YearToAvoid

2009 Volkswagen GTI Brakes Problems

NHTSA has 113 owner complaints about brake problems in the 2009 Volkswagen GTI, 68% of all 167 complaints for this model year. That is the highest brake complaint count among 21 GTI model years. These complaints report 4 crashes. Median mileage at failure: 80,300 miles.

Brakes complaints
113
68% of 167
Crashes reported
4
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
80,300 mi
Related recalls
1

When 2009 Volkswagen GTI brake complaints were filed

First complaint Oct 21, 2013, latest Apr 21, 2026.

2009 Volkswagen GTI brakes complaints: complaints filed per quarter122013 Q42015 Q12016 Q12017 Q12018 Q12019 Q32020 Q32026 Q2
113 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2013 Q4 to 2026 Q2; peak 2016 Q3 (12).

Brakes recalls for the 2009 Volkswagen GTI

  1. NHTSA 16V913000Dec 20, 2016Brakes135,683 vehicles

    Electronic stability control (esc)

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Volkswagen Jetta A5 Sedan, 2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen, Eos, GTI, Rabbit and Audi A3 vehicles, and 2010 Volkswagen Golf A6 vehicles. The Antilock Brake System (ABS) control unit may fail during ABS or Electronic Stability Control (ESC) activation, possibly causing a loss of vehicle control.

    Risk: A loss of vehicle control can increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the ABS control module software to improve the module's self-testing abilities. Any module that fails the new diagnostic test will be replaced. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began February 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.

Brakes complaints by GTI model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20050 (0%)
  2. 20062 (5%)
  3. 20070 (0%)
  4. 20081 (1%)
  5. 2009113 (68%)
  6. 20105 (9%)
  7. 20111 (2%)
  8. 20125 (13%)
  9. 20134 (12%)
  10. 20141 (10%)
  11. 20157 (7%)
  12. 20162 (3%)
  13. 20171 (2%)
  14. 20186 (35%)
  15. 20193 (2%)
  16. 20200 (0%)
  17. 20210 (0%)
  18. 20222 (7%)
  19. 20231 (17%)
  20. 20247 (25%)
  21. 20250 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Volkswagen GTI have brake problems?
NHTSA has 113 owner complaints about the brake in the 2009 Volkswagen GTI, 68% of all complaints for this model year, including 4 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 80,300 miles.
Which Volkswagen GTI year has the most brake complaints?
The 2009 Volkswagen GTI has the most brake complaints (113), compared with 113 for the 2009.
Is there a brake recall for the 2009 Volkswagen GTI?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for the 2009 Volkswagen GTI concerns the brake: 16V913000.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.