Problems · NHTSA complaints

2007 Volkswagen Rabbit problems

Owners filed 54 complaints about the 2007 Volkswagen Rabbit with NHTSA between Dec 2006 and Apr 2024. The most-cited component is electrical system (10).

Complaints
54
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system10
  2. Air bags8
  3. Seats8
  4. Service brakes7
  5. Power train5
  6. Vehicle speed control5
  7. Steering4
  8. Fuel system, gasoline4
  9. Service brakes, hydraulic4
  10. Engine3
  11. Engine and engine cooling3
  12. Electronic stability control (esc)2
  13. Structure2
  14. Latches/locks/linkages2

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 Oct 28, 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
20061
20076
20084
20093
20104
20113
20121
20132
20147
20151
20163
20177
20185
20193
20201
20210
20221
20231
20241

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

Electrical system

10 reports1 fire
“WHILE STARTING THE CAR, SEVERAL DIAGNOSTIC LIGHTS CAME ON, INCLUDING THE ECP AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. ENTERING THE REVERSE GEAR MADE THE CAR ACCELERATE FAST BACKWARDS WHEN RELEASING THE BREAKS BUT NOT USING THE GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE. THE SURPRISE IT CAME WITH COULD HAVE LED TO BACK INTO CARS OR PASSENGERS STANDING BEHIND. THE CAR FELL INTO A SAFETY MODE, FORWARD ACCELERATED VERY SLOWLY TO MAX 30 MPH WHILE HEADING TO A SHOP.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 7, 2019Power train, Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlODI 11194395

Air bags

8 reports1 crash
“TAKATA RECALL, THE AIR BAG LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE TO A LOCAL VOLKSWAGEN DEALER TO CHECK IT AND I WAS THE AIR BAG DEFECTED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE; AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE AIR BAG WAS NOT ON THE RECALL. I WONDER WHY VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT 2007 WAS NOT ON THE RECALL? MY VEHICLE JUST HAD 68047 MILES. I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING INFO ASAP. THANKS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 1, 2017Air bagsODI 10957857

Seats

8 reports2 fires
“VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON CITY STREET IN NORTH CHATHAM, MA. SMELL OF BURNING. PULLED OVER AND DISCOVERED THAT THE ELECTRIC SEAT HEATER HAD BURNT A HOLE IN THE DRIVERS SEAT BACK. A HOLE WAS ALSO BURNT IN THE OUTER LAYER OF MY GOOSE DOWN COAT WHERE IT MADE CONTACT WITH BURNING SEAT BACK. BURNT HOLE IN SEAT IS APPROXIMATELY 0.375 INCH DIAMETER.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 19, 2020SeatsODI 11300351

Service brakes

7 reports1 crash
“DISPLAYING ABS LIGHT, ELECTRONIC STABILITY LIGHT, EMERGENCY BRAKE BEEPS THEN LIGHT REMAINS ON BLINKING, STEERING ALIGNMENT LIGHT DISPLAYS, CHANGED OUT THE REAR ABS SENSORS AND THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL HUB, ALL LIGHTS REMAIN ON. BECAUSE MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED IN 2007 IT IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL FOR THE ABS MODULE (A KNOWN ISSUE) SO EITHER I PARK THE CAR PERMANENTLY OR COUGH UP A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY TO FIX A KNOWN ISSUE. I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR AT LOWER SPEEDS AND SEVERAL TIMES WAS FORCED TO RELY ON THE E-BRAKE BECAUSE THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NOT OPERATE. IT IS SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS TO HAVE ON THE ROAD DUE TO AN ISSUE THAT VOLKSWAGEN BEEN AWARE OF FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 26, 2019Steering, Electronic stability control (esc), Service brakesODI 11210024

Power train

5 reports
“THE TRANSMISSION FAILED THE GEARS WERE HARD TO ENGAGE WHEN DRIVING IT. FINALLY IT LEFT MY DAUGHTER AND GRANDDAUGHTER STRANDED IN THE STREET ON HER WAY TO WORK. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 5, 2017Power trainODI 10939891

Vehicle speed control

5 reports1 crash
“CRUISE CONTROL ON MY 2007 VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT WILL INTERMEDIATELY COME ON AND OFF. ACCORDING TO BLOGS AND VOLKSWAGEN RABBITS ALSO NOTICE THIS. AT ONE POINT I SAW MYSELF ONLY DOING 40 MPH WHEN I HAD THE CRUISE SET ON 70 MPH. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 15, 2010Vehicle speed controlODI 10325902
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026

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