Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-57
Call VWoA. Your brake light switch may be one in the recall.
I bought a new 2001 Beetle GLS and had nothing, but problems with it. The car was at the dealership at least once a month for the first two years. The quality of service was very poor and changing dealers didn't improve the service quality. The list of things that went wrong in the first two years covered a full sheet of paper. Even though the dealer fixed everything, I threatened to invoke my state's lemon law and VW came back with an extended factory warranty. Since that time, I haven't had a new problem, but I'll never buy another VW product again. Cute and fun though they may be, if the primary purpose is transportation, stay away from them. For those of you with a lot of problems and bought your car new not too long ago, check with your state's attorney general's office to see if your state has a lemon law. If it does, and your car falls under it, I recommend you invoke it with VW.
I have a 2000 yellow New Beetle. It only has 50,000 miles on it. I love it, it is so cute, but I also have had a terrible time with it. I also miss work and play just to get it fixed. My list is long... the belly pan broke and fell off, the fog light is falling off, the door light covers are broken, button #1 on the radio is broken (the only way to fix it is to replace the WHOLE radio?!?!?), sun shade on the moon roof got off track (paid $100 just to have it removed instead of the $500 to repair), the mirror switch just got replaced after breaking totally off when bumped (that was ONLY $80-cheap!), my arm rest snapped off too when my husband leaned on it (that is a $500 job to replace-still broken 2 years later), plastic seat belt covers broke off, CD player skips and gives me errors too, inside door handles are pealing (I guess some say that is a given), passenger door handle is falling out (the outside one!), my rear view mirror broke and the temp gauge for outside is wrong (told it is not fixable), the dealer replaced my window clips on both sides that were a recall when my windows wouldn't go up-almost went postal on that one becuause I was going surfing and went to the dealer instead-don't mess with my surfing! Now I am permanently locked out of my car on the driver side... getting that fixed today. Has anyone had any luck getting VW to pay for any of these? If so how? I love the car, but this really stinks!!!
I have owned VW's for 30 years. My first car was a 69 savanna beige Beetle with nut brown interior. I still have my 73 Orange Westy Campmobile. I had a Quantum GL (now that was a solid car) and a Passat Wagon. When the new beetle was being introduced I was a member of a local VW appreciation club and we were so excited and some members ordered them from dealers long before they had them in stock. I got a 2000 1.8 turbo Beetle. Two Year Bumper to Bumper Warranty? I never could imagine how many things are considered not between the bumpers! So many of the problems mentioned above have happened to me and also the water pump fell apart this year. Yes the car is fun to drive and cute, but I will not buy another one. My friend has a three year old VW camper and he already has had serious problems with it. even though it makes me feel a little sad I don't think my next car will be a VW at all.
Well, it seems everyone wants to complain, but the 2002 Beetle GLS that I bought for my daughter has been pretty good overall. The only problems were minor:
- window operators were fixed on recall
- screw came loose causing tailpipe rattle
- one headlight replaced after 3 years
- radio buttons stick; VW replaced the radio
- battery became weak after 3 years; new battery (!) on warranty
There has been nothing that required a special trip to the dealer. I bought the car because my daughter thought it was cute. The change from a 2-year, 24,000 miles warranty in 2001 to a 4-year, 50,000 miles warranty in 2002 was what sold me. The car hasn't cost a dime for other than maintenance and has never stranded my daughter. I suppose the nagging problems may be excessive compared to a Civic or Corolla, but those cars are pretty boring.
BTW, I've heard that there have been excessive problems with the Special Edition Beetles.
I bought the special edition "Blue Vapor" 2000 New Beetle, 1.8 T GLS because I love the color and the look of the car. The Turbo is also very fun to drive. It was the one you bought on the Internet. I have had so many problems with this car it is unreal. For the first 4 years or so I had to replace a headlight about every 8 to 12 months. The driver's side window fell down one day and would not come up. The electrical display package went out. All of the radiator fluid leaked out. All of the brake fluid leaked out and when I took it in the dealer filled it up and said there was no leak. Guess what? All the brake fluid leaked out again, I took it back and they found a plastic hose that was leaking, of course, because that was not covered under warranty. I bought an extended warranty and I believe I have gotten every penny I spent on it back. The air bag hangers have broken twice. The check engine light has come on numerous times and every time I take it in there is nothing wrong. It's just the wind here, the dealer says. The latest is the clutch which is not covered under warranty and I am having to pay a very large sum to have it fixed. There is only one dealer in town that is 25 miles away, so it is a real hassle to take my car in. All that said, I love this car and it fits me so well, but I am going to have to get another car that is more reliable.
I have had my Beetle for about a month. One month, and I am already having problems. My dad bought me the car from a private dealership, and I am beginning to think that it was a total mistake. In the past week, my rear door has gotten frozen open, draining my battery. Afterward, my gas gauge wouldn't flip open. At first I thought that that was frozen too. Turns out, it wasn't. It just didn't want to open. After my dad finally got a hold of the dealer and found a way to open it, he filled my gas tank. My boyfriend lives in Racine, so I drove out there to see him last night. As I was leaving his house later that night, the EPC light went on. I didn't even know what EPC was, but apparently it meant the car was undriveable, because when I left his block, it wouldn't kick up over 10 mph. This got me scared to try and make the trip home, so I drove back to his house. He tried to see if it was just happening to me, and when the same thing happened again he drove me home. I am so angry that all of this happened in the first month that I have had the car.
I bought a 2002 TDI Beetle from a dealer up here in Anchorage, Alaska. The problems I've had recently with the car hitting 85,000 miles?
Passenger side window refused to go up. Had to replace the door panel. $350.
Car will randomly think that the driver's side window is open. This is usually remedied by opening and shutting the door, but needless to say, this is a pain when I'm going 65 on the highway.
Battery died from sitting out in the cold too long. This is an Alaska thing and a diesel car thing, not a VW thing. But replacing the battery was a pain, and ended up running me nearly $100 for the battery and installation.
The check engine light is always on. I've taken it in for diagnostics, told that nothing was wrong with the car, had the light reset, and the light comes right back on.
My right turn signal no longer works. This is the newest thing. My left turn signal's starting to not work as well. I'm thinking this is a problem with the fuse, but if anyone knows for sure, let me know?
The radio will randomly not read CDs, will randomly skip on some CDs, and my right rear speaker crackles.
My car will occasionally lock itself into park when started regardless of whether the brake is depressed or not.
So yeah... I'm not exactly thrilled, though I absolutely adore my car. But all of these quirks and character features are starting to get expensive and excessively frustrating.
I own a 2000 New Beetle GLX Automatic. I am having tremendous problems with the car starting. It seems like everything is going to be okay, but then the engine will not engage. I have to wait and wait and then try again. The dealer has told me there is no problem with the battery. I was informed by the dealer that the gasoline here in the Pacific Northwest is problematic. I only use top tier gasoline and use gasoline additive every 3000 miles or so. Does anyone have any ideas?
Thanks.
My EPC light and the triangle with the! is randomly on and off -- it's a used 2001 w/41000 miles. After reading these comments, I'm not taking it in. It rides fine, but I will be more aware from now on. I haven't even tried the CD yet. Next time -- going back to good old dependable Toyota.
To the poster who decided it was tactful to say this:
"This is no secret; people who buy these things deserve the grief!"
Geeze, man. Do you always kick people while they're down? Not everyone wants to buy the latest Corolla or Civic.
Sorry, but the New Beetle has been around since 1998, has always had bad reliability, and therefore anyone who didn't do research, but still bought one deserves the grief.
Hoping the car will work won't make it work - quality will.
I have a 2002 black beetle 34,000 KM.
Very cute. It's got attitude. It has Instrument cluster TROUBLES.
It needs to be replaced more than once a year. The first time it was my gas light, then my oil light, MIL light and now my air bag light. (still under warranty!)
Latest problem : my alarm goes off. So now I try to park it where it won't bug too many people, other times I leave it unlocked. Not worth bugging the world with my cute black beetle (yeah, laugh... my car misses me!)
Oh, did I mention that my Bug has one eye? Constant head light troubles.
I am having the EPC problem and my car does not like to crank, also the fact that I have to take off work, drive an hour to a dealer to get it fixed and stay over night in a hotel has just about pushed me to the point of insanity. I cannot wait until I get this car paid off so I can trade it in and get an American made car. If something goes wrong with an American made car at least any Tom, Dick, or Harry can fix it.
I own a 2001 Reflex silver GLS and just bought a 2002 reflex silver GLS turbo... Cars seem killer.VW's have eaten oil for years and years this is something that has always been about VW's.. (On AVG 1 qt per month or so)
If any cars these days hit 50,000 plus miles without blowing up that's good. Regular oil changes (3,000/3months) and Regular engine coolants flushes (25,000 to 30,000) keeping your car maintained will keep it from frying. I think a bug will greatley benifit from some good maintinence (extra special care) Try using some sythetic oils in the bug as well, it will not only free up some horses, but it will keep things clean, expensive, but worht it.
If your gonna buy a VW bug.Don't buy an automatic. your just asking for trouble.
All these other little querks happen just deal with them. These are not 50,000 corvettes or cadillacs. Things need to be cleaned and greased to keep the wheels rolling.
Problems happen with all kinds of cars, there is 100's of thousands of VW Bugs on the road today. You have to expect some of them to be a headache.. Just so happens that some of you have trouble..
Use the Better Bureau number in the VW manual. If you have the same problem 3 times or more you got a lemon and someone needs to pay for that..Not You..
Good luck all...