2005 Volkswagen GTI Owner Complaints

problem unknown, but I was driving at 40mph in 4th gear when my rpm’s dropped to zero and my battery light came on and I had a total loss of power and was unable to accelerate, when I pulled over and stepped on the gas pedal it did not rev and rpm’s stayed at zero. This was very dangerous. This happened again a couple weeks later driving in second gear when the same thing happened. The only thing I could do was pull over and restart my car and everything seemed functional again after restarting. I took it to an auto shop where they said it was my throttle body and cleaned it out but a week later while sitting in my car with the radio and air conditioning on my car does the same thing where the rpm’s drop to zero and battery light comes on, engine is still running, ac stops blowing cold, radio flashes off and back on and unable to apply gas as it would do nothing. I had to restart the car to regain function. The last time this happened I was stopped at a red light and again the Rpm’s drop to zero and battery light comes but the engine is still running, I have to quickly restart the car again as it seems the only way to reset it. This is just ridiculous and absolutely dangerous, how can a car just suddenly decide to lose all power to the gas pedal. If I was on the freeway or traffic I could cause a huge accident because of this issue. This needs to be fixed asap.

NHTSA ID

11486454

Incident

Aug 26, 2022

HOOD LATCH DOESN'T LINE UP AND SUBSEQUENTLY HOOD LATCH FAILED AT 40 M.P.H. HOOD THEN IMMEDIATELY FLEW UP, HITTING FRONT WINDOW, CRACKING IT AND BLOCKING VISION. HOOD WAS DESTROYED, ALMOST CRASHED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, AND IT COMPLETELY KNOCKED SUNROOF OFF OF IT'S TRACKS. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE HOOD LATCHES ARE DEFECTIVE FROM FACTORY.

NHTSA ID

11024709

Incident

Sep 12, 2017

Mileage

120,000 mi

I HAVE A SIGNIFICANT WATER LEAK IN PASSENGER SIDE OF HATCHBACK INTERIOR, PRESUMABLY RELATED TO REAR SUNROOF DRAIN RECALL. DID NOT RECEIVE ANY RECALL NOTICE FROM VW IN REGARDS TO THE SUNROOF DRAIN COMPLAINTS, AND JUST DISCOVERED THE "WATER INGRESS SETTLEMENT VIN LOOKUP." MY VIN WAS INCLUDED, YET THE RECALL DATE PASSED ON 12/31/2011. I AM UNSATISFIED THAT GIVEN THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE LEAK, AND RESULTING DAMAGE TO THE INTERIOR OF MY VEHICLE, VW DID NOT CONTACT ME FOR INSPECTION/REPAIRS. ACCORDING TO VW, MY VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS NO OPEN RECALLS. HOWEVER, THIS WATER LEAK RENDERS MY VEHICLE UNUSABLE DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, FOGGING UP EVERY WINDOW SURFACE TO THE POINT MY VIEW IS COMPLETELY OBSTRUCTED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10472556

Incident

May 18, 2012

Mileage

90,000 mi

THE HYDRAULICALLY ASSISTED STEERING RACK ON MY CAR BLEW ITS SEAL(S) AFTER 3 YEARS AND 14K MILES. THIS IS THE SECOND RACK TO FAIL ON MY CAR IN 38K MILES. THE ORIGINAL WAS REPLACED UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY AT 23K MILES, THE SECOND FAILURE IS BEING DENIED A CLAIM DUE TO OUT OF WARRANTY STATUS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10383120

Incident

Feb 5, 2011

MY CARS ELECTRONICS WOULD SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING, A FEW TIMES THE CAR COMPLETELY STALLED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE ALTERNATOR THE VOLKSWAGEN PUTS ON THE AUTOMATIC GTIS ARE TOO SMALL TO POWER EVERYTHING IN THE CAR. THEY PUT A 90AMP ON THE CAR, WHEN IT NEEDS SOMETHING BIGGER, AUTO PART STORES SELL A 120 AMP. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE VW DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT IT FROM, AND THE GUY THAT SOLD ME THE CAR TOLD ME "THERE IS NO ONE HERE THAT CARES ABOUT YOUR PROBLEM" SO I WENT HOME AND CALLED VW NATIONAL OFFICE, THEY TOOK ALL MY INFORMATION AND SAID THEY WOULD LOOK INTO IT. DURING THE TIME THEY WERE LOOKING INTO THE PROBLEM MY BATTERY WOULDN'T STAYED CHARGED, SO I BOUGHT THE 120 AMP ALTERNATOR AND A NEW BATTERY AND JUST REPLACED THEM MYSELF. I AGREE WITH THE OTHER PERSON THAT COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS, ONLY HAPPENS WHEN IT GETS REALLY HOTT OUTSIDE AND YOU HAVE TO RUN YOUR AC AT A HIGHER SPEED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10351722

Incident

Jul 10, 2010

Mileage

50,000 mi

MY CLUTCH FAILED PREMATURELY BECAUSE OF A DEFECTIVE DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL. VW MAINTAINS THAT CLUTCH FAILED AS A RESULT OF POOR DRIVING SKILLS. DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL IN THIS VEHICLE COLLECTS TOO MUCH OIL AND SILICONE DUE TO POOR PRODUCT DESIGN. THIS BUILDUP CAUSES THE CLUTCH TO OVERHEAT AND PREMATURELY WEAR. VW REFUSES TO REPLACE FLYWHEEL AND CLUTCH, WHICH THEY STATE IS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. THE FLYWHEEL SHOULD BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE OF ITS FAULTY DESIGN, AND THE CLUTCH SHOULD BE REPLACED AS A RESULT OF THE POORLY MADE FLYWHEEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10262657

Incident

Mar 13, 2009

Mileage

30,500 mi

ON 11/6/07 I HAD TO BRING MY 2005 VW GTI TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP FOR REPAIRS. MY CAR IS STILL NOT REPAIRED BECAUSE VOLKSWAGEN HAS NOT PROVIDED THE PARTS NEEDED. A HEADLINED AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT COVER AND AIR BAG. CAN YOU HELP ME? *TR

NHTSA ID

10224331

Incident

Nov 5, 2007

I BOUGHT A NEW VOLKSWAGEN GTI IN '02. EVERY SIX DAYS WHEN THE TEMPERATURE WENT OVER 85 DEGREES, THE CAR DIED AND LEFT ME STRANDED. THIS ALSO HAPPENED IN MOVING TRAFFIC, AND I LOST THROTTLE, STEERING, TRANSMISSION, AND BRAKING ABILITY. VW REPLACED THE CAR TWO MONTHS LATER. THE SAME PROBLEMS OCCURRED. EVERY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN THE CAR THEN BEGAN TO FAIL. AFTER TWO MONTHS OF RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS, SINCE I AM A RETIRED FEDERAL ENGINEER, I NOTICED THAT THE FACTORY WAS PUTTING 90 AMP ALTERNATORS IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CARS, AND WHEN IT GOT HOT, AND THE COOLING FANS CAME ON, THE ALTERNATOR COULD NOT SUPPLY ENOUGH POWER TO THE BATTERY, WHICH DISCHARGED OVER A 5 OR 6 DAY INTERVAL, THEN STRANDED PEOPLE. I REPORTED THIS TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA. THEY THANKED ME FOR SOLVING A PROBLEM THEIR ENGINEERS HAD BEEN UNABLE TO FIX. I WAS HORRIFIED, WHEN I GOT A 2005 GTI, TO AGAIN FIND MYSELF STRANDED ON THE ROAD, HELPLESS, WHEN IT GOT HOT. SURE ENOUGH, THERE WAS A 90 AMP ALTERNATOR IN THAT CAR, NOT THE REQUIRED 120 AMP. THIS WAS 3 YEARS AFTER THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THEY HAD A PROBLEM. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT THIS WAS NOT A FACTORY ERROR, BUT A DELIBERATE DECISION BY VW TO SAVE MONEY BY USING THE CHEAPER ALTERNATOR. THEY HAVE STRANDED TOTALLY DISABLED PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF, AND FAMILIES, FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS, TO SAVE A FEW DOLLARS. I WAS TOLD BY VW THAT WHEN THE OWNER GETS STRANDED, THE CORRECT ALTERNATOR IS THEN PUT IN THE VEHICLE. BY THEN, THE ELECTRONICS HAVE BEEN FRIED, AS HAS HAPPENED WITH MY NEW CAR. I ASK THE GOVERNMENT TO STEP IN, AND ORDER VW TO RECALL ALL 2002-2005 VW GTIS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, AND TO REPLACE MY VEHICLE, WHICH HAS FAILED 4 TIMES SO FAR, WITH A VEHICLE WITH THE PROPER ALTERNATOR IN IT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10158302

Incident

Jun 6, 2005

Mileage

2,000 mi