Volkswagen Beetle Complaints

2,629 consumer complaints on file.

#712059September 25, 1999
EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:ACCESSORY SCISSOR/SCREW/BOTTLE JACK/LIFT
JACK FAILURE CAUSED CAR TO FALL. FORTUNATELY NO PERSON WAS UNDER THE CAR AT THE TIME. DEALER HAS NO REPLACEMENT JACK IN STOCK TO COMPARE/ASCERTAIN CAUSE OF FAILURE. SHOULD FAILED PART BE SUBMITTED TO YOU?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#848543September 23, 1999
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
INTERMITTENTLY THE AIR BAGS SENSOR LIGHT WOULD COME ON/OFF. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT, THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. SEEKING NHTSA HELP OR PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#711696September 21, 1999
AIR BAGS
CAR SIMPLY DROVE OVER AN IMPACT WRENCH THAT FELL OUT OF A TOOLBOX FROM A VEHICLE PRIOR ON THE ROAD. IT HIT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR. SMALL DENT IN A COMPONENT BRACE IN UNDERCARRIAGE. NO SIDE IMPACT OR DAMAGE OCCURRED AT ALL. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO REPLACE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#711677September 20, 1999
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ACCELERATOR STILL ACTIVATED WHEN PRESSING ON BRAKE PEDAL. TOO CLOSE TOGETHER! I HAVE CONFIRMED THIS WITH MANY OTHER NEW BEETLE OWNERS. ALSO, VISIBILITY IS VERY POOR WHEN CHANGING LANES BECAUSE FRONT HEADRESTS CANNOT BE LOWERED ENOUGH AND PILLARS OBSTRUCT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#711327September 14, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
I WAS DRIVING ALONG A STRAIGHT, DRY STRETCH OF ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MILES PER HOUR, WHEN MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND THE STEERING LOCKED UP. I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL MY VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO AN EMBANKMENT. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SERVICED (REGULAR SERVICING) AT THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP JUST 3 DAYS BEFORE. IN ADDITION, VOLKSWAGEN HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM ON ITS CABRIOLET ABOUT 8 YEARS AGO. THIS PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY THE WATER SEPARATOR PANEL BEING BENT DURING SERVICING. THE OUTCOME OF THIS ACCIDENT WAS $6000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE AND MINOR INJURIES SUSTAINED BY ME.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#609557September 8, 1999
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
ELECTRICAL WIRING UNDER BATTERY TRAY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#609753September 8, 1999
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
CABLE IN STEERING COLUMN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#710951September 5, 1999
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
ON 9/1/99, I DROVE THE CAR ALL DAY (BOUT 200 MILES) AND DID NOT KNOW THAT THE TOP OF THE GAS TANK WAS LEAKING GAS. (I HAVE NO SENSE OF SMELL!!) UNTIL I GOT HOME AND TOOK A FRIEND TO DINNER AND HE SAID "THIS CAR STINKS LIKE GASOLINE"! WE LOOKED UNDER THE BACK SEAT AND REMOVED THE COVER PLATE AND THE ENTIRE TOP OF THE GAS TANK IN THE AREA OF THE SENDING UNIT RETAINING RING WAS FILLED WITH GAS (ABOUT 1/2 INCH DEEP) . TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE SEAL ON THE TOP OF THE TANK. TWO DAYS LATER 9/4/99, GAS SMELL RETURNED AND UPON INSPECTION THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN! GAS POURING OUT OF THE CLOSED RETAINING RING!! DUE TO THE HOLIDAY, I HAVE TO WAIT TIL TUES. TO HAVE CAR LOOKED AT. I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED JOE BERTRAN AT VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA RE THIS SERIOUS DEFECT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#846161August 30, 1999
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING WITH SUN ROOF FULLY OPEN VEHICLE SHAKES AND SHUTTERS. ALSO THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#846058August 27, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE COVER IS POORLY DESIGNED, AND THE CAR IS TOO LOW. ENGINE COVER GETS PULLED AND SCRAPES ON THE GROUND AND RIPPES APART WHICH GOES BACK INTO THE ENGINE. THIS OCCURS WHEN GOING OVER A LARGE SPEED BUMP ALSO PULLING UP TO A CYLINDER BLOCK. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#841920August 20, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
A HOLE DEVELOPED IN THE OIL PAN, CAUSING OIL TO LEAK WHICH RESULTED IN VEHICLE STALLING. DEALER & MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *YC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#844099August 2, 1999
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER. CONSUMER HAS TO RESET THE COMPUTER, AND START THE VEHICLE BACK UP AGAIN. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#842593July 19, 1999
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW DOESN'T WORK. ALSO, REMOTE CONTRO IS WORKS INTERMITTENTLY, AND WHEN THE RADIO IS ON THE TAPE DECK WILL PLAY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#708735July 17, 1999
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
AIRBAG CONTROLLER KNOCKED OFF VEHICLE IN SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT; AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#708143July 1, 1999
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
DEALER CONTACTED ABOUT DAMAGE TO RAILS OF CAR. DEALER STATED THAT CAR MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING OFFLOADING/TRANSPORT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#707289June 8, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
OIL CONSUMED AT RATE OF 1QT/1500 MILES. NO LEAK OR SMOKING EXHAUST. VW RECOMMENDS OIL CHANGE EVERY 10,000 MILES. ENGINE WOULD HAVE NO OIL BY 6,000 MILES. COULD CAUSE ENGINE TO SEIZE AND POSSIBLE ACCIDENT. OTHER NEW BEETLE OWNERS I KNOW HAVE TOLD ME THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR GAS 2.0L ENGINE, 5SPD NEW BEETLE. THIS SITUATION IS VERY UNSAFE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#707290June 8, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
PLASTIC CLIP IN COOLING SYSTEM BROKE, CAUSING ALL COOLANT TO BE DISCHARGED ALL OVER THE ENGINE AND ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. DEALER REPLACED PLASTIC CLIP WITH METAL CLIP. VW SENT DEALER 8 METAL CLIPS THE WEEK PREVIOUS. THEY SAID OTHER BEETLES PROBABLY HAD THIS PROBLEM, THAT'S WHY VW SENT THEM 8 METAL CLIPS AHEAD OF TIME. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#707157June 3, 1999
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
PLEASE SEE PHOTO'S AT HTTP://WWW.CRIVELLI.COM/BEETLE.HTM. THIS CAR JUST EXPLODED INTO FLAMES WITHOUT ANY WARNING. VOLKSWAGEN ADMITS CAR IS DEFECTIVE AND IS TAKING VEHICLE TO MEXICO. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#838516May 27, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ONGOING/INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE'S BRAKES SQUEAKING. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON SIX OCCASIONS, AND CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. SEEKING HELP FROM NHSTA IN THIS MATTER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#838109May 18, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, ENGINE TURBO WENT OUT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE TO 120 MPH. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES/EMERGENCY BRAKE, AND DOWNSHIFTED VEHICLE, IT DIDN'T WORK. CONSUMER KEPT PUSHING ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, VEHICLE STARTED SLOWING DOWN, AND THEN IT ACCELERATED BACK TO HIGH SPEED. FINALLY, SLOWED BACK DOWN AND CAME TO A STOP. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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