The rpms only go to 4000 the headlights are constantly blown, one of the fans does not work ....there are a lot of electrical problems, the mass air intake flow issues with that there's just a lot of issues. It's affected the electrical, speed control, airbags, visibility and wiper,lighting, fuel system mass air intake sensor
The worst 2008 Volkswagen GTI problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Transmission40
- Engine7
- Lights7
- Fuel system6
- Airbags3
- Tires3
- Seat belts2
- Acceleration1
- Driver assistance1
- Electrical1
- Visibility1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2008 Volkswagen GTI
Jerking 24Harsh shifting 7Fuel pump 6Headlights 6Hesitation 6
Recalls 1
Exterior lighting: headlights
- What is wrong
- Certain vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." some vehicles may not have had a required cap installed which disables the headlight horizontal aim and some vehicles may contain a cap that disables the vertical aiming screw.
- Risk
- Noncompliance can inhibit proper headlamp aim adjustment for roadway illumination, improperly aimed headlamps could cause reduced road visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect for the presence of a cap in the socket of the low beam horizontal aiming screw and install one if missing, and inspect for the presence of a cap in the socket of the vertical aiming screw and if present, the cap will be removed. The recall will begin on october 31, 2007. Owners may contact vw at 1‑800‑822‑8987.
Recall number 07V442000 · Recall details
See all 1 recalls for the 2008 Volkswagen GTI
Defect investigations
Vehicle stall/loss motive power
The subject vehicles are equipped with direct shift gearbox (dsg) transmissions, which feature a 6-speed automatic gearbox with two wet running clutches (dual clutch) in which the clutch mechanism and gear changes are electrohydraulically operated by a mechatronic control unit.the dsg mechatronic controller includes extensive self diagnostic functions and strategies to ensure safe operation and prevent system/component damage in the event of component failures or harsh operating conditions.the basic hierarchy of fault modes includes some that only result in the storage of a diagnostic trouble code (dtc) and cause no loss of function, some that store a dtc and reduce vehicle operation to a limp home mode, and some that store a dtc and cause an interruption of motive power (I.e., open clutch).the driver is alerted to the latter two modes by the dash gear position indicator (prnds) flashing. One of the conditions that results in interruption of motive power is excess gearbox temperature.the system initially responds to increased gearbox temperature by ramping down engine torque.if the temperature keeps rising the mechatronic unit responds by opening the clutch.in a defect information report submitted to the federal safety agency on august 20, 2009, volkswagen described a potential defect in the wiring harnesses of the dsg gearbox temperature sensors used in approximately 16,000 model year (my) 2009 and 2010 volkswagen (eos, jetta and gti) and audi (a3 and tt/tt roadster) vehicles equipped with dsg transmissions and built from september 2008 through august 2009 (the federal safety agency recall no. 09v‑333, volkswagen recall no. 37e3/s7 and audi recall no 37e4/j7). Volkswagen provided this description of the defect, the wiring harness of a temperature sensor in the dsg may have connector wires that were insufficiently crimped by the connector supplier during a limited production period.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.in heavy traffic, the abrupt shift to neutral could lead to a crash without warning.volkswagen estimated that less than one percent of the recalled vehicles may contain the defect condition. Odi identified 40 complaints that appear to be related to the temperature sensor defect condition described by volkswagen.volkswagen received 139 complaints related to the condition, with 7 involving vehicles reported to odi, resulting a 172 total complaints to odi and volkswagen.all of these complaints involve the my 2009 an 2010 vehicles subject to recall 09v‑333. Odi also identified complaints of harsh/jerky shifting in some volkswagen vehicles with dsg.volkswagen attributed this condition, which typically occurs at very low speeds, to excessive wear in the bushings of the two solenoid valves in the mechatronic unit that control clutch operation.volkswagen does not believe that the this condition is a safety defect because the changes in shift quality develop gradually over time, do not cause a loss of motive power and have not resulted in any fatalities, injuries or serious crashes (there were three reported property damage incidents resulting in minor body damage in very low speed, parking maneuvers).volkswagen addressed this problem in the field with a customer service program that includes the replacement of potentially affected mechatronic units as well
PE09035
Technical service bulletins for the 2008 Volkswagen GTI 457
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This special notice is to inform dealers to return the parts listed if it meets the criteria provided.
- VW Engine oil quality standards
- Battery Testing and Charging Using Midtronics VAS6161 and or GRX3000VAS Charger
- Safety Related Inquiry and Reporting
- Update to Volkswagen engine oil standards
- Diagnostic assistance for excessive static current draw
- Volkswagen Engine oil quality standards, update to attachments.
- Battery Testing and Charging using Midtronics VAS6161 and or GRX3000 Vas Charger
- Software Version Management (SVM) instruction.
- Engine Oil Consumption Measurement Instruction and Work sheet.
2008 Volkswagen GTI fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | FWD | 20-22 | 29 | 24-25 |
What 2008 Volkswagen GTI owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Ea888 has a known timing chain and chain tensioner issue that causes engine failure.
The car jerks out when u accelerate. The car feels like it's in manual when taking off.
2.0 t use of excessive oil between oil changes
Car loss power had to be towed to voltswagon later the high pressure fuel pump was found to have failed causing a lost of power while on the on ramp to the highway. There was also damage done to the motor from the internal metal fragments from where the pump works with the cam shaft and the metal fell into the motor. Had to have a new engine replace ment mileage 135000.
Recently I preformed a routine maintenance check on my vehicle and as suggested by all mark 5 gti owners I checked the cam follower. I found the cam follower completely worn through. I contacted vw to make sure I was under the extended warranty handed out to all 2006-2007 and some 2008 owners to find out I was not under the warranty extension. Right now I have a the piece off my old cam follower somewhere in my engine and vw refuses to service my vehicle due to their new improved model apparently that many other owners are experiencing. Vw knows that the cam follower is faulty but refuses to service many other 2008 owners such as myself. Right now it feels like my car is a ticking time bomb with the cam follower piece somewhere in the engine.
The cam follower has prematurely warn out causing the intake camshaft to wear prematurely as well, which has in turn caused the high pressure fuel pump to fail. This is a long-term, degenerative issue. Volkswagen has extended the warranty on these parts for some 2006-2008 gti's but not my VIN. Their warranty extension was not broad enough as these same parts have failed in my car.
I've recently had frequent headlight bulb failures and other headlight related issues during my ownership of the car. Prior to installing another expensive new bulb I did some investigation into the wiring inside the headlight housing and I was completely stunned and concerned at what I found. The wiring insulation/covering is missing on the majority of the wires. Especially at the main connector where the covering on all wires is missing. The majority, approximately 80% of the wires are bare. Any wire insulation remaining is cracked and frail. I am concerned about the safety of this vehicles wiring and the potential for fire due to electrical shorts as well as the potential for this issue to cause other problems with the electrical circuit of the car. There is no routine maintenance as an owner that could have prevented this from happening. I contacted volkswagen of america and I was told that due to the age and mileage (103,257) of the vehicle they couldn't do anything. I believe this to be an engineering failure to provide adequate insulation to the wiring in an environment prone to heat and should be subject to a formal inquiry of other vehicles of the same make and model. The headlight failure indicator on the dash came as I started the car and I verified the light was out. The wiring issue was found while the car was stationary during the replacement of the bulb.
Shortly after purchasing my 08 gti with the fsi motor, I was searching the internet for common issues to watch out for. The cam follower which sits between the camshaft and high pressure fuel pump was seen multiple times online as an issue due to wearing through allowing the cam shaft to interact with the pump. I asked a vw dealership about the problem and they told me that earlier models were covered under warranty, but 2008 was not due to the problem being fixed by the factory for this year. I decided to check anyway and found that the follower was completely worn through allowing the cam shaft to interact with the pump. This was at 56k miles. When I returned to discuss this with the dealership they said that there was nothing they could do. This shows that the problem wasn't solved, and while earlier models are covered for their damage if something goes wrong due to metal shavings in my engine, or other issues I'll be forced to pay out of pocket. I am now replacing the follower myself every 15k just to be sure, but the fact that one year isn't covered is not right. Since the issue persists they should cover it.
When buckling the driverside seatbelt before backing up, it would not latch.
Compare the 2008 Volkswagen GTI
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Questions about the 2008 Volkswagen GTI
Is the 2008 Volkswagen GTI reliable?
Owners have filed 67 complaints about the 2008 Volkswagen GTI, 1.3 times a typical GTI model year.
What is the 2008 Volkswagen GTI year score?
The 2008 Volkswagen GTI scores 66 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Volkswagen GTI: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Volkswagen GTI?
Transmission and drivetrain, with 40 complaints, typically around 16,000 miles. Next is engine (7).
How many recalls does the 2008 Volkswagen GTI have?
1 recall, covering exterior lighting.
What year does the Volkswagen GTI have bad transmission?
The Volkswagen GTI model years with the most transmission complaints are 2019 (62 complaints), 2007 (40 complaints) and 2008 (40 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2008 Volkswagen GTI get?
Official estimates for the 2008 Volkswagen GTI range from 24 to 25 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.0L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 20-22 city and 29 highway.
VIN decoder
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