1999 Volkswagen New Beetle

Defect. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION.

Risk. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE BRAKE LAMPS COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE; OR THE LAMPS COULD COME ON AND STAY ON, EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE IS PARKED.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCHES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 26, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VWOA AT 1-800-822-8987.

DEFECTIVE OR INCORRECT DASHBOARD INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND REPEATED FAILURES OF SENSORS AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS ELECTRICAL SWITCHES.*AK

DRIVERS SEAT ADJUSTER BOLTS FELL OUT, RESULTING IN DRIVERS SEAT SILDING FULLY TO REAR AND SEAT COMING OFF TRACKS. THE DRIVERS SEAT SLID ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK SEAT AND I WAS LOOKING AT THE ROOF WITH NO ABILITY TO REACH THE BRAKE, CLUTCH, OR ACCELERATOR PEDALS. MY ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERLY IMPAIRED. *AK

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. *JB

REMOTE HATCHBATCH LOCK RELEASE FAILURE.

AT LESS THAN 27K MILES, I HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. THE DEALER SAID THE ROTORS FOR THE NEW BEETLE ARE NOTORIOUSLY THIN, AND HAVE TO BE REPLACED ALMOST AS OFTEN AS THE BRAKE PADS. THIS REPAIR COST ME $950. MY ROOMMATE, ANOTHER VW NEW BEETLE OWNER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AT 31K, MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS WERE REGISTERED ON BEETLEBUZZ.COM, WHEN IT WAS IN OPERATION. *AK

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT ON DRIVERS SIDE NO LONGER FUNCTIONS. DEALER STATES CRACKED HOUSING ALLOWED WATER IN WHICH IN TURN BURNED OUT BULB. JUDGING BY THE NUMBER OF NEW BEETLES I SEE WITH ONE HEAD LIGHT OUT THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. *JB

MY 1999 VOLKWAGEN BEETLE HAS A MELTED FUSE BLOCK ON TOP OF THE BATTERY. I BELIEVE THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE FUSES BEING FAULTY AS ONE LEG OF THE FUSE WAS COMPLETELY BURNED OFF AND THE FUSE WAS STILL NOT BLOWN. I BELIEVE THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. ON THE WEBSITE NEWBEETLE.ORG, THERE ARE SEVERAL MORE INSTANCES OF THIS OCCURRING INCLUDING PHOTOS. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED. IT DOES NOT REGISTER READINGS FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED OR RPMS.*AK

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE EXPRESSWAY AT ABOUT 55 MPH, WHEN MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, AND MY CAR WENT UP ON THE CENTER DIVIDER. I COULD NOT STEER MY CAR OFF THE DIVIDER, AND THE BRAKES WEREN'T WORKING AS WELL EITHER. I IMAGINE WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT THE ENGINE STOPPED AND MY CAR POWERED OFF WITHOUT WARNING (THE CAR HAS A HISTORY OF FAILED WARNING LIGHTS OR WARNING LIGHTS GOING ON FOR NO REASON, HAVING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL REPLACED ONCE, BUT NOT SOLVING THE PROBLEM). MY CAR ENDED UP SPINNING OUT ACROSS THE ROAD AND SLAMMING INTO A TREE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. IF THE TIMING WAS DIFFERENT BY A SPLIT-SECOND, I WOULD HAVE PROBABLY HIT THE TREE WITH THE DRIVER'S SIDE, OR SLAMMED HEAD-ON INTO A LIGHT POLE. MY CAR WAS TOTALED AND I SPLIT MY HEAD OPEN AND HAD TO GET STITCHES. I AM VERY LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR, AND ANOTHER ONE OF IT'S STUPID FAILURES ALMOST KILLED ME. *JB

MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR FAILED. *NLM

NAR 02/28/2003 MR THE CONSUMER HAS HAD ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND THE EMISSIONS CONTROL SYSTEM. *CB

REMOTE HATCHBATCH LOCK RELEASE FAILURE- 2ND OCCURRENCE. FIRST OCCURRENCE ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND WAS DEALER REPAIRED.

REMOTE FUEL DOOR RELEASE FAILURE- 2ND OCCURRENCE. FIRST OCCURRENCE ABOUT A YEAR PREVIOUS AND WAS DEALER REPAIRED. UNABLE TO FUEL VEHICLE.

CONSUMER STATEDTHE DESIGN OF THE BATTERY CABLE ASSEMBLY COULD POSSIBLY START A FIRE UNDER THE VEHICLE'S HOOD. THE BATTERY CABLE WAS SITUATED ON TOP OF THE BATTERY ALONG WITH THE FUSE BOX. THIS RESULTED IN THE CABLE BEING "EATEN" THROUGH AND DRAINED THE BATTERY. CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE BATTERY, CABLE TWICE AND FUSE BOX ONCE. TS *TT

WHILE DRIVING ON AN ICY ROAD AT 20 MPH MY CAR SKIDDED OF THE ROAD AND HIT A TREE HEAD ON. THE CAR WILL BE MOST LIKELY TOTALED, AND I RECEIVED INJURIES TO MY LEG, BACK, SHOULDER AND NECK. ALTHOUGH MY CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH BOTH FRONT AND SIDE AIR BAGS, NOT ONE OF THEM DEPLOYED. I MENTIONED THE CAR RECEIVED MASSIVE DAMAGE, YET THE AIR BAG SYSTEM DID NOTHING TO LESSEN MY INJURIES BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WORK AS I HOPED. I PURCHASED MY VW BEETLE WITH THE SAFETY FEATURES IN MIND, BUT I NOW HAVE LEARNED THAT NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE NON DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS IS COMMON. I FEEL FORTUNATE THAT MY INJURIES WERE NOT LIFE THREATENING, YET FEEL CHEATED THAT MY VEHILCLE'S SAFETY FEATURES DID NOT WORK WHEN I NEEDED THEM MOST. DT

THE HOOD LATCH HAS FAILED TWICE, INCLUDING THE ORIGINAL AND A REPLACEMENT. THE HOOD POPS OPEN WHILE DRIVING, ONCE AT 55 MPH AND ANOTHER TIME AT 65 MPH. AFTER THIS OCCURS, THE LATCH WILL NO LONGER WORK, AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CLOSE THE HOOD FULLY. THE SAFETY HOOK ON THE LATCH IS THE ONLY THING THAT WILL ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE IS SCHEDULED TO BE TAKEN IN FOR A THIRD LATCH REPLACEMENT ON OCT. 30, 2002, WHICH IS THE EARLIEST DATE THAT THE DEALER CAN SCHEDULE THE REPAIR. MR

THE 1999 NEW BEETLE HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE (LEMON). ITS RELIABILITY / SAFETY / ENVIROMENTAL IMPACT IS POOR. PLEASE ASSIST NEW BETTLE OWNERS. VW ASSISTANCE / KNOWLEDGEMENT HAS BEEN NON EXISTENT.*AK

WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE ON THE EXPRESSWAY WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON, THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO DISENGAGE. DRIVER TURNED CRUISE CONTROL OFF MANUALLY TO AVOID ACCIDENT. PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AND THAT THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD NO BRAKE LIGHT ACTIVATION. THERE IS NO WARNING LIGHT TO ADVISE OF PROBLEM WITH BRAKE SYSTEM. DEALER EMPLOYEE ADVISED THERE ARE NUMEROUS INCIDENTS AND SWITCH HAS BEEN REDESIGNED AT LEAST ONCE. NO RECALL OR NOTICE OF THIS SAFETY PROBLEM HAS BEEN SENT. THIS PROBLEM COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS HIGH SPEED ACCIDENT, AS CRUISE DOES NOT DISENGAGE WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED TO STOP OR SLOW VEHICLE. UPON RELEASE OF BRAKE VEHICLE SURGED AND ACCELERATED FORWARD TO REGAIN SPEED. VW IS AWARE OF THIS AND IS CONCEALING THIS PROBLEM TO AVOID NOTIFICATION/RECALL.*AK

IAM REPORTING THIS BEACUSE THE ENGINE STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING AT 55 MPH WHILE PASSING ON AN EXPRESS WAY. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. THE CAR RESTSRTED AFTER TEN MINUTES. THIS HAS OCCURRED AGAIN BUT AT LOWER SPEEDS. I HAVE NOT BEEN TO A DEALER WITH THE PROBLEM AS YET. FOR MY OEN CONVIENCE THE CAR WILL BE TAKEN TO NEWTON MOROTSPROTS ROUTE 206 NEWTON, NJ TEL 973-383-2626 THIS AM. *AK

THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. THE WINDOW REGULATOR SYSTEM IS CLEARLY DEFECTIVE AND IS EXPENSIVE TO FIX. TIME-CONSUMING AND EXPENSIVE EVEN FOR A DO-IT-YOURSELFER.*AK

POWER WINDOW SWITCH BREAKS AND MUST BE REPLACED OFTEN. WE KNOW MANY NEW BEETLE OWNWERS - NEARLY ALL HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM. WINDOW CAN STICK DOWN AND NOT BE CLOSEABLE, IN ANY WEATHER, IN ANY AREA - DEFINITE SECURITY PROBLEM IN THE WRONG NEIGHBORHOOD. OURS WAS FIXED ON WARRANTY LESS THAN 10,000 MILES AGO - PROBLEM IS SO COMMON THAT WE ARE BUYING EXTRAS TO CARRY WITH US. VW IS DEFINITELY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND IS SILENT. FOUR YEARS WORTH OF CARS HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITH THE SAME DEFECTIVE SWITCH, AND CURRENT PRODUCTION IS UNCHANGED, TO MY KNOWLEDGE. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. *AK NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

COOLING FAN FUSE HOLDER ASSEMBLY SIT ON TOP OF THE BATTERY IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THIS HOLDER HAS A HISTORY OF FAILURE (ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP). IN MANY CASES THE FUSE DOES NOT MAKE ADEQUATE CONTACT AND MAY SPARK OVER TIME. IN MY CASE THE FUSE ARCHED AND MELTED THE ASSEMBLY. THIS IS TROUBLESOME GIVEN THE CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE EXPLOSIVE GASES WHICH ARE GENERATED BY THE BATTERY. *AK

RUNAWAY ENGINE - ENGINE SPEEDED, TACHOMETER TO RED LINE. *AK

AT VARIOUS SPEEDS VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT AND DIE WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS REPAIRED ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AND FUEL TANK. BUT, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS VEHICLE EXPERIENCES OIL LEAKS. AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON, DEALER SECURED LOOSE CONNECTOR CLEAR CODES. PASSENGER SEAT WOULD NOT MOVE UP OR DOWN. TRUNK VERY HARD TO CLOSE, DEALER ADJUSTED UPPER AND LOWER TRUNK LOCK ASSEMBLY. *SLC

THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN SUDDENLY WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING AT ABOUT 50 MPH. THE CAR RESTARTED AFTER SITTING MOMENTARILY. THIS HAPPENED THREE MORE TIMES OVER THE NEXT TWO WEEKS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS RANGING FROM 0-50 MPH. THERE IS A WEBSITE CALLED TDICLUB.COM WITH ENTRIES IN ITS FORUM ABOUT EXACTLY THIS PROBLEM OCCURRING. THE ENTRY I FOUND WAS FROM JULY 1999. IT WAS EXACTLY AS IF I WAS THE RESPONDENT. SO, THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED BEFORE. I SUSPECT THERE ARE A BATCH OF BAD RELAYS AND/OR SOLENOIDS OUT THERE. THIS IS SAFETY RELATED SINCE IN A HIGHWAY SITUATION THE SUDDEN STOPPAGE OF A VEHICLE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE A REAR END COLLISION.

THIS VEHICLE USES AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF FUEL. WHEN REFULING THE GAS PUMP CONTINUALLY CUTS OFF EVEN AFTER LESS THAN 1 GALLON. THE DRIVERS' SEAT HAS COME UNBOLTED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. *AK

POOR DESIGN OF JACK CAUSES FORCE TOWARD THE OPPOSITE SIDE ALLOWING 2 TIRES TO LIFT AND CAR TO FALL OFF JACK. NLM

SINCE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SLOW TO SHIFT INTO GEAR FROM PARK OR NEUTRAL, THE CONSUMER HAS HAD NEAR ACCIDENTS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. NLM

IN THE 1999 VW NEW BEETLE, THE FRONT (BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER) HEAD RESTRAINT HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT DOES NOT ALLOW THE RESTRAINT TO DROP DOWN TO THE TOP OF THE SEAT CREATING INSUFFICIENT HEAD PROTECTION ESPECIALLY FOR SHORTER PEOPLE. BOTH 1998 AND 2000 VW NEW BEETLE MODELS ALLOW THE HEAD RESTRAINTS TO BE ADJUSTED ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP OF THE SEAT. ONLY THE 1999 MODEL HAS THIS PROBLEM. I HAD CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO COULD NOT PROVIDE ME WITH AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY ONLY THE 1999 MODEL WAS DESIGNED THIS WAY. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE. THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP.

THE JACK DOES NOT PROPERLY SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING IT TO PENETRATE THE GROUND RATHER THAN RAISE THE VEHICLE POSSIBLE WEAK DESIGN OF MATERIAL (PLASTIC). NLM

WHILE DRIIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE ENTERS A SAFE MODE, RESTRICTING ENGINE POWER. THE VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN TO 10-15 MPH ,CREATING AN UNSAFE SITUATION. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSES THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON I70W THROUGH INDIANA, VEHICLE BOTTOMED OUT EXTREMELY HARD RESULTING IN MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL. INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING CLEAR DAYLIGHT DRY CONDITIONS IN A NON-CONSTRUCTION ZONE. APPARENTLY, AFTER CROSSING A CONCRETE BRIDGE, THERE WAS AN INDENTATION IN THE INTERSTATE ROADWAY WHERE THE CONCRETE ENDED AND THE PAVEMENT BEGAN. THE IMPACT WAS AT A SUFFICIENT MAGNITUDE THAT THE ENTIRE FRONT PORTION OF THE CHASSIS (DIRCTLY BEHIND THE ENGINE) MADE CONTACT WITH THE ROAD SURFACE SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO RESULT IN A SHOWER OF BLACK ASPHALT FOLLOWING THE VEHICLE (AS I LOOKED THE REAR VIEW MIRROR). THE IMPACT WAS STARTLING AND SEVERE. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED CHUNKS OF BLACK ASPHALT HANGING LIKE ICECYCLES FROM THE LOWEST PART OF THE FRAME ASSEMBLE DIRECTLY BEHIND THE ENGINE AND TRANSAXLE. I DROVE THE THE CLOSEST VW DEALER (IN ST. LOUIS OFF I 70W) AND HAD THE VEHICLE PUT ON A LIFT TO CHECK THE DAMAGE. THE PLASTIC NOISE ABATEMENT COVER WAS TORN AWAY AT THE POINT OF IMPACT AND THE DRIVERS SIDE PORTION OF THE STEEL ASSEMBLEY WHICH THE "A" ARMS (STEERING ARMS) ARE CONNECTED TO WAS CRUSHED AS WELL. THE DEALER COMMENTED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND HAD NO OPINION AS TO THE MANUFACTURERS POSITION. I WOULD LIKE TO STATE THAT THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AND CAME AS A COMPLETE SURPRISE TO ME, THE DRIVER. MY HEART AND NERVOUS SYSTEM DID NOT REGAIN NORMALITY FOR QUITE SOME TIME AFTER THE EVENT. I CALLED THE MANUFACTUR

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILURE. *YC

THE VEHICLE WAS SMOKING BECAUSE OF OIL LEAKING ONTO THE ENGINE FROM A FAULTY HOSE. DEALER HAS HAD VEHICLE FOR 3 WEEKS. *AK