Volkswagen Beetle Complaints

2,629 consumer complaints on file.

#888785May 21, 2001
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNAL PROBLEM WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WHICH REQUIRED THAT TRANSMISSION BE REPLACED. ALSO, DEALERSHIP HAS INFORMED CONSUMER THAT HEAD GASKET AND CONTROL VALVE FOR THE ENGINE WERE DEFECTIVE. NOTE: DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN IN POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 DAYS. *AK *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#745517May 19, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
AFTER DRIVING CAR FOR AN HOUR THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON,. DEALER TOOK CAR TO CHECK IT OUT AND IN DOING WHICH DAMAGE THE CAR FURTHER BY DENTING PASSENGER FENDER AND BUMPER. FAILED TO TELL ME ABOUT THIS, HOWEVER ENGINE LIGHT WAS FIXED (O2) SENSOR.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#887854May 9, 2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DUE TO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEMS POWER WINDOWS AND DOOR LOCKS INTERMITTENTLY LOSE OPERATION. EMERGENCY WARNING LIGHTS COME ON, AND ALARMS INTERMITTENTLY SOUND OFF. DEALER IS HAVING A HARD TIME CORRECTING THE PROBLEM BECAUSE CANNOT DUPLICATE IT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#887858May 9, 2001
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
CONSUMER CAN HEAR AND FEEL VIBRATION WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. DEALER SAYS THAT AIR COMPRESSOR IS NEAR THE BRAKES, AND IT'S NORMAL. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#745010May 7, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
CAR OVERHEATS ROUTINELY. INITIALLY IN FOR REPAIR ON 1/25/01 WHEN DEALER CLAIMED TO HAVE REPLACED THE WATER PUMP AND THERMOSTAT. SINCE THEN, CAR HAS OVERHEATED ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND WATER LEAKAGE HAS BEEN OBSERVED. DEALER SAYS THEY CAN NOT REPLICATE THE ISSUE. DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR DOES NOT LOCK AND UNLOCK RELIABLY, FORCING ME TO ENTER AND EXIT CAR THROUGH PASSENGER DOOR. REPORTED TO DEALER THREE TIMES (INITIALLY 5/31/00). ONE TIME DEALER LUBRICATED LOCK; CURRENTLY THEY SAY THEY CAN NOT REPLICATE THE ISSUE AND WILL NOT FIX. AFTER WATER PUMP REPAIR IN 1/01, CAR EXHIBITED A WHINING NOISE AND POWER STEERING STIFFNESS AT LOW RPMS -- LIKELY DUE TO IMPROPER WORKMANSHIP DURING THAT REPAIR. DEALER CLAIMS POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LOW, AND HAS BEEN "TOPPED OFF" TO ALLEVIATE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, I RECENTLY HAD ROUNTINE MAINTENANCE AT ANOTHER ESTABLISHMENT JUST 4 DAYS PRIOR TO TAKING INTO SHOP; DURING THAT SERVICE, POWER STEERING FLUIDS WERE INDICATED AS "OK." OIL CONSUMPTION IS EXCESSIVE. DESPITE REPEATED REPORTS TO VW (INITIALLY 5/00), HAVE RECEIVED NO RESOLUION OR INVESTIGATION INTO THIS ISSUE. THROUGH RESEARCH, I HAVE LEARNED THAT THIS IS A COMMON BEETLE PROBLEM, AND SOME BEETLE OWNERS ARE RECEIVING NEW ENGINES OR VALVE STEM REPAIRS TO REMEDY. TRANSMISSION JERKS SEVERLY WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. INITIALLY REPORTED 9/29/98 AT 9596 MILES AND NOT ADDRESSED BY DEALER. RECURRING PROBLEMS WITH HEADLIGHT SEALANT LEAKAGE AND WATER GETTING INTO HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, CAUSING HEADLIGHTS TO BE UNRELIABLE AND POTENTIAL ELECTRICAL/FIRE HAZARD. HAVE RESEARCHED VW AND LEARNED DURING INITIAL BEETLE PRODUCTION IN PUEBLA, MEXICO, THEY EXPERIENCE AN ABOMINAL 40% DEFECT RATE. FROM RESEARCH INTO OTHER CONSUMER ISSUES WITH 1998 BEETLES, I AM CERTAIN THAT VW PASSED THESE DEFECTIVE VEHICLES ON TO CONSUMERS. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR FURTHER DETAILS. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED WINDOW REGLATOR FAILURES, DEAD BATTERY, INTERIOR PIECES FALLING APART AND OTHER ISSUES. THANK YOU!*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#886801April 25, 2001
SEATS
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING , APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT, AND APPLYING BRAKES AND SEAT CAME LOOSE. DRIVER WAS FORCED INTO STEERING WHEEL, AND THEN WENT ALL WAY BACK, NOT ALLOWING DRIVER TO REACH THE PEDALS. ONLY COMPONENT THAT HELD THE SEAT TO VEHICLE WAS A WHEEL MOUNTED IN A TRACK. THERE WERE 2 SCREWS (3/4") THAT HAD COME LOOSE WHICH CAUSED THIS DEFECT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#785413April 23, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
CONSUMER STATES BOTH OXYGEN SENSORS HAVE FAILED, CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT THE BAD OXYGEN SENSOR HAS DAMAGED THE MASS AIR FLOW DEVICE, CONSUMER STATES HE HAS RECEIVED DIFFERENT INFORMATION FROM DEALER DEPARTMENTS, SOME SAY IT IS BECUASE THE GAS IN THE STATE HE LIVES IN IS NOT REGULATED AS TO QUALITY AND IF PREMIUM QUALITY GAS IS NOT USED THE PARTS WILL NOT BE WARRANTED. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#886432April 23, 2001
STRUCTURE
WHEN CONSUMER BACKED UP INTO 6 INCHES OF SNOW ENGINE SKID PLATE, WHICH WAS ATTACHED BY 3 BOLTS ON EITHER SIDE TO A PLASTIC COMPONENT, DISCONNECTED FROM VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP REPLACED BOLTS AND REPLACED SKID PLATE TO VEHICLE. *AK THE SHIELDS UNDER THE VEHICLE WERE BROKEN. *YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#744238April 18, 2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING FOR A RELIABLE AND ECONOMICAL CAR. I HAVE BEEN VERY DISAPPOINTED. THIS CAR BURNS OIL AT AN UNBELIEVABLE RATE. I CANNOT RELY ON IT AND DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE IT OUT OF TOWN. I AM NOW KEEPING JUMPER CABLES IN THE HATCH BECAUSE OF CONSTANT BATTERY PROBLEMS. THE RADIO IS NOT WORKING. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED A REGULATOR (WINDOW) ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND IT HAS BROKEN AGAIN. LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER IT WAS REPLACED. SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS TOLD ME THAT THEY COULDN'T GET ME IN TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR 2 WEEKS - MY WINDOW WAS STUCK DOWN INSIDE OF THE DOOR AND WOULD NOT ROLL UP. THE WAITING TIME FOR AN APPT AT A DEALER SHOULD BE AN INDICATION THAT THE ARE NOT PRODUCING QUALITY VEHICLES. THE WARRANTY PERIOD IS TOO SHORT. THE PROBLEMS SEEM TO ALL HAPPEN AFTER THE WARRANTY IS UP. IS THAT HOW LONG THEY EXPECTED TO LAST - 2 YEARS?I HAVE BEEN VERY DISAPOINTED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#885785April 12, 2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN, LOW BEAMS WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING DUE TO A WIRING HARNESS MALFUNCTION. DEALER REPLACED BOTH HEADLIGHT BULBS, AND REPLACED HEADLIGHT HARNESS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#885649April 11, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20-25 MPH, BATTERY LIGHT WILL COME ON. CONSUMER MUST RESTART VEHICLE. DEALER HAS REPLACED FUEL PUMP RELAY SWITCH AND RAN TEST, BUT DEFECT STILL OCCURS. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE.*AK CONSUMER STATES DEALER HAS ALSO REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY AND VEHICLE CONTINUES TO STALL. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#885021April 4, 2001
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
THERE IS A MAJOR DISTORTION IN THE CENTER OF THE REAR WINDOW. IT MAKES FRONT END OF OTHER VEHICLES LOOK LIKE CRUMBLED UP. FRONT WINDSHIELD AT BOTTOM HAS A MAJOR DISTORTION WHICH EXTENDS VISION 15 FEET IN FRONT OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER WILL BE CONTACTNG MANUFACTURER. *AK THE DEFECT IN REAR WINDOW WAS NOTICABLE ONLY TO TALLER PERSONS ACCORDING TO THE CONSUMER. *YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#743480April 3, 2001
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
BATTERY PROBLEM. I STOPPED AT SIGNAL AND WHEN I RESTARTED THE ENGINE STOPPED AND I WAS ALMOST REAR END. THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON. THE CAR WAS TOWED. APPARENTLY THE BATTERY WAS FALLING OUT OF THE CAR AT 13,000 MILES. A FEW MONTHS LATER I HEARD A NOISE AND SLIPPING WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION. AS IT TURNED OUT, ENGINE COOLANT HAD LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND A REBUILT WAS PUT IN. WITHIN A FEW WEEKS AFTER THE REBUILT WAS PUT IN, IT WAS MAKING SOME NOISE AND IT HAD INTERMITTENT LURCHING. I COMPLAINED TO VW OF AMERICA AND THE DEALERSHIP. THEY TOOK CARE OF THE NOISE AND SAID THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO HELP WITH THE LURCH PROBLEM. I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT A MONTH AND A HALF AFTER GETTING THE REBUILT. I WENT INTO A POLE SIDEWAYS. I HAD AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST TEST DRIVE IT AFTER THE CAR WAS REPAIRED. HE REPORTED AN UNUSUALLY LONG PAUSE FOR ENGAGEMET. I BELIEVE THAT WHEN I WAS IN A ROLL FORWARD MOTION AND WOULD PUT MY FOOT TO THE GAS, IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY AND LURCHED. THE REASON IT WAS INTERMITTENT , IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT SOMETIMES WHEN YOU WOULD BE IN A ROLLFORWARD MOTION IT WOULD BE IN GEAR AND NOT LURCH. IF IT WAS NOT IN GEAR DUE TO THE LONG PAUSE, YOU WOULD GET A LURCHING MOVEMENT. MY FIRST TRANSMISSION NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. THERE IS A POTENTIAL DESIGN FLAW WITH THIS TRANSMISSION. WHEN I WAS TALKING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT COMMONWEALTH, WITH MY FIRST TRANSMISSION, HE HAD STATED THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE JETTA TRANSMISSIONS.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#884451March 28, 2001
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER STATED AIRBAG SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#883771March 22, 2001
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
CONSUMER COMPLAINT IS THAT THE SIDE AIR BAG ON HIS VEHICLE FAILED TO DEPLOY WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT THE DRIVERS SIDE AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH. CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING FORWARD AT APPROXIMATELY 50 TO 60 MPH. A PICK-UP TRUCK HIT CONSUMER'S CAR BROADSIDE ON DRIVER'S SIDE, AN ENGINEER AT VW CLAIMS STATED THAT THE FORWARD MOTION OF VEHICLE LESSENED THE SIDE IMPACT ENOUGH THAT THE AIR BAG DID NOT ACTIVATE. *SLC
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#742632March 18, 2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#742377March 13, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHEN IT IS EXTREMELY COLD (MOST OF THE TIME THE TEMPERATURE HAS BEEN BELOW ZERO) THE CAR WILL LOSE POWER AND DIE. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES. I WAS GOING APPROX. 75 ON THE INTERSTATE PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE WHEN THE CAR LOST POWER AND DIED. THE TEMP. WAS TEN BELOW ZERO. I HAVE BEEN LEFT STRANDED 4 TIMES WITH THIS VEHICLE IN TEMPERATURES BELOW ZERO. THANK GOD FOR CELL PHONES!! I AM WORRIED ABOUT THIS HAPPENING ON RAILROAD CROSSINGS OR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. I AM CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU AND VOLKSWAGEN FOR A REFUND- JUST WANTED YOU TO BE AWARE OF THE SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE BEETLE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#560276March 8, 2001
AIR BAGS
DURING VEHICLE COLLISION WHICH RESULTED IN VEHICLE ROLLOVER THE AIRBAGS EXPERIENCED NO DEPLOYMENT. *MJS
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#882482March 8, 2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
ELECTRICAL WIRING LOCATED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ROUTED TOO CLOSE TO ENDGE OF VEHICLE BATTERY TRAY. WIRING BECAME DAMAGED BY CHAFING. AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR AND FUEL PUMP COULD MALFUNCTION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#742096March 7, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
COOLANT LOSS ON TWO OCCASIONS CAUSING ENGINE TO BLOW, NO WARNING UNTIL LAST MINUTE, ALL FLUIDS AND MAINTENACE DONE AND UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY, DEALER REFUSED TO PAY FOR NEW ENGINE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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