE, AND BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY, ACCOMPANIED BY 3 AUDIBLE BEEPS. THE MESSAGE "ENGINE FAULT - WORKSHOP!" ALSO SHOWS UP ON THE MESSAGE DISPLAY CENTER IN THE DASH. STEERING FEELS A BIT STIFF. THE DEALER HAS INDICATED AN INTERNAL FAULT IN THE ABS CONTROL MODULE.
MY ABS PUMP & MODULE WERE DETERMINED TO NEED REPLACEMENT. SEARCHING ONLINE, IT SEEMS A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH THE 2009 MODEL ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE. I WAS QUOTED AT $2200 TO FIX IT. I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET TO A RESTAURANT AFTER MY WEDDING AND THE ABS, TRACTION CONTROL AND BRAKE LIGHTS ALL CAME ON. DAYS LATER THE CAR STARTED TO REV WEIRD AND THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD NOT WORK.
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 CONTROL STAY ILLUMINATED, WHILE THE EPC, STEERING, CHECK ENGINE, AND BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY, ACCOMPANIED BY 3 AUDIBLE BEEPS. THE MESSAGE "ENGINE FAULT - WORKSHOP!" ALSO SHOWS UP ON THE MESSAGE DISPLAY CENTER IN THE DASH. IN ADDITION, WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION, THE SPEEDOMETER WILL REPEATEDLY ALTERNATE BETWEEN THE ACTUAL SPEED READING AND A READING OF 0 MPH. WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER DROPS TO 0 MPH, THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASE. FINALLY, THE CAR SPUTTERS AND BUCKS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY, AND STEERING FEELS A BIT STIFF. THE DEALER HAS INDICATED AN INTERNAL FAULT IN THE ABS CONTROL MODULE.
FAILED ABS MODULE WHICH MAKES SPEEDOMETER, ABS, TRACTION CONTROL NOT WORK INTERMITTENTLY.
WHEN BRAKING HARD TODAY (IT WAS RAINING AND I GOT CUT OFF BY A DISTRACTED DRIVER) MY CAR WENT INTO A (BARELY) CONTROLLED SKID. ABS, ESP. STEERING WHEEL LIGHTS ALL FLASHING WITH THREE BEEPS. THE LIGHTS WENT AWAY WHEN I TURNED THE CAR OFF/ON. MY WIFE IS 7 MONTHS PREGNANT, AND WAS WITH ME IN THE CAR. I'M NOT IMPRESSED WITH WHAT I'M READING ONLINE REGARDING THE SHEER VOLUME OF OTHERS EXPERIENCING COMPLETE ABS FAILURE. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED IF VW DOESN'T RECALL THE MALFUNCTIONING CONTROL MODULE. I'VE BOOKED MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE NEXT WEEK. I TRULY HOPE VW STEPS UP AND FINALLY ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS LIFE-SAVING REPAIR. PS I'M IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA (VICTORIA).
ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH HAD INTERMITTENTLY APPEARED ON SEVERAL OCCASION OVER THE PAST THREE MONTHS WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND CONDITIONS. THE WARNING LIGHTS WOULD STAY ON UNTIL I TURNED THE CAR OFF. ONCE RESTARTED THE LIGHTS WOULD BE OFF. ON 12-AUG-15 THE SAME WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. THEY REMAINED ON AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING. THREE WARNING BEEPS WERE THEN HEARD AT SEVERAL MINUTE INTERVALS UNTIL I REACH MY DESTINATION. OTHER WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON BRIEFLY THEN WENT OUT. I WAS INFORMED BY A MECHANIC THAT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE HAD FAILED. BASED ON AN INTERNET SEARCH I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2009 VW GTI.
ABS WARNING LIGHT STARTED COMING ON. THEN A WARNING LIGHT THAT THE RIGHT, REAR TURN SIGNAL HAD FAILED. ONE WEEK LATER THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD IS COVERED IN WARNING LIGHTS, INCLUDING A "FAULTY ENGINE WORKSHOP" WARNING LIGHT. IT APPEARS THAT ABS CONTROL MODULE HAS FAILED, LEAVING ME WITH NO ABS BRAKING ON A WELL MAINTAINED, 50K MILE CAR. THIS SEEMS TO BE RAMPANT PROBLEM WITH THE TSI MKV GTI AT THIS MILEAGE. VW OF AMERICA OFFERED ME NO ASSISTANCE. VW SHOULD RECALL THIS PART BEFORE THEY SEE ANY ACCIDENTS LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURIES.
Showing 1–20 of 27 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026