1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE Complaints

VEHICLE HAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, HEADLIGHTS AND POWER WINDOWS DO NOT WORK. *AK

THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, SUCH AS THE HEADLIGHTS AND THE POWER WINDOWS MALFUNCTIONING. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT HEADLIGHT WENT OUT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC TOLD HIM HE NEEDED A NEW HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY.*AK

JUNE 19, 2000 - DRIVING AT 40 MPH AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A ROCK HAD HIT THE PASSENGER SIDE. NO DAMAGE FOUND UPON INSPECTION. SHORTLY AFTER, PUT PASSENGER WINDOW DOWN AND IT SOUNDED BAD, POWER WINDOW FAILED TO CLOSE. *AK

THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP "MIL" COMES ON ALL THE TIME AND STAYS ON. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALERSHIP SEVEN TIMES. HE HASN'T SOLVED THE PROBLEM.*AK THE YELLOW LIGHT CAME ON AND WENT OUT SEVERAL TIMES AT DIFFERENT MILEAGE. THE DEALER KEPT TELLING THE CUSTOMER IT IS OKEY TO DRIVE IT. BUT THE CUSTOMER DOES NOT FEEL SAFE. *YH

DEALER REFUSES TO SCHEDULE PROMPT REPAIR FOR CURRENT HEADLIGHT FAILURE (REQUEST 5-10 DAYS); CURRENT HEADLIGHT FAILURE INCLUDES PERMANENT FAILURE OF LEFT HEADLIGHT AND INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF BOTH HEADLIGHTS; CONSUMER REPORTS REPORTS 1998 NEW BEETLE AS "USED CAR TO AVOID" (APRIL 2000ISSUE, P. 75); NEW BEETLE WEBSITE CONDUCTED SURVEY OF OWNERS OF 1998 MODEL - 55 PERCENT REPORT TROUBLE WITH THE CAR, 90 PERCENT OF WHICH IS ELECTRICAL; A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR 1998 BEETLES MANUFACTURED IN FIRST HALF OF 1998 BECAUSE OF FAULTY WIRING THAT COULD CAUSE FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT (WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF A RECALL); THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS OF BEETLE OWNERS REGARDING VW CONSUMER SERVICE; WE HAVE RECEIVED SUBSTANDARD SERVICE FROM OUR DEALER, INCLUDING ONE REPAIR ON A FAILED HEADLIGHT THAT WAS NOT PERFORMED AS STATED, FORCING US TO RETURN THE CAR. *AK

VEHICLE HAS HAD CONTINUED PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION OPERATION AND SHIFTING, REPLACEMENT OF THE SPEED SENSOR,THROTTLE CABLE AND TCM WIRING RECTIFIED PROBLEMS. *MJS

ELECTICAL WIRING LOCATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE BATTERY TRAY CAUSING THE WIRE TO DAMAGE (RECALL-98V-100), OWNER IS NOT SATISFIED WITH VEHICLE WITH THIS DEFECT. YH

CAR DAMAGED BY DEALER DURING MAINTENANCE. DAMAGE IS PREVALENT TO VW DESIGN AND IS EVIDENT ON A NUMBER OF CARS (VARIOUS OWNERS & VARIOUS DEALERS). IS THIS A DESIGN FLAW? VWOA HAS REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE OR ISSUE A SAFETY/MAINTENANCE BULLETIN TO CAUTION SERVICE PERSONNEL ABOUT IMPROVER LIFTING OF THE CAR. THIS HAS DAMAGED THE CARS FRAME. SEE THE FOLLOWING FOR AN EXAMPLE OF THE DAMAGE: HTTP://WWW.GEOCITIES.COM/MOTORCITY/DOWNS/5610/BEETLE.HTML - THANK YOU. *AK

WHEN TRAVELING UP AN INCLINE VEHICLE STARTED JERKING. VEHICLE CUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, CAUSING IT TO ROLL BACKWARDS. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. ALSO, RECALL 98V100000 DID NOT INCLUDE THIS VEHICLE. *AK