RoadVitals

2016 Volkswagen GTI Powertrain (other) Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Powertrain (other) reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Apr 14, 2021
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
12%
of 66 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2016 Volkswagen GTI submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming powertrain

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Apr 14, 2021

FAILURE OF THERMOSTAT HOUSING CAUSING COOLANT LEAK AND WATER PUMP FAILURE.

NHTSA ID
11408156
Incident
Apr 14, 2021
Powertrain (other)
Filed Feb 4, 2021

CLUTCH MASTER AND SLAVE CYLINDER FAILED AT 34,700 MILES. BECAUSE HYDRAULIC FLUID CONTAMINATED CLUTCH PLATE AND FLYWHEEL THOSE WERE ALSO REPLACED. FAILURE OCCURRED AT LOW SPEEDS ON A COMMERCIAL STREET. SYMPTOMS: CLUTCH PEDAL DROPPED TO THE FLOOR AND WOULD NOT COME BACK UP. HYDRAULIC FLUID LEAKED OUT FROM UNDER THE CAR

NHTSA ID
11394604
Incident
Jan 9, 2021
Mileage
34,700 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jan 5, 2021

MY THERMOSTAT HAD A COOLANT LEAK AT 37K, AND THIS WAS DIAGNOSED AT THE VW DEALERSHIP IN 12/20. MY VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, AND HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED AT THE VW DEALERSHIP. UPON DOING SOME RESEARCH, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS ISSUE IS QUITE COMMON ON 2015-2018 VW GTIS (AND IT LOOKS LIKE IN ADDITION TO THE THERMOSTAT, THE WATER PUMP IS OFTEN PRONE TO LEAKAGE) AND THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED ON VW FORUMS HERE: HTTPS://WWW.REDDIT.COM/R/GOLFGTI/COMMENTS/DRNA5M/MK775_THERMOSTAT_HOUSING_ISSUE_AND_COOLANT_LOSS AND HERE: HTTPS://WWW.GOLFMK7.COM/FORUMS/INDEX.PHP?THREADS/FAILED-THERMOSTAT-HOUSING-COOLANT-LOSS-INFO-GATHERING.368847 THE THERMOSTAT SHOULD NOT BE LEAKING SO EARLY IN THE LIFE OF A VEHICLE. THIS LEAK CAN LEAD TO A LOSS OF COOLANT, WHICH IN TURN CAN DAMAGE OR DESTROY THE ENGINE. I CONTACTED VW OF AMERICA, AND THEY DECLINED TO COVER IT, AS THE VEHICLE WAS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS POTENTIALLY A DEFECTIVE PART THAT CAN LEAD TO THE VEHICLE NOT WORKING, AND I WOULD HOPE THAT A RECALL WOULD HELP OTHER OWNERS PROTECT THEIR VEHICLES.

NHTSA ID
11386719
Incident
Dec 29, 2020
Mileage
37,000 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 5, 2021

ENGINE THERMOSTAT AND PUMP FAILURE WITH GRADUAL COOLANT LEAK. COOLANT REQUIRED REFILLING MULTIPLE TIMES WITHIN 45,000 MILES, SOMETIMES COOLANT GETTING DANGEROUSLY LOW WITHOUT WARNING UNTIL CAR IS ON INTERSTATE. THERMOSTAT/PUMP HAS ALSO BEGUN OVERCOOLING ENGINE, NOT ALLOWING IT TO GET UP TO OPERATING TEMP WHEN ON INTERSTATE AND SHUTTING OUT USAGE OF CRUISE CONTROL. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED ISSUE WITH MK7 GTI.

NHTSA ID
11386619
Incident
Jan 4, 2021
Mileage
47,000 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Nov 22, 2020

WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AFTER UNKNOWN CAUSE.

NHTSA ID
11375835
Incident
Nov 20, 2020
Mileage
53,000 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed May 2, 2019

WATERPUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 49,000 MILES WAS LEAKING COOLANT. THIS IS A WIDESPREAD ISSUE WITH THE EA888 ENGINE AND NEEDS EITHER A RECALL OR WARRANTIES EXTENDED.

NHTSA ID
11205181
Incident
Apr 5, 2019
Mileage
49,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Dec 10, 2018

SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING, AT ANY SPEED, A WARNING IS DISPLAYED ON THE DASHBOARD TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK. VW HAS IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AND REPLACED MY SHIFTER ASSEMBLY BUT THE ISSUE PERSISTS.

NHTSA ID
11160613
Incident
Dec 1, 2018
Mileage
60,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jul 19, 2016

IN VERY HOT WEATHER (OVER 110 F) THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. IT STAYS IN LOW GEARS AND REV'S THE ENGINE FAR TOO MUCH. AT COOLER TEMPS IT DRIVES FINE. TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER IN JULY 2016 AND WAS TOLD IT WAS FINE.

NHTSA ID
10885865
Incident
Jul 6, 2016
Mileage
8,000 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .