2000 Volkswagen Beetle

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE DRIVER DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE DRIVER FORCED THE GEAR SHIFT INTO THE PARK POSITION AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

THE TRANSMISSION MECHANICALLY FAILED ON 3 JUNE 2013. PRIOR TO IT FAILING I HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THREE DIFFERENT VW REPAIR SHOP OVER A FOUR YEAR PERIOD, DUE TO THE CAR SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFTING ALL THE WAY TO FIRST GEAR. THE CAR WILL DRIVE NORMALLY FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES, THEN START HAVING THIS DOWNSHIFTING ISSUE, I PULL OVER AND LET THE CAR COOL A FEW MINUTES THEN ALL IS NORMAL AGAIN FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. OF COURSE WITH THE DOWNSHIFTING THE TRANNY TENDS TO OVERHEAT QUICKLY. I WANTED TO GET THE OIL CHANGED IN THE TRANNY, BUT ALL REPAIR CENTERS SAID, "IT'S A SEALED SYSTEM AND NEVER NEEDS AND OIL CHANGE;" ALSO THE VW REPAIR TECHS TEST DROVE THE CAR AND ANALYZED IT, COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. MY EXPERIENCE WITH VW SERVICE ON EVERYTHING IS, THEIR MECHANICS ARE PARTS CHANGERS ONLY AND DON'T HAVE ANY REAL DIAGNOSTIC CAPABILITY TO FIND THE PROBLEM, JUST REPLACE PARTS UNTIL THEY FIX THE PROBLEM AT THE CUSTOMERS EXPENSE; I'VE SPENT ABOUT $10,000 ON REPAIRS FOR A/C, BRAKES, TRANSMISSION, ETC. FINALLY, THE CAR FAILED FORTUNATELY ACROSS THE STREET FROM A MR. TRANSMISSION SHOP. PER MR. TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST, THE TRANNY FAILED DUE TO LUBRICATION FAILURE PROBABLY FROM OVER HEATING AND HIGH MILEAGE; SO MUCH FOR THE "NEVER NEEDS AN OIL CHANGE POLICY." MR. TRANSMISSION REBUILT THE TRANNY (OUT $3400), AND STATE THE PROBLEM IS ELECTRICAL NOT THE TRANSMISSION, AND VW IS FAMOUS FOR ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND ALWAYS HAVE BEEN. NEEDLESS TO SAY MR. TRANSMISSION HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM, AND THEY HAVE REBUILT THE TRANNY TWICE JUST TO MAKE SURE THE PROBLEM IS NOT IN THE TRANSMISSION. WORD TO THE WISE, NEVER BUY A VW; I'LL NEVER OWN ANOTHER ONE. *TR

ENGINE TIMING BELT PREMATURELY FAILED AT 89,000 MILE. VW OWNERS MANUAL SUPPLIED WITH VEHICLE STATES THAT FOR THE 1.8L TURBOCHARGED ENGINE, THE TIMING BELT DID NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED UNTIL 105,000 MILES. THE FAILURE OF THE BELT CAUSED BENT VALVES. TOTAL SERVICE BILL AS A RESULT CAME TO ABOUT $4500. LOSS OF POWER WHEN THE BELT FAILED ALSO PUT MY SAFETY AT RISK AS MY CAR WAS STALLED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. *TR

I PURCHASED MY VW BEETLE IN 2005 WITH THE CARFAX - NO ACCIDENTS OR MAJOR REPAIRS. WITHIN MONTHS, THE ENGINE LIGHT AND AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE WINDOWS STOPPED WORKING. I'VE PROBABLY SPENT MORE THAN WHAT I PAID FOR IT. I JUST SPENT OVER $1800 AT VW SPRINGFIELD IN VIRGINIA AND THE ENGINE LIGHT IS BACK ON AGAIN AFTER ONLY A FEW MONTHS. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION CODES WERE DISCOVERED BY OTHER REPAIR SHOPS, BUT THEY TOLD ME I HAD TO GO TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE REPAIR. NEITHER VW SPRINGFIELD OR VW WOODBRIDGE EVER CHECKED THE TRANSMISSION. IN FACT, WOODBRIDGE TOLD ME TO TRADE IT IN AND PURCHASE A NEW ONE FROM THEM.SOME KIND OF LIGHT OR PROBLEM OCCURS IN MY CAR EVERY TIME I'VE TAKEN MY CAR TO THIS DEALERSHIP AND VW WOODBRIDGE IN VIRGINIA. THEY CONTINUE TO CLAIM THAT IT IS A DIFFERENT PROBLEM EVERY TIME WITH THE SAME COMPONENTS. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE FOR DIAGNOSTICS? EVERY TIME I TAKE MY CAR TO ANY OF THE VW DEALERSHIP, I WILL HAVE TO BRING THE CAR IN MULTIPLE TIMES WITHIN MONTHS. SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT. HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME ISSUES, AND NO ONE IS INVESTIGATING THIS. IT APPEARS THAT VW IS BEING PROTECTED FROM SELLING US POORLY MADE VEHICLES WITH HEFTY REPAIR COSTS, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MAKE SINCE THAT IT'S THE SAME PROBLEM FOR HUNDREDS, PERHAPS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. IS IT THAT THESE REPAIRS ARE MAJOR AND BRAKE LIGHTS AREN'T. A RECALL FOR THESE VEHICLES FROM 99 ON SHOULD BE PROCESSED. THE FACT THAT VW WAS IN THE NEWS RECENTLY AS SELLING PEOPLE CARS THEY KNEW HAD ENGINE, AIRBAG, ABS, TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL, AND WINDOW MAJOR PROBLEMS IS ASTONISHING, BECAUSE NOTHING IS BEING DONE. I'M DISGUSTED WITH VOLKSWAGEN AND THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ALL THIS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE ECONOMIC SITUATION, BUT PEOPLE ARE IN JUST AS MUCH A SITUATION AS MANUFACTURING COMPANIES. WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO KEEP GIVING AWAY TO VW. IT'S A MORAL SHAME. *TR

WE OWN A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE...IN 2008 THE WATER PUMP WENT IN IT...HAD THAT REPLACED AND 4 WEEKS LATER HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED AGAIN THEN THE FOLLOWING YEAR 2009 THE WINDOW MOTORS IN BOTH WINDOWS WENT..HAD TO HAVE THOSE REPLACED... THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS ARE FALLING OUT HAVE TO CONSTANTLY PUSH THEM BACK IN....NOW 2011 THE WATER PUMP WENT IN IT AGAIN..NOW THE CAR IS SITTING IN THE DRIVE WAY ACTING AS A PAPER WEIGHT..HAD I KNOW THAT THERE WERE SO MANY ISSUES WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE I WOULD HAVE NEVER BOUGHT ONE..I HOPE THAT VOLKSWAGEN IS HAPPY RAKING PEOPLE OVER THE COALS BY SELLING THEM NOTHING BUT JUNK AND GOD FORBID IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER THEY WANT EVERYTHING UP TO AND INCLUDING YOUR FIRST BORN CHILD... *TR

I WAS USING THE VEHICLE JACK TO RAISE THE LEFT REAR WHEEL OFF THE GROUND TO CHANGE THE TIRE. THE CAR WAS ON A FLAT CONCRETE GARAGE FLOOR. THE JACK FAILED AND THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE SWUNG TOWARD ME. THE JACK SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED. I CAN SEE THAT THE JACK IS NOT MADE VERY WELL. THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE EASILY FALLEN ON TOP OF ME AND SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED ME. I CHECKED TO SEE IF THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL ON THESE VEHICLE JACKS; BUT, I COULD NOT FIND ONE. THESE JACKS POSE A SERIOUS SAFETY RISK. I WOULD LIKE FOR VW TO REPLACE MY JACK WITH ONE THAT IS SAFE AND WILL NOT FAIL LIKE THIS ONE DID. I HAVE THE JACK AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *KB