Volkswagen Beetle Complaints

2,629 consumer complaints on file.

#731121September 12, 2000
TIRES
SIDE WALL DEVELOPED A BULGE ON THE APPROXIMATELY THE SIZE OF A HALF DOLLAR. THE BULGE EXTENDED OUT APPROXIMATELY 3/4 OF AN INCH. TOOK THE TIRE TO A LOCAL GOODYEAR DEALER. GOODYEAR REPRESENATIVE LOOKED AT THE TIRE STILL MOUNTED ON THE CAR AND CLAIMED IT WAS DUE TO ROAD HAZARD. DEALER DID NOT DISMOUNT THE TIRE OR INVESTIGATING THE ACTUAL FAILURE. WOULD ONLY DO SO IF I PURCHASED A NEW TIRE. CLAIMED IT WAS OBVIOUS ROAD HAZARD BECAUSE THE HUB CAP WOULD HAVE A CORRESPONDING DING. HUBCAP DID NOT HAVE ANY MARKS. STILL CLAIMED IT WAS CAUSED BY A ROAD HAZARD WHERE THE TIRE WAS PINCHED TO ALLOW THE OVERLAPPING MATERIAL TO OPEN UP AND AIR TO SEAP OUT AND CREATE THE BULGE.*AK( DOT NUMBER: M60FBEDR42 TIRE SIZE: 205/55R16 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#869951September 7, 2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE ON INSIDE OF IGNITION SWITCH BOX. THERE WAS A BAD CONNECTION IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. FIRE MELETED WIRES INSIDE THE BOX WHICH CAUSED SHUTDOWN IN DASHBOARD IE/ HEADLIGHTS/ WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND ETC. DEALER'S REMEDY WAS TO TIGHTEN THE WIRES IN IGNITION BOX, BUT THE ELECTRICAL PORTION OF DASHBOARD WOULD PERIODICALLY GO DOWN. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#729792September 1, 2000
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
THE CLIPS ON THE INTERIOR PART OF THE SUN SHADE THAT PREVENTS BLINDING SUN FROM COMING TOUGH THE SUNROOF BENT. IT MAKES IT HARD TO OPEN OR CLOSE THE SHADE WHEN DRIVING WITHOUT GREAT FORCE SOMETHING THAT IS NOT VERY SAFE TO BE DOING WHEN DRIVING. THE PERSON THAT FIXED THE SUNROOF ALSO SAYED HE WISH'S THEY WOULD RECALL THE CLIP BECAUSE HE HAS FIXED MANY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CLIPS JUST BEND AND JUMP OF THE TRACK THEY NEED TO SLIDE IN. WE THINK THE METAL USED FOR THE CLIPS NEED TO BE STRONGER OR REVISED.( DOT NUMBER: M3WC TIRE SIZE: 205/55R16 )
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#729855September 1, 2000
AIR BAGS
CAR HIT HIGHWAY ON RAMP GUARD RAIL ON RIGHT FRONT SIDE. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO RIGHT FRONT SIDE BUMPER AND TO HOOD.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#729902September 1, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE CAR STOPS DEAD - I KNOW OF A MAN WHO WAS KILLED IN ANOTHER VW BEETLE BECAUSE OF THIS....I HEARD ON TV THAT FORD MIGHT BE RECALLED FOR A FAULTY RELAY PART. WHY NOT VW? THE MALFUNCTION LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CAR DIES. MY DEALER HAD MY CAR FOR ONE MONTH AND I DIDN'T GET ANY SATISFACTION UNTIL I CALLED THE MAIN PLANT AND UNTIL I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE DEPT OF MOTOR VEHICLES. I BELIEVE THIS IS A LARGE VW PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#869340September 1, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING AT 20-30 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN REGARDLESS OF BRAKING BY THE DRIVER. OIL PAN FAILURE WAS FOUND OUT TO BE THE CAUSE. *YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#728734August 22, 2000
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
EXPRESS FUNCTION OF DRIVERS SIDE POWER WINDOW SWITCH FAILED. CAUSE WAS APPARENT BROKEN INTERNAL SPRING. REPLACED BY OWNER.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#728228August 17, 2000
STEERING:RACK AND PINION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS FROM THE START. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ABOUT THREE WEEKS AFTERWARDS, IF YOU HIT A BUMP THE HUBCAPS WOULD COME FLYING OFF. THIS WOULD HAPPEN GOING AT THE SPEED OF 25MPH. I'VE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE. THEY SAID THAT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE NEW MODELS. THEY REPLACED THE HUBCAPS, BUT THE PROBLEM WOULD CONTINUOUSLY HAPPEN. FINALLY I TOOK IT BACK AGAIN FOR SERVICE AND DEMANDED THAT THIS PROBLEM BE FIXED. SO FAR THEY ARE ALL CHANGED AND IT HASN'T OCCURED AGAIN. BETWEEN THESE PROBLEMS A TOTAL OF 5 HUBCAPS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE OTHER PROBLEMS, ARE THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD KNOCK AND MAKE LOUD NOISES. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS BROUGHT IN, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, AND THAT THE CAR WAS CLASSIFIED AS SAFE. IT STARTED HAPPENING AGAIN, AND THEY LOOKED AND SAID IT WAS A "DEFECT" IN THAT YEARS MODEL. SO THEY REPLACED IT, "BECAUSE MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER GUARANTEE". THIS PROBLEM HAS STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN, I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE JUST RECENTLY AND THEY SAID IT'S BECAUSE OF THE DAMP WEATHER WE'VE BEEN HAVING. JUST YESTERDAY I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR TURNING OFF ON THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE SERVICE CENTER WAS NOT HELPFUL. THEY WOULD NOT GIVE ME A LOANER AND WOULD NOT EVEN GIVE ME A RIDE HOME OR WORK BECAUSE I WORKED IN THE BRONX. MY CAR IS STILL NOT READY, AND THE COMMENT WAS WHEN I CALLED IF MY CAR WOULD BE READY TODAY WAS, "WELL YOU COULD TAKE IT BACK THE WAY YOU BROUGHT IT IN." GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE. I'VE HAVE BEEN VERY UNHAPPY WITH THE CAR AND THE SERVICE CENTER. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS NOTHING THAT I HAD CAUSED, IT IS AGAIN ANOTHER "DEFECT" AND IT WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE ONLY BECAUSE I'M STILL UNDER WARRANTY UNTIL 8/27/00. HE SAID I WAS LUCKY IT HAPPEND NOW THAN LATER. BUT, EXPLAIN SOMETHING TO ME, IF IT IS WHAT THEY CALL A "DEFECT" AREN'T THEY SUPPOSED TO FIX IT ANYWAY?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#867872August 15, 2000
SEATS
SHE WAS STATIONARY INSIDE OF VEHICLE AND HEARD SWEAKING NOISE LAST WEEK. DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT CAME OFF TRACK, AND FELL OVER INTO BACK SEAT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY WERE AWARE OF PROBLEM. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT DEALERSHIP. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#553633August 10, 2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS, SUSPENSION:FRONT, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL), STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID, VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE, STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
BATTERY WAS CRACKED CAUSING ACID TO LEAK ONTO POWER STEERING RESERVOIR. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#727444August 10, 2000
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS
GRAVEL GAURD FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN DRIVE WAY. TOOK TO LOCAL DEALER. DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE OF OUTSIDE CONTACT. DEALER(SANTA CRUZ VOLKSWAGON) SAID IT WAS CAUSED BY PARKING AT CURBS. I ASKED THEM WHY THEY DIDN'T TELL ME THE CAR COULDN'T BE PARKED UP TO A CURB WHEN I BOUGHT IT. I THEN CALLED VOLKSWAGEN. THEY REFUSED RESPONSIBILITY EVEN THOUGH MY CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRENTY. THEY STATED THE SAME THING AS SANTA CRUZ. I TOLD THEM THAT WHEN I LEARNED HOW TO DRIVE THE DRIVERS TRAINING INSTRUCTOR TOLD US TO TOUCH THE TIRE TO THE CURB, OR PARKING BLOCK. THEY AGREED THAT THEY LEARNED THE SAME THING. BUT THE SUPERVISOR AT VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA STILL REFUSED AND WOULD NOT GIVE SUPERIORS PHONE NUMBER. CALLED BOB LEWIS VOLKSWAGON, THEY SAID THE GRAVEL GAURD FALLS OFF OF 99% OF THE BEETLES THAT THEY SELL. AND THEY HAVE NOT SEEN VOLKSWAGON WARRENTY ONE YET. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#867208August 8, 2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, SUCH AS THE HEADLIGHTS AND THE POWER WINDOWS MALFUNCTIONING. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#867213August 8, 2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
VEHICLE HAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, HEADLIGHTS AND POWER WINDOWS DO NOT WORK. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#865962July 25, 2000
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE TRAVELING AT 5 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN INTO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE GOING AT SPEED OF 45 MPH. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#865603July 18, 2000
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT HEADLIGHT WENT OUT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC TOLD HIM HE NEEDED A NEW HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#865112July 10, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
WHEN ACCELERATING NOTHING HAPPENS AT AN INTERSECTION. CONSUMER FEELS IT IS VERY DANGEROUS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#864999July 7, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING ON SERVICE ROAD STOPPED FOR A RED LIGHT, LIFTED FOOT OFF THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND HE WAS NOT ABLE TO HELP.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#863965June 21, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
OIL PAN BROKE, AND DEALER REPLACED OIL PAN. VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT OF OIL PUMP AT 13,000 MILES AND AT 14000 MILES. DEALER STATED ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#724279June 20, 2000
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
JUNE 19, 2000 - DRIVING AT 40 MPH AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A ROCK HAD HIT THE PASSENGER SIDE. NO DAMAGE FOUND UPON INSPECTION. SHORTLY AFTER, PUT PASSENGER WINDOW DOWN AND IT SOUNDED BAD, POWER WINDOW FAILED TO CLOSE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#552654June 14, 2000
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
DASHBOARD GAUGES/INDICATORS MALFUNCTIONED, AIR BAG LIGHT, TRIPOMETER ETC. YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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