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2009 Volkswagen Rabbit

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

51 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.

  • Service Brakes. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports2 fire reports2 injury reports

Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints

25 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jul 25, 2016
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

THE ABS BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON....FOLLOWED BY STEERING LIGHT, ENGINE LIGHT SPEEDOMETER FAILING, GAS WARNING LIGHT ON, NOW MY CAR WILL NOT START AND THE KEY IS STUCK TO THE IGNITION. MY POWER WINDOWS NOT WORKING PROPERLY ....ALL STARTED FROM THE ABS BRAKE WARNING LIGHT

NHTSA ODI #10888502

76,000 miles · Jan 13, 2016
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service BrakesSteering

MY CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING FINE SINCE PURCHASE AND I HAVE HAD ALL THE NECESSARY MAINTENANCE DONE TO PREVENT ISSUES. LAST WEEK WHILE DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY MY CARS STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AS WELL AS STALLED ALMOST CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT. WHEN I LOOKED IT UP IT SEEMS THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN ISSUE WITH CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V6…

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MY CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING FINE SINCE PURCHASE AND I HAVE HAD ALL THE NECESSARY MAINTENANCE DONE TO PREVENT ISSUES. LAST WEEK WHILE DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY MY CARS STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AS WELL AS STALLED ALMOST CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT. WHEN I LOOKED IT UP IT SEEMS THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN ISSUE WITH CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V621000. ALBEIT THIS IS NOT THE SAME ISSUE BUT MY VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED FUEL LEAKAGE AT THE SAME TIME AND I HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE INTERRELATED. BEYOND THAT, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE ON MANY VW FORUMS. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE AND A HUGE SAFETY PROBLEM. COULD YOU IMAGINE THE LIVES THAT COULD HAVE PERISHED IF I HAD NOT HANDLED THAT SITUATION EFFECTIVELY. I AM NOW TOLD THAT I NEED TO REPLACE THIS PART FOR $2000 WHERE I TRULY BELIEVE VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE. THIS COMPANY HAS SHADY BUSINESS PRACTICES AND I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF THIS ISSUE IS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE PART. MY CAR WAS BOUGHT IN 2009 AND HAS 76,000 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ODI #10820109

61,000 miles · Jan 4, 2016
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

ABS, TRACTION CONTROL & HANDBRAKE LIGHTS TURNED ON IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. NEARLY HAD ACCIDENT BECAUSE ABS DID NOT ACTIVATE WHEN NEEDED. ME AND MY FAMILY WERE IN SIGNIFICANT DANGER. UPON MECHANIC INSPECTION THE ABS MODULE HAS FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #10817705

72,000 miles · Jan 1, 2015
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

IN SNOWY CONDITIONS THE ABS FAILS AND COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN UNTIL I RESTART THE CAR. SEEMS TO BE DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY DRIVING IN SNOWY/ICY CONDITIONS. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10669510

72,500 miles · Jul 10, 2014
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

THE ABS, BRAKE, AND STABILITY CONTROL WARNING LAMPS CAME ON DURING A SCARY EVENT ON THE EXPRESSWAY. I HIT THE BRAKE PEDAL HARD AND QUICKLY TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO AVOID HITTING A CAR THAT SWERVED ACROSS TWO LANES AND CUT IN FRONT OF ME. THE ABS AND STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEMS FAILED, BUT THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM WO…

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THE ABS, BRAKE, AND STABILITY CONTROL WARNING LAMPS CAME ON DURING A SCARY EVENT ON THE EXPRESSWAY. I HIT THE BRAKE PEDAL HARD AND QUICKLY TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO AVOID HITTING A CAR THAT SWERVED ACROSS TWO LANES AND CUT IN FRONT OF ME. THE ABS AND STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEMS FAILED, BUT THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM WORKED LIKE A CAR WITHOUT ELECTRONIC CONTROLS, SO I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR WHILE BRAKING AND STEERING NEAR THE TRACTION LIMIT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE LAMPS STAYED ON UNTIL I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. THERE WAS NO ABS OR STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM WHILE THE LIGHTS WERE ON. I CYCLED THE KEY TO TEST THE LAMPS. THE LAMPS FUNCTIONED CORRECTLY DURING THE BULB TEST AND TURNED OFF AFTER A FEW SECONDS. ON THE FIRST REPAIR ATTEMPT, THE WHEEL HUBS, BEARINGS, AND WHEEL SPEED SENSOR ROTORS/EXCITER RINGS/TONE RINGS WERE INSPECTED. ANY ROAD DEBRIS, DUST, DIRT, AND MAGNETIC PARTICLES WERE REMOVED. THERE WAS NO LOOSENESS, END PLAY, OR RUNOUT. THE WHEEL SPEED SENSORS WERE REMOVED, CLEANED, AND INSTALLED, BUT THE SYMPTOM RETURNED DURING ANOTHER SCARY EVENT. ON THE SECOND REPAIR ATTEMPT, THE ABS CONTROL MODULE (ELECTRONIC BLACK BOX COMPONENT, NOT HYDRAULIC CONTROL COMPONENT) HAD A SOFTWARE FAILURE PER VW TECH SUPPORT ANALYZING THE FAILURE CONDITIONS, VISUAL INDICATORS (WARNING LAMPS), AUDIO INDICATORS (WARNING TONES), AND SCAN TOOL CODES. THE ABS CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10609573

Official recalls

2

16V913000 · 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.

10V621000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Dec 10, 2010

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2010 JETTA, NEW BEETLE, NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE, MODEL YEAR 2009 JETTA SPORTWAGEN AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 RABBIT VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L ENGINES. THE JETTA, JETTA SPORTWAGEN, AND RABBIT VEHICLES MAY HAVE A SMALL PLASTIC TAB LOCATED ON THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR THAT MAY CHAFE AGAINST AN UNDERHOOD FUEL SUPPLY LINE. THE NEW BEETLE AND THE NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A FASTENING CLAMP ON A HYDRAULIC HOSE OF THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM THAT MAY BE LOCATED IN AN IMPROPER POSITION WHICH COULD CAUSE CHAFING AGAINST AN UNDERHOOD FUEL SUPPLY LINE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF CHAFING OCCURS, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A FUEL LEAK TO DEVELOP. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE THE UNDERHOOD FUEL LINE. ADDITIONALLY, DEPENDING ON THE VEHICLE MODEL, DEALERS WILL EITHER REMOVE THE PLASTIC TAB FROM THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR, OR INSPECT THE POSITION OF THE FASTENING CLAMP AND ADJUST THE RELATED FASTENING CLAMP INTO THE CORRECT POSITION. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 31, 2011. 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.