1998 Volkswagen BEETLE: complaints, problems and recalls

PROBLEMS WITH FRONT WINDOW MECHANISM. *DT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004416 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004582 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012069 at NHTSA ↗

DRIVER SIDE HEAD LIGHT CONTINUALLY STOPS WORKING. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10013993 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10014144 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10017798 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. 35,201 miles reported. Look up ODI 10022784 at NHTSA ↗

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.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10030914 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2006-05-24 (May 24, 2006)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC OR MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS AND CRUISE CONTROLS, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ON THESE VEHICLES MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY DURING SAFETY RECALLS 03V-265 OR 04V-096.

Consequence: THE BRAKE LIGHTS COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE, OR REMAIN ON. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE PROPER SIGNAL WHEN BRAKING COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE NEWLY DESIGNED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 27, 2006. VEHICLES WITHIN THE MAKE, MODEL, AND MODEL YEAR OF THIS POPULATION MAY BE INVOLVED IN EITHER THIS RECALL OR 06V-183, BUT NOT BOTH. THE REMEDY IS THE SAME FOR EACH RECALL. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERS WILL APPLY THE REMEDY BASED ON THE VIN NUMBER OF THE VEHICLE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987.

Reported: 1998-05-13 (May 13, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE ELECTRICAL WIRING LOCATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ROUTED TOO CLOSE TO THE ENDGE OF THE VEHICLE'S BATTERY TRAY. THE WIRING CAN BECOME DAMAGED OVER TIME BY CHAFING AND THE AIR-CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR AND/OR THE FUEL PUMP CAN MALFUNCTION.

Consequence: A MALFUNCTION OF THE FUEL PUMP CAN CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STALL, AND IN SOME INSTANCES, COULD ALSO RESULT IN A WIRING FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A MODIFIED BATTERY TRAY AND INSPECT, PROPERLY ROUTE, AND SECURING THE WIRING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RECALL REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS.