1998 Volkswagen Beetle complaints

MY DRIVER SIDE SEAT ON MY 98 BEETLE HAS COLLAPSED AND NEEDS A NEW SEAT FRAME. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE.

WHEN CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY ACCELERATE BEYOND THE SET SPEED. THE DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, AND FOUND THAT THE THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK THE VEHICLE'S SPEEDOMETER WOULD NOT GO PAST 60 MPH. THE A/C COMPRESSOR FAILED WHICH CAUSED A LOUD SQUEALING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE A/C ON. THE MIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE AIR HOSE , AIR PUMP AND MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. *NM

UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE THE SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO COLLISION. CONSUMER WAS INJURED. ONE MONTH PRIOR TO THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH BOARD. ALSO, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. RECALL 98V100000 WAS ISSUED. *AK

THE ELECTRIC WINDOW WOULD NOT MOVE IN THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURED ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM , HOWEVER THEY REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY REGISTERED IN CANADA. THE (THE OWNER BOUGHT THE PARTS AND REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. *JB

1998 BEETLE.*MR AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IT WAS DRIVER 120 MILES TO THE CONSUMER'S HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP BECAUSE THE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT EH VEHICLE'S BRAKES AND CLUTCH WERE BAD. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER BUT THE REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. *NM

MY 1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE IS FALLING APART. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE MY HEADLIGHTS 6 TIMES WITHIN THE PAST 4 YEARS THAT I'VE OWNED THIS USED VEHICLE. MY INTERIOR TRIM, WINDOW SWITCHES, GEARSHIFT KNOB & SEVERAL PLASTIC COVERS IN THE CAR HAVE FALLEN NOW FALLEN APART. MY 6 HEADLIGHTS HAVE COST ME APPROX. $600.00 PLUS RENT-A-CAR FEES WHICH MY WARRANTY DOESN'T COVER! PLEASE HELP ME.*AK

WHILE DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. THEN, VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT PROBLEM OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE, AND HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK

DRIVE TIME SOLD ME A CAR THAT HAD THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON, AND SAID THEY WERE GOING TO FIX IT, BUT THEY NEVER DID, NOW THEY HAVE CHANGED MANAGEMENT AND THE PERSON WHO PROMISSED TO REPAIR IS NO LONGER THERE, LEAVING ME IN A POSITION WHERE THE NEW MANAGER SAYS THAT THE COST TO FIX THE PROBLEM IS NOT COVERED BY THEIR BUSINESS. THE CAR SPENT A WEEK AND A HALF ON THEIR REPAIR SHOP, AND NOTHING WAS FIXED, MY DASH WAS SCRATCHED FROM THE OUTSIDE AND THEY BROKE A PIECE BETWEEN THE SEATS.*AK

I BOUGHT A 1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE FROM TORRANCE NISSAN ON 5 JANUARY, 2003: SINCE THE DATE OF PURCHASE, THIS CAR HAD BEEN OVERHEATING OFF AND ON. I RETURNED IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.? THEY WENT AS FAR AS TAKING IT TO A VW SERVICE REP ON 5 AND 6 JANUARY, 2003 FOR CONFIRMATION. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT VW HAS NO RECORD OF EVER SERVICING OR EVEN SEEING THE VW UNTIL 1 APRIL, 2003! DURING THE MONTHS OF FEBRUARY AND MARCH, 2003 I STILL EXPERIENCED THE VEHICLE OVERHEATING AND EACH TIME I CALLED AMIR, I WOULD FOLLOW UP WITH A VISIT TO TORRANCE NISSAN. THEIR REPLIES WERE ALWAYS THE SAME, THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM FOR THE OVERHEATING? THERE WERE MANY TIMES I TOLD THE DEALERSHIP THAT I NO LONGER WANTED THIS CAR AND EVEN SUBMITTED IT IN WRITING ON 15 APRIL, 2003. ON 1 APRIL, 2003 I TOOK THE BEETLE TO VOLKSWAGEN MYSELF AND HAD IT FIXED, BUT THE WATER PUMP BROKE AGAIN AND WAS REPLACED ON 4-9-03. THREE DAYS LATER, THE CAR WAS GETTING HOT. I TOLD BOTH VOLKSWAGEN AND TORRANCE NISSAN THAT I NO LONGER WANT THIS CAR! I HAVE PROOF OF ALL THE REPAIRS PERFORMED AND STILL IT OVERHEATS! ON 12 APRIL, 2003 I TOOK THE CAR ONCE MORE TO VOLKSWAGEN TO THOROUGHLY CHECK IT OUT AND THEY CALLED THEIR TECHNICAL SUPPORT. A FEW DAYS LATER THEY FOUND A CRACKED HEAD ON THE ENGINE BLOCK. TO TOP IT OFF, I HAD A CAR ACCIDENT ON 28 APRIL, 2003 ON MY WAY TO WORK AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE LONG BEACH HONDA BODY SHOP. LATER THAT NIGHT THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE AND WAS BURNED DOWN

HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT WHILE IN USE WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN VEHICLE IS IN CRUISE CONTROL MODE IT WILL EITHER SURGE OR CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE. DEALERSHIP STATED THEY NEED TO SEPARATE THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION IN ORDER TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK THE WINDSHIELD WIPER WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE MOTOR BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. CONSUMER NOTED HE HAS SEEN A LOT OF ONE HEADLIGHT BEETLES AND THAT THE PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD. *PH *NM

WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC. PLEASE ADD ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NLM

THE POWER WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN BY THEMSELVES WITHOUT WARNING. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

DEFECTIVE BATTERY ON A 1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. *MR THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. THE BATTERY DID NOT ACCEPT CHARGING DUE TO A DEAD CELL. THE BATTERY WAS ONLY 7 1/2 MONTHS OLD. *SCC *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS SPEEDOMETER ONLY REGISTERED UP TO 65 MPH. DEALER DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT DID NOT INFORM THE CONSUMER WHAT PARTS HAD TO BE FIXED. *AK

TAIL LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY FUNCTION, AND THE DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE OR DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

AIR BAG ON PASSENGER SIDE OF 1998 BEETLE ACTIVATED. SIDE BAG ONLY. NEITHER FRONT BAGS, NOR DRIVER'S SIDE. NO COLLISION WITH OTHER CAR. LATER EXAMINATION SHOWED DAMAGE TO RIGHT WHEEL RIM. *JB

HEADLIGHTS FAILED WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT WARNING. *AK

BEETLE HAS HAD A NUMBER OF MAJOR REPAIR PROBLEMS. AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM FAILED AT 3YEARS OLD RESULTING IN A COMPLETE REBUILD. RECENTLY, WINDOW PARTS FAILED ON BOTH SIDES RESULTING IN WINDOWS FALLING DOWN INTO THE DOORS. POWER WINDOW ON DRIVER SIDE, HATCH RELEASE AND GAS TANK DOOR RELEASE SWITCHES HAVE ALL FAILED OR BROKE RESULTING IN REPLACEMENT. ECM MODULE HAS BEEN REPLACED. GLOVE BOX DOOR BROKE AND HAS BEEN REPLACED. CURRENTLY DEALING WITH ANOTHER SERIES OF CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS AND AWAITING DIAGNOSIS.

CONSUMER STATES THAT BATTERY CABLES ARE MELTING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK PH *JB

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SYMPTOMS OF RECALL 98V-100000 WHICH WAS RELATED TO THE VEHICLES ELECTRICAL WIRING UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *NLM

1998 VW BEETLE, PASSENGER POWER WINDOW SWITCH DEFECTIVE. THE DRIVER SIDE BROKE FOR THE SAME REASON LAST YR. AND WAS REPORTED TO NHTSA ON THIS WEB SITE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY VW PART THAT THESE BREAK ALL THE TIME. *NLM

DRIVER SIDE HEAD LIGHT CONTINUALLY STOPS WORKING. *JB

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AS STATED IN RECALL#98V100000, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB

CONSUMER REPLACED BRAKE LIGHTS/HEADLIGHTS/REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS/ ENGINE SHIELD AND COOLING SYSTEM. *AK *JB

PROBLEMS WITH FRONT WINDOW MECHANISM. *DT

THE DRIVERS SEAT COMPLETELY DETACHED ITSELF CAUSING CONSUMERS DAUGHTER TO FALL BACKWARD. CONSUMER RE-ATTACHED THE BOLTS AND THE DEFECT OCCURED AGAIN. CONSUMER RE-ATTACHED THE BOLTS A SECOND TIME THIS TIME ADDING A LOCK WASHER TO THE BOLT AND SOME LOCKTITE ON THE THREADS. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE THIS ISSUE TO BE LOOKED INTO. *JG

PLASTIC PART ON ORIG. HARNESS MELTED ON BOTH FRONT HEADLAMPS. THE PART WAS CHANGED TO ELIMINATE THE PLASTIC BUT NO RECALL WAS INITIATED. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS SINCE THE REDESIGN OF THE PART. DT

POWER WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED. PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW NOW STUCK IN DOWN POSITION. SAME FAILURE HAPPENED ON DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW ONE YEAR AGO. OBVIOUSLY OUTSIDE OF 24,000 MILE WARRANTY. MR

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE, WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLES BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED AND THE DRIVER HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP VEHICLE. *MR THE HEAD LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED AND THE VEHICLES IS FLLING APART AFTER ONE MONTH OF OWNERSHIP. THE DEALER REFUSED TO FIX IT. *YH

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

CONSUMER STATED PRIOR TO TRADING IN THE 1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHILE DECELERATING AND STOPPING AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND THE DEALER COULD NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*JB

RUBBER AND TRIM AROUND DRIVER SIDE WINDOW IS COMING OFF. MOLDING ALSO AROUND REAR HATCHBACK IS COMING OFF. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK

DOOR HANDLE HAS COME OFF PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK

LOCK CYLINDER ON DOOR CAME OFF. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK

POWER WINDOW SWITCH ON PASSENGER'S SIDE IS BROKEN. CAN'T GET WINDOW DOWN. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE BELLY PAN BROKE OFF OF THE CAR, DEALER INSTALLED UNDER BODY SPLASH SHIELDS, AND REPLACED LEFT SIDE PIECE. *TT

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS OUT AND ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN, ALSO ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATES. *AK *TT

WHEN JUMP STARTING OR REPLACING THE BATTERY VEHICLE WOULD RUN APPROXIMATELY THREE MILES OR LESS BEFORE IT STALLS COMPLETELY OUT. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A DEALER SHOP TO RESET ALL OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS TO GET VEHICLE TO RUN AGAIN . IF THIS OCCURS IN A TOWN OR CITY THAT DOES NOT HAVE A VOLKSWAGEN DEALER SHOP, WHAT CAN ONE DO? ASKING NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. *AK *ET

LEFT HEADLIGHT WENT OUT FIRST, THEN AGAIN. AIR COMPRESSOR REPLACED 3 TIMES. CAR NOW STALLS. REPLACED FUEL/AIR FILTERS, STILL STALLS. CAR WAS RECALLED FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WIRING HARNESS UNDER HOOD, RECALL STATES ALL PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD. I WAS NOT THE OWNER AT TIME OF RECALL. APPARENTLY WAS NOT FIXED AT RECALL. *AK

WHEN JUMP STARTING OR REPLACING BATTERY VEHICLE WOULD RUN APPROXIMATELY THREE MILES OR LESS BEFORE IT STALLS COMPELETY OUT. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALERS SHOP TO RESET ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS IN ORDER TO GET VEHICLE TO RUN AGAIN. IF THIS OCCURS IN A TOWN OR CITY THAT DOES NOT HAVE A VOLKSWAGEN DEALER SHOP, WHAT CAN ONE DO? ASKING NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER.*AK

LEFT SIDE TRANSMISSION/ENGINE MOUNT BOLTS CAME LOOSE DUE TO VIBERATION. ONE BOLT BROKEN, BELIEVED TO BE DEFECTIVE, CAUSING OTHER TWO BOLTS TO COME LOOSE FROM TRANSMISSION CASE. BOLTS CAN NO LONGER BE TIGHTENED UP TO SECURE ENGINE IN PLACE. VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA DENIES THAT THIS A DEFECT, WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIR UNDER THIER POWETRAIN WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH IT STATES IN THE MANUAL THAT THE TRANSMISSION CASE IS A COVERED PART, AND WILL NOT REPAIR CAR OR LOOK INTO THIS MATTER ANY FURTHER.*AK

THIS CAR DRINKS OIL, THE ENGINE KNOCKS, VW HAS DONE NOTHING TO EVEN AKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. THE WINDOW REGULATORS ARE DEFECTIVE AND ONE BROKE COMPLETELY WITH THE WINDOW FALLING OUT. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR CAN NOT BE OPEND WITH A KEY AND HAS BEEN CORODE

MANY PROBLEMS/FAILURES BETWEEN 10600 AND 19000 MILES. DASHBOARD LEFT TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR INTERMITTENT FAILURE PERSISTS FOR >1 YEAR AND DEVONHILLS VW REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WOULD BE EXPENSIVE FOR THEM (IN THE MEAN TIME, THE LIGHT IS USELESS SINCE HALF THE TIME IT IS ON, HALF OFF).*AK

CONSUMER STATES THE DRIVERS SEAT SLIDES FOWARD EACH TIME THE VEHICLE STOPS, THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM.*JB

THE VW IS NOT AS RELIABLE AS THE OLD ONES. NOSAFETY DEFECT. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH CONSUMER'S SON BROADSIDED A TRUCK, CAUSING A CRASH. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, AND VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH REPLACED FIVE TIMES FROM DEALERSHIP . WHEN BACKING UP THERE WAS NO LIGHT SHOWING UP. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

HOOD FAILED TO CLOSE COMPLETELY. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT HOOD LATCH ASSEMBLY WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT CONSUMERS EXPENSE. *AK CONSUMER STATES IT TOOK FIVE WEEKS TO GET AN APPPOINTMENT. *SLC