2002 Volkswagen Beetle

WE PURCHASED A USED 2002 VW BEETLE FOR OUR DAUGHTER. IT SMELLS LIKE BURNT CRAYONS AND GIVES HER A SERIOUS HEADACHE. ONLINE THERE A NUMEROUS PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF THIS SAME PROBLEM. IT COMES FROM SOMETHING SPRAYED ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE, THAT SMELLS MORE WHEN THE CAR IS HEATED UP. YOU MUST BE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO. WHAT SHOULD WE DO. THE ODOR WAS COVERED UP DURING THE TEST DRIVE, BUT HAS NOW BECOME UNBEARABLE. WHAT AVENUES SHOULD WE PURSUE. LEMON LAW, RECALL, ...WHAT SHOULD WE DO...OR MORE APTLY WHAT AREN'T YOU DOING? I WANT A SOLUTION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED TO FUNCTION. IN ADDITION, THE POWER WINDOWS, TURN SIGNALS, HEADLIGHTS, AIR CONDITIONER AND DEFROSTER WOULD NOT FUNCTION. THE BRAKE AND ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS WERE ALSO ILLUMINATED AND THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURES OCCURRED AT THE SAME TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS OR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

SEAT BELT/AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK TO LOCAL, QUALIFIED MECHANIC. THEY SAID ONLY VW DEALER COULD FIX AND RESET. DEALER SAID IT WAS LOWER SEAT BELT HARNESS ($380), BUT COULD BE MORE (ABOVE $800) AND THE SERVICE WRITER ENCOURAGED US TO DO THE MORE EXPENSIVE WORK. TOLD THEM TO DO THE HARNESS AND SEE IF LIGHT WOULD GO OUT, WHICH IT DID. LIGHT CAME BACK ON AROUND 12/10/2010 AT APPROXIMATELY 79,000 MILES. JUST PRIOR TO THIS, WE PURCHASED ANOTHER VW BEETLE, A 2003 CONVERTIBLE WITH 69,500 MILES WITH THE SEAT BELT/AIRBAG LIGHT ON. SELLER SAID HE COULD NOT GET IT FIXED BY HIS MECHANIC AND HAD TO HAVE VW DEALER REPAIR IT FOR AROUND "$380", MAYBE MORE. SINCE HE MADE OTHER REPAIRS, WE LET IT GO. NOW WE HAVE TWO TO FIX AT THE MERCY OF THE VW DEALER. MY CONCERNS ARE SEVERAL: 1. THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM FOR US AND FOR NUMEROUS OTHERS (VW BEETLE FORUM) 2. THE REPAIRS CAN ONLY BE COMPLETED BY A HIGH COST VW DEALER AND THE COMPUTER RESET BY THEM ONLY 3. THE MATERIALS APPEAR TO BE DEFICIENT/DEFECTIVE AND THE ENGINEERING OF THE HARNESS/WIRING SYSTEM SUBSTANDARD 4. REPAIRS NEED TO BE MADE IN THE 60-85,000 MILE RANGE - A CONTRIVED MAINTENANCE/REPAIR ITEM THAT BRINGS WINDFALL REVENUE/PROFIT TO VW DEALERS IN THE $400-1,000 RANGE PER OCCURRENCE WHEN MANY OF THE CARS ARE WORTH ONLY $4,000-7,000. 5. SINCE IT IS A BASIC SAFETY ITEM AND WE DON'T KNOW IF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WORKS OR NOT, WE ARE FORCED TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT MAKES US APPEAR AS IF WE ARE NEGLIGENT WHEN IN FACT THIS PROBLEM SHOULD NOT EXIST AND BE COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER LIKE EMISSION SYSTEMS TO WELL PAST 100-150,000 MILES. IN SUMMARY, VW HAS COLLUDED WITH ITS DEALERS TO CREATE THIS SITUATION AND ALLOW THIS "REPAIR" TO EMERGE AS A WAY TO GENERATE REVENUES AND PROFITS ON CARS THAT WOULD NORMALLY NOT HAVE A REASON TO BE BROUGHT IN TO A VW DEALER. IT IS NON-COMPETITIVE, FRAUDULENT AND UNNECESSARY.

SERIOUS ELECTRICAL LONG TERM QUALITY ISSUES, STARTING WITH UNDER HOOD WIRING FOR GLOW PLUGS MELTED AWAY, AIR BAG/SEAT BELT WIRING BROKE/FAILED, SEAT HEATER FAILED, PASSENGER DOOR SWITCH FAILED, TURN SIGNAL BULB HOLDER FAILED, REPEATED HEAD LAMP AND TAIL LIGHT FAILURES, ALTERNATOR PULLEY CLUTCH FAILED(EXPLODED) FACTORY ALARM PROBLEMS - JUST SETS OFF, AIR BACK LIGHT ON DASH ON, SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ON. *TR

VW DEALER ADVISES THAT AIRBAG LIGHT INDICATES AIRBAGS ARE DISABLED AND CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTION IN THE SEATBELT LATCH ASSEMBLY COSTING $386 TO REPAIR. VW DEALER SAYS THIS HAPPENS A LOT. VW DEALER SAID THAT AIRBAGS WOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED. VW DEALER SAID THAT WIRING INSIDE THE LATCH "JUST BREAKS" EVENTUALLY. FAILURE OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE AN AUTOMATIC RECALL AND MANUFACTURERS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REPAIR DEFECTS AT THEIR COSTS AND NOT COST TO THE CONSUMER. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2002 NEW BEETLE TO WORK. THE BRAKES FROZE UP, I COULD NOT STOP RAN A STOP SIGN I PUT CAR IN PARK STILL COULD NOT STOP. HAPPENED TWICE MORE B/4 I GOT TO WORK. I LOOKED UP RECALL FOR VOLKSWAGEN 2002. THERE WAS ONE "SERVICE BRAKES ,HYDRAULIC: ANTILOCK RECALL. I CALLED VOLKS AND WAS ASKED IF I WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER? I TOLD THEM NO. ALTHOUGH I WAS ABLE TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE ABOUT MY PROBLEM I GOT NO RESULTS. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALLS FOR VIN NUMBER I GAVE HER. I CAME BACK TO WORK AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS, SAID EVERY VEHICLE HAS IT'S OWN ID NUMBER WHICH I UNDERSTOOD BUT I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND I COULD HAVE LOST MY LIFE. *TR

CHEMICAL ODOR INSIDE CAR. RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2002 VW BEETLE. THE INSIDE OF THE CAR SMELLS LIKE BURNT CRAYONS. IT IS SO STRONG IT BURNS MY EYES AND THE SMELL GETS IN YOUR HAIR AND IN YOUR CLOTHING. THIS CANNOT BE HEALTHY TO BE BREATHING. I LIVE IN MS AND THE HEAT SEEMS TO MAKE THE SMELL STRONGER. I'VE READ MANY THREADS WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE ON LINE COMPLAINING OF THIS SAME PROBLEM BUT VW DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY CANNOT HELP. *TR

VW DEALER ADVISES THAT AIRBAG LIGHT INDICATES AIRBAGS ARE DISABLED AND CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTION IN THE SEATBELT ASSEMBLY COSTING OVER $500 TO REPAIR. D.O.T. REQUIRES MANUFACTURERS TO INSERT AIRBAGS AS SAFETY MEASURES, BUT FAILS TO ENFORCE AUTO MANUFACTURERS MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS DEFECT. FAILURE OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE AN AUTOMATIC RECALL AND MANUFACTURERS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REPAIR DEFECTS AT THEIR COSTS AND NOT COST TO THE CONSUMER. *TR