2006 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE REGULATOR BAND REPAIR KIT WAS REPLACED. MOST RECENTLY, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS \BEING REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,904.

MY 2006 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE HAS HAD 4 FAILURES OF THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. ACCORDING TO VOLKSWAGEN CERTIFIED DEALERSHIPS, THE PART THAT KEEPS FAILING IS A SENSOR IN THE SEATBELT. WHEN THIS SENSOR MALFUNCTIONS THE ENTIRE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS RENDERED USELESS. IT GOES OFF RANDOMLY, WITH NO TRAUMA OR INCIDENT TO THE VEHICLE. THE PART COSTS MORE THAN $600 TO FIX. I HAVE HAD IT REPAIRED IN 2008, 2010, 2013 AND NOW THE SAME PART HAS FAILED AGAIN. EACH TIME IT WENT OUT IT WAS WITHIN A YEAR OF THE PREVIOUS FAILURE, ALTHOUGH UNTIL RECENTLY I DID NOT REALIZE THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WAS DISABLED - I WAITED TO TAKE IT IN BECAUSE OF THE INCONVENIENCE. THE LIGHT ALSO RANDOMLY TURNS OFF ONE OUT OF EVERY 10-15 DRIVES. THE VOLKSWAGEN REGIONAL CASE MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT - DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE PART IS CLEARLY FAULTY AND HAS CONTINUOUSLY FAILED DUE TO NO FAULT OF MY OWN OR ANY FACTORS I COULD CONTROL - THEY WILL NOT REPLACE IT AND EXPECT ME TO PAY THE COST FOR THE YEARLY/BI-YEARLY FAILURE BECAUSE MY CAR HAS 102,000 MILES ON IT. THE FAILURE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MILEAGE AND THE SAME PROBLEM WAS FIXED MULTIPLE TIMES WHEN THE CAR HAD LOWER MILEAGE. (PLUS, I PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY TO 100,000) THIS PART CLEARLY NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF POSTINGS FROM OTHER PEOPLE ONLINE SUFFERING FROM THE SAME ISSUE AND VOLKSWAGEN IS STICKING THE CONSUMER WITH THE BILL FOR THEIR SHODDY WORKMANSHIP. WHEN I ASKED "IF I PAY TO FIX IT NOW, WILL YOU BE COVERING THE REST OF THE REPLACEMENTS IT WILL OBVIOUSLY NEED DOWN THE LINE?" THE ANSWER WAS A "NO." IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE HANDLED BY SOME BODY WITH AUTHORITY OVER THIS COMPANY. THE VEHICLE IS NOT MEETING BASIC SAFETY STANDARDS. I MAINTAIN THE PARTS OF MY VEHICLE EACH YEAR THAT I AM REQUIRED TO - VOLKSWAGEN NEEDS TO DO THEIR PART TO MAKE THEIR VEHICLES WORK PROPERLY. *TR

BOTH HEADLIGHTS TURN THEMSELVES OFF WHILE DRIVING, LEADING TO DISTRESSING CONDITIONS AT NIGHT. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE I FIRST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, CONTINUING TODAY.THE HEADLIGHTS MUST BE MANIPULATE FROM INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO 'RE-LOCK' THEM INTO POSITION FOR THEM TO WORK AGAIN. VW OFFERED TO SELL NEW HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES, BUT OFFERED NO REASON FOR THEM TURNING THEMSELVES OFF EXCEPT TO SAY THAT THEY SEE THIS ISSUE A LOT. I HAVE ALSO HAD TREMENDOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDOWS, BOTH FRONT AND BACK WINDOWS NOT OPERATING AND NOT FULLY MOVING UP TO THE STOP POSITION. AGAIN, VOLKSWAGEN SAYS THEY HAVE HAD A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE WINDOWS NOT OPERATING CORRECTLY. THESE HAVE BEEN ONGOING PROBLEMS, FIRST ADDRESSED BY THE DEALER UNDER WARRANTY, BUT NOT REPLACE, AND LATER AFTER WARRANTY THE DEALER OFFERED TO SELL NEW HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES AND WINDOW CONTROLLERS TO ME TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WHY WOULDN'T THEY REPLACE THEM WHEN THEY WERE UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN DRIVING AND THE HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF. *TR

TRANSMISSION HARD SHIFTS BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD. THE GAS PEDAL ALSO FAILS TO RESPOND AT CERTAIN TIMES LEADING TO HESITATION DURING ACCELERATION AND ALSO WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED. WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT THE TRANSMISSION MUST BE REPLACED, AND THAT IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM HAS BEEN DESCRIBED BY VARIOUS OWNERS AND VW HAS YET TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION. *TR

VEHICLE IS UNSAFE AND A POTENTIAL LIABILITY TO DRIVE DUE TO A FAULTY TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY. I AM THE SECOND OWNER AND PURCHASED THE CERTIFIED VEHICLE THROUGH AN AUTHORIZED VW DEALER. VW FAILED TO NOTIFY ME OF AN AVAILABLE EXTENDED WARRANTY OF A RECOGNIZED ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE. I TRIED REACHING OUT TO VW BUT THEY REFUSE TO OFFER ANY REPAIRS AND NOTIFIED ME ON THE LETTER THAT "IT IS OUR HOPE THE PREVIOUS OWNERS PASS THE INFORMATION TO YOU". THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE RESPONSE AND I AM APPALLED BY THEIR DECISION. ANY ASSISTANCE WOULD BE APPRECIATED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAG COULD DEPLOY INADVERTENTLY OR WOULD NOT DEPLOY IF INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,141. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE PRNDL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND ONCE RESTARTED, THE WARNING LIGHT WAS OFF. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL WITH THE FLASHING PRNDL LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE MACHATRONIC SPEED SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

CPSC:I1380279A. 2006 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. CONSUMER STATED THE CAR IS EMITTING STRONG FUMES THAT SMELLS LIKE BURNING WAX OR CRAYONS. ALSO STATED IT IS MAKING HER SICK. *LN UPDATED 09/25/13*LJ

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ONLY PARTIALLY MOVE WHEN TURNED ON OR STOP PART WAY THROUGH THE CYCLE. *TR

TRANSMISSION CHECK FOR VALVE ASSEMBLY BODY-JERKING-INSTABILITY. VOLKSWAGEN WON'T FIX. AIRBAG LIGHT WON'T GO OFF. WINDOWS DON'T WORK. HEADLIGHT WON'T WORK. REPAIRED OVER & OVER. PLEASE GOOGLE VW BEETLE ISSUES OR GO TO EDMUNDS.COM AND CHECK. THOUSANDS OF VW BEETLE OWNERS HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS. VW REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE. *TR