2008 Volkswagen R32 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other R32 years
- Not enough data 1st of 4 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 115 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Volkswagen R32. That is the most of any R32 model year in the database (4 years). The most reported problem area is power train (82 complaints, 71%), typically at around 15,000 miles. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 115owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 Volkswagen R32 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 82 | 71% | 15,000 | “dsg transmission” (46%) | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 20 | 17% | 6,116 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 6 | 5% | 36,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 5% | 63,370 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 3% | 117,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 3% | 9,200 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 1% | 36,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 1% | 43,600 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | 3,100 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 4,800 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | 11,800 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1% | 36,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 Volkswagen R32 recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Volkswagen is recalling approximately 5,000 my 2008 r32 (5th generation) vehicles. When certain driving conditions are accompanied by high ambient temperatures, the fuel tank ventilation valve may not remain fully closed. If this happens, liquid fuel may enter the fuel tank venting system and migrate into the evaporative system, saturating the carbon canister. Should this occur while driving, the vehicle may experience performance issues (i.e., vehicle jerking) and the malfunction indicator lamp (mil) in the instrument cluster could illuminate. Fuel could leak from the evaporative system leak detection pump filter.
Risk: A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, could lead to a vehicle fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel tank ventilation valve with an improved valve free of charge. The recall began on june 2, 2009. Owners may contact volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
Exterior lighting:headlights
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Vehicle stall/loss motive power (PE09035) — opened Jul 17, 2009, closed Nov 19, 2009, led to recall 09V333000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My vehicle started to develop a crank no start and intermittent stumble when idling at a light shortly after starting. I chalked it up to a possible fueling issue since I had lean codes. I replaced the fuel pump and filter with OE supplier parts. Within two months the crank no start situation…
I exited from a driveway at a riteaid to get to the light across the street, i have about 3/4 tank of gas and the odometer reads 175 miles, when i get to the my next destination, a drive thru, the fuel marker starts dropping fast and so does my odometer, it goes down to above 1/4 of a tank and my…
When certain driving conditions are accompanied by high ambient temperatures, the fuel tank ventilation valve may not remain fully closed. If this happens, liquid fuel may enter the fuel tank venting system and migrate into the evaporative system, saturating the carbon canister. Should this occur…
Raw fuel spewing from leak detection pump (ldp) filter located under passenger side fender well. Charcoal canister, ldp, evap lines, & n80 valve all contaminated by raw fuel. Fuel entering evap system when high ambient temps are present. P026 recall was already performed (in 2012) but issue has…
Suspect clock spring failed. Airbag indicator light is illuminated. Lost all functions to steering wheel mounted controls. Vw would not pay for the repair.
Other Volkswagen R32 years
See all Volkswagen R32 problems by year, every Volkswagen model, or the Volkswagen VIN decoder.
Similar Volkswagen models
Embed this 2008 Volkswagen R32 badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Volkswagen R32?
Owners most often report power train, fuel system, gasoline, electrical system problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 82 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Volkswagen R32?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 Volkswagen R32 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other R32 model years, the 2008 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.