Volkswagen Beetle Complaints (2004)

349 consumer complaints on file.

#10343977July 19, 2010
AIR BAGS, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
2004 VW NEW BEETLE AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT REMAINS ON. SENSOR WAS REPLACED IN NOV. 2004, SEPT. 2006 AND MARCH 2007. VW SAYS THE VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER THE RECALL # 08V178000. DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL VW APPROVES IT AND DEALERSHIP WANTS US TO PAY FOR *ANOTHER* EVALUATION. LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR 1 YEAR, HAD IT EVALUATED JULY 2009. CURRENT MILEAGE IS 80,000. MILEAGE WHEN LIGHT CAME ON WAS 71,000. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10343484July 15, 2010
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED ON MY 2004 NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE TODAY. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM BUT HAS YET CAUSED A RECALL FOR DEFECT PARTS FROM VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10343502July 15, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE GLS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN ABNORMALLY JERKING WHILE SWITCHING GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE ENGINE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN ONE MONTH. THE DEALER THEN REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION GEAR BOX. SHORTLY AFTER, THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS FAILED WHICH WERE ALSO REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 56,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10342740July 12, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND JERKING ON HI WAYS AND STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. MY VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS APPROX 68,000 MILES AT THE TIME. I HAVE HAD A FEW INCIDENTS WHERE THE CAR DID NOT MOVE ON THE FREEWAY SINCE THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. THIS PROBLEMS OCCURS EVERYDAY AFTER THE CAR IS RAN FOR AROUND 5 MILES. MY VW IS A 2004 VW BEETLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO VW THINKING IT WAS DUE FOR AN ADJUSTMENT OR AN OIL CHANGE. I WAS GIVEN RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE OIL MAY NEEDED TO BE TOPPED OFF OR THE COMPUTER MAY NEEDED TO BE CHECKED. I WAS TOLD THAT FOR 120.00 I COULD HAVE THE CAR DIAGNOSED. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO COME BACK IN A FEW HOURS. AFTER CALLING BACK I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS COOLING OFF AND THAT THE DEALER WAS GOING TO TOP OFF THE OIL FOR 40 DOLLARS MORE. I PAID A TOTAL OF 160.00 AND THAN WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD POSSIBLY NEED TO BUY A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR 7,000 DOLLARS. THE SERVICE REP SAID I COULD PURCHASE A PART FOR 2,000 DOLLARS AND SEE IF THAT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM BUT HE ALREADY HAS 5 TRANSMISSIONS HE IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED. I FELT THAT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT NEW THIS WAS NOT GOING TO HELP BUT SAW THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ME SINCE I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS ISSUE. I THAN CHECKED THE BLOGS FOR VW TRANSMISSION AND TO MY SURPRISE FOUND 240+ REASONS WHY I WAS NOT ALONE ON THIS ISSUE. PLEASE READ THE COMPLAINTS OF OTHER CONSUMERS THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. THESE PEOPLE ARE OUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS WHO CAN NOT AFFORD TO SPEND THEIR MONEY ON THIS KIND OF PROBLEM. HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/WEBX?14@@.F124D77/0 PLEASE HELP US IN RESOLVING THIS ISSUE. AS ON BLOGGER SAID, WE DIDN'T BUY A VW SO WE COULD PAY EXPENSIVE MAINTENANCE COST. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. GOD BLESS HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/WEBX?14@@.F124D77/0. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10341417July 4, 2010
AIR BAGS
VW BEETLE, AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUES TO MALFUNCTION FOR MY 2004 MODEL. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR FOR REPAIR FOR AT LEAST 4-TIMES IN THE PAST 4-YEARS. I BELIEVE THE INITIAL RECALL # 03V3S6000 WAS NEVER CORRECTED AND COMPANY IS NOT CONCERNED IN FIXING IT EVER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10340546June 29, 2010
VISIBILITY
REAR WINDOWS REGULATORS ARE OUT OF ORDER. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN QUITE OFTEN ON THESE CARS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10340314June 27, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2004 VW TURBO BEETLE--AFTER LAST TWO DEALER SERVICING THE CAR DIES ON TURNS--DASH LIGHTS COME ON, NO POWER STEERING. CAR REGAINS POWER IN @ 2 SECONDS. A DEFINITE SAFETY CONCERN. THE DEALER AND VW AMERICA WANT TO START REPLACING PARTS AND SEE WHAT WORKS AT MY EXPENSE. HAVE BEEN WITHOUT MY CAR FOR THREE WEEKS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10339572June 22, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN JERKING FORWARD AND HESITATING TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VALVE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE VALVE WAS REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10339614June 22, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I STRONGLY FEEL THAT WE OWNERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR REPLACING AN EXPENSIVE TRANSMISSION WHICH OBVIOUSLY HAS A RECOGNIZABLE "PRE-EXISTING CONDITION" THAT COULD VERY WELL CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. MY 2004 BEETLE CONVERTIBLE 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC TURBO BEGAN SHIFTING GEARS ROUGHLY, JERKING AND SLIPPING ON UPSHIFTING AND DOWNSHIFTING A FEW MONTHS AGO AT 52K MILES. ONLY AFTER WARMING UP. SOUND FAMILIAR? YES, MY TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR $6000, ACCORDING TO THE DEALER AND A PRIVATE AUTO TRANS SHOP. I'M THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND THE CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED ON TIME BY THE SAME DEALER. NEVER ABUSED. SINCE MANY PEOPLE ARE REPORTING THESE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS, AND SINCE IT MIGHT LEAD TO AN ABRUPT GEAR FAILURE WHILE DRIVING, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THE NHTSA INVESTIGATE. WEB SEARCHES REVEAL THE PROBLEM TO BE ACROSS MODEL YEARS. WEAR & TEAR? NO, I LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN IN NO.CAL. AND DRIVE MOSTLY FREEWAY MILES IN LIGHT TRAFFIC WITH FEW GEAR CHANGES. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10335427June 9, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND OBD DEVISE FAILED. THE DEALER REFUSED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE BECAUSE ALL THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WERE DISABLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 77,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10335458June 9, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
A FEW MONTHS AGO, MY 2004 VW BEETLE CONV STARTED EXPERIENCING ERRATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTING-IT WOULD "CLUNK" INTO 1ST/2ND/3RD GEARS, SOMETIMES TO THE POINT OF "SCREECHING" OFF AND ALMOST LAYING RUBBER. THIS HAPPENS AFTER ENGINE IS WARM--AFTER GETTING OFF A FREEWAY OR DRIVING FOR A FEW MILES. AFTER SEVERAL TRIPS TO MY MECHANIC, AND HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TRYING TO FIX PROBLEM, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE VW NEW BEETLE AFTER 60,000 MILES AND THAT THE ONLY FIX IS A NEW VALVE AND ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION COSTING FROM $4000 TO $7000. THIS INFO IS FROM MY TRUSTED MECHANIC OF OVER 30 YEARS. VW WILL NOT ADMIT TO ANY ENGINEERING FLAWS AND WILL NOT PAY TO FIX VEHICLE. IT DOES THIS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, AT STOPLIGHTS AND INTERSECTIONS AND HAS NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENTS. PLEASE ADVISE IF I HAVE ANY RECOURSE WITH VW TO GET THIS FIXED AT THEIR EXPENSE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10333828May 29, 2010
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
REAR WINDOW REGULATOR DEFECT WINDOW WILL NOT GO UP OR DOWN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10332642May 28, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE JERKED SHE DROVE AND ESPECIALLY WHEN SHE WAS SLOWING DOWN. THE VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP FOR A TRANSMISSION RECALL REMEDY IN APRIL 2007 FOR THIS FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN AND WAS ADVISED THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY ADVISED SINCE THE RECALL REMEDY WAS ALREADY PERFORMED, THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 82,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 83,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10332700May 28, 2010
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
MY WIFE OWNS A 2004 VW NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE WITH POWER WINDOWS! THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 40K ON THE ODOM. BUT THE REAR WINDOWS HAVE HAD TO BE REPAIRS MULTIPLE TIMES! THERE ARE SEVERAL TSB'S ON THIS ISSUE POSTED BY VW. THEY WILL NOT COVER THE COST OF REPAIRS AND THIS IS A CONCERN! I AM HAVING THE REPAIRS COMPLETED AGAIN FOR THE 4TH TIME AT A COST OF $500.00 TOTAL RIDICULOUS!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10332279May 26, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I BOUGHT MY DAUGHTER A 2004 BEETLE IT HAS BEGUN SHIFTING HARD 1ST THRU 3RD BOTH UP AND DOWN SHIFTING. I'VE HAD IT AT THE DEALER 3 TIMES AND AM GETTING THE SAME RUN AROUND. THERE'S NO WAY VW ISN'T AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, I CALLED VW AMERICA TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE DEALERSHIP BUT GOT NOWHERE. I'M FED UP AND TIRED OF BEING SCREWED, THE CAR ONLY HAD 65K MILES AND I FIRST TOOK IT IN WITH 58K MILES ON IT. TODAY THEY SAY I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $6500.00 AND IS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY SO I 'D HAVE TO FORK OVER OUT OF MY POCKET. LOOKING ON THE INTERNET THERE ARE OVER 100 PEOPLE POSTING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10331578May 21, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE IS DEFECTIVE. IT SLAMS INTO GEAR FROM 2 TO 3 AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO FIX THE PROBLEM WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $6000. ALSO THE REAR WINDOW WILL NOT ROLL UP AND THE TAIL LIGHT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HAS GONE OUT THEREFORE CREATING TURN SIGNAL PROBLEMS. I HAVE CHECKED ON LINE AND THESE PROBLEMS SEEM TO BE AN ISSUE FOR OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE AND OTHER YEARS. I ALSO HAVE HAD THE WATERPUMP GO OUT WHICH ALSO SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10331467May 20, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
I HAVE A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE PURCHASED IN 2008. I'M PUTTING IN THIS COMPLAINT ALONG WITH THOUSAND OF OTHER VW BEETLE OWNERS. THE PROBLEM IS THE 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION. IT JERKS REAL HARD WHEN DOWN SHIFTING AND THEN AGAIN WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. NOW IT'S TO THE POINT WHERE IT WON'T PULL AT ALL. I HAVE TRIED TO CALL VW OF AMERICA TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THIS PROBLEM BUT NO WILL RETURN MY CALLS SO I WENT ON EDMUNDS.COM AND REALIZED THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE CAR AND VW. I ALSO CALLED VW CREDIT WHO I STILL OWE FOR THIS CAR THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, AND TO CALL VW OF AMERICA. MY QUESTION IS WHAT AM I TO DO WITH A VEHICLE THAT I CAN'T DRIVE AND I OWE $9,000 ON. THAT HAS A TRANSMISSION THAT THEY ARE TELLING ME I GOING TO COST $6,000 TO REPLACE. PLEASE! IS THERE ANYONE WHO CAN HELP MY SITUATION ? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10331470May 20, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
SIX SPEED AUTO TRANS BEGAN SLAMMING DOWNSHIFTING AND SLIPPING UP AT AROUND 75K. CAR HUNG IN NEUTRAL 3 TIMES ON A 20 MINUTE COMMUTE NEARLY CAUSING NEAR REAR END COLLISIONS AS IT WAS NECESSARY TO PULL OFF ROAD TO STOP AND RESTART CAR. BLOGS ARE FILLED WITH MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME SCARY PROBLEM. VW DENIES. REPAIR BILL $5000. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10330346May 13, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE BEFORE MOVING FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED NEEDED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 54,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10329048May 5, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I AM THE OWNER OF A 2004 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE AND MY CAR HAS JUST HIT 75,000 MILES. A FEW WEEKS AGO I NOTICED THAT WHEN MY CAR WOULD GO IN OR OUT OF 3RD GEAR, IT WOULD JERK. AT ONE POINT I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT AND WHEN I WENT TO ACCELERATE IT MADE A HUGE LURCH AND SPUTTERED BEFORE GOING FORWARD. I'VE ALSO HAD ISSUES SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. I TOOK IT INTO THE VW DEALERSHIP YESTERDAY AS I RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION IN THE MAIL THAT I MAY HAVE A FAULTY CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I SPOKE WITH THE DEALERSHIP THIS AFTERNOON AND THEY ARE SAYING I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. AT ONLY 75,000 MILES? I LOOKED THIS ISSUE UP ONLINE AND HAVE DISCOVERED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. SOME HAVE EVEN HAD THIS ISSUE APPEAR AT 10,000 MILES. FROM WHAT I'VE READ, MOST HAVE REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION ONLY TO HAVE IT FAIL AGAIN. THIS SOUNDS LIKE A MAJOR DEFECT AND AM WONDERING IF THIS SHOULDN'T FALL UNDER A RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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