1999 Volkswagen Beetle

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER RECALL. THE RECALLED PART FAILED TWICE SINCE THE ORIGINAL PART WAS REPLACED. IN ADDITION TO THE BRAKE LIGHTS BECOMING INOPERATIVE, THE TRANSMISSION ALSO LOCKS RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE BEING INOPERABLE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, 03V265000 CONCERNING THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, HOWEVER THE RECALL DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED TO REIMBURSE THE CONTACT FOR THE REPLACEMENT PART THAT WAS PURCHASED.

PURCHASED VEHICLE NEW IN 1999. WAS PLAGUED WITH ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THROUGH 2001 SUCH AS FAULTY RADIO ( 2 OCCURRENCES) ,FAULTY DOOR LOCK SWITCH AND 1 OCCURRENCE OF NON FUNCTIONING LIGHTS( INSIDE AND OUT) , HORN, DOOR CHIME . COMPLAINED OF SMOKE STREAMING FROM STEERING COLUMN IN 2004. SMOKE WAS CONSISTENT WITH MELTED PLASTIC ODOR. DEALER WAS ABLE TO LOCATE ORIGIN OF ODOR IN FEB 2006. IGNITION COIL + WIRING OVERHEATED AND MELTED. RELAY ALSO OVERHEATED. PARTS WERE REPLACED BY DEALER. DEFECTIVE IGNITION COIL RETAINED. *NM

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON (HAS GONE OFF AND ON FOR OVER A YEAR); LOCAL MECHANIC UNABLE TO DETERMINE PROBLEM. 11.09.2005 TOOK IT TO VW IN BRUNSWICK, MAINE. MECHANIC THINKS THERE IS A RESISTANCE ISSUE AND RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT. HE THINKS IT IS A MALFUNCTION. THE COST IS OVER $500! I SPOKE TO TWO CO-WORKERS WITH DIFFERENT MODEL VW'S AND HAD THE SAME ISSUE. PROBLEM NOT RESOLVED. WHY SHOULD I PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT A MECHANIC THINKS IS WRONG AND OTHERS HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY PAY FOR? IF IT IS A DEFECT THEN VW SHOULD BE PAYING FOR IT! MY AIRBAGS HAVE NEVER DEPLOYED BEFORE. MY CAR WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION WITH THIS LIGHT ON. *JB

FUSE PANEL LOCATED ON TOP OF THE BATTERY MELTED IN THE AREA OF THE FUSE FOR THE RADIATOR COOLING FANS. THIS FURTHER DAMAGED THE FUSES FOR THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND THE ABS SYSTEM. THIS CAUSED POWER TO THE ABS SYSTEM TO BE LOST. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THIS PROBLEM AS SHORTED COOLING FANS. HOWEVER, THE WIRING TO THE MOTORS AND THE FAN CONTROL UNIT WERE NOT AFFECTED. THERE WAS ALSO THE DISTINCT SMELL OF AN ELECTRICAL FIRE AND MELTED PLASTIC UNDER THE HOOD. THE FUSE PANEL HAS WHITE DEPOSITS UNDER ITS COVER ABOVE THE AREA THAT MELTED. I ASKED THE DEALER TO GIVE ME THE PARTS AFTER THE SERVICE. THE FAN MOTORS APPEAR TO OPERATE CORRECTLY WHEN CONNECTED TO A 12V POWER SUPPLY. THIS IS A POOR DESIGN THAT SUBJECTS THE FUSE TERMINALS TO CORROSIVE FUMES FROM THE BATTERY. THE INSERT MOLDED TERMINALS THEN BECOME CORRODED WITH HIGH ENOUGH RESISTANCE TO HEAT UP AND CAUSE THE FUSE PANEL TO MELT AND OR CATCH FIRE. I'M GLAD THAT THE PANEL WAS CONSTRUCTED OF A FLAME RETARDANT PLASTIC OR IT WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY BURNED MUCH MORE THAN IT DID. I AM ONLY TOO HAPPY TO FURNISH PICTURES IF YOU WOULD PREFER TO SEE THE DAMAGE. *NM

DT: VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE 1999. THE CONSUMER IS NOT SATISFIED WITH MIRRORS ON THE LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE. THEY HAVE TOO MUCH OF A BLIND SPOT FOR ONCOMING VEHICLES. ALSO, THE POST BETWEEN THE WINDSHIELD AND THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES, BEFORE GETTING TO THE DOORS, ARE ALSO GIVING THE CONSUMER TROUBLE, AS BEING A BLIND SPOT. THE CONSUMER PULLED OUT ONTO THE HIGHWAY IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC, AND DIDN'T SEE ANOTHER VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE BLIND SPOTS FROM THE CAR. *AK *SC *JB

I OWN A 1999 NEW BEETLE WITH THE 2.0 ENGINE WITH 37,000 ORIGINAL MILES. THE CAR QUIT RUNNING APPROX. 2 1/2 YRS AGO,APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED IT FROM A CERTIFIED VOLKSWAGEN DEALER, USED. A FEW DAYS AFTER DELIVERY THERE WAS A ROTTEN EGG SMELL, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, ENGINE SLUGGISH. AFTER ONE MONTH THE BATTERY WENT DEAD COMPLETELY. REPLACED THE BATTERY, CAR WOULD NOT RUN. BATTERY DEAD AGAIN AFTER FOUR DAYS. I FOUND INFO ON THE INTERNET THAT SECURITY SYSTEM MUST BE SET OR THE BATTERY WILL LAST ONLY FOUR DAYS. INSPECTED PLUGS, FOUND HEAVY CARBON BUILDUP. INSPECTED PRE O2 SENSOR, FOUND SAME. DECIDED TO OVERHAUL ENG. FOUND HEAVY CARBON ON TOPS OF PISTONS AND VALVES. MACHINE SHOP HAD TO REPLACE PISTONS, RINGS, ALL BEARINGS, OIL PUMP, PLANE THE CYLINDER HEAD, PLANE THE HEAD MATING SURFACE, REPLACE SEALS, TURN THE FLYWHEEL. I HAD TO ALSO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP, TIMING BELT, CLUTCH, THROWOUT BEARING, O2 SENSOR, PLUG WIRES, AND THE DIPSTICK HOLDER. AFTER CONSIDERABLE MONEY SPENT, ENGINE WOULD START BUT NOT RUN. I FOUND OUT FROM THE DEALER THAT IF ELECTRICAL POWER IS LOST, VEHICLE MUST BE TOWED TO A VOLKSWAGEN DEALER AND BE REPROGRAMMED. IT WILL NOT RUN UNTIL THAT IS DONE. THE REASON GIVEN WAS THAT VOLKSWAGEN DID NOT WANT ANY OWNERS TO FIX THEIR OWN CAR. THIS COULD BE A SIGNIFIGANT SAFETY ISSUE IN A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION! THERE ARE REPORTS ON SEVERAL INTERNET FORUMS OF THE ORIGINAL BATTERIES BLOWING UP AND EVEN AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THE BATTERY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RUN UNTIL IT WAS REPROGRAMMED. VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A FULL INVESTIGATION ON THIS MODEL TO SEE IF IT SHOULD BE SOLD IN THE US. THERE ARE TOO MANY REPORTED DEFECTS ON THIS MODEL TO LIST HERE, SOME THAT APPLY TO THIS CAR, THAT ARE MUCH MORE DANGEROUS THAN I DESCRIBED HERE. I HOPE THAT OUR GOVERNMENT WILL STRAIGHTEN THIS COMPANY OUT AND THAT OWNERS WILL SOMEHOW BE COMPENSATED.

DT:CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT PROBLEMS WITH UNLOCKING VEHICLE. WHEN SHE TURNED THE KEY THE WINDOWS ROLL DOWN ON THEIR OWN. IT MIGHT NOT HAPPEN RIGHT AT THAT TIME, BUT SOME TIME AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED ON AND OFF THE WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN. SOMETIMES THE KEYLESS ENTRY REMOTE WILL WORK AND SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT WORK. CONSUMER KNEW OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALER WAS REPAIRING THE PROBLEM . DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT REPAIRS WERE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. REPAIRS WERE DONE AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. DEALER REPLACED THE CYLINDER LOCK SWITCH.CONSUMER HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE SHE OWNED THE VEHICLE.*AK

VEHICLE PURCHASED 03/1999. PROBLEM: BRAKE LIGHTS EITHER NON-FUNCTIONING OR STAYED ON CONTINUOUSLY. REPAIRS: REPLACED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH VOLKSWAGEN PART#1J0945511A,B,& D. OCCURENCES: 05/12/1999, 09/24/1999 AND 04/23/2001 OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSE. THREE OTHER OCCURENCES UNTIL 2003 REPLACED UNDER IN-HOUSE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION "WARRANTY". SAFETY RECALL ISSUED 10/2003. RECALL REPAIRS COMPLETED 11/2003. OCCURENCE: 06/2005 RECALLED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILED AGAIN. VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC. REPLACES BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, BUT REFUSES TO HONOR ANY KIND OF WARRANTY OF THE PART THAT FULFILLED THE ORIGINAL RECALL. THIS NEGATES THE 10/2003 RECALL OF THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. IT LEAVES ME, THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE, JEOPARDIZED WITH THE SAME REAR CRASH SAFETY SITUATION I WAS ENCOUNTERING BEFORE THE RECALL. I AM REPLACING THE PART, OF COURSE, BUT AT MY OWN EXPENSE AND WITHOUT ANY CONCERNS FROM VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC. QUESTION: HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED BY THE MALFUNCTION OF THIS SAME RECALL MANDATED REPAIR? WILL THERE BE DEATHS ATTRIBUTED TO THIS MALFUNCTION? I CAN ONLY PRAY THAT THERE ARE NONE.