Volkswagen Beetle Complaints

2,629 consumer complaints on file.

#882422March 7, 2001
SEATS
WAS STARTING TO APPLY BRAKES WHEN SEAT WENT BACKWARDS, AND DRIVER LOST VISIBILE CONTACT WITH ROAD. LATER, HAD SEAT CHECKED OUT, AND NOTICED SCREWS ON TRACK OF SEAT HAD BECOME STRIPPED. THIS WHAT CAUSED SEAT PROBLEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#741664February 28, 2001
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LOCK
ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS OCCUR PERIODICALY. ONE DAY THE GAS GAUGE WILL SHOW EMPTY WHEN THE TANK IS FULL. THE ELECTRIC WINDOW WENT DOWN AND NEVER CAME BACK UP, THEY HAD TO REPLACE A SWITCH IN SIDE THE DOOR. THE RIGHT SIDE DOOR HANDLE HAS TO BE PULLED ON TWICE TO OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE REAR HATCH WILL NOT ALWAYS OPEN WHEN RELEASED, YOU MUST PUSH THE BUTTOM AGAIN TO OPEN IT. AND THE REASON I AM FILLING OUT THIS QUESTIONNAIRE IS BECAUSE THE CAR TONIGHT WOULD NOT START. THE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON, THEN OFF, THEN DIM, THEN GO BRIGHT. (THE RADIO SHOWS ON ITS SMALL WINDOW THE WORD SAFE) THE IGNITION SWITCH DOES NOT SEEM TO BE WORKING. SO I DECIDED TO CHECK OUT YOUR WEB SITE FOR ANY RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS. THE CAR WILL BE HEADING TO THE DEALERSHIP IN THE MORNING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#741705February 28, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
DRIVING ALONG AT HIGHWAY SPEED, DIESEL ENGINE DIES, WON'T RESTART, TOWED 5 TIMES. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#881268February 23, 2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY HEISTATED UPON ACCELERATION, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER REPLACED CONTROL UNIT WHICH DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#740858February 13, 2001
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER
THE DEALER ADMITS THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIX THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT. THE HEATED OPTION ON THE SEAT IS INOPERABLE AND AFTER A REASONABLE NUMBER OF ATTEMPTS THE OPTION IS STILL NOT FUNCTIONING. I AM GOIN TO ARBITRATION TO HAVE VW PURCHASE THE VEHICLE BACK ON 02/15/01. THE DEALER SAID THAT THERE ARE SIMILAR PROBLEMS ON ALL BEETLES WITH THESE SEATS YET NO TECH BULLETIN HAS BEEN PUT OUT AS OF YET. THIS CAR IS A LEMON AND I AM GETTING NOWHERE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#880110February 8, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WHILE DRIVING PLASTIC COVER THAT PROTECTS ENGINE/ EXHAUST SYSTEM AND PLUGS DISENGAGED FROM UNDER VEHICLE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#879218January 29, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE WILL START OFF OKAY, BUT THEN IT WOULD DIE/STALL. PROBLEM WAS INTREMITTENT. IT SHUT OFF FOR ABOUT10 SECONDS OR MORE. *AK DEALER REPLACED RELAY, HOWEVER VEHICLE HAS STALLED 4 MORE TIMES, POSSIBLE ENGINE PROBLEMS. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#879057January 25, 2001
SEATS
DRIVER'S SEAT IS LOOSE FROM FLOORBOARD. THERE'S ALOT OF MOVEMENT WHEN DRIVING AND BRAKING. SEAT WAS REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. CONSUMER WILL ATTACH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK SEAT BOLTS FAILED. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#878900January 24, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP, STEERING:LINKAGES:ROD:RELAY:CONNECTING, STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH VEHICLE BEGAN TO STALL, AND SHAKE, SHOWED A SIGN OF VEHICLE LOSING POWER.ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH PANEL, AND VEHICLE SHUT OFF. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK ENGINE ALSO HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING FROM THE START. VEHICLE HAS HAD COMPLAINTS REGARDING TRUNK AND FUEL RELEASE ACTUATOR CABLE. STEERING RODS CAME LOOSE AND HAD TO BE RESECURED AND MOUNTING BOLT.. WINDOW MOTOR FAILED. *YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#739738January 22, 2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
AM DOING THIS FORM TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THERE ARE BEETLES AND PROBLEMS. ALSO THAT VW IS NOT STANDING BEHIND REPAIRING THESE PROBLEMS. THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE BLOWN (BAD WIRING) 4 TIMES AT NIGHT. NOT A FUN THING TO HAVE HAPPEN AT 65 MPH. YOU TRY STOPPING BLIND. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#739648January 19, 2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE ON WAY HOME FROM WORK. INITIAL SYMPTOM WAS THAT VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE ON HIGHWAY AND STALLED. VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. IT THEN WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN APPROX. 5 MILES WHEN IT AGAIN LOST POWER. IT WAS THEN ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A FUEL STATION WHEN IT STALLED. UPON RESTART THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAGES WERE NOT OPERATIVE. IT WAS DRIVEN INTO AN AMOCO GAS STATION WHEN SMOKE BEGAN EMANATING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE INTENSITY OF THE SMOKE INCREASED AND IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. I PULLED HOOD OPENING LEVER NEAR DRIVER'S SIDE KICK PANEL TO OPEN HOOD. I JUMPED OUT OF VEHICLE AND OPENED HOOD. THE LEFT FRONT PORTION OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ON FIRE AND FLAMES WERE READILY APPARENT. THE FLAMES WERE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE FIREWALL OF THE VEHICLE EXTENDING UP THE WIRE HARNESS TOWARDS THE BATTERY. THE BATTERY STARTED TO MELT AS WELL. A PASSERBY IN A CUBE VAN OBSERVED THIS INCIDENT AND GRABBED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER FROM HIS TRUCK AND PROCEEDED TO CONTAIN AND EXTINGUISH THE FIRE.ER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#878422January 18, 2001
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS, EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
UNDERCARRIAGE OF VEHICLE WAS HARD CARDBOARD, WHEN GOING OVER A HIGH SPEED BUMP IT RIPPED UNDERCARRIAGE OFF. ALSO IN HEAVY RAIN, IT TEARS AND COMES OFF. HAS BEEN REPAIRED 4 TIMES, REPLACED ONCE. DEALER SAID IT WAS POOR DESIGN.*AK THE UNDERCARRIAGE CAME OFF SEVERAL TIMES AFTER BEING REPLACED. THE TEMPERATURE GUAGE AND THE A/C HAD FAILED. *YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#878495January 18, 2001
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
FUEL LEAKAGE DUE TO A PUNCTURE IN PLASTIC FUEL TANK. THERE IS NO PROTECTION OR BARRIER FOR LOW POSITIONED FUEL TANK . *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#878234January 16, 2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. CALLED DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL, IT WOULD GO OFF. CAR WAS STILL STALLING, AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME BACK ON. THEN, A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. VEHICLE TOWED IN. AFTER PICKING UP CAR FOR REPAIRS IT STALLED AGAIN. CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION NOISE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#558883January 11, 2001
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
THE CLUTCH FAILED PREMATURELY, IT DISINTERGRATED, NO EXPLANATION WAS EVER RECIEVED. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#739040January 9, 2001
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#738764January 4, 2001
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
THESE TIRES WERE ON THE VEHICLE WHEN I PURCHASED IT. THE TREAD BEGAN TO SEPARATE FROM THE BODY OF THE TIRE AT 18,500 MILES. I CONTACTED PERELLI TIRE OF NORTH AMERICA. THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS A MISAPPLICATION OF THAT TIRE. VOLKSWAGEN ENGINEERS DETERMINED TGAT AN 89-LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY IS NECESSARY FOR A 1999 BEETLE. HOWEVER, THE TIRES THAT VOLKSWAGEN HAD INSTALLED ON MY CAR WAS RATED AT 82. PERELLI IS HELPING ME WITH THIS PROBLEM, BUT IS CONCERNED AS TO HOW MANY VEHICLES HAVE TIRES INSTALLED BY VW UNSAFELY. HAVING CONTACTED SCHUMACHER VW OF WEST PALM BEACH,FL, THEY DENY IT IS THEIR PROBLEM AND REFUSED ME ANY RESOLUTION IN THIS MATTER. PERELLI TIRE ND I FEEL THAT THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE BEFORE IT BECOMES A FIRESTONE/EXPLORER PROBLEM. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT CAN BE EASILY REMEDIED BY SIMMPLE EDUCATION TO DEALERS WHO CARE ABOUT THEIR CONSUMERS. THANK YOU. *AK (DOT NUMBER: ? TIRESIZE: P215/45ZR)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#877231January 2, 2001
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
THIS VEHICLE WAS IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AT 25 TO 30 MPH, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#738296December 26, 2000
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
IS THERE ANY WAY TO FIND OUT IF THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRBAGS. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR OUR 18 YEAR OLD TWIN DAUGHTERS WITH SAFTEY IN MIND. WE REALLY NEED YOUR HELP ON THIS. PLEASE CONTACT US. THANK YOU. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#876978December 26, 2000
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL
VEHICLE USES DIESEL FUEL. THEREFORE WATER IN FUEL FREEZES IN FUEL FILTER LINE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STOP. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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