The Used Car Index

2013 Volkswagen GTI problems

NHTSA lists 34 complaints for the 2013 Volkswagen GTI, 1 of them mention a crash and 1 mention a fire. 1 complaints mention an injury, with 1 injuries and 1 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-09.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as VOLKSWAGEN GTI.

At a glance

Complaints
34
With crash
1
With fire
1
With injury (complaints)
1
Injuries
1
Deaths
1
Recalls
2
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
415,825
Investigations
3
Open investigations
1
Manufacturer communications
857

Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
ENGINE1132.4%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM720.6%
POWER TRAIN514.7%
AIR BAGS411.8%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM38.8%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)25.9%
SERVICE BRAKES25.9%
STRUCTURE25.9%
VISIBILITY25.9%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING12.9%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
STRUCTUREBODY2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGCOOLING SYSTEM1
VISIBILITYWINDSHIELD1

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags

These labels are model-generated, not NHTSA data.

Failure modes
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
mechanical failure1235.3%0.69
electrical electronic617.6%0.74
loss of control411.8%0.79
restraint or airbag411.8%0.74
fluid or fuel leak38.8%0.81
visibility or lighting38.8%0.75
fire or overheating12.9%1.00
noise or comfort12.9%0.88
Severities
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
moderate1852.9%0.83
low1441.2%0.76
critical12.9%0.99
high12.9%0.71

Model: typesafe/jev-1.13-20260917; schema version: tag-v1. 34 tagged complaints of 34 complaints (100.0%).

Confidence is the model's own probability for the label it chose (0 to 1), not accuracy.

Model-generated labels on tagged complaints only. Model years 2013 and newer are tagged in full; 2012 in part (see tagged_share); earlier model years have no tags. NHTSA's own flags remain separate in the complaints block.

Recalls

See new recalls and investigations this week.

2 recalls.

18V329000

Date: 2018-05-16. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Eos, 2012 Passat, 2012-2016 CC, 2015-2016 e-Golf, 2011-2015 Touareg, 2012-2015 and 2017 Tiguan, and 2011-2016 Golf and 2011-2013 GTI vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.

Consequence: If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will repair the vehicles to make them fully compliant or Volkswagen will repurchase them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

15V483000

Date: 2015-08-04. Systems: AIR BAGS.

Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Volkswagen CC, and Passat, 2010-2013 Eos, 2011-2014 Golf, GTI, Jetta, and Tiguan, and 2012-2014 Jetta Sportwagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, debris may contaminate the air bag clock spring, a spiral wound, flat cable that keeps the air bag powered while the steering wheel is being turned. This contam (excerpt)

Consequence: A loss of electrical connection to the driver's frontal air bag will prevent the air bag from deploying in the event of a vehicle crash, increasing the risk of injury. (excerpt)

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a protective cover over the steering wheel clock spring if the air bag light is off. If the airbag light is on and the steering wheel clock spring requires replacement, dealers will install a new steering wheel clock spring. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

3 investigations; 1 open.

EA18003

Opened: 2018-04-18. Closed: Not listed.

Air Bag Clockspring Failure

In August 2015, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) launched Safety Recall 15V-483 to address the loss of the protection provided by the front driver air bag in several models due to the failure of the clockspring.Debris entry into the steering wheel hub can result in contamination and ultimately failure of the clockspring in 2010-2014 Model Year (MY) CC, Passat, Eos, Golf, GTI, Tiguan,

Systems: AIR BAGS.

Linked campaign numbers: None listed.

RQ17009

Opened: 2017-11-13. Closed: 2018-05-04.

Air Bag Clockspring Failure

In August 2015, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) launched Safety Recall 15V-483 to address the loss of the protection provided by the front driver air bag in several models due to the failure of the clockspring.Debris entry into the steering wheel hub can result in contamination and ultimately failure of the clockspring in 2010-2014 Model Year (MY) CC, Passat, Eos, Golf, GTI, Tiguan,

Systems: AIR BAGS.

Linked campaign numbers: None listed.

PE15010

Opened: 2015-03-24. Closed: 2015-09-28.

Air Bag Clockspring Failure

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an investigation based on consumer allegations of steering wheel clock spring/steering column control module (SCCM) failures in model year (MY) 2012 Volkswagen Passat and CC models.The SCCM is a module within the steering column that incorporates a spiral conductor (a ribbon cable) to electrically connect the steering wheel to the vehicle's electric

Systems: AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

Linked campaign numbers: 15V483000.

Manufacturer communications

857 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
EQUIPMENT317
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM184
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING126
ENGINE85
POWER TRAIN83
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE41
UNKNOWN OR OTHER37
VISIBILITY34

11038146

Date: 2026-09-17. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE.

Suggested fuel additive

11038143

Date: 2026-09-09. Type: Other. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.

11036868

Date: 2026-08-06. Type: Other. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

Permission to change Daily Order upgraded to RED Order

11036870

Date: 2026-08-04. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

Differences between a leak and seepage

11035772

Date: 2026-07-15. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the issue: DA 0019 - Hotfix 12-V battery test(s) a No battery diagnosis - Inconclusive test result.

11035762

Date: 2026-07-09. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE.

Oil Consumption Measurement and Electronic Oil Consumption Measurement

11034613

Date: 2026-06-18. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE.

Lubricating engine components before reassembly.

11034614

Date: 2026-06-18. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE.

Instruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start.

11034621

Date: 2026-06-11. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: AIR BAGS.

Inquiries

11034617

Date: 2026-06-04. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE.

Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
GTI34

Same model, other years

All model years | All Volkswagen models

Other Volkswagen models, 2013

Sources

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