Volkswagen Beetle Complaints

2,629 consumer complaints on file.

#10015493April 9, 2003
AIR BAGS
THE VEHICLE HIT A POT HOLE AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TOT HE DEALER WHO STATED THEY WOULD FIX IT SO THE LIGHT WOULD NOT COME ON, AND STATED THAT THE RIGHT PASSENGER AIRBAG HAD A LEAK IN IT. CONSUMER WAS LATER INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10014144April 8, 2003
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
1998 VW BEETLE, PASSENGER POWER WINDOW SWITCH DEFECTIVE. THE DRIVER SIDE BROKE FOR THE SAME REASON LAST YR. AND WAS REPORTED TO NHTSA ON THIS WEB SITE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY VW PART THAT THESE BREAK ALL THE TIME. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10013993April 5, 2003
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
DRIVER SIDE HEAD LIGHT CONTINUALLY STOPS WORKING. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10012179March 20, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10012069March 19, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AS STATED IN RECALL#98V100000, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10010730March 19, 2003
AIR BAGS
DRIVER'S SIDE SIDE IMPACT-AIRBAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN A FREEWAY. VOLKSWAGEN THEORIZED THAT ROAD DEBRIS PENETRATED THE FLOORBOARD CAUSING THE SENSOR TO GO OFF. HOW THIN IS THE FLOORBOARD THAT A ROCK OR PIECE OF ROAD DEBRIS COULD PENETRATE IT? AND WHY DOES THAT THROW OFF THE SENSOR FOR A SIDE AIRBAG? VOLKSWAGEN REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR TOWING, REPAIRS, OR MY ARM INJURY. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10010325March 12, 2003
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
1999 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE UNDER WARRANTY OF 10 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES-POWER TRAIN-TRANSMISSION. BECAUSE PARTS WERE LEFT OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION DURING REPAIR IN 2001 AND BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT PROPERLY FROM THE PURCHASE DATE OF 4-28-1999, MANY CLOSE CALLS/NEAR ACCIDENTS WERE EXPERIENCED ON THE FREEWAY. THE BEETLE JUMPED OUT OF 1 GEAR OR ANOTHER AND IN FREEWAY TRAFFIC THAT IS LIFE THREATENING. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER CLASSIC VW OF ESCONDIDO, CA. DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. FROM 1999 TO 2-03, 7 ATTEMPTS AT REPAIR WITH THE ONE 2-13-03 BY PARADISE VW OF INDIO, CA, 110 MILES FROM HOME. ONE DEALER WOULD NOT EVEN ATTEMPT BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T GET PAID. PER PHONE 2 OTHER DEALERS TOLD US TO GO BACK TO CLASSIC WHERE WE PURCHASED THE BEETLE AND HAVE THEM FIX THEIR OWN BAD WORK. THE TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF GEAR AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, 70 MPH, AND WHEN YOU LOOSE GEAR IN THAT KIND OF TRAFFIC IN THE 2ND OR 3RD LANE YOU ARE IN REAL DANGER. ABOUT 10 OF THIS KIND OF NEAR ACCIDENT OCCURRED. LUCKILY ACCIDENTS WERE AVOIDED. FREEWAY TRAVEL CANNOT ALWAYS BE AVOIDED. COULD NOT GET THE CAR REPAIRED SO WE DROVE IT. CLASSIC ALWAYS MAINTAINED THE CAR WAS REPAIRED OR DIDN'T NEED REPAIR, AND WE DROVE IT. WE ALWAYS FELT IN DANGER. THIS TYPE OF DEFECT NEEDS MORE ATTENTION BECAUSE IT IS LIFE THREATENING, A DEATH WAITING TO HAPPEN. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#567790March 12, 2003
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CONSUMER REPLACED BRAKE LIGHTS/HEADLIGHTS/REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS/ ENGINE SHIELD AND COOLING SYSTEM. *AK *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10011161March 10, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1 OF THE 4 IGNITION COILS FAILED, THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE OTHER 3 UNTIL THEY FAIL.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10011207March 10, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THEY LOCKED UP WHICH CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10008297March 1, 2003
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT IS FRAYING, THE CAR HAS 38000 MILES. I HAVE NEVER SEEN FRAYED SEAT BELTS ON ANY CAR NO MATTER THE AGE OR MILES. IS THIS A SAFETY ISSUE? THE DEALER WAS NO HELP.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10007833February 20, 2003
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY
THE 5TH GEAR IN THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR A NUMBER OF TIMES RENDERING ME HELPLESS IN FREEWAY TRAFFIC. I HAD MADE AT LEAST 5 ATTEMPTS TO HAVE REPAIRS DONE ON THE TRANSMISSION BUT THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION PROPERLY AND WHEN IT WAS REPAIRED IT WAS IMPROPERLY REPAIRED, WITH PARTS LEFT OUT. BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WAS NOT DUPLICATED BY ANOTHER DEALER NO REPAIRS WERE DONE UNTIL THE CAR WAS SEEN BY A 3RD DEALER WHO FOUND THE PROBLEM AND CORRECTED IT. THE TRANSMISSION WAS UNDERWARRANTY OF 10 YRS/100,000 MILES. . WE, THE CONSUMER, MUST LEARN TO BE AGRESSIVE AND GET PROPER REPAIRS DONE ON OUR AUTOMOBILES AND WE MUST USE EVERYMEANS AVAILABLE TO US TO ENCOURAGE/FORCE THE DEALERSHIPS TO BE MORE AWARE OF CONSUMER SAFTEY. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR KILLED OTHERS ON THE FREEWAY DUE TO THE CAR SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR. I NEED TO USE MY CAR AND I DID TRY TO GET IT FIXED SO IT WOULD BE SAFE ON ALL ROADWAYS AND IN ALL DRIVING CONDITIONS ON ROADWAYS. IF A CAR CANNOT BE REPAIRED BY A DEALER THEY SHOULD BE HONEST ENOUGH TO ADMIT THEIR LACK OF SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE AND THE CONSUMER REFERRED TO A PLACE OF REPAIR THAT HAS THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND TOOLS OF THE TRADE TO ACCOMPLISH THE REPAIR. A CAR OUT OF GEAR AT FREEWAY SPEEDS ON A FREEWAY IS AS DANGEROUS AS ANY OF THE TOP 3 DANGERS LISTED AND SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE LIST. SO SHOULD THE NAMES OF THE DEALERS WHO ARE SO LAX IN ACCOMPLISHING LIFE SAVING REPAIRS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10004416February 6, 2003
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
PROBLEMS WITH FRONT WINDOW MECHANISM. *DT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10006414February 4, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE VEHICLE HESITATES, SHUTS DOWN AND WILL NOT RESTART. PLEASE FURNISH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10005297February 4, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ON 01/28/2003 WHILE CRUISING AT APPROXIMATELY 45MPH MY DIESEL ENGINE SIMPLY SHUT DOWN WITHOUT ANY ADVANCE WARNING WHATSOEVER. I WAS STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF A VERY BUSY ROAD WITH MY 3 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER. I THEN HAD IT TOWED TO JIM ELLIS VW ON PEACHTREE INDUSTRIAL BLVD, ATLANTA, GA 30341 (PHONE: 770-458-6811). THEY WERE ABLE TO REPEAT THE PROBLEM AND DIAGNOSED A FAILED POWER SUPPLY RELAY WHICH WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REPLACED. THUS FAR THE PROBLEM HAS NOT REPEATED ITSELF. THIS WAS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION!!!!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10006206February 3, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
VEHICLE VIBRATES. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10004582February 3, 2003
SEATS
THE DRIVERS SEAT COMPLETELY DETACHED ITSELF CAUSING CONSUMERS DAUGHTER TO FALL BACKWARD. CONSUMER RE-ATTACHED THE BOLTS AND THE DEFECT OCCURED AGAIN. CONSUMER RE-ATTACHED THE BOLTS A SECOND TIME THIS TIME ADDING A LOCK WASHER TO THE BOLT AND SOME LOCKTITE ON THE THREADS. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE THIS ISSUE TO BE LOOKED INTO. *JG
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10006073January 31, 2003
AIR BAGS
WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAY ILLUMINATED, DEALER NOTIFIED SAID SPRING LIKE CONTACT AND WIRE HARNESS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10004878January 29, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I BOUGHT A VW NEW BEETLE IN FEB 2001. AFTER A YEAR AND HALF, THE CAR BEGAN TO START ROUGHLY AND SHAKY, AND WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHING AT THE SAME TIME. THIS PHENOMENON HAPPENED MORE REQUENTLY AND WAS GETTING WORSE LATER. THE CAR LOST MOST OF IT POWER WHILE DRIVING. SO I DROVE TO VW/AUDI BERNADI DEALER IN NATICK, MA IN SEPTEMBER 2002 TO HAVE IT FIXED. IT WAS FOUND OUT IT WAS CAUSED BY AN IGNITION COIL FAILURE AND IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT. THEY REPLACED THE BAD COIL BUT LEFT THE OTHER THREE UNTOUCHED. I AM VERY WORRIED ABOUT THIS. I DRIVE THROUGH HIGHWAY TO MY OFFICE EVERYDAY. I DON'T WANT TO STUCK IN THE HIGHTWAY IN THE COLD WIND WAITING FOR A TOWL TRUCK. MY WARRANTY IS GOING TO EXPIRE SOON, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE VW DEALER WILL FIX THE POSSIBLE NEXT FAILURE OF IGNITION COIL FREE OF CHARGE. SEEING AN ARTICLE FROM BOSTON GLOBE, I KNOW THAT I AM NOT ALONE. HTTP://WWW.BOSTON.COM/DAILYGLOBE2/026/AUTO/NO_EASY_FIX_FOR_FAILING_IGNITION_COILS_IN_AUDIS_VWS+.SHTML WOULD YOU PLEASE ORDER VW TO RECALL ALL THE DEFECTIVE IGNITION COILS? THANKS A LOT FOR YOUR TIME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
1
#10003305January 23, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE A 2001 BEETLE WITH THE 1.8T ENGINE. MY CAR HAS BEEN DISABLED TWICE DUE TO DEFECTIVE COIL PACKS. RESEARCH ON THE VWVORTEX.COM WEBSITE REVEALED THERE IS A LARGE HISTORY OF PROBLEMS WITH THESE COIL PACKS WHICH CAN FAIL AT ANY TIME RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNDRIVEABLE. THERE IS CURRENTLY A SHORTAGE OF THIS PART (PART # 06B-905-115-J COIL) DUE TO THE VOLUME OF VEHICLES THAT HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. VWVORTEX IS RECOMMENDING OWNERS CONTACT NHTSA TO FACILITATE A RECALL OF COIL PACKS AS VW IS UNWILLING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE AT THIS TIME. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THEY CAN FAIL WHILE DRIVING RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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