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Volkswagen GLIModel year report

2009 Volkswagen GLI Problems

Complaints
8filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
77,000miles, 8 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2009 Volkswagen GLI (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 8 consumer complaints for the 2009 Volkswagen GLI. The part named most often is brakes, with 7 complaints (88% of the total), followed by electronic stability control (6) and electrical system (4). 8 of the complaints include a mileage, and 13% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 77,000 miles. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 6 technical service bulletins for this model year.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Brakes: “Every time I brake hard or go into a lets say down hill turn at moderate speed my ABS, traction control and brake lights light up the dash with 3 long beeps. After that all said components don't work any more until next restart. That morning I got the lights come on in the morning on my way to work and I couldn't just stop in the middle of the highway to power cycle my car so I continued driving with caution. …”

NHTSA complaint #10643509, filed 2014-10, 85,000 miles

Electronic stability control: “Here is another dysfunction of the ABS module failure. The failure occurred unexpectedly on the day when I was on my way to work. It broke down the first time as I came to a stop, and about to went on the highway. All the dash light came on with terrifying nonstop beeping and the car stalled when I tried to accelerate to move the car to a safer spot. When the first break-down happened, I was stuck in the middle of highway, and lost control of the steering wheel as I tried to move. …”

NHTSA complaint #10907462, filed 2016-09, 55,000 miles

Electrical system: “Abs module failed unexpectedly causing dash lights to come on and totally disabled the ABS system. It first started happening while driving, and ABS remained disabled until module was fixed and replaced independently. Vwoa would not cover failure of the part.”

NHTSA complaint #10905967, filed 2016-09, 87,000 miles

Steering: “I own 2009 vw jetta that has recently developed what I feel is a major safety issue. While driving to work 11/12/14 my ABS activated while coming to a stop. Within moments of the ABS activation the dash emitted three loud beeps and the ABS, traction and brake light illuminated (brake light began blinking. The brake system locked momentarily, sending the car into a slide. I was able to recover from the slide, however the traction and ABS were disabled. I pulled into the next available parking lot and restarted the car at which point the issue appeared to resolve. …”

NHTSA complaint #10659755, filed 2014-11, 72,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

13% of the 8 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 55,000 and 85,000 miles.

0%0–100%10–2513%25–5038%50–7550%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (8 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 77,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

2014201642017
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2009 Volkswagen GLI. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
GLI · sedan FWDnot rated4 / 4———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2009 Volkswagen GLI in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 6 on record; the latest 6 are shown.

Other model years of the Volkswagen GLI

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2009877,0000———Not enough data

All Volkswagen GLI model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2009 Volkswagen GLI have?

NHTSA recorded 8 consumer complaints for the 2009 Volkswagen GLI as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2009 Volkswagen GLI is reported most often?

Brakes is named most often, in 7 complaints (88% of the total), followed by electronic stability control with 6.

Has the 2009 Volkswagen GLI been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2009 Volkswagen GLI reported?

Among the 8 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 77,000 miles and the middle half falls between 55,000 and 85,000 miles; 13% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.