2013 Volkswagen GTI problems
Owners have filed 42 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Volkswagen GTI. Engine is the most reported problem area, at 26% of complaints. Next are fuel system (17%) and drivetrain & axles (12%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 42 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 26% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 1 and 3
- Injuries and deaths
- 1 and 1
- Typical mileage
- 18,000 miles 33 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 17 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 4 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 5 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 5 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 0 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 1 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 1 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 0 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 33 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 18,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 1 complaint mentions a crash; 3 complaints mention a fire; 1 injury reported; 1 death reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2013 ranks 16th most-complained-about out of 19 model years of the Volkswagen GTI with enough data (36 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 2 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Tl* the contact owned a 2013 volkswagen gti. While the contact's son was driving at an unknown speed, he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a pole on the passenger side. The contact stated that the front driver, front passenger, and side passenger air bags deployed. The driver was fatally injured due to frontal lobe damage, dislocation of the spine, aorta damage, and lacerations of the liver.
Car was driven in a neighborhood. First noticed some smoke coming out of the hood, stopped the car, more and more smoke came out and couldn't even see anything if anyone were to be in the car. Notice some fire start to appear at the bottom of the car, called 911. The entire hood was on fire by the time firefighters arrived. It seemed there was going to be an explosion if firefighters were to arrive a minute later.
Intake manifold was replaced under warranty in 2015. In late 2019 the vehicle displayed a service engine warning which turned out to be the intake manifold again. Out of warranty the service cost me in excess of $1000. I see the warranty was extended on older years for the same exact reason but not the 2013. This needs to be remedied as soon as possible.
I'm on my way to work on the highway going uphill and the temperature red light starts flashing. I decided to slow down because the flashing light had me concerned. The temperature gauge stayed at normal position so I was able to bring it home. I waited awhile and then checked under the hood for coolant level and it was down to the bottom barely any left. So I bought the recommended coolant by VW and filled it up to level.