2002 Volkswagen Beetle

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED TO FUNCTION. IN ADDITION, THE POWER WINDOWS, TURN SIGNALS, HEADLIGHTS, AIR CONDITIONER AND DEFROSTER WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THE BRAKE AND ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS WERE ALSO ILLUMINATED AND THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURES OCCURRED AT THE SAME TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS OR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

SEAT BELT/AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK TO LOCAL, QUALIFIED MECHANIC. THEY SAID ONLY VW DEALER COULD FIX AND RESET. DEALER SAID IT WAS LOWER SEAT BELT HARNESS ($380), BUT COULD BE MORE (ABOVE $800) AND THE SERVICE WRITER ENCOURAGED US TO DO THE MORE EXPENSIVE WORK. TOLD THEM TO DO THE HARNESS AND SEE IF LIGHT WOULD GO OUT, WHICH IT DID. LIGHT CAME BACK ON AROUND 12/10/2010 AT APPROXIMATELY 79,000 MILES. JUST PRIOR TO THIS, WE PURCHASED ANOTHER VW BEETLE, A 2003 CONVERTIBLE WITH 69,500 MILES WITH THE SEAT BELT/AIRBAG LIGHT ON. SELLER SAID HE COULD NOT GET IT FIXED BY HIS MECHANIC AND HAD TO HAVE VW DEALER REPAIR IT FOR AROUND "$380", MAYBE MORE. SINCE HE MADE OTHER REPAIRS, WE LET IT GO. NOW WE HAVE TWO TO FIX AT THE MERCY OF THE VW DEALER. MY CONCERNS ARE SEVERAL: 1. THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM FOR US AND FOR NUMEROUS OTHERS (VW BEETLE FORUM) 2. THE REPAIRS CAN ONLY BE COMPLETED BY A HIGH COST VW DEALER AND THE COMPUTER RESET BY THEM ONLY 3. THE MATERIALS APPEAR TO BE DEFICIENT/DEFECTIVE AND THE ENGINEERING OF THE HARNESS/WIRING SYSTEM SUBSTANDARD 4. REPAIRS NEED TO BE MADE IN THE 60-85,000 MILE RANGE - A CONTRIVED MAINTENANCE/REPAIR ITEM THAT BRINGS WINDFALL REVENUE/PROFIT TO VW DEALERS IN THE $400-1,000 RANGE PER OCCURRENCE WHEN MANY OF THE CARS ARE WORTH ONLY $4,000-7,000. 5. SINCE IT IS A BASIC SAFETY ITEM AND WE DON'T KNOW IF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WORKS OR NOT, WE ARE FORCED TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT MAKES US APPEAR AS IF WE ARE NEGLIGENT WHEN IN FACT THIS PROBLEM SHOULD NOT EXIST AND BE COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER LIKE EMISSION SYSTEMS TO WELL PAST 100-150,000 MILES. IN SUMMARY, VW HAS COLLUDED WITH ITS DEALERS TO CREATE THIS SITUATION AND ALLOW THIS "REPAIR" TO EMERGE AS A WAY TO GENERATE REVENUES AND PROFITS ON CARS THAT WOULD NORMALLY NOT HAVE A REASON TO BE BROUGHT IN TO A VW DEALER. IT IS NON-COMPETITIVE, FRAUDULENT AND UNNECESSARY.

SERIOUS ELECTRICAL LONG TERM QUALITY ISSUES, STARTING WITH UNDER HOOD WIRING FOR GLOW PLUGS MELTED AWAY, AIR BAG/SEAT BELT WIRING BROKE/FAILED, SEAT HEATER FAILED, PASSENGER DOOR SWITCH FAILED, TURN SIGNAL BULB HOLDER FAILED, REPEATED HEAD LAMP AND TAIL LIGHT FAILURES, ALTERNATOR PULLEY CLUTCH FAILED(EXPLODED) FACTORY ALARM PROBLEMS - JUST SETS OFF, AIR BACK LIGHT ON DASH ON, SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ON. *TR

2002 VW BEETLE TURBO 1.8 WHILE DRIVING THE RED LIGHT SENSOR WOULD COME ON STATING MY CAR WAS OVERHEATING. NOTHING WAS LEAKING, SENSORS WERE REPLACED A FEW MONTHS PRIOR DUE TO THE SAME ISSUE ALONG WITH A RING AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THE RED LIGHT FLASHES THEN ABOUT 2 MILES LATER THE OIL LIGHT GOES ON AND IF THE CAR IS NOT PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY THEN YOU RISK ENGINE DAMAGE. THE ENTIRE ENGINE IS MADE UP OF PLASTIC PARTS PRETTY MUCH WHICH CRACK AND MELT VERY EASY WHEN HEAT GETS TO THEM. SO NOW AFTER SPENDING MONEY ON WATER PUMPS, ASSEMBLIES, HOSES, SENSORS WHICH TOTAL OVER 3K IT IS NOW AN ISSUE ONCE AGAIN AND THE CAR IS UNDRIVABLE. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS VEHICLE. ALSO MY IGNITER COILS WERE REPLACED 8 TIMES (2X EACH ONE) PRIOR TO A RECALL AND THEY DO NOT REIMBURSE YOU ALL THE MONIES SPENT. NOW THERE IS A RECALL IN MY SUNROOF WHICH THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT FIX SINCE THE WATER DAMAGE IS ALREADY AFFECTING THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE. SO WITH ALL OF MY RECEIPTS NOT INCLUDING RENTAL CARS FOR REPAIRS ONLY I HAVE INVESTED OVER 6K IN A CAR WORTH LESS AND I DOUBT NO ONE WILL PAY TO TAKE IT OFF MY HANDS WHICH WILL LEAVE A SINGLE MOTHER CAR LESS. *TR

2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. ALTERNATOR, WIRING HARNESS, FUSE BLOCK AND BATTERY ALL WENT BAD. MELTED PARTS (WIRE AND FUSE BLOCK), WHICH INDICATES HIGH CURRENT DRAW AND POTENTIAL FOR FIRE, CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY. VW SAYS ISOLATED ISSUE, WEB SEARCH SAYS A DIFFERENT STORY. CALL VW CUSTOMER CARE, LOGGED A CASE, DEAD END. I'M SURE IT'S THEIR ISSUE HOWEVER THEY WON'T ADMIT AND INSTEAD WE GET A $1500 BILL. *TR

OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS, I HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS SHIFTING IN BETWEEN GEARS. THE PROBLEM BEGAN ON A ROAD TRIP TO HOUSTON, TX AND WAS STUCK ON A BACK HIGHWAY IN LOW GEAR IN THE MIDDLE ON NOWHERE. AFTER BRINGING THE CAR TO A STOP AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE IT WORKED FOR SOME TIME BUT THE ISSUE PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS. I LIVE IN NACOGDOCHES, TX WHERE THERE ARE MANY HILLS THROUGHOUT TOWN, THIS PAST FRIDAY ON MY WAY HOME FROM SCHOOL MY CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS AND I COULD NOT GET OVER THE HILLS. ANOTHER CAR CAME OVER THE HILL AND ALMOST HIT ME AS THE SPEED LIMIT IS 55 MPH IN THAT AREA AND MY CAR WAS NOT EVEN MOVING AS I HIT OVER 6000 RPM AND I COULD NOT MOVE FORWARD TO CLIMB THE HILL. NOW THE VEHICLE WILL NOT EVEN MOVE FORWARD ONCE IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY DRIVEWAY, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE RESTARTED. *TR

I OWN A 2002 BEETLE. IT HAS 55,000 MILES ON IT. TWO MONTHS AGO THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND WON'T GO OFF. NOW, THE TURN SIGNALS WON'T WORK. TO ADD TO THIS ONCE IN AWHILE THE SUN ROOF WILL OPEN ON IT'S OWN!!! THE DEALER SAID IT WILL COST ABOUT $650 TO FIX. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WITH ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. THE COMPLETE LIGHTING SYSTEM WENT OUT, THE SECURITY DOOR LOCK SYSTEM STOPPED, THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS QUIT WORKING, BOTH WINDOWS HAVE STOPPED GOING UP AND DOWN. A COUPLE OF TIMES THE ENGINE WON'T START AND THREE TIMES IT WILL JUST SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING. THIS CAR HAS A MIND OF IT'S OWN. LUCKILY NO ONE HAS BEEN HURT YET. SOME OF THIS HAS BEEN RECALLED AND SOME NOT. *TR

I HAVE HAD MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS REPLACED TWICE, AND THE LAST TIME WAS AT A VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP. WHILE DRIVING DURING A TWO-DAY 18 HOUR ROAD TRIP IN VARYING HEAVINESS OF RAIN, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING DURING A DOWNPOUR ON A HIGHWAY. THEY FROZE MID WIPE CAUSING A TEMPORARY LACK OF VISIBILITY AND POTENTIALLY A FATAL CRASH. AFTER TURNING THEM OFF FOR A MINUTE THEY STARTED WORKING AGAIN. HAD THIS PROBABLY SEVERAL HOURS LATER AND AGAIN THE NEXT MORNING AFTER THEY HAD BEEN OFF FOR OVER 12 HOURS. THIS EXACT PROBLEM (STOPPED WINDSHIELD WIPERS) DID NOT OCCUR AGAIN. HOWEVER ON JANUARY 17TH, 2009, AFTER USING WIPERS CONTINUOUSLY DURING A CALM RAIN STORM FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT 30 MINUTES, THE WIPERS WOULD NOT TURN OFF. WHEN THE WIPERS WERE PLACED IN THE OFF POSITION THEY CONTINUE TO WIPE BACK AND FORTH RATHER QUICKLY. THE OTHER SPEED SETTINGS WORK FINE. THEN, AFTER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE AND REMOVING THE KEY AND STARTING THE CAR UP AGAIN, THE WIPERS WOULD NOT CONTINUE WHILE IN THE OFF POSITION, BUT AFTER TURNING THEM ON ONCE THEY WILL NOT GO OFF. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN SOLVED AND A VOLKSWAGEN SPECIALIST IN AUSTIN, TX (WHERE I ENDED UP AFTER MY TRIP) HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE ISSUE. *TR

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT IN AND THEY SAID IT IS CAUSED BY A BAD WIRING HARNESS IN THE DRIVERS SEAT, SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE SEATBELT LATCH. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT WORK IF THE LIGHT IS ON. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A MANUFACTURER DEFECT! THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS, YET VW HAS YET TO RECALL THIS PART. ARE THEY WAITING UNTIL SOMEONE DIES? *TR

2002 VW BEETLE WOULD DRAIN ALL BATTERY POWER PARKED MORE THAN A FEW DAYS. IT WAS RETURNED TO DEALER UNDER WARRANTY SEVERAL TIMES. OWNER SELF DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS RADIO KEEP ALIVE POWER WAS PULLING EXCESSIVE CURRENT DUE TO INTERNAL RADIO FAULT. THE RADIO WAS REPLACED AND SOLVED THE ISSUE. IT TOOK AT LEAST 4 VISITS TO THE DEALER TO GET THIS RESOLVED. *TR