Volkswagen Beetle Complaints (2004)

349 consumer complaints on file.

#10235116July 21, 2008
AIR BAGS
RE: ILLUMINATION OF AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS REPAIRED UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY. CAME ON AGAIN 1 WEEK LATER AND A CRASH SENSOR WAS REPLACED, AGAIN UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY. CAME ON AGAIN ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER AND WAS CHARGED DUE TO EXPIRATION OF FACTORY WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THIS MANUFACTURER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10233785July 10, 2008
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
APPROX 2-3 WEEKS AGO MY 2004 VOLKSWAGEN CONVERTIBLE BACK WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO UP. THE REGULATOR/MOTOR IS THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS UNDER A RECALL, BUT I CANNOT FIND THE RECALL ANYWHERE ON INTERNET. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I CALLED VOLKSWAGEN CUSTOMER CARE 800-822-8987 AND REPORTED THIS. THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS. MY WARRANTY EXPIRED IN JANUARY. I HAVE BEEN TO DEALER SHIP 3 TIMES BEFORE MY WARRANTY EXPIRED FOR PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. NOW THE BACK WINDOWS WILL NOT WORK. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10233067July 2, 2008
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
CONVERTIBLE ROOF DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. IT DOES NOT GO COMPLETELY UP OR DOWN. THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE DRIVEN BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF THE ROOF. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITH THE ROOF IN ANY POSITION OTHER THAN COMPLETELY UP OR DOWN. THE ROOF BLOCKS THE FIELD OF VIEW AND THEREFORE MAKES IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. ADDITIONALLY THE WIND CATCHES ON THE ROOF AND CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO HAVE CONTROL ISSUES. THE CAR HAS BEEN REPAIRED MANY TIMES EACH YEAR AT THE DEALERSHIP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10231151June 16, 2008
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
REAR WINDOW WILL NOT GO UP. WAS TOLD IT IS THE WINDOW REGULATOR & IT IS ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10229880June 4, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
AIR BAG SENSOR ON MY 2004 VW BEETLE DIAGNOSED AS DEFECTIVE BY VW DEALER. DEFECT IDENTIFIED ONLY 20 DAYS PAST THE EXPIRATION OF NEW CAR WARRANTY. DEALER AND VW - AMERICA DECLINED TO REPAIR VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY. I ADVISED VW AMERICA THAT THE NHTSA WEBSITE INFORMS THAT A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE BEGINS ON 7/31/08. THEY STILL REFUSED TO OFFSET OR PARTIALLY OFFSET THE COST OF THE REPAIR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10226809May 6, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, AIR BAGS
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND DEALER FOUND THAT FRONT CRASH SENSOR FAILED AND THAT THERE WAS A RELATED COMPUTER PROBLEM AT APPROXIMATELY 30,000 MILES AND THIS WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS TOLD THAT THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE. AT 40,000 THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE OTHER SIDE FRONT CRASH SENSOR HAD FAILED ALSO AND THAT THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH. THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND I WAS CHARGED $505 TO REPLACE THIS. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR THAT THEY "SEE THIS ALL THE TIME WITH THE BEETLE", AND THAT "AFTER ONE SIDE FAILS THE OTHER SIDE USUALLY DOES TOO". *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10222633March 28, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
PURCHASED THE CAR NEW ON JAN 2, 2004. THE AIR BAG LIGHT 1ST CAME ON IN SEPT 2004 AND WAS REPAIRED. SINCE THAT POINT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED NEARLY EVERY 6 MONTHS, AND REPAIRED. EVERY, TIME, THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP, IT HAS BEEN A CRASH SENSOR OR SEAT MODULE REPLACEMENT. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT VW SEVEN TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. IN NOVEMBER 2007, OUR CAR WAS AT 54,000 MILES, THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AT 50,000 MILES, THE LIGHT ONCE AGAIN ILLUMINATED. AFTER A PROTRACTED BATTLE WITH THE DEALER AND VW REGIONAL, THEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE CONTROL MODULE. AND AGAIN, WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALER, "THIS SHOULD DO IT". JUST THIS PAST WEEK, THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED. ONLY THIS TIME, THE DEALER CLOSED THEIR DEALERSHIP AT THE START OF THE YEAR AND WE'RE STARING AT A $1200 REPAIR BILL. CERTAINLY, TO DRIVE AROUND WITHOUT AN AIR BAG ISN'T EXACTLY A SMART THING TO DO, BUT I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE THIS WON'T COME BACK ON 6 MONTHS AFTER THE REPAIR, BASED ON THE HISTORY ABOVE. IN MY EYES, THERE IS A SYSTEMIC DEFECT IN THE SYSTEMS THAT CONTROL THE AIR BAG. *TR CRASH SENSOR.*PCO
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10222330March 26, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON. REPAIRED TWICE UNDER WARRANTY, RIGHT FRONT CRASH SIDE SENSOR REPLACED ON 11 SEP 2007, DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE FIRST INCIDENT. NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AND AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. *TR CRASH SENSOR.PCO
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10220831March 11, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WIRING HARNESS INSIDE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WIRES CRACK AND CORRODE AND CAUSES HEADLIGHT TO PERIODICALLY GO ON AND OFF. CORROSION SEEMS TO BE DUE TO THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF METALS IN THE WIRING. WHEN THE SAME TYPE OF METAL IS USED TO RECONNECT THE WIRES THE PROBLEM IS SOLVED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10219391February 28, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
2004 VW NEW BEETLE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT ON. *TR CRASH SENSOR.PCO
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10219014February 24, 2008
SEAT BELTS, AIR BAGS
THE AIRBAG LIGHT, AMONG OTHER THINGS, IN OUR 2004 NEW BEETLE HAS COME ON APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES IN THREE YEARS. EACH TIME, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND SUPPOSEDLY FIXED, BUT WITHOUT FAIL, THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON EACH TIME. THE SEATBELT BUCKLE WAS CHANGED, CONNECTIONS WERE SECURED, THEY SAID IT WAS SHORTED (GUIDED FAULT FINDINGS, BUMPER COVER REMOVED, SEAT REMOVED), AND OTHERS. I HAVE ALL COPIES OF SERVICE RECORDS. AFTER ALL THESE SERVICE VISITS, THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS STILL ON AND WE ARE VERY CONCERNED THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY AND COULD CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE AND MAY NOT DEPLOY CORRECTLY DURING AN ACCIDENT. I HEARD THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION BEING CONDUCT ON THE 2004 NEW BEETLES AND WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW OF OUR EXPERIENCE. *TR CRASH SENSOR.PCO
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10218768February 21, 2008
VISIBILITY:REAR WINDOW WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
BACK WINDOW BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT ON 2004 CONVERTIBLE NEW BEETLE DO NOT GO UP. FAILURE PUTS CAR AT RISK FOR VANDALISM AND DAMAGE TO INTERIOR DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS. COST TO REPAIR $900. CAN'T JUSTIFY A $900 REPAIR ON A CAR WORTH $18,000. MANY OTHERS AT THE DEALERSHIP REPORT THE SAME FAILURES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10215223January 17, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
OUR AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. UPON TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT CRASH SENSORS WERE NOT OPERATIONAL. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO EITHER SENSOR. THEY BOTH HAD JUST FAILED. THERE IS A CONCERN THAT THE BAGS WOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED IN AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 22,925 ORIGINAL MILES. IT SEEMS ODD THAT BOTH SENSORS WOULD FAIL AT THE SAME TIME. *TR SRS.PCO
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10206992October 26, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE HAD MY 2004 VW BEETLE AT BOARDWALK DEALERSHIP IN RICHARDSON, TX 3 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. MY CAR WILL LOSE ALL POWER THE BATTERY LIGHT WILL COME ON I WILL HAVE TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART THE CAR. THIS HAS HAPPEN ON INTERSTATES AS WELL AS ON BUSY STREETS. I AM VERY FEARFUL THAT I AM GOING TO BE IN A VERY BAD ACCIDENT. I TAKE MY 76 YEAR OLD MOTHER TO THE DOCTOR SEVERAL TIMES A MONTH. SHE HAS HAD 2 MAJOR BACK SURGERIES THIS YEAR. I HAVE HAD THE CAR IN THE SHOP ON 9-4-07, 9-18-07, 9-21-0. ALL FOR THE SAME THING. ON 9-27-07, I WAS IN DOWN TOWN DALLAS AND IT HAPPENED AT LEAST 7 TIMES. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAD A WRECKER TO PUT ME AND THE CAR UP. THEY ARE TELLING ME TODAY 10-26-07 TO PICK THE CAR UP THAT THEY CAN'T GET THE CAR TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THERE IS A BAD PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR NOT HAVING ANY POWER AND I AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10201781September 4, 2007
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON +/- 52,000 MILES AND IS A CONSTANT LIGHT (ORIGINAL CAR WARRANTY EXPIRED 50,000 MILES) I WAS INFORMED BY NEW COUNTRY VOLKSWAGEN OF GREENWICH CT (VW SERVICE) AND FIDELITY WARRANTY SERVICES THAT MY EXTENDED WARRANTY WON'T COVER REPAIR OR DIAGNOSTIC COSTS (ESTIMATED AT $750 PLUS TAX). TECH FOUND "PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAG CRASH SENSOR NO SIGNAL." THIS CAR IS BARELY 3 YEARS OLD AND HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS AT ALL. VW CUSTOMER CARE DID NOT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE DESPITE THE FACT THAT ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE IT APPEARS THAT AIR BAG LIGHTS ARE A NOTED ISSUE ON THE 2004 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE AND THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS, JUST NOT MY VIN NUMBER YET. VW SHOULD CONTACT ME AND PAY FOR THIS REPAIR. *TR SRS.PCO
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10200755August 25, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ON AUGUST 22, 2007 THE DSG 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON MY 2004 TDI VW BEETLE STARTED TO DISINTEGRATE. SMALL PIECES OF COIL SPRINGS AND METAL FRAGMENTS FELL ONTO THE BELLY PAN AND A GRINDING NOISE COULD BE HEARD. FROM RESEARCH I HAVE DONE, THIS SEEMS TO BE A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH VW'S WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10199840August 16, 2007
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT HAS REMAINED ILLUMINATED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. REPAIRS WERE MADE, BUT THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY ADVISED HER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO INFORMED HER TO CALL THEM BACK AFTER THE DIAGNOSIS WAS PERFORMED. THE CONTACT HAS ALL OF THE REPAIR ORDERS FOR EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 41,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10197398July 24, 2007
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
MECHATRONIC UNIT FAILURE IN TRANSMISSION. FAILURE CAUSED CAR TO GO INTO "LIMP MODE" (ONLY ABLE TO TRAVEL IN 1ST AND 3RD GEARS, REVERSE INOPERABLE, CAR NEARLY STALLED AT 20 MPH GOING FROM 1ST TO 3RD GEAR). REPAIR HAS BEEN MADE: $1800 FOR PART, $400 FOR LABOR, $200 FOR RENTAL CAR DURING TIME CAR WAS IN THE SHOP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10193666June 18, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I PURCHASED A USED 2004 VOLKSWAGON CONVERTIBLE NEW BEETLE TURBO IN APRIL 2005 . I NOTICED THE OIL LIGHT KEPT COMING ON , SO I SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE IT SERVICED. THEY INDICATED THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE BUILDUP, AND STATED THAT UNLESS I HAD RECEIPTS ON RECENT OIL CHANGE, THE WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER IT. I WAS FRUSTRATED BECAUSE I WAS PAYING ON A FAIRLY NEW VOLKSWAGEN, AND COUD NOT EVEN DRIVE IT. THEY HAD QUOTED ME A PRICE OF $5,000 TO REPAIR IT . *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10190926May 16, 2007
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
I OWN A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE THAT I BOUGHT NEW. LAST YEAR ONE OF THE LENS COVERS ON THE HEADLIGHT FELL OFF. I HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY DUE TO THE PART FALLING OFF AS I WAS DRIVING. I REPLACED IT THROUGH EBAY. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO THE OTHER FACTORY HEADLIGHT LENS COVER FELL OFF . IT SEEMED THE SEALANT THAT WAS BEING USED WAS DRYING OUT, CAUSING THE LENS TO COME LOOSE AND FALL OFF THE ASSEMBLY. LAST WEEK, THE HEADLIGHT , THAT I REPLACED THROUGH EBAY, ALSO FELL APART, WITH THE LENS COVER COMING OFF. IF I GO THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE THE LENS COVERS IT WOULD BE IN EXCESS OF $ 250.00 A PIECE FOR THEM. I AM NOW LOOKING AT HAVING TO REPLACE TWO OF THEM AT A COST OF MORE THAN $500.00. THIS TO ME SEEMED TO BE A FACTORY DEFECT AS IT KEPT HAPPENING.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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