IllustrationFAILED ABS MODULE WHICH MAKES SPEEDOMETER, ABS, TRACTION CONTROL NOT WORK INTERMITTENTLY.
2009 Volkswagen Gti
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Gti years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
200–25K
1425–50K
4550–75K
3575–100K
37100–150K
2150K+
153 reports with mileage · 14 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes. Review the 94 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 69 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports2 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
167 reportsWAS TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE AROUND A CURVE DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES PRETTY HARD ON THAT CURVE. THE ABS ACTIVATED VERY SHORTLY AND THEN WAS FOLLOWED BY THE ABS LIGHT AND TRACTION AND BRAKE LIGHT COMING ON WITH AN AUDIBLE CHIME AND THE TIRES THEN LOCKED UP, WHICH THEN CAUSED THE CAR TO START TO SPIN…
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WAS TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE AROUND A CURVE DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES PRETTY HARD ON THAT CURVE. THE ABS ACTIVATED VERY SHORTLY AND THEN WAS FOLLOWED BY THE ABS LIGHT AND TRACTION AND BRAKE LIGHT COMING ON WITH AN AUDIBLE CHIME AND THE TIRES THEN LOCKED UP, WHICH THEN CAUSED THE CAR TO START TO SPIN SIDEWAYS. LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO CORRECT IT BEFORE DISASTER. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON MANY OCCASIONS, BASICALLY WHENEVER THE ABS IS ENGAGED, THE SYSTEM IS DISABLED RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF NEEDING IT, VERY DANGEROUS. I DO NOT HAVE THE $1,000+ TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.
PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING DUE TO A KNOWN DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER WHICH VW HAS SENT A TSB ABOUT BUT REFUSES TO DO A RECALL TO REPLACE. INSTEAD THEY EXPECT CUSTOMERS TO PAY $1500 TO HAVE THE NEWLY UPDATED TENSIONER INSTALLED. ENGINES ARE FAILING BOTH UNDER AND JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AN…
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PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING DUE TO A KNOWN DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER WHICH VW HAS SENT A TSB ABOUT BUT REFUSES TO DO A RECALL TO REPLACE. INSTEAD THEY EXPECT CUSTOMERS TO PAY $1500 TO HAVE THE NEWLY UPDATED TENSIONER INSTALLED. ENGINES ARE FAILING BOTH UNDER AND JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AND CONTROL OF THE ENGINE WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE ABILITY TO STEER AND MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE STOP IN TRAFFIC.
FIRST OCCURRENCE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ON DASH MOMENTARILY WHILE ON FREEWAY. SECOND OCCURRENCE, CITY DRIVING, ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, STEERING DASH LIGHTS, DASH DISPLAY "ENGINE FAULTY WORKSHOP" ALONG WITH BEEPING SOUND, SPEEDO WILDLY FLUCTUATING WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT AT CONSTANT SPEED AROUND 40 MPH, THEN A COUPLE OF S…
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FIRST OCCURRENCE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ON DASH MOMENTARILY WHILE ON FREEWAY. SECOND OCCURRENCE, CITY DRIVING, ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, STEERING DASH LIGHTS, DASH DISPLAY "ENGINE FAULTY WORKSHOP" ALONG WITH BEEPING SOUND, SPEEDO WILDLY FLUCTUATING WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT AT CONSTANT SPEED AROUND 40 MPH, THEN A COUPLE OF SECONDS LATER THE LIGHTS GO OUT AND EVERYTHING APPEARS NORMAL. READING FORUMS OF SIMILAR ISSUES INDICATED AN EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT OF THE ABS MODULE. CAR HAS APPROX 106K MILES.
ABS CONTROL MODULE IS WELL KNOWN TO GO OUT, VERY DANGEROUS AND EXPENSIVE FIX FOR LOW MILES, NOT ABLE TO SEE SPEED, NO TRACTION CONTROL, AND CAUSES BRAKE LOCK UP DURING WET WEATHER
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. VARIOUS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIF…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. VARIOUS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 105,000.
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STEERING SYSTEM BECAME TIGHT, ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AS CHECK ENGINE, STEERING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, EPC AND STABILITY CONTROL LIGHTS LIT UP ON DASH. ALSO, FUEL GAUGE WOULD DROP TO EMPTY AND SPEEDOMETER WENT TO ZERO MILES PER HOUR WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. THIS HAPPENED ON A CITY STREET …
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WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STEERING SYSTEM BECAME TIGHT, ABS AND BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AS CHECK ENGINE, STEERING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, EPC AND STABILITY CONTROL LIGHTS LIT UP ON DASH. ALSO, FUEL GAUGE WOULD DROP TO EMPTY AND SPEEDOMETER WENT TO ZERO MILES PER HOUR WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. THIS HAPPENED ON A CITY STREET GOING STRAIGHT OR TURNING.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN I HAD TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP. MY BRAKES LOCKED UP AND MY ABS, BRAKE, AND ESC LIGHTS CAME ON. I TRIED TO REGAIN CONTROL BUT ENDED UP SPINNING OUT ON THE FREEWAY AND HITTING THE GUARD RAIL. HAD TO FIX TAILLIGHT AND BUMPER IS SCRATCHED. THIS PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS BECAUSE WHEN I WAS BRAKING …
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I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN I HAD TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP. MY BRAKES LOCKED UP AND MY ABS, BRAKE, AND ESC LIGHTS CAME ON. I TRIED TO REGAIN CONTROL BUT ENDED UP SPINNING OUT ON THE FREEWAY AND HITTING THE GUARD RAIL. HAD TO FIX TAILLIGHT AND BUMPER IS SCRATCHED. THIS PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS BECAUSE WHEN I WAS BRAKING I WAS BRAKING UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT MY ABS SYSTEM WAS WORKING CORRECTLY AND I DID NOT PUMP THE BRAKES. I WAS ONLY NOTIFIED THAT MY ABS, ESC, AND BRAKE WERE HAVING ISSUES AFTER I WAS IN THE PANIC BRAKE AND IT WAS TOO LATE TO REACT AND START PUMPING THE BRAKES. THE ABS, ESC, AND BRAKE LIGHTS TURN OFF AFTER THE CAR IS RESTARTED BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. I HAVE TRIED BRAKING HARD ON WET PAVEMENT AFTERWARDS TO TEST THE ISSUE AND THE ABS, ESC, AND BRAKE LIGHTS TURN ON AGAIN WHEN THE ABS IS SUPPOSED TO ENGAGE. I RESTART THE CAR AND THERE IS NO WARNING THAT THE ABS SYSTEM IS HAVING TROUBLE. I BEGAN SEARCHING FOR THE ISSUE RECENTLY AND FOUND ON A COUPLE FORUMS THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I BELIEVE THE ISSUE IS WITH THE ABS CONTROL MODULE. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND VOLKSWAGEN NEEDS TO RECALL ASAP.
ABS MODULE FAILURE AFTER 90K MILES. RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING, ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM FUNCTIONALITY, AND TRACTION CONTROL AT THE SAME TIME. ALSO, PREVENTS SPEEDOMETER AND OTHER GAUGES FROM READING ACCURATELY. MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AND SEEMS TO BE AN WIDE ISSUE SPECIFIC TO 2009 VW GTI/RABBITS. MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPON…
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ABS MODULE FAILURE AFTER 90K MILES. RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING, ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM FUNCTIONALITY, AND TRACTION CONTROL AT THE SAME TIME. ALSO, PREVENTS SPEEDOMETER AND OTHER GAUGES FROM READING ACCURATELY. MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AND SEEMS TO BE AN WIDE ISSUE SPECIFIC TO 2009 VW GTI/RABBITS. MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACEMENT/COMPENSATION TO OWNERS.
ABS MODULE FAILURE. WHEN I DRIVE DURING SNOW AND WINTER AND MY CAR STARTS TO SLIDE MY DASH LIGHTS UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE AND BEEPS LOUDLY. I GOT KIDS AND DON'T WANT TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT WITH THEM IN THE CAR BECAUSE OF IT. ABS DOESN'T WORK LIKE IT USED TO. 2K FOR A FIX IS DEFINITELY NOT SOMETHING THAT I CAN STOMACH. VW NEEDS…
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ABS MODULE FAILURE. WHEN I DRIVE DURING SNOW AND WINTER AND MY CAR STARTS TO SLIDE MY DASH LIGHTS UP LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE AND BEEPS LOUDLY. I GOT KIDS AND DON'T WANT TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT WITH THEM IN THE CAR BECAUSE OF IT. ABS DOESN'T WORK LIKE IT USED TO. 2K FOR A FIX IS DEFINITELY NOT SOMETHING THAT I CAN STOMACH. VW NEEDS TO STEP IT UP BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED.
Official recalls
216V913000 · Electronic Stability Control (esc); Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip
Dec 20, 2016
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Volkswagen Jetta A5 Sedan, 2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen, Eos, GTI, Rabbit and Audi A3 vehicles, and 2010 Volkswagen Golf A6 vehicles. The Antilock Brake System (ABS) control unit may fail during ABS or Electronic Stability Control (ESC) activation, possibly causing a loss of vehicle control.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A loss of vehicle control can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the ABS control module software to improve the module's self-testing abilities. Any module that fails the new diagnostic test will be replaced. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began February 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Electronic Stability Control (esc)
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Volkswagen Jetta A5 Sedan, 2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen, Eos, GTI, Rabbit and Audi A3 vehicles, and 2010 Volkswagen Golf A6 vehicles. The Antilock Brake System (ABS) control unit may fail during ABS or Electronic Stability Control (ESC) activation, possibly causing a loss of vehicle control.
Consequence: A loss of vehicle control can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the ABS control module software to improve the module's self-testing abilities. Any module that fails the new diagnostic test will be replaced. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began February 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Volkswagen Jetta A5 Sedan, 2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen, Eos, GTI, Rabbit and Audi A3 vehicles, and 2010 Volkswagen Golf A6 vehicles. The Antilock Brake System (ABS) control unit may fail during ABS or Electronic Stability Control (ESC) activation, possibly causing a loss of vehicle control.
Consequence: A loss of vehicle control can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the ABS control module software to improve the module's self-testing abilities. Any module that fails the new diagnostic test will be replaced. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began February 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
09V333000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission
Aug 20, 2009
VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 2008 AND AUGUST 2009. THE WIRING HARNESS OF A TEMPERATURE SENSOR IN THE DIRECT SHIFT GEARBOX (DSG) MAY HAVE CONNECTOR WIRES THAT WERE INSUFFICIENTLY CRIMPED. WITH INSUFFICIENTLY CRIMPED CONNECTOR WIRES, A TEMPERATURE SENSOR HAS THE POTENTIAL TO FALSELY DETECT A HIGH GEARBOX OIL TEMPERATURE, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO ABRUPTLY SHIFT TO NEUTRAL. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE SELECTOR LEVER POSITION INDICATOR WITHIN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL FLASH. IN ADDITION, THE "DEPRESS BRAKE PEDAL" INDICATOR LIGHT WILL BE ILLUMINATED, ALERTING THE DRIVER TO APPLY THE BRAKES.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE ABRUPT SHIFT TO NEUTRAL COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: VOLKSWAGEN WILL REPROGRAM THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WITH UPDATED SOFTWARE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 20, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE09035 · Vehicle Stall/loss Motive Power
Opened Jul 17, 2009 · Closed Nov 19, 2009
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:manual Transmission
THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH DIRECT SHIFT GEARBOX (DSG) TRANSMISSIONS, WHICH FEATURE A 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC GEARBOX WITH TWO WET RUNNING CLUTCHES (DUAL CLUTCH) IN WHICH THE CLUTCH MECHANISM AND GEAR CHANGES ARE ELECTROHYDRAULICALLY OPERATED BY A MECHATRONIC CONTROL UNIT.THE DSG MECHATRONIC CONTROLLER INCLUDES EXTENSIVE SELF DIAGNOSTIC FUNCTIONS AND STRATEGIES TO ENSURE SAFE OPERATION AND PREVENT SYSTEM/COMPONENT DAMAGE IN THE EVENT OF COMPONENT FAILURES OR HARSH OPERATING CONDITIONS.THE BASIC HIERARCHY OF FAULT MODES INCLUDES SOME THAT ONLY RESULT IN THE STORAGE OF A DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) AND CAUSE NO LOSS OF FUNCTION, SOME THAT STORE A DTC AND REDUCE VEHICLE OPERATION TO A LIMP HOME MODE, AND SOME THAT STORE A DTC AND CAUSE AN INTERRUPTION OF MOTIVE POWER (I.E., OPEN CLUTCH).THE DRIVER IS ALERTED TO THE LATTER TWO MODES BY THE DASH GEAR POSITION INDICATOR (PRNDS) FLASHING. ONE OF THE CONDITIONS THAT RESULTS IN INTERRUPTION OF MOTIVE POWER IS EXCESS GEARBOX TEMPERATURE.THE SYSTEM INITIALLY RESPONDS TO INCREASED GEARBOX TEMPERATURE BY RAMPING DOWN ENGINE TORQUE.IF THE TEMPERATURE KEEPS RISING THE MECHATRONIC UNIT RESPONDS BY OPENING THE CLUTCH.IN A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT SUBMITTED TO NHTSA ON AUGUST 20, 2009, VOLKSWAGEN DESCRIBED A POTENTIAL DEFECT IN THE WIRING HARNESSES OF THE DSG GEARBOX TEMPERATURE SENSORS USED IN APPROXIMATELY 16,000 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2009 AND 2010 VOLKSWAGEN (EOS, JETTA AND GTI) AND AUDI (A3 AND TT/TT ROADSTER) VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DSG TRANSMISSIONS AND BUILT FROM SEPTEMBER 2008 THROUGH AUGUST 2009 (NHTSA RECALL NO. 09V-333, VOLKSWAGEN RECALL NO. 37E3/S7 AND AUDI RECALL NO 37E4/J7). VOLKSWAGEN PROVIDED THIS DESCRIPTION OF THE DEFECT, THE WIRING HARNESS OF A TEMPERATURE SENSOR IN THE DSG MAY HAVE CONNECTOR WIRES THAT WERE INSUFFICIENTLY CRIMPED BY THE CONNECTOR SUPPLIER DURING A LIMITED PRODUCTION PERIOD.WITH INSUFFICIENTLY CRIMPED CONNECTOR WIRES, A TEMPERATURE SENSOR HAS THE POTENTIAL TO FALSELY DETECT A HIGH GEARBOX OIL TEMPERATURE, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO ABRUPTLY SHIFT TO NEUTRAL.IF THIS HAPPENS, THE SELECTOR LEVER POSITION INDICATOR WITHIN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL FLASH.IN ADDITION, THE DEPRESS BRAKE PEDAL INDICATOR LIGHT WILL BE ILLUMINATED, ALERTING THE DRIVER TO APPLY THE BRAKES.IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, THE ABRUPT SHIFT TO NEUTRAL COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.VOLKSWAGEN ESTIMATED THAT LESS THAN ONE PERCENT OF THE RECALLED VEHICLES MAY CONTAIN THE DEFECT CONDITION. ODI IDENTIFIED 40 COMPLAINTS THAT APPEAR TO BE RELATED TO THE TEMPERATURE SENSOR DEFECT CONDITION DESCRIBED BY VOLKSWAGEN.VOLKSWAGEN RECEIVED 139 COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THE CONDITION, WITH 7 INVOLVING VEHICLES REPORTED TO ODI, RESULTING A 172 TOTAL COMPLAINTS TO ODI AND VOLKSWAGEN.ALL OF THESE COMPLAINTS INVOLVE THE MY 2009 AN 2010 VEHICLES SUBJECT TO RECALL 09V-333. ODI ALSO IDENTIFIED COMPLAINTS OF HARSH/JERKY SHIFTING IN SOME VOLKSWAGEN VEHICLES WITH DSG.VOLKSWAGEN ATTRIBUTED THIS CONDITION, WHICH TYPICALLY OCCURS AT VERY LOW SPEEDS, TO EXCESSIVE WEAR IN THE BUSHINGS OF THE TWO SOLENOID VALVES IN THE MECHATRONIC UNIT THAT CONTROL CLUTCH OPERATION.VOLKSWAGEN DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT THE THIS CONDITION IS A SAFETY DEFECT BECAUSE THE CHANGES IN SHIFT QUALITY DEVELOP GRADUALLY OVER TIME, DO NOT CAUSE A LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER AND HAVE NOT RESULTED IN ANY FATALITIES, INJURIES OR SERIOUS CRASHES (THERE WERE THREE REPORTED PROPERTY DAMAGE INCIDENTS RESULTING IN MINOR BODY DAMAGE IN VERY LOW SPEED, PARKING MANEUVERS).VOLKSWAGEN ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM IN THE FIELD WITH A CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES THE REPLACEMENT OF POTENTIALLY AFFECTED MECHATRONIC UNITS AS WELL