2002 Volkswagen Beetle

2002 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THERE IS A LONG HESITATION THEN A VIOLENT JERK GOING INTO GEARS. I HAD STOPPED AT THE STOP SIGN AT THE END OF MY ROAD, I THEN PROCEEDED TO CROSS 4 LANES OF HIGHWAY TRAFFIC WHEN THE TRANSMISSION DECIDED TO DO A LONG HESITATION. A MULTIPLE CAR ACCIDENT WAS ALMOST THE RESULT. I HAVE SINCE PARKED THE CAR AND DO NOT DRIVE IT BECAUSE I CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX IT AND VOLKSWAGEN TOLD ME THAT THE REPAIRS WOULD BE $5700.00. THIS HESITATION AND JERKING HAPPENS EVERYTIME TIME NOW WHEN DRIVEN. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. THANK YOU! *TR

2002 TURBO VW BEETLE. SEEMS TO BE JERKING WHEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR. LAST WEEK IT JERKED ME FORWARD QUITE HARD. SCARY!! CAR HAS 70,000 MILES. I SEE THERE IS ALOT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. I'VE SPENT 1200.00 IN THE LAST YEAR ON VARIOUS REPAIRS. AS I SAW WITH OTHER COMPLAINTS, A/C STOPS WORKING AND THEN THIS. WONDERING IF THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS JERKING AFFECT. JERKING NOW HAS GOTTEN HARDER AND IS EVERYTIME IT SHIFTS INTO GEAR. THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC! WHEN RECENTLY TAKEN INTO A VW SHOP THEY DID A COMPUTER SCAN ON IT AND NOTHING COMES UP. VARIOUS HOSES, WATER PUMP, THERMO READER HAVE BEEN REPLACED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT HAS REMAINED ILLUMINATED IN THE VEHICLE FOR OVER 1 1/2 YEARS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT AND SENSOR CAUSED THE FAILURE. THROUGH RESEARCH, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT A NEWER MODEL MIGHT HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS SAME ISSUE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,000. UPDATED 09/11/09 *BF UPDATED 09/14/09.*JB

2002 VW BEETLE. THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON. THE DIAGNOSIS IS THAT A WIRE TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH IS BROKEN THEREFORE RELAYING THAT THE SEAT BELT IS NOT LATCHED (FALSE POSITIVE). WHEN THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON THE AIR BAG FUNCTION IS DISABLED. THE REPAIR IS NOT OF A WIRE, BUT OF THE ENTIRE SEAT BELT AT $250+. AT ANY TIME THIS IS A LOT BUT WHEN OUT OF A JOB MAY BE IMPOSSIBLE. AS MY COLLEGE-AGE DAUGHTER IS THE ONE IN THE SEAT, I AM LEFT WITHOUT MUCH CHOICE, BUT TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAS GONE ON, ALL WITH DIFFERENT DIAGNOSIS. WHY IS THIS NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE? THE TOPIC IS FREQUENT ON THE WEB. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 VW NEW BEETLE. PROBLEM..ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, THEN GOES OFF. HAD MANY COSTLY REPAIRS. PROBLEM REOCCURS. MECHANIC STATED THAT I MAY NEED A NEW CATALYTIC. HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT CAR MAINTAINS AN 80,000 OR 7 YEAR WARRANTY. IS THIS TRUE AND IF SO HOW DO I GET MY CAR FIXED ASAP BEFORE THIS WARRANTY EXPIRES? CAR HAS 54000 MILES AND IS NOW 7 YEARS. *TR

I AM AN OWNER OF A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. MY SEATBELT LIGHT CAME ON. I BROUGHT CAR INTO GREENBRIER VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP LOCATED IN CHESAPEAKE, VA IN FEB 2009. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE LATCH (BUCKLE) ON DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT WAS DEFECTIVE. I HAD DEALERSHIP REPLACE. ONE MONTH LATER SEATBELT LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I BROUGHT CAR BACK TO DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT PASSENGER SEATBELT LATCH (BUCKLE) WAS DEFECTIVE. I CALLED DEALERSHIP AND SPOKE WITH MY SERVICE REP BRENT FROM GREENBRIER VOLKSWAGEN AND HE STATED "THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH BEETLES" I ASKED HIM IF IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON A IMPORTATION SAFETY DEVICE OF A SEATBELT WAS IS THERE NO RECALL ON VEHICLE TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE SEATBELT LATCHES. HE WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE ME AN ANSWER. I NOW HAVE CONCERNS WITH NOT ONLY MY VEHICLE SAFETY, BUT ALL WHO DRIVE BEETLES. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM IF WILL THERE BE A MANDATORY RECALL. *TR

I OWN A 2002 BEETLE. IT HAS 55,000 MILES ON IT. TWO MONTHS AGO THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND WON'T GO OFF. NOW, THE TURN SIGNALS WON'T WORK. TO ADD TO THIS ONCE IN AWHILE THE SUN ROOF WILL OPEN ON IT'S OWN!!! THE DEALER SAID IT WILL COST ABOUT $650 TO FIX. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WITH ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. THE COMPLETE LIGHTING SYSTEM WENT OUT, THE SECURITY DOOR LOCK SYSTEM STOPPED, THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS QUIT WORKING, BOTH WINDOWS HAVE STOPPED GOING UP AND DOWN. A COUPLE OF TIMES THE ENGINE WON'T START AND THREE TIMES IT WILL JUST SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING. THIS CAR HAS A MIND OF IT'S OWN. LUCKILY NO ONE HAS BEEN HURT YET. SOME OF THIS HAS BEEN RECALLED AND SOME NOT. *TR

IN AUGUST 2008 I WENT TO HAVE MY OIL CHANGED AT A VOLKSWAGEN DEALER IN KALAMAZOO, MI. THEY SAID THAT THE ALUMINUM OIL PAN PLUG HAD BEEN OVERTIGHTENED AND THE PAN WAS RUINED. I WAS TOLD THAT POTENTIALLY THE PLUG COULD HAVE FALLEN OUT AT ANY POINT IN TIME, LEAVING ME IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION, EITHER STRANDED SOMEWHERE BUT MOST LIKELY CAUSING A CRASH. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE ALUMINUM PANS WEAR OUT AND NEED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THIS CAR HAD ONLY 35,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME. SOMETHING LIKE AN OIL PAN SHOULDN'T JUST "WEAR OUT" AFTER THAT SHORT A TIME. THEY ALSO TOLD ME I WAS BETTER OFF REPLACING THE ALUMINUM PAN WITH THE STEEL BECAUSE THE ALUMINUM WAS SUSCEPTIBLE TO PUNCTURES FROM ALMOST ANYTHING. THE NEW VOLKSWAGENS ARE BEING MANUFACTURED WITH STEEL PANS AND VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD BE WILLING TO REPLACE THE OLD ALUMINUM FREE OF CHARGE. THE NEW PAN COST ME $293.69. *TR