Volkswagen Beetle Complaints

2,629 consumer complaints on file.

#10171929October 26, 2006
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE ENTIRE ABS UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, #02V031000, REGARDING THE ANTILOCK BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT HER CAR WAS COVERED FOR THIS TYPE OF REPAIR HOWEVER, THE DEALERSHIP STATED THE CAR WAS NOT COVERED. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED A COPY OF THE RECALL LETTER. UPDATED 08/06/07 *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10171835October 25, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2002 VW BEETLE 2.0 GLS W/ APPROX. 77,000 MILES. LOW FUEL LIGHTS STAYS ON / WILL NOT GO OFF. THE FUEL GAUGE IS WORKING PROPERLY, THE LIGHT JUST WON'T GO OFF. WE CHECKED SEVERAL WEB SITES AND CONTACTED A COUPLE OF VW DEALERSHIPS. WE FOUND OUT IT IS LIKELY THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND IT'S A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM. VW WOULDN'T WARRANTY THE WORK. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10171725October 24, 2006
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON MY 2002 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE IS ON. THE CAR HAS 52,000 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME $400.00 TO REPAIR. IT COST $150.00 TO FIND OUT THAT IT IS THE AIRBAG PIGTAIL-1J0971584J AND SPIRAL REEL-1J0959653C. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10171549October 22, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IN FOR SERVICE. MUST BE AN OXYGEN SENSOR THEY SAY. THEY ORDER ONE AND I GO BACK. NOT THE SENSOR. ENGINE COOLANT LEAKED ON WIRING HARNESS CAUSING WIRING DAMAGE. THEY REPLACE HARNESS HOWEVER DO NOT KNOW WHERE COOLANT IS COMING FROM. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10170901October 16, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:FLASHER UNIT, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS:UNIT, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
EMERGENCY LIGHT SWITCH (HAZARD SWITCH) THERE WAS A VW RECALL ISSUED TO REPLACE THIS SWITCH THAT NOT ONLY CONTROLS THE HAZARD FLASHERS BUT ALSO THE TURN SIGNALS, IN THE JETTA, GOLF, & GTI. MY BEETLE USES THE SAME SWITCH I AM WONDERING WHY IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL (VW RECALL VX). MY SWITCH HAS THE SAME INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AS DESCRIBED IN THE MARCH 2005 RECALL LETTER, I WILL BE REPLACING THE SWITCH ON MY OWN ACCORD, BUT THIS BULLETIN SHOULD INCLUDE THE VW NEW BEETLE MODEL IN MY OPINION. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10170427October 10, 2006
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKES BUT VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE RAN OVER TWO SPEED BUMPS AT 25 MPH THEN JUMPED A CURB AND CRASHED INTO AN APARTMENT BUILDING. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. UPDATED 10/25/2006 - A WITNESS STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT WERE ULLIMINATED AND THAT HE HEARD A REVVING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. *NM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10169746October 2, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
MY 2006 BEETLE CONVERTIBLE CONTINUES TO HOWL WITH THE A/C FAN MOTOR ON. IT ACTUALLY SOUNDS LIKE A JET MOTOR TRYING TO LAND. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE HAD 3 OTHERS COME IN WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. IN FACT THEY SAID THEY REPLACED ONE CUSTOMERS CAR FAN AND IT WAS EVEN LOUDER THAN BEFORE. THEY CANNOT TELL ME WHEN THEY WILL HAVE A SOLUTION BUT VW IS "WORKING ON IT". I HAVE 9000 MILES ON MY CAR. I LIVE IN TEXAS. DOES THIS QUALIFY FOR THE LEMON LAW? THIS IS NOW OCT AND NO OTHER ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO REPAIR IT. HAS BEEN GOING ON AT LEAST SINCE MAY. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10169681October 1, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THIS IS MY SECOND VW BEETLE TURBO THAT HAS AN ENGINE THAT HAS DIED BELOW THE RECOMMENDED MILEAGE FOR MAINTENANCE. BOTH VEHICLES DID THE SAME THING AND DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT 75 MILES PER HOUR. I LOST POWER AND WAS NOT ABLE TO USE MY BREAKS TO PULL OVER FOR SAFETY. AFTER CONTACTING VW CUSTOMER SERVICE (800 882 8987 REF# 60353557 9-29-06) I WAS INFORMED, "THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THE DAMAGE OCCURRED BELOW THE RECOMMENDED SERVICE". MY CURRENT MILEAGE IS 73K AND MY CURRENT MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE USUAL MILEAGE FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM IS 105K. AFTER SOME RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS NOT A UNIQUE ISSUE AND VOLKSWAGEN IS MORE THAN AWARE OF THIS DEFECT. IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT THEY THINK THEY SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10168703September 19, 2006
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
WINDOW CABLE BROKEN. HAD PASS. SIDE REPLACED 2 MONTHS AGO, NOW DRIVERS SIDE BROKEN. WINDOW FELL INTO DOOR. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10168488September 18, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
VOLKSWAGEN NEW-BETTLE ALL THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BURN DOWN. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10169071September 13, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:CONCEALMENT DEVICES
2000 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT FELL OUT ONTO THE ROADWAY. UPON INSPECTION MECHANIC DETERMINED THE PLASTIC PIECE HOLDING THE HEADLIGHT BROKE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. *KB *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10168046September 12, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
IN JUNE I TOOK MY 2002 VW BEETLE TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE IT AGAIN WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED ALREADY, A BATTERY CHANGE, AND THEN ANOTHER ALTERNATOR. SO THREE ALTERNATORS SINCE CREATION. I WAS TOLD THAT ANOTHER BATTERY HAD FAILED. SO NOW THREE BATTERIES IN TOTAL. I ALSO TOLD THEM THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE STICKING ON AND BURNING OUT THE BULBS, THAT THEY STAYED LIT SO PEOPLE COULD NOT TELL IF I WAS BRAKING AND THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT WORKING. I WAS TOLD BY CORPORATE THAT MY VIN DID NOT FALL UNDER A RECALL. I ARGUED THAT WHILE MY VIN MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IT DID NOT NEGATE THE FACT THAT THE CAR HAD THE SAME FAILURE AND CAUSE AS THOSE LISTED AS PART OF THE RECALL. THEY FINALLY AGREED TO WARRANTY THE BRAKE SWITCH FAILURE. I PAID FOR THE NEW BATTERY. HOWEVER, THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME WITH OUT WORKING TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARD LIGHTS. THE SERVICE REP FAILED TO RETURN MY CALLS ABOUT IT ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. ONLY AFTER I CONTACTED THE MGR DID THEY CALL ME. THEY SAID TO BRING IT BACK AND THEY WOULD FIX IT. NOW THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME $135 BECAUSE THEY SAY THE SWITCH INSIDE THE DASH FAILED AND IT WAS NOT RELATED TO THE ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THE BRAKE SWITCH. FUNNY THE CRUISE CONTROL, ETC WERE RELATED. I WAS TOLD THE BRAKE SWITCH ALLOWED ELECTRICAL TO BE BACK FED INTO THE SYSTEM THAT WAS TOO POWERFUL FOR THE CIRCUITS THUS BURNING THEM OUT. THEY CAN NOT EXPLAIN WHY THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY THIS NOR WHY THEY RETURNED IT TO ME BROKEN. THIS CAR IS AN ELECTRICAL LEMON! *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10168087September 12, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
THE CAR MADE A FUNNY WHISTLE NOISE THEN SHUT OFF. THE PERSON BEHIND US SAID BLUE SMOKE CAME OUT THE BACK. TOOK TO DEALER HAD ENGINE, WATER PUMP, TURBO AND BELTS REPLACED. NOW DEALER CAN NOT GET CAR TO RUN PROPERLY. THE DIESEL STARTS FINE AND RUNS GREAT AFTER 15 MINUTES CAR STARTS RUNNING SLUGGISH AND HAS NO POWER. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR 4 MONTHS STILL WAITING AND STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON THE BEETLE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10167552September 7, 2006
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BROADSIDED A SECOND VEHICLE, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD, AND WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE OF THE CRASH. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED IN THE COLLISION. UPDATED 10/04/06. *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10167578September 7, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I PURCHASED A CERTIFIED USED 2001 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE IN FEB 2003. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE TURNPIKE SUDDENLY THE CAR LOST POWER AND ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD LIT UP. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A CERTIFIED VW GARAGE WHERE I WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. I HAD NO WARNING THAT THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING UNTIL IT STOPPED AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON. THIS CAR HAS ONLY 56,000 MILES ON IT. THE MECHANIC IS GOING TO GIVE ME A REBUILT ENGINE BECAUSE HE IS TRYING TO SAVE ME SOME MONEY. SO FAR MY CAR IS IN THE GARAGE FOR OVER A MONTH BECAUSE IT SEEMS IT IS NOT EASY TO GET A REPAIRABLE USED MOTOR. THIS IS GOING TO COST ME SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. ALSO I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A CAR FOR ONE MONTH ALREADY WHICH OF COURSE CAUSES A HARDSHIP AND A LOT OF STRESS. I DON'T FEEL THAT A MOTOR SHOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED WITH ONLY 56,000 MILES ON IT. I THOUGHT I WAS BUYING A RELIABLE CAR. BOY WAS I WRONG!! *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10167623September 7, 2006
SUSPENSION:FRONT, WHEELS
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT ABOUT 12 AM IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE ON HIGHWAY 217 IN TIGARD OREGON, JUST PASSED EXIT 4 MY STEERING STARTED PULLING ME TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD, TOWARDS THE GUARD RAIL. (WAS TRAVELING AT APPROX. 55 MPH) I TRIED TO CORRECT BY PULLING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. I THEN HEAR A VERY LOUD SNAPPING/BREAKING NOISE UNDER MY LEFT FOOT AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW MY CAR SLIDES TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, INTO THE GUARD RAIL. I THEN BOUNCED OFF OF THE GUARD RAIL AND THE CAR CONTINUED SLIDING/SPINNING UNTIL COMING TO REST IN THE LEFT HAND LANE. TIGARD POLICE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND STATED THAT IT LOOKED LIKE THE "SUSPENSION BROKE AND THE WHEEL FELL OFF", CAUSING THE WRECK. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END (LEFT SIDE) AND MARKS ON THE REAR BUMPER. WITNESS FOLLOWING BEHIND ME STATED THAT THEY SAW ME DRIVING IN FRONT OF THEM AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR STARTED SPINNING, APPARENTLY FOR NO REASON SINCE THERE WAS NO IMPACT. *NM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10167137August 31, 2006
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP AT 20 MPH, THE THROTTLE STUCK AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL. WHILE IN NEUTRAL THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS TAPPED AND THE RPM'S RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10166972August 29, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
I HAVE A 2002 VW BEETLE AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK BECAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILED. I KNOW THEY HAVE RECALLED OTHER BEETLES FOR THIS BUT WHEN I CALLED VW THEY SAID IT WAS NOT RECALLED ON MY VEHICLE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10166546August 25, 2006
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE WHO DECLARED THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO DECLARED THAT OTHER MODELS WITH THE SAME ELECTRONIC MODULE PRESENTED THE SAME TRANSMISSION DEFECT BUT DID NOT PROVIDE ANY SOLUTION. UPDATED 10/17/2006 - THE HESITATION AND STALLING PROBLEMS OCCURRED WHEN USING THE LEFT FOOT TO BRAKE THE VEHICLE. THE VW TECHNICIAN SAID THE COMPUTER MODULE RECEIVES CONFLICTING SIGNAL DUE TO ONE FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND ONE ON THE GAS PEDAL. THERE WERE NO APPARENT WARNINGS IN THE VW OWNERS MANUAL. THERE SEEMED TO BE NO PROBLEM WHEN USING THE RIGHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND GAS BUT THE PROBLEM SHOWED UP IMMEDIATELY WHEN USING THE LEFT FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND RIGHT FOOT ON THE GAS. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10166384August 23, 2006
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
I OWN A 1998 VW BEETLE AND TWO YEARS AGO THE DRIVER WINDOW WOULD NOT GO UP OR DOWN SO I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE THEN NOTIFIED ME OF A RECALL ON THE WINDOWS SO HE TRANSPORTED IT TO THE NEAREST VW DEALER THEY REPAIRED IT THEY ALSO SCRATCHED THE WINDOW DURING THE REPAIR AND AFTER THAT REPAIR TOOK PLACE I STILL HAD PROBLEMS WITH IT I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THAT SUPPOSEDLY REPAIRED IT AND LEFT MESSAGE FOR GM TO CALL ME WELL I NEVER GOT A RETURN CALL AND THE PROBLEM WITH THE WINDOW STILL WAS THERE THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THIS DEALERSHIP LOCATED IN COLERAIN TWP CINCINNATI OHIO NORTHGATE VOLKSWAGON WAS VERY RUDE TO ME AND NEVER DID THE GENERAL MANAGER RETURN MY CALL WELL LONG STORY SHORT I HAD TO HAVE THIS WINDOW PROBLEM REPAIRED NOW ORIGINALLY THIS WAS COVERED UNDER A RECALL ISSUED BY VOLKSWAGEN BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED AND THEY TOLD ME SORRY WE CANNOT RE-FIX THIS SORRY WELL MY FEELINGS ARE THAT'S CRAZY IF THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED THEY SHOULD FIX IT OR VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD REFUND MY MONEY FOR HAVING IT FIXED DUE TO THEIR LACK OF DOING IT INCORRECTLY. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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