2001 Volkswagen Beetle

THROTTLE BODY GOES OUT (02-03-2009) CV AXEL GOES OUT (03-31-2009 BRAKE LIGHTS GO OUT (02-18-2010) CV AXEL GOES OUT AGAIN (4-31-2010) ALTERNATOR GOES OUT (06-21-2010) IGNITION COILS FAIL (09-13-2010) IGNITION COILS FAIL AGAIN(01-21-2011) BRAKE SWITCH REPLACED AGAIN (01-21-2011) AIR FLOW SENSOR FAILS (01-21-2011) AIR FLOW SENSOR FAILS AGAIN (07-26-2011) TIMING BELT REPLACED (06-15-2011) THERMOSTAT REPLACED (06-15-2011) WATER PUMP REPLACED (06-15-2011) NOW HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THROTTLE BODY/ THROTTLE BODY SENSOR/ ELECTRICAL ISSUE. DEALER IS NOT SURE WHAT THE PROBLEMS IS AND WANTS TO THROW MONEY AT IT TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEMS IS. THIS CAR IS JUST ONE PROBLEM AFTER ANOTHER AFTER ANOTHER.

APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK AGO I NOTED THAT WHEN I PUT MY 2001 BEETLE INTO DRIVE, THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT CATCH. AS I PUSHED THE GAS PEDDLE DOWN, IT WAS NECESSARY TO REV THE ENGINE AND THEN IT WOULD FINALLY CATCH. THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORSE OVER THE COURSE OF THE WEEK AND WILL GO INTO THE SHOP THIS WEEK. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO REV THE ENGINE TO GET IT INTO GEAR. I HAVE ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME ON 2 OCCASIONS, BUT WAS ABLE TO HIT THE BRAKE IN TIME. I NOW PUSH THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR AT THE SAME TIME TO AVOID THIS POSSIBILITY. I HAVE READ OF SIMILAR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON THE NEW BEETLE AND WANT TO ADD MY EXPERIENCE AT A PALTRY 41,000 MILES TO THE LIST. I HAVE NOT HAD THE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN OTHER POSTINGS SUCH AS DIFFICULTY SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND OR 2ND TO 3RD. I ALSO HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR DOWNSHIFT OR SHIFT TO NEUTRAL AS OTHERS HAVE DESCRIBED. THE MAJOR REASON FOR POSTING THIS IS THE TWO EPISODES OF ALMOST HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHEN THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN BETTLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD DOWNSHIFT ABNORMALLY BETWEEN GEARS AND HE WOULD HAVE TO MANUALLY SHIFT FROM FOURTH INTO THIRD. THE VEHICLE WOULD THEN ROAR LOUDLY AND LOSE ALL POWER. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,000. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

I BOUGHT MY 2001 VW BEETLE AND I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS THE DAY I BROUGHT IT HOME. WITHIN 45 MIN MY EPC LIGHT CAME ON, MY ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR STALLED. I LOST POWER STEERING, BREAKS, AND CAR WOULD NOT IDLE. CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE THE THROTTLE BODY HAD WENT OUT. THEY REPLACED IT WITH NO CHARGE, BECAUSE I THREATENED TO RETURN THE CAR UNDER THE LEMON LAW, EVER SINCE I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. STARTING IN NOV. OF 2010 I HAD A LOT OF MISS FIRE. TOOK IT TO THE VW DEALER THEY SAID THAT THE COILS WERE RECALLED AND THEY REPLACED THEM FOR FREE. SINCE THEN MY COILS AND SPARK PLUGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES DUE TO FAULTY MANUFACTURING. ABOUT TWO WEEKS (JULY 2011) I WENT OUT AND STARTED MY CAR, ONCE AGAIN MY EPC LIGHT, MY ABS LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ONCE AGAIN I LOST MY POWER STEERING, BRAKES, CAR WOULDN?T IDLE. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY SAID IT WAS THE MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR. CHANGED IT CAR RAN FINE FOR ONE DAY. THE NEXT DAY THE LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER THEY SAID IT?S THE COILS AND SPARKS PLUGS. HAD THEM CHANGED LESS THAN A MONTH AGO (JUNE 2001) WHEN I HAD THE TIMING BELT CHANGED. TOOK IT BACK AGAIN NOW THEY ARE SAYING IT?S THE THROTTLE BODY AGAIN. LAST TIME I CHECKED A THROTTLE BODY SHOULD LAST MORE THAN 2 YEAR. I WAS LOOKING FOR A USED THROTTLE BODY AND WAS AT A PARTS STORE THE GUY SAID THAT THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE ISSUE WITH THE WIRING HARNESS AND IT COST ABOUT $2000 HOPING THIS IS NOT MY PROBLEM?. WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS I HAVE SUNK 3500 IN TO THIS CRAP CAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE GLS . WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT PLACED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND HEARD A CLICKING SOUND BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY START WHEN IT WAS JUMP STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED A SECOND TIME AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THE ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MECHANIC STATED THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIANS STATED THE ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED A SECOND TIME. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ALTERNATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,500. UPDATED 08/24/11*LJ UPDATED 3/05/2012 *LN

2001 VW BEETLE. FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS. FOR THE FIRST FEW YEARS IT WAS COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY, FREE OF CHARGE REPAIRS. I HAVE LOW MILEAGE SO I THOUGHT THAT BY THE TIME THESE ITEMS WERE REPAIRED IT WOULD BE FINE WHEN THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CAR AND IN PARTICULAR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ALWAYS GOING OFF. THE SAFETY ISSUE COMES IN WITH ITS CURRENT PROBLEM. I HAD A FUEL INJECTION FLUSH WHICH INCLUDED THE CARBON DEPOSITS REMOVAL KNOWN AS INDUCTION, AIR FILTER REPLACED, ENGINE FUEL FILTER REPLACED, AND A BRAKE FLUID FLUSH PLUS 4 NEW SPARK PLUGS. PRIOR TO THIS SERVICE, MY CAR WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY STARTING WITH MAJOR SHAKING. I HAD TO PUT MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR TO GET IT GOING WHILE STARTING. NOW AFTER THE SERVICE IT RUNS MUCH BETTER BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT NOW STALLS WHEN I COME TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND STOP FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THE OTHER MALFUNCTIONS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE YEARS ARE AN EXPENSE BUT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I COULD SOMEHOW MANAGE. THIS IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS. I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND THE GENERATOR COMES ON WHEN I STOP, IT IS WORSE WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGES FAST AND THEN I HAVE TO STOP EVEN MORE SUDDENLY. IMAGINE IF I AM ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT STOPS. THIS HAS HAPPENED ONCE, A FEW WEEKS PRIOR TO THE CLEANING SERVICE. NOW, I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THAT VEHICLE. I HAVE LOOKED ONLINE AT MESSAGE BOARDS FROM OTHER VW BEETLE OWNERS AND HAD READ SIMILAR STORIES OF SUCH DISSATISFACTION, INCREDIBLE FINANCIAL EXPENSE WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND OTHER COMPONENTS OF CARS. I HAVE EVEN READ THAT THESE CARS CAN BECOME INFLAMED , NECESSITATING THE FIRE DEPT. TO PUT IT OUT. THIS IS A LEMON AND SO MANY OTHER VW OWNERS HAVE WRITTEN SIMILAR ACCOUNT MESSAGE BOARDS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE OXYGEN SENSOR AND MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE EPC LIGHT ILLUMINATED. UPDATED IVOQ 07/07/11. *JB *TR

CAR IS STALLING, SPUTTERING, BUT NOT DYING COMPLETELY. COIL PACKS HAVE BEEN DETERMINED TO BE THE ISSUE. THERE IS AN OPEN RECALL ON THE COIL PACKS, BUT I NEVER RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE. THE COIL PACKS ON THIS CAR NEED TO BE REPLACED, FREE OF CHARGE, FREE LABOR AND DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES. PLEASE SEND DETAILS ON HOW TO ACCOMPLISH THIS FOR MY 2001 VW NEW BEETLE GLX 1.8T. *TR

I HAVE A 2001 VW NEW BEETLE. THE TRANSMISSION KEEPS FAILING, LURCHING, SKIDDING, & THE DEALER & MECHANICS HAVE DONE/FOUND OUT NOTHING ABOUT IT. I AM ONE OF THOUSANDS EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM WITH NO REPLY FROM VW. I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANYTHING ABOUT THE RECALLS THEY ORDER. MY CAR IS TOTALLY UNSAFE & I HAVE PUT $5,500 IN IT TO BE TOLD I NEED MORE WORK. THEY ARE TAKING NO RESPONSIBILITY & WE THAT OWN THESE CARS ARE FORCED TO DRIVE THEM UNSAFELY. MY CAR JUMPS & SKIDS FORWARD FROM A STOP. IT GOES SO SLOW BEFORE THE SKIDDING THAT CARS ALMOST REAR END ME. THE CAR CANNOT BE TRADED IN BROKEN & VW REFUSES TO ADDRESS ANY PROBLEMS WE ALL HAVE. MY MOM HAS A 2005 NEW BEETLE THAT IS BEGINNING TO LURCH AND STALL OUT ON THE FREEWAY & DURING REGULAR DRIVING. WE OWN 2 OF THESE CARS AND NEVER RECEIVE ANY RECALL INFO AND WE ARE FORCED TO PAY $5,700 EACH TO FIX THE FAULTY TRANSMISSION, $900 EACH FOR SENSORS, WHO KNOW WHAT FOR COMPUTERS THAT ALL FAIL AND CAUSE OUR VEHICLES TO BE EXTREMELY UNSAFE. MY CAR RIGHT NOW WILL NOT REVERSE, IT ONLY DRIVES FORWARD. VW NEEDS TO BE FORCED TO RECALL THERE FAULTY UNSAFE CARS FOR NOT ONLY THOSE THAT DRIVE THEM BUT FOR OTHERS ON THE ROAD. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE FOR DRIVERS AND ANYONE ON THE ROAD. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FEAR FOR MY LIFE WHEN DRIVING A VEHICLE I HAVE MAINTAINED AND THE MAKER WILL NOT RECALL THE PROBLEMS IT KNOWS THESE VEHICLES HAVE. THEY ARE NOT SAFE AND ALL OF US THAT OWN THEM ARE STUCK PAYING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX A PROBLEM VW IS AWARE OF AND WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT. IT IS SCARY AND DANGEROUS TO BE A VW NEW BEETLE OWNER. *TR

THE HEADLAMPS HAVE BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES. ACCORDING TO A VW DEALERSHIP WHO SERVICED THE VEHICLE, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE'S WIRING HARNESS IS DEFECTIVE, CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENTATION CLUSTER TO FAIL. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE WIREING HARNESS PROBLEM, BUT ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY SERVICE RECALLS.

I PURCHASED A 2001 NEW BEETLE GLS TURBO WITH 42K MILES ON IT IN 2008 FOR MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR GARAGED, OIL CHANGED, AND HAVE ONLY PUT 8K MILES ON IT IN THE THREE YEARS I'VE OWNED IT. AT MY MOST RECENT OIL CHANGE, I EXPLAINED TO THE VW DEALERSHIP OF THE TRANSMISSION ISSUE WHICH THEY BRUSHED OFF AS BEING THE WAY VW TRANSMISSION'S DO IN AND THAT THEY ARE NOT SMOOTH RUNNING TRANSMISSIONS. DURING THIS 8K MILES, I HAVE WENT THROUGH TWO NEW BATTERIES UNTIL THE DEALERSHIP MADE ME AWARE OF THE NEED FOR A NEW ALTERNATOR. AFTER GETTING THE NEW ALTERNATOR FIXED THIS WEEK AT THE TUNE OF $500, THE TECH INFORMED ME THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACING AT A COST BETWEEN $4K-$6K. I HAD BEEN NOTICING WHEN I STOP AND THEN ACCELERATE AGAIN, THE ENGINE HESITATES AND THEN SLINGS FORWARD SO FAST THE TIRES WILL BARK. IT'S HESITATION ALMOST COST ME A REAR-END ACCIDENT NOT LONG AGO. THANKFULLY, EVERYONE WAS JUST SHAKEN UP A BIT. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE CABIN AIR FILTER WHEN IT DISINTEGRATED AND STARTED BLOWING FILTER IN HER FACE AS SHE WAS DRIVING. ALL THESE REPAIRS IN THE 8K MILES I'VE PUT ON IT. THE CAR AT THIS MOMENT NOW HAS ONLY 50K MILES AND SITS IN MY GARAGE AS I AM AFRAID FOR MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE OF IT'S UNRELIABILITY AND SAFETY ISSUES. ALSO, THE CONSOLE HAS BROKEN, THE CLEAR COAT IS PEALING OFF THE INTERIOR DOORS, HANDLES AND DASH. PLEASE HELP US BECAUSE THERE ARE ALOT OF PEOPLE THAT DEPEND ON THE VW'S AND CANNOT AFFORD NEW, SAFER CARS. *TR