2004 Volkswagen Beetle

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE INDICATOR DID NOT DIM ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT LATCH FOR THE SEAT BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED A FAILED WIRE BY THE LATCH OF THE SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 27,888 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,858.

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

2004 VW NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. VEHICLE HAS 39,000 MILES AND IS RECENTLY OUT OF WARRANTY. DEALER SERVICE TOLD ME ME THAT DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WINDOW REGULATOR IS BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. GIVEN THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ENTERED REGARDING THESE WINDOW REGULATORS, THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD REPLACE THEM FREE OF CHARGE! HOW DOES A WINDOW REGULATOR FAIL ON A FOUR-YEAR-OLD CAR WITH 39000 MILES?!?!?!? *TR

MY DAUGHTER HAS A 2004 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE, AND LAST SUMMER SHE WENT TO PUT THE CONVERTIBLE DOWN AND THE REAR WINDOW MOTORS STOPPED WORKING. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND SINCE THE CAR HAD 52,000 MILES THEY TOLD MY DAUGHTER THAT IT WOULD COST HER $1500.00 TO FIX THE MOTORS. WE HAVE TWO MORE FRIENDS AND THEIR DAUGHTERS VW BEETLES CONVERTIBLE WINDOWS STOPPED WORKING TOO. I REALLY DON'T FEEL THAT THIS IS RIGHT. ELECTRIC MOTORS SHOULD NOT BREAK AFTER 50,000 MILES. VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM. "HOW DO I GO ABOUT GETTING THEM TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR CAR. *TR

SAFETY LATCH ON FRONT HOOD MECHANISM NOT DURABLE AND HAS BROKEN JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. CAR UNDER 30K MILES. ONLY USED 6 MONTHS OUT OF EVERY YEAR. MODEL YEAR 2004. DESIGN FLAW ON A MAJOR SAFETY ITEM. DEALER CLAIMS ENTIRE ASSEMBLY NEEDS REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT. UNDER MY EXAMINATION I FOUND THAT THE COMPONENT FAILURE WAS A SPRING ON INNER SIDE OF ASSEMBLY. SPRING DEFINITELY NOT HEAVY ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND NORMAL USAGE. HOOD COULD BECOME UN-LATCHED AND SAFETY LATCH WILL NOT CATCH IT CAUSING HOOD TO FLY UP AND ONTO WINDSHIELD. PROPERLY DAMAGE AND PERSONAL INJURY/CRASH HIGHLY POSSIBLE AT HIGHER SPEEDS. *TR

I RECENTLY BOUGHT A 2004 NEW BEETLE TDI WITH THE DSG TRANSMISSION FOR MY DAUGHTER. THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 75,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CAR HAD BEEN MAINTAINED AT A VW DEALER AND WAS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE. WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING TO SCHOOL THE DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL SELF DESTRUCT AND TOOK OUT THE TRANSMISSION WITH IT. I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE IT WAS JUST MY BAD LUCK UNTIL I GOOGLED THE PROBLEM AND FOUND OUT THAT MANY VW'S WITH THE DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL HAVE SUFFERED FROM THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. VW OF AMERICA STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM. THE VW TDI'S ARE NOT RACE CARS AND THIS TYPE OF FAILURE SHOULD NOT OCCUR ON A CAR THAT OPERATES AT THE LOWER RPM RANGE AS THESE CARS DO. THIS IS EITHER A DESIGN FLAW OR A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM AND IS LEAVING PEOPLE WITH HUGE REPAIR BILLS, $6600 IN MY CASE. *TR

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

THE CAR WENT INTO "LIMP MODE" ABOUT 12 MILES FROM HOME. IT DROPPED INTO FIRST GEAR AND LIMPED HOME AT 15 MPH. NEXT MORNING IT PERFORMED NORMALLY. THAT NIGHT STARTED INTO TOWN, IT DUMPED AGAIN DOWN TO LIMP MODE, THEN REFUSED TO MOVE AT ALL. HAD TO DOLLY IT HOME. DOLLIED IT TO DEALER A WEEK LATER. THEY DID THE COMPUTER SCAN AND SAID IT WAS THE "VALVE BODY" ON THE TRANSMISSION. WANTED $1700 TO REPLACE IT. DOLLIED IT BACK HOME. TRIED TO GET SOMEONE TO LOOK AT IT FOR A SECOND OPINION. NO ONE WOULD TOUCH IT. A GERMAN IN THE GERMAN AIR FORCE WHO WORKED FOR VW IN GERMANY AGREED TO WORK ON IT. SCAN HE DID INDICATED "VALVE BODY", SO HE REMOVED THAT AND WE TRIED TO ORDER ONE FROM THE SAME DEALER. THE DEALER NOW TELLS US THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE AND A NEW VALVE BODY WON'T FIX IT ANYWAY. THAT TELLS US THEY HAVE OTHER BEETLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY COULDN'T FIX THOSE EITHER. TALKED TO VW OF AMERICA SEVERAL TIMES. THEY WERE NOT HELPFUL AT ALL AND BASICALLY WOULD NOT COOPERATE IN ANY WAY. NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING. WE HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT IT HAS A UNIQUE TRANSMISSION USED ONLY DURING 2004 AND ALMOST EVERYONE WHO HAS A BEETLE WITH THAT TRANSMISSION HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. CAN'T GET PARTS. NO ONE WILL WORK ON IT. VW OF AMERICA IS AWARE OF THESE PROBLEMS AND MAKE NO EFFORT TO HELP. WE WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT HOW TO START A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT! BASICALLY, WE HAVE A $16,000 PIECE OF JUNK THAT WE DROVE FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND IT IS NOW COMPLETELY WORTHLESS! RECENTLY THEY TOLD US THERE WERE NO PARTS AVAILABLE TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION. *TR