Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 45 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2000 Volkswagen GTI. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 45 · page 1 of 2
VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM WITH CATCHING FIRE FROM EXCESSIVE ELECTRICAL DRAW OVER THE MAIN POWER LEAD. OVER AMP DRAW IS CAUSING MAIN WIRING TO MELT AND ALSO MELT THE FUSE BOX OVER THE BATTERY.
AIR BAG LIGHT HAS COME ON WITH NO ACCIDENT. THE READINGS ARE THREE MAJOR INTERMITTENT ISSUES. IT SEEMS THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR MANY OWNERS OF THIS YEAR AND MODEL. THE VW DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO GUARANTEE ANY OF THE FIXES TO THE PROBLEM WHICH CAN TOTAL IN COST $1200 - $1500. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY AN EMPLOYEE AT THE DEALERSHIP THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR MANY MODELS AROUND THE SAME YEAR. WHY HAS THIS SAFETY ISSUE NOT BEEN ADDRESSED? PLEASE HELP THOSE OF US WHO OWN THESE CARS HAVE THIS PROBLEM ADDRESSED SINCE MANY OF US CANNOT PASS STATE INSPECTIONS AND THIS IS UNSAFE. *TR
FAULTY COMPONENT: GASOLINE: DELIVERY: FUEL PUMP DEFECT SUMMARY: ON MY 2000 GTI GLX, THE FUEL PUMP NIPPLES THAT CONNECTS THE FUEL LINES ARE CRACKED, THIS TENSION ON THE FUEL SUPPLY LINES ARE CAUSING A SEVERE LEAK INSIDE MY CAR. BECAUSE OF THE SEVERE LEAKING FUEL, MY SAFETY HAS BEEN COMPROMISED DUE TO PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAUSED BY THE ELECTRICAL PLUGS OF THE FUEL PUMP, THIS MAY CAUSE AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND CAUSE A FIRE. *TR
ABS SYSTEM. THE WARNING LIGHTS COME ON AND OFF AT TIMES AND STAYS OFF FOR A WHILE. THE COMPUTER SCAN DEDUCED THAT ONE OF THE ABS SENSORS WAS FAULTY. THE SENSOR WAS REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM PERSIST. NOW COMPUTER SCAN DEDUCES THAT ABS MODULE IS FAULTY. THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME KIND OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT'S DISABLING THE ABS SYSTEM AND ASR (TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM)SYSTEM FROM THIS SPECIFIC MODEL. ALSO THE DOOR LOCKS AND ALARM SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY, IT NEVER HAS. THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR DON'T LOCK THE DOOR WHEN THE ALARM SYSTEM IS ACTIVATED. IN OTHER WORDS, ANYBODY CAN BREAK IN THE CAR WITHOUT ACTIVATING THE ALARM HTTP://FORUMS.VWVORTEX.COM/ZEROTHREAD?ID=1542461 PLEASE CHECK THE LINK FOR MORE DETAILED INFO. ALSO THE HAZARD SWITCH ON THIS CAR WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO AND THE PROBLEM PERSIST. THE HAZARD LIGHTS WILL ONLY WORK FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES. THERE SEEMS TO BE A SERIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT AFFECTS ALL THE DIFFERENT ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS IN THE VEHICLE, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WORK SOMETIMES, OTHER TIMES IT JUST WON'T. PEOPLE IN THE VOLKSWAGEN COMMUNITY REFERS TO THIS AS GREMLINS WHICH ONLY AFFECT THE EARLY PRODUCTION OF VOLKSWAGEN GTI/GOLF/JETTA BETWEEN 1999.5 TO 2002. THIS ELECTRICAL GLITCH IS A REAL PAIN IN BACK BECAUSE IT TRIGGERS MANY DIFFERENT PROBLEMS THAT AFFECT THE NORMAL OPERATION OF THIS VEHICLE. *TR
AFTER HAVING MY AIR BAG LIGHT COME ON DUE TO A FAILED DRIVER AIRBAG SWITCH UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT, & FIXING IT MYSELF, I FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF OTHER VW GOLF MKIV OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. ALSO, I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT IF THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON, THEN NONE OF THE AIR BAGS WILL WORK IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT!! NOW THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AGAIN - THIS TIME DUE TO THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SWITCH FAILING. *TR
WAS ON THE WAY HOME DRIVING DURING RAIN AND SNOW. TYPICAL MINNESOTA WINTER. IT WAS ROUGHLY 25-30 DEGREES OUTSIDE. I LOWERED WINDOW TO REMOVE RAIN AND SNOW BEFORE I STARTED DRIVING. WINDOW REGULATOR STOPPED WORKING AND THE WINDOW WOULD NOT COME BACK UP. I HAD TO DRIVE HOME WITH RAIN/SNOW POURING INTO MY CAR. AFTER THE 15 MINUTE DRIVE MY PASSENGER SIDE LEATHER SEATS WERE DESTROYED. THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE IN THESE PARTICULAR CARS. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. *TR
I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY RIGHT CV JOINTS, ON MY 2000 GTI, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S THE PROBLEM, BUT I HAVE REPLACED IT 4 TIMES AND IM ABOUT TO REPLACE IT AGAIN. I DON'T KNOW IF ITS THE PART OR IF ITS THE LABOR WHO PUT IT IN, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT AFTER I DO SOME WORK I WOULDN'T WANT TO REPLACE IT FOR FREE ONCE MUCH LESS 4 MORE TIMES. *TR
I HAVE OWNED THE 2000 GTI SINCE 10/2001. PURCHASED THE CAR WITH 13,000 MILES ON IT FROM THE ORGINAL OWNER. CURRENTLY THE CAR HAS 80,000 MILES. THE CAR HAS ONLY BEEN SERVICED BY THE DEALER IT WAS PURCHASED FROM CAMPBELL/NELSON 24329 HWY 99, EDMONDS WA, 98026. IN NOV. 2005 THE AIR BAG ICON APPEARED ON THE DASH. I TOOK IT IN AND AFTER DEALER DIAGNOSIS, A $101.28 CHARGE IT WAS RECOMMED DRIVER'S SIDE-AIRBAG WITH HARNESS BE REPLACED. CALLED VW AMERICA AND THEY COVERED REPLACEMENT. IN OCT. 2007 THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. THE SAME DIAGNOSIS WAS GIVEN BUT NEITHER THE DEALER OR VW AMERICA WOULD COVER. SINCE THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIRBAGS NEVER ACTIVATED THE RESPONSE OF COMPONENTS WEARING OUT MAKES NO SENSE. I KNOW OF NO OTHER CASES ON AIRBAG PROBLEMS WITH OTHER MODELS. EITHER THE DEALER FIX IN 2005 OR THE COMPONENT FROM VW HAS PROBLEM. THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE SYSTEM FOR $645.02 SEEMS UNREASONABLE FOR A SAFETY ITEM. *TR
I JUST PURCHASED A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN GTI GLS [XXX] FOR MY GRANDSON. WE RECEIVED TWO REMOTE ENTRY KEYS AND ONE PLAIN KEY. THE REMOTE KEY USED AT THE DEALER TO SHOW THE CAR WAS USED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE HOME. UPON ARRIVAL WE TRIED THE SECOND REMOTE ENTRY KEY. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. WE THEN TRIED THE PLAIN KEY AND STILL NOTHING. ACCORDING TO VICTORY MOTORS IN HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA THE CHIP IN ONE OF THE KEYS IS DEFECTIVE. NOW THE AUTOMATIC ANTI-THEFT FEATURE IS ON. THE VW GTI NOW SETS IN THE DRIVEWAY WAITING TO BE TOWED 7 MILES WHERE VICTORY MOTORS WILL HAVE TO RESET THE CHIP IN ALL THE KEYS AND DO SOMETHING TO THE VEHICLE. I HAVE FOUND STORIES ON THE INTERNET WITH OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD BE MADE TO CONTACT OWNER THAT THIS PROBLEM COULD ALSO HAPPEN TO THEM. *NM UPDATED 07/12/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH HAS FAILED TWICE IN APPROXIMATELY 18 MONTHS, SO VEHICLE WAS OPERATING WITHOUT BRAKE LIGHTS. *NM
EVERY MAJOR COMPONENT OF OUR AIRBAG SYSTEM HAS FAILED WITHIN A PERIOD OF SIX MONTHS. - IN 12/05 OUR AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE DEALER SAID THE PASSENGER AIRBAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED SO WE DID (VW PAID FOR THE PART AND WE SPLIT THE LABOR WITH THE DEALER FOR A TOTAL COST TO US OF APPROXIMATELY $250) - IN 04/06 OUR AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE DEALER SAID THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED SO WE DID (VW SAID WE'D USED UP OUR "GOOD WILL" AND DIDN'T COVER A THING BUT THE DEALER CUT INTO THEIR MARGINS TO GIVE US A BREAK SO THE TOTAL COST TO US WAS IN THE MID $800'S) - AND IN 06/06 OUR AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND THE DEALER SAID THE AIRBAG CONTROLLER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (WE'RE NOT SURE AT THIS POINT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO). *JB
ON MARCH 3, 2006, I WENT TO THE METRO VOLKSWAGEN TO HAVE MY INSPECTION AND AN OIL CHANGE DONE. THE SERVICE REP TOLD ME I HAD A SMALL HOLE IN MY OIL PAN, SO I AGREED TO REPLACE THE PAN. THE NEXT MORNING WHEN I STARTED MY CAR IT SHUT OFF THREE TIMES. SINCE THEN, MY CAR HAS SHUT OFF EVERY TIME I START IT. IF I PULL OFF BEFORE THE CAR COMPLETELY HEATS UP, THE CAR SHUTS OFF IN MID DRIVE. THIS CAUSES ME TO PULL OVER AND RESTART THE CAR AND HOLD MY FOOT ON THE GAS IN ORDER TO KEEP THE CAR FROM SHUTTING DOWN. I HAVE NOTICED WATER IN MY CAR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLOOR (BACK), BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS CONDENSATION CAUSED FROM THE PLASTIC MAT I KEEP UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE RUG. I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL AND TOOK THE CAR IN ON MAY 25, 2006 FOR A FUEL LINE, AND HAZARD SWITCH REPLACEMENT. AS OF FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 2006, I'VE SMELLED GASOLINE WHEN I TURNED MY CAR ON, AND THE RUG IN THE BACK (DRIVERS SIDE) WAS SOAKED WITH WATER. IT HAD NOT RAINED UNTIL 3:45 PM, AND I HAD NOT DRIVEN THE CALL ALL DAY EXCEPT FOR THAT MORNING. SATURDAY JUNE 3, 2006, I OPENED MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR TO DISCOVER A HUGE PUDDLE ON THE REAR FLOOR OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND THE FRONT RUG AND MAT SOAKED WITH BROWN WATER. IT WAS RAINING SLIGHTLY BUT THERE WAS NO LEAK COMING FROM THE WINDOWS, OR THE MOON ROOF, AND THE TOP OF THE CAR (INSIDE) WAS COMPLETELY DRY. I ALSO SMELLED GASOLINE AGAIN WHICH PROMPTED MY DECISION TO CALL VOLKSWAGEN. I WAS TOLD BY A SERVICE REP TO BRING THE CAR BACK IN ON JUNE 5 2006. *JB
CONSUMER 2000 GTI MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR FAILED TWICE AFTER REPAIRS. *TS ***NAR*** THE DRIVERS DOOR HANDLE WAS LOOSE. THE LEFT FRONT WINDOW REGULATOR WAS REPLACED. THE DOME LIGHT SWITCH WAS BROKEN. *JB
I PURCHASED A 2000 GOLF GTI/VR6 IN MAY OF 2005. A FEW WEEKS LATER WHILE DRIVING, MY SEAT (DRIVER'S) BROKE AWAY FOR NO APPEARANT REASON. *NM
ABS CONTROL MODULE FAILURE ON A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. *JB
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE RIGHT CONTROL ARM WHICH BROKE WHERE IT WAS ATTACHED TO THE BODY. OWNER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO STATED THAT OWNER TO CONTACT THE DEALER , AND WAIT TO SEE WHAT THERE RESPONSE WILL BE. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE HEARD A LOUD POP WHEN PULLING FROM A STOP LIGHT. THE CONSUMER PUT THE VEHICLE ON A LIFT AND NOTICED THE BODY AROUND THE RIGHT CONTROL ARM BUSHING HAD CRACKED. *TC
MY 2000 VW GTI 1.8T MANUAL TRANSMISSION'S CLUTCH KEEPS FAILING. I ADMIT I DROVE IT AGGRESSIVELY WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT IT... AFTER ALL, THAT'S HOW THEY ADVERTISE THE VEHICLE, AS A SPORTY, FAST CAR. WELL, I'VE REPLACED IT THREE TIMES (YES, I'M ON MY FOURTH CLUTCH IN FOUR YEARS!!!) AND EVEN THOUGH AFTER EACH REPAIR I'VE REDUCED THE AGGRESSIVENESS OF MY DRIVING TO THE POINT WHERE I'M PRACTICALLY A LITTLE OLD GRANNY NOW, THE DURN THING KEEPS WEARING OUT AFTER ABOUT A YEAR, AND I CAN FEEL MY CURRENT ONE GETTING MUSHY, SEEMING TO SLIP, LIKE IT'S ABOUT TO GO OUT AGAIN. ONE INCIDENT IT HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY, AND I WAS LUCKY I WASN'T KILLED. BECAUSE I HAD TO COAST TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY, I FELT I NEEDED TO BE AS FAR TO THE RIGHT IN THE 'VEHICLE BREAKDOWN LANE' AS I COULD. WELL, THERE WAS A LARGE CHUNK OF METAL, A LARGE WATER SPIGOT OR SOMETHING, LYING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EMERGENCY LANE AND, SINCE I COULDN'T VERY WELL SWERVE BACK INTO THE TRAFFIC SPEEDING NEXT TO ME AT WELL OVER TWICE MY OWN VELOCITY, I ENDED UP HITTING IT AND TEARING UP MY TRANSMISSION CASING (THE 'CRASH' I INDICATED). THIS IS GETTING RIDICULOUS. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED FOLLOWED BY NON ACCELERATION, THEN STALLING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO KEPT IT FOR SIX WEEKS. SEVERAL ENGINE COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWO WEEKS LATER. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED.*AK
MY DAUGHTERS 2000 VOLKSWAGEN GTI WAS PARKED AT 11:00P.M. FOUR HOURS LATER ( 3:00 A.M ), THE CAR JUMPED OUT OF GEAR AND ROLLED 30 - 40 FEET AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED CAR. SHE HAD LEFT THE CAR IN GEAR WITH THE BRAKE ON. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS TYPE INCIDENT HAS OCCURRED WITH THIS VEHICLE. WE REPORTED IT TO VW CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY SAID THEY DO NOT HAVE AN ACTIVE CAMPAIGN ON INVOLVING THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. THEY SAID I COULD TAKE IT TO A VW DEALER AT MY EXPENSE TO DIAGNOSE IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THIS IS A RIDICULOUS SOLUTION. *JB
YESTERDAY, WHEN I WENT TO RAISE THE (ELECTRIC) WINDOW ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF MY 2000 VOLKSWAGEN GTI, THE WINDOW FELL DOWN INSIDE THE DOOR! FORTUNATELY, I WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND THE CAR WASN'T MOVING. I HATE TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD BEEN ON THE EXPRESSWAY. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I DISCOVERED THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY VW OWNER WHO HAS EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT VOLKSWAGEN HAS REDESIGNED THE WINDOW MECHANISM ON SUBSEQUENT MODELS. (MY PASSENGER-SIDE WINDOW HAS BEEN STUCK CLOSED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.)LAST YEAR, VOLKSWAGEN OFFERED A SEVEN-YEAR-FROM-PURCHASE EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDOWS ON MY CAR. THEY DID NOT SPECIFY WHAT THE PROBLEMS WERE. I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE! PLEASE INVESTIVATE.*AK
POP-OUT CUP HOLDER BROKE TWICE. REPLACED ONCE, I HAVN'T BOTHERED TO REPLACE IT A SECOND TIME. THE SPRING POPS OUT OF THE ARM THAT HOLDS THE CUP IN PLACE. I USE THE CUP HOLDER EVERY DAY, AS MOST COMMUTERS DO.
GLOVE BOX DOOR HINGE BROKE. REPLACED TWICE. I REPLACED THE DOOR MYSELF THE SECOND TIME AND FOUND THAT LUBRICATING THE HYDRALIC MECHANISM REDUCED THE STRESS ON THE HINGE.
MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR FAILED AND WAS REPLACED.
MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR FAILED PREMATURELY. DEALER REFUSES TO COVER PART UNDER EMISSIONS WARRANTY. WHEN MAF SENSOR FAILS, DAMAGE IS CAUSED TO CATALYTIC CONVERTER CAUSING PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE CONVERTER, DECREASE IN FUEL ECONOMY AND DECREASED ENGINE PERFORMANCE. TS
THIS IS A ONGOING PROBLEM WITH VOLKSWAGEN POWER WINDOWS. A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED FOR ALL CARS WITH PLASTIC POWER WINDOW REGULATOR CLIPS. THEY ARE NOT ADEQUATE TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE WINDOW, LET ALONE RAISE AND LOWER IT.*AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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