Problems · NHTSA complaints

2007 Volkswagen Gti problems

Owners filed 77 complaints about the 2007 Volkswagen Gti with NHTSA between Sep 2006 and Jun 2023. The most-cited component is power train (40).

Complaints
77
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train40
  2. Electrical system12
  3. Air bags11
  4. Exterior lighting7
  5. Engine and engine cooling7
  6. Structure6
  7. Vehicle speed control5
  8. Fuel system, gasoline3
  9. Engine2
  10. Wheels1
  11. Equipment1
  12. Visibility1
  13. Seats1
  14. Suspension1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20063
200712
200812
200917
20109
20114
20123
20134
20142
20154
20162
20171
20180
20191
20201
20210
20220
20232

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

40 reports
“THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER AUTOMATICALLY PUTS THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND WONT LET THE CAR MOVE FOWARD, ITS AN ELECTRONIC COMPONENT THAT TELLS THE TRANSMISSION WHAT GEAR THE CAR IS ON.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 23, 2020Power trainODI 11321979

Electrical system

12 reports
“PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT (PLEASE SEE ATTACHED PHOTO "HEADLIGHT.JPG"): THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED FOR THE FIRST TIME THE DAY WE BOUGHT THE CAR, RIGHT AFTER WE PULLED OUT OF YOUR LOT. WE PULLED RIGHT BACK IN AFTER CIRCLING THE BLOCK, BUT AFTER LEORE TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND ON AGAIN EVERYTHING WAS FINE THEN. I HAVE NOT FOUND A WAY TO DUPLICATE THIS. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN RANDOMLY, BUT USUALLY WITHIN THE FIRST MINUTE OR SO OF DRIVING. THERE ALWAYS SEEMS TO BUT BE A BRIGHT FLASH FROM WHICH ONE OF THE LIGHTS DOES NOT RECOVER. DASHBOARD MESSAGE: THIS ONE LOOKS LIKE IT MAY BE RELATED TO THE FIRST ISSUE (AGAIN, PLEASE SEE ATTACHED PHOTO NAMED "MESSAGE.JPG"): THE MESSAGE READING "FRONT RIGHT DIPPED BEAM NOT WORKING!" USUALLY DISPLAYS WITHIN THE FIRST FEW SECONDS AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND A WAY TO DUPLICATE THIS AT WILL. IT ALSO SEEMS TO RANDOMLY HAPPEN, BUT A LOT MORE OFTEN THAN THE FAILING HEADLIGHT UNDER ISSUE #1 DOES. THE PASSENGER DOOR POWER LOCK SEEMS TO WORK ONLY ON AND OFF. ALL OTHER LOCKS (I'M NOT POSITIVE ABOUT THE TRUNK ACTUALLY) SEEM TO WORK FINE. ALIGNMENT: THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT ON THE FREEWAY. I BOUGHT A USED VEHICLE FROM…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 5, 2015Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, WheelsODI 10788488

Air bags

11 reports4 crashes
“The front passenger airbag has been verified by a service centre to have some kind of issue, is a safety hazard and they confirmed other of the same type airbags have had faults as well (in their experience).”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 9, 2023Air bagsODI 11500914

Exterior lighting

7 reports1 related recall
“THE 3RD BRAKE LIGHT HAS FAILED TO WORK AND WHILE THERE IS POWER TO THE POWER MODULE THERE IS NO WAY TO ACCESS THE LED BRAKE LIGHT PANEL WITHOUT REMOVING THE REAR SPOILER AND REPLACING IT WITH A NEW ONE WITH A COST OF $500 TO CHANGE THE LIGHT FOR INSPECTION. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 9, 2011Exterior lightingODI 10418171

Engine and engine cooling

7 reports
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLKSWAGEN GTI . WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 45 TO 85 MPH, THE VEHICLE RESPONDED AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL GEAR AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ACTIVATED THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHICH DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE CAM FOLLOWER THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CAM FOLLOWER WAS REPLACED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77900 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78770.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 13, 2010Engine and engine coolingODI 10349268

Structure

6 reports1 crash
“I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A STOP SIGN. I T-BONED THE OTHER VEHICLE. THE FRONT OF MY CAR IMPACTED THE FRONT PASSENGER FENDER AND DOOR OF THE OTHER VEHICLE. I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO APPLY THE BRAKE, ONLY ENOUGH TO LET OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL BEFORE THE COLLISION OCCURRED. I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. MY VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND SUSTAINED FRONT END DAMAGE AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT DAMAGE. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY EVEN THOUGH I WAS TRAVELING AT 40 MPH. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 28, 2014Air bags, Structure, EngineCrash reportedODI 10575372
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.