2003 Volkswagen GTI recalls and problems

The 2003 Volkswagen GTI has 1 recall and 53 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is air bags.

How the 2003 compares

High

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

High complaint count among 25 GTI model years — 10th most.

1recalls

53complaints

7crashes

1fires

6injuries

39,750median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

1 recall

Exterior Lighting

Feb 20, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V063000 · 1,002,000 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger, wagon, and convertible vehicles equipped with or without cruise control, a brake light switch May malfunction if it was installed incorrectly.

Original NHTSA wording

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.

Risk: The brake lights could become inoperative, or remain on. Failure to provide the proper signal when braking could lead to a crash without warning.

Original NHTSA wording

THE BRAKE LIGHTS COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE, OR REMAIN ON. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE PROPER SIGNAL WHEN BRAKING COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will install the newly designed brake light switch free of charge. The recall began on April 27, 2007, and will be conducted in several staggered mailings through September 21, 2007. Vehicles within the make, model, and model year of this population May be involved in either this recall or 06V-183, but not both. The remedy is the same for each recall. Volkswagen dealers will apply the remedy based on the VIN number of the vehicle. Owners May contact vw at 1-800-822-8987.

Volkswagen recall no. N4.customers May contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

INADVERTENT SIDE-AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT

PE04081 · opened Dec 16, 2004 · closed Apr 1, 2005

Summary

THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH SIDE-THORAX AND SIDE-HEAD CURTAIN AIRBAGS TO PROTECT THE FRONT AND REAR OUTBOARD OCCUPANTS IN A SIDE-IMPACT CRASH.THIS INVESTIGATION IDENTIFIED A TOTAL OF 499 REPORTS (482 OWNERS REPORTS AND 17 WARRANTY CLAIMS).THE CRASH SENSING SYSTEM?S ALGORITHM MAY RECOGNIZE CERTAIN NON-CRASH IMPACTS (WHEEL, TIRE AND UNDERCARRIAGE IMPACTS) AS DEPLOYABLE EVENTS.THE 97 ALLEGED INJURIES WERE MINOR IN NATURE AND CONSIST OF ABRASIONS, BRUISES, EAR RINGING AND HEADACHES.THERE WAS NO ALLEGED LOSS OF CONTROL CRASH AS A RESULT OF SIDE-AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT.ODI ALSO OBTAINED COUNTS OF ALLEGED INADVERTENT SIDE-AIRBAG DEPLOYMENTS FROM PEER MANUFACTURERS.THE DATA SHOWS THAT THE SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE NOT UNIQUE IN BEING SUBJECT TO SUCH ALLEGATIONS.THE COMPLAINT RATE FOR NON-SUBJECT INDIVIDUAL MODEL VEHICLES VARIES WIDELY.THE RATE FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES IS COMPARABLE TO THREE PEER MODELS, EACH WITH COMPACT CHASSIS/WHEELBASES.ODI HAS NOT IDENTIFIED ANY COMPONENT FAILURE OR MANUFACTURING TREND THAT MAY RELATE TO A COMPONENT OR MANUFACTURING ISSUE.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

2003 vs. other Volkswagen GTI years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2003. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2003 Volkswagen GTI have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign covering the 2003 Volkswagen GTI, the latest from Feb 20, 2007 (exterior lighting). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Volkswagen GTI?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention air bags (18), power train (12), electrical system (9). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.