2005 Volkswagen Beetle

I OWN A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW "EXPLODED" MAKING A VERY LOUD NOISE,WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IT IN OUR SUBDIVISION. THIS SAME WINDOW HAD BEEN REPAIRED ABOUT 6 MONTHS PRIOR BECAUSE IT WAS RATTLING. IT WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THE MORNING THE WINDOW EXPLODED WAS THE COLDEST MORNING SINCE IT HAD BEEN REPAIRED-39 DEGREES. I CAR HAD BEEN PARKED IN OUR GARAGE THAT EVENING. THE GARAGE WAS MUCH WARMER THAN THE OUTSIDE AMBIENT AIR. WITHIN ONE MINUTE OF MY WIFE DRIVING THE CAR FROM THE GARAGE THE WINDOW EXPLODED. HAD SHE BEEN ON A MAJOR ROAD THIS COULD HAVE TURNED INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I THINK VOLKSWAGEN IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEIR SIDE WINDOWS RATTLING ON THEIR CONVERTIBLE MODELS. THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW HAS STARTED TO RATTLE. THIS INCIDENT MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE MANNER THE DEALER FIXED IT FROM RATTLING. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BROADSIDED A SECOND VEHICLE, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD, AND WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE OF THE CRASH. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED IN THE COLLISION. UPDATED 10/04/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE WHO DECLARED THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO DECLARED THAT OTHER MODELS WITH THE SAME ELECTRONIC MODULE PRESENTED THE SAME TRANSMISSION DEFECT BUT DID NOT PROVIDE ANY SOLUTION. UPDATED 10/17/2006 - THE HESITATION AND STALLING PROBLEMS OCCURRED WHEN USING THE LEFT FOOT TO BRAKE THE VEHICLE. THE VW TECHNICIAN SAID THE COMPUTER MODULE RECEIVES CONFLICTING SIGNAL DUE TO ONE FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND ONE ON THE GAS PEDAL. THERE WERE NO APPARENT WARNINGS IN THE VW OWNERS MANUAL. THERE SEEMED TO BE NO PROBLEM WHEN USING THE RIGHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND GAS BUT THE PROBLEM SHOWED UP IMMEDIATELY WHEN USING THE LEFT FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND RIGHT FOOT ON THE GAS. *NM

I HAVE A 2000 VW BEETLE WITH 47,500 ORIGINAL MILES ON IT. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. I PURCHASED IT IN MAY OF 2000 FROM COOLEY. . I HAVE CLOSELY FOLLOWED THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE WITH REGULAR OIL CHANGES ETC. I HAVE BEEN VERY WELL PLEASED WITH THIS CAR DESPITE SOME UNUSUAL PROBLEMS. FOR EXAMPLE, I HAVE HAD AN ISSUE WITH A SENSOR THAT CAUSED THE CAR TO STALL ( SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED). THAT COST ME $100. THEN AT ABOUT 35K I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED BRAKES $400 +. ON SATURDAY JULY 16, 2005 I WAS ENROUTE TO WELLS, MAINE. APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES BEFORE MY DESTINATION, THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE LIGHT CAME ON. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY DESTINATION. AFTER THE CAR HAD COOLED, WE INSPECTED THE HOSES AND COOLANT AND BELT. EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE OK AND WE THOUGH EVERYTHING WAS GOOD SO WE STARTED OUT TO COME HOME (SUNDAY JULY 17TH, 2005) A SHORT DISTANCE INTO THE TRIP ( 5 -10 MILES). HEAT INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF AND THE TURNPIKE AUTHORITY CAME BY, CALLED A TOW AND THE CAR WAS TOWED TO BROWN'S AUTO REPAIR IN WELLS, MAINE. MY FRIEND, WHO IS THE FACILITIES MANAGER FOR THE WELLS SCHOOL DISTRICT, HAS HIS FLEET OF CARS AND TRUCKS SERVICED THERE SO I BELIEVED THE REPAIR SHOP TO BE REPUTABLE. MR.. BROWN, REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT, THE WATER PUMP, FAN MOTORS, SENSORS, SERPENTINE BELT, TIMING BELT AND COOLANT ETC. AT A COST OF $1396.. THE FIRST TOWING EXPENSE WAS COVERED BY MY ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. BOTH MR... BROWN AND THE VW DEALERSHIP WHERE THE REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE PURCHASED SEEMED TO THINK THAT I SHOULD NOT BE HAVING THESE KINDS OF PROBLEMS WITH THE LOW MILEAGE. I AGREE. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT RECOURSE I HAVE. IF OTHER BEETLE OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR ISSUES AND PROBLEMS. I HAVE OWNED FIVE OTHER VW AUTOMOBILES AND AM A VW LOVER BUT THIS DOES NOT MAKE ME A HAPPY VW OWNER. *JB

DT: 2005 VOLKSWAGEN, BEETLE. ON OCCASION WHEN STOPPING AT RED LIGHT,THE CAR BOGGED DOWN, WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR WOULD NOT GO. IT WOULD HESITATE FOR AT FEW SECONDS, AND IT WILL NOT TAKE THE GAS. THE ENGINE HAD NOT QUIT AS OF YET. CONSUMER SPOKE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY PUT IT ON A MACHINE, AND DROVE THE CAR. HOWEVER, COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP WAS COOPERATING , AND SAID THEY WOULD TRY TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THIS HAPPENED AT 5 OR 6 TIMES SINCE MAY.*AK