Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, GasolineInjury
I JUST BOUGHT A VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE, 03. THE SMELL MAKES ME PHYSICALLY ILL TO BE IN IT. THE DAY AFTER I BOUGHT IT, I HAD THE CABIN FILTER CHANGED AND IT STILL SMELLS. THIS SMELL IS A CHEMICAL SMELL AND MY THROAT STARTED HURTING AND SWELLED UP. I SAW A DOCTOR AND SHE COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM BUT ADDED THAT MY THROAT W…
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I JUST BOUGHT A VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE, 03. THE SMELL MAKES ME PHYSICALLY ILL TO BE IN IT. THE DAY AFTER I BOUGHT IT, I HAD THE CABIN FILTER CHANGED AND IT STILL SMELLS. THIS SMELL IS A CHEMICAL SMELL AND MY THROAT STARTED HURTING AND SWELLED UP. I SAW A DOCTOR AND SHE COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM BUT ADDED THAT MY THROAT WAS FILLED WITH PUSS. I STOPPED DRIVING IT AND ASKED MY HUSBAND TO DRIVE IT. HE IS NOW COMPLAINING THAT HE IS HAVING HEADACHES AND HAVING NEW ALLERGIES AFTER JUST ONE WEEK. WE CALLED VW WHO SAID IT WAS A RUST PROOFING MATERIAL THAT THEY USED TO PUT ON THE CAR AND THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. BUT I HAVE BEEN READING MANY WEBSITES THAT SAY IT IS A PARAFIN SOUND PROOFING MAT UNDER THE CARPET. THIS MATERIAL IS BEING REMOVED BY VW FOR SOME PEOPLE AFTER CONTACTING NHTSA. THERE ARE MANY POSTS ONLINE CONCERNING THIS CHEMICAL SMELL (LIKE BURNED CRAYONS). I AM CONCERNED FOR MY FAMILY'S HEALTH. I HAVE 3 KIDS WHO HAVE TO RIDE IN THE CAR AS WELL. I WANT VW TO REMOVE THE PARAFIN SOUND PROOFING MAT AT VW COST. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10504989
60,000 miles · Jan 6, 2009
Fuel System, Gasoline
CAR WILL NOT START. ENGINE NOT RECEIVING FUEL. FUEL PUMP, SENDER, RELAY, & FUSES ARE NOW BEING REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME WITHIN 3 WEEKS TIME. DEALER WILL NOT WARRANTY PARTS EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED 10 OR 12 OTHER INCIDENTS WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. FOREIGN CAR MECHANIC AND INDEPENDENT TOW TRUCK DRIVERS HAVE…
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CAR WILL NOT START. ENGINE NOT RECEIVING FUEL. FUEL PUMP, SENDER, RELAY, & FUSES ARE NOW BEING REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME WITHIN 3 WEEKS TIME. DEALER WILL NOT WARRANTY PARTS EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED 10 OR 12 OTHER INCIDENTS WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. FOREIGN CAR MECHANIC AND INDEPENDENT TOW TRUCK DRIVERS HAVE ALSO REPORTED KNOWLEDGE OF OTHER INSTANCES OF THE SAME SITUATION IN THIS AREA. REPAIR COSTS HAVE ALREADY EXCEEDED $800. NOT INCLUDING TOWING THE VEHICLE ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. CONCERNS ARE RELATED TO FUEL SAFETY ISSUE AND MAYBE RELATED TO 2003 VW PASSAT FUEL PUMP RECALLS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10253967
59,968 miles · Jan 6, 2009
Fuel System, Gasoline
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. ON DECEMBER 19, 2008, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE RELAY WAS MALFUNCTIONING. ALL THE COMPONENTS ATTACHED TO THE RELAY FAILURE WERE REPAIRED, BUT THE VEHICLE STILL WOULD NOT START. TH…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. ON DECEMBER 19, 2008, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE RELAY WAS MALFUNCTIONING. ALL THE COMPONENTS ATTACHED TO THE RELAY FAILURE WERE REPAIRED, BUT THE VEHICLE STILL WOULD NOT START. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR MORE INFORMATION AND THEY STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT SPENT OVER $800 REPAIRING THE FUEL PUMP THREE TIMES. THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. HIS LAST RESORT WAS TO HAVE THE DEALER REPAIR THE FUEL PUMP; HOWEVER, THE PARTS WOULD NOT BE UNDER WARRANTY. THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,968.
NHTSA ODI #10253965
35,500 miles · Dec 8, 2006
Fuel System, Gasoline
I NOTICED A GASOLINE SMELL IN THE CAR EACH TIME I DROVE IT. THE MECHANICS CHECKED AND FOUND A SEAL FOR THE FUEL PUMP HOUSING LEAKS. THEY REMOVED AND REPLACED HOUSING AND SEAL. *JB
VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING 76,900 MY 2004-2005 NEW BEETLE AND MY 2003-2005 NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED (DUAL-STAGE) AIR BAG SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM MAY HAVE AIR BAG FRONTAL CRASH SENSORS THAT CONTAIN A SOLDER JOINT ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD THAT MAY CRACK UNDER CERTAIN HIGH TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS. IF THIS OCCURS, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE AND THE FALLBACK ALGORITHM WILL ENSURE THAT THE FRONT AIR BAGS ALWAYS DEPLOY IN A FRONTAL CRASH IN WHICH THE VEHICLE'S DECELERATION IS HIGH ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN LOW-SEVERITY FRONTAL IMPACTS, THE FRONT AIR BAGS MAY DEPLOY MORE FORCEFULLY THAN DESIGNED, INCREASING THE POSSIBILITY OF INJURY TO OUT-OF-POSITION FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT EACH VEHICLE TO DETERMINE THAT THE SPECIFIC DEFECT CRASH SENSOR IS PRESENT ON ONE OR BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. ALL OF THE DEFECT CRASH SENSORS WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JULY 31, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE BRAKE LIGHTS COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE, OR REMAIN ON. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE PROPER SIGNAL WHEN BRAKING COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE NEWLY DESIGNED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 27, 2007, AND WILL BE CONDUCTED IN SEVERAL STAGGERED MAILINGS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21, 2007. VEHICLES WITHIN THE MAKE, MODEL, AND MODEL YEAR OF THIS POPULATION MAY BE INVOLVED IN EITHER THIS RECALL OR 06V-183, BUT NOT BOTH. THE REMEDY IS THE SAME FOR EACH RECALL. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERS WILL APPLY THE REMEDY BASED ON THE VIN NUMBER OF THE VEHICLE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1
PE08012 · Front Air Bag Crash Sensor Failure
Opened Feb 15, 2008 · Closed Apr 24, 2008
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
CERTAIN SUBJECT VEHICLES, MODEL YEAR (MY) 2003 CONVERTIBLE AND MY 2004 SEDAN AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED DUAL-STAGE AIR BAG SYSTEM.THE AIR BAG CRASH SENSORS (#1F0 909 606) CONTAIN A SOLDER JOINT ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD THAT MAY CRACK UNDER CERTAIN HIGH TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS.IF THIS OCCURS, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE AND THE CONTROL MODULE WILL ENABLE A FALLBACK ALGORITHM THAT WILL ENSURE THAT THE FRONT AIR BAG ALWAYS DEPLOYS IN A FRONTAL CRASH IN WHICH THE VEHICLE'S DECELERATION IS HIGH ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS.HOWEVER, IN LOW-SEVERITY FRONTAL IMPACTS, THE FRONT AIR BAGS MAY DEPLOY MORE FORCEFULLY THAN DESIGNED, INCREASING THE POSSIBILITY OF INJURY TO OUT-OF-POSITION FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS.VOLKSWAGEN WILL INSPECT FOR THE DEFECTIVE CRASH SENSOR AND REPLACE WITH AN UPDATED DESIGN.IN ADDITION, 16,177 EARLY-MY 2005 NEW BEETLE SEDAN AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES (BUILT THROUGH OCT 31, 2004) ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN.THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION IS CLOSED (SEE RECALL 08V-178)
2003 Volkswagen Beetle Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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