27 of the
262 complaints filed about the Volkswagen NEW Beetle
are about the glass, mirrors and wipers —
10% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1998.
27
Complaints
10%
Share of all complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers complaints by model year
THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2002 NEW BEETLE FAILS TO ENGAGE FOR A SECOND OR TWO AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR A WHILE. DOESN'T DO IT AT OTHER TIMES, ONLY WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING AN HOUR OR MORE. DEALERSHIP REPLACED TRANSMISSION MODULE TWICE (TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS) AND THE THIRD AND FOURTH TIME I BROUGHT IT IN WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT, THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO BEHAVE THIS WAY. INHERENT TO THE DESIGN OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS THIS SMALL DELAY FOR EMISSIONS REASONS. I AM NOT BUYING IT, NOT WITH ALL THE OTHER ISSUES I HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR. I HAVE HAD IT IN FOUR TIMES FOR POWER WINDOW PROBLEMS AND GETTING READY TO BRING IT IN FOR A FIFTH. THE MONSOON STEREO HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND IS MALFUNCTIONING AGAIN. THE PARKING BRAKE ASSEMBLY BROKE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. LOTS OF BOTHERSOME PROBLEMS AND NOW I HEAR WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A VALVE TAP.
NHTSA complaint #10100587 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED TO COME ON. ON TWELVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, UNDER VARYING BUT RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED BY MYSELF OR MY WIFE, THE WIPERS FAILED TO COME ON WHEN SWITCHED ON. ON FOUR OF THESE OCCASIONS THE RAIN BEGAN TO FALL QUICKLY WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHICH CAUSED A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. ON ALL OCCASIONS, WE HAD TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY, AND ONLY AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF REPEATEDLY TURNING THE WIPER SWITCH ON AND OFF AND/OR DOING NOTHING BUT WAITING, THE WIPERS WOULD SUDDENLY COME ON BY THEMSELVES. WE HAVE RETURN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS (THE THIRD BEING NEXT WEEK) WITH THIS COMPLAINT. THE DEALER REPLACED A RELAY, BUT THIS HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AS SUDDEN RAIN AT 70 MPH LEAVES YOU COMPLETELY BLIND. THE INCIDENT DATE IS TODAY'S DATE AS TODAY IS THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE.
NHTSA complaint #10100334 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DRIVER DOOR POWER WINDOW:NEW BEETLE CONV. WHEN CLOSING,WILL ROLL BACK DOWN BY ITSELF AND CLUNKS WHEN HITS BOTTOM. HAPPENS ALMOST EVERY TIME WINDOW IS OPENED THEN CLOSED. REPORTED AND TAKEN TO DEALER APRIL 20 2004, THEY FOUND WINDOW GLASS ALMOST FALLING OFF CLIP. REINSTALLED. RELEASED BACK TO ME. BEFORE I LEFT THE SERVICE AREA, WINDOW FAILURE HAPPENED AGAIN. DEALER THEN REPLACED MOTOR 2 TIMES. STILL SAME PROBLEM. DEALER CONTACTED VW. AND WAS TOLD SOFTWARE UPDATE NEEDED AND SHORTER CABLES. AS OF TODAY AUGUST 21,2004 WINDOW STILL HAS PROBLEM AND STILL WAITING ON SOFTWARE UP. I HAVE REPORTED THE CASE TO VW. NO RESOLUTION AS OF YET.
NHTSA complaint #10088319 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN OPENING AND CLOSING THE DOOR WINDOW CATCHES ON THE CONVERTIBLE TOP. AS A RESULT, DRIVER HAS TO CLOSE THE DOOR THREE TO SIX TIMES BEFORE IT IS COMPLETELY CLOSED. *AK THIS PROBLEM CAUSED WEAR TO THE SOFT TOP. THE ARMREST WOULD NOT SECURE AND THE WINDOW WOULD INTERMITTENTLY ROLL DOWN BY ITSELF.
NHTSA complaint #10087499 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2004 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE WINDOWS CATCH ON THE TOP WHEN THE DOORS ARE OPEN. THIS ACTION IS WEARING TOP. THE WINDOWS ACTUALLY BEND UNDER STRESS WHEN DOOR IS OPEN. THE AUTO-UP OPTION IS INTERUPTED WITH WHEN THE WINDOW GOES UP, HITS TOP AND COMES BACK DOWN.THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE I GOT THE CAR NEW IN OCT. 2004.
NHTSA complaint #10082729 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE ARM NUT SECURING THE BRACKET TO THE WIPER MOTOR NUT HAS NO LOCKING MECHANISM TO PREVENT THE NUT FROM LOOSENING DURING WIPER OPERATION. THIS RESULTS IN THE NUT WORKING ITS WAY OFF THE WIPER MOTOR AND THE WIPERS CEASING OPERATION. REATTACHING THE NUT ONLY WORKS BRIEFLY UNTIL THE NUT WORKS LOOSE AGAIN. IN ADDITION, I RECEIVE NO RECALL NOTIFICATIONS FOR THIS VEHICLE IN THE ENTIRE TIME I HAVE OWNED IT AND I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER.
NHTSA complaint #10075301 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
REFER TO # 10051120 MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD OPERATE NORMALLY AND THEN JUST STOP IN MID-SWIPE, RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FACE, WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THEN AFTER CLICKING THE SWITCH BACK AND FORTH, I COULD FINALLY GET THEM TO WORK. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT IT COULD BE THE INTERMITTENT WIPER RELAY , BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ORDERED. I SHOULD DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL THEN, UNLESS IT BECAME A PROBLEM WELL, DUH! WHEN WOULD IT NOT BE A PROBLEM TO DRIVE IN THE RAIN/SNOW WITH NON-OPERABLE WIPERS? TOOK MY CAR BACK IN, GOT A LOANER AND THE INTERMITTENT WIPER RELAY WAS REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10074539 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PURCHASED MY THIRD VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE - RECOGNIZE THAT MY SECOND ONE, A 2003 WAS A LEMON 5 RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHTS REPLACED AND 2 HEADLIGHTS. ALSO HAD TO HAVE THE INTERMITTENT WIPER RELAY REPLACED - SEE ODI #10074539.*AK DEALER TRADED ME FOR A 2004, ON 4/6/04 AND NOT EVEN 2 WEEKS INTO MY PURCHASE, THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WOULD NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. THOUGHT I WAS IMAGINING THINGS, ESPECIALLY AFTER MY LAST EXPERIENCE. I PUT THE WINDOW DOWN (ELECTRONICALLY) AND THEN PUT IT UP AND IT COMES DOWN BY ITSELF CERTAINLY ANOTHER SAFETY FAULT OF THIS CAR. IT HAPPENED 2 MORE TIMES BEFORE I CALLED THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME OH, WE KNEW ABOUT THAT BRING IT IN AND GET IT FIXED . OH, HERE WE GO AGAIN! I BUY A NEW CAR ABOUT EVERY 3-4 YEARS, AS I DRIVE A LOT AND WANT A VERY DEPENDABLE CAR, WITH NO REPAIRS NEEDED. I WILL NEVER FEEL SAFE IN A VW NEW BEETLE AGAIN. NO MATTER IF I NEVER HAVE ANOTHER PROBLEM&& INCIDIENT DATE NOTED IS WHEN THE DEALER TOOK MY CAR TO FIX IT...............
NHTSA complaint #10074541 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILS TO OPERATE OR OPERATES RANDOMLY. THE BLADE WILL STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDOW AND GO NO FURTHER UNLESS I PHYSICALLY PUSH IT DOWN OR TURN THE SWITCH ON THE HIGHEST SPEED AND THEN IT MAY WORK SO I CAN PUT IT IN THE DOWN POSITION SO IT DOESN'T OBSTRUCT MY VIEW.
NHTSA complaint #10068131 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WE HAVE A 2002 AND A 2003 VW BEETLE. THE 2002 HAS DOOR LOCKS THAT ONLY LOCK PART OF THE TIME. THE FIRST SEVEN TIMES THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR IT THEY SAID IT WAS AN INTERNAL MALFUNCTION OR THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. ON THE EIGHTH REPAIR ATTEMPT THEY FINALLY DECIDED THAT OUR POWER LOCKS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO LOCK ALL THE TIME BECAUES WE HAVE CRANK WINDOWS!!! THE FIRST FOURTEEN MONTHS (UNTIL THEY REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FOR ANOTHER PROBLEM) THE LOCKS WORKED PERFECTLY ALL THE TIME. THEY SAID THAT THE LOCKS MEET VW SPECS BUT REFUSED TO GIVE ME A COPY OF THE SPECS THEY ARE REFERRING TO. VW SAID OUR OWNER'S MANUAL IS OUR VW SPECS AND IT SAYS TO PUSH THE BUTTON AND THE DOORS WILL LOCK. THAT ONLY HAPPENS PART OF THE TIME. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. OUR TEENAGED DAUGHTER DRIVES THIS CAR AND NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO LOCK HER DOORS WHEN SHE GETS IN AND KNOW THAT THEY WILL LOCK. THE LOCKS HAVE DONE MULTIPLE OTHER STRANGE THINGS ALSO BUT THE INCONSISTANT LOCKING IS THE MOST COMMON PROBLEM. OUR 2003 BEETLE HAS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE REAR DEFOGGER. IT TAKES ANYWHERE FROM 9 - 20 MINUTES TO BEGIN TO CLEAR THE REAR WINDOW. THE DEALER SAYS THAT IT CLEARS IN 7 MINUTES AND THAT MEETS "VW SPECS" BUT THE 2002 VW WE HAVE AND THE LOANER BEETLES WE HAVE DRIVEN ALL CLEAR THE WINDOW IN 1-3 MINUTES. THE FACT THAT THE WINDOW DOESN'T BEGIN TO CLEAR, AT TIMES, FOR 20 MINUTES IS A REAL SAFETY HAZARD. THE 2003 ALSO HAS LOCK PROBLEMS. IT LOCKED ITSELF WHILE IN OUR GARAGE AND WOULD NOT UNLOCK FOR TWO DAYS. IF THAT HAD BEEN A DARK PARKING LOT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER.
NHTSA complaint #10058396 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE ROOF COVER IS FALLING DOWN. THE GLUE THAT IS USE TO KEEP THE CLOTH ATTACHED TO THE ROOF IS VERY POOR AND AFTER 3 YEARS IT WILL START TO FALL DOWN. I HAVE 2 IDENTICAL VW BEETLE'S AND THEY BOTH SUFFER FROM THIS PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10058348 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WINSHIELD WIPERS QUIT WORKING WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN RAIN. BLE TO GET OFF FREEWAY WITHOUT ACCIDENT BY STICKING HEAD OUT DOOR WINDOW.HANGING FUSES DID NOT GET THEM WORKING AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #10051120 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH MY CLOSED SUNROOF SHATTERED INTO A MILLION PIECES. IT SOUNDED LIKE SOMEONE FIRED A GUN, AND THEN GLASS WENT EVERYWHERE.
NHTSA complaint #10039153 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY 2001 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE HAS HAD AT LEAST ONE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH FAILURES IN THE MATERIALS MAKING UP THE ELECTRONIC SWITCHES IN SIDE THE VEHICLE (WINDOW SWITCHES). RECENTLY, THE I BUMPED THE KNOB THAT CONTROLS THE REMOTE CONTROL EXTERIOR MIRROS AND THE KNOB BROKE OFF. UPON INSPECTION, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE OPTICAL MATERIAL WHICH IS USED TO CONNECT (MOLDED) THE KNOB TO THE MIRROR SWITCH ASSEMBLY (AND TRANSPORT LIGHT TO THE KNOB FOR NIGHTTIME VISIBILITY) IS TOO BRITTLE TO WITHSTAND PROLONGED USE AND SNAPPED CLEAN WHEN GENTLY BUMPED.
NHTSA complaint #10030878 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DRIVER SIDE WINDOW "FELL OUT". I WAS DRIVING THE CAR, TRYING TO PUT THE WINDOW UP WHEN IT BECAME STUCK. ONCE STOPPED, I AGAIN TRIED TO PUT THE WINDOW UP WHEN THERE WAS A CRACKING SOUND AND THE WHOLE WINDOW JUST FELL INTO THE DOOR. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALER THE SECRETARY WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM AND WAS EVEN ABLE TO TELL ME THAT THE ORIGINAL CLIPS TO HOLD THE WINDOW WERE PLASTIC AND THEY REPLACE THEM WITH METAL ONES. IF THIS PROBLEM IS THAT COMMON THAT THE SECRETARY KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND WHAT THE REMEDY IS, VOLKSWAGEN NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10021308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I BOUGHT MY NEW BEETLE BRAND NEW IN AUGUST 2001. THE DAY AFTER I BROUGHT IT HOME (OVER 2 HOURS AWAY), THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT DIDN'T MEAN ANYTHING UNLESS IT WAS FLASHING SO I THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT. 2 MONTHS LATER MY ABS WENT OUT WHILE I WAS AN HOUR FROM MY HOUSE AND IT HAD TO BE TOWED AND REPLACED. THE WINDOWS CONTINUALLY GO UP AND DOWN BY THEMSELF BUT THE DEALER CAN'T FIX IT. I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER YESTERDAY BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID AND TOLD THEM AGAIN ABOUT THE CEL LIGHT. THEY THEN TOLD ME I NEEDED TO HAVE THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR REPLACE (NEARLY $400) AND THAT IS WHY MY CAR HAS BEEN DOWNSHIFTING BY ITSELF AND LOSING POWER WHILE DRIVING. THIS MAKES ME FEEL UNSAFE TO DRIVE THE CAR THAT I HAD WANTED FOR SO LONG. DT
NHTSA complaint #769375 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.