2015 VOLKSWAGEN GTI Power Train Problems

Vehicle started to show intermittent coolant gauge fluctuation with simultaneous loss of cruise control function. The coolant gauge would show cold, then hot. After visiting a dealer, a coolant leak was identified from a crack in the Thermostat/Water Pump housing along with corrosion in the coolant bottle. In addition, the trunk latch failed, likely from a faulty windshield washer fluid valve leaking onto the electrical equipment. All parts were replaced. Within another 3 months the fuel pump failed and needed to be replaced. All parts were repaired at a Volkswagen Dealer. The overheating of the engine and failure of the fuel pump could have caused engine failure and the car to lose immediate power, causing a fire or crash. The faulty rear door latch could have caused the door to open while driving. All of these issues occurred without warning. Check engine light, EPC and disabled cruise control lights came on at the time of the problem. The vehicle also restricted the speed of the car and maximum RPMs allowed.

Plastic Thermostat Housing Failure-- Cracks and leaking coolant. While getting an oil change done at a local Volkswagen dealership, the mechanic pointed out that there is a coolant leak and showed me where the leak is coming from (Thermostat housing/water pump) The coolant is slowly seep out of the crack on the underside of the thermostat housing, I have been adding coolant every other week. As the loss of coolant often trips the low coolant warning if the level isn't maintained. I feel like I'm not the only one with this issue, after reading online Volkswagen community. Many 2015-2020 GTI owners are also having the same problem. The car overheated couple times when stuck in New York traffic, I would like Volkswagen manufacture to address this issue and give all the GTI owners an explanation to why their part fails less than a few years of ownership.

I HAD MY THERMOSTAT HOUSING REPLACED TO DUE LEAKAGE. I WANTED TO FILE A COMPLAINT BECAUSE I BELIEVE THIS IS A REOCCURRING ISSUE THAT CAN LEAD TO ENGINE DAMAGE. THIS HAS HAPPENED GRADUALLY OVER TIME AND NOT DUE TO ANY INCIDENT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS WAS DISCOVERED FROM A VW SERVICE WHEN I WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 57000 MILES.

Mileage: 57,000

I HAVE A 2015 GTI THAT HAS ONLY 80,000 MILES ON IT. I HAD A REPAIR DONE TO REPLACE VALVES, COIL SPRINGS, SPARK PLUGS AND IGNITION COILS LAST YEAR DUE TO FAILURE OF THE ENGINE. THEY CLAIMED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND A YEAR LATER THE SAME EXACT FAILURE HAPPENED. THE FIRST TIME IT COST 3,500 TO FIX WITH A CUSTOMER LOYALTY DISCOUNT. THIS TIME THEY SUGGEST REPLACING THE ENGINE AT A 14,000 PRICE TAG. THERE IS CLEARLY SOME DESIGN FLAW THAT IS CAUSING THIS REPEATED FAILURE IN SUCH A NEW CAR. VOLKSWAGEN DOESN'T BACK UP THE PREVIOUS REPAIR. WITH THE FREQUENCY OF THIS ISSUE I'M SURE THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME ISSUE.

Mileage: 85,000

FAILED WATER PUMP FIXTURE AND GASKETS AT 62000 MILES. LEAKING COOLANT CONSTANTLY AND WARNING LIGHT GOING OFF WHILE DRIVING

Mileage: 62,000

VEHICLE IS LEAKING COOLANT. NEEDING TO REPLACE THERMOSTAT HOUSING/WATER PUMP ON VEHICLE. OUT OF WARRANTY. VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH 2015+ VW GTI VEHICLES.

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, MY VEHICLE WOULD LOSE ACCELERATION AS I PRESS ON THE GAS AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE RIGHT AWAY. ALSO AS I'M IN PARK OR IDLING IN TRAFFIC, THE CAR WOULD SHUT OFF BUT THE VEHICLE LIGHTS WOULD STILL FUNCTION.

Mileage: 65,250

MY CAR STARTS TO FEEL LIKE IT'S GOING TO DIE OUT. THERE IS A TICKING COMING FROM THE ENGINE THAT COMES AND GOES WHEN IDLED. I'VE INFORMED THE DEALERSHIP BUT THEY CAN'T SEEM TO FIND WHAT THE TICKING NOISE IS.

FIRST ISSUE I HAD WAS ABOUT TWO YEARS AFTER PURCHASING MY VEHICLE WAS WITH MY GEAR BOX. I HAVE AN AUTOMATIC "DSG" TRANSMISSION WHICH BEGAN GIVING AN ERROR LIGHT TELLING ME TO TAKE MY CAR TO SERVICE IMMEDIATELY. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN DEALER WHICH ENDED UP REPLACING THE WHOLE BOX UNIT DO TO AN ELECTRICAL SENSOR NOT READING WHEN I'D ENGAGE INTO DRIVE. I WAS UNDER WARRANTY SO IT WAS COST FREE BUT ANOTHER YEAR LATER THE SAME ERROR IS COMING OUT AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AGAIN BUT I'M NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY SO I'D HAVE TO PAY. I FEEL THAT'S PRETTY UNFAIR AND UNACCEPTABLE KNOWING ITS HAPPEN ONCE AND WAS REPLACED BY PROFESSIONALS YET I'M STUCK WITH THE SAME SITUATION. I FEEL THIS PART SHOULD HAVE CAME WITH SOME SORT OF GUARANTEE AFTER BEING REPLACED. I GOT THIS CAR IN NOVEMBER OF 2015 AND IT'S PRETTY SAD THAT IN UNDER 4 YEARS I'M EXPERIENCING THIS SCENARIO. NOW I FEAR OF DRIVING KNOWING THAT ERROR WILL COME ON AT SOME POINT OR WORSE SOMETHING HAPPEN WITH MY GEARS AND THE CAR BE PUT IN ANOTHER GEAR AT RANDOM. AND NOW I'M BEING PLACED IN ANOTHER SITUATION IN WHICH MY WATERPUMP IS LEAKING COOLANT WHICH I FIND VERY UPSETTING KNOWING VOLKSWAGEN HAD THIS SAME ISSUE WITH THE 201-2014 GTI MK6 AND HAD A RECALL YET IT SEEMS THE PROBLEM CONTINUES WITH THE FOLLOWING GENERATION. AND IT'S SAD TO SAY BUT I'M AT THE POINT OF CALLING CORPORATE AND SEEING WHAT THEY CAN DO BECAUSE I HAVEN'T EVEN HIT 50,000 MILES AND THIS IS HAPPENING. AND BOTH OF THIS PARTS ARE PRETTY PRICEY WHEN IT COMES TO LABOR. AT THIS POINT I CAN ONLY HOLD OFF AND SAVE TO HOPEFULLY GET THE WATER PUMP REPLACED BUT AS FAR AS FOR THE TRANSMISSON ISSUE I'LL WAIT TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE BECAUSE I FEEL THAT SHOULD BE RESOLVED BY VOLKSWAGEN.

Mileage: 23,000

THE CLUTCH OPERATION IN MY 2015 VOLKSWAGE GTI (6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION) IS MALFUNCTIONING TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT I WAS ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT AND NOW FEAR FOR MY SAFETY. CLUTCH OPERATION IN THE VEHICLE HAS BECOME UNPREDICTABLE, WHEN DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH PEDAL WILL REMAIN ON THE FLOOR AFTER THE PEDAL IS RELEASED, THUS PREVENTING THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE STATIONARY IN TRAFFIC, WHILE IN MOTION AND WHILE ACCELERATING. MOST RECENTLY WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MERGE ONTO A BUSY HIGHWAY THE CLUTCH PEDAL STUCK TO THE FLOOR, THIS NEARLY FORCED ME TO TAKE EVASIVE STEPS INTO A CONSTRUCTION ZONE. AFTER THIS INCIDENT I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSIS AND SERVICE. I HAVE HEARD OF SEVERAL ALARMINGLY SIMILAR REPORTS FROM OTHER 2015 GTI OWNERS WHERE THE CAUSE OF THE ISSUE WAS A FAILED ENGINE BEARING THAT RESULTS IN SIDE-TO-SIDE CRANKSHAFT MOVEMENT IN THE ENGINE.

Mileage: 18,600

I ENCOUNTERED A CLOSE RED LIGHT AND BRAKED HARD ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE ABS FROM 35 MPH IN DRY ROAD CONDITIONS ON A SUBURBAN HIGHWAY. WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND APPLIED GAS AFTER THE GREEN LIGHT, THE CAR BEGAN TO TRAVEL BACKWARDS! I BRAKED AGAIN AND FOUND THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER HAD GONE INTO THE REVERSE POSITION. I BELIEVE THE BRAKING DECELERATION CAUSED THE GEAR SHIFTER TO TRAVEL FORWARD AGAINST ANY MECHANICAL RESTRAINT AND COME TO REST IN THE REVERSE SETTING.

Mileage: 13,000

WAS DRIVING ALONG WITH TRAFFIC AND I HEARD A LOUD NOISE, THE ENGINE RPMS JUMPED AND THERE WAS A MASSIVE LOSS IN SPEED AND POWER. THE TRANSMISSION WAS STUCK IN 1ST GEAR. PULLED OVER AS SOON AS WAS SAFE. I WAS CONCERNED AN ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED DUE TO THE SUDDEN LOSS IN POWER AND SPEED WITH NO FAULT TO THE DRIVER, MYSELF. THE DASH SHOWED "ERROR: TRANSMISSION. REVERSE NOT POSSIBLE." THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER FOR EVALUATION. UPDATED 09/01/2015*LJ UPDATED 10/20/2017*CN

Mileage: 200