2006 VOLKSWAGEN GTI Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. THE VEHICLE HAS YOKOHAMA AS430 TIRES (NA). WHILE WASHING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED A BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

VEHICLE WAS RUNNING ROUGH, PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF ENGINE. RESTARTED AND VEHICLE STILL IDLED VERY ROUGH. WHILE CALLING VW ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD I FOUND A LARGE AMOUNT OF WHAT LOOKED AND SMELLED LIKE ELECTRICAL SMOKE. WITHIN ONE MINUTE, THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. 911 WAS CALLED AND A FIRE TRUCK CAME OUT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, WHICH WAS CONTAINED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER IN TRAVERSE CITY, MI, WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED AND VW OF AMERICA CONTACTED ME AND SAID IT WAS AN IGNITION COIL FIRE. THEY HAVE MADE AN OFFER TO BUY BACK THE CAR. THIS VEHICLE HAD A PREVIOUS IGNITION COIL FAILURE (FEB., 2007/10,686 MILES) RESULTING IN MELTED WIRING. THERE WERE ALSO FAILURES OF THE TURBOCHARGER, CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND IGNITION SWITCH PRIOR TO THE ENGINE FIRE. SERVICE REPORTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR ALL OF THE FAILURES PRIOR TO THE ENGINE FIRE ON 10/03/07. *JB

CONTINENTAL CONTIPROCONTACT 225/45H 17 TIRES HAVE SPLITTING SIDEWALLS ON BOTH FRONT TIRES. THE TIRES ARE SLOWLY LEAKING AIR AND GOING FLAT, ONE WENT DEAD AND 2 WEEKS LATER THE OTHER IS NOW FLAT. THERE ARE MORE VW GTI'S WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM REPORTED ON ONLINE CAR FORUMS AS WELL. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE TEARS IN THE SIDEWALL AVAILABLE. HTTP://HOMEPAGES.NYU.EDU/~EJM232/CONTI1.JPG *JB

THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS FAILURE. CAR HESITATED. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THIS WA S SUPPOSEDLY A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM THAT THE FUEL PUMPS WENT BAD IN DESERT TEMPERATURES. NEW FUEL PUMP TOOK 4+ WEEKS TO ARRIVE - BACK ORDERED. *AK

I HAVE A 2006 VA GTI NEW BODY STYLE SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, IT HAS BEEN GIVING ME PROBLEMS. THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN GOING OFF. CAR HAS BEEN AT DEALER FOR REPAIR MORE THEN 7 TIMES AND PROBLEM IS STILL NOT FIXED. *JB

I OWN A 2006 VW GTI (NEW BODY STYLE). THE PASSENGER DOOR WAS DAMAGED LAST WEEK WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR. FROM WHAT I'VE GATHERED IT LOOKS LIKE ITS A DESIGN FLAW OR MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS WATER FROZE IN THE LOWER LEAD EDGE OF THE DOOR AREA AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY DOOR WHEN IT WAS OPENED. HERE ARE THE STEPS I HAVE TAKEN SINCE THE INCIDENT. THE REASON I'M REPORTING THIS IS THAT I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, IF SOMEONE WAS TO GET INTO A CAR ACCIDENT IN THIS WINTER WEATHER, ITS VERY POSSIBLE THAT THE DOOR WOULD HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO OPEN DUE TO ICE ACCUMULATION IN THE JAM/FENDER AREA. *NM

WHILE COMMUTING TO WORK, VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH SYSTEM. THIS IMMEDIATELY IMMOBILIZED MY VEHICLE WHILE STILL WITHIN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF THIS IMPENDING FAILURE; IT HAPPENED SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. I WAS FORTUNATELY ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SAFELY PULL TO THE SHOULDER. HOWEVER, I DO FEEL THAT MY PERSONAL SAFETY WAS IN JEOPARDY DURING THIS INCIDENT. THIS VEHICLE IS APPROXIMATELY 9 MONTHS OLD WITH APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE CLUTCH PLATE APPARENTLY BROKE INTO SEVERAL PIECES WHILE IN OPERATION. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE EITHER A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *JB

1) NONE 2) HAVING A PRE-MISCALIBRATED SPEEDOMETER CAUSES ME CONFUSION AS I DRIVE AND HAS RESULTED IN MY GETTING A TICKET. 3) NOTHING YET. *NM

REAR CUP HOLDER (LOCATED ON THE BACK OF THE DRIVERS CENTER CONSOLE) IS BULKY. THIS IS A NUISANCE AND A DISTRACTION PARTICULARLY IF THERE IS A REAR PASSENGER WHO IS HAVING TROUBLE WITH WHILE I AM DRIVING. *NM

1) THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL ACCESS PLATE AT THE BASE OF BOTH THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SEAT TOWARDS THE DOORS. 2) WHEN I GET IN AND OUT OF THE CAR, I KICK OFF THE PLASTIC ACCESS DOOR. 3) THIS IS MORE A NUISANCE, BUT NEEDS TO BE REDESIGNED. I WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE THE DEALER REPLACE THE DOOR AND HOPE IT FITS TIGHTER THAN THE ORIGINAL. *NM