30 of the
267 complaints filed about the Volkswagen Rabbit
are about the electrical system —
11% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2009.
ABS control module is malfunctioning and affecting steering and braking as well as the speedometer and acceleration. It was reported to the dealer and will be replaced, however the part is backordered with no ETA. Check engine, steering wheel , brake, EPC, and ABS lights present, first appearing approcimately February 2022.
NHTSA complaint #11475533 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 VOLKSWAGEN RABBIT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE SPEED ODOMETER WENT TO ZERO AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE FORWARD. SEVERAL UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED NOR DIAGNOSED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V913000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL) AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,000.
NHTSA complaint #11405384 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PULLED CAR UP TO PROPANE DISPLAY OUTSIDE OF HEB GROCERY STORE. ONCE TANKS WERE EXCHANGED, NOTICED SMOKE BILLOWING FROM ENGINE. TURNED CARE OFF, GOT OUT AND NOTICED FIRE UNDERNEATH ENGINE. STORE EMPLOYEE GOT HOOD OPEN, DOUSED FIRE. CALLED WRECKER TO TOW CAR HOME. ON DECEMBER 25, 2020 NEIGHBOR NOTICED SMOKE AND BURNING WIRE SMELL COMING FROM HOOD OF CAR. OPENED HOOD DISABLED BATTERY.
NHTSA complaint #11384934 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I GOT PROBLEMS ON ABS SYSTEM MODULE THAT'S WHY MY RABBIT2009 START ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD AND LOSE THE CONTROL INCLUDING THE SPEED METER.CANT YOU HELP ME WITH THAT'S OCCURED WHEN I'M DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY TO MY JOB.
NHTSA complaint #11343073 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WILL NOT TURN TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND WILL NOT COME OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND TURNED OFF PRIOR TO THIS. WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED ON, EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE UNTIL I TRIED TO TURN THE CAR OFF. AT THIS POINT, THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN DOWN TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION, AND AS A RESULT THE CAR COULD NOT BE TURNED OFF. AT THE TIME OF THIS HAPPENING, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT LOCKED AND THE CAR WAS IN PARK.
NHTSA complaint #11341538 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE STARTING THE CAR, SEVERAL DIAGNOSTIC LIGHTS CAME ON, INCLUDING THE ECP AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. ENTERING THE REVERSE GEAR MADE THE CAR ACCELERATE FAST BACKWARDS WHEN RELEASING THE BREAKS BUT NOT USING THE GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE. THE SURPRISE IT CAME WITH COULD HAVE LED TO BACK INTO CARS OR PASSENGERS STANDING BEHIND. THE CAR FELL INTO A SAFETY MODE, FORWARD ACCELERATED VERY SLOWLY TO MAX 30 MPH WHILE HEADING TO A SHOP.
NHTSA complaint #11194395 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION ON THE ACC POSITION. I CAN ONLY START THE CAR. IT WILL NOT TURN TO THE OFF POSITION. THE ONLY WAY I AM ABLE TO SHUT OFF THE CAR IS TO PULL 2 FUSES UNDER THE HOOD. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN THIS PROBLEM BEGAN.
NHTSA complaint #11194179 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING STOPPED WORKING AND CAUGHT FIRE, THERE IS A HOLE IN THE SIDE OF IT LIKE A LASER SHOT OUT OF THE ELECTROMECHANICAL STEERING GEAR BOX. I HAD PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY, AND WITHIN 15 MIN AFTER IT WAS PARKED, SMOKE CAME BILLOWING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, IT ENDED UP BEING THE ELECTRONIC STEERING ON FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #11154668 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE VEHICLE TURNED IN ACCESSORIES, BEEPING OCCURS AND A WRENCH APPEARS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, AND E-BRAKE LIGHT BLINKS. DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT MKV MODELS FROM VW ALL HAVE THE SAME ISSUE CAUSING THE ABS PUMP/COMPUTER TO FAIL.
NHTSA complaint #11072035 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AT RANDOM, THE TRACTION CONTROL ABS LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD CLUSTER HAS GONE OFF. THE MECHANIC STATES THAT THE ISSUE IS THE ABS MODULE, AND THAT IT NEEDS REPLACING. THERE IS NO KNOWN REASON FOR ITS FAILURE, BUT THE VEHICLE IS NOW WITHOUT ABS. A SIMILAR RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME ABS MODULE FROM LATER YEARS, SO I WOULD EXPECT THAT IT SHOULD BE PERFECTLY REASONABLE TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #11019966 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2009 VW 2L RABBIT: DRIVING HOME IN THE RAIN, MY CAR HAS UNDER 80K. THE SPEED LIMIT IS 45, BUT IN THE RAIN, I WAS DOING CLOSER TO 40. THE STREET IS A FAIRLY TRAFFICKED ROAD, DOUBLE YELLOW EACH DIRECTION SINGLE LANE EXPANDING TO DOUBLE LANE, CONCRETE ISLANDS, AND STOPLIGHTS. TOTAL DRIVE BEFORE FIRST SHIMMY WAS PROBABLY ABOUT THE 4MILE MARK. THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON, THE ESP/ASR COMES ON, AND THE "BRAKE" TO THE RIGHT OF THAT STARTS FLASHING IN RED. THE CAR SHIMMIED WHEN THIS STARTED, AND THEN THE BRAKES WORKED BUT WERE SQUISHY/SLOPPY GETTING TO A PLACE TO STOP. I WAS INFORMED TO GET THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DASH LIGHTS START TO FLICKER. AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAY IT IS THE WHOLE ABS MODULE, AND REPLACING IT WILL COST ABOUT AS MUCH AS THE CAR. THEY SAY IT IS SAFE TO DRIVE: I DRIVE HOME, BECAUSE THEY SAY THE ABS IS NOT CONNECTED TO VITAL FUNCTIONS, AND ELECTRONICS. THE DASH LIGHT CLEARS. ... DRIVE HOME. LIGHT COMES BACK ON , CAR WIGGLES AND FISHTAILS, AND BRAKES ARE SQUISHY AND NOT AS RESPONSIVE. DASH IS FLICKERING. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND THIS IS A 2009 KNOWN PROBLEM. I CALL THE DEALERSHIP BACK: BECAUSE THEY ARE IN PROCESS OF A RECALL (I FOUND OUT ON THIS WEBSITE). I AM TOLD I AM SOL BECAUSE IT IS NOT COMPLETED YET, SO I CAN PAY FOR THEIR ARM AND LEG, AND PERHAPS, IF THE GODS ARE KIND, I WILL GET SOME RE-IMBURSMENT AT A LATER DATE. (BUT DON'T COUNT ON IT) ALL OF THE FISHTAILING, AND ELECTRICAL FLASHING, ARE DONE AT SPEEDS OF UNDER 45MPH. THE FACT THAT THIS IS INTERMITTENT (BUT PROBABLY ABOUT TO BECOME PERMANENT) IS SCARY! IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING DURING HIGH TRAFFIC TIMES TODAY, IT COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY UGLY ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #10947124 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AND THE HORN IS NOT WORKING. DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS A BROKEN CLOCK SPRING. OTHER VWS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT MINE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. I WAS TOLD THE AIRBAG WILL NOT WORK IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH AND I THINK THE HORN IS NEEDED IN ORDER TO ALERT DRIVERS AROUND ME IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. BOTH SAFETY PROBLEMS ARE CAUSED BY THE SAME BROKEN CLOCK SPRING AND SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #10936290 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TOOK MY VEHICLE IN AS THE ABS, BRAKE, ESP/ASR LIGHTS CAME ON AND WERE BEEPING. REPLACED THE ROTORS, BRAKE PADS, ETC. WHEN I CAME BACK TO PICK UP MY VEHICLE, THE VAG COM HAD MULTIPLE FAULTS STILL SHOWING, COME TO FIND OUT I NEED THE CONTROL PANEL REPLACED. VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 59K MILES, DOZENS OF FOLKS HAVE REPORTED A SIMILAR SITUATION IN 2009 VW MODEL CARS, ABS SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONING W LESS THAN 60K MILES
NHTSA complaint #10917172 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DRIVING INTO A CURVE, MY ABS BRAKE MODULE FAILED, TURNING OFF MY TRACTION CONTROL, ABS DISABLING MY POWER STEERING. AS I WAS TRYING TO COME OUT OF THE CURVE, THE STEERING FAILED TO RESPOND TEMPORARILY. I ALMOST T-BONED ANOTHER VEHICLE, SCARING THAT DRIVER TO DEATH...I WAS ABLE TO PULL THE CAR OUT OF THE TURN, OVER CORRECTING ALMOST PUTTING IT IN A A DITCH... THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #10899376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE ABS BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON....FOLLOWED BY STEERING LIGHT, ENGINE LIGHT SPEEDOMETER FAILING, GAS WARNING LIGHT ON, NOW MY CAR WILL NOT START AND THE KEY IS STUCK TO THE IGNITION. MY POWER WINDOWS NOT WORKING PROPERLY ....ALL STARTED FROM THE ABS BRAKE WARNING LIGHT
NHTSA complaint #10888502 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING AROUND TOWN USING THE HEATED SEATS THE PASSENGER SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CABIN FILLED UP WITH THICK SMOKE AND WE COULD NOT BREATH. WE HAD TO STOP THE CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. MY WIFE JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR AND WE PUT OUT THE FIRE. THIS IS A KNOWN VW PROBLEM THAT HAD A FULL RECALL IN CANADA. ASTONISHINGLY, THERE SEEMS TO BE NO MENTION OF THIS PROBLEM ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE. THE LOCAL VW DEALER DENIED ALL KNOWLEDGE OF ANY HEATED SEATS CATCHING FIRE BUT THEY INSTANTLY GAVE ME A $755.00 QUOTE TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITH A FIRM ESTIMATE OF FOUR HOURS TO REPLACE THE ELECTRICAL ELEMENTS IN THE SEAT. ALTHOUGH THE VW DEALER HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM THEY SEEM TO HAVE INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF EXACTLY HOW TO REPAIR THE SEAT. VERY CURIOUS INDEED......
NHTSA complaint #10822896 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING AT A NORMAL SPEED OF 45MPH, THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE SLIGHTLY. ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FLASHED ON, AND THE FUEL GAUGE ALONG WITH THE SPEEDOMETER BEGAN TO FAIL. AS A RESULT, THE CAR NEEDED TO BE PULLED OVER AND STOPPED IN ORDER TO PREVENT A SERIOUS ACCIDENT FROM OCCURRING.
NHTSA complaint #10761330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DEFECTIVE COOLANT FAN #2 MANUFACTURED BY SIEMENS. P1951 FAULT CODE FOR NON OPERATIONAL COOLANT FAN #2 OCCURRED ON 09/29/2011 AT 122,163 MILES FOR A 2007 VW RABBIT. VW DEALERSHIP DETECTED THE FAULT AND REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE COOLANT FAN #2 WITH A NEW SIEMENS COOLANT FAN #2 AT OWNERS REQUEST ON 09/29/2011. ON 08/20/2014 AT 182,000 MILES THE REPLACEMENT 09/29/2011 SIEMENS COOLANT FAN #2 FAILED AND STOPPED WORKING. A SECOND FAULT CODE P1951 WAS DETECTED BY A CERTIFIED AND LICENSED PRIVATE MECHANIC. SECOND SIEMENS COOLANT FAN #2 FOUND DEFECTIVE IN LESS THAN 3 YEARS AND 60,000 MILES. ORIGINAL COOLANT FAN # 2 LASTED 4 YEARS AND 122,000 MILES.
NHTSA complaint #10653663 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WANT TO ADD A COMPLAINT TO THE VOLKSWAGEN MARK FIVE MODEL'S CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. FOR SOME REASON, THIS SENOR AT TIMES DOES SOMETHING TO THE ENGINE AND IT KILLS THE ENGINE. IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN THE SPAN OF 4 MONTHS. EVERYTHING IS ON, INCLUDING HEADLIGHTS, ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS, STEERING BUT AT HIGH SPEEDS, THE ENGINE DIES AND I'VE HAD TO COAST TO A STOP TO RESTART IT AND RESTARTS WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. I'VE LOOKED AT FORUMS TO SEE WHAT COULD BE CAUSING IT AND MY POINTED TO THE CRANKSHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR. IT'S OCCURRED TO VEHICLES WITH HIGH AND LOW MILEAGE.
NHTSA complaint #10650418 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.