2004 Volkswagen Beetle

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. EVER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, IT HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONTAL AIR BAG CRASH SENSOR AND REPROGRAMMED THE AIR BAG SYSTEM; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE DEALER STATED THAT IF THE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AGAIN, THE AIR BAG MODULE WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 08V178000 (AIR BAGS: FRONTAL: SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE OR RECALL) AND 03V3560000 (AIR BAGS). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,000. UPDATED 06/23/09. *LJ A DIAGNOSTIC INDICATED FAILURE OF THE DRIER SEAT BUCKLE WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 06/24/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V178000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE); UPDATED 03-04-09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED AROUND 50,000 MILES THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS A FAULTY AIR BAG SENSOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHICH RENDERED THE AIR BAG INOPERATIVE. 6 MONTHS LATER, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. VW STATED THE AIR BAG SENSOR/MODULE WAS FAULTY AGAIN. UPDATED 03/05/09. *JB

AFTER RETURNING VEHICLE TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR AIRBAG LIGHT IN WHICH TIME THE SENOR UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS REPLACED, THE AIRBAG SENSORS REPROGRAMMED, FINALLY THERE WAS A RECALL OF THE AIRBAG SENSORS AND THEY WERE REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY 1 MONTH AFTER REPLACEMENT, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME BACK ON. NOW IT IS THE AIRBAG SENSOR IN THE DRIVERS SEAT. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE IS AN INTRINSECT PROBLEM WITH THE ENTIRE AIRBAG SYSTEM. WHEN I ASKED IF WE COULD JUST NOT HAVE IT REPAIRED, I WAS TOLD THAT NOT HAVING IT REPAIRED COULD CAUSE THE SEAT BELT TO NOT WORK, AND THE AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY. *TR

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON DASH IN LATE JULY. VW DEALER CONTACTED TO SEE IF SAFETY HAZARD, TOLD NO. RECEIVED RECALL LETTER FROM VW ONE MONTH LATER FOR AIRBAG SENSOR. CALLED DEALER TO SEE IF URGENT SAFETY MATTER. TOLD NO, COME IN AT OUR LEISURE. ONE WEEK LATER, AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WHEN HIT MINOR BUMP IN THE ROAD. *TR

RE: ILLUMINATION OF AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS REPAIRED UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY. CAME ON AGAIN 1 WEEK LATER AND A CRASH SENSOR WAS REPLACED, AGAIN UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY. CAME ON AGAIN ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER AND WAS CHARGED DUE TO EXPIRATION OF FACTORY WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THIS MANUFACTURER. *TR

AIR BAG SENSOR ON MY 2004 VW BEETLE DIAGNOSED AS DEFECTIVE BY VW DEALER. DEFECT IDENTIFIED ONLY 20 DAYS PAST THE EXPIRATION OF NEW CAR WARRANTY. DEALER AND VW - AMERICA DECLINED TO REPAIR VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY. I ADVISED VW AMERICA THAT THE NHTSA WEBSITE INFORMS THAT A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE BEGINS ON 7/31/08. THEY STILL REFUSED TO OFFSET OR PARTIALLY OFFSET THE COST OF THE REPAIR. *TR

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND DEALER FOUND THAT FRONT CRASH SENSOR FAILED AND THAT THERE WAS A RELATED COMPUTER PROBLEM AT APPROXIMATELY 30,000 MILES AND THIS WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS TOLD THAT THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE. AT 40,000 THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE OTHER SIDE FRONT CRASH SENSOR HAD FAILED ALSO AND THAT THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH. THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND I WAS CHARGED $505 TO REPLACE THIS. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR THAT THEY "SEE THIS ALL THE TIME WITH THE BEETLE", AND THAT "AFTER ONE SIDE FAILS THE OTHER SIDE USUALLY DOES TOO". *TR