2008 Volkswagen Beetle

AIR BAG SYSTEM DASH WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. TRACED TO AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION IN THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH RECEIVER MECHANISM (AIR BAG FAULT CODE 0591) WHICH HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED IN-ORDER FOR THE AIR BAG SYSTEM TO RESUME FUNCTION. THIS IS A KNOWN VW ISSUE YET THE $490.00 DEALER-EXCLUSIVE REPAIR IS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY EXTENDED WARRANTY PLAN, DEALER SERVICE BULLETIN, OR MANUFACTURER'S GOODWILL PLAN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE BLACK TIE EDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, HE HEARD A VIBRATING NOISE ON THE ROOF. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND NOTICED THAT THE SPOILER HAD BECOME PARTIALLY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE SPOILER NEEDED TO BE RE-ATTACHED WITH GLUE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE SPOILER BECAME COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. UPDATED 11/05/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE SPOILER BECAME DETACHED THREE TIMES. THE CONSUMER REFERENCED RECALL # 08V036000. HOWEVER, THE RECALL ONLY PERTAINED TO THE TRIPLE WHITE EDITION, NOT THE BLACK TIE EDITION. UPDATED 11/18/13

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR WINDOW ADHESIVE ON THE CONVERTIBLE TOP BECAME SEPARATED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE GLASS TO SEPARATE AND THE ROOF FABRIC TO HANG. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE GLASS MAY FRACTURE WHILE DRIVING. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 08V036000 (STRUCTURE). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,520 AND THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 14,600. UPDATED 03/31/14*LJ *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING THE VEHICLE EXAMINED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE STARTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AND THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO A DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR SIX HEADLAMP REPAIR/REPLACEMENTS IN 2 YEARS (OCT 2009, NOV 2009, APR 2012, FEB 2011, AND DEC 2011). THE LAST TIME, BOTH HEADLAMPS WENT OUT ALMOST AT ONCE, CREATING A REAL DRIVING HAZARD SINCE IT WAS AT NIGHT. THIS HEADLAMP IS NOT EASY TO REPAIR - EVIDENCE THE DAMAGE DONE IN REPLACEMENT OF THE RIGHT HEADLAMP BY ONE DEALERSHIP AND SUBSEQUENTLY REPAIRED BY ANOTHER DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT. VW OF AMERICA HAS OFFERED A ONE-TIME PAYMENT THAT SHOULD COVER UP TO FOUR ADDITIONAL HEADLAMP REPAIRS. TO ME, THIS REPRESENTS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF A FUNDAMENTAL DESIGN FLAW, BUT WITHOUT FORMAL RECOGNITION OR PUBLICATION OF THE PROBLEM. SEVERAL PUBLIC BLOGS EXIST THAT HIGHLIGHT THIS CONDITION. I PURCHASED ANOTHER, NON-VW NEW VEHICLE ON THE SAME WEEK, AND IT HAS NEVER HAD A HEADLAMP OUTAGE. *TR

WINDOW REGULATORS COME APART AND MAKE A GRINDING NOISE. WINDOWS FALL INTO THE DOOR AND WILL NOT GO BACK UP. PARTS TAKE AT LEAST A WEEK TO COME IN. QUITE A PROBLEM IN A CONVERTIBLE, THE WINDOWS GO UP AND DOWN EVERY TIME YOU OPEN THE DOORS. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN THE LAST 9 MONTHS. VOLKSWAGEN HAS NO RECALL OR DEFECT REPORTED. VOLKSWAGEN MAKES THE PART AND GIVES IT A 12 MONTH OR 12,000 MILE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY BUT OFFERS NO GUARANTEE THE WINDOW REGULATORS WILL NOT FAIL AGAIN AND DOES NOT OFFER TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIR WHEN THEY DO, OUTSIDE 12 MOS/12K MILES. AT $250 A DOOR ON A 3 YEAR OLD CAR, I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO REPLACING THESE WHEN THEY FAIL AGAIN. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN UNBEARABLE ODOR EMITTING INSIDE THE VEHICLE, MAKING IT VERY UNCOMFORTABLE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ODOR WAS COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER. THE FILTERS FOR THE AIR CONDITIONER WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 46,000.

PURCHASED 2008 VW BEETLE FROM MCKINNEY DODGE, GOT IT HOME AND HAPPEN THE NEXT DAY NOTICED THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR BRAKE WAS BROKEN OFF AND HAD A JAGGED EDGE, TOOK BACK TO DODGE, THEY JUST REMOVED OLD PART DID NOT BOTHER TO FIX BRAKE, I CARRIED IT BACK SEVERAL DAYS LATER AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD HAVE TO WELD IT, NOT THINKING THAT WAS RIGHT I CARRIED IT TO VW DEALER, WAS TOLD NOT TO LET THEM WELD IT, AND ONLY WAY TO FIX IT IS TO INSTALL A NEW DOOR, SHOULDN'T THIS BE UNDER SOME WARRANY AND THE CAR HAS A 8900 MILE WARRANTY STILL LEFT ON IT *KB

FAULTY IGNITION COILS, CAR WILL STALL DURING DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. WHEN THE WEATHER IS HOT AND AFTER ONE -TWO HOURS DRIVING STOP AND GO THE ENGINE WILL STALL OR MISFIRE. VW DEALER IDENTIFIES THE PROBLEMS BY MISFIRE OF COIL BUT REPLACES ONLY ONE COIL. THE PROBLEM COMES BACK WITHIN 2 MONTH WITH DIFFERENT COIL. VW SHOULD REPLACE ALL 5 COILS IN ORDER TO AVOID DAMAGE OR ACCIDENTS. *TR