Volkswagen Beetle Complaints (2002)

165 consumer complaints on file.

#10190895May 16, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
02 NB WITH 7700 MILES, AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. TOLD SYSTEM WILL NOT WORK WITH THIS FAULT. TOOK TO ROYAL VOLKWAGEN, WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT COMMUNICATE WITH AIR BAG COMPUTER, SO, SORRY. NO OFFER TO INVESTIGATE NOR FIX PROBLEM. SPOKE WITH VOLKWAGEN CARE LINE, WHAT A JOKE, SORRY, NOT UNDER WARRANTY. COME ON VOLKSWAGEN, LETS DO A RECALL, OR DO YOU REALLY NOT CARE ABOUT OUR LIVES??? GERMAN ENGINEERING MY MONEY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10188427April 20, 2007
SEAT BELTS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. OVER THE COURSE OF THREE YEARS, THE SEAT BELT LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE FIRST TIME THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED AT THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALER. THE SECOND TIME, THE ENTIRE SEAT BELT UNIT WAS REPLACED AS A RESULT OF A CRASH. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, BUT VOLKSWAGEN IS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 50,500 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10187524April 10, 2007
AIR BAGS
AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS. NOT SURE WHAT IT MEANS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10177450January 1, 2007
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
AIR BAG LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF--FORUM SAYS MAY AIR BAGS MAY NOT WORK WITH LIGHT ON. IT SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH VW BUGS FOR YEARS. SHOULD BE A RECALL. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10176066December 13, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED A NHTSA RECALL LETTER WAS RECEIVED INDICATING THE BRAKE SAFETY SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT PRESENTED ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH YET. THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP WAS 130 MILES FROM THE LOCALITY. THE CONTACT ASKED THE MANUFACTURER FOR THE REPLACEMENT PART TO PERFORM THE REPAIR AT AN INDEPENDENT AUTHORIZED CERTIFIED MECHANIC OR OTHER TRUSTED DEALERSHIP. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED THE PROPOSAL. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE FLEXIBLE IN CASES WERE NO DEALERSHIP WERE PRESENT IN THE AREA.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10171835October 25, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2002 VW BEETLE 2.0 GLS W/ APPROX. 77,000 MILES. LOW FUEL LIGHTS STAYS ON / WILL NOT GO OFF. THE FUEL GAUGE IS WORKING PROPERLY, THE LIGHT JUST WON'T GO OFF. WE CHECKED SEVERAL WEB SITES AND CONTACTED A COUPLE OF VW DEALERSHIPS. WE FOUND OUT IT IS LIKELY THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND IT'S A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM. VW WOULDN'T WARRANTY THE WORK. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10171725October 24, 2006
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON MY 2002 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE IS ON. THE CAR HAS 52,000 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME $400.00 TO REPAIR. IT COST $150.00 TO FIND OUT THAT IT IS THE AIRBAG PIGTAIL-1J0971584J AND SPIRAL REEL-1J0959653C. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10168703September 19, 2006
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
WINDOW CABLE BROKEN. HAD PASS. SIDE REPLACED 2 MONTHS AGO, NOW DRIVERS SIDE BROKEN. WINDOW FELL INTO DOOR. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10168046September 12, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
IN JUNE I TOOK MY 2002 VW BEETLE TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE IT AGAIN WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED ALREADY, A BATTERY CHANGE, AND THEN ANOTHER ALTERNATOR. SO THREE ALTERNATORS SINCE CREATION. I WAS TOLD THAT ANOTHER BATTERY HAD FAILED. SO NOW THREE BATTERIES IN TOTAL. I ALSO TOLD THEM THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE STICKING ON AND BURNING OUT THE BULBS, THAT THEY STAYED LIT SO PEOPLE COULD NOT TELL IF I WAS BRAKING AND THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT WORKING. I WAS TOLD BY CORPORATE THAT MY VIN DID NOT FALL UNDER A RECALL. I ARGUED THAT WHILE MY VIN MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IT DID NOT NEGATE THE FACT THAT THE CAR HAD THE SAME FAILURE AND CAUSE AS THOSE LISTED AS PART OF THE RECALL. THEY FINALLY AGREED TO WARRANTY THE BRAKE SWITCH FAILURE. I PAID FOR THE NEW BATTERY. HOWEVER, THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME WITH OUT WORKING TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARD LIGHTS. THE SERVICE REP FAILED TO RETURN MY CALLS ABOUT IT ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. ONLY AFTER I CONTACTED THE MGR DID THEY CALL ME. THEY SAID TO BRING IT BACK AND THEY WOULD FIX IT. NOW THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME $135 BECAUSE THEY SAY THE SWITCH INSIDE THE DASH FAILED AND IT WAS NOT RELATED TO THE ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THE BRAKE SWITCH. FUNNY THE CRUISE CONTROL, ETC WERE RELATED. I WAS TOLD THE BRAKE SWITCH ALLOWED ELECTRICAL TO BE BACK FED INTO THE SYSTEM THAT WAS TOO POWERFUL FOR THE CIRCUITS THUS BURNING THEM OUT. THEY CAN NOT EXPLAIN WHY THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY THIS NOR WHY THEY RETURNED IT TO ME BROKEN. THIS CAR IS AN ELECTRICAL LEMON! *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10166972August 29, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
I HAVE A 2002 VW BEETLE AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK BECAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILED. I KNOW THEY HAVE RECALLED OTHER BEETLES FOR THIS BUT WHEN I CALLED VW THEY SAID IT WAS NOT RECALLED ON MY VEHICLE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10165129August 10, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WARNING LIGHT/DEVICES
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD DIFFICULTIES STARTING. THE SERVICE DEALER REPLACED THE WIRING HARNESS. THE AIR BAG AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, AND THE KEY WAS HOT WHEN REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS MALFUNCTIONED; OPENED AND CLOSED WITHOUT WARNING. THE SERVICE DEALER DETERMINED THE MALFUNCTIONS WERE DUE TO A SEATBELT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10165010August 9, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE TAKEN OUT OF PARK DURING FAILURE OF THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS REPLACED 4 TIMES. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL # 06V183000 WHICH PERTAINED TO THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10162489July 15, 2006
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
ANY TIME I TURN ON MY AIR CONDITIONER IT SOUNDS LIKE MY CAR IS GOING TO BLOW UP. COLD AIR COMES OUT, BUT THE NOISE AND THE SHAKING OF MY CAR SCARES ME. IT STARTED ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO. I WOULD HAVE THE AC ON AND IF MY CAR WAS IDLING THE NOISE WOULD START UP AND MY CAR WOULD VIBRATE, IT FELT LIKE MY CAR WAS IDLING VERY HEAVILY. IT SOUNDED LIKE A JACK HAMMER. NOW, IT HAPPENS JUST WHEN I TURN THE AIR ON, BUT IT'S EVEN LOUDER THAN BEFORE. ALSO I HEAR THE JACK HAMMER SOUND WHEN THE AIR IS NOT ON AND HASN'T BEEN TURNED ON AT ALL WHEN MY CAR IS AT A STOP OR WHEN I TURN THE CAR OFF. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT SO I HAVEN'T EVEN BOTHERED TO TAKE IT IN ANYWHERE TO GET IT FIXED. ON TOP OF IT ALL, I CAN'T PUT MY WINDOWS DOWN BECAUSE IN NOV '05 MY PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW DISCONNECTED FROM THE TRACK. AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS I STARTED TO GET THE FEELING THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WAS NOT TOO FAR BEHIND WITH IT DOING THE SAME. SURE ENOUGH, THIS PAST APRIL, IT DID THE DEED. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS TO SEE IF FIXING IT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT BECAUSE MY WARRANTY WAS EITHER 5 YEARS OR 60,000 MILES AND MY CAR BEING ABOUT 62,000 MILES WAS TOLD IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX THIS CAR, I'VE BEEN HAVING A TOUGH TIME JUST PAYING FOR THE CAR ITSELF AND FIGHTING WITH VOLKSWAGEN CREDIT ABOUT THIS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10160893June 27, 2006
AIR BAGS
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE AIRBAG WAS DEFECTIVE BUT DECLINED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THERE WERE NO REPAIR INVOICES AVAILABLE BECAUSE NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10153996March 29, 2006
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE, VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, EQUIPMENT
TRANSMISSION REPLACED THREE TIMES, STILL NOT WORKING PROPERLY, LUNGES INTO FORWARD AND REVERSE, AND WILL DROP INTO AND OUT OF HIGH AND LOW GEAR WHEN DRIVING. SUNROOF LEAKED BECAUSE THE DRAINAGE TUBING WAS NOT CONNECTED AT FACTORY CAUSING WATER DAMAGE TO LEATHER SEATS AND NOW MOLD IS GROWING INSIDE OF VEHICLE, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO BE INSIDE AND HAVE HAD ONE SINUS INFECTION ALREADY. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10148137January 19, 2006
SEAT BELTS, AIR BAGS
DT*: THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE SWITCH IN THE SEAT BELT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IF THE SWITCH IS NOT REPLACED, THE AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY IN A COLLISION. *JB UPDATES 3/3/2006 - *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10145884December 22, 2005
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
CLUTCH FAILURE (BEGAN TO SLIP) ON 2002 NB TDI @ 77K MI. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10145566December 18, 2005
VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
SUNROOF CLOGS CONSTANTLY CAUSING WATER LEAKS INTO THE CAR FROM THE HEADLINER OR DOWN THE SIDE ALONG THE WINDSHIELD TO DOOR FRAME PILLAR. APPARENTLY, THERE ARE MANY VW BEETLE OWNERS OUT THERE WITH THIS SAME ISSUE. I HAD VW FIX IT AND IT WAS CLOGGED AGAIN WITHIN A MONTH. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10144108December 1, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY, POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
VW NEW BEETLE - IN SHOP FOR 3 MONTHS OUT OF 24 MONTHS OWNED. ENGINE TROUBLE, WINDOW TROUBLE, STARTER TROUBLE AND NOW CLUTCH PROBLEMS. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10142350November 10, 2005
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
08/05 PURCHASED VEHICLE FROM LEXUS OF GLENDALE 09/05 EXPERIENCE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES. PEDDLE WOULD NOT SPRING BACK INTO PLACE CAUSING CAR TO BE STUCK IN THE ROAD. I HAD TO PHYSICALLY PICK UP THE PEDDLE SO THE CAR WOULD MOVE AGAIN. TOOK BACK TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM AND LEFT IT UNRESOLVED. 10/05 BRAKE PROBLEM OCCURRED MANY MORE TIMES. TWICE WHEN I TAP THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN IT WOULD HAVE A LOUD SUCTION VACUUM SOUND AND GO STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR AND GET STUCK LEAVING THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME WITH NO WARNING TO STOP. TOOK TO DEALER...THEY SAID THEY KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, BUT ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO FIX UNLESS THEY CAN DUPLICATE. WE ASKED THEY HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST IF WE WANTED TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. THEY SAID THEY CANNOT GIVE US A PRICE BECAUSE IT'S UNDER WARRANTY...?!? PROBLEM UNRESOLVED!!! 10/05 PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME ON THE FREEWAY. DEALER SAID BRING IT BACK AND WE'LL LOOK AT IT YET AGAIN! WE ASKED FOR OUR MONEY BACK AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD BUY IT BACK AT A FRACTION OF WHAT WE PAID. LEFT UNRESOLVED...LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVE WAY TO GET OUR MONEY BACK. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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