2000 Volkswagen Beetle

2000 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE RECENTLY MY 2000 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE HAD THE AIRBAG LIGHT COME ON. I SCOURED THE INTERNET TO FIND POSSIBLE CAUSES AND TO MY AMAZEMENT, MANY PEOPLE SUFFER FROM THE SAME PROBLEM. IT APPEARS THAT THE SENSORS AND WIRE HARNESSES IN THE NEW BEETLES FREQUENTLY FAIL TRIGGERING THE AIRBAG LIGHT TO COME ON. I WAS TOLD BY AN SERVICE TECH. THAT WHEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON, THE AIRBAGS BECOME DEACTIVATED, WHICH SEEMS TO POSE AN EXTREMELY HUGE SAFETY CONCERN, SEEING AS THE NEW BEETLE SUFFERS MANY DEFECTS REGARDING THE AIRBAGS. THANKFULLY, THE PROBLEM IN MINE IS THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG WIRE HARNESS LOCATED UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT. THE WIRE LENGTH IS NOT SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO WITH STAND A LOT OF SEAT MOVEMENT. MOVING THE SEATS FORWARD TOO MANY TIMES CAN ACTUALLY CAUSE THESE WIRES TO BREAK IN HALF, WHICH HAPPENED IN MY CASE, DEACTIVATING ALL THE AIRBAGS AND BRINGING UP AN ERROR IN THE SYSTEM. THE DEALERSHIP DOESN'T MAKE THE MATTER ANY BETTER, BY SAYING THAT I WILL HAVE TO PAY $600.00 TO REPLACE NOT ONLY THE WIRE HARNESS, BUT THE SIDE AIRBAG AS IT COMES AS A COMPLETE PACKAGE AND THE HARNESS IS NOT SOLD SEPARATELY. IN THIS ECONOMY, I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE AN ENTIRE PERFECTLY GOOD AIRBAG FOR A SIMPLE WIRE, SO I AM STUCK HAVING TO DRIVE AROUND KNOWING THAT MY AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IF I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT OR POSSIBLY DEPLOY PREMATURELY WITHOUT ANY CAUSE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE LOOKED AT, SINCE IT NOT ONLY AFFECTS THE 2000 MODEL, BUT ALL MODELS UP TO 2006. VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR SELLING A PRODUCT DESIGNED FOR OCCUPANT SAFETY, THAT FAILS BEFORE THE REST OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

I RECEIVED A RECALL ABOUT MY BACK OR BREAK LIGHT. MADE AN APT. WITH HERITAGE VW IN GEORGIA. I DROVE FROM LEESBURG AL. TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY CHANGE THE LIGHT AND TOLD ME A BELT HAS TO BE REPLACED. I KNOW NOTHING NEEDS REPLACEMENT BECAUSE MY SON ( A MECHANIC ) DOES ALL THE MAINTENANCE IN MY VW. I TOLD THE THEM I WILL TALK TO MY SON AND WILL GET BACK WITH THEM. I HAD A HARD TIME STARING THE CAR, BUT DID NOT PAY ANY ATTENTION BECAUSE I WAS IN A HURRY TO GET OUT OF THERE. I WAS ON HWY 20 WHEN EVERY THING WENT CRAZY WITH MY CAR. LOST MY CRUISE CONTROL, LOST POWER, WON'T START. SO I CALLED HERITAGE AND ASK WHAT THEY DID WITH THE CAR. THEY WANT ME TO BRING IT BACK TO THEM, KNOWING IT CAN'T BE DRIVEN. I FEEL THEY SABOTAGE MY CAR, THEY MESSED UP MY CAR SO MUCH, I PAID OVER $3000.00 FOR IT TO WORK. I KEPT THE RECEIPT JUST IN CASE I MIGHT NEED IT AS PROOF. I RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL LAST WEEK IT'S HARD TO GET BURNT TWICE IN A ROW. *TR

VW CATALYTIC CONVERTER WARRANTY EXTENSION. WAS 8 YEARS/80K MILES. EXTENDED TO 10 YEARS/120K MILES. I HAVE A 2000 VW NEW BEETLE GLS, WHICH I PURCHASED NEW IN 1999. MY MODEL IS CURRENTLY COVERED UNDER THIS EXTENDED WARRANTY. MY CAR IS NOT PASSING SMOG - GROSS POLLUTER STATUS. ONLY HAS 73,000 MILES ON IT. THE ISSUE: BECAUSE THE CAT CONVERTER IS NOT FORMALLY LISTED AS A "RECALL" BY VW AMERICA, THE DEALERSHIP WANTS TO RUN A DIAGNOSTIC (EVEN THOUGH I'M PROVIDING THE DETAILED PAPERWORK FROM MY SMOG STATION), AND WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, THEY WANT ME TO REPAIR ANY AND ALL ISSUES THAT ARISE AT A COST TO ME, BEFORE THEY WILL REPLACE MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER UNDER WARRANTY. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS IS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COVERS NUMEROUS ISSUES THE CAR MAY BE HAVING, INCLUDING SOME THAT MAY NOT BE RELATED TO THE CAR NOT PASSING SMOG. AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON. DEALERSHIP TURNS IT OFF - COMES RIGHT BACK ON WITHIN DAYS. I WANT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED FIRST, THEN SEE IF IT PASSES SMOG, THEN I WILL REPAIR ANY OTHER PROBLEMS. I DON'T WANT TO PUT MONEY INTO PROBLEMS POSSIBLY UNRELATED TO SMOG, IF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WON'T FIX THE ISSUE. BUT PER THE VW DEALERSHIP, I CANNOT PROCEED WITHOUT SPENDING MONEY ON SUPPOSED OTHER PROBLEMS, BECAUSE THE CAT CONVERTER WAS NOT TECHNICALLY LABELED A RECALL. I WROTE THE EPA - THE EMAIL I RECEIVED BACK FROM THEM SAID THEY CONSIDER IT A RECALL, BUT BECAUSE VW AMERICA DID NOT SEND OUT A FORMAL RECALL NOTICE ON THE CAT CONVERTER, AND INSTEAD JUST PROVIDED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, THERE'S NOT MUCH THAT CAN BE DONE. DEALERSHIPS CAN REQUIRE A DIAGNOSTICS RUN AND ASK YOU TO PAY TO FIX OTHER PROBLEMS PRIOR TO FIXING THE CAT CONVERTER. VW EXTENDED THE WARRANTY, SO CLEARLY THEY ARE AWARE THERE IS A CONSISTENT PROBLEM. THEY SHOULD JUST CALL IT A FORMAL RECALL (SINCE THE EPA DOES), FIX THE PROBLEM THEY KNOW EXISTS. CURRENTLY, I'VE BROUGHT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP. SAME ISSUE. DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER CHOICE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED, WHICH PRODUCED "ERROR CODE 5". A MECHANIC REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AND RESET THE COMPUTER; HOWEVER, THE INDICATOR CONTINUES TO ILLUMINATE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 126,000. UPDATED 02/24/09. *LJ UPDATED 02/26/09. *JB

POWER WINDOWS AND POWER DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT OPERATE WHILE I'M DRIVING. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. LEFT IT THERE FOR 2 DAYS AND THEY STILL COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. WHEN I STOP THE CAR AND OPEN THE DOOR, THEN THE WINDOWS AND DOOR LOCKS WILL OPERATE. WHEN I START DRIVING AGAIN, THEY ARE "DEAD" ONCE MORE AND WILL NOT OPEN OR CLOSE. I CANNOT GET THEM TO OPERATE UNLESS I STOP THE CAR AND OPEN THE DOOR FIRST. WHEN I CLOSE THE DOOR, THEY ARE OKAY UNTIL I START DRIVING AGAIN. VERY DANGEROUS AND I CAN'T GO THROUGH A DRIVE THROUGH BANK, ETC. OR IF I JUST WANT TO OPEN THE WINDOWS WHILE I'M DRIVING, I CAN'T. IF IT STARTS TO RAIN, I CAN'T CLOSE THE WINDOWS UNLESS I STOP THE CAR. *TR

PROBLEM: CHRONIC FAILURE OF DRIVER'S AIR BAG CIRCUIT PURCHASED FEBRUARY 2000. SINCE JULY 2004 WE HAVE HAD REPEATED (EIGHT) REPAIRS DONE IN RESPONSE TO THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATING CONTINUOUSLY, INDICATING THE AIR BAG CIRCUIT IS FAULTY AND THE AIR BAG WON'T FIRE SHOULD AN ACCIDENT OCCUR. DESPITE REPEATED REPAIRS, TWICE COMPLETELY REPLACING THE WIRING HARNESS, AND ONCE REPLACING THE AIRBAG ITSELF, THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED AGAIN THIS WEEK AND A NINTH REPAIR IS NEEDED. ALL REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE AND DOCUMENTED BY OUR VW DEALER. TO DATE REPAIR COSTS EXCEED $1500. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO OCCUR. *TR

AIRBAG SYSTEM MALFUNCTION: AIRBAG (SRS) SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED IN THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL, ORIGINALLY ON 9/24/2001. VW DEALER STATED DRIVER'S SEAT SIDE AIRBAG NEEDED REPLACEMENT DUE TO AN INTERNAL CAUSE AND WAS REPLACED ON 10/2/2001 AT 15365 MILES. AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND SYSTEM WAS SERVICED ON 4/8/2003 WHERE VW DEALER REPAIRED CONNECTION UNDER DRIVER'S SEAT AT 36405 MILES. RECENTLY, AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND WAS SERVICED ON 10/13/2008. THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS REMOVED AND DEALER REPAIRED CONNECTION TO DRIVER'S SEAT SIDE AIRBAG AT 111370 MILES. IF THIS PROBLEM WERE NOT REPAIRED, THE DRIVER'S SEAT SIDE AIRBAG WOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED IN THE EVENT OF A SIDE COLLISION. VW DEALER STATED THAT NUMEROUS VW NEW BEETLES HAVE HAD AIR BAG CONNECTION REPAIRS FOR THE DRIVER'S SEAT SIDE AIRBAG. VW DEALER STATED THEY PUT AN "EXTENSION" ON THE CONNECTING WIRE AND THIS PROBLEM SHOULDN'T OCCUR AGAIN. AGAIN, VW DEALER STATED THE AIR BAG SYSTEM CONNECTION UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT APPEARS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM. THIS CONCERNS ME BECAUSE THERE IS A RECURRING CONNECTION PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM, WHICH DIMINISHES THE AIR BAG SYSTEM?S SAFETY AND RELIABILITY DURING A COLLISION. VW SHOULD RECALL AND REPAIR NEW BEETLES WITH THIS AIRBAG CONNECTION PROBLEM SO THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WILL NO LONGER MALFUNCTION DUE TO A FAULTY WIRE CONNECTION. MY LOCAL VW DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS REMEDIED WITH A NEW ?EXTENSION? PART AND THE PROBLEM SHOULD NO LONGER OCCUR. IF I HAD THREE MALFUNCTIONS WITH MY VEHICLE?S AIRBAG SYSTEM AND MY LOCAL DEALER RECOGNIZED THIS IS A PROBLEM IN MY AREA, THIS MAY BE A WIDESPREAD, RECURRING PROBLEM AMONG NEW BEETLES. VW NEW BEETLE OWNERS SHOULD BE OFFICIALLY NOTIFIED OF THIS POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM SO THAT THE PROPER REPAIR CAN BE MADE TO THE AIRBAG SYSTEM TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE DRIVER IN THE EVENT OF A SIDE COLLISION. *TR

WE HAVE A 2000 NEW VW BEETLE THAT WE BOUGHT NEW IN 2000. IT HAS BECOME A HIGH MAINTENANCE VEHICLE THAT SEEMS TO HAVE A LOT OF DEFECTIVE PARTS THAT HAS TO BE REPLACED. MOSTLY ELECTRICAL. WINDOW ONCE FELL INSIDE OF DOOR. FOG LIGHT THAT HAS WATER IN THEM. TODAY A WEEK AFTER TAKING THE CAR INTO VW SERVICE TO REPAIR ANOTHER THING FOR AROUND $200.00. I HAD RETURNED TO THE SHOP AGAIN BECAUSE WITH IN A DAY AFTER CAR WAS OUT OF THE SHOP A NEW PROBLEM CROPPED UP. THE SEAT BELT LIGHT WAS STAYING ON. I TOOK IT INTO THE SHOP TO HAVE THE SEAT BELT LIGHT REPAIRED. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR MOST OF THE DAY. I JUST RECEIVED A CALL FROM VW SERVICE DEPT. AND WAS TOLD THE SEAT BELT DENSER WAS THE PROBLEM. IT CONTROLS ALL THE SEAT BELT AIR BAGS AND SOME OTHER SAFETY THINGS. IT IS DRIVABLE AND SEAT BELT MAY BE OK. I WAS ALSO TOLD IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATE OVER $700.00. OUR VW BEETLE ONLY HAS 69,000 MILES ON IT AND WE HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON IT FOR REPAIRS. IT OVER HEATED LAST SUMMER AND WAS IN THE SHOP FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE THEY COULD FIND WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT..I THINK THIS WAS THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR AND SENSORS. WE HAVE REPLACE MAY\NY SENSORS IT SEEM S SEVERAL TIMES. MOST OF THESE REPAIRS WAS NO UNDER A RECALL. THIS IS A VERY HIGH MAINTENANCE CAR. IT HAS BEEN IN THE GARAGE MANY TIMES AND COST IS STARTING DRAIN US. I AM A RETIRED IOWA POLICE OFFICER ON A FIXED INCOME..SO THIS CAR IS A STRAIN ON OUR BUDGET. SO MANY PROBLEMS.. ALL OUR VEHICLES ARE PAID FOR AS WELL AS OUR HOME. *TR

2000 VW BEETLE HAS HAD 3 AIRBAGS INSTALLED SINCE 2002. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND THEREFORE WILL NOT PASS THE VIRGINIA STATE INSPECTION PROCESS.. THREE LETTERS SENT TO VW WITH NO SUCCESS. VW CUSTOMER CARE REPRESENTATIVE WILL NOT LOOK INTO THE AIRBAG SYSTEM ON THE 2000 VW BEETLE SINCE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE FIRST AIRBAG ISSUE STARTED UNDER WARRANTY. THE THREE AIRBAGS REPLACED TO DATE HAS BEEN 2 DRIVERS AND 1 PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN RESET NUMEROUS TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS WITHOUT REPLACING AN AIRBAG. *TR