2009 Audi TT: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2009 Audi TT
On the 2009 Audi TT, the failure owners report most often is other powertrain problem, with 3 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 35,000 miles. Overall it scores 75 out of 100, severe risk for a 2009.
Severe risk for a 2009 — 48th riskiest of the 295 2009 vehicles we can rate. 15 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What breaks on the 2009 Audi TT
Owners have reported 11 named failure modes on the 2009 Audi TT, and the three most-reported carry 47% of everything filed.
Other powertrain problem leads with 3 reports and about 1.5 per 1,000 vehicles.
Other electrical problem follows with 2 reports, median 35,000 miles. 1 of those report mention a fire.
Other body or interior problem follows with 2 reports, median 45,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into transmission (4), electrical (2) and body (2).
The mileage the reports cluster at
15 of the reports on the 2009 Audi TT came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 35,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 67% by 50,000 miles, 93% by 100,000 miles and 93% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 20% of the dated reports.
47% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
What happens when these parts fail
Across the named modes, 1 mentions a crash and 2 a fire. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.73, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other powertrain problem at $400–$4,500, other electrical problem at $250–$2,000, other body or interior problem at $200–$2,000 and complete transmission failure at $2,800–$8,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
33% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 3 | 3 | — | 62k | — | 1.5 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 2 | 2 | — | 37k | — | 1.0 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 2 | 2 | — | 44k | — | 1.0 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 6k | — | 0.5 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure | fuel | 1 | 1 | — | 175 | — | 0.5 | $250–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Steering column or shaft failure | steering | 1 | 1 | — | 7k | — | 0.5 | $600–$2,500 | Critical |
| Other engine problem | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 19k | — | 0.5 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 1 | 1 | — | 15k | — | 0.5 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 1 | 1 | — | 55k | — | 0.5 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 1 | 1 | — | 51k | — | 0.5 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 1 | 1 | — | 36k | — | 0.5 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2009 Audi TT draws about 7.5 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 92nd percentile of complaint rates among 2009 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 2,000 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2009 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other powertrain problem
The car was driving fine during the day. During the evening I was maneuvering the car to park. When I put the car into reverse, the prnds indicators started flashing. The car would not move in any of the gears while this was occurring. I had to restart the car off to be able to move the car. I brought the car into the dealership and they replaced the mechatronics unit of the car. The same issue occurred about a week after my car was returned to me. I brought the car back and was told that it was due to a low level of transmission fluid. The car was returned to me and the problem showed up a week later. I am scheduled to bring the car back in this coming week. It is an issue with an audi dsg transmission. *tr
Clunk and noise from dsg transmission when accelerate from stop in d position or from 2nd to 1st gear for slowing down. I think it is mechatronic issues for those year vw audi dsgs. It's out of warranty but still can be covered by recall?
Other electrical problem
2009 tt roadster audi engine caught fire while driving. The consumer stated he heard a pop in the engine compartment and immediately saw thick dark smoke coming from the front of the vehicle. He pulled over and within 30 seconds the engine area was engulfed in flames. In 30 minutes the vehicle was completely destroyed. The consumer suspected the battery coil pack failed. *jb
Had issues with the rear taillights grounding issue causing the ground in the connector to melt and short out causing the taillight to no longer work. This was an issue first on the driver side then the other 6 months later. Both repaired locally by adding an additional ground wire and replacing the connectors.
Other body or interior problem
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 audi tt. The contact stated that the convertible top failed to close entirely, open, or close. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, who diagnosed that the flap motors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repair however the failure persisted. The contact mentioned that the convertible top was repaired on numerous occasions. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 43,900.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 audi tt. The contact stated that the convertible top failed to close entirely, open, or close. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, who diagnosed that the flap motors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repair however the failure persisted. The contact mentioned that the convertible top was repaired on numerous occasions. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 43,900.
Recalls on the 2009 model year
NHTSA has issued 2 recall campaigns covering the 2009 Audi TT, affecting an estimated 3,275 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly and power train:automatic transmission. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
10,200 vehicles 2009-09-30- Defect
- Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2006 through 2010 audi a3, tt, and tt roadster passenger vehicles manufactured between september 29, 2005 and august 26, 2009. The closing force of an internal spring of the fuel tank ventilation valve is not adequate enough to hold the valve closed under extreme driving conditions possibly allowing fuel to leak.
- Consequence
- In the presence of an ignition source, a vehicle fire could occur.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will notify owners and audi dealers will replace the fuel tank ventilation valve with an improved valve free of charge. The safety recall began on november 16, 2009. Owners may contact audi at 1-800-253-2834.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
16,000 vehicles 2009-08-20- Defect
- Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2009 and 2010 passenger cars manufactured between september 2008 and august 2009. The wiring harness of a temperature sensor in the direct shift gearbox (dsg) may have connector wires that were insufficiently crimped. 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…
- Consequence
- The abrupt shift to neutral could lead to a crash without warning.
- Remedy
- Volkswagen will reprogram the transmission control module with updated software free of charge. The recall began on october 20, 2009. Owners may contact volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2009 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
How 2009 compares with the other years
Severe risk for a 2009 — 48th riskiest of the 295 2009 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.
Across the 8 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2000 comes out best at 63 and 2009 worst at 75, with 2009 itself at 75.
If the model year is negotiable, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2002 and 2008 score lower than 2009 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2007–2011 generation specifically, 2008 is the strongest year at 71 and 2009 the weakest at 75.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2007-2011 generation, 2008 Audi TT scores best at 71 and 2009 Audi TT worst at 75.
Where these figures stop being useful
15 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 15 reports, 15 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 100% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Audi TT?
The most-reported failures are other powertrain problem (3 reports, median 60,000 miles), other electrical problem (2 reports, median 35,000 miles) and other body or interior problem (2 reports, median 45,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 2009 Audi TT reliable?
It scores 75 out of 100 on our risk index, which is severe — 48th riskiest of the 295 2009 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2009 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Audi TT is best?
Within the 2007–2011 generation, 2008 scores best at 71 out of 100 and 2009 worst at 75. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed