Volkswagen Beetle Complaints (2001)

203 consumer complaints on file.

#10033774August 12, 2003
AIR BAGS
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AIR BAG LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND WILL NOT GO OFF UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS SHUT DOWN. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10031917July 25, 2003
TIRES
VEHICLE LOSS CONTROL AND BEGAN SKIDDING ON HIGHWAY. *MR THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE CONSUMER NOTICED A LARGE GAPING HOLE CUT THROUGH THE RIGHT TIRE WITH EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE METAL WHEEL. THIS WAS SAID TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. *SCC *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10025997July 13, 2003
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
ON 7 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WE HAVE HAD A FAULTY BRAKE LIKE SWITCH REPLACED ON A 2001 VW BEETLE THAT WE BOUGHT NEW. WHEN THIS PROBLEMS OCCURS, THE CAR WILL NOT MOVE FROM PARK TO REVERSE OR DRIVE. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MY DAUGHTER'S SAFETY. THIS PROBLEM STARTED IN OCT. 2001 AND IS CONTINUING TO OCCUR REPEATEDLY. WHAT CAN I DO AS A CONSUMER? MY DAUGHTER WILL BE MOVING 120 MILES AWAY IN ONE MONTH TO ATTEND THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AND I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PICK HER UP AND HAVE HER CAR TOWED WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURS AGAIN. PLEASE HELP!!!!!*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10019930July 11, 2003
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
THE VEHICLE WAS IN A SIDE COLLISION AND WAS IMPACTED AT 45 MPH. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. *NLM PH *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10019037May 21, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I OWN A 2001 VW BEETLE. BOUGHT RIGHT OFF THE SHOW ROOM FLOOR. PAID A PRETTY PRICE FOR IT TOO. MY CAR WAS RUNNING GREAT UNTIL JANUARY OF 2003, LESS THAN TWO YEARS AFTER I BOUGHT IT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I NOTICED THE CAR WAS SHAKING AND CUTTING OUT REALLY BAD. I BARELY MADE IT HOME THAT NIGHT. I TOOK IT IN TO BE REPAIRED IN MAY OF 2003, COSTING ME A HUNDRED DOLLAR BILL. IT WASN'T 6 DAYS LATER IT DID IT AGAIN, SAME THING. SO I CALLED THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT IT. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS GOING TO COST ANOTHER HUNDRED DOLLARS TO FIX IT. WASN'T HAPPENING. I GOT A HOLD OF THE MAIN MAN IN CHARGE OF SERVICE, TOLD HIM MY PROBLEM AND HE WAVED THE FEE. WHEN I GOT UP THERE THE NEXT WEEK, THEY TOLD ME IT COULD BE 1-250 DIFFERENT THINGS WRONG WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS FLASHING. OK, I AM STARTING TO DO SOME MATH HERE. 250 POSSIBLE THINGS WRONG X $100= $25,000!!!!!!! I COULD BUY A HOUSE FOR THAT MUCH MONEY. AND THE CAR ISN'T WORTH ANYWHERE NEAR THAT MUCH NOW. IT'S LIKE I WOULD BE PAYING FOR IT ALL OVER AGAIN AND WHO'S TO SAY THE PROBLEM WOULD EVEN GET FIXED? IT COULD JUST KEEP GOING IN CIRCLES. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALL OF YOU, BUT I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY. I AM MAKING CLOSE TO $500 PAYMENTS A MONTH ON THIS CAR WITH THREE YEARS STILL LEFT TO GO ON IT. YOU WOULD THINK A CAR COSTING THAT MUCH AND ALL THE HYPE THEY PUSHED ON IT THAT IT WOULD RUN BETTER THAN WHAT IT DOES AND WOULD HAVE LASTED LONGER THAN IT DID. TO ALL THE PEOPLE OUT THERE THINKING ABOUT BUYING A VW BEETLE, TAKE IT FROM AN OWNER, DON'T!!!!!*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10017226April 21, 2003
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH
THE VEHICLES DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS/HEADLIGHT HAVE ONE SWITCH WHICH CONTINUOUSLY BURNED OUT AND RESULTED IN NO HEAD LIGHTS. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10012179March 20, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10011207March 10, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THEY LOCKED UP WHICH CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10008297March 1, 2003
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT IS FRAYING, THE CAR HAS 38000 MILES. I HAVE NEVER SEEN FRAYED SEAT BELTS ON ANY CAR NO MATTER THE AGE OR MILES. IS THIS A SAFETY ISSUE? THE DEALER WAS NO HELP.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10004878January 29, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I BOUGHT A VW NEW BEETLE IN FEB 2001. AFTER A YEAR AND HALF, THE CAR BEGAN TO START ROUGHLY AND SHAKY, AND WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHING AT THE SAME TIME. THIS PHENOMENON HAPPENED MORE REQUENTLY AND WAS GETTING WORSE LATER. THE CAR LOST MOST OF IT POWER WHILE DRIVING. SO I DROVE TO VW/AUDI BERNADI DEALER IN NATICK, MA IN SEPTEMBER 2002 TO HAVE IT FIXED. IT WAS FOUND OUT IT WAS CAUSED BY AN IGNITION COIL FAILURE AND IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT. THEY REPLACED THE BAD COIL BUT LEFT THE OTHER THREE UNTOUCHED. I AM VERY WORRIED ABOUT THIS. I DRIVE THROUGH HIGHWAY TO MY OFFICE EVERYDAY. I DON'T WANT TO STUCK IN THE HIGHTWAY IN THE COLD WIND WAITING FOR A TOWL TRUCK. MY WARRANTY IS GOING TO EXPIRE SOON, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE VW DEALER WILL FIX THE POSSIBLE NEXT FAILURE OF IGNITION COIL FREE OF CHARGE. SEEING AN ARTICLE FROM BOSTON GLOBE, I KNOW THAT I AM NOT ALONE. HTTP://WWW.BOSTON.COM/DAILYGLOBE2/026/AUTO/NO_EASY_FIX_FOR_FAILING_IGNITION_COILS_IN_AUDIS_VWS+.SHTML WOULD YOU PLEASE ORDER VW TO RECALL ALL THE DEFECTIVE IGNITION COILS? THANKS A LOT FOR YOUR TIME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
1
#10003305January 23, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE A 2001 BEETLE WITH THE 1.8T ENGINE. MY CAR HAS BEEN DISABLED TWICE DUE TO DEFECTIVE COIL PACKS. RESEARCH ON THE VWVORTEX.COM WEBSITE REVEALED THERE IS A LARGE HISTORY OF PROBLEMS WITH THESE COIL PACKS WHICH CAN FAIL AT ANY TIME RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNDRIVEABLE. THERE IS CURRENTLY A SHORTAGE OF THIS PART (PART # 06B-905-115-J COIL) DUE TO THE VOLUME OF VEHICLES THAT HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. VWVORTEX IS RECOMMENDING OWNERS CONTACT NHTSA TO FACILITATE A RECALL OF COIL PACKS AS VW IS UNWILLING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE AT THIS TIME. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THEY CAN FAIL WHILE DRIVING RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10002262January 7, 2003
AIR BAGS
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 40MPH HAD AN ACCIDENT, CAR SLIPPERY DRIVER LOSS CONTROL AND HIT RAIL GUARD BRIDGE, AND NEITHER OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10001874January 2, 2003
VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES
CONSUMER STATES THAT DRIVER SIDE OUTSIDE MIRROR IS POSITION TO HIGH. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10001886January 2, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE BEGAN TO MISFIRE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH THEN IT STAYED ON. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO RIDE VERY ROUGH. TOOK TO DELAER AND DEALER STATED COIL PACKS HAD FAILED. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10001461December 24, 2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING ACROSS A BRIDGE, ONE OF HIS ENGINES DIED LEAVING HIM WITH VERY LITTLE POWER. HE STATES THAT THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO HIM. HE HAD IT REPAIRED UNDER THE WARRANTY, BUT IT MAY HAPPEN AGAIN, OR WITH OTHER PEOPLE, WHICH IS A HIGH RISK FOR AN ACCIDENT IF THE AUTO STOPS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#770374December 3, 2002
AIR BAGS
AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY BUT CAR WAS TOTALED WHEN IT BURST INTO FLAMES AFTER IT REAR ENDED CAR IN FRONT OF IT. PAID EXTRA MONEY FOR FIRE SAFETY FEATURES ON THIS CAR BUT IT STARTED ON FIRE ANYWAY. THIS IS MY DAUGHTERS CAR AND SHE WAS DRIVING AT THE TIME. DT
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8022678November 13, 2002
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT
THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE HEADRESTS ARE DESIGNED TOO HIGH, OBSTRUCTING THE VIEW OUT OF THE REAR WINDSHIELD WHEN BACKING. MR THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE NEW HEADRESTS(WHICH BETTERED VISIBILITY) WOULDN'T FIT THIS MODEL, AND IS WAITING ON A REPLY FROM DEALER/MANUFACTURER. SCC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#769475November 8, 2002
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS
10/10/2002 WHILE BACKING VEHICLE UP SCRAPED WALL. ONLY SCRATCHES ON BUMPER. FULLY LOCATED BEHIND BUMPER CRUSHED . CONCERNED ABOUT DESIGN FLAW & ASSOCIATED DANGERS. DT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8021926October 30, 2002
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE PEDAL WAS HARD AND WOULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE AT ALL. THE DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS *TT *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#567681September 30, 2002
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
CONSUMER STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT DOWN SLOWLY WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED ON A HILL. ALSO THE BRAKES CAUSE A JOLTING STOP. *YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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