2003 Volkswagen Beetle

THIS PARTICULAR ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH VW NEW BEETLES HAS BEEN REPORTED IN ONLINE VW FORUMS HUNDREDS OF TIMES. THERE IS A SMALL PLASTIC FUSE BOX THAT IS ATTACHED AT THE TOP OF THE VEHICLE BATTERY IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IT CONTAINS A SERIES OF FLAT METAL FUSES OF VARIOUS AMPERAGE, AND IS ELECTRICALLY FED BY A CABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE ALTERNATOR. ONCE AT THE FUSE BOX, THE ELECTRICITY IS BRANCHED TO OTHER CIRCUITS BY CONNECTION TO A BUS. BUT THE MAIN FEED FROM THE FUSE BOX IS TO THE BATTERY BY AN AUXILIARY CABLE, BRANCHING OUT FROM THE FUSE BOX, CONNECTED BY THE ALTERNATOR CABLE/FLAT FUSE AT ONE END (IN THE FUSE BOX), AND DIRECTLY TO THE BATTERY POSITIVE AT THE OTHER END. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE ENTIRE FUSE BOX ASSEMBLY FREQUENTLY MELTS INTO A GLOB OF PLASTIC, AND REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT FIRE HAZARD. I HAVE OWNED TWO NEW BEETLES (2003 & 2004), AND HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM FOUR TIME BETWEEN THE TWO. MY OWN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CAUSE(S) HAS SHOWN ME THAT IF THE VEHICLE BATTERY IS DISCHARGED, AND THE ALTERNATOR ATTEMPTS TO RECHARGE THE BATTERY AT A HIGH RATE, THAT ONCE THE ELECTRICAL CHARGE ENTERS THE FUSE BOX VIA THE ALTERNATOR CABLE, THE AUXILIARY CABLE IS INCAPABLE OF ALLOWING THE ELECTRICITY TO PASS ON THROUGH TO THE BATTERY. THE EXCESS ELECTRICAL BUILD UP IS DISSIPATED AS HEAT, AND THE FUSE BOX MELTS. IT IS ANALOGOUS TO BRINGING IN WATER THROUGH A FIRE HOSE (THE ALTERNATOR CABLE), AND THEN TRYING TO FUNNEL ALL OF THE WATER INTO A STRAW (THE AUXILIARY CABLE). IT WON'T FIT. IT APPEARS THAT THE AUXILIARY CABLE IS OF INSUFFICIENT SIZE AND METAL TYPE TO HANDLE THE ELECTRICAL CHARGE. IN ADDITION TO THE GENERIC FIRE HAZARD, GIVEN THE FUSE BOX LOCATION, ANY LEAKING FUMES (HYDROGEN) FROM THE BATTERY WHICH COME INTO CONTACT WITH A FUSE BOX SPARK/FLAME COULD CAUSE THE BATTERY TO EXPLODE. PLEASE ADVISE. *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

THE 2003 VW BEETLE HAS STARTED TO SLIP AT 96,500 MILES GOING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. I HAVE DONE ALOT OF ONLINE RESEARCH AND THERE ARE SEVERAL FORUMS AND THOUSANDS OF SIMILAR CASES AS THE ONE I AM HAVING. I CALLED VW OF AMERICA CUSTOMER CARE AND TALKED TO TIM AND HE SAID BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING. I MENTIONED THAT THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE THE VALVE BODY AND HE AGREED BUT STILL COULD NOT HELP ME. FURTHER RESEARCH LED TO ME FINDING A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINS VW AMERICA FOR EXACTLY THIS PROBLEM. SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY DOCUMENTED CASES, I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL IMMEDIATELY AS THIS CAN LEAD TO A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE ON THE ROAD. WORSE YET, VW KNOWS ABOUT IT AND IS NOT DOING ANYTHING! PLEASE HELP. *TR *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 50 MPH WHEN THE REAR CONVERTIBLE WINDOW BECAME LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CONVERTIBLE TOP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 18,452.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED AUTOMATICALLY AND THE VEHICLE DECELERATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE JERKED WHEN THERE WAS A SHIFT OF GEAR. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SLID OUT OF GEARS BY ITSELF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, HOWEVER NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 109,000.

MY VEHICLE WILL DOWN SHIFT REALLY HARD FROM 3RD TO 2ND WITH A LOUD CLUNK NOISE. THE TRANSMISSION AT TIMES WILL GET STUCK IN A GEAR AT A INTERSECTION AND NOT MOVE AT ALL..THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WILL TAKE OFF REALLY FAST. IT HAS DONE THIS ON THE FREEWAY AS WELL. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THIS CAR AND FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I HAVE CONTACTED VW AND THEY SAID I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THEY KNOW THAT THEIR IS A PROBLEM WITH THEIR TRANSMISSIONS BUT FAIL TO FIX IT. THEY SHOULD BE RECALLED. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION A LOT OF THESE CAR OWNERS ARE YOUNG (NEW ) DRIVERS AND THIS IS NOT A SAFE CAR! *TR

2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE OWNER BLOGS, FAILED TRANSMISSION IS A COMMON AND FREQUENT OCCURRENCE. *05/31/12*BF THE CONSUMER STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE CAR AND SHIFTING IT MOVED FORWARD FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN STOPPED. THE ENGINE STILL RAN FINE BUT, THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT TO HIGHER GEARS. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. UPDATED 06/06/12 *JS