2011 Volkswagen GTI

Routine

Owners filed 55 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine. It has been recalled 2 times.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k
54,000 milesMedian miles at failure

46 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 40,00050,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine19
000
Power Train12
000
Electrical System7
010
Unknown or Other4
000
Steering2
000
Air Bags2
000
Visibility/Wiper1
000
Structure › Body1
000
Service Brakes1
000
Seat Belts1
000

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Unknown or Other18V329000
Filed May 16, 2018252 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.

Risk. If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.

Remedy. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.

Air Bags › Frontal15V483000
Filed Aug 4, 2015415,825 vehiclesVolkswagen Group Of America, Inc.

Defect. Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan, and 2012-2014 Jetta Sportwagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, debris may contaminate the air bag clock spring, a spiral wound, flat cable that keeps the air bag powered while the steering wheel is being turned. This contamination may tear the cable and result in a loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag.

Risk. A loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag will prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a vehicle crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy. Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. If the airbag light is on and the steering wheel clock spring requires replacement, dealers will install a new steering wheel clock spring. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Aug 21, 2026CA

See attached document for complaint

Electrical System
Filed Aug 10, 202255,000 milesFL

The contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen GTI. The contact stated that he lost the function of the steering wheel, horn, controls, and air bag. The air bag warning indicator light was illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and it was diagnosed that the clock spring needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the parts required were on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no additional assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 15, 2022CA

My horn had stopped working and I brought it to the dealership to get it diagnosed. They identified it as a clockspring issue, and with the knowledge that VW has an active recall for the clockspring, I was hoping that I could get the clockspring replaced under the warranty. However, VW of America refuses to replace the clockspring under the warranty as my airbag light isn't on. I am frustrated because my horn issue is clearly due to the clockspring, and now I do not have a working horn and have to pay out of pocket to fix it. Also, there are no available parts for the clockspring, so even if I wanted to fix it I have to wait for months.

Power Train › Driveline › Chain/Belt
Filed May 24, 2022108,000 milesLA

The contact owns a 2011 Volkswagen GTI. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the timing chain needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 108,000.

Electrical SystemFire
Filed Mar 20, 2022TN

I bought the car and a couple days later the dash started lighting up with a bunch of codes about exterior lights so we checked them all fine I went to the auto part store and they said that the vehichle I have has a known issue with the fuses burning so we pull the fuse and sure enough it melted and we replaced fuse drove a week longer and the fuse box caught fire so I took and had a new fuse box installed and it again is burning fuses. Flashing all kinds of code error lights on dash and the sunroof opens and closes by its self . I looked at other VIN OF SAME CAR SAME YEARS and they are recalled for this problem but my VIN is not for some reason

Electrical System
Filed Jan 24, 2022FL

The horn works on some trips and not on others. I've brought it to the dealership near me and been told that it needs to be broken for them to be able to diagnose it. I hear a clicking sound from the steering wheel when i've needed to press the horn and it doesn't work. However, even if your horn doesn't work on the last trip you had, it sounds fine when you click the key fob lock button. No lights come on anywhere to notify me that horn won't work today, only remembering to try it out in the driveway when I go out

Air Bags
Filed Jan 24, 2022FL

There are many cases of clock spring failure in my model as well as many others. The problem here is that this failure has caused my to lose the use of all my steering wheel controls, horn and airbag and shifters. VW has obliged about the problem and is willing to repair it under warranty. The problem is, is that there are no parts available for the repair. I have no choice but to drive a car with many safety issues. Someone needs to look into allowing aftermarket parts to be used by dealer or expedite the manufacturer. This is putting many people in danger on the road, I am sure it's not only me. Thank You

Air Bags
Filed Nov 5, 2020126,832 milesAZ

PUT MY KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND RECIEVED, "ERROR: AIRBAG" NOW MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND I DIDNT DO ANYTHING TO MY ELECTRICAL OR AIRBAG SYSTEM.

Unknown or Other
Filed Oct 6, 2019103,000 milesFL

WHEN THE KEY HAS BEEN INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION CYLINDER, THE KEY WILL NOT TURN ALL THE WAY TO TURN ON THE VEHICLE. IT WILL STOP IN THE ACCESSORY SETTING AND NOT GO FURTHER. THE KEY CAN BE TAKEN OUT AGAIN BUT SAME ISSUE CONTINUES IF YOU TRY AGAIN. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON MY VEHICLE IS FULLY ENGAGED IN PARK AND THE STEERING WHEEL IS NOT LOCKED. THE CAR WILL NOT TURN ON AND WILL FORCE ME TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER THAT SEEMS TO BE DAMAGED. ALL ACCESSORIES POWER ON JUST FINE WHEN THE ACCESSORY SETTING IS ENGAGED SO THAT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THE IGNITION SWITCH IS FINE BUT THE CYLINDER IS DAMAGED. REPLACEMENT OF THIS PART REQUIRES THE REMOVAL OF THE STEERING WHEEL, AIRBAG, STEERING COLUMN ARMS AND OTHER ELECTRONICS SO I AM TAKING IT TO A MECHANIC IN FEAR THAT THIS IS TOO ADVANCED A PROJECT FOR HOME REPAIR. THIS ISSUE WAS FIRST DOCUMENTED ON OCTOBER 5TH 2019 AND HAS NEVER GIVEN ANY ISSUES IN THE PAST.

Steering
Filed Jul 26, 2019IL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE FOR THE STEERING LOCK COLUMN FLASHED. PUGI VOLKSWAGEN (2020 OGDEN AVE, DOWNERS GROVE, IL 60515, (630) 964-9500) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND CLEARED THE CODE, BUT DID NOT PROVIDE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER DID NOT VERIFY IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Engine
Filed Jun 5, 201999,980 milesKS

TIMING CHAIN OR TENSIONER FAILS WITHOUT WARNING LEAVING MOTORIST IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION ESPECIALLY IF DRIVING IN METROPOLITAN TRAFFIC

Power Train
Filed Jun 4, 201967,000 milesPA

CAR HAS 67000 MILES, DRIVING HOME ON A ~300 MILE TRIP, RECEIVED A WARNING THAT OIL WAS LOW. DROVE 8-10 MILES TO THE CLOSEST GAS STATION TO CHECK. OIL WAS LEAKING RAPIDLY. PUT IN MORE TO GET TO MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED REAR MAIN WAS LEAKING, WAS UNWILLING TO DO REPAIRS. DROVE TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WILLING TO DO REPAIRS, WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE REAR MAIN SEAL/PCV VALVE HAD FAILED. THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN AND COMMON ISSUE IN 2.0 TSI ENGINES ACROSS VW AND AUDI.

Electrical System
Filed Nov 16, 201856,600 milesCA

ONGOING ENGINE MISFIRE ISSUES. AFTER 3 VISITS TO DEALERSHIP AND REPLACEMENT OF COILS, FUSES, RELAYS, ETC, ROOT CAUSE DETERMINED TO BE A SHORT BETWEEN THE AFTER RUN COOLANT PUMP WHICH CAUSES A VOLTAGE DRAW AND CONFUSES THE ECM. AFTER TALKING WITH VW TECHNICIAN, I LEARNED THAT THIS SAME EXACT PART ON AUDI VEHICLES IS UNDER A SAFETY RECALL FOR THE SHORTING ISSUE THAT MY PUMP IS HAVING BECAUSE THE SHORT CAN CAUSE FIRES. HOWEVER, THE VW PART IS NOT UNDER RECALL. MY FAMILY COULD HAVE BEEN PUT IN GRAVE DANGER BECAUSE THIS PART IS IN MY CAR AND HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. IN ADDITION, EVEN THOUGH THE PART HAS FAILED, VW WILL NOT COMPENSATE ME FOR THE REPAIR, SO I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY $500 OUT OF POCKET TO FIX A SAFETY HAZARD IN MY VEHICLE. FOR REFERENCE, AUDI RECALL NUMBER IS 18V229000.

Electrical System
Filed Sep 12, 201863,100 milesPA

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT I HAD SEVERAL LIGHTS QUIT WORKING SIMULTANEOUSLY. A BULB WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH AND MESSAGES FOR RIGHT FRONT LOW BEAM, RIGHT FRONT TURN SIGNAL, LEFT REAR TURN SIGNAL,LEFT REAR BRAKE, RIGHT FRONT HIGH BEAM, RIGHT FRONT FOG LIGHT, LEFT FRONT SIDE, RIGHT REAR SIDE, AND LICENSE PLATE BULBS ALL APPEARED IN THE INFORMATION SCREEN. I CHECKED OUTSIDE THE CAR AND ALL OF THE LIGHTS THAT I GOT MESSAGES ABOUT WERE INOPERATIVE. AS THERE WAS NO CHANCE THAT ALL OF THESE BULBS FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY, I DID SOME RESEARCH TO DETERMINE WHAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THIS. NUMEROUS INTERNET SEARCHES FOR THESE SYMPTOMS SEEMED TO INDICATE THAT A FUSE IN THE UNDER HOOD FUSE PANEL COULD BE TO BLAME FOR THIS. I CHECKED THE F16 FUSE AND FOUND IT BURNED ON ONE SIDE OF THE FUSE. THE FUSE PANEL WAS ALSO SLIGHTLY MELTED WHERE THIS HALF OF THE FUSE WAS INSERTED. PICTURES ARE ATTACHED. MY LOCAL VW DEALER SAID THE FUSE PANEL WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. UPON DOING SOME RESEARCH, THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL ON THE 09-11 TIGUAN (CODE: 97Z9) AND A SERVICE ACTION ON THE 09-10 JETTA AND 09 GTI (CODE: 97AM) FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE I AM EXPERIENCING. BOTH THE DEALER AND VW USA SAY THAT I AM 100% RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST BECAUSE MY MODEL AND VIN AREN'T COVERED UNDER ANY CAMPAIGNS.

Structure › Body
Filed Sep 2, 201852,000 milesIL

HEADLINER FALLING DOWN, CUT TO SHORT, GLUE FAILING, SHRANK. WHITISH POWDER COMING FROM OPENING.

Engine
Filed May 26, 2018128,200 milesCA

MY 2011 GTI HAS HAD CONSTANT ISSUES SINCE JUST AFTER WARRATNY ENDING. SINCE PURCHASING A NEW 2011 GTI I HAVE HAD A WATER PUMP CHANGED TWICE, INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED FOUR TIMES , IGNITION COILS AND DECARB SERVICE TWICE IN LESS THAN 130K MILES IS CAUSE FOR CONCERN AND SHOWS A LACK OF RELIABILITY OF PARTS AND/OR WORKMANSHIP. DURING SERVICES AT 50005 MIL - FOUND CODE FAULTS RELATING TO MANIFOLD. TECHNICIAN RESET CODES. 57711 MIL - MISFIRES OCCURRED AND RETURNED TO SERVICE. FOUND ISSUES WITH FAULTY MANIFOLD. THIS WAS 4MONTHS AFTER PREVIOUS SERVICE. MANIFOLD REPLACED. 69119 MIL - MULTIPLE FAULTS FOUND. MISFIRES. MANIFOLD REPLACED, FAULTS STILL PRESENT. FOUND INTERNAL AIR LEEK. REPLACED OIL SEPARATOR. 83991 MIL - MISFIRES ON ALL CYLINDERS. LEAK IN INTAKE MANIFOLD. REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD. REPLACED FAULTY FUEL PUMP. DECARB RECOMMENDED AND SERVICED. 102300 MIL - MULTIPLE MISFIRES. INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK. REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD, WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A LARGE CARBON BUILD AND NEED TO DECARB. REPLACED ALL FOUR INGNITTION COILS. 119406 MIL - MULTIPLE MISFIRES. REPLACED ALL FOUR IGNITION COILS. WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED A DECARB..AGAIN. 128700 MIL - MULTIPLE MISFIRES, MANIFOLD FAULTY, TOLD TO REPLACE MANIFOLD, CAMSHAFT TIMING ISSUES. HAS JUMPED TOOTH. THESE ARE ALL REPEATED AND KNOWN ISSUES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN RECTIFIED AND HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO CURRENT ISSUES AND MANY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIRS. ALSO HAD THE SERPENTINE BELT REPLACED AT 110000 MILES AS IT CAME SHREDDED ENTERING

Engine
Filed May 18, 2018100,000 milesCA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST POWER. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HANLEES HILLTOP VOLKSWAGEN (3255 AUTO PLAZA, RICHMOND, CA 94806, (510) 283-6300) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

Electrical System
Filed Apr 25, 2018100,000 milesFL

'TAKATA RECALL' ON THE HORN, IT STOPPED WORKING, CHECKED THE HORN, AND FUSES AND WASNT THAT. 'TAKATA RECALL' ON THE FRONT LIGHTS, CHECKED THE BULBS AND IT WASNT THAT, MOST LIKELY IS THE WIRING

Electrical System
Filed Mar 23, 201848,200 milesTX

THE FUSE BOX MELTED. THIS WAS CAUSED BY A TERMINAL OR A FUSE OVER HEATING. THIS CAUSED AN OUTAGE FOR ALL THE RIGHT-SIDE LAMPS OF THE VEHICLE AND SOME LAMPS ON THE LEFT-SIDE. THE LAMP ERROR WAS REPORTED BY THE VEHICLES MULTIFUNCTION DISPLAY. THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE IN THE MORNING AND EXPERIENCED THIS FAILURE AFTER STARTING UP THE VEHICLE AT NOON. I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE OVER AND OVER TRYING TO CLEAR THE ERROR. THE BULBS IN QUESTION APPEARED TO BE FINE. I DROVE THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT OVER TO THE VW DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE. LATER, THE DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED THE FUSE BOX HAD MELTED AFTER I RESEARCHED AND DISCOVERED SIMILAR OCCURRENCES WITH OTHER VW MODELS. THE COST OF REPAIR WAS $377.

Engine
Filed Jan 23, 2018130,000 milesIL

I PURCHASED MY CAR NEW AND ALWAYS HAD THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT AT DO THE SERVICE WORK. AT THE 100000 MILE SERVICE INTERVAL I ASKED WHAT I HAD TO DO WITH THE TIMING CHAIN AND WAS ASSURED THAT NOTHING NEEDED TO BE LOOKED AT OR REPLACED. AT APPROXIMATELY 130000 MILES I WAS TRAVELING ON I-88 AT SPEED WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I LOST ALL POWER AND HAD TO COAST THRU 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC TO MAKE IT TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER. I LET THE CAR COOL DOWN AND WHEN I WAS ABLE TO GET IT STARTED 30 MINUTES LATER I NURSED IT HOME. THE NEXT DAY I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER WHERE I HAD ALL MY SERVICE WORK DONE AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD JUMPED, MOST LIKELY THE TIMING CHAIN ADJUSTER HAD FAILED, AND IT WOULD COST BETWEEN $7000 AND $10000 TO REPAIR. THIS TOOK PLACE ON SEP 20 2016. THE CAR IS STILL SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY SINCE I HAVE BEEN IN AND OUT OF WORK FOR THE LAST YEAR AND HAD TO MOVE IN THE MEANTIME.

20 of 55 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2019
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20250100Routine
202428200Routine
20236500Routine
202228600Routine
20214100Routine
20208300Routine
2019179400Routine
201817302Do not drive
201752200Routine
201666400Routine
201597610Routine
201410110Routine
201334211Fatalities reported
201240210Routine
2011 — this page55210Routine
201053100Routine
2009167220Routine
200867100Routine
200777101Fatalities reported
200643230Routine
20058100Routine
20047100Routine
200353111Fatalities reported
2002124200Routine
200174230Routine
200045310Routine
19998200Routine
199810000Routine
199710010Routine
19969110Routine
199518200Routine
19940200Routine
19930200Routine
19920100Routine
19911100Routine
19900200Routine

Compare every GTI year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: May 16, 2018. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.