NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2011 Volkswagen GTI. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
WHILE MOVING AND COMING TO A STOP AND THEN ACCELERATING TO PROCEED, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD REV BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE SITUATION AT THE TIME IS TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND TRY TO ACCELERATE AGAIN. *TR
THE VEHICLE IS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN GTI EQUIPPED WITH A DSG TRANSMISSION. THE GTI IS NOT OFFERED AS CHOICE WHEN SELECTING VEHICLE MODEL USING THIS ON-LINE COMPLIANT FORM. OCCASIONALLY THE VEHICLE FAILS TO ACCELERATE OR ACCELERATES VERY SLOWLY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MOVE FORWARD FROM A COMPLETE STOP. WHEN THIS OCCURS THE ENGINE REVOLUTIONS WILL INCREASE BUT WITH LITTLE OR NO FORWARD MOTION, AS IF THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN NEUTRAL. AFTER SEVERAL SECONDS AT HIGH RPM (~3000 -4000) THE ENGINE REVS DROP, SOMETIMES ABRUPTLY AND THE CAR BEGINS TO ACCELERATE NORMALLY. THIS BEHAVIOR IS INFREQUENT OCCURRING, 6 TIMES OVER ~ 3000 MILES. THIS BEHAVIOR IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE THERE IS A RISK OF AN ACCIDENT IF IT WERE TO OCCUR WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN EVALUATED BY THE DEALER BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM OR FIND ANY DEFECT. *KB
WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER HAVING SLOWED DOWN FOR A TURN, THE CLUTCH FAILS TO ENGAGE AND I GET A FALSE NEUTRAL. THE RPM GOES ALL THE WAY TO 5000, 6000, BUT THE CAR DOESN'T SPEED UP BECAUSE IT'S IN NEUTRAL, EVEN WHEN THE GEAR SELECTOR IS IN D. THIS IS DIFFICULT TO REPLICATE BECAUSE IT HAPPENS SPONTANEOUSLY. VOLKSWAGEN REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT CANNOT BE IMMEDIATELY REPLICATED AT THE DEALERSHIP. *TR
FROM SECOND DAY OF OWNERSHIP VEHICLE HAS HAD TRANSMISSION (DSG AUTOMATIC) PROBLEMS. AT WELL OVER 40 OCCURRENCES (IN 30,000 MILES) THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP INTO NEUTRAL WHEN SLOWING TO A RATE OF 10MPH OR LESS AND THEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE, CAUSING AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE CONDITION. ONE INSTANCE A COLLISION WAS AVOIDED BY ANOTHER MOTORIST SWERVING ONTO THE SIDEWALK TO MISS MY VEHICLE AND ALMOST STRUCK A PEDESTRIAN WHEN MY TRANSMISSION WENT INTO NEUTRAL AND I COASTED INTO THE INTERSECTION. ANOTHER SYMPTOM OF THE TRANSMISSION IS THAT THE CAR WILL GO INTO NEUTRAL AT HIGHWAY SPEED. AT 65-70MPH IT WILL WITHOUT WARNING OR NOTICE GO INTO NEUTRAL AND SOMETIMES WILL NOT GO BACK INTO GEAR UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAS COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I HAVE HAD THE CAR INTO THE DEALER MANY TIMES AND IT IS THE SAME STORY AGAIN AND AGAIN, UNLESS I CAN REPLICATE THE PROBLEM WITH A MECHANIC IN THE CAR THEY CANT FIX ANYTHING. I BROUGHT THE ISSUE TO THE DEALERS ATTENTION AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT THE SECOND DAY OF OWNERSHIP AND THEY LOOKED AT IT AND SAID IT IS FINE, AND THAT I'M JUST NOT USE TO THE CAR YET. AFTER TWO ACCIDENTS AVOIDED I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR AND DO NOT WANT IT. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY HURT! *KB
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026