Volkswagen Beetle Complaints

2,629 consumer complaints on file.

#10361444October 20, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WHILE BEETLE DRIVEN BY MY WIFE IT WILL JUST SHUT DOWN!!! IT WILL ONLY CRANK BACK ON ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER! THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT WILL SHUT DOWN WHEREVER!!! I ALREADY SPEND 1350.00 DOLLARS. AND NOT YET FIXED! THE CAR HAS BEING PARK OUTSIDE OF MY HOUSE FOR LAS YEAR! AND STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON IT!!!! DEALER WILL NOT DO ANYTHING! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10361476October 20, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH 2004 VW BEETLE TURBO, ABRUPT SHIFTING, AND ACCELERATING AT LOW SPEED TO A SUDDEN STOP DEALERSHIP CANT FIND SOLUTION IT IS FRUSTRATING MIGHT NEED TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION AND THE CAR IS ONLY 68000 MILES, NO WARRANTY FOR THIS PROBLEM. ALREADY PAID VW DEALERSHIP 500DLLS WITHOUT A DIAGNOSE, CAR IS GETTING WORSE HAS ENGINE LIGHT ON, ESP AND ASR LIGHTS ON, NOT SAFE TO DRIVE ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP, YET THEY CANT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT!!!!!!!!!!!! *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
#10361157October 19, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
K I RECENTLY BOUGHT A 99 VW BEETLE AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR JERKS WHEN IT HITS LIKE 3000RPM AND IT IDLES HIGHER THEN IT SHOULD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10361215October 19, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, IT STARTED TO JUST JERK RIGHT AROUND THE TIME I WOULD BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR. INITIALLY, I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BRAKES BUT HAD THEM CHECKED OUT AND THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM. THEN THE CAR STARTED GETTING WORSE. WHEN THE CAR SHIFTS IN LOW GEARS WHETHER SHIFTING UP OR DOWN THE CAR JERKS AND SOMETIMES STALLS. *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
#10360817October 16, 2010
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES, EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL
2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE 2.8 TURBO AUTOMATIC ENGINE, DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM OR DOOR LATCH. THE PROBLEM STARTS WITH THE DOOR STICKING WHEN YOU OPEN R CLOSE. THEN OCCASIONALLY WILL NOT SHUT THE FIRST TIME AND WILL BOUNCE BACK. AFTER THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENS, IF YOU ARE DRIVING THE DOOR CAN SWING OPEN ON ITS OWN. THE DOOR WILL NOT STAY CLOSED, OR WILL NOT CLOSE PROPERLY. VERY QUICKLY THE PROBLEM ESCALATES. IT WILL NOT SHUT AT ALL. IT BOUNCES BACK OVER AND OVER. IF YOU LEAVE IT ALONE FOR A FEW HOURS AND TRY AGAIN IT WILL EVENTUALLY SHUT. THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR BROKE FIRST, GOT FIXED, COST ABOUT $500.00. A MONTH LATER THE PASSENGER DOOR DID THE SAME THING. LESS THEN A YEAR LATER THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR BROKE AGAIN. 3 OF THE SAME PART BROKE IN A SPAN OF APPROXIMATELY 10 MONTHS. CALLED THE COMPANY (VOLKSWAGEN) THEY INSIST THAT THIS IS NOT RECALLED OR A REPORTED PROBLEM. VERY DANGEROUS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10360410October 14, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2006 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10360484October 14, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE A 2004 VW BEETLE TURBO, AUTOMATIC CONVERTIBLE, WITH 77,000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSIONS DOES NOT CHANGE GEARS PROPERLY, AND AT WILL NOT OPERATE AT ALL. THE DEALER HAS INDICATED IT NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $6,800. THE VEHICLE IS NOT WORTH MUCH MORE THAN THAT!! IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10360583October 14, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AROUND 80,000 MY 2005 VW BEETLE BEGAN SHIFTING REALLY HARD. IT JERKS BETWEEN GEARS, AND HAS RECENTLY BEEN GETTING STUCK IN FIRST AND THIRD GEAR. SOMETIMES WHEN I DRIVE THE CAR IT IS FINE, BUT OTHER TIMES, IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. THE LEVEL OF UNRELIABILITY IS REALLY DANGEROUS, BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO SPEED UP LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO. I'M IN CONSTANT FEAR THAT I WILL GET REAR ENDED OR STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. I'VE TAKEN IT TO TWO MECHANICS AND TALKED TO TWO TRANSMISSION SPECIALISTS AND ALL OF THEM HAVE SAID THAT THEY WON'T WORK ON A VW BEETLE'S TRANSMISSION AND THAT I NEED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. I'VE TRIED AIDING THE PROBLEM WITH A NEW BATTERY, BUT THAT HASN'T HELPED. OTHER COMPLAINTS ONLINE (300 ON TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM) HAVE STATED THAT REPAIRS FOR THIS PROBLEM ARE $5,000-$7,000 AND THAT IT HASN'T ALWAYS FIXED THE PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10360223October 13, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN SLOWING FOR A RED LIGHT THE TRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO THE LOWER GEAR..USUALLY 4 TO 3RD, BUT NOT ALWAYS IN THAT GEAR. DEALER SAID IT WAS A PROBLEM IN ALL THE TRANSMISSIONS., BUT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. DEALER DID REPLACE A THROTTLE BODY BEFORE WARRANTY RAN OUT. PROBLEM HAS RECURRED AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING IN THE GEARS. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE. JUST GOOGLE THIS PROBLEM AND SEE WHAT POPS UP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10360224October 13, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN SLOWING FOR A RED LIGHT THE TRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO THE LOWER GEAR..USUALLY 4 TO 3RD, BUT NOT ALWAYS IN THAT GEAR. DEALER SAID IT WAS A PROBLEM IN ALL THE TRANSMISSIONS., BUT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. DEALER DID REPLACE A THROTTLE BODY BEFORE WARRANTY RAN OUT. PROBLEM HAS RECURRED AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING IN THE GEARS. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE. JUST GOOGLE THIS PROBLEM AND SEE WHAT POPS UP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10360303October 13, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE'S COMPLAINT. I HAVE A 2005 CONVERTIBLE BEETLE THAT IS JERKING, THRUSTING, GETTING STUCK IN GEARS. I DRIVE THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MIN AND THEN IT STARTS LIKE CLOCKWORK. I HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP FOR 2 WEEKS AND SPENT $1400 REPLACING EVERYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. NOTHING SHOWS UP ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE (NO CODES) THEY TELL ME. I AM ASTOUNDED AT ALL THE COMPLAINTS I'M SEEING ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION DEFECT. MY CAR HAS 83,000 MILES AND I CANNOT PAY $4000 - $5000 TO FIX. I WILL BE OUT OF TRANSPORTATION AND OUT OF A JOB. WHAT IS BEING DONE BY VOLKSWAGEN TO FIX THIS DEFECT. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10360173October 12, 2010
AIR BAGS, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
VW DEALER ADVISES THAT AIRBAG LIGHT INDICATES AIRBAGS ARE DISABLED AND CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTION IN THE SEATBELT LATCH ASSEMBLY COSTING $386 TO REPAIR. VW DEALER SAYS THIS HAPPENS A LOT. VW DEALER SAID THAT AIRBAGS WOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED. VW DEALER SAID THAT WIRING INSIDE THE LATCH "JUST BREAKS" EVENTUALLY. FAILURE OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE AN AUTOMATIC RECALL AND MANUFACTURERS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REPAIR DEFECTS AT THEIR COSTS AND NOT COST TO THE CONSUMER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10358949October 3, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VW NEW BEETLE,2003, WITH ONLY 75,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, RAMPING UP AND THE CAR WAS STUCK IN 3RD GEAR. ITS AN AUTOMATIC. I WASN'T ABLE TO DOWN SHIFT. I HAD TO COAST OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE DEALERSHIP DECIDED I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. LUCKILY I WAS 13 MILES UNDER MY WARRANTY AND THEY FIXED IT WITHOUT CHARGE. I WANTED YOU TO KNOW THIS BECAUSE I SEE MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I COULD HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10358833October 2, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY 98 VW NEW BEETLE HAS 68,000 MILES ON IT. AROUND 66,000 MILES IT BEGAN TO SHIFT REAL HARD. IN ORDER TO GET THE CAR TO SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR OR HIGHER I HAVE TO ACCELERATE ENOUGH TO GET THE ENGINE UP TO 4,000+ RPM'S, EASE OFF THE GAS A LITTLE AND THEN IT WILL FINALLY LURCH INTO THE NEXT GEAR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER STOPPING IN INTERSECTIONS DUE TO THE HIGH TRAFFIC VOLUME IN MY AREA. THIS PROBLEM IS CONSISTENT AND HAPPENS WHENEVER THE CAR IS RUNNING. I HAVEN'T TAKEN IT TO BE SERVICED BECAUSE OF THE EXTREMELY HIGH COST OF REPAIRING THE TRANSMISSION. THE CAR IS WORTH LESS THAN THE NECESSARY REPAIR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10358842October 2, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY CAR IS A 2004 VW BEETLE. IT ONLY HAS OVER 48,000 MILES. THE CAR BEGAN TO VIOLENTLY SHIFT GEARS. VW SERVICE STATED IT NEEDED THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AND QUOTED ME $7,000.00. I NOW HAVE IT AT A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST WHO IS REBUILDING IT AND IT WILL COST APPROXIMATELY $3,000. I HAVE A RENTAL CAR THAT WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL $400.00. VW HAS A MONOPOLY ON THEIR CARS. I HAVE READ ON-LINE PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. HOW IS IT FAIR TO THE CONSUMER IN THIS ECONOMY FOR VOLKSWAGEN NOT TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THEIR DEFECTIVE CARS AND SHIFT THE RESPONSIBILITY ON THE UNKNOWING CONSUMER? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10358850October 2, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE VW 03' BEETLE AND TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT EARLY. JERKS BETWEEN GEARS, AND FEELS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON ROAD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10358596October 1, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I CURRENTLY OWN A 2005 VW BEETLE WITH 56,000 MILES ON IT. I'M HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS THAT HAVE PUT MY LIFE IN DANGER. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FROM GEAR TO GEAR THERE IS A LONG DELAY IN BETWEEN, THIS THEN MAKES THE ENGINE REV TO HIGH RPM'S. ONCE IT REACHES A HIGH RPM IT'LL ENGAGE THE NEXT GEAR CAUSE THE CAR TO JUMP. WHEN THE GEAR DROPS INTO A HIGH RPM IT ALSO CAUSES THE TIRES TO SLIP AND SKID AS WELL AS MAKING THE CAR HARD TO STEER. MOST OF THE TIME IT WILL GET STUCK IN BETWEEN GEARS WHICH MAKES THE CAR IN NEUTRAL EVEN THOUGH IT'S IN DRIVE. I HAVE BEEN STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY DO TO THE TRANSMISSION NOT CHANGING INTO GEAR. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR INTO VW SERVICE CENTER AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME IT'S BECAUSE OF LOW TRANSMISSION FLUID AND A BAD VALVE BODY. THESE TWO PROBLEMS ALONE COST OVER 2,000 DOLLARS. VW CLAIMS TO HAVE A CLOSED TRANSMISSION THAT DOES NOT NEEDS SERVICE, BUT MY BEETLE HAVING 56,000 MILES ON IT NEEDS ALL THESE WORK DONE. THEY ARE STILL NOT COMPLETELY POSITIVE IF THAT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. VW NEEDS TO FIX THIS DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION THAT HAS CAUSED THOUSANDS OF BEETLE OWNERS TO PUT THEIR LIFE IN DANGER AND OTHER LIFE'S IN DANGER. VW MAKING BEETLE OWNERS PAY FOR REPAIRS ON A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THEY NEED TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY PRODUCED A DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE PRODUCT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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