NORMAL ACCELERATION FROM A STOP OR ROLLING, THE DSG TRANSMISSION WILL HESITATE AND PRODUCE A VERY ROUGH SHIFT TO THE NEXT GEAR. THIS IS INTERMITTENT BUT ALMOST DAILY. CAR IS NOW IN THE VW DEALERS REPAIR SHOP. *TR
2008 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
56 reports with mileage · 11 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.
- Power Train. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
67 reports2008 VW GTI DSG TRANSMISSION, DRIVING APPROX 30-40KM/H, TRANSMISSION LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, VEHICLE WAS STUCK IN FIRST GEAR. *TR
I OWN A 2008 VW MKV GTI WITH DSG TRANSMISSION, AND I HAVE ENCOUNTERED THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS. 1. AFTER A 700 MILE DRIVE, I NOTICED THAT THE PRDNS DISPLAY WAS FLASHING, AND THAT MY TRANSMISSION WAS LOCKED IN 2ND GEAR, NO OTHER GEARS COULD BE USED INCLUDING REVERSE AFTER SHUTTING DOWN MY CAR, AND LE…
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I OWN A 2008 VW MKV GTI WITH DSG TRANSMISSION, AND I HAVE ENCOUNTERED THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS. 1. AFTER A 700 MILE DRIVE, I NOTICED THAT THE PRDNS DISPLAY WAS FLASHING, AND THAT MY TRANSMISSION WAS LOCKED IN 2ND GEAR, NO OTHER GEARS COULD BE USED INCLUDING REVERSE AFTER SHUTTING DOWN MY CAR, AND LETTING IT SIT FOR 20 MINUTES, I RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT WAS BEHAVING NORMAL AGAIN, AND THE FLASHING OF THE PRDNS DISPLAY WAS GONE. 2. FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS NOW I HAVE EXPERIENCED A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR OF MY DSG TRANSMISSION, WHEN COMING TO A STOP IT JERKS AND SURGES FORWARD IN 1ST GEAR, THE SAME HAPPENS WHEN TAKING OF FROM A STOP IT JERKS AND SURGES, WHICH MAKES IT FOR THE DRIVER IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL/MODULATE THE SPEED WITH WHICH THE CAR WILL MOVE FORWARD, I HAVE TO KEEP A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE FROM THE TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF ME TO NOT HIT THEM BY ACCIDENT DUE TO THE SURGING BEHAVIOR OF MY TRANSMISSION THIS SURGING AND JERKY BEHAVIOR IS ONLY IN 1ST GEAR AND REVERSE, AND HAPPENS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS BACK INTO 1ST OR WHEN YOU TAKE OFF FROM 1ST OR REVERSE. CURRENTLY DEALERS ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUES, BUT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE ISSUES DUE TO PARTS NOT BEING AVAILABLE AT THE TIME I CALLED. *TR
1. PROBLEM - ROUGH UP AND DOWNSHIFTS IN D, MANUAL/TIPTRONIC MODE, AND S MODES (ALL MODES AVAILABLE IN THE CAR). 2. WHEN MANUALLY DOWNSHIFTING/UPSHIFTING THE CAR OR WHEN ALLOWING THE CAR TO DO SO ON ITS OWN, YOU OFTEN GET A SLIGHT TO SEVERE JERK. PROBLEM OCCURS ON 90% OF ALL SHIFTS. 3. BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIM…
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1. PROBLEM - ROUGH UP AND DOWNSHIFTS IN D, MANUAL/TIPTRONIC MODE, AND S MODES (ALL MODES AVAILABLE IN THE CAR). 2. WHEN MANUALLY DOWNSHIFTING/UPSHIFTING THE CAR OR WHEN ALLOWING THE CAR TO DO SO ON ITS OWN, YOU OFTEN GET A SLIGHT TO SEVERE JERK. PROBLEM OCCURS ON 90% OF ALL SHIFTS. 3. BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES, HAVE DROPPED THE CAR OFF 3 TIMES. FIRST TWO TIMES THEY HAD DONE SOFTWARE RESET AND THEN A SOFTWARE UPDATE. NEITHER FIXED THE ISSUE ALTHOUGH THEY TOLD ME THE CAR WAS 'RUNNING FINE' OR THE 'JERKS ARE NORMAL'. THIS THIRD TIME, THE MECHATRONIC UNIT (WHAT I FEEL IS THE CULPRIT AND HAVE BEEN PUSHING) IS SUPPOSEDLY BEING REPLACED. UNCERTAIN IF THIS WILL RESOLVE THE ISSUE 100%. STILL DO NOT HAVE THE CAR. *TR
JERKING WHEN GOING IN REVERSE OR WHEN TAKING OF FROM A STAND STILL. *TR
WHEN BEGINNING TO ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP THE CAR LUNGES AND/OR IS VERY JERKY (EXTREMELY SUDDEN STARTS AND STOPS). IF THE CAR IS ON A HILL THE CAR ROLLS BACK VERY QUICKLY AND TAKES A WHILE TO START MOVING FORWARD, IF THE VEHICLE BEHIND IS TOO CLOSE ITS POSSIBLE TO ACCIDENTALLY HIT THEM. DURING CONGESTED TRAFFIC ITS UNPRE…
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WHEN BEGINNING TO ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP THE CAR LUNGES AND/OR IS VERY JERKY (EXTREMELY SUDDEN STARTS AND STOPS). IF THE CAR IS ON A HILL THE CAR ROLLS BACK VERY QUICKLY AND TAKES A WHILE TO START MOVING FORWARD, IF THE VEHICLE BEHIND IS TOO CLOSE ITS POSSIBLE TO ACCIDENTALLY HIT THEM. DURING CONGESTED TRAFFIC ITS UNPREDICTABLE WHEN THE VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY LUNGE, IN THE EVENT OF GETTING CUT OFF BY ANOTHER CAR ITS VERY POSSIBLE TO ACCIDENTALLY DRIVE INTO THEM. *TR
WHEN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE ON IN THE SLOW CONSTANT (AKA 'LOW' OR IN THE VW OWNERS MANUAL "POSITION 2") AND I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE WIPERS STOP AND GO TO A LONG DELAY INTERVAL. ONCE I START MOVING AGAIN, THEY GO BACK TO 'NORMAL'. I FIND THIS TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN IT IS RAINING HARD AS IT BECOMES DIFFIC…
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WHEN THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE ON IN THE SLOW CONSTANT (AKA 'LOW' OR IN THE VW OWNERS MANUAL "POSITION 2") AND I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE WIPERS STOP AND GO TO A LONG DELAY INTERVAL. ONCE I START MOVING AGAIN, THEY GO BACK TO 'NORMAL'. I FIND THIS TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD WHEN IT IS RAINING HARD AS IT BECOMES DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD WHEN AT STOPLIGHT, INTERSECTION ETC. IF I TURN THE WIPERS ON TO "HIGH" LEVER POSITION 3 THEY WILL WIPE CONSTANTLY, ALBEIT SLOWLY. THIS OCCURS ALL THE TIME. I HAVE CONTACTED MY DEALER WHO SAYS THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO CORRECT THIS AND I HAVE CONTACTED VW WHO SAYS IT IS NORMAL AND CANNOT BE CHANGED. I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND HOW SEMI-FUNCTIONAL WIPERS FOR A WINDSHIELD EVEN WHILE THE VEHICLE ISN'T MOVING COULD BE CONSIDERED NORMAL. HOW ELSE AM I TO MAKE SURE THERE ISN'T ANYTHING, OR ANYONE IN FRONT OF ME BEFORE I MOVE FORWARD. *TR
I'VE NOTICED STARTING THIS SUMMER MY CAR HAS BEEN REALLY JERKY, EVEN SURGING FORWARD WHEN STOPPED OCCASIONALLY. A FEW DAYS AGO IT ACTUALLY LOST POWER WHILE I WAS AT SPEED ON THE FREEWAY. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY IN THE WINTER TIME WITH ICY CONDITIONS WHERE I LIVE. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM I'VE NOTICED I'M NOT…
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I'VE NOTICED STARTING THIS SUMMER MY CAR HAS BEEN REALLY JERKY, EVEN SURGING FORWARD WHEN STOPPED OCCASIONALLY. A FEW DAYS AGO IT ACTUALLY LOST POWER WHILE I WAS AT SPEED ON THE FREEWAY. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY IN THE WINTER TIME WITH ICY CONDITIONS WHERE I LIVE. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM I'VE NOTICED I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE BEFORE IT COSTS SOMEONE THEIR LIFE. *TR
I WILL START WITH THE MOST SERIOUS INCIDENT FIRST. AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT I WAS DRIVING UP A HILL MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO A SIDE STREET. I STOPPED TO WAIT FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR, WHEN TRAFFIC CLEARED I LET OFF THE BRAKE AND PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. THE CAR SLOWLY STARTED TO ROLL FORWARD AS I APPROACHED THE MIDDLE OF THE ONCOMING LA…
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I WILL START WITH THE MOST SERIOUS INCIDENT FIRST. AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT I WAS DRIVING UP A HILL MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO A SIDE STREET. I STOPPED TO WAIT FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR, WHEN TRAFFIC CLEARED I LET OFF THE BRAKE AND PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. THE CAR SLOWLY STARTED TO ROLL FORWARD AS I APPROACHED THE MIDDLE OF THE ONCOMING LANE THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND THE RPM'S CLIMBED. WE STARTED TO ROLL BACK SLIGHTLY. I PRESSED THE GAS HARDER AND THE CAR ROLLED BACK FOR A SECOND, THEN SLAMMED INTO THE FORWARD GEAR AND I MADE IT ACROSS THE INTERSECTION, WITHOUT BEING HIT BY AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. MY GIRLFRIEND WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND VERY UPSET ABOUT THIS. EARLIER THAT EVENING WE EXITED A DRIVEWAY IN REVERSE, THEN PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE. THE CAR ROLLED BACK AND STALLED. I GOT THE CAR STARTED AND WE RESUMED OUR TRIP. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID THERE WERE NO FAULT CODES AND SAID EVERYTHING IS FINE. YESTERDAY (AUG 10TH 2009) I WAS EXITING A PARKING LOT, MAKING A LEFT TURN AND AGAIN HALFWAY THROUGH THE TURN THE CAR WENT INTO NEUTRAL, NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT, THE CAR THEN SLAMMED BACK INTO GEAR AND RESUMED FORWARD MOTION. IN ADDITION TO THESE INCIDENTS THE VEHICLE SLAMS INTO FORWARD GEAR FROM ALMOST EVERY STOP. AND WHEN THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS WHILE STOPPING THERE IS A STRONG JERKY MOTION. ALSO IN REVERSE THE VEHICLE BUCKS AS IF IS GOING IN AND OUT OF THE REVERSE GEAR. ALL INCIDENTS OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN NORMAL "D" DRIVING MODE, FOR THE FORWARD INCIDENTS, OR "R" GEAR FOR THE REVERSE INCIDENTS. THESE JERKY MOTIONS ARE DAILY OCCURRENCES. *TR
-WHEN I LIFT MY FOOT OF THE BRAKE AND APPLY GAS AFTER COMING TO A STOP, THE CAR WILL HESITATE AND THEN VIOLENTLY LURCH FORWARD AS IT SHIFTS INTO GEAR, THIS IS EXTREMELY BOTHERSOME WHEN IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC SITUATIONS, WHEN I HAVE MANY TIMES LIFTED MY FOOT OF THE BRAKE, APPLIED NO PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR, AND THE CAR P…
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-WHEN I LIFT MY FOOT OF THE BRAKE AND APPLY GAS AFTER COMING TO A STOP, THE CAR WILL HESITATE AND THEN VIOLENTLY LURCH FORWARD AS IT SHIFTS INTO GEAR, THIS IS EXTREMELY BOTHERSOME WHEN IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC SITUATIONS, WHEN I HAVE MANY TIMES LIFTED MY FOOT OF THE BRAKE, APPLIED NO PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR, AND THE CAR PROCEEDED TO VIOLENTLY LURCH FORWARD 6 FEET OR SO, NEARLY INTO THE BACK OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. IT SEEMS AS THOUGHT THE TRANSMISSION CAN NOT SLOWLY MOVE INTO 1ST GEAR. -THERE IS OFTEN A DELAY IN POWER WHEN "GETTING ON IT", THIS IS ESPECIALLY TROUBLESOME WHEN MAKING A MERGE ONTO A BUSY HIGHWAY WHEN I NEED TO QUICKLY ACCELERATE. I WILL LITERALLY PUT THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR WILL EITHER REV AND NOT MOVE, OR SIMPLY STUTTER FOR 2-4 SECONDS. I AM SURPRISED I HAVEN'T BEEN REAR ENDED BECAUSE OF THIS ALREADY. -BOTH IN DRIVE AND REVERSE THE CAR MAKES A BUCKING MOTION WHEN A CONSISTENT LIGHT AMOUNT OF PRESSURE IS PUT ON THE ACCELERATOR. ALTHOUGH MY FOOT DOES NOT MOVE, THE ENGINE GOES INTO A CYCLE OF POWER SURGES. *TR
Official recalls
107V442000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights
Sep 24, 2007
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
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
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