Volkswagen Beetle Complaints

2,629 consumer complaints on file.

#10475452September 14, 2012
POWER TRAIN
SHIFTING AND JERKING OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. THE JERKING GETS SO BAD THAT IT CAN DELAY ACCELERATION AND MIMIC GETTING REAR ENDED, YET SERVICE STATES NOTHING WAS WRONG. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10475019September 11, 2012
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, VISIBILITY/WIPER
REAR WINDOW REGULATORS WENT OUT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10474406September 9, 2012
AIR BAGS, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ALL FOUR POWER WINDOW REGULATORS. I AM NOW HAVING TO REPLACE ONE OF THE REPLACEMENTS. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 83000 MILES ON IT. THE PARTS TO REPAIR THIS WINDOW ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE - OVER $500. I'VE ALREADY INVESTED WELL OVER $1500 REPLACING THE REGULATORS ALREADY. VOLKSWAGEN IS MAKING DEFECTIVE PARTS AND WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. I FILED A COMPLAINT EARLIER ON THIS VEHICLE FOR A DEFECTIVE AIRBAG. THIS CAR HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED. I'VE TAKEN GOOD CARE OF IT. THE AIRBAG WAS NEVER DEPLOYED OR DAMAGED IN ANY WAY. IF THE AIRBAG IS DEFECTIVE IT IS BECAUSE VW PUTS DEFECTIVE AIRBAGS IN THEIR VEHICLES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10474119September 6, 2012
SEAT BELTS
WHILE IN PARK AND SEATED IN DRIVER SEAT PULLED SEAT BELT TO LOCK, SEAT BELT UNRAVELED AND WON'T RETRACT AT ALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10474120September 6, 2012
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
REAR WINDOW DOWN AFTER I DROVE WITH TOP DOWN. RETURNED CONVERTIBLE TOP UP AND REAR WINDOW WON'T GO BACK UP. REPLACEMENT/ REPAIR IS OVER 600.00 PLUS LABOR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10473783September 4, 2012
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
BOTH DRIVERS SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS EXPERIENCING ISSUE WHEN AUTO-CLOSING. WINDOWS WILL NOT CLOSE USING THE "AUTO UP" FEATURE. WINDOWS RETRACT TO THE DOWN POSITION 2-3 TIMES BEFORE SWITCHING TO MANUAL MODE BY DEFAULT. WINDOW MOTORS MUST BE RESET FOR "AUTO UP/DOWN" AFTER EACH TIME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10473856September 4, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
MY DRIVER'S WINDOW WON'T GO ALL THE WAY UP AFTER PARKING. IT IS SUPPOSED TO LOWER JUST A HAIR WHEN OPENED AND CLOSE AGAIN ONCE THE DOOR IS SHUT. THIS LETS RAIN IN. ALSO WHEN ROLLING UP THE DRIVER'S WINDOW YOU MUST INCH IT UP IN INCREMENTS INSTEAD OF ALL AT ONCE. IT GOES UP ABOUT HALF WAY THEN SENDS ITSELF BACK DOWN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10473146August 31, 2012
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
DRIVER SIDE REAR WINDOW DROPPED AND COULD NOT BE RAISED. ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO THE DRIVER FRONT WINDOW DID THE SAME THING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10472723August 28, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WINDOWS STARTED GOING UP AND DOWN RANDOMLY AND DOORS LOCKING/UNLOCKING RANDOMLY. AS I WAS REACHING THROUGH MY WINDOW TO GRAM MY KEYS FROM THE IGNITION MY ARM GOT PINCHED, AND LODGED IN THE WINDOW THAT WAS GOING UP, (I WAS TRYING TO GET MY KEYS BEFORE GETTING LOCKED OUT OF THE CAR (AGAIN) DUE TO THE RANDOM LOCKING AND UNLOCKING). AUTO REVERSAL OF THE WINDOWS WHEN AN APPENDAGE GETS LODGED IN THE WINDOW DID NOT OCCUR. THIS PINCHED AND LODGED MY LEFT ARM IN THE WINDOW TO A POINT OF BRUISING AN AREA OF 4 INCHES BY 2 INCHES. AFTER EXHAUSTIVELY RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE (WHICH IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE DOOR LOCK MODULES ON THE 98-02 VW BEETLES WITH THE OLD STYLE "LOUD" POWER LOCKS) I CONCLUDED THAT THE DOOR LOCK MODULE AND THE DOOR CLOSED MICROSWITCH WERE WITH CULPRITS OF THIS INCIDENT. I AM VERY GRATEFUL THAT THIS ONLY OCCURRED TO A 32 YEAR OLD MAN AND NOT ONE OF MY 4 SMALL CHILDREN (7MO-7 YEARS). VWOA SHOULD DO THEIR RESEARCH AND SEE THAT HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF VW OWNERS HAVE HAD TO REPLACE DLMS ON MULTIPLE DOORS AT A COST OF AT LEAST $200+ EACH DOOR (MORE AT THE DEALERSHIP). THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THE SAFETY FACTOR ALONE, LET ALONE THE INCONVENIENCE FACTOR OF HAVING TO REPLACE A DLM BECAUSE OF A $3 MICROSWITCH AT THE DOOR CLOSED SENSOR, OR 1 OF 6 BAD SOLDER JOINTS ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD INSIDE THE DOOR LOCK MODULE. INFORMATION ON THE EXACT PROBLEM CAN BE FOUND ON MULTIPLE VW REPAIR SITES (TDICLUB.COM; VWVORTEX.COM; NEWBEETLE.ORG; ETC, ETC, ETC) I DO UNDERSTAND THAT MY CAR IS 14 YEARS OLD, HOWEVER I HAVE HAD TO SPEND OVER $1000 FIXING VW FACTORY MISTAKES ON THIS CAR ALREADY. I LOVE VW, BEING A FORMER OWNER OF SEVERAL AIR COOLED VWS IN THE PAST, HOWEVER THIS WILL SEVERELY AFFECT MY DECISION TO EVER BUY ANOTHER WATER COOLED VW. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10472557August 27, 2012
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
RECURRING ISSUES WITH DOOR POWER WINDOWS. TAKES APPROXIMATELY 6-7 ATTEMPTS TO SECURE OR ROLL THEM UP AFTER OPENING; UNSURE IF THEY WILL COMPLETELY FAIL AND EVENTUALLY NOT ROLL UP AT ALL. SAFETY ISSUE CONCERNS: UNABLE TO ROLL UP WINDOWS AGAINST ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND FREEWAY DEBRIS, (RAIN AND DEBRIS CAN DAMAGE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITRY LOCATED NEXT TO DOOR AND DEBRIS CAN INJURE DRIVER; RAIN/WIND/DEBRIS CAN IMPAIR DRIVERS VISIBILITY IF WINDOW CANNOT BE ROLLED UP PROPERLY); IN ADDITION, IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION THAT WOULD REQUIRE SHELTERING IN PLACE IN THIS VEHICLE; SUCH AS AN ASSAULT, ROBBERY ETC. THE INABILITY FOR THE CONSUMER TO ROLL UP THEIR WINDOWS PRESENTS A REAL LIFE-SAFETY THREAT. AFTER HAVING RESEARCHED ON-LINE AND SPOKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHICH I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE FROM, THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR APPROXIMATELY A YEAR, AND I WAS TOLD (4 MONTHS AGO) THAT I WOULD BE PLACED ON A BACK-STOCK ORDER LIST FOR THE REVISED ELECTRICAL MODEM THAT WOULD RESOLVED THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE CALLED FOR FOLLOW-UP INFORMATION AND AN ETA ON THE PART. THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDED ME WITH NEW INFORMATION OR AN ETA. THIS IS CLEARLY A PROBLEM THAT 1) THEY (MANUFACTURE AND DEALERSHIP) CANNOT FIX 2) HAVE NOT FOUND A FIX FOR (MANUFACTURER) AND HAVE BEEN LYING TO THE CONSUMER ABOUT (MANUFACTURER/DEALERSHIP) 3) HAVE NOT ELEVATED TO THE PROPER PRIORITY LEVEL TO FIND A FIX FOR (MANUFACTURER). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10472342August 24, 2012
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
ACCORDING TO ALL THE INFO I HAVE GATHERED. IT SEEMS MY CAR ,ALONG WITH SO MANY OTHERS HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. IT HAPPENS WAY TOO OFTEN FOR IT NOT TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR THE OWNERS TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. WHEN IT IS A FAULT OF THE VW MAKERS. MY REAR PASSENGER WINDOW REGULATOR IS BROKEN. SOMETHING SHOULD BE ADDRESSED ABOUT THIS ISSUE. VW IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BAD MECHANICAL DESIGN OF THE WINDOWS IN THESE VEHICLES. WHY SHOULD WE (AS CONSUMERS)HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR SCREW UP?[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10472407August 24, 2012
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
THE 2003 VW BEETLE HAS STARTED TO SLIP AT 96,500 MILES GOING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. I HAVE DONE ALOT OF ONLINE RESEARCH AND THERE ARE SEVERAL FORUMS AND THOUSANDS OF SIMILAR CASES AS THE ONE I AM HAVING. I CALLED VW OF AMERICA CUSTOMER CARE AND TALKED TO TIM AND HE SAID BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING. I MENTIONED THAT THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE THE VALVE BODY AND HE AGREED BUT STILL COULD NOT HELP ME. FURTHER RESEARCH LED TO ME FINDING A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINS VW AMERICA FOR EXACTLY THIS PROBLEM. SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY DOCUMENTED CASES, I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL IMMEDIATELY AS THIS CAN LEAD TO A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE ON THE ROAD. WORSE YET, VW KNOWS ABOUT IT AND IS NOT DOING ANYTHING! PLEASE HELP. *TR *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10471857August 22, 2012
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE GLS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHEN THE GEARS WERE SHIFT FROM PARK INTO DRIVE THERE WAS A BRIEF DELAY ON THE VEHICLE ACCELERATION. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD A THREE SECOND DELAY WHICH WAS CONSIDERED NORMAL BUT AS A SAFETY PRECAUTION THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10471476August 19, 2012
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
THE POWER WINDOW DO NOT GO UP RIGHT. WHEN WINDOW ARE DOWN TRYING TO PUT UP WINDOW THEY GO UP AND STOP ONE THIRD OF THE WAY AND SPRING BACK DOWN PUSH SWITCH TO GO UP WINDOW GO UP HALF UP SPRING BACK DOWN THIS GO ON TWO TO THREE TIME IF YOU HOLD SWITCH IN UP THEY GO UP AND SMELL LIKE SMOKE. THE DEALER SAID V.W. IS TRYING TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM BUT AT THIS TIME THERE IS NO KNOW FIX . I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM NOT BEING ABLE TWO ROLL WINDOW UP RIGHT A WAY IF WE HAD TO IN A EMERGENCY NOT TO SAY THE SMOKE SMELL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10470664August 14, 2012
POWER TRAIN
THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS ON ITS OWN AT ANY GIVING TIME. WAS CLOSE TO GETTING REAR ENDED SEVERAL TIMES.. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10470410August 13, 2012
VISIBILITY/WIPER
BOTH REAR WINDOW CONTROL MECHANISMS HAVE GONE BAD. I HAVE DONE A SEARCH AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A RE-OCCURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10469496August 7, 2012
STRUCTURE:BODY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 50 MPH WHEN THE REAR CONVERTIBLE WINDOW BECAME LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CONVERTIBLE TOP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 18,452.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10469197August 4, 2012
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DEFECTIVE REAR POWER WINDOW REGULATORS. REAR WINDOW STUCK HALF OPEN,UNABLE TO LOCK CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10468960August 2, 2012
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD, SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC WINDOWS FAILED AND WOULD OPEN AND CLOSE INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT THE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE A REMEDY AVAILABLE FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE DEALER NOT TO MAKE ANY REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE HEAD REST WAS TOO LARGE AND BLOCKED 40 PERCENT OF HIS VIEW THROUGH THE REARVIEW MIRROR. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE METAL PLATE AROUND THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS TOO SHINY WHEN THE SUN REFLECTED, BLINDING THE CONTACT'S VIEW OF THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,748. UPDATED 09/05/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR CONDITIONER WOULD AT TIMES BLOW WARM AIR WHEN ON. ALSO, THE REAR WINDSHIELD WAS TOO SMALL AND THE TINT WAS TOO DARK. UPDATED 09/10/2012 *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10468876August 1, 2012
POWER TRAIN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED AUTOMATICALLY AND THE VEHICLE DECELERATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Volkswagen Beetle