2000 Volkswagen Beetle

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN 2003 THAT MY 2000 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH INCLUDING THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAYING ON INDEFINITELY. I TOOK THE CAR TO BILL JACOBS VOLKSWAGEN NAPERVILLE, IL AND HAD IT INSPECTED. IN JUNE 2005 MY BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO BILL JACOBS AND AFTER SOME DISAGREEMENT OVER THE RECALL BEING CLOSED THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FOR FREE. IN JUNE 2006, JUST UNDER A YEAR, MY BRAKE LIGHTS AGAIN CAME ON AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOP AND THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ONCE AGAIN. VOLKSWAGEN IS REFUSING TO REIMBURSE THE INVOICE TO DATE SINCE THERE IS NO OPEN RECALL EVEN THOUGH THE PART WAS NOT QUITE A YEAR OLD. I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY ISSUE THAT THIS BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MALFUNCTION RAISES. MY LIGHTS COULD STOP WORKING OR STAY ON WITH NO NOTICE AND I DRIVE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IN THE CHICAGOLAND AREA. I NOTICED ON YOUR WEB SITE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN 9 OTHER COMPLAINTS FILED SINCE THE RECALL THAT IDENTIFY THIS PROBLEM. *NM

THE A/C QUITE WORKING WHILE DRIVING, ONCE IT WAS PARKED IT TURNED COOL FOR A MINUTE OR TWO THEN WENT HOT AGAIN. WE TOOK IT FOR A/C CHECK, ALL WAS FINE FOR ABOUT 5 MILES THEN IT WENT HOT AGAIN. THE NEXT DAY TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, JUST BEFORE WE GOT THERE THE TEMP GAUGE CAME ON. THE DEALER FOUND THE WATER PUMP, THERMOSTAT, AND TIMING BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO OVERHEATING. THE PROBLEM IS THE LIGHT DIDN'T COME UNTIL THE DAMAGE WAS ALREADY DONE. *NM

I OWN A 2000 VW NEW BEETLE. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 38,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. WITHIN THE LAST MONTH, 2 INSTRUMENT LIGHTS COME AFTER THE CAR HAS STARTED AND REACHES A SPEED OF 15 MPH. THE 2 LIGHTS THAT COME ON HAVE TO DO WITH THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONING. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL VW REPAIR SHOP, THEY HOOKED UP A TESTER TO THE VEHICLES COMPUTER, THE COMPUTER FAULT SAID THAT THE ABS HYDRAULIC PUMP WAS OUT OF TOLERANCE. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL VW DEALER AND EXPLAINED TO THEM THE FAULT, THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD BE APPROX. $1000.00 TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THE PUMP. $300.00 LABOR, $700.00 FOR THE PART. WHILE TALKING TO THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALER, HE TOLD ME THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM QUITE OFTEN, NOT ONLY THE BEETLE, BUT ON OTHER VW MODELS. I DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS YOU MIGHT HAVE HAD FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT I THINK THAT VW OF AMERICA SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF IT. AT THIS TIME, I HAVE NOT HAD THE REPAIR DONE. I AM HOPING THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO GET VW TO LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE AND RESOLVE IT. *JB

FAULTY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT EFFECTS ALL ELECTRONICS OF THE VEHICLE. CAUSES DOOR LOCKS AND REMOTES TO NOT WORK PROPERLY. CAUSES DOOR WARNING AND SEAT BELT WARNING CHIMES TO NOT TURN OFF FOR A MINUTE AFTER EITHER STARTING THE CAR OR TURNING ON THE HEADLIGHTS. MAY ALSO EFFECT ENGINE IMMOBILIZER CAUSING THE CAR TO SHUTDOWN AT ANY TIME OR PLACE. *NM

2000 VW BEETLE AIRBAG LIGHT. MY WIFE'S 2000 BEETLE'S AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. IT HAS BEEN BACK TO VW SERVICE FOUR TIMES TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IT STARTED WELL BEFORE THE WARRANTY RAN OUT. EACH TIME THEY REPLACE EITHER THE DRIVER SEAT WIRING HARNESS OR DRIVER SEAT AIRBAG OR BOTH. ONE TIME THEY REPLACED THE CONTROLLER. IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN AND AGAIN AND MOST RECENTLY THEY REPLACED THE AIRBAG AND WIRING HARNESS FOR THE FOURTH TIME. THIS TOOK CARE OF THE PROBLEM FOR A WEEK AND THEN AGAIN THE LIGHT COMES ON. VW HAS BEEN GOOD TO COVER THESE REPAIRS EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY BUT AS WE SEE IT, THE PROBLEM HAS NEVER REALLY BEEN FIXED CORRECTLY IN THE FIRST PLACE SO IT'S ONLY RIGHT THAT THEY KEEP SPENDING THEIR DOLLAR TO GET IT RIGHT. IT HAS BEEN EXPLAINED TO US BY VW SERVICE THAT IF THE LIGHT IS ON, THE AIRBAGS SYSTEM WILL NOT FUNCTION IN A CRASH AND THIS CAUSES US GREAT CONCERN. THE VW SERVICE MANAGER CONTACTED VWOA TECH SUPPORT AND THEY SUGGESTED BYPASSING A WIRING CONNECTOR BY RUNNING A WIRE FROM THE CONTROLLER TO THE AIRBAG. (SOUNDS LIKE THEY ARE GRASPING AT STRAWS). PROBLEM IS THEY WANT US TO PAY THE $550 TO PERFORM THIS. VWOA HAS REFUSED TO PAY FOR THIS PROCEDURE. WWW.NEWBEETLE.ORG IS LITTERED WITH AIR BAG PROBLEMS SO IT IS NOT JUST OUR CAR THAT THIS AFFECTS. PLEASE LOOK INTO THESE PROBLEMS AND MAKE VW ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR AIR BAG SYSTEMS. SOONER OR LATER SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE KILLED BY THEIR AIRBAG FAILING TO INFLATE. THANK YOU. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THE GEAR SHIFT WILL NOT MOVE FROM THE PARK POSITION. DUE TO THE DESIGN THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH ANY OVERRIDE FEATURE THAT WOULD ALLOW THE DISENGAGEMENT OF THE SHIFT POSITION. THE DEALER IS WILLING TO OFFER A FREE REMEDY HOWEVER, THEY WILL NOT PROVIDE THE TOWING SERVICE. THEREFORE, NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE.*AK