Volkswagen Beetle Complaints

2,629 consumer complaints on file.

#10356822September 21, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT PROPERLY AND IT BEGAN CLANKING, JERKING AND SOMETIME IT FAILED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP WHERE SHE WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE VALVE BODY THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN WITHOUT REPAIRING THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTIES REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS CALLED AND ADVISED HER TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING SO THAT THEY COULD DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THE VOLKSWAGEN MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,900.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10356604September 20, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2005 VW BEETLE BEGAN HAVING SHIFTING ISSUES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK IT TO DRIVER'S EDGE. CODES FROM COMPUTER WERE SENSOR RELATED AND TUNE UP NEEDED. I PAID FOR THE TUNE UP AND THE NEXT WEEK I TOOK TO VW DUE TO HARD SHIFTING. CODE WAS CLEARED SO THEY SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. I STILL HAD ISSUES SO I RETURNED THE CAR THEN SUDDENLY I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. MY CAR ONLY HAS 77K SO I THOUGHT $6000 WAS EXTREME. STARTED LOOKING INTO THE ISSUE AND APPARENTLY IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM. PREVIOUS CODE ON CAR WAS IGNITION COIL SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IT WENT FROM A POSSIBLE RECALL ISSUE TO NEEDING A WHOLE NEW TRANSMISSION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10356682September 20, 2010
SUSPENSION, STEERING
CAR PULLS HARD TO THE LEFT NEARLY CAUSING A ACCIDENT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS..THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. SEPT. 20, 2010 TOOK THE 2000 NEW VW BEETLE INTO THE VW DEALERSHIP TO HAVE VEHICLE CHECK OUT AND REPAIRED. THIS IS THE LIST OF THINGS THEY FOUND WRONG! 1. REAR AXLE BUSHINGS ON BOTH SIDE WAS BROKEN WITH ONE BUSHING WAS INSIDE OF FRAME WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO SWERVE. 2. FRONTEND ALIGNMENT NEEDS TO BE DONE. 3. REAR EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE NEEDS TO BE REPLACE BECAUSE IT CAUSES ONE REAR WHEEL TO DRAG. WE NEVER USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SINCE THE VW IS A AUTOMATIC. PARTS HAD TO BE ORDERED AND A LATER DATE FOR REPAIRS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10356698September 20, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE AUTOMATIC HAS TROUBLE GOING FROM FIRST GEAR TO SECOND GEAR AROUND 20MPH. JERKS HARD WHEN CHANGING GEARS AND SOMETIMES MAKES A LOUD NOISE AND DOES NOT CHANGE GEARS. WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO STALL AT TIMES. OTHER TIMES IT STAYS STUCK BETWEEN GEARS AND I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES BEFORE I CAN START DRIVING AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10356344September 19, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2004 VW BEETLE TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 77K MILES. TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED/REBUILT AT A COST OF $4,500. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10356351September 19, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2006 VW BEETLE LOSES POWER WHEN DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST FIFTEEN TO TWENTY TIMES. CAR TAKEN TO VW DEALERSHIP SERVICE SIX TIMES FOR REPAIR. TWICE WHILE UNDER THE NEW CAR MANUFACTURES WARRANTY. THEY HAVE TRIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT HAVE NOT AS IT STILL HAPPENS. WE NO LONGER DRIVE THE CAR. VW OF AMERICA HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. FORTUNATELY NO ONE HAS BEEN INJURED AS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PULL OFF ON TO THE SHOULDER. JUST HIRED A LAWYER AS VW'S POSITION IS IT'S MY PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10356113September 17, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY 2003 VW NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE HAS APPROX 89K MILES ON IT. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD CAUSING A JERKING MOTION. IT HAS PROGRESSED FROM A MILDLY NOTICEABLE TO A MORE OBVIOUS JERKING UPON SHIFTING. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS SITUATION ONLINE, IT SEEMS AS IF IT IS A WIDELY REPORTED COMPLAINT ABOUT THESE VEHICLES. I FEEL LIKE VW SHOULD RESOLVE THE PROBLEM BEING EXPERIENCED BY SUCH A HIGH NUMBER OF OWNERS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10356166September 17, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I OWN A 2004 VW NEW BEETLE, GLS 2.0 AUTOMATIC, WITH 56,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS MAKING A QUICK TRIP DOWN THE STREET AT AROUND 30MPH WHEN MY GEARS SUDDENLY STARTED SLIPPING, CAUSING MY RPM TO SHOOT DANGEROUSLY HIGH AND MY CAR TO SLOW DOWN. THE NEXT DAY I DROVE THE CAR UNDER 30MPH TO WORK (1.5 MILES AWAY) AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE ONLY WAY I COULD DRIVE SAFELY WAS TO LET OFF OF THE GAS EVERY TIME THE GEAR CHANGED AND SLIPPED. I THEN TOOK THE CAR TO A TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REBUILT. THE GENTLEMAN I SPOKE WITH AT THE SHOP SAID HE HAD SEEN A LOT OF VW BEETLES COMING IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, ALL UNDER 100K MILES. UNFORTUNATELY I DO NOT HAVE $4,000 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION ON MY CAR AND AM NOW LEFT WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION INDEFINITELY. I AM EXTREMELY ANGERED BY THE FACT THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN TO A CAR AT ONLY 56,000 MILES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10356170September 17, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERVIBLE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10355932September 16, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I BOUGHT A USED 2003 VW BEETLE CONV. IN 2006. I IMMEDIATELY REPORTED TO THE SERVICE DEPT. THAT IT THERE WAS SOME JERKING HAPPENING WHEN THE CAR CHANGED GEARS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS NORMAL FOR VW. RECENTLY THE JERKING GOT REALLY BAD, AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION HESITATED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION AND THEN I COULD NOT REGAIN ANY SPEED. I WAS VERY CLOSE TO BEING HIT BY AN ONCOMING CAR. THE REPLACEMENT COST WILL BE AROUND 5800. MY MECHANIC TALKED TO VW AND THEY TOLD HIM THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAVE FIXED IT IN THE NEWER MODELS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10355989September 16, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, INTERIOR LIGHTING, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I CURRENTLY OWN A 2008 VW BEETLE AND IT'S AN AUTOMATIC. WHEN FIRST GETTING THE CAR I COULD TELL THE TRANSMISSION SEEMED NOT SMOOTH AT ALL. WHEN DRIVING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION FROM A RED LIGHT MY CAR HAD TROUBLE WHEN PRESSING THE GAS. IT HAD A PAUSE. THEN WHEN GOING DOWN THE HIGH WAY WHEN I WAS CHANGING LANES TO GO INFRONT OF SOMEONE I PRESSED THE GAS AND MY CAR JUMPS. THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS ONCE AND A WHILE. IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME I DRIVE MY CAR. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AT ON 5,000 BUT THE PROBLEM STILL HAPPENS! THEN GOING DOWN THE ROAD IN THE POURING RAIN MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE MOTOR. WHEN I WENT THROUGH A DRIVE THROUGH I ROLLED DOWN MY WINDOW AND IT MADE A HORRIBLE GRINDING NOISE THAT I THOUGHT THE WINDOW WAS GOING TO SHATTER. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE WINDOW MOTOR. THEN THE SAME EXACT THING HAPPENED TO THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AND BACK WINDOW. BOTH MY HEAD LIGHTS KEEP GOING THROUGH $20.00 BULBS. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE FUSES. ON MY CONVERTIBLE TOP THE SIDE COVERS STOPPED GOING IN AND OUT. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THOSE. THEN ON MY WAY TO WORK ALL THE LIGHTS FOR THE WHAT GEAR YOU WERE IN BLINKING. WHICH CAUSED ME TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED BECAUSE IT WAS RUNNING IN EMERGENCY TRANSMISSION MODE. THEY HAD TO REPLACE SOMETHING WITH THAT. RIGHT AFTER THAT WAS REPLACED GOING DOWN THE ROAD MY CAR MADE A GRINDING NOISE SO I TURNED AROUND TO TAKE IT BACK AND IT WAS SOMETHING WITH THE FUEL INTAKE THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE. THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS GO ON AND OFF. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10355785September 15, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I'VE BEEN DRIVING MY 2003 BEETLE CONVERTIBLE FOR 7.5 YRS. BEEN TAKING IT IN FOR THE LAST 2 YRS ABOUT HESITATION/GRABBING WHILE DRIVING. WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEMS. THIS WEEK, THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND I GET THE DIAGNOSTICS RUN AND FOUND OUT I HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. AND IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE, WHICH IS WHAT THE GRABBING AND HESITATION IS. I ONLY HAVE 78K MILES ON A NEARLY 8 YEAR OLD CAR (AGAIN, ONLY OWNER) AND SHOULDN'T HAVE THIS ISSUE. FOUND OUT THAT VW HAS KNOWN ABOUT THESE ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION BUT WAITED UNTIL I WAS WELL OUT OF WARRANTY. NOW I'M LOOKING AT MINIMUM OF $5K, MOST LIKELY $6.5K IN REPAIRS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10355431September 14, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2.0 AEG MOTOR USES EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL AND EXHIBITS PISTON SLAP ON COLD START. ENGINE USES A QUART OF OIL EVERY 500 MILES. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE PISTON RINGS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED UPSIDE DOWN AT THE FACTORY, WHICH IS THE REASONING BEHIND THE POOR OIL CONTROL. VW IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. CAR HAS BEEN IN THE FAMILY FOR TWO OUT OF THE LAST THREE OWNERS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10355510September 14, 2010
VISIBILITY
I HAVE A 2003 CONVERTIBLE VW AND MY BACK WINDOW HAS COME UNGLUED TO THE CANVAS. MY VW HAS LESS THAN 45K MILES.VW SHOULD BE MADE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS BAD QUALITY IN MANUFACTURING THIS MAKE. I'VE INQUIRED AND IT WILL COST $1300 TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE TOP. THIS IS RIDICULES - ANYONE KNOW OF A CLASS ACTION?? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10355633September 14, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2005 NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE TRANSMISSION STARTED SHIFTING HARD AT AROUND 56,000 MILES. EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE IT WOULD SLIP OUT OF GEAR. HAD A SENSOR REPLACED. THAT HELPED SOME BUT NOW IT IS SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR AGAIN - EVERYDAY. I HAVE READ SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THIS. WHY HASN'T VW BEEN MADE TO CORRECT THESE ISSUES? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10355225September 13, 2010
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 45 MPH UPHILL WHEN THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN UNUSUAL INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE FLY WHEEL AND CLUTCH WERE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000. UPDATED 12/15/10. *LJ UPDATED 12/27/10
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10355409September 13, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE TRANSMISSION. IT HAS BEEN INTERMITTENTLY JERKING AND STALLING. I WAS DRIVING SLOWLY THROUGH A DOCTOR'S OFFICE PARKING LOT VERY MINDFUL OF PEDESTRIANS WHEN THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY JERKED FORWARD AND I NEARLY HIT A PEDESTRIAN. IT HAPPENED AGAIN AT A CROSS WALK WHERE I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO STOP BUT BEFORE I DID STOP THE CAR DOWNSHIFTED ABRUPTLY AND HAD I NOT HAD A FIRM GRIP ON THE BREAK I WOULD HAVE HIT CHILDREN IN THE CROSS WALK. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR BECAUSE IT IS NOT SAFE AND VOLKSWAGEN WILL NOT ADDRESS THE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PAGES ONLINE OF SIMILAR CASES. IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE VW TRANSMISSIONS ARE THE CAUSE OF A SERIOUS INJURY IF IT HAS NOT ALREADY HAPPENED. VERY FRIGHTENING AND VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10355406September 13, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DRIVE TRAIN ON 2004 VW NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE, VEHICLE WILL NOT DOWN SHIFT WHEN STOPPED UNLESS VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF, THEN WHEN PUT IN GEAR JUMPS FORWARD. SEALED TRANSMISSION, DEALER SAID IT HAPPENS A LOT BUT VW OF AMERICA WILL DO NOTHING TO FIX. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10355052September 12, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I HAVE A 2004 BEETLE CONVERTIBLE W/ 85K MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN "CLUNKING" ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO. I WAS TOLD I WILL NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION COSTING MORE THAN $4000. I CAME TO THIS SITE AND SAW TIME AND TIME AGAIN THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM OTHER OWNERS ARE HAVING. MANY HAVE RESEARCHED FURTHER AND IT APPEARS TO BE AN OBVIOUS DEFECT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE A FORMAL RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10354672September 9, 2010
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2003 VW BUG STALLS WHEN HITTING AROUND 35 MILES PER HOUR, ALMOST WAS REAR ENDED - TAKES A WHILE TO START BACK MOVING BUT IS SLUGGISH. TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AND HE SAID IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. I ONLY HAVE 80,000 MILES ON THIS CAR - HOW COULD THIS BE THE TRANSMISSION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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