REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW HAS FALLEN DOWN AND THE DEALER WANTS AROUND $1,000 TO REPAIR IT. OUR THERMOSTAT WENT OUT LAST WEEK AND COST US $315 FOR JUST THAT, AND THEN THE NEXT DAY OUR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HINGE BROKE. THE CAR HAS AROUND 70,000 MILES ON IT AND THINGS KEEP GOING WRONG EVERY WEEK! I LOVED THIS CAR BUT THE WAY IT IS…
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REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW HAS FALLEN DOWN AND THE DEALER WANTS AROUND $1,000 TO REPAIR IT. OUR THERMOSTAT WENT OUT LAST WEEK AND COST US $315 FOR JUST THAT, AND THEN THE NEXT DAY OUR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HINGE BROKE. THE CAR HAS AROUND 70,000 MILES ON IT AND THINGS KEEP GOING WRONG EVERY WEEK! I LOVED THIS CAR BUT THE WAY IT IS GOING I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER VW PRODUCT (EVEN THOUGH I OWNED 2 IN THE PAST). *TR
NHTSA ODI #10202772
42,000 miles · Sep 10, 2007
Visibility
2003 NEW BEETLE WINDOWS CONTINUE TO FAIL REAR WINDOW FAILED VW WANTS $900 TO REPAIR STUCK IN DOWN POSITION FRONT WINDOW FAILED WANTS $700 FOR REPAIR I HAD THEM FIXED DURING WARRANTY AT LEAST 10 TIMES, I DON'T THINK THEY EVER GET FIXED THEY JUST KEEP BRAKING AND NOW THEY WANT ME TO PAY? *TR
NHTSA ODI #10202460
Mileage unknown · Sep 10, 2007
Visibility
IN 2006 MY RIGHT REAR WINDOW STOPPED WORKING, LUCKILY THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND THE ISSUE WAS FIXED AT NO CHARGE. LAST WEEK THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW BEGAN HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, AND IS NOW AT THE DEALERSHIP AND WILL LIKELY COST ME AT LEAST $900. I HAVE LOOKED AT ONLINE MESSAGE BOARDS AND FOUND THIS TO BE A …
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IN 2006 MY RIGHT REAR WINDOW STOPPED WORKING, LUCKILY THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND THE ISSUE WAS FIXED AT NO CHARGE. LAST WEEK THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW BEGAN HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, AND IS NOW AT THE DEALERSHIP AND WILL LIKELY COST ME AT LEAST $900. I HAVE LOOKED AT ONLINE MESSAGE BOARDS AND FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2003 VW NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE, AND FEEL THAT VW SHOULD BE PAYING FOR THIS, NOT CAR OWNERS. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10202385
Mileage unknown · Sep 6, 2007
Visibility
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WOULD ROLL DOWN AND BECOME STUCK. THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH WINDOW MOTORS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SIX OCCASIONS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
NHTSA ODI #10202028
44,000 miles · May 21, 2007
Visibility
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH WINDOWS THAT ROLL DOWN SLIGHTLY WHEN THE DOOR IS AJAR AND ROLL BACK UP WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED. HOWEVER, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THIS FEATURE FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. THE CONTACT HAD THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW MOTOR REPLACED, …
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH WINDOWS THAT ROLL DOWN SLIGHTLY WHEN THE DOOR IS AJAR AND ROLL BACK UP WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED. HOWEVER, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THIS FEATURE FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. THE CONTACT HAD THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW MOTOR REPLACED, BUT A FEW WEEKS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. OFTENTIMES, THE CONTACT WOULD HEAR WIND NOISE WHILE DRIVING OR WATER WOULD ENTER INTO THE VEHICLE. CURRENTLY, THE VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE VIN AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 44,000.
VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING 76,900 MY 2004-2005 NEW BEETLE AND MY 2003-2005 NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED (DUAL-STAGE) AIR BAG SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM MAY HAVE AIR BAG FRONTAL CRASH SENSORS THAT CONTAIN A SOLDER JOINT ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD THAT MAY CRACK UNDER CERTAIN HIGH TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS. IF THIS OCCURS, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE AND THE FALLBACK ALGORITHM WILL ENSURE THAT THE FRONT AIR BAGS ALWAYS DEPLOY IN A FRONTAL CRASH IN WHICH THE VEHICLE'S DECELERATION IS HIGH ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN LOW-SEVERITY FRONTAL IMPACTS, THE FRONT AIR BAGS MAY DEPLOY MORE FORCEFULLY THAN DESIGNED, INCREASING THE POSSIBILITY OF INJURY TO OUT-OF-POSITION FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT EACH VEHICLE TO DETERMINE THAT THE SPECIFIC DEFECT CRASH SENSOR IS PRESENT ON ONE OR BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. ALL OF THE DEFECT CRASH SENSORS WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JULY 31, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.
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 APRIL 27, 2007, AND WILL BE CONDUCTED IN SEVERAL STAGGERED MAILINGS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21, 2007. 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 ↗
NHTSA investigations
1
PE08012 · Front Air Bag Crash Sensor Failure
Opened Feb 15, 2008 · Closed Apr 24, 2008
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
CERTAIN SUBJECT VEHICLES, MODEL YEAR (MY) 2003 CONVERTIBLE AND MY 2004 SEDAN AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED DUAL-STAGE AIR BAG SYSTEM.THE AIR BAG CRASH SENSORS (#1F0 909 606) CONTAIN A SOLDER JOINT ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD THAT MAY CRACK UNDER CERTAIN HIGH TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS.IF THIS OCCURS, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE AND THE CONTROL MODULE WILL ENABLE A FALLBACK ALGORITHM THAT WILL ENSURE THAT THE FRONT AIR BAG ALWAYS DEPLOYS IN A FRONTAL CRASH IN WHICH THE VEHICLE'S DECELERATION IS HIGH ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS.HOWEVER, IN LOW-SEVERITY FRONTAL IMPACTS, THE FRONT AIR BAGS MAY DEPLOY MORE FORCEFULLY THAN DESIGNED, INCREASING THE POSSIBILITY OF INJURY TO OUT-OF-POSITION FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS.VOLKSWAGEN WILL INSPECT FOR THE DEFECTIVE CRASH SENSOR AND REPLACE WITH AN UPDATED DESIGN.IN ADDITION, 16,177 EARLY-MY 2005 NEW BEETLE SEDAN AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES (BUILT THROUGH OCT 31, 2004) ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN.THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION IS CLOSED (SEE RECALL 08V-178)
2003 Volkswagen Beetle Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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