Volkswagen Beetle Complaints (2003)

314 consumer complaints on file.

#10373640December 31, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VW BEETLE 2003, 61,000 MILES, I NOTICED IT SHIFTED HARD SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED IT THIS PAST APRIL; JERKS WHILE SHIFTING BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND, SECOND AND THIRD, ETC; WENT TO VW AFTER I RECEIVED THE WARRANTY EXTENSION - TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY LETTER (RECEIVED IN DECEMBER 2010, BUT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO COVER THE COST BECAUSE THE EXTENSION IS TO COVER 7 YEARS, AND MY CAR IS 6 MONTHS TOO OLD; THEY'VE ADMITTED THE PROBLEM BUT REFUSE TO FIX IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10373311December 29, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
2003 BEETLE CONVERTIBLE WINDOW REGULATORS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10371597December 17, 2010
POWER TRAIN
VEHICLE WOULD LURCH WHEN DOWN OR UPSHIFTING BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD AND 3RD TO 4TH AT JUST OVER 90,000 MILES. IT WOULD ALSO STICK IN NEUTRAL FOR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE ENGAGING. WE TOOK IT TO OUR LOCAL SHOP FOR REPAIR IN DECEMBER 2010. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY CAUSING A NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS. WHILE THE OUR BUG WAS IN THE SHOP WE RECEIVED A LETTER DATED NOVEMBER 2010 FROM VW ABOUT EXTENDED WARRANTY TO 100,000 MILES OR 7 YEARS FROM DATE OF PURCHASE. OUR BUG WAS PURCHASED AUGUST 2003 PUTTING IT OUT OF WARRANTY. CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS VW SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING A GENERAL SERVICE RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION LONG BEFORE NOVEMBER 2010..
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10370501December 13, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VW BEETLE 2003, 98,000 MILES, STARTED SHIFTING HARD ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO; JERKS WHILE SHIFTING BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND, SECOND AND THIRD, AND 4TH TO 3RD TO 2ND TO 1ST; CALLED VW AFTER I RECEIVED THE WARRANTY EXTENSION - TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY LETTER (DEC 11, 2010) BUT THEY ARE UNWILLING TO COVER THE COST (5 MONTHS TOO OLD); THEY'VE ADMITTED THE PROBLEM BUT REFUSE TO FIX IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10369968December 11, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AFTER WARMING UP, THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION JERKS VERY BADLY, AND RUNS WILDLY BEFORE SHIFTING. THE MILEAGE IS JUST 75K. IT IS REALLY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DUE TO THE HARD SHIFT. MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE SIMILAR EXPERIENCE. VW MUST BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS HORRIBLE DEFECT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10369901December 10, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VOLKSWAGEN, 2003 NEW BEETLE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10369430December 7, 2010
SEAT BELTS
I OWN A 2003 VW BEETLE, THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE HAS WIRES CONNECTED TO IT, THIS WIRES SNAPPED ON THEIR OWN. MY AIRBAG LIGHT TURNED ON, FOR APPROXIMATELY 4 MONTHS I HAD THIS LIGHT ON IN MY CAR. THROUGH RESEARCH IN THE INTERNET, I FOUND OUT THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS THE PROBLEM. IT SEEMS THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT WITH THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE, LOTS OF BEETLE OWNERS HAD THIS PROBLEM. I CONTACTED VW AND THEY REFUSED TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY. INFORMATION PROVIDED INDICATES THAT WHEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE LOOK IN TO THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10369513December 7, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DEFECTIVE VALVE BODY FOR 09G ENGINE THAT VW CORPORATE HAS KNOWN ABOUT AND FIXED IN LATER MODELS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10369119December 3, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FAULTY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ACTIVITY. LOW MILEAGE TRANSMISSION FAILURES CAUSING HAZARDOUS DRIVING. DOWNSHIFTING CAUSES JOLTING GEAR CHANGES, ACCELERATING CAUSES SLIP INTO NEUTRAL NEARLY CAUSING REAR-END COLLISIONS. COMPUTER CODES FAIL TO CORRECTLY DIAGNOSE FAILURE, CAUSING DANGEROUS DRIVING HAZARD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10366693November 18, 2010
VISIBILITY, EQUIPMENT, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
2003 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE :DRIVERS SIDE WINDOWS REGULATOR AND MOTOR AND BROKEN HINGE. ALSO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SAYS IT NEED COIL PACK AND TEMPERATURE SENSOR. SEAT BELT LIGHT SAYS IT NEED SEAT BELT SENSOR. ALSO DOOR LATCH REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10366611November 17, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS MY 2003 AUTOMATIC VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE WITH 56K MILES HAS BEEN SHIFTING HARD (LURCH FEELING) INTERMITTENTLY GOING UP OR DOWN HILLS. WHEN THE MECHANIC INSPECTED IT THE TRANSMISSION READOUT SAID IT WAS FINE AND THIS WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. ON NOVEMBER 15, 2010 WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AT ABOUT 15MPH, THE TRANSMISSION STOPPED GRABBING AND WENT INTO NEUTRAL. I WAS ABLE TO SHIFT IT TO THE TIPTRONIC SYSTEM TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE SAFELY OUT OF THE WAY. UPON INSPECTION THE VW DEALER STATED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW THE EXACT CAUSE AND ONLY DIRECTION THEY GOT FROM VW NATIONAL WAS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FOR $7K. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10365448November 12, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
GENERATOR PULLEY FAILURE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10365120November 9, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, VISIBILITY, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES, AIR BAGS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE JERKED WHEN SHE CHANGED GEARS. THE FAILURE PROGRESSED OVER TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WHICH WAS DONE AT THAT TIME. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT BOTH THE FRONT WINDOW REGULATOR MOTORS FAILED; THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS FAILED AND WERE REPAIRED AT A REPAIR SHOP. THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE REAR WINDSHIELD WAS BEGINNING TO DETACH FROM THE STRUCTURE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,347 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,800.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10364373November 8, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE IN 2003. A FEW YEARS AGO, I REPORTED A NUMBER OF INSTANCES OF A LURCHING PROBLEM TO MY SERVICE GUY AT THE VW DEALERSHIP, AND HE SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. A FEW MONTHS AGO, THE PROBLEM CAME BACK FULL FORCE, AND HE SAID EVENTUALLY I WOULD NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE CAR HAS BEGUN LURCHING AND SHUDDERING VIOLENTLY WHEN SHIFTING, AND TODAY, MY RPM'S WERE HIGHLY ELEVATED, DESPITE MY LOW SPEED. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE CAR OFF, DESPITE BEING ON THE 101 FREEWAY IN LA. IT COULDN'T DRIVE. IT STARTED UP AGAIN, AND THIS EVENING THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I'M AFRAID TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE MY CAR. IT'S SEVEN YEARS OLD AND IT ONLY HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT. THERE'S NO REASON FOR THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM TO OCCUR, AND THERE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE A RECALL. THANK YOU. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10361836October 22, 2010
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
TURNED ON MY CAR AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF ON THE DASH BOARD PANEL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10361528October 21, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE AUTOMATIC WAS "HARD SHIFTING" AFTER WARMING UP FOR 15-20 MINUTES FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR, AND DOWN FROM 4TH ALL THE WAY TO 1ST. THIS ISSUE STARTED AFTER 75,000 MILES. FIX = REPLACE VALVE BODY...AROUND $2000. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE, AND THAT VW HAS ADDRESSED THIS DEFECT IN NEWER MODELS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT IF IT IS A KNOWN, COMMON, AND FIXED PROBLEM BY VW. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10361359October 20, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE CAR SURGES WHEN SHIFTING CAUSING THE WHEELS TO SPIN OUT ON WET SURFACES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10361140October 19, 2010
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN MY CAR SEEMED TO HAVE LOST TRACTION ON THE ROAD AND I LOST CONTROL BUT DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. THE INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED THE A WITH THE CIRCLE AROUND IT. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND I WAS INFORMED THAT MY ABS CONTROL UNIT WAS COMPLETELY FRIED. SO NOW I HAVE TO PAY ALMOST $2000 TO GET IT FIXED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10361281October 19, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I TOO HAVE FALLEN VICTIM OF THE LATEST TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I HAVE A 2003 VW BEETLE WITH 90,000 MILES IN IMMACULATE CONDITION AND EXPERIENCED JERKINESS IN THE TRANSMISSION AS WELL. WHEN I WOULD PRESS ON MY BRAKES I NOTICED THAT AS MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS TRYING TO SHIFT ITSELF DOWN, IT BEGIN TO JERK AS IT WAS SHIFTING DOWN. I MADE SURE I MAINTAINED THIS CAR AND WAS TOLD ALL WAS WELL. THEN ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING IT ON THE FREEWAY AND AS I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL IT WOULDN'T GO ANY MORE. I PULLED OVER AND SHUT IT OFF. WHEN I STARTED UP THE CAR AGAIN I PUT IT IN D (DRIVE) IT WOULD JERK FORWARD AND TURN ITSELF OFF. I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS STUCK IN 4TH GEAR. WHEN THE MECHANIC CHECKED IT OUT I WAS TOLD THERE WERE LOTS OF METAL PIECES IN THE OIL AS IF POSSIBLY SOMETHING BROKE INSIDE. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN????????? MY WARRANTY WILL ONLY PAY $2,000. 00 AND THE COST IS APPROX. $6,000.00 TO REPAIR. WHY DO I HAVE TO REPAIR THIS VEHICLE? I KNOW IT'S MINE, BUT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10360977October 18, 2010
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
MY CAR (2003 VOLKSWAGEN CONVERTIBLE BEETLE AUTOMATIC) JERKS SO HARD DANGEROUSLY. I FOUND SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS ONLINE. FORTUNATELY I HAVEN'T HURT ANYONE YET. PLEASE HELP ME BEFORE I DO! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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