2007 Volkswagen GTI DSG from North America - Comments

3000kms: Rear outside hatch release freezes stuck in open position from winter weather. Needed 1/2 can of wd40 to make it let go.

5000kms: Power steering ECU failure code. Required 2 trips to dealer to reset (because aftermarket radio was interfering with scan tool. I don't understand how so please don't ask me why!)

5400kms: Air con not working. Blows hot for first 10 minutes before suddenly going cold. There is a TSB out regarding my model year's brand of compressor being faulty. Still unresolved.

5600kms: Front lower subframe making a noise. There is TSB regarding the subframe bolts. Still unresolved.

6000kms crease in roof sheetmetal forming right behind sunroof opening. No one knows why. Started small after I began using the sunroof this summer for the first time, now is very noticeable. Unresolved.

My first euro. I know about the bad reliability stories VW has, but at the time it was the only manufacturer who would take my bad credit (lost job due to illness, made it difficult to pay bills).

I like the car very much, but so many problems so early has me wishing I could have found more money to spring for extended factory warranty. My old used Toyota had over 100k kms and in the 5 years I had owned it I only needed one trip to the dealer... I've had to go to VW 3 times in less than 2 months alone. At least the VW dealer I go to has been exceptionally accommodating.

I hope it lasts until the warranty expires so that I can save up for something else, or there is hope the problems will stop beforehand (wishful thinking?).

I would be very firm with the dealership and with Volkswagen that you expect all of these problems to be fixed immediately.

The crease in the sheet-metal - is bizarre and totally unacceptable.

Following up. the car has been with dealer for 3 weeks now. a new air con compressor has been ordered but is not in stock. the subframe bolts are being replaced (unfortunately with the same type of bolts as VW Canada will not recognise the VW USA TSB fix using Passat hardware). also, my hood liner keeps falling off. I don't know why it's like that but it won't stay in the perimeter clips/slots in the hood frame. I looked at a new GTI and it's a different design and it stays up.

I also forgot to mention that when I first bought the car, on of the sun visor hinges broke off because someone had overtightened the screw holding the plastic mount to the ceiling. the driver side lumbar support knob was already broken before I got it, but both were easy fixes.

The creases... they are aware of it, but I have no proof.

I'm somewhere over the 6000kms mark and my check engine light has come on, but everything was working as it should... until a colleague suggested that I check the oil dipstick. Sure enough, there was barely enough oil to wet the tip. This meant my engine burnt almost a litre of oil in the last 4000kms or so. Very worrisome. And why is it the check engine light would go on and not the oil light??? I subsequently added oil to bring the level back up and sure enough the CEL is now off. I've spoken with my service adviser at my VW dealer and he has scheduled me to come in for an oil consumption test later this week. Not sure what the outcome of this will be.