2008 Volkswagen Beetle

The contact owns a 2008 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact stated that while at a red light, sparks began to emit from the passenger side glove box without warning. The contact immediately shut off the engine and all the occupants evacuated the vehicle. The motorist behind her witnessed what had happened and assisted with unhooking the battery cable as a small fire began to erupt on the passenger side floor mats. The motorist's wife was able to retrieve a fire extinguisher from a person's home and extinguish the fire. The authorities were not called to the scene. No injuries were reported and a police report was not filed. Due to the failure, the vehicle was initially towed to an independent mechanic who could not repair the vehicle and recommended the vehicle be towed to a dealer; the vehicle was then towed to her home. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

WHEN DRIVING HER 2008 VW BEETLE AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH DURING A LIGHT RAINFALL, MY DAUGHTER HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD (NOT A HUGE SIGNIFICANT BUMP, JUST A BUMP) THE ENTIRE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY HEADLAMP/BUCKET AND ALL CAME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY. THEY ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY BECAME UNPLUGGED AND THE ENTIRE UNIT CAME OUT OF THE CYLINDRICAL COMPARTMENT THAT HOUSES THE HEADLIGHT. THE ENTIRE HOUSING UNIT, INCLUDING THE BULB AND ALL RELATED PARTS CAME OUT AND WENT CRASHING ONTO THE PAVEMENT WHERE IT WAS STRUCK BY A CAR BEHIND ME AND SMASHED INTO PIECES ALL DOWN THE ROAD. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. IT WAS A DANGER TO BOTH MY CHILD AND THE VEHICLE BEHIND HER AND ANY PEDESTRIANS NEARBY. IN FL THE LAW REQUIRES YOU DRIVE WITH HEADLIGHTS ON IN THE RAIN, SO ALTHOUGH IT WAS DAYTIME, SHE WAS FORCED TO DRIVE ILLEGALLY WITHOUT HER HEADLIGHT CAUSING HER TO BE LESS VISIBLE TO OTHER DRIVERS. THE CAR IS UNUSABLE IN THE EVENING OR EARLY MORNING NOW UNTIL WE GET IT FIXED. CLEARLY, AFTER READING THE MANY COMPLAINTS, YOU TUBE VIDEOS ON HOW TO "FIX" THE LOOSE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, AND MANY VW BUG DRIVERS' HORROR STORIES OF LOSING SOMETIMES JUST THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION (BAD ENOUGH ON ITS OWN), BUT ALSO IN SOME CASES, LIKE MY DAUGHTER'S, THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT AND IT'S HOUSING UNIT CAME BROKE AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE JUST FROM HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD. UNACCEPTABLE.

THE HOOD DOESN'T FIT. ENGINE PUT TOGETHER TAPE. AIR CONDITION SYSTEM TAPED TOGETHER. AND AND CONSOLE LIGHTS ON. WON'T HOLD CHARGE. TOP MADE OF PLASTER BOARD. MINIATURE BATTERY WAS INSTALLED. NEEDED JUMP IF STOPPED REAR BREAKS NEEDED WHOLE REPLACED. NEEDS RADIATOR. INTERIOR HANDLES FELL OFF. KEY IS NOT MADE FOR THIS CAR. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME TO JUNK IT

HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY ELECTRICAL CONNECTION HAS A DESIGN FLAW THAT ALLOWS THE REAR PIN CONNECTOR TO SLIGHTLY PULL-AWAY AND LOOSEN FROM THE HEADLAMP BUCKET RESULTING IN INTERMITTANT HEADLIGHT FAILURE, ESPECIALLY IN COLDER WEATHER OR GOING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE NUMEROUS TIMES DURING THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, EACH TIME THINKING THE BULBS BURNED-OUT BUT IN ACTUALITY, IT IS THE WIRING HARNESS. THE VW DEALER SAYS THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED, BUT IT THE TOO-SHORT CHASSIS WIRING HARNESS THAT IS THE ISSUE. THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF HEADLIGHT ILLUMINATION PRESENTS A CLEAR & PRESENT DANGER WHEN TRAVELING AT NIGHT AND REASONABLY MUST BE ADDRESSES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THIS CAR HAS HAD MANY ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS IN THE DEALERSHIP DUE TO LIGHTS, TURNING SIGNALS NOT WORKING. THE SECOND TIME ABOUT 2 YEARS LATER I LOST ALL ELECTRICAL CONTROLS. NO LIGHTS, WIPERS, AC FAN, AC ADAPTER, RADIO, TURN SIGNALS. NOW JUST 5 MONTHS LATER I AM NOTICING HEADLIGHT ISSUES. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE VW OF OCALA, THEY CLAIM THERE IS NO ELECTRICAL ISSUE THAT I JUST NEED BULB REPLACEMENT. AFTER DRIVING OVER AN HOUR TO GET MY CAR, I GET IN TO FIND MY WINDOWS ARE NO LONGER WORKING NOW.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING AT A STOP SIGN, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SMOKE EMERGED FROM THE CENTER CONSOLE AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE DETAILS OF HOW THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED WERE NOT PROVIDED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, OPENED CASE NUMBER: 180380670, AND REQUESTED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000.

HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY ELECTRICAL CONNECTION HAS A DESIGN FLAW THAT ALLOWS THE REAR PIN CONNECTOR TO SLIGHTLY PULL-AWAY AND LOOSEN FROM THE HEADLAMP BUCKET RESULTING IN INTERMITTANT HEADLIGHT FAILURE, ESPECIALLY IN COLDER WEATHER OR GOING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE NUMEROUS TIMES DURING THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, EACH TIME THINKING THE BULBS BURNED-OUT BUT IN ACTUALITY, IT IS THE WIRING HARNESS. THE VW DEALER SAYS THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED, BUT IT THE TOO-SHORT CHASSIS WIRING HARNESS THAT IS THE ISSUE. THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF HEADLIGHT ILLUMINATION PRESENTS A CLEAR & PRESENT DANGER WHEN TRAVELING AT NIGHT AND REASONABLY MUST BE ADDRESSES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ACCORDING TO THE VW ONLINE FORUMS, THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT VW HAS IGNORED FOR YEARS.