2010 Volkswagen GTI recalls and problems

The 2010 Volkswagen GTI has 1 recall and 53 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is engine.

2010 Volkswagen Gti
Photo: 2010 Volkswagen Gti by IFCAR, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
How the 2010 compares
Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Average complaint count among 25 GTI model years — 11th most.

1recalls
53complaints
4crashes
0fires
1injuries
55,000median 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.
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1 recall

Power Train

Aug 20, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V333000 · 16,000 vehicles

Problem: Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2009 and 2010 passenger cars manufactured between September 2008 and August 2009. The wiring harness of a temperature sensor in the direct shift gearbox (DSG) May have connector wires that were insufficiently crimped. With insufficiently crimped connector wires, a temperature sensor has the potential to falsely detect a high gearbox oil temperature, causing the transmission to abruptly shift to neutral. If this happens, the selector lever position indicator within the instrument panel will flash. In addition, the "depress brake pedal" indicator light will be illuminated, alerting the driver to apply the brakes.

Original NHTSA wording

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 PASSENGER CARS MANUFACTURED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 2008 AND AUGUST 2009. THE WIRING HARNESS OF A TEMPERATURE SENSOR IN THE DIRECT SHIFT GEARBOX (DSG) MAY HAVE CONNECTOR WIRES THAT WERE INSUFFICIENTLY CRIMPED. WITH INSUFFICIENTLY CRIMPED CONNECTOR WIRES, A TEMPERATURE SENSOR HAS THE POTENTIAL TO FALSELY DETECT A HIGH GEARBOX OIL TEMPERATURE, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO ABRUPTLY SHIFT TO NEUTRAL. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE SELECTOR LEVER POSITION INDICATOR WITHIN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL FLASH. IN ADDITION, THE "DEPRESS BRAKE PEDAL" INDICATOR LIGHT WILL BE ILLUMINATED, ALERTING THE DRIVER TO APPLY THE BRAKES.

Risk: The abrupt shift to neutral could lead to a crash without warning.

Original NHTSA wording

THE ABRUPT SHIFT TO NEUTRAL COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy & notes

Volkswagen will reprogram the transmission control module with updated software free of charge. The recall began on October 20, 2009. Owners May contact Volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.

Vw recall no.37E3/S7 & Audi recall no. 37E5/J7.owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

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

2010: 11 complaints2010112011: 4 complaints2013: 2 complaints20132014: 6 complaints2015: 4 complaints20152016: 2 complaints2017: 6 complaints20172018: 6 complaints2019: 2 complaints20192020: 1 complaints2021: 5 complaints20212022: 2 complaints2024: 2 complaints20242

NHTSA investigations

Clockspring failure

EA18003 · opened Apr 18, 2018 · closed Nov 6, 2026
Summary

In August 2015, VW 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 clock spring. VW’s recall indicated that debris entry into the steering wheel hub can result in the contamination and ultimately failure of the clock spring in 2010-2014 MY CC, Eos, GTI, Golf, Jetta, Jetta Sportwagen, Passat, and Tiguan models. The contamination of the clock spring by debris, such as human hair, can cause the flat ribbon cable to tear. This results in the loss of the electrical connection to the front driver air bag and any steering wheel mounted controls. The clock spring is designed so that the flat cable inside will break with minimum force to prevent it from impeding movement of the steering wheel. The loss of the electrical connection to the front driver air bag results in the immediate illumination of the air bag warning light and prevents the deployment of the front driver air bag in a collision of sufficient severity. A torn clock spring also causes audible grinding noises from the area of the steering wheel/driver air bag or steering column while steering. The failure of the clock spring does not impair vehicle control or drivability (steering, brakes, acceleration). In November 2017, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ17009 after receiving complaints that alleged the failure of the clock spring in the subject models. While the majority of these complain…

2010 vs. other Volkswagen GTI years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2010. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2010 Volkswagen GTI have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign covering the 2010 Volkswagen GTI, the latest from Aug 20, 2009 (power train). 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 2010 Volkswagen GTI?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention engine (23), power train (14), electrical system (9). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.