There are 2 stored owner reports matching the steering leading-label group for the 2016 Volkswagen GTI in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 2 of 2 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)While driving my 2016 Volkswagen GTI MK7 Autobahn Edition with approximately 37,000 miles, the power steering suddenly and without warning failed completely. The steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn, requiring significant physical force to operate. Simultaneously, both the TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) warning light and the ESC (Electronic Stability Control) warning light illuminated on the dashboard. I brought the vehicle to an authorized Volkswagen dealership, Deel Volkswagen in Miami, Florida. The dealership diagnosed the issue as a complete failure of the steering rack and pinion assembly and quoted approximately $6,000 for replacement. This failure occurred at only 37,000 miles — far below any reasonable expectation of component life for a steering rack, which should last well over 100,000 miles under normal use. The failure was sudden, with no prior warning signs or gradual degradation. A sudden and total loss of power steering assist while driving at any speed constitutes a serious and unreasonable safety risk, as it dramatically increases the force required to steer and can cause loss of vehicle control. A review of MK7 GTI owner forums and communities reveals this is a recurring and documented issue among this vehicle population, suggesting a systemic defect in the steering rack assembly used in this model. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether a safety defect exists in the 2016 Volkswagen GTI steering system that warrants a recall and manufacturer-funded remedy.
LOOSE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING ,MAKING IT HARD TO DRIVE ... SUDDEN LOSS HAPPENS ABOUT 15 MINS INTO DRIVING ... EVERY TIME , IT DOES NOT RETURN UNTIL CAR IS TURNED OF AND TURNED BACK ON , THEN REPEATS WITH IN 10 -15 MINS YOU LOOSE POWER STEERING OR WHEN TURNING , MANY VW FORUMS SHOW THIS HAS HAPPENED TO HUNDREDS OF CARS POSSIBLY 1000S ... WHEN YOU TAKE IT TO A DEALER AND THEY START IT THEY SAY THEIR DIAGNOSTICS ARE SHOWING NO DCT CODES BECAUSE CAR RECYCLES AND LOOKS CLEARLY ALTHOUGH THEY KNOW AS THEY STATED THERE IS A PROBLEM AND I WILL NEED NEW EPAS ( STEERING RACK ) 2900$ BUT VOWA GOT DEARLERSHIP DOWN TO 1900 ... MY PROBLEM IS ON THE FORUMS YOU WILL SEE THAT THIS HAPPENS STILL WITH MANY 2016S AND OTHER YEARS .. AND IT'S SCARY TO LOOSE YOUR POWER STEERING ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE NOT THAT STRONG ... AND VW STATES THEY KNOW THERE'S A PROBLEM BUT ARE STILL CHARGING HUGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY FOR AN ENTIRE NEW RACK WHEN THEY EVEN SAY THEY CAN'T FIGURE OUT PROBLEM BUT IT'S CLEARLY THERE AND THEY ARE AWARE OF IT ...BOTH VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA AND THE DEALERSHIP KNOW OF MANY PROBLEMS OCCURRING WITH ' AN INTERNAL FAILURE ' IN THE ELECTRICAL STEERING RACK ( AS SAID BY VW VER BATEM )
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.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.