2002 Volkswagen Beetle

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 75MPH, THE TRANSMISSION INDEPENDENTLY DOWNSHIFTED YET THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS. THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY DECELERATED FROM 75 TO 15 MPH WITHIN SECONDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION REAR DIFFERENTIAL GEAR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MECHANIC ALSO ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

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

OUR 2002 VW TRANSMISSION WENT OUT @ 75,000 MILES WITH NO NOTICE. JUST ONE DAY IT WOULD NOT BACK UP. THEN IT WAS ALMOST LIKE IT JUMPED INTO REVERSE AND THEN WHEN WE PUT IT IN DRIVE YOU COULD JUST TELL IT WAS NOT RIGHT. WE LIMPED IT AROUND FROM PLACE TO PLACE GETTING OPINIONS ON WHAT WAS WRONG AND GETTING ESTIMATES ON REPAIR. HAD ONE GARAGE TAKE THE COVER OFF SIDE OF TRANSMISSION SEEING METAL SHAVINGS WAS WHEN WE GOT IT REPLACED. THAT REPLACEMENT LASTED A TOTAL OF 3 DAYS, IT WAS USED WITH ONLY 23000 MILES ON IT AND ONLY LASTED 3 DAYS. IT JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF ROAD AND WOULD NO GO INTO ANY GEAR. REPLACED THAT ONE WITH ANOTHER ( BOTH WERE FDF TRANSMISSIONS) AND NOW THE SPEEDOMETER IS OFF X 8-13 MPH, THE RPM ARE RUNNING HIGH AROUND 2800 TO 3000 @ 55 -60 MPH. FUEL MILEAGE IS DOWN CUT IN HALF. HAVE TAKEN IT TO A VW DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO CODES ANYWHERE AND THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG OR WHY THESE PROBLEMS WERE HAPPENING. THIS TELLS ME THERE IS A BIG PROBLEM SOMEWHERE WITH VW TRANSMISSIONS AND SOMEONE NEEDS TO INQUIRE INTO THIS. THE INTERNET IS FULL OF VW TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *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

I'M IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING MY SECOND DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH (THE FEMALE END THAT THE BELT ATTACHES TO) ON MY 2002 VW NEW BEETLE. THIS FAILURE TRIGGERS THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE FIRST SEAT BELT LATCH WAS REPLACED IN APRIL OF 2007; NOW, THREE YEARS LATER, THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AGAIN AND THE ERROR CODE INDICATES THE SAME ISSUE, SO I'M FORCED TO REPLACE THE SAME PART AGAIN. FROM MY READING VW NEW BEETLE FORUMS, THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL YEAR. AT THE VERY LEAST YOU'D THINK VW WOULD RE-DESIGN THE PART TO ELIMINATE THE ISSUE SO IT ONLY HAS TO BE REPLACED ONE TIME. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 VW NEW BEETLE WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THAT HAS FAILED WITH 220,000 MILES ON IT. IT BEGAN TO SLIP AND NOT DOWN SHIFT PROPERLY AT 170,000 MILES. IT IS A DIESEL AND I EXPECT THE ENGINE WILL CONTINUE TO PERFORM FOR ANOTHER 3 TO 400 THOUSAND MILES. HAS VW BEEN HONEST WITH THE CONSUMER ABOUT ITS TRACK HISTORY OF TRANSMISSION FAILURES IN THE NEW BEETLE? PLEASE ADD MY NEW BEETLE TO THE LIST OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COMPLAINTS. *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

AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, I STOPPED AT A REDLIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, MY CAR ACTED LIKE IT DID NOT HAVE A LOT OF POWER AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO 2ND AND 3RD GEARS WITHOUT OVER REVVING. WHENEVER I SLOWED BACK DOWN, THE CAR ABRUPTLY AND SEVERELY DOWNSHIFTS. THE SHIFT IS HARD ENOUGH THAT IT SLINGS ME FORWARD. I FEAR THAT I WILL SOON BE REARENDED BECAUSE OF THIS. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE MY CAR. THIS OCCURRENCE HAPPENS SPORADICALLY AND I CAN'T GET IT FIXED UNTIL A MECHANIC WITNESSES IT HAPPENING. *TR