2008 Volkswagen GTI
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
Have the VIN?
Vehicles › Volkswagen › GTI › 2008
These records cover every 2008 Volkswagen GTI. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
1 recall names the 2008 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.
Owner complaints
67 complaints3 involved a crash2 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Electronic stability control (esc) · Exterior lighting · Fuel/propulsion system
The rpms only go to 4000 the headlights are constantly blown, one of the fans does not work ....there are a lot of electrical problems, the mass air intake flow issues with that there's just a lot of issues. It's affected the electrical, speed control, airbags, visibility and wiper,lighting, fuel system mass air intake sensor
- Engine
Ea888 has a known timing chain and chain tensioner issue that causes engine failure.
- Unknown or other
The car jerks out when u accelerate. the car feels like it's in manual when taking off.
- Engine
2.0 t use of excessive oil between oil changes
- Fuel/propulsion system
Car loss power had to be towed to voltswagon later the high pressure fuel pump was found to have failed causing a lost of power while on the on ramp to the highway. There was also damage done to the motor from the internal metal fragments from where the pump works with the cam shaft and the metal fell into the motor. Had to have a new engine replace ment mileage 135000.
- Engine
Recently I preformed a routine maintenance check on my vehicle and as suggested by all mark 5 GTI owners I checked the cam follower. I found the cam follower completely worn through. I contacted VW to make sure I was under the extended warranty handed out to all 2006-2007 and some 2008 owners to…
Recently I preformed a routine maintenance check on my vehicle and as suggested by all mark 5 GTI owners I checked the cam follower. I found the cam follower completely worn through. I contacted VW to make sure I was under the extended warranty handed out to all 2006-2007 and some 2008 owners to find out I was not under the warranty extension. Right now I have a the piece off my old cam follower somewhere in my engine and VW refuses to service my vehicle due to their new improved model apparently that many other owners are experiencing. VW knows that the cam follower IS faulty but refuses to service many other 2008 owners such as myself. Right now it feels like my car IS a ticking time bomb with the cam follower piece somewhere in the engine.
- Engine
The cam follower has prematurely warn out causing the intake camshaft to wear prematurely as well, which has in turn caused the high pressure fuel pump to fail. this IS a long-term, degenerative issue. volkswagen has extended the warranty on these parts for some 2006-2008 gti's but not my vin. Their warranty extension was not broad enough as these same parts have failed in my car.
- Electrical system
I've recently had frequent headlight bulb failures and other headlight related issues during my ownership of the car. prior to installing another expensive new bulb I did some investigation into the wiring inside the headlight housing and I was completely stunned and concerned at what I found.…
I've recently had frequent headlight bulb failures and other headlight related issues during my ownership of the car. prior to installing another expensive new bulb I did some investigation into the wiring inside the headlight housing and I was completely stunned and concerned at what I found. the wiring insulation/covering IS missing on the majority of the wires. especially at the main connector where the covering on all wires IS missing. The majority, approximately 80% of the wires are bare. any wire insulation remaining IS cracked and frail. I am concerned about the safety of this vehicles wiring and the potential for fire due to electrical shorts as well as the potential for this issue to cause other problems with the electrical circuit of the car. there IS no routine maintenance as an owner that could have prevented this from happening. I contacted volkswagen of america and I was told that due to the age and mileage (103,257) of the vehicle they couldn't do anything. I believe this to be an engineering failure to provide adequate insulation to the wiring in an environment prone to heat and should be subject to a formal inquiry of other vehicles of the same make and model. the headlight failure indicator on the dash came as I started the car and I verified the light was out. the wiring issue was found while the car was stationary during the replacement of the bulb.
- Fuel/propulsion system
Shortly after purchasing my 08 GTI with the fsi motor, I was searching the internet for common issues to watch out for. The cam follower which sits between the camshaft and high pressure fuel pump was seen multiple times online as an issue due to wearing through allowing the cam shaft to interact…
Shortly after purchasing my 08 GTI with the fsi motor, I was searching the internet for common issues to watch out for. The cam follower which sits between the camshaft and high pressure fuel pump was seen multiple times online as an issue due to wearing through allowing the cam shaft to interact with the pump. I asked a VW dealership about the problem and they told me that earlier models were covered under warranty, but 2008 was not due to the problem being fixed by the factory for this year. I decided to check anyway and found that the follower was completely worn through allowing the cam shaft to interact with the pump. This was at 56K miles. When I returned to discuss this with the dealership they said that there was nothing they could do. This shows that the problem wasn't solved, and while earlier models are covered for their damage if something goes wrong due to metal shavings in my engine, or other issues I'll be forced to pay out of pocket. I am now replacing the follower myself every 15K just to be sure, but the fact that one year isn't covered IS not right. Since the issue persists they should cover it.
- Seat belts
When buckling the driverside seatbelt before backing up, it would not latch.
- Fuel/propulsion system
Vehicle required extra cranking before starting. upon starting and beginning to drive, there was lack of power and rpms did not want to go above 4K. after approx. 1/4-1/2 mile engine began to respond normally. took vehicle to dealership for diagnosis. told the high pressure fuel pump, cam…
Vehicle required extra cranking before starting. upon starting and beginning to drive, there was lack of power and rpms did not want to go above 4K. after approx. 1/4-1/2 mile engine began to respond normally. took vehicle to dealership for diagnosis. told the high pressure fuel pump, cam follower and cam needed to be replaced due to cam follower losing hardness and wearing through causing fuel pump to run directly on cam. fuel pump arm was worn and also scored cam. was told that 2006-07 model years had extended warranty from VW to fix this but 2008 did not. in model year 2009, a completely different system was used. I believe that my engine still contained the defective parts and VW internet forums also have extensive mention of this problem in 2008 models. I also on many occasions have taken vehicle to dealership for routine maintenance and was never informed that I should have the cam follower inspected for wear. this IS a $60.00 part that could be replaced before it wears through. instead, I have a quote from the dealer to replace not only the cam follower, but also the high pressure fuel pump and the cam for slightly over $2,000.00. I took the vehicle to an independent repair shop and was told that because there are also metal shavings in the cam housing that I should also replace this along with some other misc. Parts. the housing part alone IS approx. $1,600.00. I am replacing the fuel pump and cam follower and will be checking the parts for wear every 10-20k miles. reported this issue to VW customer care and was told that my vin did not fall into the range for the extended warranty so there was nothing they could do. I did receive a "coupon" for $500 off a new vehicle purchase but not sure I would buy another VW after this experience. *js
- Fuel system, gasoline
TL* the contact owns a 2008 volkswagen GTI. While driving approximately 50 mph, the vehicle started to jerk when attempting to accelerate. Also, the contact mentioned that the key had to be placed in accessory mode before the vehicle would turn on. The failure recurred numerous times. The dealer…
TL* the contact owns a 2008 volkswagen GTI. While driving approximately 50 mph, the vehicle started to jerk when attempting to accelerate. Also, the contact mentioned that the key had to be placed in accessory mode before the vehicle would turn on. The failure recurred numerous times. The dealer stated that the cam, high pressured fuel pump, and the evap purge valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 99,800. updated 1/21/15*cn updated 01/26/15
- Power train
TL* the contact owns a 2008 volkswagen GTI. The contact stated that while attempting to drive, the vehicle hesitated and made an abnormal noise when shifting gears. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the transmission failed and as a result a flush needed to perform.…
TL* the contact owns a 2008 volkswagen GTI. The contact stated that while attempting to drive, the vehicle hesitated and made an abnormal noise when shifting gears. The vehicle was taken to a dealer. The technician diagnosed that the transmission failed and as a result a flush needed to perform. The remedy failed to repair the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 55,000.
- Exterior lighting
TL* the contact owns a 2008 volkswagen GTI. The contact stated that the low beam headlights did not project. The headlights were not aimed properly and caused reduced road visibility intermittently. The contact used the high beams as an interim fix due to the failure. The vehicle was scheduled to…
TL* the contact owns a 2008 volkswagen GTI. The contact stated that the low beam headlights did not project. The headlights were not aimed properly and caused reduced road visibility intermittently. The contact used the high beams as an interim fix due to the failure. The vehicle was scheduled to be inspected, diagnosed and repaired by an authorized dealer. The contacts vin was not included in nhtsa recall campaign number: 07v442000 (exterior lighting). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
- Air bags
TL* the contact owns a 2008 volkswagen GTI. The contact stated that the air bag light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact took the vehicle the dealer for inspection where they stated that the air bag needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified but provided no assistance. the failure mileage was 42,000. updated 08/28/12*lj
- Air bags
TL* the contact owns a 2008 volkswagen GTI. The contact stated while driving 40 mph the driver rear ended another vehicle and the passenger side air bag did not deploy. A police report was filed. The passenger sustained bruises after hitting her head on the dashboard. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 67,000. *tr
- Power train › Automatic transmission
While driving the transmission dog bone mount bolt broke. this damaged: the transmission housing - the transmission housing support - the catalytic converter assembly - steering - the wiring harness - the radiator - the radiator fan - additional items. the loss of control that resulted could have led to bodily injury. VW IS declining warranty coverage for this defect. *js
- Tires
2008 volkswagen GTI. Consumer stated they hit a pothole while driving at night in the pocone pa area. the tire was less than one month old. Had all four tires replaced shortly after purchasing the vehicle in june. the consumer stated the low profile high performance tires were prone to frequent blow outs. *jb
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Other fuel types › Turbo/supercharger
2008 volkswagen GTI. Consumer writes in regards to discontent related to vehicle performance *tgw the consumer stated during a 70,000 mile service maintenance, she was informed the vehicle needed a new $2300 turbo on a three year old vehicle. *Jb updated 06/09/11
- Power train
Came to complete stop. Pressed on gas pedal to move forward into intersection. After automatic transmission shifted into 2ND, the car loss all engagement and felt as if it was in neutral. I stepped on the gas pedal further and after 5 seconds, the engine rpm"s increased and the transmission lunged…
Came to complete stop. Pressed on gas pedal to move forward into intersection. After automatic transmission shifted into 2ND, the car loss all engagement and felt as if it was in neutral. I stepped on the gas pedal further and after 5 seconds, the engine rpm"s increased and the transmission lunged forward. I am unsure if it was the dsg transmission slipping into neutral, or a throttle issue. Dealer replaced mechatronic unit which did not alleviate this frequent problem.
- Engine and engine cooling · Power train › Automatic transmission · Vehicle speed control
2008 VW GTI dsg--automatic transmission problem: the car "jumps" randomly when releasing foot off the brake at a red light, or when engaging from park to drive and releasing brake. many "close calls" to crashing and/or property damage due to known issue, especially when parallel parked on…
2008 VW GTI dsg--automatic transmission problem: the car "jumps" randomly when releasing foot off the brake at a red light, or when engaging from park to drive and releasing brake. many "close calls" to crashing and/or property damage due to known issue, especially when parallel parked on street: i.e. Car jumping forward or backward potentially damaging parked cars around or, even worse, "jumping" into the traffic lanes. dealership deflects the issue, claiming it to be "normal" operation of the transmission. warranty on the transmission has been extended to 10yr/100,000mile, though not in response to this issue, according to dealership. *Tr
- Fuel system, gasoline · Power train
Aug 11TH I turned a corner in my 2008 VW GTI with ~29,8xx miles on the odometer, accelerated briskly in 2ND gear at approx 4000 rpm the car bucked and shuddered and lost power. when the rpm's dropped about 500rpm the motor regained power until about 4000 rpm and then the car bucked, shuddered and…
Aug 11TH I turned a corner in my 2008 VW GTI with ~29,8xx miles on the odometer, accelerated briskly in 2ND gear at approx 4000 rpm the car bucked and shuddered and lost power. when the rpm's dropped about 500rpm the motor regained power until about 4000 rpm and then the car bucked, shuddered and lost power again. this continued to happen as long as the accelerator peddle was depressed. this happened in every gear. luckily this happened on a long freeway entrance ramp prior to my attempt to merge with freeway traffic. I took it to the dealer and the ecu had a low fuel pressure code. this apparently IS a known issue and they replaced the cam, high pressure fuel pump and cam follower. apparently the high pressure fuel pump IS driven off the cam and over time punches a hole in the cam follower and then rides directly on the cam shaft causing scoring and resulting in the failure I experienced. I specifically asked to see the old parts as I wanted to ascertain the amount of metal shavings that were now floating around in my engine. for whatever reason they did not save the parts and sent them back to VW since this repair was under warranty. *Tr
- Power train › Automatic transmission · Tires
Harsh shifting during acceleration in 2008 volkswagen GTI with dsg transmission. *Tr
- Engine and engine cooling
The engine consumes 3-4 extra quarts of synthetic oil between 5,000 mile oil change intervals as instructed by manufacturer. Its a 2.0T engine that uses synthetic oil. I had previous version of 1.8T and it did not consume any oil at all. if the oil IS not added, the car would take 2-3 times to…
The engine consumes 3-4 extra quarts of synthetic oil between 5,000 mile oil change intervals as instructed by manufacturer. Its a 2.0T engine that uses synthetic oil. I had previous version of 1.8T and it did not consume any oil at all. if the oil IS not added, the car would take 2-3 times to start up (doesn't matter which season) and its horrible on gas mileage. went to dealership 5 times already and every time they tell me that this IS normal consumption. I informed that I have to add oil to keep the car going, they told me that its not their problem until the engine ceases at which time they will look into it. as a consumer, I have no choice but to keep on adding the synthetic oil. I thought that synthetic oil IS hard to break down and yes I used the recommended grade. VW IS taking me for a ride. Does anybody have any suggestions? *Tr
- Power train › Automatic transmission
My car IS a 2008 VW GTI with the dsg transmission. The transmission IS very noisy, extremely difficult to drive at low speeds, and IS jerky and bucks when downshifting. At low speeds, the clutch engages with a jerk and the car lurches forward to accelerate. When down shifting, it IS difficult to…
My car IS a 2008 VW GTI with the dsg transmission. The transmission IS very noisy, extremely difficult to drive at low speeds, and IS jerky and bucks when downshifting. At low speeds, the clutch engages with a jerk and the car lurches forward to accelerate. When down shifting, it IS difficult to brake because as the gears are disengaging and reengaging in a jerky manner, the amount of brake force required to stop changes too. I received a recall letter about this from volkswagen of america, but the dealership denies any letter was sent to me and that there IS nothing wrong with my vehicle. *Tr
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Vehicle stall/loss motive power
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…
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
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
- 10253205Wiper Blade Inspection for Proper Warranty Coding
- 10253203Wiper Blade Inspection for Proper Warranty Coding
- 10252942Damage to Data Link Connector (DLC) from Aftermarket Devices (Cannot Communicate with Vehicle OBD System)
- 10252937Vehicles equipped with Immobilizer 4 (Download) ? Adapting Keys after Vehicle Lock Set Replacement
- 10252238Emission Label
- 10252237Emission Label
- 10252220All Vehicles with Bluetooth Phone Kit Installed ? Streaming Audio from Phone to Radio
- 10252210Clock Loses Time
- 10244545VW Engine oil quality standards
- 10244072Rattling Noises from Engine Compartment Area or Exhaust System
- 10244045Volkswagen Elsa Newsletter
- 10243299VW Engine oil quality standards
- 10243065VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10243052VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10243050VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10243034VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10243025VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10243023VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10243008VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10243001VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242996VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242897Battery Testing and Charging Using Midtronics VAS6161 and or GRX3000VAS Charger. Update Tool terminology
- 10242894Safety Related Inquiry and Reporting
- 10242406VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242403VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242400VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242399VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242398VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242390VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242388VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242381VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242375VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242372VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242365VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10242358VW Elsa Newsletter
- 10241761Emission Label (FED_EMS)
- 10241351High Pressure Fuel Pump Diagnosis
Every Volkswagen GTI model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.