Volkswagen Beetle Complaints

2,629 consumer complaints on file.

#863331June 9, 2000
SEATS
UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURIES TO DRIVER. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED, BUT STILL REMAINS DAMAGED. *AK *ML
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#723520June 3, 2000
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
THIS CAR SHUTS DOWN AT ALL TIMES WHEN DRIVING, COULD BE WHEN YOU JUST GO, IF YOU ARE DRIVING FOR 15 MINUTES TO AN HOUR, WHEN EVER IT DECIDED TO SHUT DOWN IT JUST DOES.AND THE COMPUTER DOESNT REGISTER IT SHUTTING DOWN, SO I AM TOLD NOTHING CAN BE DONE ABOUT IT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#784671May 30, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
TEMPERATURE GAUGE WARNING LIGHT BROKE AND RESERVOIR TANK SENSOR FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#862559May 25, 2000
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP "MIL" COMES ON ALL THE TIME AND STAYS ON. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALERSHIP SEVEN TIMES. HE HASN'T SOLVED THE PROBLEM.*AK THE YELLOW LIGHT CAME ON AND WENT OUT SEVERAL TIMES AT DIFFERENT MILEAGE. THE DEALER KEPT TELLING THE CUSTOMER IT IS OKEY TO DRIVE IT. BUT THE CUSTOMER DOES NOT FEEL SAFE. *YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#862491May 24, 2000
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
HATCHBACK RATTLES WHILE DRIVING. ALSO WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE IN DRIVE , VEHICLE HESITATES AND STALLS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#723056May 22, 2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
DEALER REFUSES TO SCHEDULE PROMPT REPAIR FOR CURRENT HEADLIGHT FAILURE (REQUEST 5-10 DAYS); CURRENT HEADLIGHT FAILURE INCLUDES PERMANENT FAILURE OF LEFT HEADLIGHT AND INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF BOTH HEADLIGHTS; CONSUMER REPORTS REPORTS 1998 NEW BEETLE AS "USED CAR TO AVOID" (APRIL 2000ISSUE, P. 75); NEW BEETLE WEBSITE CONDUCTED SURVEY OF OWNERS OF 1998 MODEL - 55 PERCENT REPORT TROUBLE WITH THE CAR, 90 PERCENT OF WHICH IS ELECTRICAL; A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR 1998 BEETLES MANUFACTURED IN FIRST HALF OF 1998 BECAUSE OF FAULTY WIRING THAT COULD CAUSE FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT (WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF A RECALL); THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS OF BEETLE OWNERS REGARDING VW CONSUMER SERVICE; WE HAVE RECEIVED SUBSTANDARD SERVICE FROM OUR DEALER, INCLUDING ONE REPAIR ON A FAILED HEADLIGHT THAT WAS NOT PERFORMED AS STATED, FORCING US TO RETURN THE CAR. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#722531May 11, 2000
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS
CONCEALED DAMAGE DUE TO POOR DESIGN OF FRONT BUMPER. CAR HAS NO VISIBLE DEFECTS TO EXTERIOR BUT HAS EXTENSIVE INTERNAL DAMAGE. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND CORRECT DAMAGE*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#722450May 9, 2000
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR, STRUCTURE:BODY, STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
DRIVER WINDOW NOT OPENING/CLOSING AUTOMATICALLY, DRIVER DOOR AND TRUNK PERIODICALLY FAILS TO SHUT COMPLETELY, LEFT RADIO BLOWN, ROCKER PANELS HAVE DENTS DUE TO NO FAULT OF DRIVER, CONTINUOUS DEEP SCRATCHES ON EXTERIOR BODY OF VEHICLE
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#861615May 8, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN CONSUMER PUTS VEHICLE IN DRIVE THE VEHICLE RATTLES AND HESITATES WHILE DRIVING. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#859891April 7, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED OR ANY TIME, VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH. ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE. BEEN TO DEALER 5 TIMES, AND DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#721035April 5, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORWARD GEAR IS 3RD ONLY. WHEN IN DRIVE, DOES NOT SHIFT FROM 1 TO 2 TO 3 TO 4TH GEARS. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES SINCE 2/99. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#551648March 29, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE AND MISSING OIL CAP CAUSED FIRE. YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#551528March 23, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM), SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:WHEEL SPEED SENSOR
VEHICLE HAS HAD CONTINUED PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION OPERATION AND SHIFTING, REPLACEMENT OF THE SPEED SENSOR,THROTTLE CABLE AND TCM WIRING RECTIFIED PROBLEMS. *MJS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#858824March 20, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT AND TEMPERATURE LIGHT CAME ON. THEN SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO NEAREST VW DEALER. DEALER SAID THAT BOTH ELECTRIC FANS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A KINK IN THE WIRE OF ONE OF THE FANS THAT CAUSED IT TO FAIL. BOTH FANS BASICALLY MELTED AND BLEW APART. *AK *ML
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#551365March 15, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE CAUSED VEHICLE FIRE. YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#720054March 13, 2000
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
ENGINE COVER PULLED OFF WHILE DRIVING THROUGH 5 INCHES OF SHOW DUE TO LOW CLEARANCE AND POOR FASTENER DESIGN. DEALER REFUSED TO FIX UNDER WARRANTY. VW HOTLINE REFUSED TO HELP.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#551264March 8, 2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
ELECTICAL WIRING LOCATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE BATTERY TRAY CAUSING THE WIRE TO DAMAGE (RECALL-98V-100), OWNER IS NOT SATISFIED WITH VEHICLE WITH THIS DEFECT. YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#719449February 29, 2000
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
CAR DAMAGED BY DEALER DURING MAINTENANCE. DAMAGE IS PREVALENT TO VW DESIGN AND IS EVIDENT ON A NUMBER OF CARS (VARIOUS OWNERS & VARIOUS DEALERS). IS THIS A DESIGN FLAW? VWOA HAS REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE OR ISSUE A SAFETY/MAINTENANCE BULLETIN TO CAUTION SERVICE PERSONNEL ABOUT IMPROVER LIFTING OF THE CAR. THIS HAS DAMAGED THE CARS FRAME. SEE THE FOLLOWING FOR AN EXAMPLE OF THE DAMAGE: HTTP://WWW.GEOCITIES.COM/MOTORCITY/DOWNS/5610/BEETLE.HTML - THANK YOU. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#857490February 24, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WHEN TRAVELING UP AN INCLINE VEHICLE STARTED JERKING. VEHICLE CUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, CAUSING IT TO ROLL BACKWARDS. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. ALSO, RECALL 98V100000 DID NOT INCLUDE THIS VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#718764February 14, 2000
AIR BAGS
AIRBAG LIGHT DOES NOT GO OFF. NOW BEING REPAIRED FOR THE 3RD TIME. UNABLE TO DRIVE DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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