2006 Volkswagen GTI
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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These records cover every 2006 Volkswagen GTI. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
2 recalls name the 2006 Volkswagen GTI. Newest first.
Certain vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." some vehicles may not have had a required cap installed which disables the headlight horizontal aim and some vehicles may contain a cap that disables the vertical aiming screw.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Noncompliance can inhibit proper headlamp aim adjustment for roadway illumination, improperly aimed headlamps could cause reduced road visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect for the presence of a cap in the socket of the low beam horizontal aiming screw and install one if missing, and inspect for the presence of a cap in the socket of the vertical aiming screw and if present, the cap will be removed. the recall will begin on october 31, 2007. owners may contact VW at 1-800-822-8987.
On certain passenger, wagon, and convertible vehicles equipped with or without cruise control, a brake light switch may malfunction if it was installed incorrectly.
Risk and remedy
Risk
The brake lights could become inoperative, or remain on. failure to provide the proper signal when braking could lead to a crash without warning.
Remedy
Dealers will install the newly designed brake light switch free of charge. the recall began on april 27, 2007, and will be conducted in several staggered mailings through september 21, 2007. vehicles within the make, model, and model year of this population may be involved in either this recall or 06v-183, but not both. the remedy IS the same for each recall. volkswagen dealers will apply the remedy based on the vin number of the vehicle. owners may contact VW at 1-800-822-8987.
Owner complaints
43 complaints1 involved a crash3 involved a fire2 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Engine · Fuel/propulsion system
Fuel injector faild open and dumped fuel into the cylinder and it hydro locked. I was in motion and check engine flashing and engine running rough
- Air bags · Engine
Camshift sensor check engine light on and off every 2 days
- Air bags · Exterior lighting
TL* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen GTI. While driving various speeds, the front passenger air bag warning indicator remained illuminated, which was a safety concern. The contact also stated that the bulb from the headlight socket detached when the vehicle drove over a bump in the road. In…
TL* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen GTI. While driving various speeds, the front passenger air bag warning indicator remained illuminated, which was a safety concern. The contact also stated that the bulb from the headlight socket detached when the vehicle drove over a bump in the road. In addition, the contact stated that the fog lights failed to function. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for diagnostic testing or repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.
- Engine and engine cooling · Fuel system, gasoline
TL* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen GTI. While driving at a low speed, the high pressure fuel pump failed without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the camshaft was fractured. The fuel pressure pump and the camshaft were replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 48,145.....updated 08/29/16 *bf
- Engine
Engine compartment caught fire while driving and vehicle was quickly consumed in flames. power loss was initially noticed on the highway, but vehicle caught fire and started to burn on a side street while stopped.
- Engine · Fuel/propulsion system
Car lost acceleration at approx 40 mph on 4 lane road. Dealer diagnostic claims broken cam chain. Dealer did not check warranty extension part cam follower which IS known to fail (per cory from vwoa) but has another warranty extension part intake camshaft on repair list. there are several hundreds of these incidents happening with a quick search.
- Air bags · Electrical system
Air bag light and symbol light IS on with an internal code stored. Uncertain if air bag will deploy; possible electrical problem. Contacted volkswagen after finding several hundred + people complaining of similar problem. I was informed that a service notice was sent out; however I did not receive…
Air bag light and symbol light IS on with an internal code stored. Uncertain if air bag will deploy; possible electrical problem. Contacted volkswagen after finding several hundred + people complaining of similar problem. I was informed that a service notice was sent out; however I did not receive forementioned notice nor any prior or subsequent recall notices or bulletins from volkswagen. Apparently the service bulletin expired jan 2013 and they refused to repair "obvious systemic problem associated with all 2006 model year volkswagens". People are still having problems and the estimated repair cost noted from several posts indicate that it IS an $1800+ repair, there should have been and needs to be a recall on all 2006 volkswagen air bag fault light issues to make certain that air bag will deploy if vehicle IS in an accident. VW representative told me that the air bag "may" or "may not" deploy. How many how many injuries or fatalities have to occur before you make them take action? My son drives this occasionally and I am concerned about his safety. No parent should have to bury a child. I am the second owner of the vehicle and it had and still has extremely low mileage and has never been in an accident or sustained damage of any type. just type in 2006 VW or volkswagen GTI air bag light or VW air bag fault or VW air bag fail light in any web browser and you will see just how large of a problem this has been and still IS. service bulletin no.: sb-69-11-01 component(s): air bags nhtsa ID number: 10038665 vehicle make/model/model and year(s) ?volkswagenbeetle2004-2008 ?volkswageneos2007-2008 ?volkswagengti2006-2008 ?volkswagenjetta2005-2008 ?volkswagenpassat2006-2008 ?volkswagenr322006-2008 ?volkswagenrabbit2006-2008 I have had my son research this problem and I have provided you his email and tel #. *tr
- Power train · Service brakes
Car started to exhibit intermittent ABS faults which was indicated by dash mil and the following fault codes: transmission module 18255 - please check dtc memory of ABS controller ABS brakes 00290 - ABS wheel speed sensor; rear left (G46) 012 - electrical fault in circuit -…
Car started to exhibit intermittent ABS faults which was indicated by dash mil and the following fault codes: transmission module 18255 - please check dtc memory of ABS controller ABS brakes 00290 - ABS wheel speed sensor; rear left (G46) 012 - electrical fault in circuit - intermittent 00290 - ABS wheel speed sensor; rear left (G46) 008 - implausible signal - intermittent with the codes present both ABS and electronic stability control are disabled. the safety complaint however IS that the automatic transmission control IS periodically locked out. when at speed (60+ mph) the automatic transmission will shift into neutral. manual gear select will not put the car back into a drive gear. dash gear indicator will indicate 6TH gear. at lower speeds (~25 mph) the transmission will periodically lock in second gear and will not shift to a higher gear. manual gear selection also fails. problem sometimes will not clear despite restarting the car multiple times. there are no indications of an actual transmission problem. the cause seems to be software override of the transmission due to incorrect ABS module data. (transmission software seems to think the car IS in a skid and IS holding gear). so far the ABS module,wheel speed sensor, and tone ring have been replaced. condition IS still present. when the transmission problem IS present shift lock also does not work. the dealer IS currently in the process of replacing the wiring harnesses. *tr
- Structure › Body · Visibility/wiper
Stock driver-side mirror fell out of mirror housing as I was driving down the highway with my windows down. Glass exploded as it hit my car and debris was sent into the passenger compartment. The event was very loud and startling. Some of the debris hit my face. Large piece of glass found in rear…
Stock driver-side mirror fell out of mirror housing as I was driving down the highway with my windows down. Glass exploded as it hit my car and debris was sent into the passenger compartment. The event was very loud and startling. Some of the debris hit my face. Large piece of glass found in rear seat. Drivers immediately behind me swerved due to flying debris. There are deep gouges and cuts in the driver side door from the impact of the mirror and debris. The debris had enough energy to penetrate both the clear coat and paint. Glass mirror looks to have failed due to the adhesive backing holding the mirror onto its plastic casing failed. Filed a report with VW of america to explain incident. So far they have not taken action and have only responded by having the incident "documented internally". Exploding glass entering the passenger compartment can potentially get into the driver's eyes and cause a life-threatening situation. Flying debris caused by failed adhesives holding on the mirror can cause accidents for other drivers on the road. Not having a mirror can also lead to impaired situational awareness which may lead to accidents. *tr
- Air bags
Passive occupant detection system module not functioning after warranty work done by volkswagen. This IS extremely problematic, as the passenger airbag will no longer engage, regardless of how much weight IS in the passenger seat. In the event of a car accident, the airbag would not deploy for the…
Passive occupant detection system module not functioning after warranty work done by volkswagen. This IS extremely problematic, as the passenger airbag will no longer engage, regardless of how much weight IS in the passenger seat. In the event of a car accident, the airbag would not deploy for the passenger, and the passenger's life would be in jeopardy. Volkswagen will not stand by their product, and they refuse to offer any aid or help to fix the situation. They want $1800 for the part, just to ensure the safety of the individuals in the car. *tr
- Engine
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen GTI. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph the vehicle stalled. Immediately after the failure the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was later towed to a dealer where they advised that the cam follower and the high pressure…
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen GTI. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph the vehicle stalled. Immediately after the failure the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was later towed to a dealer where they advised that the cam follower and the high pressure fuel pump failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. The failure and current mileages were approximately 120,200.
- Fuel/propulsion system
TL* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen GTI. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds she noticed loud noises coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised the contact that the vehicle was included in a manufacturer's recall for the cam follower in the fuel…
TL* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen GTI. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds she noticed loud noises coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who advised the contact that the vehicle was included in a manufacturer's recall for the cam follower in the fuel system. After having the repairs done they informed the contact that there were metal shavings from the recalled component that got into the motor and as a result it needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the recall repairs had been performed once before. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000 and the current mileage was approximately 71,000. The vin was unavailable.
- Structure › Body
TL* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen GTI. The contact stated that the roof headliner was falling down. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the adhesive on the headliner was failing. As a result, the headliner needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure…
TL* the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen GTI. The contact stated that the roof headliner was falling down. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the adhesive on the headliner was failing. As a result, the headliner needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was no longer under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 100,000 and the current mileage was 120,000.
- Air bags
I lost control on a very sharp turn by a steep drop-off in the north carolina mountains. When first leaving the road at approximately 35-40 mph, the front left corner of the car hit a tree a few feet off the pavement. After rolling off a steep embankment, approximately 50 feet, the front grill and…
I lost control on a very sharp turn by a steep drop-off in the north carolina mountains. When first leaving the road at approximately 35-40 mph, the front left corner of the car hit a tree a few feet off the pavement. After rolling off a steep embankment, approximately 50 feet, the front grill and bumper made full contact with the ground and small trees, stopping the car from its plunge. The front airbags did not deploy, yet the impact was enough to crunch the hood (pictures available). My wife was treated and released from the local hospital with a gash on her head. Most surprising was when the rear driver-side part of the vehicle laterally slammed into a tree, no side/curtain airbags deployed. The impact was just behind the back edge of the driver door and smashed in the frame from the roof to the top center of the wheel well, deepest at the top of the car frame. There was also a smaller impact in the same area on the other side of the car. My head slammed into the top inside part of the door/roof where an airbag should have deployed, and I am still feeling the bruising and stiffness today. The airbags in the car were a key selling point; they failed. I understand there must be a certain force to cause deployment, but this force should have been met from the side impact and from one of the two impacts at the front of the vehicle. It certainly failed my wife and me at a critical time. A claims adjuster IS still evaluating my vehicle (estimated to be totaled). What IS the purpose of front and side airbags if the sensor would not deploy them in an accident given this speed and the side/front collisions with enough force likely to total the car VW of america, after consulting with an engineer, said all four wheels must be on the ground for the airbags to deploy. because the passenger tires weren't on ground, that's why they said airbags were programmed not to deploy. *tr
- Fuel system, gasoline
2006 volkswagen GTI - cam follower defect in october, 2010 I purchased a used 2006 volkswagen GTI. After I bought the car, I took it to a VW mechanic to have it looked over. Everything looked good but he requested to inspect the cam follower as he knew there was a defect in its design that could…
2006 volkswagen GTI - cam follower defect in october, 2010 I purchased a used 2006 volkswagen GTI. After I bought the car, I took it to a VW mechanic to have it looked over. Everything looked good but he requested to inspect the cam follower as he knew there was a defect in its design that could cause major damage to the engine if not monitored. I had to pay him $75 in labor to remove the cam follower so that it could be inspected. It was fine. He mentioned it looked so new that it probably had been replaced. Anyways, he suggested that I have it inspected every time I have the oil changed otherwise I would risk up to $2,500 in repair costs to replace engine parts that could be damaged if the follower fails. I can't believe there's no recall for this? I have to pay an extra $75 every oil change to have this inspected due to the negligence of VW. I know that in newer GTI models they've redesigned the follower. This defect IS dangerous as if the follower fails when driving on the highway and the engine seizes, a major accident could occur. VW tsb #15 07 04. *Tr
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine · Fuel system, gasoline · Power train
Owner of a 2006 VW GTI, threw engine code for known tsb regarding cam follower and cam shaft wear at the high pressure fuel pump. Mechanic inspected site and discovered that cam shaft wear/ damage was extreme and would require replacement of high pressure fuel pump, cam shaft, and cam follower all…
Owner of a 2006 VW GTI, threw engine code for known tsb regarding cam follower and cam shaft wear at the high pressure fuel pump. Mechanic inspected site and discovered that cam shaft wear/ damage was extreme and would require replacement of high pressure fuel pump, cam shaft, and cam follower all outside of warranty. This IS a known issue and should have some extension on factory warranties from VW of america instead of expecting owners to pony up $1600-2400 in repair costs when it inevitably fails. For note of known issue, see VW tsb #2013147/8. *tr
- Electrical system
Car information: 2006 volkswagen GTI 2.0T, 59,279 miles. incident: went to start car after eating in a restaurant, ignition coil exploded. Melted the wiring harness, valve cover and damaged other electrical components. This could have resulted in a serious car fire and endangered people's…
Car information: 2006 volkswagen GTI 2.0T, 59,279 miles. incident: went to start car after eating in a restaurant, ignition coil exploded. Melted the wiring harness, valve cover and damaged other electrical components. This could have resulted in a serious car fire and endangered people's lives. There IS currently a recall on these ignition coils for emissions problems, but I think there needs to be more investigating done. Volkswagen IS covering parts and labor to fix issues resulting from explosion, but will not provide rental car or other transportation while car IS being worked on. I am worried about future electrical issues as a result from this. *Tr
- Air bags
In four years of ownership, my 2006 VW GTI mark v car has had six occasions whereby the airbag fault light has come on. each time the vehicle was serviced and the light stayed off for a period of months before returning. most recently, my vehicle was repaired for this reason in december and the…
In four years of ownership, my 2006 VW GTI mark v car has had six occasions whereby the airbag fault light has come on. each time the vehicle was serviced and the light stayed off for a period of months before returning. most recently, my vehicle was repaired for this reason in december and the airbag fault light stayed off until this week. I have brought this matter to the attention of my dealer and am awaiting guidance on how to proceed. although the car just went off warranty, I am requesting that VW make repairs at its expense since this problem has been a repeated problem throughout my ownership of the car. *Tr
- Engine and engine cooling · Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen GTI. The contact noticed a reduction in power along with a shuddering of the vehicle and the check engine light illuminated intermittently. The dealer replaced the crank case breather hose and a fuel pressure sensor; however, the problem intensified and the…
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 volkswagen GTI. The contact noticed a reduction in power along with a shuddering of the vehicle and the check engine light illuminated intermittently. The dealer replaced the crank case breather hose and a fuel pressure sensor; however, the problem intensified and the vehicle was almost inoperable. The contact had the vehicle towed to the dealership and the vacuum hose was replaced. The dealer also performed the ignition coil recall repair on the vehicle. When he picked up the vehicle, the check engine light illuminated when he turned the vehicle on; however, the dealer suggested that he had a valve lash and fuel pump module repair. While driving long a distance, the vehicle check engine began to blink on and off. The failure was diagnosed by a second dealer who stated that there was a major failure with the camshaft system which needed to be replaced along with the high pressure fuel pump, and a cam follower. The vehicle was repaired and the check engine light was illuminated at the time of the complaint. He called the manufacturer and was told that they could not assist him. The current mileage was approximately 85,000. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.
- Engine and engine cooling
My 2006 VW GTI has been serviced every 5000 miles by a VW dealer. I purchased the car under the assumption that it would be in good condition since the dealer was the one who performed all service. I took the high pressure fuel pump off to check the condition of the camshaft follower. The camshaft…
My 2006 VW GTI has been serviced every 5000 miles by a VW dealer. I purchased the car under the assumption that it would be in good condition since the dealer was the one who performed all service. I took the high pressure fuel pump off to check the condition of the camshaft follower. The camshaft follower was completely missing the top, the hpfp was completely missing it's tip and the camshaft has large gouges in the metal. This IS an awful design, and should be rectified by volkswagen. *Tr
- Power train › Automatic transmission
1. Dsg "prnds" lamps flashing on freeway 2. My wife has had it like 5~6 times since she bought this car 3. Pulled over her car and turned it off and turn it on again. *Tr
- Power train › Automatic transmission
Having severe downshift bucking issues with a 2006 VW GTI with the dsg transmission, cannot get dealer to fix issues with the downshifting. Causes upon down shift of the 3RD to 2ND gear the car to do a bucking motion upon slowing down. very dangerous when coming to a stop on a wet or icy road. it…
Having severe downshift bucking issues with a 2006 VW GTI with the dsg transmission, cannot get dealer to fix issues with the downshifting. Causes upon down shift of the 3RD to 2ND gear the car to do a bucking motion upon slowing down. very dangerous when coming to a stop on a wet or icy road. it occurs regularly enough that I can almost get it to duplicate it when car IS at normal operating temperature. the dealership says the notice/acknowledge the issues but cant figure it out or do any repairs. I have suggested several options I have read about but they will take none of them into consideration. *Tr
- Power train › Automatic transmission
Car will jerk between downshifts while coming to a light, also when accelerating the car will pause before shifting and almost forget what it was doing. It will lose all power and just hang there causing my car to just die out in traffic. Also seems to shift into neutral for no reason. *Tr
- Power train › Automatic transmission
My 2006 VW GTI with a dsg transmission worked flawlessly for approximately 10K miles. Starting at about 12K miles and up until now at 16K miles I am experiencing issues with the automatic transmission. This includes delays at shift points, causing erratic shifting, jerking, long stall pauses…
My 2006 VW GTI with a dsg transmission worked flawlessly for approximately 10K miles. Starting at about 12K miles and up until now at 16K miles I am experiencing issues with the automatic transmission. This includes delays at shift points, causing erratic shifting, jerking, long stall pauses, clutch slipping, surging in forward and reverse, etc. typically when pulling out into traffic from a parking lot for example there IS a long 2 sec pause between 1 and 2. This IS disturbing considering approaching traffic and waiting for 2ND gear to engage with power. another example IS noticeable jerking when shifting at low speeds typically from 1-2 almost feeling like a bump from another car. in addition I have experienced no gear engagement when shifting into reverse. Even though it says reverse it acts like neutral. I have queried the dealer in regard to issues and even taken it in. Because there were no fault codes their response was it IS operating as normal. *Tr
- Power train › Automatic transmission
I own a 2006 VW GTI with a dsg transmission and wanted to file a complaint noting that the transmission while hesitate for a long period of time before engaging primarily when attempting to accelerate from a stop or when attempting to pass or merge into highway traffic. any of these situations are potentially dangerous and could cause an accident. *Tr
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10253215Exterior Lights, Moisture Accumulation
- 10253214Exterior Lights, Moisture Accumulation
- 10253213Exterior Lights, Moisture Accumulation
- 10252942Damage to Data Link Connector (DLC) from Aftermarket Devices (Cannot Communicate with Vehicle OBD System)
- 10252220All Vehicles with Bluetooth Phone Kit Installed ? Streaming Audio from Phone to Radio
- 10252210Clock Loses Time
- 10243065VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10243052VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10243035VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10243034VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10243017VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10243008VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10243001VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242996VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242682ODIS Service Update
- 10242400VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242399VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242390VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242381VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242375VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242373VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242372VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242358VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242355VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10241345Electric Coolant Fans Continue to Run after Ignition is Switched OFF
- 10241344Electric Coolant Fans Continue to Run after Ignition is OFF
- 10241342Electric Coolant Fans Continue to Run after Ignition is OFF
- 10241340Engine Oils Which Meet Volkswagen Oil Quality Standard VW 502 00/505 00/505 01 and VW 504 00/507 00
- 10241339Oil Consumption Measurement
- 10241335Oil Consumption Measurement
- 10241333Oil Consumption Measurement
- 10241328MIL ON, DTC P0087, P1093 or P2293 Stored in ECM Fault Memory
- 10241320Update Programming to Eliminate DTC P0601 Stored in DTC Memory
- 10241311Gasoline Quality
- 10241310Software Version Management
- 10241282Engine, Misfire Diagnostic Aid
- 10241274Fuel Additive to Help Prevent Sporadic Misfire Faults
- 10241266Squeaks, Rattles, Noise, Repair Materials
- 10241265Fuel Additive to Help Prevent Sporadic Misfire Faults
- 10241264Fuel Additive to Help Prevent Sporadic Misfire Faults
Every Volkswagen GTI model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.