NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Volkswagen GTI. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Volkswagen GTI. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V110000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Upon driving the car ,noticed fuel odor and found fuel leak by rear passenger inner fender cover.
VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS AT LOW SPEEDS AND WHEN IDLING.
I HAVE BOUGHT THE NEW 6 SPEED MANUAL GTI THIS WEEK AND PUT 150 MILES ON IT SO FAR. ONLY 4 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE, THE CAR STALLED WHILE STOPPING WITH THE CLUTCH DEPRESSED DURING SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL, WITH NO WARNING SIGNS OR ERRORS.
THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE CLUTCH IS FULLY IN AND THROTTLE IS NOT ENGAGED (COASTING DOWN HILLS, STOP SIGNS) THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF BUT ALL OF THE ELECTRONICS STAY ON. I LOSE POWER STEERING/THROTTLE AND RPMS ARE 0. NONE OF THE ENGINE LIGHTS COME ON LIKE THE CAR STALLED. WHEN THE CAR TURNS BACK ON, IT SEEMS TO STRUGGLE/STUTTER. SEVERAL OF THE TIMES I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART IT, IT TOOK A TRY OR TWO TO CRANK AND ME ADDING SOME THROTTLE. I RAN MY CODE READER SEVERAL TIMES WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND NO ACTUAL CODES HAVE BEEN TRIPPED AND NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON IF I CONTINUALLY ADD SOME THROTTLE AND REV THE ENGINE WHILE AT A STOP WITH THE CLUTCH IN THE ISSUE DOES NOT HAPPEN IT HASN'T HAPPENED WHILE THE ENGINE OR THE OUTDOOR TEMPERATURE WAS COLD. ONLY AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN PARKED OUTSIDE IN THE FALL NOT QUITE WARM IN THE MIDWEST US AND AGAIN ONLY AFTER I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR 10 MINUTES OR SO AND THE ENGINE WAS TOTALLY WARMED UP.
I BEGAN EXPERIENCING THE ENGINE STALL FROM THE DAY I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE KEEPS STALLING AS I COME TO A STOP. IT HAPPENS WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED. IT HAPPENS WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THERE IS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR OTHER WARNINGS. WHEN I ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE ENGINE, I SOMETIMES HAVE TO PRESS THE ENGINE START BUTTON MULTIPLE TIMES UNTIL I GET A RESPONSE. WHEN THE ENGINE DOES RESTART, THE IDLE SOMETIMES FLUCTUATES AND SHUTS OFF. IT HAPPENS WHETHER I'M DRIVING ON A LOCAL STREET OR A HIGHWAY.
THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED AS I CAME TO A STOP FROM A SLOW SPEED. THEN, AS I TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED, THE ENGINE STARTED WITH A VERY UNSTEADY IDLE AND STALLED AGAIN. I REPEATED THIS PROCESS FOUR TIMES, AND THEN THE FIFTH TIME, APPLIED THE GAS PEDAL DURING THE UNSTEADY IDLE, AND THE CAR WAS ABLE TO RUN AGAIN. THIS ENTIRE PROCESS DID NOT CAUSE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE ISSUE.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY GOING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH. IT WAS A CLEAR DAY (ABOUT 70 DEGREES F), VERY LIGHT TRAFFIC, NO OTHER CARS WERE IN MY IMMEDIATE VICINITY. I WAS NOT DRIVING UNDER ANY OVERPASS NOR DID I SEE OR HEAR ANY ROCKS HIT MY CAR. OUT OF NOWHERE, I HEARD A VERY LOUD POP WHICH SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT. I LOOKED UP AND MY SUNROOF WAS COMPLETELY SHATTERED UPWARDS AND SOME SMALL SHARDS OF GLASS FELL ONTO MY PASSENGER SEAT, MY CONSOLE, AND ME. I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF MY CAR ALTHOUGH IT WAS VERY ALARMING TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND I HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO REALIZE WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED.