Volkswagen Beetle Complaints

2,629 consumer complaints on file.

#10425263September 13, 2011
POWER TRAIN, AIR BAGS, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
RECALL ON AIRBAG CRASH SENSOR BACK IN 2008, WHICH WE HAD REPLACE . HOWEVER THIS PROBLEM CONSTANTLY HAPPEN WERE THE AIR BAG CREASE SENSOR LIGHTS COMES ON AND STAYS ON. WHEN YOU CALL THE DEALERSHIP THEY WANTS TO CHARGE THE CONSUMER. THERE IS ALWAYS A JERKING IN THE POWER TRANSMISSION WHILE DRIVING . THIS IS DANGEROUS YOU WOULD THINK THE CAR IS GOING TO STOP GOING UP HILL. I MADE A COMPLAINT BACK IN 2009 COMPLAINT #102868 NEVER RECEIVED A RESPONSE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10425051September 12, 2011
VISIBILITY, STRUCTURE:BODY, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THIS IS FOR A CONVERTIBLE BEETLE: THE REAR WINDOW ROLLED DOWN WHILE OPENING THE TOP, MADE A GRINDING SOUND, AND NOW WILL NOT GO UP EITHER WITH THE CONVERTIBLE TOP CLOSE BUTTON, NOR WITH THE INDIVIDUAL WINDOW BUTTON - THE WINDOW MOTOR WORKS, BUT THE REGULATOR MECHANISM MAKES A GRINDING SOUND AND THE WINDOW STAYS IN OPEN POSITION (ON-LINE ENTRY SYSTEM WON'T ACCEPT CORRECT PHONE # SO I LIST IT HERE: CORRECT DAYTIME PHONE IS [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
#10425134September 12, 2011
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE, I HAD ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS ALL THE WAY FROM CHANGING MY WHOLE ENGINE, AND CHANGING ALL KINDS OF SENSORS AND NOW I HAVE THIS BIG CONCERN WITH THIS STRANGE SMELL PROBLEM WHICH I CAN'T GET RID OFF, I HAD SPRAY AND BOUGHT ALL KINDS OF DEODORANTS AND STILL CAN'T GET RID OFF. I'M HAVING LIGHT HEADACHES AND ALLERGY PROBLEMS, BUT ONCE I GET OUT OF THE CAR I'M OK NOW IM TO THE POINT THAT I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH MY WINDOWS DOWN BCUZ THIS SMELL IS HORRIBLE AND I GET A HEADACHE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10424589September 10, 2011
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
REAR DRIVER SIDE WINDOW- REGULATOR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10424597September 10, 2011
POWER TRAIN
RECALL FOR TRANSMISSION VALVE, BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP, REPLACED VALVE AND THEN TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. VW SAID THIS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE VALVE BEING REPLACED AND WOULD NOT COVER THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH WAS 6500 IN ADDITION TO ANOTHER 1500. WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE CAR IS NOW JUST SUDDENLY LOSING ALL POWER AT RED LIGHTS OR WHENEVER STOPPED, THIS IS A REAL ROAD HAZARD, IT IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. THESE 2005 VW ARE DANGEROUS CARS ON THE ROAD. VW NEEDS TO STEP UP AND REIMBURSE FOLKS FOR THE TRANSMISSION SO THAT THEY CAN GO AND GET NEW CARS. IT'S DIFFICULT IN THESE TIMES TO BE ABLE TO GO AND GET A NEW CAR WHEN I HAVE JUST SOCKED 8000 INTO THIS ONE. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT VW IS GETTING AWAY WITH THIS TRANSMISSION ISSUE, JUST UNBELIEVABLE. AND THE CAR WILL GO BACK IN THE SHOP AGAIN NEXT WEEK. I AM REALLY ASKING FOR THIS GOVERNMENT AGENCY TO INVESTIGATE AND DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR ALL VW BEETLE OWNERS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THIS. THE RECALL IS SURELY A COVER UP FOR THE REAL ISSUE, A "FAULTY" TRANSMISSION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10424611September 10, 2011
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
MY 2003 NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE WITH A 2.0 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (CODE: GGZ) HAS A BAD TRANSMISSION THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND I SEE MANY OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I CANNOT AFFORD $6,000 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION AND $3,500 FOR USED. THE USED TRANSMISSIONS HAVE MORE MILES THAN MY POOR CAR. I WANT TO FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST VW. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10424556September 9, 2011
POWER TRAIN
INTERMITTENT HARD SHIFTS BETWEEN 4TH AND 5TH GEAR WITH OCCASIONAL SLIPPING BETWEEN 4TH AND 5TH GEAR AND ALSO GETTING STUCK IN 4TH GEAR WHICH REQUIRED STOPPING ON SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING IT. TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. AFTER RESEARCHING IT SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. DEALER TOLD US THAT VALVE BODY REPLACEMENT WAS NOT AN OPTION BECAUSE THE HARD SHIFTS WERE BETWEEN 4TH AND 5TH, NOT 1ST AND 2ND. CONTACTED VW OF AMERICA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP. THE WEEK PRIOR TO TAKING OUR BEETLE IN FOR SERVICING, WE TOOK OUR 2002 JETTA IN AND WAS TOLD IT ALSO NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10424087September 7, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START NORMALLY BECAUSE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MODULE FAILED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL AND MADE IT DIFFICULT TO START IMMEDIATELY. THE CONTACT STATED THE CLUSTER WAS REPLACED TWICE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE WAS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 152,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10423256September 5, 2011
POWER TRAIN
PURCHASED MY 2004 CONVERTIBLE BEETLE IN MAY OF 2011 WITH 83,000 MILES AND WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING AND JERKING. IT STARTED GETTING WORSE AS TIME WENT ON, SO WE HAD A MECHANIC PUT IN SOME LUCAS TRANS FIX, IT HELPED A LITTLE BUT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE SLIPPING AND JERKING IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE AND HAS TO BE RECALLED. NOTICED ON EDMUNDS.COM THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND JERKING. ALSO NOTICED THAT VW AMERICA HAS NOT TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ISSUE. SO I AM DOCUMENTING MY COMPLAINT AND I AM ASKING ALL 2004 BEETLE OWNERS TO DO THE SAME IN HOPES TO PUT PRESSURE ON VW TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. THE ENGINEERS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRANSMISSION FAILED THIS PROGRAM, I HOPE YOU IDIOTS TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR MISTAKES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10423791September 5, 2011
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
MY FIANCEE AND I PURCHASED THIS BEETLE IN NOVEMBER OF 2010 AND HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH IT. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP A NUMBER OF TIME (5-7) AND WE HAVE SPENT HUNDREDS IN TRYING TO FIX IT. YET NO LUCK. IT IS A DANGER TO MY FIANCEE AND NEW BORN BABY. ON DAY IT WILL RUN FINE BUT THEN AFTER DRIVING FOR TEN MINUTES THE EPC LIGHT COME ON AND THE BRAKES BARELY WORK IF AT ALL, AND IT WONT SPEED UP EVEN IF SHE HAS HER FOOT TO THE FLOOR. SO NOW WE HAVE A $6000 DOLLAR CAR THAT NOT EVEN THE VW DEALERSHIP CAN FIX. IT SITS ON OUR ROAD. I HAVE SEEN SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND I BELIEVE ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOME ONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN WORSE. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS MONSTROSITY THAT VW REFUSES TO ADMIT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10423211September 4, 2011
AIR BAGS
I OWN A 2002 VW BEETLE,THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON,AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE AROUND $600.00 DOLLARS TO GET IT FIXED.I WAS DOING SOME RESEARCH ON LINE ABOUT THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMING ON,AND FOUND OUT THAT ALOT OF PEOPLE WHO OWNED THE SAME MODEL YEAR ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE.I THINK THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE A RECALL SINCE LOTS OF OTHER CONSUMERS ARE HAVING EXACTLY THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE AIRBAG LIKE ME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10422803August 31, 2011
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
WE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT MY GRANDDAUGHTERS 2005 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE VIN/[XXX] CURRENTLY IN SHOP FOR FRONT DRIVERS SIDE ELECTRIC WINDOW RELAY PROBLEM. WAS ADVISED THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON SOME VW BEETLES FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT THIS WAS NOT ONE OF THE RECALLED ONES. IN SEARCHING THE INTERNET IT APPEARS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN , SEEMS THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS INDIVIDUALS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WE HAVE. 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
#10423618August 31, 2011
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DEFECTIVE PLASTIC SPEEDOMETER DRIVE GEAR IN TRANSMISSION. AFTER DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES THE SPEEDOMETER GRADUALLY DROPS CAUSING YOU TO THINK THAT YOUR DRIVING SLOWER THAN YOU ACTUALLY ARE. AT 65MPH THE SPEEDOMETER FLOATS BETWEEN 45 - 55 MPH. AT 80MPH IT READS 60. THIS PROBLEM CAUSES THE CRUISE CONTROL TO CONSTANTLY TRY TO SPEED THE CAR UP. I'M AFRAID TO LET MY TEEN DRIVER USE THE CAR. COST OF REPAIR AT PRIVATE SHOP IS OVER $1000. DUE TO INTENSE LABOR TO REPLACE BROKEN GEAR. TRANSMISSION MUST BE TAKEN APART TO FIX. DEALER WANTS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION FOR $4000. THESE BEETLES ARE POPULAR WITH NEW TEEN DRIVERS AND THIS IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT. AN INTERNET SEARCH ALSO SHOWS THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRING IN THE JETTA.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10422355August 29, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE BATTERY FUSE BOX THE FUSE TO THE ALTERNATOR HAS MELTED 3 TIMES WITHIN THE LAST 2 MONTHS COSTING ME OVER 1000.00 IN REPAIRS. BATTERY REPLACED,ALTERNATOR REPLACE VOLTAGE REGULATOR REPLACED, ALTER. HARNESS REPLACED AND NUMEROUS OTHER THINGS BUT FUSE KEEPS BLOWING AND MELTS FUSE BOX AND CAR DIES LOSES COMPLETE POWERWITHOUT WARNING. THERE IS A POTIENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. THERE ARE DOZEN OF COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM AND NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10422377August 29, 2011
EQUIPMENT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN UNBEARABLE ODOR EMITTING INSIDE THE VEHICLE, MAKING IT VERY UNCOMFORTABLE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ODOR WAS COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER. THE FILTERS FOR THE AIR CONDITIONER WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 46,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10422470August 29, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK WHILE SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THE VALVE BODY WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10421604August 26, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN BETTLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD DOWNSHIFT ABNORMALLY BETWEEN GEARS AND HE WOULD HAVE TO MANUALLY SHIFT FROM FOURTH INTO THIRD. THE VEHICLE WOULD THEN ROAR LOUDLY AND LOSE ALL POWER. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,000. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10421104August 23, 2011
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR $4000. THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR RELATED WARRANTIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10420904August 22, 2011
EQUIPMENT, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, STRUCTURE:BODY, AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A VW BEETLE IN MAY OF 2010, FOR MY BIRTHDAY FROM HOLLYWOOD AUTO BROKERS IN LOS ANGELES, CA. THE CAR RAN SMOOTH FOR ABOUT A COURSE OF FIVE TO SIX MONTHS, I HAD TO RETURN TO THE DEALERSHIP EARLY ON BECAUSE MY HEAD LIGHTS WERE OUT WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR. AS I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR, A JERKING AND EXTREMELY WEIRD DECELERATION OF THE CAR WOULD BEGIN, BUT IT WOULD "POP BACK TO NORMAL" AFTER A WHILE, MAYBE THREE TO TEN SECONDS. THIS HAD GONE ON AND HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE FIVE MONTHS AFTER I BROUGHT IT. I FINALLY MADE IT BACK INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND HE RODE WITH ME ON A TEST DRIVE AROUND THE CORNER AND OF COURSE IT DIDN'T REPEAT THE PREVIOUS SHOW OF DEFECTS. HE ASSURED ME THE CAR IS JUST BEING BROKEN IN. A YEAR GOES BY AND I DECIDED I WANT TO TRADE IN MY CAR FOR ANOTHER CAR, SO I HEAD TO NISSAN. I TEST DRIVE A CAR AND LOVE IT AND THEN GO IN FOR THE PAPER WORK. THE GUY RUNS MY VIN TO SEE MY CAR VALUE AND COME BACKS AND TELL ME MY CAR TITLE IS SALVAGED. TO MY DISBELIEF AND DISGUST, I IMMEDIATELY CALLED MY FINANCIAL COMPANY, AL FINANCIAL OF GLENDALE, CA THAT I AM LEASING THE CAR FROM. THEY GIVE ME THE RUN AROUND AND ASSURE ME THAT THE TITLE IS CLEAN AND NOT A SALVAGE. I CONTINUE ON MY INVESTIGATION AND COME TO A CARFAX WEBSITE TO GET THE REAL FACTS ON MY DEFECTED VEHICLE. THE INFORMATION REVEALS THAT NOT ONLY IS THE TITLE SALVAGE BUT IT HAD BODILY DAMAGE AND HAD BEEN TOTALED OUT FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY FROM IT'S PREVIOUS OWNER. THE CAR HAD BEEN BROUGHT BACK FROM MEXICO AND REGISTERED IN THE STATES AGAIN AS A NEW CAR I BELIEVE. I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS SITUATION ASAP AND GET SOME CLOSURE ON A RECURRING PROBLEM THAT IS MESSING WITH MY INCOME AS I AM A TRAVEL NURSE FOR HOSPICE PATIENTS. RECENTLY THE WATER PUMP HAS GONE OUT AND I'M NOT SURE YET IF I NEED TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKETS. I HOPE I CAN HEAR AN RESPONSE IN A GOOD ENOUGH AMOUNT OF TIME SO I CAN WORK OUT AN REIMBURSEMENT OF SOME KIND WITH PAYMENT ON EITHER BEHALF. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10421037August 22, 2011
VISIBILITY
REAR PASSENGER WINDOW STUCK DOWN IN 2005 NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE - THERE IS APPARENTLY A NATIONWIDE BACKORDER ON THIS REAR WINDOW REGULATOR OF AT LEAST 2 MONTHS WHICH MEANS THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AFFECTING MANY VW DRIVERS AND VW SHOULD CLEARLY HAVE A RECALL - LEAVING MY CAR WITH A WINDOW OPEN IS NOT AT ALL IDEAL AND I WILL HAVE TO CAREFULLY PLAN OUT WHERE I PARK THE CAR UNTIL THE PART IS LOCATED AND INSTALLED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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