2006 Volkswagen Beetle complaints

WE HAVE A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT HAS GONE OUT AT LEAST 8 TIMES SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW IN SPRING OF 2006. THE AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP HAS REPAIRED EACH TIME WITH SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE RAILS. VOLKSWAGEN ENCOURAGES ME TO CONTINUE BRING IT TO THEM FOR REPAIR. IT IS UNSAFE AS THE LIGHT WILL GO OUT ON NORMAL HIGHWAY DRIVEWAY, NOT BUMPY COUNTRY ROADS. I HAVE INCLUDED THE LATEST INCIDENT. *TR

2006 VW BEETLE WITH DEFECTIVE DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM. *TR

2006 VW BEETLE, 6-SPD AUTOMATIC WITH 62,000 MILES. CAR BEGAN SLIPPING BETWEEN GEARS ON A TYPICAL TRIP ALONG INTERSTATE 95. CAR WAS TOWED INTO A DEALERSHIP WHERE A TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS MOISTURE IN THE TRANSMISSION AND IT WOULD NEED TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED FOR AN ESTIMATED $7,000. I'VE CALLED SEVERAL PRIVATE TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOPS AND AM TOLD THAT NEITHER VW NOR ANY AFTERMARKET COMPANIES SELL PARTS TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION. THE CAR IS STILL NOT REPAIRED AS THE VALUE OF THE CAR, APPROX $9,000 DOES NOT WARRANTY $7,000 REPAIR. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT VIA ONLINE FORUMS WITH SEVERAL OWNERS FROM 2003 TO 2007 WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. ACCORDING TO MANY, VW DEALERSHIP TECH'S SEEM TO SYSTEMATICALLY BLAME THESE PROBLEMS ON MINOR DINGS AND DENTS TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CARS THAT "MAY" HAVE CAUSED THE PROBLEMS. *TR

IN 2006, MY WIFE LEASED A NEW VW BEETLE FROM A DEALERSHIP IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CALIFORNIA. THE CAR CAME WITH A SET OF NEW GOODYEAR EAGLE RS-A TIRES. MY WIFE COMMUTES 40 MILES ROUND TRIP FIVE TO SIX DAYS A WEEK TO WORK. THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 60K IN MILES ON IT. THE TIRES HAVE NOT BEEN MISTREATED- SURFACE STREETS AND FREEWAY USE ONLY. ON 4-25-09, MY WIFE DROVE TO WORK, PARKED IN A PUBLIC USE GARAGE, AND SPENT EIGHT HOURS WORKING. WHEN SHE RETURNED TO THE CAR, THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT. A TOW SERVICE WAS CALLED AND THEY PUT ON THE SPARE TIRE. IT WAS AT THAT TIME THE TOW SERVICE DRIVER SHOWED MY WIFE THE INSIDE SIDEWALL OF THE REPLACED TIRE. IN BRIEF, ABOUT 90 PERCENT OF THE SIDEWALL HAD SEPARATED FROM THE MAIN TREAD TO THE POINT THE METAL BANDS WERE EXPOSED. WHEN MY WIFE GOT HOME, I CRAWLED UNDER HER CAR AND SAW THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE WAS ALSO IN THE SAME DEFECTIVE CONDITION. I TOOK PICTURES OF BOTH TIRES AND DOWNLOADED THEM ONTO MY COMPUTER. THE COST TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES WILL BE OVER $500.00 BASED ON A SEAR\'S ESTIMATE. I CHECKED THE INTERNET FOR RECALLS AND SAFETY BULLETINS ON GOODYEAR TIRES. I FOUND THERE WAS NO FORMAL RECALL OF THIS TIRE, BUT GOODYEAR WAS DOING A \"SILENT RECALL\" REPLACING TIRES FOR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. I FOUND MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE TIRES, THE EAGLE RS-A, SEPARATING AT THE SIDEWALL ON THE INTERNET. TODD MAYER *TR

I WAS DRIVING AND THE CLUTCH SEEMED TO BE DIFFERENT. IT IS HARD TO EXPLAIN HOW BUT WHEN YOU ARE THE DRIVER 99% OF THE TIME YOU KIND OF KNOW. ON WEDNESDAY APRIL 22 I DEPRESSED TO CLUTCH COMING TO A STOP AND HEARD A DEFINITE NOISE. THEN AS I WAS PULLING OFF FROM THE STOP IN 1ST GEAR THE CAR DID NOT WANT TO MOVE EASY. THERE WAS ANOTHER NOISE AS I WAS RELEASING THE CLUTCH, AS WELL. THERE IS JUST OVER 29000 MILES ON THE 2006 VW NEW BEETLE. I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE WITHOUT CAUSING AN INCIDENT. I THANK GOD FOR HELPING ME TO RECOGNIZE A PROBLEM AND MAKE SLOW EASY MOVES. I HOPE THERE DOES NOT NEED TO BE AN ACCIDENT, DEATH, FIRE TO SUSPECT A CONTINUING PROBLEM WITH A CAR TO LODGE A COMPLAINT TO REVIEW THE CAUSE. *TR

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HER 2006 VW NEW BEETLE ON HIGHWAY, WITHOUT WARNING THE CLUTCH HAD A SUDDEN FAILURE AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS AND ALMOST RESULTED IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON THE EXPRESSWAY. VEHICLE HAD 30,000 MILES AND NO PREVIOUS TROUBLE NOTED ON THIS 1,9L TDI MANUAL TRANSMISSION. SAME ENGINE AND CLUTCH AS LISTED IN A VW SERVICE BULLETIN FOR 2005/2006 JETTA. BULLETIN STATES THAT CLUTCH FRICTION MATERIAL MAY HAVE A DEFECT CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR,BURNING,SHREDDING AND BREAKING AND WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED TO 4YR/50,000 MILES ON THE JETTA. DEALER WOULD NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY AND BLAMED THE SUDDEN FAILURE ON A WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE OR DRIVER ABUSE EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A BULLETIN OUT CONCERNING THE SACHS CLUTCH ASSEMBLY. REPAIR WAS OVER $2200. 6 MONTHS REMAINING ON ORIGINAL WARRANTY. THIS CLUTCH SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

I WROTE VOLKSWAGEN THREE TIMES AND HAD THREE PHONE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE/SPLASH GUARD. I CONSIDER THE PROBLEM TO BE NOT ONLY A DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING DEFECT, BUT ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE. THE GUARD HAS COME LOOSE TWICE FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR, WITH VW SUGGESTING THAT ONE TIME WAS DUE TO THE PIECE BEING IMPROPERLY PUT BACK AFTER AN OIL CHANGE FROM AN AUTO REPAIR GARAGE AND THE OTHER INSTANCE DUE TO MY PARKING TOO CLOSELY TO A PARKING SPACE CONCRETE END-BLOCK. IT IS VERY FORTUNATE THAT THE PIECE DID NOT COME COMPLETELY OFF AND GO FLYING INTO TRAFFIC. VW TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD PROBABLY BACK INTO PARKING SPACES SO AS TO AVOID THAT PROBLEM OR PARK FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM PARKING SPACE CONCRETE BARRIERS SO IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. THERE IS NO MENTION OF THIS "FEATURE" IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THEY ALSO SUGGESTED THAT I AM PROBABLY NOT ACCUSTOMED TO DRIVING A LOW RIDING CAR AND WOULD HAVE TO GET USED TO IT - MY PREVIOUS CAR RODE JUST AS LOW, BUT WAS ENGINEERED WELL ENOUGH THAT THE BUMPER WOULD NEVER GET CAUGHT ON A PARKING BLOCK . ISN'T THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE BLOCKS - TO LIGHTLY TAP THEM TO KNOW THE CAR IS CLOSE ENOUGH IN THE SPACE TO BE KEPT FROM BEING HIT FROM BEHIND? I HAVE ASKED OTHER BEETLE OWNERS IF THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AND SO FAR, THE FOUR PEOPLE I ASKED HAVE SAID YES, BUT THEY HAVE NOT CONTACTED VW OR MADE ANY OTHER ENTITIES AWARE OF THE PROBLEM - THEY ARE JUST LIVING WITH IT. THERE ARE ALSO SEVERAL MENTIONS OF THIS SAME PROBLEM O

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THE FAILURE BEGAN ON OCTOBER 8, 2008 AND OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY. THE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ONLY ONCE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES AND THEY CLEANED THE CARBURETOR, CHECKED THE FUEL LINE, AND POWER FLUSHED THE COOLANT; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAUSE THE DIAGNOSTIC COULD NOT PRODUCE A FAILURE CODE. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 900 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,500. UPDATED 01/08/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED VOLVO FIXED THE PROBLEM AND NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED. UPDATED 01/12/09. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED A U-SHAPED BAR ATTACHED TO THE SEAT BELT, WHICH ALLOWS THE SEAT BELT TO MOVE TO THE BACK WHEN NOT IN USE. HOWEVER, THE SEAT BELT DID NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY. IT WOULD PROVIDE THE CONTACT APPROXIMATELY EIGHT INCHES OF "EXTRA" SEAT BELT BECAUSE IT WOULD POP TO THE BACK POSITION WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE COME TO THE FRONT. SHE WAS CONCERNED THAT THE DESIGN OF THE BAR WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND COULD REDUCE THE PROTECTION NEEDED IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 21,142 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 12,000.

THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY SHIFTING GEARS. AT TIMES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY GOES INTO 2ND GEAR WHERE IT REMAIN UNTIL THE KEY IS REMOVED. THE DEALER INDICATES THE 'MEGATRONIC' SHIFTING CONTROLLER IS BAD. HOWEVER THE PART IS ON BACK ORDER FROM THE FACTORY AND THERE IS A 7-10 DELAY IN SHIPMENT FROM THE FACTORY. IT SEEMS THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PART FAILURE. *TR

CAR CUT OFF AND ALMOST KILLED ME WITH WITNESS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH IN DRY CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE WOULD DECELERATE ON ITS OWN AND THEN ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAITED FOR A TOW TRUCK. WHILE WAITING, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT DIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER SENT AN INVESTIGATOR, BUT THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE HIM WITH ANY INFORMATION. THE CONTACT HAS CALLED THE MANUFACTURER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THEY HAVE NOT RETURNED ANY CALLS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 10,000. UPDATED 4/23/08 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS IN MY VW BEETLE VIN:[XXX] APPEAR TO BE ENGINEERED FOR A RIGHT SIDE DRIVER VEHICLE; AND, ON ROTATION, THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER STOPS FOR RETURN SWING DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER'S FACE, FURTHER IMPAIRING VISION WHILE RAIN CONDITIONS EXIST. THIS IS AN EASILY REMEDIED SITUATION FOR THE MANUFACTURER.*CN *TR

I WAS THE PASSENGER IN MY PARENTS' 2006 VW NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE YESTERDAY AND WE WERE STOPPED AT A 4 WAY STOP WHEN WE WERE HIT FROM BEHIND BY A DELIVERY VEHICLE. I HAD MY SEATBELT FASTENED SECURELY, HOWEVER, THE MECHANISM FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY, SOMEHOW COMING UNLATCHED, WHICH CAUSED ME TO HIT THE DASH OR WINDSHIELD WITH MY FACE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY FRONT TEETH. I WENT TO THE DENTIST THIS MORNING AND WAS TOLD THAT MY TEETH COULD HAVE LONG TERM DAMAGE, SOME OF WHICH MIGHT NOT SHOW UP FOR WEEKS, MONTHS, OR EVEN YEARS FROM NOW. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE SEATBELT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WOULD NOT RETRACT LIKE IT DID ON THE DRIVERS' SIDE AND YOU COULD DEFINITELY SEE DAMAGE AROUND THE AREA WHERE THE SEATBELT RETRACTS. *TR

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD DISTORTED THE DRIVER'S VIEW. THE FAILURE OCCURED IN THE LOWER PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD AND WAS VERY DISTRACTING. THE DEALER COMPARED OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE CONTACT'S STATING THAT THE DISTORTION IN THE WINDOW WAS NORMAL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,200. *AK UPDATED 04/12/07. *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEATED SEAT WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF ONE FORCED THE SWITCH ON AND OFF THE HEATER WOULD OPERATE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGEWAS 996. THE CONTACT HAS AN APPOINTMENT AT A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. *AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IN FOR SERVICE. MUST BE AN OXYGEN SENSOR THEY SAY. THEY ORDER ONE AND I GO BACK. NOT THE SENSOR. ENGINE COOLANT LEAKED ON WIRING HARNESS CAUSING WIRING DAMAGE. THEY REPLACE HARNESS HOWEVER DO NOT KNOW WHERE COOLANT IS COMING FROM. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKES BUT VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE RAN OVER TWO SPEED BUMPS AT 25 MPH THEN JUMPED A CURB AND CRASHED INTO AN APARTMENT BUILDING. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. UPDATED 10/25/2006 - A WITNESS STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT WERE ULLIMINATED AND THAT HE HEARD A REVVING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. *NM

MY 2006 BEETLE CONVERTIBLE CONTINUES TO HOWL WITH THE A/C FAN MOTOR ON. IT ACTUALLY SOUNDS LIKE A JET MOTOR TRYING TO LAND. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE HAD 3 OTHERS COME IN WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. IN FACT THEY SAID THEY REPLACED ONE CUSTOMERS CAR FAN AND IT WAS EVEN LOUDER THAN BEFORE. THEY CANNOT TELL ME WHEN THEY WILL HAVE A SOLUTION BUT VW IS "WORKING ON IT". I HAVE 9000 MILES ON MY CAR. I LIVE IN TEXAS. DOES THIS QUALIFY FOR THE LEMON LAW? THIS IS NOW OCT AND NO OTHER ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO REPAIR IT. HAS BEEN GOING ON AT LEAST SINCE MAY. *NM

2006 VW BEETLE WITH 10,200 MILES...REAR ENGINE MOUNT FALLING APART. TRANS ENGINE MOUNT..BROKEN BOLTS. *JB

DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL BLEW APART AT 2200 MILES THEN AT 7,800 MILES ON A 2006 BEETLE TDI. I AM NOW ON BOTH TIMES HAPPENED DOWN SHIFTING FROM 5TH TO 4TH GEAR. HAVE DRIVEN MANUAL SHIFTS ALL MY LIFE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT DMF HAS A HARD TIME HANDLING TORQUE. I WAS STILL LESS THAN 3000 RPM WHEN DROPPING INTO 4TH GEAR WHEN THE FLYWHEEL BROKE. THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN AS IT SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE THIS AMOUNT OF TORQUE AS A STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AS ALL MY TRANSMISSION OPERATION WAS LOST. *NM

ENGINE MAKES LOUD HUMMING NOISE WHEN A/C IS TURNED ON. *NM

A/C COMPRESSOR OR FAN MOTOR HOWLS VERY LOUDLY. TAKEN TO DEALER AND DEALER STATED AT FIRST THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM . INSISTED THEY LISTEN AGAIN SINCE SERVICE WRITER COULD HEAR NOISE WHEN WE DROVE IN. THEN STATED THAT CAR HAD TOO MUCH FREON IN UNIT AND THAT PROBLEM WAS FIXED. DROVE OUT OF LOT AND HOWLING WAS AS LOUD AS EVER. AFRAID COMPRESSOR OR FAN WILL BLOW OUT OF HOOD OF CAR. THE LONGER THE CAR IS DRIVEN THE LOUDER THE HOWL BECOMES. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO APPLY BRAKE PRESSURE AT ALL SPEEDS, THE BRAKES WENT TO THE FLOOR AND WOULD NOT RETURN TO THE NORMAL UP POSITION. THE DRIVER HAD TO PULL UP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO APPLY BRAKE PRESSURE. ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION FAILS TO MAINTAIN ENGAGED WHEN INCLINED. ALTHOUGH THE DEALER WAS ALERTED NO INSPECTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE.