I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING FOR A RELIABLE AND ECONOMICAL CAR. I HAVE BEEN VERY DISAPPOINTED. THIS CAR BURNS OIL AT AN UNBELIEVABLE RATE. I CANNOT RELY ON IT AND DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE IT OUT OF TOWN. I AM NOW KEEPING JUMPER CABLES IN THE HATCH BECAUSE OF CONSTANT BATTERY PROBLEMS. THE RADIO IS NOT WORKING.…
Read full complaint
I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING FOR A RELIABLE AND ECONOMICAL CAR. I HAVE BEEN VERY DISAPPOINTED. THIS CAR BURNS OIL AT AN UNBELIEVABLE RATE. I CANNOT RELY ON IT AND DO NOT WANT TO DRIVE IT OUT OF TOWN. I AM NOW KEEPING JUMPER CABLES IN THE HATCH BECAUSE OF CONSTANT BATTERY PROBLEMS. THE RADIO IS NOT WORKING. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED A REGULATOR (WINDOW) ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND IT HAS BROKEN AGAIN. LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER IT WAS REPLACED. SEVERAL DEALERSHIPS TOLD ME THAT THEY COULDN'T GET ME IN TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR 2 WEEKS - MY WINDOW WAS STUCK DOWN INSIDE OF THE DOOR AND WOULD NOT ROLL UP. THE WAITING TIME FOR AN APPT AT A DEALER SHOULD BE AN INDICATION THAT THE ARE NOT PRODUCING QUALITY VEHICLES. THE WARRANTY PERIOD IS TOO SHORT. THE PROBLEMS SEEM TO ALL HAPPEN AFTER THE WARRANTY IS UP. IS THAT HOW LONG THEY EXPECTED TO LAST - 2 YEARS?I HAVE BEEN VERY DISAPOINTED.*AK
NHTSA ODI #744238
Mileage unknown · Mar 18, 2001
Electrical System
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #742632
Mileage unknown · Dec 1, 2000
Electrical System
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH COMPUTER SHUTTING DOWN ENGINE AFTER REPLACING BATTERY. COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE RECODED. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THIS WARNING WAS NOT LISTED IN OWNER'S MANUAL WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
NHTSA ODI #875853
Mileage unknown · Sep 7, 2000
Electrical SystemFire
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 PER…
Read full complaint
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
NHTSA ODI #869951
Mileage unknown · Aug 10, 2000
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingEquipment
BATTERY WAS CRACKED CAUSING ACID TO LEAK ONTO POWER STEERING RESERVOIR. *SLC
NHTSA ODI #553633
Mileage unknown · Jan 27, 2000
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH VEHICLE WILL STALL WITHOUT A WARNING, AND WHEN CONSUMER TRIED TO START THE ENGINE AGAIN, IT WON'T START. FAILURE DUE TO RELAY PART WHICH WAS REPLACED BY DEALER. *AK *ML
NHTSA ODI #855637
Mileage unknown · Oct 19, 1999
Electrical SystemFire
ELECTRICAL HARNESS BEHIND THE DASHBOARD FAILED RESULTING IN VEHICLE FIRE. *MJS
NHTSA ODI #549104
Mileage unknown · Aug 2, 1999
Electrical System
WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER. CONSUMER HAS TO RESET THE COMPUTER, AND START THE VEHICLE BACK UP AGAIN. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN. *AK
NHTSA ODI #844099
Mileage unknown · Jun 3, 1999
Electrical SystemFire
PLEASE SEE PHOTO'S AT HTTP://WWW.CRIVELLI.COM/BEETLE.HTM. THIS CAR JUST EXPLODED INTO FLAMES WITHOUT ANY WARNING. VOLKSWAGEN ADMITS CAR IS DEFECTIVE AND IS TAKING VEHICLE TO MEXICO. *AK
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC OR MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND CRUISE CONTROLS, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ON THESE VEHICLES MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY DURING SAFETY RECALLS 03V-265 OR 04V-096.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE BRAKE LIGHTS COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE, OR REMAIN ON. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE PROPER SIGNAL WHEN BRAKING COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE NEWLY DESIGNED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 27, 2006. VEHICLES WITHIN THE MAKE, MODEL, AND MODEL YEAR OF THIS POPULATION MAY BE INVOLVED IN EITHER THIS RECALL OR 06V-183, BUT NOT BOTH. THE REMEDY IS THE SAME FOR EACH RECALL. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERS WILL APPLY THE REMEDY BASED ON THE VIN NUMBER OF THE VEHICLE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
BY LETTERS DATED MAY 24, 2006 AND AUGUST 4, 2006, VOLKSWAGEN (VW) NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA RECALL NO 06V-183) INVOLVING MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998-2002 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE AND 1999-2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE CONTROL.VOLKSWAGEN?S RECALL COVERS 646,246 VEHICLES.PREVIOUSLY, VW RECALLED THESE VEHICLES TO REPLACE A DEFECTIVE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH (RECALLS 03V-265 AND 04V-096) THAT WAS UNIQUE TO VEHICLES WITH CRUISE CONTROL.VOLKSWAGEN REPORTS THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY DURING RECALLS 03V-265 AND 04V-096.VOLKSWAGEN WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH.BASED ON VOLKSWAGEN'S SAFETY RECALL ACTION, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
BY LETTERS DATED MAY 24, 2006 AND AUGUST 4, 2006, VOLKSWAGEN (VW) NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA RECALL NO 06V-183) INVOLVING MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998-2002 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE AND 1999-2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE CONTROL.VOLKSWAGEN?S RECALL COVERS 646,246 VEHICLES.PREVIOUSLY, VW RECALLED THESE VEHICLES TO REPLACE A DEFECTIVE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH (RECALLS 03V-265 AND 04V-096) THAT WAS UNIQUE TO VEHICLES WITH CRUISE CONTROL.VOLKSWAGEN REPORTS THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY DURING RECALLS 03V-265 AND 04V-096.VOLKSWAGEN WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH.BASED ON VOLKSWAGEN'S SAFETY RECALL ACTION, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.
Exterior Lighting:brake Lights
BY LETTERS DATED MAY 24, 2006 AND AUGUST 4, 2006, VOLKSWAGEN (VW) NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA RECALL NO 06V-183) INVOLVING MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998-2002 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE AND 1999-2002 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE CONTROL.VOLKSWAGEN?S RECALL COVERS 646,246 VEHICLES.PREVIOUSLY, VW RECALLED THESE VEHICLES TO REPLACE A DEFECTIVE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH (RECALLS 03V-265 AND 04V-096) THAT WAS UNIQUE TO VEHICLES WITH CRUISE CONTROL.VOLKSWAGEN REPORTS THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY DURING RECALLS 03V-265 AND 04V-096.VOLKSWAGEN WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH.BASED ON VOLKSWAGEN'S SAFETY RECALL ACTION, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.
THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH USED IN CRUISE CONTROL EQUIPPED MY 1998-1999 AND ALL MY 2000 AND LATER MODELS HAS UNDERGONE MULTIPLE REVISIONS.ANALYSIS OF WARRANTY AND COMPLAINT DATA INDICATES HIGH REPLACEMENT RATES OCCURRED IN VEHICLES BUILT WITH BRAKE SWITCH PART NUMBERS 1J0 945 511A AND 1J0 945 511B, THE ORIGINAL AND FIRST REVISION LEVELS, RESPECTIVELY.THE FAILURE OF THE SWITCH COULD RESULT IN FAILURE OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, OR COULD CAUSE THE BRAKE LAMPS TO STAY CONTINUALLY ILLUMINATED.EITHER CONDITION RESULTS IN THE INABILITY OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOTIFY OTHER MOTORISTS OF VEHICLE BRAKING.UNDER SAFETY RECALL 03V-265, VOLKSWAGEN WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ON ALL VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH NOVEMBER 2001.ANY AFFECTED SWITCH WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE WITH THE MOST CURRENT VERSION, PART NUMBER 1J0 945 511D.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH USED IN CRUISE CONTROL EQUIPPED MY 1998-1999 AND ALL MY 2000 AND LATER MODELS HAS UNDERGONE MULTIPLE REVISIONS.ANALYSIS OF WARRANTY AND COMPLAINT DATA INDICATES HIGH REPLACEMENT RATES OCCURRED IN VEHICLES BUILT WITH BRAKE SWITCH PART NUMBERS 1J0 945 511A AND 1J0 945 511B, THE ORIGINAL AND FIRST REVISION LEVELS, RESPECTIVELY.THE FAILURE OF THE SWITCH COULD RESULT IN FAILURE OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, OR COULD CAUSE THE BRAKE LAMPS TO STAY CONTINUALLY ILLUMINATED.EITHER CONDITION RESULTS IN THE INABILITY OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOTIFY OTHER MOTORISTS OF VEHICLE BRAKING.UNDER SAFETY RECALL 03V-265, VOLKSWAGEN WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ON ALL VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH NOVEMBER 2001.ANY AFFECTED SWITCH WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE WITH THE MOST CURRENT VERSION, PART NUMBER 1J0 945 511D.
Exterior Lighting:brake Lights
THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH USED IN CRUISE CONTROL EQUIPPED MY 1998-1999 AND ALL MY 2000 AND LATER MODELS HAS UNDERGONE MULTIPLE REVISIONS.ANALYSIS OF WARRANTY AND COMPLAINT DATA INDICATES HIGH REPLACEMENT RATES OCCURRED IN VEHICLES BUILT WITH BRAKE SWITCH PART NUMBERS 1J0 945 511A AND 1J0 945 511B, THE ORIGINAL AND FIRST REVISION LEVELS, RESPECTIVELY.THE FAILURE OF THE SWITCH COULD RESULT IN FAILURE OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, OR COULD CAUSE THE BRAKE LAMPS TO STAY CONTINUALLY ILLUMINATED.EITHER CONDITION RESULTS IN THE INABILITY OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOTIFY OTHER MOTORISTS OF VEHICLE BRAKING.UNDER SAFETY RECALL 03V-265, VOLKSWAGEN WILL INSPECT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ON ALL VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH NOVEMBER 2001.ANY AFFECTED SWITCH WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE WITH THE MOST CURRENT VERSION, PART NUMBER 1J0 945 511D.
THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH USED IN NEW BEETLE IS ALSO SPECIFIED IN GOLF AND JETTA MODELS.ONE TYPE OF SWITCH IS USED ON CRUISE EQUIPPED MODELS, A SECOND TYPE IS USED ON NON-CRUISE MODELS.VW REPORTS 86 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND 2575 WARRANTY CLAIMS OF INOPERATIVE BRAKE LIGHTS, THE MAJORITY OF WHICH ARE RELATED TO THE BRAKE SWITCH.TWO OF THE VW COMPLAINTS INVOLVE FAILURES THAT WERE ALSO REPORTED TO ODI.ADDITIONALLY, OVER 100,000 BRAKE SWITCH SERVICE COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN SOLD UNDER 4 DIFFERENT PART NUMBERS.THE INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH USED IN NEW BEETLE IS ALSO SPECIFIED IN GOLF AND JETTA MODELS.ONE TYPE OF SWITCH IS USED ON CRUISE EQUIPPED MODELS, A SECOND TYPE IS USED ON NON-CRUISE MODELS.VW REPORTS 86 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND 2575 WARRANTY CLAIMS OF INOPERATIVE BRAKE LIGHTS, THE MAJORITY OF WHICH ARE RELATED TO THE BRAKE SWITCH.TWO OF THE VW COMPLAINTS INVOLVE FAILURES THAT WERE ALSO REPORTED TO ODI.ADDITIONALLY, OVER 100,000 BRAKE SWITCH SERVICE COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN SOLD UNDER 4 DIFFERENT PART NUMBERS.THE INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS.
Exterior Lighting
THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH USED IN NEW BEETLE IS ALSO SPECIFIED IN GOLF AND JETTA MODELS.ONE TYPE OF SWITCH IS USED ON CRUISE EQUIPPED MODELS, A SECOND TYPE IS USED ON NON-CRUISE MODELS.VW REPORTS 86 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND 2575 WARRANTY CLAIMS OF INOPERATIVE BRAKE LIGHTS, THE MAJORITY OF WHICH ARE RELATED TO THE BRAKE SWITCH.TWO OF THE VW COMPLAINTS INVOLVE FAILURES THAT WERE ALSO REPORTED TO ODI.ADDITIONALLY, OVER 100,000 BRAKE SWITCH SERVICE COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN SOLD UNDER 4 DIFFERENT PART NUMBERS.THE INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS.
1999 Volkswagen Beetle Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
Illustration