2005 Volkswagen Beetle complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY LUNGED FORWARD AS IT ABRUPTLY DOWNSHIFTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY HESITATE WHILE ACCELERATING AT A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE TIPTRONIC SWITCH WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO RECUR SO THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE HE WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

BOUGHT 2005 VW BEETLE IN DECEMBER 2008. OCTOBER 2010, CAR SHIFTING HARD AND JERKING WHILE SHIFTING INTO GEARS. LOOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING DUE TO GEARS GETTING STUCK. MECHANIC SAYS I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION WITH ONLY 40,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 BEETLE CONVERTIBLE, NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT - UP TO DATE ON ALL MAINTENANCE WITH ONLY 64,450 MILES ON IT. A WEEK OR SO THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING SO I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC. HE WAS HOPING IT WAS A SOLENOID, AND AN EASY FIX BUT IT TURNS OUT THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS A REBUILD. HE CALLED HIS TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST WHO SAID - 'I WON'T EVEN TOUCH A BEETLE, IT'S LIKE PUTTING ON ANOTHER WEDDING RING. YOU GET TIED TO THESE CARS' I HAVE HAD SEVERAL SMALL ISSUES WITH THE CAR, AND ONE BIG ISSUE WHICH MY DEALERSHIP TOOK CARE OF DURING MY WARRANTY PERIOD SO I HAD BEEN SATISFIED WITH VW'S RESPONSE AT LEAST IN THE PAST, BUT A LIGHTLY DRIVEN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT BE FAILING 4500 MILES OUTSIDE THE CARS WARRANTY..AND THE FACT THAT TRANSMISSION SPECIALISTS RECOGNIZE THIS AS A FREQUENT AND RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE MODEL MAKES ME THINK THERE IS CAUSE FOR RECALL. SEARCHING FOR BEETLE TRANSMISSION PROMPTS MESSAGE BOARDS WITH HUNDREDS OF ENTRIES ON THE TOPIC AND IN MANY CASES, PEOPLE ARE IN THE 'JUST OVER 60,000 MILE' CATEGORY I FALL UNDER. SOME EXAMPLES: HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.F124D77 (33 PAGES OF OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE) HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/VW_BEETLE.HTML (2004-2005 BEETLE OWNERS WHO DESCRIBE THE SAME EXACT ISSUE AS I'M HAVING). *TR

TRANSMISSION IN 2005 VW BEETLE WITH 60,000 MILES ON IT IS SUDDENLY FAILING TO SHIFT. RESEARCH INDICATES THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE YET VW REFUSES TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. I EXPLAINED THAT THE SAFETY ASPECT OF THIS WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THEIR RESPONSE WAS TO OVER TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF MORE THAN THE CURRENT VALUE OF THE CAR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED A NOISE WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH AND THE FLYWHEEL SUDDENLY EXPLODED AND LOCKED THE VEHICLE, DAMAGING THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FLYWHEEL AND TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AFTER A MECHANIC INSPECTED IT. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 148,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 145,000.

AT APPROXIMATELY 75K MILES, 2005 VW BEETLE BEGAN VIOLENT LURCHING UPON SLOWING DOWN, RESULTING IN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT TRANSMISSION ISSUES WITH THIS MODEL/YEAR - LOCAL DEALER DENIED KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PROBLEM. VEHICLE TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND IS UNDERGOING A TRANSMISSION REBUILD QUOTED AT APPROXIMATELY $3,500.00. *TR

2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING - LESS THAN 85,000 MILES. AT APPROXIMATELY 60K MILES I NOTICED A JERKING WHEN I WOULD SLOW. THE JERKING WOULD OCCUR WHILE THE CAR WAS SLOWING BETWEEN 3RD AND 2ND GEAR. THAT SEEMED TO IRON ITSELF OUT, BUT THEN A NEW PROBLEM SURFACED - THE CAR WILL SLIP INTO NEUTRAL BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR SPORADICALLY. AT 80K MILES, I TOOK MY CAR TO MY MECHANIC - HE TOLD ME IT COULD BE DUE TO LOW TRANSMISSION FLUID. HE CHECKED MY LEVELS AND SAID ALL SEEMED TO BE IN ORDER. NOW (A MONTH LATER) IT OCCURS MORE RECENTLY (DAILY AND MORE THAN ONCE A DAY), MY CAR WILL TRANSITION SMOOTHLY BETWEEN GEARS UNTIL TRANSMISSION WARMS UP. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 10 - 15 MINUTES WORTH OF DRIVING, ACCELERATING BETWEEN 2 AND 3RD GEAR, THE CAR REVS LIKE IT HAS SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL AND WILL JERK VIOLENTLY INTO 3RD GEAR. WHEN I CAN TELL THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING, I REMOVE MY FOOT FROM THE GAS, ALLOW THE RPMS TO RETURN TO NORMAL AND THEN TRY ACCELERATING AGAIN, NORMALLY THIS WILL ALLOW THE CAR TO SMOOTHLY TRANSITION TO 3RD GEAR. TODAY, HOWEVER, THE CAR REMAINED IN NEUTRAL AND ALTHOUGH I TOOK MY FOOT FROM THE GAS, THE ENGINE SEEMED TO CONTINUE TO REV AS IF MY FOOT WAS STILL PRESSING ON THE GAS. I PRESSED THE BREAK TO STOP THE RPMS FROM CLIMBING HIGHER AND THEN THE CAR JERKED INTO 3RD - THIS WAS BY FAR THE SCARIEST BECAUSE I HAD A CAR RIGHT BEHIND ME. IMPROMPTU BREAKING AND LURCHING COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT HAD I BEEN IN TIGHTER TRAFFIC. I WAS ONLY GOING 25 MILES

AUTO TRANSMISSION ON 2005 VW BEETLE SLIPS AND LEAVES ME WITH NO POWER ON THE INTERSTATE AND HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN TOWN. *TR

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2005 VW BEETLE. AT APPROXIMATELY 89,000 MILES I NOTICED A LURCHING BETWEEN GEARS. THIS WOULD OCCUR ONLY AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES OF DRIVING. I AM NOT A MECHANIC BUT SUSPECTED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN MY CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A FEE OF $95.00 I WAS TOLD THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED. SINCE THE 2005 BEETLE CONVERTIBLE WAS BUILT WITH A NON-SERVICEABLE TRANSMISSION THE VW MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT I COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION FROM 'GOING UP' EARLY. THE MECHANIC ALSO SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD HAVE LASTED SEVERAL MORE YEARS BEFORE HAVING ANY ISSUES. I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN APRIL 2005, AND I DO NOT HAVE THE $6,000.00 IT WILL COST TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS OUT THERE FOR THE SAME ISSUE ON THE SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR SHOULDN'T THIS BE SOMETHING THAT VW IS REQUIRED TO FIX? ONE OTHER INCIDENT I WANT TO MENTION IS THAT WITHIN THE FIRST 2 YEARS OF OWNING MY 2005 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. SINCE THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND HAD THEM LOOK AT IT. I WAS TOLD THAT THE SWITCH HAD TO BE RESET AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR. HOWEVER, THEY NEVER DOCUMENTED THIS COMPLAINT AT ALL SO WHEN I WENT BACK WITH THE SAME PROBLEM JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER MY WARRANTY EXPIRED. I WAS TOLD THEY HAD NO RECORD OF THE COMPLAINT AND THEY WOULD CHARGE ME OVER $100.00 JUST TO LOOK AT IT. NOW THAT I AM RESE

THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW NO LONGER OPENS OR CLOSES. THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND, LUCKILY, VW REPLACED THE REGULATOR ON THAT SIDE UNDER WARRANTY DURING THE 1ST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. ALL IT DOES NOW IS MAKE A 'GRINDING' NOISE. A LOCAL VW REPAIR SHOP SAID THEY HAVE HAD A LOT OF THESE - THERE IS A DEFECT IN VW'S REGULATOR. IT'S A CONVERTIBLE, AND YOU CAN'T PUT THE TOP DOWN NOW. THE WINDOW WILL NOT GO UP OR DOWN, AND IS PRESENTLY HELD IN PLACE WITH A RUBBER DOOR STOP. LAST VW IN OUR STABLE, FOR SURE! *TR

2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE - WINDOW REGULATOR PROBLEM, ALREADY HAD BACK WINDOW REPLACED LAST YEAR, NOW FRONT GETTING REPLACED. *TR

AROUND 80,000 MY 2005 VW BEETLE BEGAN SHIFTING REALLY HARD. IT JERKS BETWEEN GEARS, AND HAS RECENTLY BEEN GETTING STUCK IN FIRST AND THIRD GEAR. SOMETIMES WHEN I DRIVE THE CAR IT IS FINE, BUT OTHER TIMES, IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. THE LEVEL OF UNRELIABILITY IS REALLY DANGEROUS, BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO SPEED UP LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO. I'M IN CONSTANT FEAR THAT I WILL GET REAR ENDED OR STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. I'VE TAKEN IT TO TWO MECHANICS AND TALKED TO TWO TRANSMISSION SPECIALISTS AND ALL OF THEM HAVE SAID THAT THEY WON'T WORK ON A VW BEETLE'S TRANSMISSION AND THAT I NEED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. I'VE TRIED AIDING THE PROBLEM WITH A NEW BATTERY, BUT THAT HASN'T HELPED. OTHER COMPLAINTS ONLINE (300 ON TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM) HAVE STATED THAT REPAIRS FOR THIS PROBLEM ARE $5,000-$7,000 AND THAT IT HASN'T ALWAYS FIXED THE PROBLEM. *TR

WHEN SLOWING FOR A RED LIGHT THE TRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO THE LOWER GEAR..USUALLY 4 TO 3RD, BUT NOT ALWAYS IN THAT GEAR. DEALER SAID IT WAS A PROBLEM IN ALL THE TRANSMISSIONS., BUT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. DEALER DID REPLACE A THROTTLE BODY BEFORE WARRANTY RAN OUT. PROBLEM HAS RECURRED AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING IN THE GEARS. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE. JUST GOOGLE THIS PROBLEM AND SEE WHAT POPS UP. *TR

WHEN SLOWING FOR A RED LIGHT THE TRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO THE LOWER GEAR..USUALLY 4 TO 3RD, BUT NOT ALWAYS IN THAT GEAR. DEALER SAID IT WAS A PROBLEM IN ALL THE TRANSMISSIONS., BUT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. DEALER DID REPLACE A THROTTLE BODY BEFORE WARRANTY RAN OUT. PROBLEM HAS RECURRED AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING IN THE GEARS. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE. JUST GOOGLE THIS PROBLEM AND SEE WHAT POPS UP. *TR

JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE'S COMPLAINT. I HAVE A 2005 CONVERTIBLE BEETLE THAT IS JERKING, THRUSTING, GETTING STUCK IN GEARS. I DRIVE THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MIN AND THEN IT STARTS LIKE CLOCKWORK. I HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP FOR 2 WEEKS AND SPENT $1400 REPLACING EVERYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. NOTHING SHOWS UP ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE (NO CODES) THEY TELL ME. I AM ASTOUNDED AT ALL THE COMPLAINTS I'M SEEING ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION DEFECT. MY CAR HAS 83,000 MILES AND I CANNOT PAY $4000 - $5000 TO FIX. I WILL BE OUT OF TRANSPORTATION AND OUT OF A JOB. WHAT IS BEING DONE BY VOLKSWAGEN TO FIX THIS DEFECT. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!!! *TR

I CURRENTLY OWN A 2005 VW BEETLE WITH 56,000 MILES ON IT. I'M HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS THAT HAVE PUT MY LIFE IN DANGER. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FROM GEAR TO GEAR THERE IS A LONG DELAY IN BETWEEN, THIS THEN MAKES THE ENGINE REV TO HIGH RPM'S. ONCE IT REACHES A HIGH RPM IT'LL ENGAGE THE NEXT GEAR CAUSE THE CAR TO JUMP. WHEN THE GEAR DROPS INTO A HIGH RPM IT ALSO CAUSES THE TIRES TO SLIP AND SKID AS WELL AS MAKING THE CAR HARD TO STEER. MOST OF THE TIME IT WILL GET STUCK IN BETWEEN GEARS WHICH MAKES THE CAR IN NEUTRAL EVEN THOUGH IT'S IN DRIVE. I HAVE BEEN STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY DO TO THE TRANSMISSION NOT CHANGING INTO GEAR. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR INTO VW SERVICE CENTER AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME IT'S BECAUSE OF LOW TRANSMISSION FLUID AND A BAD VALVE BODY. THESE TWO PROBLEMS ALONE COST OVER 2,000 DOLLARS. VW CLAIMS TO HAVE A CLOSED TRANSMISSION THAT DOES NOT NEEDS SERVICE, BUT MY BEETLE HAVING 56,000 MILES ON IT NEEDS ALL THESE WORK DONE. THEY ARE STILL NOT COMPLETELY POSITIVE IF THAT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. VW NEEDS TO FIX THIS DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION THAT HAS CAUSED THOUSANDS OF BEETLE OWNERS TO PUT THEIR LIFE IN DANGER AND OTHER LIFE'S IN DANGER. VW MAKING BEETLE OWNERS PAY FOR REPAIRS ON A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THEY NEED TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY PRODUCED A DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE PRODUCT. *TR

COMPONENT: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DETAILS: ISSUE HAS NOT YET CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BUT WILL. VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE, 2005 MODEL WITH FEWER THAN 57,00.00 MILES. TRANSMISSION FAILING CAUSING HARD SHIFTING AND SLIPPING GEARS RESULTING IN CAR LURCHING AND PAUSING UNEXPECTEDLY. FROM MY INVESTIGATION THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NEW BEETLE, ONE THAT VW WILL NOT ADMIT NOR CORRECT. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE FOR SOME TIME FINDING THAT THERE IS NO QUESTION AS TO WHETHER A NEW BEETLE OWNER WILL HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS RATHER WHEN THE PROBLEM WILL BEGIN. WHILE I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE HOW MANY IF ANY ACCIDENTS HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THIS ISSUE I DO KNOW THERE IS A GREAT CONCERN AMONGST THESE VEHICLE OWNERS THAT ACCIDENTS WILL OCCUR. VW SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL ALL VEHICLES THAT USE THESE 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS AND CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *DT *TR

MY 2005 VW NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE WITH TRIPTONIC TRANSMISSION, WITH ONLY 68,300 MILES, LURCHES IN THE LOWER GEARS AFTER THE CAR WARMS UP AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES. THE CAR WILL NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY BETWEEN THE LOWER GEARS AND OFTEN REVS UP TO 5000 RPM BEFORE IT "SLAMS" INTO HIGHER GEAR. I'M AFRAID TO GO ON ANY HIGHWAYS WITH THIS - WHAT HAPPENS IF IT GET STUCK IN GEAR AND I CAN'T STOP? *TR

OUR SON BEGAN HAVING TRANSMISSION JERKING ON HIS AUTOMATIC 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE AROUND 75,000 MILES. THE SHIFTING CAN BE SO SEVERE AS IF THE CAR HAD BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND. WHEN TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS NEVER CHECKED BECAUSE IT IS COMPLETELY ENCASED AND THE FLUID IS NEVER CHECKED WHEN SERVICED. WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD BE ABOUT $5000. TO REPAIR. *TR

2005 VW BEETLE WITH MAJOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE TRANNY WILL NOT SHIFT ON TIME AND WHEN IT DOES IT JERKS THE CAR. IT WILL ALSO STALL DURING ACCELERATION AND LEAVES ME STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE CAR WILL NOT MOVE WHEN YOU NEED IT TOO. THE ISSUE SEEMS TO GET WORSE MORE AND MORE. *TR

2005 VW BEETLE BEGAN HAVING SHIFTING ISSUES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK IT TO DRIVER'S EDGE. CODES FROM COMPUTER WERE SENSOR RELATED AND TUNE UP NEEDED. I PAID FOR THE TUNE UP AND THE NEXT WEEK I TOOK TO VW DUE TO HARD SHIFTING. CODE WAS CLEARED SO THEY SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. I STILL HAD ISSUES SO I RETURNED THE CAR THEN SUDDENLY I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. MY CAR ONLY HAS 77K SO I THOUGHT $6000 WAS EXTREME. STARTED LOOKING INTO THE ISSUE AND APPARENTLY IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM. PREVIOUS CODE ON CAR WAS IGNITION COIL SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IT WENT FROM A POSSIBLE RECALL ISSUE TO NEEDING A WHOLE NEW TRANSMISSION. *TR

2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE AUTOMATIC HAS TROUBLE GOING FROM FIRST GEAR TO SECOND GEAR AROUND 20MPH. JERKS HARD WHEN CHANGING GEARS AND SOMETIMES MAKES A LOUD NOISE AND DOES NOT CHANGE GEARS. WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO STALL AT TIMES. OTHER TIMES IT STAYS STUCK BETWEEN GEARS AND I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES BEFORE I CAN START DRIVING AGAIN. *TR

2005 NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE TRANSMISSION STARTED SHIFTING HARD AT AROUND 56,000 MILES. EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE IT WOULD SLIP OUT OF GEAR. HAD A SENSOR REPLACED. THAT HELPED SOME BUT NOW IT IS SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR AGAIN - EVERYDAY. I HAVE READ SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THIS. WHY HASN'T VW BEEN MADE TO CORRECT THESE ISSUES? *TR

LURCHING IN SHIFT OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WE BOUGHT AN OFF LEASE CONVERTIBLE 05 NEW BEETLE. IT DROVE FINE AT FIRST BUT WE CONTINUALLY NOTICED A LURCHING OR BUCKING SHIFTING BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND. THIS OCCURRED AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING. AFTER LOOKING UP THE ISSUE ON THE INTERNET WE FOUND IT TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. WE WERE JUST OUT OF THE MONTHLY WARRANTY BUT UNDER THE MILEAGE WARRANTY. WE TOOK IT TO OUR CERTIFIED VW MECHANIC AND HE SAID WE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AFTER DOING A DRAIN AND FILL. WE CONTACTED VW AND THEY SAID WE NEEDED A DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSIS FOR THEM TO GET INVOLVED. THE DEALERSHIP SAID WE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. VW OFFERED A GOODWILL REMEDY OF $1000 OFF A NEW BEETLE. WE TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALTY SHOP AND THEY FIXED THE VEHICLE WITH AN AFTERMARKET THROTTLEBODY KIT WITH A TOTAL COST OF $1025.00. THE KIT THEY USED ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM OF THE SHIFT PRESSURE. I DON'T BELIEVE THE OLD PART IS AVAILABLE. SO FAR NO PROBLEMS. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2005 VW NEW BEETLE GLS TDI FAILED. THE AUTO SHOP CANNOT FIND AN EXTERNAL CAUSE FOR THE FAILURE. THEY SAY THE FLYWHEEL "EXPLODED" THE INTERNAL PART OF THE TRANSMISSION AND EVEN BROKE THE TRANSMISSION CASE OPEN. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE IN TERMS OF NOISES OR PERFORMANCE. THE CAR HAS ONLY 86,000 MILES ON IT AND IS DRIVEN MAINLY ON THE HIGHWAY. I AM HAVING THE CAR REPAIRED AT A COST OF ABOUT $6,500. DESPITE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS BY OTHER CUSTOMERS, VW HAS NOT YET RECALLED THIS CAR, BUT DEFINITELY SHOULD! *TR

I BOUGHT A 2005 VW BEETLE WITH 50,000 MILES ON IT. IT DROVE GREAT UNTIL ABOUT 70,000+ MILES WHEN IT STARTING HARD SHIFTING. IT IS HARD SHIFTING WHEN GEARING UP FROM 2ND TO 3RD AND WHEN IT GEARS DOWN FROM 4TH TO 3RD. IT HAPPENS EVERYTIME I DRIVE THE CAR. *TR

MY PARENTS PURCHASED A 2005 NEW BEETLE FROM VOLKSWAGEN FOR ME WHEN I GOT MY PERMIT IN 2006. THE TRANSMISSION IS NOW FAILING. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST OVER $6000 TO REPLACE. IT SHIFTS HARD AND JERKILY. UPSET ABOUT THIS PROBLEM I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND DISCOVERED I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS PROBLEM. I FOUND MANY OTHER DRIVERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT AT THIS WEBSITE: HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.F124D77/0 . IF THIS IS SUCH A COMMON ISSUE WHY IS THERE NO RECALL? I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR TO SCHOOL BECAUSE I AM AFRAID OF IT FAILING WHILE ON THE FREEWAY WITH ALL THE FAST MOVING CARS. I'M IN COLLEGE AND CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY VOLKSWAGEN HASN'T RECALLED THIS. IS IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO PAY TO FIX ALL OF OUR CARS THAT THEY BUILT POORLY? I DON'T THINK IT'S MY FAULT THAT THEY BUILT AN INFERIOR PRODUCT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

MY 2005 VW NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE WITH TRIPTONIC TRANSMISSION, WITH ONLY 56,300 MILES, LURCHES IN THE LOWER GEARS AFTER THE CAR WARMS UP AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES. THE CAR WILL NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY BETWEEN THE LOWER GEARS AND OFTEN REVS UP TO 5000 RPM BEFORE IT "SLAMS" INTO HIGHER GEAR. VW DEALERSHIP IN OKLAHOMA CITY ASSERTS "WE CAN REPLICATE THE PROBLEM". PLEASE HELP! *TR

REAR WINDOW REGULATOR, WINDOW WILL NOT ROLL UP. FIRST OCCURRENCE ON 8/26/2010. WAITING TO HEAR RESPONSE FROM SHOP ON REPAIR OPTIONS. *TR

I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE FROM VOLKSWAGEN AROUND AUGUST OF 2008. MY CAR BEGAN TO SHOW SIGNS OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE SHORTLY AFTER MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHILE UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY STATED IT WAS NOTHING. IT BEGAN TO GET WORSE BUT THEY ASSURED ME I JUST NEED TO GET MY TRANSMISSION SERVICED AND I DID. IT BEGAN GRADUALLY FROM SKIPPING GEARS TO JUMPING INTO NEUTRAL AND LOSING POWER WHILE DRIVING. THE FAILURE OCCURS VERY OFTEN NOW. I CANNOT DRIVE MY CAR FOR MORE THAN 15 MINUTES WITHOUT BEING STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR A SHORT PERIOD. I NOTICED THAT AS SOON AS THE TRANSMISSION WARMS UP FROM DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION GOES INTO NEUTRAL. I BEGAN DOING SOME RESEARCH INTO THIS PROBLEM AND NOTICED THAT THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM WITH VOLKSWAGEN BEETLES TRANSMISSION, WHICH RESULTED IN A RECALL. I HAVE A 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION AND THE SAME SYMPTOMS TAKE PLACE. WE HAVE LOOKED FOR QUOTES ON REPLACEMENT OF SENSORS, REBUILT TRANSMISSIONS, BUT WE ARE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT MAY BE BECAUSE TRANSMISSION WORK IS REALLY EXPENSIVE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS!!! *TR

I HAVE A 2005 VW BEETLE WITH 52K MILES. A FEW WEEKS AGO BOTH REAR WINDOWS QUITE WORKING WITHIN A FEW DAYS OF EACH OTHER. *TR

FAULTY WINDOW MECHANICS, BOTH REAR WINDOWS HAVE BROKEN IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, CHEAP MADE AND VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX. *TR

I AM AN ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2005 VW BEETLE. STARTED NOTICING THE TRANSMISSION, HESITATING AND SLAMMING INTO GEAR, MAINLY WITH 3RD AND 4TH GEAR. THE PROBLEM IS WORSENING, NOW AT 75,000 MILES I EITHER NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION OR AT MINIMUM, A NEW FLYWHEEL. I HAVE SEEN THOUSANDS OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS AND FEEL THIS IS A DEFECT. *TR

2005 VW BEETLE WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, WIRING PROBLEMS AND LIGHTING PROBLEMS. SEEMS LIKE THIS IS IN A LOT OF BEETLES THAT ARE ON THE ROAD. TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 80,000 MILES... THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM AND THE VW COMPANY SEEMS NOT TO CARE. SINCE CAR BOUGHT MULTIPLE PROBLEMS, WHICH VW HAS FIXED MOST OF THEM. THE LIGHTING HARNESS MELTED TOGETHER ON THE RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT SIDES, THIS WAS CONCERN OF MINE. WHY????, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED... WITHOUT WARNING.. TOOK IT IN FOR 80,000 MILE SERVICE PAID 600.00 AND THEN TRANSMISSION FAILS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. BUT I FEEL LIKE THERE NEEDS TO BE A PROPER INVESTIGATION INTO THE ONGOING PROBLEMS. .... MY BRAKES HAVE FAILED TO WORK IN REVERSE 3 TIMES NOW AND THIS IS SCARY.... I FINALLY GET STOPPED AND THEN HAVE TO PUMP BRAKES. NOTHING WRONG WITH THEM SO FAR WHEN TAKING INTO VW DEALER. *TR

2005 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE TRANSMISSION . CARS SLIPS FROM 2ND TO 3RD. JERKS HARD, COMPLAINT TO VW, WAS TOLD THIS WAS NORMAL. RPM'S SUDDENLY ESCALATE WHILE IN CONSTANT GEAR TO 4000 RPM AND THEN LEVEL OFF WHILE ALREADY IN THAT GEAR FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, ALSO WILL HAPPEN WHILE ON CRUISE. STOPS ARE ROUGH AND STARTS ARE THE SAME. 6 SPEED TRIPTRONIC. LUCKY NOT IN ACCIDENT AS OF YET BECAUSE OF DELAYS IN SHIFTING. WILL NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION AT 82,000 STARTED ACTING UP AROUND 60,000. *TR

DEFECTIVE WINDOW REGULATOR - DRIVER'S SIDE REAR POWER WINDOW 2005 VW NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. *TR

DRIVER SIDE REAR WINDOW REGULATOR IS BROKEN. WHILE ROLLING WINDOW DOWN, I HEARD A LOUD SNAP. THE WINDOW WILL ONLY ROLL UP HALF WAY, AND THEN AUTOMATICALLY ROLLS DOWN AGAIN. I CANNOT SECURE MY VEHICLE AS THE WINDOW WILL NOT GO UP. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO KIMBALL VOLKSWAGEN, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE WINDOW REGULATORS, AND THAT IT IS "RE-OCCURRING" PROBLEM! THE COST TO REPAIR THE WINDOW IS $75 FOR THE REPAIR KIT, AND $105 PER HOUR LABOR BY THE DEALERSHIP. MY NEIGHBOR HAS AN 05' RED CONVERTIBLE, HE TOLD ME HE HAS FIXED THE BACK WINDOWS THREE TIMES! THIS IS A CONSUMER RIP OFF. I HAVE NOT FIXED MY WINDOW, BECAUSE I CANNOT AFFORD TO, BECAUSE THE CONVERTIBLE TOP IS NOW BROKEN AS WELL. A PLASTIC RIVOT HAS BROKEN OFF AND NOW MY CONVERTIBLE BOOT DOES NOT FOLD CORRECTLY! THIS OF COURSE IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY LUNGED FORWARD. UPON ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE WHEN CHANGING GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE EXAMINED FOR THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE FREQUENCY OF THE FAILURES HAD INCREASED OVER TIME. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 80,000.

PLASTIC PART IN HEADLIGHTS (WHICH BULB SITS IN) GETS HOT MELTS CAUSING HEADLIGHT TO GO OUT. POTENTIAL FOR FIRE. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION CONTINUOUSLY SLIPS BETWEEN 2ND & 3RD GEAR WHEN DOWNSHIFTING OR UPSHIFTING. OFTEN IT WILL NOT SHIFT AT ALL. THERE IS SEVERE LURCHING OCCASIONALLY WHEN MOVING OR COMING TO A STOP. I HAVE GOTTEN A TRANSMISSION FLUSH WHICH WITHIN DAYS THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. THE POWER WINDOWS CONTINUOUSLY DO NOT FULLY RAISE- REQUIRING YOU TO MANUALLY RAISE THEM. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FIXED TWICE AND BOTH TIMES AFTER BEING FIXED THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE, THE CONVERTIBLE TOP HAS PULLED AWAY FROM THE TOP OF THE REAR GLASS WINDOW AND HAS A GAP. THE CAR IS 5 YEARS OLD, BUT IT ONLY HAS CLOSE TO 65,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

AFTER 15 OR SO MINUTES THE TRANSMISSION STARTS TO MISS FIRST & SECOND GEAR SHIFTING ERRATICALLY IF YOU ARE MAKING A LEFT TURN, IT IS QUITE DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT ENGAGE FOR A FEW SECONDS THIS CAN CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT, IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS & OTHER VW 2005 SUPER BEETLES HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THANKS. *TR

2005 VW BEETLE REAR LEFT WINDOW REGULATOR HAS FAILED. THE GLASS IS NOT BROKEN, AND THE MOTOR WORKS, BUT THE WINDOW DOES NOT GO UP OR DOWN WITH THE SWITCH. IT WILL MOVE BY PUSHING/PULLING ON IT. I HAVE NOTICED THIS SAME COMPLAINT ON MANY WEBSITES. I DID NOT SEE WHEN THE WINDOW FAILED, IT HAPPENED JUST BEFORE I PURCHASED IT ON JULY 13, 2010. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 VW BEETLE, I JUST MADE MY LAST PAYMENT ON IT. IT HAS 102,000 MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. THE WINDOW REGULATOR HAS MESSED UP. I HAVE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS TWICE. HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIO IN IT. REPLACED THE TAIL LIGHTS NUMEROUS TIMES. THE TRANSMISSION IS THE THING I AM MOSTLY CONCERNED ABOUT. THERE ARE LOTS OF COMPLAINTS OF OTHER BUYERS DISSATISFIED WITH THEIR 2005 BEETLE. THESE CARS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO BUY. IT IS NOT RIGHT TO BUY ANYTHING FOR THIS KIND OF MONEY AND BE FACED WITH ALL THESE EXPENSIVE PROBLEMS. WHEN THE CAR CHANGES GEARS IT SNATCHES YOUR NECK. YOUR HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *TR

NORMAL DRIVING WITH MY VW 2005 BEETLE. IT HAS HAD A LOT OF ELECTRICAL ISSUES. HAVE HAD TO REPLACE HEADLIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, AND BRAKE LIGHTS SEVERAL TIME. ONLY HAS 58,000 MILES ON IT. NOW THE POWER WINDOW HAS STOPPED WORKING. ONE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AFTER THE OTHER. SORRY PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

I HAVE LESS THAN 80,000 MILES ON MY 2005 VW CONVERTIBLE BEETLE AND WAS TOLD I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION COSTING $6000. WHEN RESEARCHING, I FOUND THAT THIS MODEL IS RIDDLED WITH TRANSMISSION ISSUES. *TR

2005 VW BEETLE, BEGAN SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR AND THE FINAL STRAW WAS IN FAST MOVING TRAFFIC AND IT SLIPPED OUT COMPLETELY, WAS NEARLY KILLED! FOUND OUT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHOT AT 97,700 AND APPARENTLY THIS HAPPENS QUITE A BIT WITH THESE VEHICLES, TO REPLACE IS $7,500. THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE, NTSB WON'T SAY IF OR WHAT THEY ARE DOING ABOUT IT. *TR

I OWN A 2005 VW CONVERTIBLE BEETLE AUTOMATIC, WHICH I BOUGHT NEW IN AUGUST OF 2005. IT ONLY HAS 64,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE CAR LURCHING FORWARD OR SHIFTING VERY ROUGHLY BETWEEN FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD GEARS ON UPSHIFT AND DOWNSHIFT. IT IS EXTREMELY SCARY AND GETS PROGRESSIVELY WORSE THE WARMER THE CAR GETS. I'VE ALMOST BEEN IN ACCIDENTS SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF THE LURCHING, AND I'VE ALMOST BEEN REAR-ENDED ON THE FREEWAY BECAUSE OF GEAR SLIPPING. I'VE SPOKEN TO MY TRANSMISSION MECHANIC, AND HE STATED THAT THEY'VE SEEN THESE SAME ISSUES IN MANY OTHER VW'S. I'VE ALSO SEARCHED ONLINE, AND SEEN 100'S OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE. I CONTACTED MY VW DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THIS IS NOT A COMMON PROBLEM. AFTER DOING A LITTLE BIT OF INTERNET RESEARCH, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THAT'S TRUE. I'M HAVING TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION TO THE TUNE OF SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND THE CAR IS NOT EVEN 5 YEARS OLD. I FEEL UNSAFE AND NERVOUS DRIVING THE CAR AS DO MANY, MANY OTHERS AND I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR

MY DAUGHTER DRIVES A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN CONVERTIBLE. IT HAS NUMEROUS SAFETY ISSUES: 1. THE TAIL LIGHTS CEASE WORKING ALTHOUGH THE BULBS ARE GOOD. THE BULB CONTACTS ARE INADEQUATE FOR BOTH TAIL LIGHTS. THIS HAS OCCURRED FOUR TIMES ON HER CAR IN THE PAST THREE YEARS. 2. THE CONVERTIBLE HEADLINER PULLS AWAY FROM THE REAR WINDOW AND DROOPS IN FRONT OF THE REAR WINDOW BLOCKING THE VIEW IN THE REAR VIEW WINDOW. THIS HAS OCCURRED 5 TIMES IN THE PAST 4 YEARS AND SHE HAS STOPPED USING THE CONVERTIBLE TOP TO PREVENT HER FROM HAVING A ACCIDENT. 3. THE POWER WINDOWS HAVE FAILED WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING. THE WINDOWS WOULD NOT COME UP. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN THREE YEARS. THESE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCED BY MANY VW OWNERS (DO A GOOGLE SEARCH). THEY ARE ALL SAFETY ISSUES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE XENON LIGHTS WOULD TURN OFF AND ON AT ANY TIME. THE CONTACT WAS IN AN ACCIDENT IN DECEMBER 2006 BECAUSE THE LIGHTS TURNED OFF SUDDENLY AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO RUN INTO A CURB. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE LIGHTS WERE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE STILL OCCURRED AND THE CONTACT COULD NOT DRIVE SAFELY AT NIGHTS. THE LIGHTS WOULD RESET AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 12,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 64,500.