2004 Volkswagen Beetle

MY CAR IS A CERTIFIED USED VW BEETLE. THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING A FEW MONTHS AGO, ALONG WITH OTHER PARTS OF THE CAR. THIS WAS AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD ON THE CAR, AND I KNOW IT IS USED, BUT I NOW COME TO FIND OUT THAT THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED, IN FACT ARE BLATANTLY ON THIS WIKI FOR THE CAR (WHICH UNFORTUNATELY, EITHER WAS NOT UP WHEN WE BOUGHT THE CAR, OR I DID NOT READ IT CAREFULLY) HTTP://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/VOLKSWAGEN_NEW_BEETLE "THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, FOR EXAMPLE, IS A WELL-DOCUMENTED ISSUE, OFTEN FAILING AFTER ONLY A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF USE." THERE ARE NUMEROUS PAGES WHERE THIS IS NOTED NOW ACROSS THE WEB: HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.F124D77 HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/VW_BEETLE.HTML SOME INCIDENTS NOTED SHOW THE DANGER OF THIS SITUATION. LUCKILY THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED TO ME, BUT NOW I AM LOOKING AT REPLACING A WHOLE TRANSMISSION (ALONG WITH FAILED DOOR MOTORS AND SUCH). IF THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, HOW CAN VW GET AWAY WITH CERTIFYING THIS CAR, WITHOUT AT LEAST A WARNING OR A LONGER WARRANTY ON PARTS THEY KNOW WILL FAIL. I CONSIDER THIS A FRAUD PERPETRATED ON ME. UNFORTUNATELY THIS REPAIR IS GOING TO COST MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH, AND YET, WE STILL OWE MONEY ON IT TO VW FOR OUR LOAN. I AM VERY FRUSTRATED HERE. THANK YOU. *TR

PURCHASED MY 2004 CONVERTIBLE BEETLE IN MAY OF 2011 WITH 83,000 MILES AND WITHIN A FEW DAYS THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING AND JERKING. IT STARTED GETTING WORSE AS TIME WENT ON, SO WE HAD A MECHANIC PUT IN SOME LUCAS TRANS FIX, IT HELPED A LITTLE BUT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE SLIPPING AND JERKING IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE AND HAS TO BE RECALLED. NOTICED ON EDMUNDS.COM THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND JERKING. ALSO NOTICED THAT VW AMERICA HAS NOT TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ISSUE. SO I AM DOCUMENTING MY COMPLAINT AND I AM ASKING ALL 2004 BEETLE OWNERS TO DO THE SAME IN HOPES TO PUT PRESSURE ON VW TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. THE ENGINEERS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRANSMISSION FAILED THIS PROGRAM, I HOPE YOU IDIOTS TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR MISTAKES. *TR

6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BEGAN SHIFTING VERY ROUGH AFTER 45,000 MILES. I AM CONCERNED THE TRANSMISSION WILL FAIL POTENTIALLY CAUSING A FATAL ACCIDENT, ESPECIALLY IF DRIVING ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY. VW DEALER SAYS THE CAR NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION AND IT WILL COST $7200! THE TRANSMISSION VALVLE BODY ON THIS MODEL CAR HAS ALREADY BEEN DECLARED DEFECTIVE BY VW. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A LOUD, ABNORMAL NOISE WHILE SHIFTING. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD JUMP GEARS UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE VALVE BODY WAS FAULTY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE VALVE BODY BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AND HAD BECOME WORSE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE VALVE BODY A SECOND TIME BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER RE-INSTALLED THE ORIGINAL VALVE BODY, ADVISING THAT THERE WERE NO FAILURES WITH THE INITIAL VALVE BODY. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.

2004 VW BEETLE TURBO BEGAN JERKING, SURGING, ETC, SEPT/OCT OF 2010. TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP TWICE FOR TRANSMISSIONS PROBLEMS, AS OBVIOUS. STAFF SAID NO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, BUT PAID OVER $1000 FOR "OTHER" ISSUES. DEC. 2010 CAR ABRUPTLY STOPPED RUNNING WHILE I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE. LOST ALL POWER! CAR WILL SURGE UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED. DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. UNABLE TO CONTROL AS CAR SHIFTS ITSELF INAPPROPRIATELY. THE HAPPENS EVERYDAY AFTER THE CAR IS WARMED UP. EVERY TIME YOU BRAKE OR ACCELERATE, IT JERKS, SURGES, STALLS, ETC. FINALLY, APRIL 19, 2011, (3 CAR SHOPS LATER), ANOTHER TRANSMISSION SHOP CONFIRMED MY PROBLEMS. ONLY 69,000 MILES ON MY CAR . . NEED NEW TRANSMISSION! VW DEALERSHIP HAS TURNED THEIR BACK ON ME AND "COVERED UP" THE FACT THAT THIS MODEL CAR HAS MAJOR TRANSMISSIONS PROBLEMS AND WAS MADE DEFECTIVE. I CAN NOT BELIEVE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERIENCING THIS HORRIFIC ORDEAL. A RECALL IS IMPERATIVE. I COULD HAVE HAD TWO CARS FOR THE PRICE THAT I AM STILL PAYING FOR THIS CAR. VERY UNSAFE AND SCARY RIDE. AN INJUSTICE AND INSULT TO THE PUBLIC, HARD-WORKING TAX-PAYERS!!! *TR

MY 2004 VW NEW BEETLE WITH 81,000 MILES ON IT NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION. HARSH SHIFTING BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEARS; DID A TRANS FLUSH; NOW IT WON'T COME OUT OF 3RD GEAR. BEEN SITTING SINCE JANUARY IN MY DRIVEWAY. I WAS TOLD I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION WHICH IS $5,800 + TAX. MY DAUGHTER WAS NEARLY REAR-ENDED SEVERAL TIMES! VW HAS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE FAILED TRANSMISSIONS. PURCHASE 2-1/2 YEARS AGO - STILL OWE ANOTHER 2-1/2 YEARS OF PAYMENTS AND I THOUGHT THIS CAR WOULD GET MY DAUGHTER THROUGH COLLEGE AND BEYOND - BOY WAS I WRONG. THEY CERTAINLY DON'T MAKE VWS THE WAY THEY USE TO. I HAD A BUG WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE AND THE FLOORBOARDS RUSTED OUT BEFORE THE MECHANICS OF THE CAR! *TR

[XXX] I RECEIVED A WARRANTY EXTENSION LETTER FROM VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA IN NOVEMBER 2010 EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ON MY 2004 VW BEETLE FOR HARD SHIFTING CAUSED BY THE VALVE BODY. MY BEETLE EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN THE LETTER. I SUBMITTED THE FORM FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS MADE TO THE VALVE BODY. MY CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT WAS REFUSED BY MARTIN A. CUSTOMER CARE ADVOCATE. HE STATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD NOT BE COVERED BECAUSE THE EXTENSION COVER REPAIRS TO THE VALVE BODY ONLY. I AM SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE VALVE BODY ONLY. WHEN THE REPAIR SHOP INSPECTED MY BEETLE FOR THE HARD SHIFTING ISSUE, THEY ALSO INSPECTED THE TRANSMISSION AND FOUND EXCESSIVE METAL DEBRIS IN THE 'PAN'. THE REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME THAT THEY RECOMMENDED REPAIRING THE TRANSMISSION AT THE SAME TIME AS REPLACING THE VALVE BODY. I COULD HAVE ELECTED NOT TO HAVE REPAIRED THE TRANSMISSION AT THAT TIME. I AM BEING TOLD THAT MY CLAIM IS BEING REFUSED BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE VALVE BODY WAS RELATED TO THE REPAIR OF THE TRANSMISSION WHICH IT CLEARLY WAS NOT. VW OFFERED THIS EXTENDED WARRANTY AND I FEEL AS THOUGH THEY ARE TRYING TO FIND ANY EXCUSE TO NOT FULFILL THIS OFFER. I CONTACTED VW CUSTOMER CARE ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON FEBRUARY 25TH TO EXPLAIN THAT THE VALVE BODY REPLACEMENT WAS NOT RELATED TO THE REBUILD OF THE TRANSMISSION AND WAS VERY FRUSTRATED WHEN THE ADVOCATE REPEATEDLY INTERRUPTED ME AS I ATTEMPTED TO EXPLAIN THIS TO HER. MY DAUGHTER AND I HAVE PURCHASED MULTIPLE VEHICLES FROM VW OVER THE YEARS AND ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY VW IS DENYING THIS VALID CLAIM, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO BE LOYAL VW OWNERS AND ARE HOPEFUL THAT VW WILL DO THE RIGHT THING FOR US. PLEASE REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS THAT I HAVE INCLUDED AND I'M SURE YOU WILL BE IN AGREEMENT THAT THIS CLAIM SHOULD BE APPROVED. PLEASE CONTACT THE RESPONSIBLE PARTIES. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*TR

I DO NOT KNOW WHO TO TURN TO NOW. I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH MY 2004 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE. I PURCHASED THE CAR MARCH, 2010 AND A FEW WEEKS AGO IT STARTED ACTING UP. THE GEARS HAVE BEEN SHIFTING VERY VIOLENTLY, SO MUCH SO THAT IT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE REAR ENDED ME EVERY TIME. MIND YOU, THIS ONLY HAPPENS AFTER I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR FOR MORE THAN 15 MILES, SO I FIGURE THAT IT'S ONCE THE CAR HAS COMPLETELY COOLED. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM VOLKSWAGEN IN NOVEMBER, 2010 FOR AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOTICED THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS FIXED AND NOW THEY TELL ME THAT I WAS ONLY COVERED UNTIL SEPTEMBER, 2010. THE LETTER SAYS IT WILL COVER TO 7 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST FROM THE VEHICLE'S ORIGINAL IN-SERVICE DATE. THIS MAKES NO SENSE TO ME BECAUSE TECHNICALLY I'M STILL ON THE 7TH YEAR AND I'M CURRENTLY AT 54K MILES. I HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE FOUND THAT THERE A LOT OF BEETLE OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME MISFORTUNE AND VOLKSWAGEN IS DOING NOTHING OF THE MATTER BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT WILL COST THEM MILLIONS. THIS IS VERY UPSETTING, SEEING THAT I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR LESS THAN A YEAR AND IT'S HAD 2 PREVIOUS OWNERS. I TRIED CALLING VOA AND THE "MANAGER" TELLS ME THAT THEY'RE LOOKING INTO THE MATTER BECAUSE THEY HAVE GOTTEN A HIGH VOLUME CALL THIS WHOLE WEEK REGARDING THIS. I CALL 2 DAYS LATER AND THEY TELL ME THAT I AM OUT OF LUCK. IT REALLY DOES SEEM THAT THIS IS A DESIGNER FLAW, AND VW IS FAILING TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE. *TR

WELL IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE. FIRST THING, THE TRANSMISSION WENT BAD AND THEN RIGHT AFTER THAT THERE WAS NO BRAKE LIGHTS. THE TOP WILL NOT COME DOWN BY IT SELF. THE DASH LIGHTS COME ON ( AIR BAG, BRAKES, CHECK ENGINE, EMISSIONS). SOUNDS LIKE THERE ARE HOLES IN THE MUFFLER. LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW FELL DOWN AND THEY WON'T 800 TO FIX, THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE. *TR