2003 Volkswagen Beetle

THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT WOULD NOT UNLATCH. PASSENGER HAD TO CLIMB OUT FROM UNDERNEATH. CALL TO THE VW DEALERSHIP YIELDED COMMENT FROM SERVICE DEPARTMENT "SOMETIMES THE SEAT BELT LATCH BREAKS; YOU NEED TO BRING IT IN AND HAVE IT REPLACED (AT MY COST)". ON MAY 14, 2014 I HAD THE SERVICE REPAIR DONE. MILEAGE WAS 49,486. COST WAS $292.16. SERVICE WAS DONE BY JIM ELLIS VOLKSWAGEN MARIETTA, 1860 COBB PARKWAY, MARIETTA, GA 30060. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT. IF WE HAD BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, MY PASSENGER WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR; THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN LIFE-THREATENING, THEY COULD HAVE DIED. I THINK VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD MAKE A RECALL OF 2003 BEETLE CONVERTIBLES AND REPLACE THE LATCH AND SENSOR (TO AIRBAG) AT NO CHARGE TO OWNER. *TR

THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND WHEN WE TOOK IT TO THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP WE WERE TOLD THAT THE AIR BAG HAD FAILED AND THAT IT MAY OR MAY NOT DEPLOY DURING AN ACCIDENT, AND THAT IT COULD DEPLOY WITHOUT CAUSE WHILE DRIVING. CALLED VOLKSWAGEN CUSTOMER CARE NUMBER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL HAD BEEN ADDRESSED IN 2008 WITH THE VECHICLE AND THAT IT WAS NOT NECESSARLY REPAIRED "IT WAS JUST ADDRESSED". I COULD NOT GET ANY FURTHER RESPONSE. I HAVE NEVER HAD OR READ ABOUT A CAR HAVING TO HAVE AIRBAGS REPLACED AS A SCHEDULED SERVICE OR MAINTANCE. AIRBAG FAILURE SHOWES THAT IT WAS NOT DONE RIGHT TO BEGAIN WITH. THE CAR WAS PURCHACED WITH 34,000 MILES AND NOW HAS 60,111 MILES. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE AIRBAG POSSIBLITY DEPLOYING WHILE DRIVING MORE THAN NOT DEPLOYING DURING A CRASH. ANY HELP IN UNDERSTANDING THIS MATTER IS MUCH APPRICIATED. *TR

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE ALL FOUR POWER WINDOW REGULATORS. I AM NOW HAVING TO REPLACE ONE OF THE REPLACEMENTS. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 83000 MILES ON IT. THE PARTS TO REPAIR THIS WINDOW ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE - OVER $500. I'VE ALREADY INVESTED WELL OVER $1500 REPLACING THE REGULATORS ALREADY. VOLKSWAGEN IS MAKING DEFECTIVE PARTS AND WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. I FILED A COMPLAINT EARLIER ON THIS VEHICLE FOR A DEFECTIVE AIRBAG. THIS CAR HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED. I'VE TAKEN GOOD CARE OF IT. THE AIRBAG WAS NEVER DEPLOYED OR DAMAGED IN ANY WAY. IF THE AIRBAG IS DEFECTIVE IT IS BECAUSE VW PUTS DEFECTIVE AIRBAGS IN THEIR VEHICLES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CLICKING SOUND IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE ROLL OVER BAR SUDDENLY DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,600.

FROM DAY ONE THIS CAR HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WHICH WERE DENIED BY THE DEALER ON 5 VISITS, AFTER I SOLD THE CAR I RECEIVED A RECALL FROM VW, NOW THAT I AM LOOKING AT BLOGS THEY HAVE APPARENTLY RECALLED THIS RECALL TO SUIT THEM. OTHER COMPLAINTS WITH THIS VEHICLE ARE WINDOW TROUBLES, CONVERTIBLE ROOF TROUBLES, ELECTRONIC TROUBLES, SEATBELT TROUBLES, AIRBAG TROUBLES. I CAN'T BELIEVE ANYONE WILL ALLOW THIS CAR TO STILL BE SOLD OR ON THE ROAD. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD ON WHEELS. *TR

THREE YEARS AGO WHEN THE CAR HAD ONLY 55,000 MILES ON IT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. THERE WAS NEVER ANY DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAGS AND I TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY CAR. VW SAID IT WAS A DEFECTIVE AIR BAG, BUT REFUSED TO STAND BEHIND IT. THEY WANT $750 TO FIX IT. IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE EACH WINDOW MOTOR. THEY COST $400 TO REPLACE. THE DRIVER SIDE MOTOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME. THAT MEANS THE FIRST REPLACEMENT LASTED LESS THAN FOUR YEARS. THE CAR HAS ONLY 77,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS. *TR

AIR BAG LIGHT AS OF 1/1/11, THESE WERE RECALLED FOR 2004-2006 BEETLES AND 2003-2005 BEETLE CONVERTIBLES. NO RECALLS YET FOR 2003 BEETLES, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE A GROWING PROBLEMS THAT ARE YET TO BE FIXED BY VW!!! SEEMS LIKE THEY ARE JUST DELAYING THE RECALL UNTIL THEY RECEIVE ENOUGH COMPLAINTS/INJURIES. 2 RECALLS OF A FRONTAL SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE IN 4/2008 & A PASSENGER OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (POD) DEALER REPROGRAM REPAIR IN 12/2004 BUT AGAIN NOTHING FOR 2003 MODELS EVEN THOUGH IT STARTED IN LATE 2003. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED THAT THE ENTIRE AIR BAG SYSTEM FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

RECALL ON AIRBAG CRASH SENSOR BACK IN 2008, WHICH WE HAD REPLACE . HOWEVER THIS PROBLEM CONSTANTLY HAPPEN WERE THE AIR BAG CREASE SENSOR LIGHTS COMES ON AND STAYS ON. WHEN YOU CALL THE DEALERSHIP THEY WANTS TO CHARGE THE CONSUMER. THERE IS ALWAYS A JERKING IN THE POWER TRANSMISSION WHILE DRIVING . THIS IS DANGEROUS YOU WOULD THINK THE CAR IS GOING TO STOP GOING UP HILL. I MADE A COMPLAINT BACK IN 2009 COMPLAINT #102868 NEVER RECEIVED A RESPONSE. *TR