2003 Volkswagen Beetle

2003 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE REAR WINDOW REGULATOR FAILURE WITH APPROX 23,000 MILES ON CAR. BOTH REAR WINDOWS REGULATORS HAVE FAILED IN THE PAST YEAR ALLOWING THE REAR WINDOWS TO FALL DOWN INTO THE CAR WITH A VERY LOUD NOISE WHICH COULD EASILY DISTRACT THE DRIVER. ONCE IT HAS FALLEN DOWN IT CANNOT BE RAISED AND COULD CAUSE PROBLEMS IN A VERY COLD OR HOT ENVIRONMENT. VW HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE FRONT WINDOWS BUT HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT THE REAR WINDOW FAILURES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER NOTICED SMOKE UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD. SHE PULLED THE VEHICLE ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND IT IMMEDIATELY BURST INTO FLAMES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 54,000.

AIR BAGS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWO TIMES ON NOV 15,2005 CAUSE:00591 LT SIDE BELT SWITCH IT WAS REPLACED. ON DEC/12/ 20007 THE TEST DIAGNOSTIC AND CONFIRM FAULT COD 00591,DRIVERS SEAT BELT SWITCH FAULTY. ESTIMATE FORE SERVICE $472.00 I HAD TO DECLINED .IF THEY REPLACED IT TWO YEARS AGO IT SHOULDN'T HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHEN THE ENGINE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE AIR BAG SENSOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL, ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000. UPDATE 09/10/08 *CW UPDATED 09/15/08. *JB

THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 47,000 MILES ON IT AND THE AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON. THIS AIRBAG HAS NEVER BEEN USED OR DEPLOYED. IT IS NOT DAMAGED AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED PROPERLY. I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT IT IS A DEFECTIVE AIRBAG AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OVER $700 FOR A NEW AIRBAG. I BELIEVE THE DEALER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPLACEMENT IF THEY EQUIPPED THE VEHICLE WITH A DEFECTIVE AIRBAG. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT IN HIS VEHICLE WOULD ILLUMINATE WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DUE TO RESISTANCE IN THE WARNING LIGHT; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER A TOTAL OF EIGHT TIMES. THE MOST RECENT TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WAS IN DECEMBER OF 2006 AND THE LIGHT TURNED OFF. IN JULY OF 2008, THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE CONTACT CONSULTED THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V178000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE), BUT THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE RECALL. THE RECALL WAS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN ON APPROXIMATELY JULY 31, 2008. THE CONTACT IS CURRENTLY WAITING FOR SOMEONE FROM VOLKSWAGEN TO CALL BACK. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,694.

WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED, SUDDENLY, WITHOUT WARNING, THE VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE AT EVER INCREASING SPEEDS UNTIL DISENGAGED. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY, WITHOUT WARNING AND SEEMINGLY WITHOUT A COMMON DENOMINATOR (SUCH AS 30 MIN AFTER ENGAGED OR AT A PARTICULAR SPEED). IT DOES HAPPEN WITH MORE REGULARITY EXCEEDING SPEEDS OF 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, BUT IT HAS ALSO HAPPENED AT 45-50 MPH AS WELL. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO SUBSEQUENTLY DID NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WAS INOPERATIVE. SHE TOOK HER VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND A TECHNICIAN RESET THE AIR BAG SENSORS. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE REPAIR, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE DISCOUNTED PRICE OF $250. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT BECAUSE THE RECALL FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V178000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE) DOES NOT BEGIN UNTIL JULY 31, 2008, THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 32,000.