2001 Volkswagen Beetle

THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO BE ON ALL THE TIME, THERE HAS BEEN NO REASON FOR THE LIGHT TO BE ILLUMINATED, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. APPARENTLY THIS AIRBAG REQUIRES REPLACEMENT AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT WHILE THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON THE VEHICLE WILL NOT DEPLOY AIRBAGS IN A CRASH. I HAVE TALKED WITH SEVERAL OWNERS OF VW BEATLES AND ALL HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. THE LAST THING THAT SHOULD FAIL IN A VEHICLE SHOULD BE THE AIRBAG, AND REPLACEMENT IS VERY EXPENSIVE AT $300 ONCE A YEAR. REPLACEMENT OF A RELAY SEEMS TO REPAIR THE ISSUE FOR A FEW MONTHS BUT IS NOT A PERMANENT REPAIR AS THE SYMPTOMS RETURN. DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE ODBC COMPUTER SYSTEM WILL NOT DISPLAY CODES THIS CANNOT BE REPAIRED BY NON-MANUFACTURER AUTOSHOPS. VW OWNERS COULD REALLY USE SOME HELP HERE PLEASE LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING SITE HTTP://FORUMS.TDICLUB.COM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=205721&HIGHLIGHT=AIRBAG FOR A LISTING OF SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS. *TR

2001 BRAND NEW BEETLE STARTED DEVELOPING STAINS ON THE SEAT FROM DAY ONE. BLUE JEANS AND DARK SWEATERS STAIN THE INTERIORS TO THAT COLOR EVERYTIME SOMEONE SITS DOWN IN THE CAR. THE THROTTLE BODY HAS GONE OUT THREE TIMES, COSTING ME OVER COUNTLESS DOLLARS IN REPAIR FEES AND IS NOW OUT FOR THE FOURTH TIME. CROWN VOLKSWAGEN IN TYLER, TX HAS REPAIRED IT EACH TIME, THE LONGEST REPAIR LASTING ABOUT FOUR MONTHS. THEY'VE PAID FOR THE REPAIR ONCE, BUT DO NOT PROVIDE ME WITH A REPLACEMENT RENTAL VEHICLE, REFUSE TO PICK UP THE PHONE DURING THE DAY OR RETURN PHONE CALLS, AND HAS COST ME TONS OF TIME AND MONEY TRAVELING FROM DALLAS TO TYLER TO CHECK ON THE CAR AND PICK IT UP. ONCE, I DROVE TWO HOURS FROM NACOGDOCHES, TX TO TYLER, TX ON THE SCHEDULED PICK UP DAY, HAVING TRIED TO CALL BEFORE LEAVING TOWN TO MAKE SURE IT WAS READY, ONLY TO FIND THAT THEY HADN'T GOTTEN TO THE CAR WHEN I ARRIVED. THIS HAPPENED TWICE DURING THE SAME REPAIR WHICH LASTED A COUPLE OF WEEKS. THEY HAVE BEEN UNCOOPERATIVE, AND THE CAR IS HORRIBLE. THE ARM REST BROKE ONE DAY AS I LIFTED IT, IT JUST FELL APART IN MY HANDS, THE INTERIOR COVERING ON THE DOORS AND DASHBOARD FLAKES OFF, THE SUNROOF BROKE NUMEROUS TIMES WHILE DRIVING OVER A RAILROAD TRACK TO GET TO WORK EVERYDAY. IT FINALLY JAMMED THE VISOR SO THAT IT NO LONGER WORKS. THE SEAT MOVING MECHANISMS NO LONGER WORK. THE AIRBAG IS IN CONSTANT MALFUNCTION, THE CHECK ENGINE AND EPS LIGHTS ARE ALWAYS ON. I CONSTANTLY HAVE TO PULL MY CAR OVER ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE IT LOSES POWER AND I HAVE TO RESTART IT TO GET IT TO WORK AGAIN, ALTHOUGH IT NEVER HAS A LOT OF POWER. THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE HAS NEARLY CAUSED SEVERAL WRECKS. I AM INCREDIBLY LUCKY. THE CRUISE CONTROL NO LONGER WORKS, AND IT TAKES ABOUT 200 DOLLARS A MONTH TO FILL IT UP WITH GAS BECAUSE THE ENGINE PROBLEMS EFFECT THE FUEL EFFICIENCY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SWITCH WAS CONNECTED TO THE SEAT BELT, WHICH CAUSED THE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. THE AIR BAG WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE REPAIR COSTS WERE OVER $500. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 88,540. * UPDATED 12/12/07 *BF UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

AIR BAG LIGHT ON FOR 2ND TIME SINCE AUG 2006 WHEN CAR WAS BOUGHT USED. NEWBEETLE.ORG MEMBERS ALL HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND I KEEP GETTING CHARGED TO READ CODE AND TURN OFF THE LIGHT BECAUSE IT'S AN "INTERMITTENT" CODE. I'M TIRED OF DRIVING AROUND A VEHICLE KNOWING THE AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IF I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 5O MPH THE FRONT PART OF THE VEHICLE HIT AGAINST A TREE. THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED HOWEVER ONLY THE DRIVER WAS IN THE VEHICLE. THE END OF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG HIT THE DRIVER'S FACE CAUSING PERMANENT FACIAL DAMAGE (ACUTE RECESSION GLAUCOMA). THE CAR WAS DEEMED TOTALED.

AIR BAG DASHBOARD LIGHT CAME ON. ONLY A VOLKSWAGEN DEALER HAS THE EQUIPMENT TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND TELL ME WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. THE DEALER WILL NOT LOOK AT MY CAR UNLESS I GIVE THEM $100. IS THIS NOT PRICE GOUGING? NO AUTOMOBILE DIAGNOSIS WITH THAT EXPENSIVE. IT WILL NOT TAKE BUT A FEW MINUTES TO HOOK THE COMPUTER UP TO THE CAR AND SPIT OUT A REASON FOR THE AIRBAG LIGHT. SO, I CAN PAY THEM $100 TO TELL ME WHAT THE PROBLEM IS OR I CAN RIDE AROUND WITHOUT AIRBAGS. THIS TYPE OF EXTORTION SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED.*AK