2005 Volkswagen BEETLE: complaints, problems and recalls

AIR BAG SYSTEM HAS BEEN DEFECTIVE SINCE DELIVERY OF THE CAR. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WITH IN DAYS OF PURCHASE, THE CAR HAS BEEN RETURNED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR ON AT LEAST 5 OCCASIONS, HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR THE PAST 2.5 WEEKS AND THEY ARE SAYING IT MAY BE AS MUCH AS 3 MORE MONTHS BEFORE THE PROBLEM CAN BE RESOLVED BECAUSE OF A SOFTWARE PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. IF THIS IS TRUE THEN ALL THE 2005 VW BEETLES WOULD BE AFFECTED BY THE SAME SAFETY ISSUE

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10121257 at NHTSA ↗

DT: 2005 VOLKSWAGEN, BEETLE. ON OCCASION WHEN STOPPING AT RED LIGHT,THE CAR BOGGED DOWN, WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR WOULD NOT GO. IT WOULD HESITATE FOR AT FEW SECONDS, AND IT WILL NOT TAKE THE GAS. THE ENGINE HAD NOT QUIT AS OF YET. CONSUMER SPOKE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY PUT IT ON A MACHINE, AND DROVE THE CAR. HOWEVER, COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP WAS COOPERATING , AND SAID THEY WOULD TRY TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THIS HAPPENED AT 5 OR 6 TIMES SINCE MAY.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10130983 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2000 VW BEETLE WITH 47,500 ORIGINAL MILES ON IT. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. I PURCHASED IT IN MAY OF 2000 FROM COOLEY. . I HAVE CLOSELY FOLLOWED THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE WITH REGULAR OIL CHANGES ETC. I HAVE BEEN VERY WELL PLEASED WITH THIS CAR DESPITE SOME UNUSUAL PROBLEMS. FOR EXAMPLE, I HAVE HAD AN ISSUE WITH A SENSOR THAT CAUSED THE CAR TO STALL ( SHORTLY AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED). THAT COST ME $100. THEN AT ABOUT 35K I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED BRAKES $400 +. ON SATURDAY JULY 16, 2005 I WAS ENROUTE TO WELLS, MAINE. APPROXIMATEL…

Owner-reported narrative. 47,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10131377 at NHTSA ↗

ATTEMPTED TO STOP IN DRIVEWAY, ENGINE RACED OUT OF CONTROL, COULD NOT STOP AND HIT UTILITY TRAILER IN YARD, CAR CAME TO STOP BECAUSE OF COLLISION, SHIFTED INTO CAR STILL IN GARAGE BEING FIXED. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10140808 at NHTSA ↗

DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW EXPLODED . *NM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10144043 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PARKING WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND COLLIDED WITH A LIGHT POLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAS BEEN INSPECTED. UPDATED 3/28/2006 - THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING THIS ACCIDENT. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10149012 at NHTSA ↗

ENGINE MISFIRE FAULT. DTC P0300. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 6,937 miles reported. Look up ODI 10160632 at NHTSA ↗

2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE WOULD NOT START PROPERLY. MECHANIC DETERMINED THE TEMP SENSOR WAS BAD AND REPLACED IT. *KB PARTS FOR THE CONVERTIBLE TOP AND HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE DEALER IN NOW TELLING THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDS A STRUT BEARING. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10165860 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2004-12-15 (December 15, 2004)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE HIGH PRESSURE DIESEL PUMPS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN IMPROPER FASTENER, WHICH COULD ALLOW DIESEL FUEL TO ESCAPE FROM THE PUMP.

Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY LEAD TO A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DIESEL PUMP. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 8, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

Reported: 2007-02-20 (February 20, 2007)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.

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 APRIL 27, 2007, AND WILL BE CONDUCTED IN SEVERAL STAGGERED MAILINGS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21, 2007. 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: 2008-04-17 (April 17, 2008)

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING 76,900 MY 2004-2005 NEW BEETLE AND MY 2003-2005 NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED (DUAL-STAGE) AIR BAG SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM MAY HAVE AIR BAG FRONTAL CRASH SENSORS THAT CONTAIN A SOLDER JOINT ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD THAT MAY CRACK UNDER CERTAIN HIGH TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS. IF THIS OCCURS, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE AND THE FALLBACK ALGORITHM WILL ENSURE THAT THE FRONT AIR BAGS ALWAYS DEPLOY IN A FRONTAL CRASH IN WHICH THE VEHICLE'S DECELERATION IS HIGH ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS.

Consequence: IN LOW-SEVERITY FRONTAL IMPACTS, THE FRONT AIR BAGS MAY DEPLOY MORE FORCEFULLY THAN DESIGNED, INCREASING THE POSSIBILITY OF INJURY TO OUT-OF-POSITION FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT EACH VEHICLE TO DETERMINE THAT THE SPECIFIC DEFECT CRASH SENSOR IS PRESENT ON ONE OR BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. ALL OF THE DEFECT CRASH SENSORS WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JULY 31, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.