There are no safety recalls for the 2009 Volkswagen GLI, but owners have filed 8 complaints with NHTSA.
2009 Volkswagen GLI problems reported by owners
| Problem area | Reports | |
|---|
| Service Brakes | 7 | |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) | 6 | |
| Electrical System | 4 | |
| Steering | 1 | |
| Power Train | 1 | |
Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 82,000 miles (median of owner reports).
Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.
Recent 2009 Volkswagen GLI complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.
Service Brakes · at 82,000 miles · reported Feb 2, 2017
I was driving my car on a city street and had to brake hard to avoid another vehicle. When I did my tires locked up and I almost lost control of my car. The "ABS", "traction control", and "brake" lights all came on. I realized there must have been a ABS system failure so I pulled over to the side of the road. I turned the car off and then back on. The system reset itself and I drove home. On monday (1/30/17) I turned my car on and the system had failed. The lights were on the dash cluster. My electronic power steering was no functioning correctly. The transmission would stop shifting and drop…
Service Brakes · at 55,000 miles · reported Sep 18, 2016
Here is another dysfunction of the ABS module failure. The failure occurred unexpectedly on the day when I was on my way to work. It broke down the first time as I came to a stop, and about to went on the highway. All the dash light came on with terrifying nonstop beeping and the car stalled when I tried to accelerate to move the car to a safer spot. When the first break-down happened, I was stuck in the middle of highway, and lost control of the steering wheel as I tried to move. The lights went away after about 10 minutes while I was struck on the turnabout, so I continued to drive, after…
Service Brakes · at 87,000 miles · reported Sep 13, 2016
Abs module failed unexpectedly causing dash lights to come on and totally disabled the ABS system. It first started happening while driving, and ABS remained disabled until module was fixed and replaced independently. Vwoa would not cover failure of the part.
Service Brakes · at 89,000 miles · reported Jul 26, 2016
Abs module failure causing car to randomly lock brakes during cornering/ABS activation events. This originally occurred when roads were slippery in winter 2014 (60k on vehicle), continues to grow worse to where it now happens during long slow corners (Highway overpasses). Repair from dealership costs $2300 (10% of the price of new msrp), vwoa refuses to assist with repair even though this is a well documented safety issue that occurs on all 2009 vw golf/jetta variants. I have had 3 events with complete loss of traction, and uncounted partial loss events. I had an independent dealership…
Service Brakes · at 50,000 miles · reported Jul 8, 2016
Yet another ABS module failure. Clearly a design flaw on the part of vw. The entire dash cluster has malfunctioned. Loud beeps on startup. Abs light. Brake light, stability control light...all lit up like a christmas tree. Engine fault - workshop warning. Speedometer doesn't work! Fuel gauge wildly fluctuates. Low fuel warning stays lit even with a full tank. Trip computer does not work. Other electrical faults as well probably related to the speedometer malfunction. The car's electronics think it's not moving so all electronic functions tied into the speed of the car are compromised. Trunk…
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2009 Volkswagen GLI have any recalls?
No. NHTSA has no safety recalls for the 2009 Volkswagen GLI as of this update. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the latest status.
What is the most common problem with the 2009 Volkswagen GLI?
Owners report service brakes problems most often (7 reports), followed by electronic stability control (esc) (6). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 82,000 miles.
Are Volkswagen recall repairs free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Volkswagen dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.