1999 Volkswagen New Beetle

POWER WINDOW SWITCH BREAKS AND MUST BE REPLACED OFTEN. WE KNOW MANY NEW BEETLE OWNWERS - NEARLY ALL HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM. WINDOW CAN STICK DOWN AND NOT BE CLOSEABLE, IN ANY WEATHER, IN ANY AREA - DEFINITE SECURITY PROBLEM IN THE WRONG NEIGHBORHOOD. OURS WAS FIXED ON WARRANTY LESS THAN 10,000 MILES AGO - PROBLEM IS SO COMMON THAT WE ARE BUYING EXTRAS TO CARRY WITH US. VW IS DEFINITELY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND IS SILENT. FOUR YEARS WORTH OF CARS HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITH THE SAME DEFECTIVE SWITCH, AND CURRENT PRODUCTION IS UNCHANGED, TO MY KNOWLEDGE. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. *AK NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

COOLING FAN FUSE HOLDER ASSEMBLY SIT ON TOP OF THE BATTERY IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THIS HOLDER HAS A HISTORY OF FAILURE (ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP). IN MANY CASES THE FUSE DOES NOT MAKE ADEQUATE CONTACT AND MAY SPARK OVER TIME. IN MY CASE THE FUSE ARCHED AND MELTED THE ASSEMBLY. THIS IS TROUBLESOME GIVEN THE CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE EXPLOSIVE GASES WHICH ARE GENERATED BY THE BATTERY. *AK

AT VARIOUS SPEEDS VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT AND DIE WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS REPAIRED ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AND FUEL TANK. BUT, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS VEHICLE EXPERIENCES OIL LEAKS. AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON, DEALER SECURED LOOSE CONNECTOR CLEAR CODES. PASSENGER SEAT WOULD NOT MOVE UP OR DOWN. TRUNK VERY HARD TO CLOSE, DEALER ADJUSTED UPPER AND LOWER TRUNK LOCK ASSEMBLY. *SLC

THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN SUDDENLY WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING AT ABOUT 50 MPH. THE CAR RESTARTED AFTER SITTING MOMENTARILY. THIS HAPPENED THREE MORE TIMES OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS RANGING FROM 0-50 MPH. THERE IS A WEBSITE CALLED TDICLUB.COM WITH ENTRIES IN ITS FORUM ABOUT EXACTLY THIS PROBLEM OCCURRING. THE ENTRY I FOUND WAS FROM JULY 1999. IT WAS EXACTLY AS IF I WAS THE RESPONDENT. SO, THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED BEFORE. I SUSPECT THERE ARE A BATCH OF BAD RELAYS AND/OR SOLENOIDS OUT THERE. THIS IS SAFETY RELATED SINCE IN A HIGHWAY SITUATION THE SUDDEN STOPPAGE OF A VEHICLE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE A REAR END COLLISION.

IN THE 1999 VW NEW BEETLE, THE FRONT (BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER) HEAD RESTRAINT HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT DOES NOT ALLOW THE RESTRAINT TO DROP DOWN TO THE TOP OF THE SEAT CREATING INSUFFICIENT HEAD PROTECTION ESPECIALLY FOR SHORTER PEOPLE. BOTH 1998 AND 2000 VW NEW BEETLE MODELS ALLOW THE HEAD RESTRAINTS TO BE ADJUSTED ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP OF THE SEAT. ONLY THE 1999 MODEL HAS THIS PROBLEM. I HAD CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO COULD NOT PROVIDE ME WITH AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY ONLY THE 1999 MODEL WAS DESIGNED THIS WAY. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE. THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP.