2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
72
Owner Complaints
1
Recall
3
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI
The 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI has received a total of 72 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There has been 1 recall campaign affecting this vehicle, covering issues with EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH. 3 technical service bulletins have been issued by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Power Trainclutch Assembly (9 complaints), Air Bagsfrontal (7 complaints), and Air Bagssidewindow (6 complaints).
Recalls for the 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI
NHTSA has recorded 1 recall for the 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI, potentially affecting up to 1,002,000 vehicles.
Recall 07V063000 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
| 1,002,000 vehicles affected
Defect: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.
Consequence: 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: 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...
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI
72 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
When my car gets down to 1/4 tank it cuts out and dies I’ve replaced the fuel pump and fuel filter. I believe this is a serious possibly deadly issue. Please take action on making our vehicle safe to be on the road with a recall! I’ve talked to countless owners of the same vehicle I own and they are having the same issue. With no luck of fixing it on our own I’ve been in countless situations when I shouldn’t be stalling in middle of intersections, and on the highway doing 65-70 it’s not safe at all. Take note it only does it at a quarter tank and below anywhere on the fuel gauge about a quarter it doesn’t do it
I HAVE A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI AND IT HAS A ELECTRICAL ISSUE MY LIGHTS FLICKER BY THEMSELVES AND MY HAZARDS COME ON BY THEMSELVES AS WELL AND I WANT TO PUT IN A NEW RADIO BUT WITH MY ELECTRICAL ISSUES GOING I CAN'T DO THAT AND WHEN I PUT MY HEAT ON IT MESSES WITH MY HEAD LIGHTS THEY TURN OFF IDK WHAT IS GOING ON BUT I CAN'T FIX IT AND I WAS ON A TOWN STREET WHEN THIS HAPPENED SO YEAH I NEED THIS FIXED
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLID OVER ICE AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE DRIVER SUSTAINED WHIPLASH. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE DAMAGES WERE REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND APPROACHING A RAMP, THE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND THE HEADLINER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.
THE AIRBAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. VW VOTEX WEB PAGE (FOR VW ENTHUIASTS) LISTS THAT IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH A SEAT BELT SENSOR THAT TRIGGERS AND AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT. I HAVE HAD IT RESET THREE TIMES AT 60.00 A SESSION...FOR A KNOWN PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING SOME TIME WITH THE LIGHT ON. I HAVE SOME CONCERN THAT THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE WRITTEN VW ABOUT IT AND WAS GIVEN A LAME EXCUSE AND THEN IGNORED.
2003 VW GTI AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT, COLLISION, BUMP OR CRASH AND STAYED ON ALL THE TIME, THIS CONDITION MAKES THE AIRBAG SYSTEM INOPERATIVE AT THE TIME OF A REAL COLLISION, I BELONG TO A VW CLUB ( VWVOERTWX.COM) AND THIS SEEMS TO BE VERY POPULAR ISSUE AMONG VW GTI TWO DOOR, TECHNICALLY THIS HAS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT VW SHOULD BE OBLIGATED TO CORRECT. *TR
Safety Rating for the 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI
NHTSA has not yet tested the 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. has issued 3 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
941401 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
Exterior Lights, Moisture Accumulation
0508 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
UPDATE PROGRAMMING FLASHING ENGINE CONTROL MODULE ECM. VW 2002-2003 GTI, JETTA, JETTA WAGON WITH 1.8 ENG. CODE AWP *SC
WG — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
REPLACEMENT OF THE IGNITION COILS. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT IF ONE OF THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION COIL FAILS, ROUGH IDLING OR REDUCED DRIVING POWER COULD OCCUR IN ADDITION TO ILLUMINATION OF THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP LIGHT. *TT *MJ
NHTSA Investigations for the 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the VOLKSWAGEN GTI
- 1998 VOLKSWAGEN GTI — 12 complaints
- 1999 VOLKSWAGEN GTI — 11 complaints
- 2000 VOLKSWAGEN GTI — 58 complaints
- 2001 VOLKSWAGEN GTI — 97 complaints
- 2002 VOLKSWAGEN GTI — 141 complaints
- 2003 VOLKSWAGEN GTI (current)
- 2004 VOLKSWAGEN GTI — 13 complaints
- 2005 VOLKSWAGEN GTI — 12 complaints
- 2006 VOLKSWAGEN GTI — 57 complaints
- 2007 VOLKSWAGEN GTI — 102 complaints
- 2008 VOLKSWAGEN GTI — 76 complaints
Other VOLKSWAGEN Models
- VOLKSWAGEN JETTA — 13,715 total complaints
- VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — 10,288 total complaints
- VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE — 3,613 total complaints
- VOLKSWAGEN TIGUAN — 3,104 total complaints
- VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS — 2,635 total complaints
- VOLKSWAGEN GOLF — 1,991 total complaints
- VOLKSWAGEN ID.4 — 1,568 total complaints
- VOLKSWAGEN CC — 1,356 total complaints