11 of the 469 complaints about the 2004 Volkswagen Beetle are about the other systems — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 90,000 miles.
11
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WHEN DRIVING THE CAR SHUTS OFF IN TRAFFIC IN TOWN AND ON THE HIGHWAY. 2 TIMES NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ONE TIME LIGHT CAME ON. MECHANIC IS NOT SURE WHY. I HAVE READ SEVERAL SIMILAR OCCURANCES ONLINE BY OTHER OWNERS. SOUNDS LIKE A RISK FOR FATALITY TO ME. MY DAUGHTER JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM ANOTHER PARTY.
NHTSA complaint #11220226 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I BOUGHT MY VW BEETLE 2004 USED 3 MONTHS AGO. (EPC LIGHT ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON) SINCE THEN IVE HAD TO FIX THE TIMING BELT, COOLING, AND HOSES BECAUSE OF BACKFIRE. I GOT NOTIFIED THAT THERE IS A RECALL IN MY CAR, YET WENT TYPING THE VIN # IT SAYS IT NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN FOUND FOR MY CAR. I HAVE DOCUMENTATION TO SHOW THE REPAIRS AND COSTS. I'M WONDERING WHO DO I CONTACT TO DETERMINATE IF MY CAR DOES HAVE A REAL OR NOT.
NHTSA complaint #11161757 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WINDOW REGULATORS ARE EASY TO BREAK.
NHTSA complaint #10935569 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
TRANSMISSION SLIPS, JERKS , DOWNSHIFTS , VEHICLE BECOMES DISABLED ON ROADWAY, DANGER TO DRIVER, PEDESTRIANS AND OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROADWAYS. THERE IS A CLASS ACTION SUIT IN LOUISIANA REGARDING THIS PROBLEM . THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION 10-15 MINUTES AFTER IT IS IN MOTION .
NHTSA complaint #10882136 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MY CAR LURCHES FORWARD WHEN I STOP. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY RAN IT ON THE COMPUTER STATED FOUND NOTHING. MECHANIC SAID HE TOOK IT OUT FOR A DRIVE AND NO PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED WHILE DRIVING. WHEN VEHICLE LUNGES FORWARD ;I FEEL LIKE I AM GOING TO BE REARENDED BY THE CAR BEHIND ME BECAUSE IT IS SO SUDDEN; NO WAY TO WARN THE CAR BEHIND ME. PLEASE HELP ME AND OTHERS THAT HAVE POSTED THE SAME PROBLEMS ON INTERNET. THANK-YOU.
NHTSA complaint #10464212 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THIS IS FOR A CONVERTIBLE BEETLE: THE REAR WINDOW ROLLED DOWN WHILE OPENING THE TOP, MADE A GRINDING SOUND, AND NOW WILL NOT GO UP EITHER WITH THE CONVERTIBLE TOP CLOSE BUTTON, NOR WITH THE INDIVIDUAL WINDOW BUTTON - THE WINDOW MOTOR WORKS, BUT THE REGULATOR MECHANISM MAKES A GRINDING SOUND AND THE WINDOW STAYS IN OPEN POSITION (ON-LINE ENTRY SYSTEM WON'T ACCEPT CORRECT PHONE # SO I LIST IT HERE: CORRECT DAYTIME PHONE IS [XXX]) . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10425051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NOTHING LED UP TO THE FAILURE. THE WINDOWS IN MY NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE NO LONGER FUNCTION. I HAVE HAD TWO OF THESE FIXED ALREADY, AND NOW ONE OF THE BACK WINDOWS IS BROKEN. I NOTICED THAT THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR MANY OTHER NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE OWNERS AS WELL. I AM HOPING THAT THERE IS A RECALL TO THIS ISSUE AS IT EFFECTS SO MANY OTHER OWNERS.
NHTSA complaint #10410383 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I PURCHASED 2004 VW BEETLE 7 MONTHS AGO. ABOUT A WEEK AFTER PURCHASE, THE CAR BEGAN JUMPING, JERKING, AND SURGING. ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, THE CAR STALLED ON THE ROADWAY, TWICE ON THE INTERSTATE. THE CAR WAS BARELY DRIVEN DUE TO UNCERTAINTY WITH WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE TODAY (75 MPH), THE VEHICLE SWITCHED OUT OF GEAR. I IMMEDIATELY LOST ABILITY TO DRIVE. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET IT OFF THE HIGHWAY BEFORE SOMEONE CRASHED INTO ME. I HAD IT TOWED TO ANOTHER VW DEALERSHIP AND JUST TODAY FOUND OUT THE MECHATRONICS CONTROL MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ASAP BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED!
NHTSA complaint #10322739 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
DRIVER SIDE REAR WINDOW GLASS DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY, IT IS WILL NOT GO UP OR DOWN BY USING THE AUTO GLASS OPERATOR
NHTSA complaint #10322467 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2004 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE BOTH REAR WINDOW REGULATOR ARE DEFECTIVE AND DON'T WORK
NHTSA complaint #10307461 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
PURCHASED BRAND NEW. PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR: 1. REAR POWER WINDOWS HAVE BOTH TAKEN TURNS FALLING DOWN INTO THE BODY. WILL NOT POWER UP. ONE HAS BEEN REPLACED. DEALER NOW WON'T FIX SECOND ONE BECAUSE THEY 'DON'T SEE IT AS A KNOWN PROBLEM.' 2. HEADLINER AROUND REAR WINDOW HAS COME UNDONE. 3. HEADLIGHTS HAVE TO BE REPLACED CONSTANTLY. FOR EXAMPLE; A LIGHT BULB WAS INSTALLED ON A SATURDAY, AND HAD STOPPED WORKING BY THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY. 4. RUBBER COATING ON GLOVE BOX AND ON INTERIOR DOORS IS PEELING OFF. DEALER WOULD NOT EVEN CONDSIDER FIXING OR ADDRESSING. 5. KEY ASSEMBLY FOR ARM CONSOLE BROKE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY 8 MONTHS, AND SEVERAL REMINDERS, TO GET DEALER TO REPLACE. 6. SOMETIMES RADIO STAYS ON AFTER KEY HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM IGNITION. 7. AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. WON'T GO OFF. 8. HAND RELEASE ON FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OFTEN GETS 'STUCK' AND WILL NOT WORK. 9. CUP HOLDER HAS COME OFF TRACK. I ONLY DRIVE THIS CAR TO-AND-FROM WORK. NO KIDS/PASSENGERS RIDE IN IT. IT HAS NOT HAD ANY OWNER ABUSE. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER VOLKSWAGEN PRODUCT.
NHTSA complaint #10173690 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.