The Used Car Index

2018 Volkswagen GTI problems

NHTSA lists 17 complaints for the 2018 Volkswagen GTI, 2 of them mention a crash and 0 mention a fire. 2 complaints mention an injury, with 2 injuries and 2 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-09.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as VOLKSWAGEN GTI.

At a glance

Complaints
17
With crash
2
With fire
0
With injury (complaints)
2
Injuries
2
Deaths
2
Recalls
3
Do not drive recalls
1
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
679,027
Investigations
1
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
492

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
SERVICE BRAKES635.3%
ENGINE423.5%
POWER TRAIN317.6%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM211.8%
STRUCTURE211.8%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER211.8%
TIRES15.9%
VISIBILITY15.9%
WHEELS15.9%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
STRUCTUREBODY2
VISIBILITYSUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY1

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 failure847.1%0.76
loss of control529.4%0.73
electrical electronic211.8%0.67
fire or overheating15.9%0.31
structural or corrosion15.9%0.55
Severities
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
moderate1376.5%0.84
high211.8%1.00
low211.8%0.71

Model: typesafe/jev-1.13-20260917; schema version: tag-v1. 17 tagged complaints of 17 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.

3 recalls.

24V110000

Date: 2024-02-14. Systems: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.

Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain front-wheel drive 2015-2020 Audi A3 Sedan, 2015-2019 Audi A3 Cabriolet, 2019-2020 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, 2018 Golf Sportwagen GP, 2018-2019 Golf Sportwagen A7, 2015-2017 Golf Sportwagen, 2015-2020 Golf GTI, and 2015-2020 Golf A7 vehicles. Due to a problem with a suction jet pump seal inside the fuel tank, fuel may flow into the ev (excerpt)

Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire. (excerpt)

Remedy: Dealers will replace the suction pump, free of charge. Final owner notification letters for Audi owners were mailed on July 25, 2024. Final owner letters for VW owners were mailed on August 13, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 or Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are VW: 20UF/Audi: 20YF. Vehicles that were previ (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

19V615000

Date: 2019-08-22. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING.

Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2019 GTI, 2015-2016 and 2018-2019 Golf, 2012-2019 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2017-2019 Golf SportWagen and 2011-2018 Jetta vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, manual handbrake and keyless entry. A build-up of silicate on the shift lever micro switch contacts may enable the key to be removed from the ignitio (excerpt)

Consequence: Removing the key while the shift lever is in a position other than "Park" increases the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash. (excerpt)

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional switch and circuit board, free of charge. The recall began November 19, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 37M2. (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

18V369000

Date: 2018-06-01. Systems: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC.

Defect: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, Passat, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Golf, Golf SportWagen and GTI and Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have insufficient coating, potentially reducing the brake performance. (excerpt)

Consequence: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash. (excerpt)

Remedy: Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners. Audi dealers will bleed the rear brakes. Volkswagen dealers will bleed the front and rear brake calipers. Note: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the brake system has been checked. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volksw (excerpt)

Do not drive: Yes. Park outside: No.

Investigations

1 investigations; 0 open.

RQ23007

Opened: 2023-12-12. Closed: 2024-07-01.

Fuel Leak due to Suction Jet Pump Failure within Fuel Tank (Remedy Effectiveness of Recall 16V647)

On December 12, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened RQ23-007 to investigate the remedy repair effectiveness and scope of Volkswagen (VW) recall 16V-647. Recall 16V-647 was issued on September 2, 2016, for a defective suction jet pump (SJP) inside the fuel tank. Failure of the SJP could lead to a fuel leak from the vehicle. This recall covered certain model year (MY) 2015-2016 V

Systems: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.

Linked campaign numbers: 24V110.

Manufacturer communications

492 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
EQUIPMENT190
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM94
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING86
ENGINE67
UNKNOWN OR OTHER37
VISIBILITY27
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY23
POWER TRAIN21

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.

11036874

Date: 2026-08-10. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: POWER TRAIN.

Replacement instruction

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

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
GTI17

Same model, other years

All model years | All Volkswagen models

Other Volkswagen models, 2018

Sources

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