2001 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE Complaints

PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL SWITCH. IT MALFUNCTIONED LEAVING ME STRANDED BY NOT BEING ABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. CALLED VOLKSWAGEN ROADSIDE BUT NO HELP DUE TO STINGY WARRANTY PERIOD(2YRS&24K) FOR 2001 AND OLDER VW'S. FINALLY REPAIRED, BUT STILL PROBLEMATIC. THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL NO LONGER RETRACT 100%. THE BRAKES ACTUALLY OVERHEATED! I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING IT NOW, SO I HAVE GOTTEN ACCUSTOMED TO MANUALLY PULLING IT BACK WITH MY LEFT FOOT. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NORMAL & THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE BRAKES BEING APPLIED IN THE RETRACTED POSITION. UPON FURTHER DISCOVERY ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND A GUY WHOSE BRAKES ACTUALLY CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THIS PROBLEM!! WHAT SHOULD I DO????? *JB

2001 NEW BEETLE 1.9 L TDI, 55,000 MI.: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON UNTIL CAR IS TURNED OFF THEN IT COMES ON ONCE GLOW PLUG LIGHT GOES OFF AND CAR HAS STARTED (WITIN 20 SECONDS). THE DEALER FIRST TOLD ME IT WAS THE GLOW PLUG SENSOR. THEN RECANTED AND SAID THE SENSOR WAS FINE AND TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW BRIDGE WIRE AND 4 NEW GLOW PLUGS. SHOULD GLOW PLUGS ONLY LAST FOR 55,000 MILES? THE CAR JUST TURNED OVER 55,023 WHEN THE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. *AK

I HAVE A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE WHICH WAS LEASED NEW FROM BILL COOK IN FARMINTON HILLS MICHIGAN. THE COMPLAINT REGARDS THE NEED FOR REPLACEMENT OF REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS AT 18,000 MILES WHILE THE FRONTS WERE STILL AT 70%. THE DEALERSHIP FOUND NOTHING IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED OR ANY EVIDENCE OF POOR MAINTENANCE OR ABUSE. I CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987 AFTER GETTING THE SERVICE COMPLETED AND OPENED A CASE. VOLKSWAGEN VERIFIED THAT I HAVE HAD ALL RECOMMENDED SERVICE PERFORMED ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP RECORDS AND CONFIRMED THE DETAILS OF MY COMPLAINT WITH THE SERVICE PERSONNEL AT THE DEALERSHIP. YET THEY REFUSE TO COMPENSATE IN ANY WAY, STATING THAT NO MANUFACTURING DEFECT EXISTS. I HAVE FOUND A VOLKSWAGEN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 4600-01 ON THE INTERNET REGARDING UNEVEN PAD WEAR INSTRUCTING TECHNICIANS TO USE AN ALTERNATE BRAKE PAD OF DIFFERENT COMPOSITION. I AM AN ENGINEER IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY, AND IN MY OPINION THIS LEVEL OF REPAIR AT THIS MILEAGE WITH NO EVIDENCE OF ANY EXTERNAL CAUSE, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE STATE OF THE FRONT BRAKES, INDICATES EITHER A DEFECT IN DESIGN OR WORKMANSHIP IN THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM. AT THE DEALERSHIP I ASKED WHETHER I COULD EXPECT THE REPLACEMENT PARTS TO FAIL AS QUICKLY AS THE ORIGINALS AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD LAST MUCH LONGER. THE ONLY WAY THIS COULD BE TRUE IS IF THE NEW PARTS ARE OF A DIFFERENT DESIGN OR THE OLD PARTS WERE DEFECTIVE. THIS COST ME $45.00 TO DIAGNOSE AND $399.15 PARTS AND LABOR PLUS TAX AND SHOP FEES TO REPAIR. I EXPECT A LONGER LIFE FOR THESE COMPONENTS ON A NEW VEHICLE AND CONSIDER THIS TO BE DEFECTIVE AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF VOLKSWAGEN TO REPAIR. *LA

VIOLENT SHAKING OF 2001 NEW BEETLE GL (HIGHWAY SPEEDS) AFTER SNOW STORM. 1/14/04 SNOW STORM HITS DETROIT METRO AREA. THE NEXT MORNING 1/15/04 WHILE GOING TO WORK MY VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE/VIBRATE, STARTING AT 45 MPH. I DID NOT TAKE THE BUG ABOVE 55 MPH BECAUSE THE SHAKING WAS GETTING WORSE. AFTER WORK, I DROVE TO THE VW DEALER AND LEARNED THAT 16 OTHER NEW BEETLE OWNERS BROUGHT THEIR CAR IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM (THIS WAS A QUOTE BY THE SERVICE REP. STEVE)AND NUMEROUS OWNERS CALLED IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. APPARENTLY THE DESIGN OF THE WHEEL RIMS ALLOW SNOW TO ACCUMULATE CAUSING AN IMBALANCE WITH THE WHEELS. THIS CAUSES THE VIOLENT SHAKING WHILE RUNNING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (45 MPH AND ABOVE). THE ONLY REMEDY IS TO REMOVE THE SNOW BY HAND OR MELT IT AWAY. (DEALER IS CHARGING ABOUT 72 DOLLARS FOR MELTING IT). I NEVER HAD A VEHICLE DO THIS AFTER ANY SNOW STORM IN MICHIGAN. BUT SINCE I WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE INVOLVED, I FELT YOU SHOULD BE NOTIFIED OF THIS ISSUE. I LOVE MY BUG, BUT THIS IS NOT SAFE. WHILE AT THE DEALERSHIP (VYLETEL BUICK & VW, STERLING HEIGHTS MICHIGAN) I LEFT THE VEHICLE THERE OVERNIGHT FOR 30K MAINTENANCE. I FIGURED, WHILE THEY DO THE MAINTENANCE, THE SNOW WOULD MELT OFF THE WHEELS. GIVEN THE SHAKING OF THE VEHICLE CAUSED BY THE IMBALANCE OF THE WHEELS, I AM CONCERNED THE TIRES WILL HAVE PREMATURE WEAR OR FLAT SPOTS ON THE SURFACE. HOPEFULLY, THIS IS NOT THE CASE, SINCE I ACTED ON THE SAME DAY OF THE INCIDENT. *CB

BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR DURRING A PANIC STOP, BRAKES DID NOT WORK. DEALERSHIP SAYS THE COMPUTER IN CAR DID NOT IDENTIFY A MALFUNCTION. SAID DEALERSHIP DID/HAS NOT DONE ANY MANUAL DIAGNOSTICS. *LA

THE BRAKE BOOSTER SPRING FAILED CAUSING THE BRAKES TO BE ENGAGED WHILE DRIVING. THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *PH

MY 2001 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE HAS HAD AT LEAST ONE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH FAILURES IN THE MATERIALS MAKING UP THE ELECTRONIC SWITCHES IN SIDE THE VEHICLE (WINDOW SWITCHES). RECENTLY, THE I BUMPED THE KNOB THAT CONTROLS THE REMOTE CONTROL EXTERIOR MIRROS AND THE KNOB BROKE OFF. UPON INSPECTION, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE OPTICAL MATERIAL WHICH IS USED TO CONNECT (MOLDED) THE KNOB TO THE MIRROR SWITCH ASSEMBLY (AND TRANSPORT LIGHT TO THE KNOB FOR NIGHTTIME VISIBILITY) IS TOO BRITTLE TO WITHSTAND PROLONGED USE AND SNAPPED CLEAN WHEN GENTLY BUMPED.*AK

I HAVE HAD THE HEADLIGHT BULBS (LOW BEAMS) 3 TIMES IN MY NEW BEETLE. THE MANUFACTURER SUGGESTED THAT I NOT RUN THE LIGHTS WHILE DRIVING DURING THE DAY. THEY SAID THAT EXCESSIVE USE OF THE HEADLIGHTS WILL CAUSE THE BULBS TO BURN OUT FASTER. SORRY, BUT THE HEADLIGHTS COME ON AUTOMATICALLY WHEN THE CAR IS ON AND THE PARKING BRAKE IS RELEASED. SO THE LIGHTS ARE ON ALL THE TIME THE VEHICLE IS AVAILABLE FOR MOTION. THE DRIVER HAS NO CONTROL ON THE USE OF THE HEADLIGHTS ORTHER THAN ENGAGING THE PARKING BRAKE WHILE DRIVING. HMMM, DOES NOT SOUND LIKE AN ALTERNATIVE THAT IS USEFUL. THE LAY PERSON CAN NOT CHANGE THESE BULBS, IT TAKES A MECHANIC TO REMOVE/DISASSEMBLE THE ENTIRE LAMP ASSEMBLY TO GET TO THE BULB. AND VW IS NOT REASONABLE IN THEIR REPLACEMENT COST (LABOR) OF THIS PART. ESPECIALLY AFTER THE THIRD TIME IN 13 MONTHS.*AK

I AM WRITING TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN OVER THE SAFETY AND POTENTIAL DEFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH 2001 MODEL VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE TURBO, ALONG WITH ITS MICHELIN TIRES. LAST WEEK, MY OWN LIFE WAS SERIOUSLY ENDANGERED WHILE DRIVING ON THE MASSACHUSETTS TURNPIKE. TRAVELING IN THE LEFT LANE AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS, MY CAR INSTANTLY LOST CONTROL AND BEGAN SKIDDING VICIOUSLY. UNABLE TO SLOW THE CAR IN TIME, I HIT THE MEDIAN, CAUSING IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO THE CAR. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED A LARGE, GAPING HOLE CUT THROUGH MY RIGHT REAR TIRE. THIS HOLE, COUPLE WITH THE EXTENSIVE CHARRING AND GRATING TO THE METAL WHEEL, WAS CORROBORATED BY MECHANICS AND VW DEALERS AS THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. I AM GREATLY CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE, AND OR TIRES, MAY CONTAIN A DEFECT THAT HEIGHTENED THE CHANCES OF AN ACCIDENT SUCH AS MINE. THE CAR WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, AND HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR ONLY 27,000 MILES. AS SUCH, IT SEEMS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT A TIRE RUPTURE WOULD BE A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR OCCURRENCE. I DO NOT WISH FOR SUCH AN ACCIDENT TO REOCCUR IN THE FUTURE (EITHER TO MYSELF, OR OTHER CONSUMERS), AND THUS WOULD URGE THE AUTO AND TIRE MANUFACTURERS, ALONG WITH THE NHTSA TO STUDY THE MATTER IN EXPEDITIOUS FASHION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME VIA PHONE AT [XXX], OR BY EMAIL AT [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WE HAVE A 2001 VW BEETLE AND WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE IN MN, THE ENTIRE PLASTIC BOTTOM PANEL SEPARATED FROM THE AUTO. THE PANEL GOT CAUGHT IN A REAR TIRE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO TEMPORARILY LOSE CONTROL, THEN THIS PIECE OF PANEL THAT IS ABOUT 3' SQUARE BLASTED INTO THE WINDSHIELD OF THE CAR BEHIND. THIS PANEL IS REMOVED FOR OIL CHANGES, ENGINE REPAIR AND FLUID FILLS. THE MECHANIC SAID THIS HAPPENS WITH ALL THE BEETLES, BUT THE PANEL HAD TO BE REPLACED. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE ASPECT OF ROAD DEBRIS AND THE LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH. *JB