2007 Volkswagen BEETLE: complaints, problems and recalls

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. ON OCCASION, SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE NEEDED IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE. IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER , NORTH POINT VOLKSWAGEN, BUT THEY COULD NOT LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE TRUNK FAILS TO OPEN PROPERLY. WHEN THE KEY OR INTERIOR TRUNK RELEASE LATCH WAS USED, THE TRUNK OPENED, BUT THEN IMMEDIATELY CLOSED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TRUNK ACTUATOR, STRUTS, AND LOCK…

Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10187121 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2007 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. WHEN SLOWING DOWN, NOT TO A COMPLETE STOP, AND I TRY TO ACCELERATE AND GO AGAIN, THE CAR TOTALLY STALLS (STOPS). THIS HAPPENS EVEN WHEN MAKING TURNS- YOU CAN PRESS ON THE ACCELERATOR AND NOTHING HAPPENS AND THEN IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES IT RACES FORWARD. I CALLED THE LOCAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO BE TOLD IT WAS A "BYPASS WIRE" PROBLEM, THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE, THEY ALL DID THAT AND VOLKSWAGEN WAS AWARE OF THE SITUATION. THERE ARE SO MANY TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED THAT I WAS ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT BE…

Owner-reported narrative. 20,909 miles reported. Look up ODI 10278679 at NHTSA ↗

BRAKES HAVE FAILED THREE SEPARATE TIMES ON MY VW NEW BEETLE. THE BRAKE BOOSTER HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES AND THE MASTER CYLINDER ONCE! THE CAR IS EXACTLY 23 MONTHS OLD AND HAS A TOTAL OF 8,300 MILES. FIRST FAILURE AT 2201MILES 2ND FAILURE AT 3800MILES AND 3RD FAILURE AT 8,200 MILES. ITS A DEATH MACHINE!! *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 2,002 miles reported. Look up ODI 10285554 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW MADE A LOUD SQUEAKY NOISE WHEN IN ACTIVATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHERE THE MECHANIC LUBED THE WINDOW GLASS TRACK INSIDE OF THE DOOR PANEL. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW MECHANISM AND EXTERIOR SIDE VIEW MIRRORS CONTROL MECHANISM MALFUNCTIONED AND WERE REPLACED. THE EXTERIOR PAINT ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR EXHIBITED SEVERE CHIPPING. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED WATER WOULD …

Owner-reported narrative. 5 miles reported. Look up ODI 10334409 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2007 VW BEETLE THAT I HAVE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS ON ABOUT SIX TIMES. THE TAILLIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. NOW MY HEADLIGHTS WON'T STAY ON. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW, BECAUSE IF YOU PUSH ON THE LIGHTS, THEY WILL COMRADE ON. HOWEVER IF I HIT JUST A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD, THEY WILL GO OUT. THIS IS A HAZARD, ESPECIALLY DRIVING IN THE DARK. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10351158 at NHTSA ↗

BOTH REAR WINDOWS REGULATORS WENT OUT AND NEITHER BACK WINDOWS WILL ROLL UP OR DONE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10352306 at NHTSA ↗

CAR SPORADICALLY LOOSES POWER WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE AFTER MOMENTARILY LIFTING FOOT OFF GAS PEDDLE. MOST INSTANCES OCCUR WHILE CHANGING LANES ON THE HIGHWAY OR ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A NORMAL LEFT HAND TURN. EXAMPLE: GOING 60 MPH, LIFT FOOT OFF PEDDLE TO SLOW DOWN DUE TO CAR IN FRONT OF ME, SEE OPENING IN THE LANE TO MY RIGHT, TURN WHEEL SLIGHTLY TO CHANGE LANES, FLOOR IT ONLY TO FIND I HAVE NO POWER WITH OTHER CAR BARRELING DOWN ON ME. THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER A DOZEN TIMES BUT I AM UNABLE TO DUPLICATE IT AT WILL.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10366089 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE WITH CONTINENTAL MS RADIAL(NA) TIRES, SIZE P225/45 R17, DOT NUMBER 50751. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 55 MPH WHEN THE LEFT FRONT TIRE COMPLETELY CAME APART. THE SIDEWALL SPLIT AND THE TREAD FROM THE TIRE CAME OFF OF THE TIRE. THE TIRES WERE ON THE VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS PURCHASED. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE TIRES WERE THE ORIGINAL TIRES FOR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PUT 20000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AFTER IT WAS PURCHASED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 37000.

Owner-reported narrative. 37,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10370738 at NHTSA ↗

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: 2010-12-10 (December 10, 2010)

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2010 JETTA, NEW BEETLE, NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE, MODEL YEAR 2009 JETTA SPORTWAGEN AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 RABBIT VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L ENGINES. THE JETTA, JETTA SPORTWAGEN, AND RABBIT VEHICLES MAY HAVE A SMALL PLASTIC TAB LOCATED ON THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR THAT MAY CHAFE AGAINST AN UNDERHOOD FUEL SUPPLY LINE. THE NEW BEETLE AND THE NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A FASTENING CLAMP ON A HYDRAULIC HOSE OF THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM THAT MAY BE LOCATED IN AN IMPROPER POSITION WHICH COULD CAUSE CHAFING AGAINST AN UNDERHOOD FUEL SUPPLY LINE.

Consequence: IF CHAFING OCCURS, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A FUEL LEAK TO DEVELOP. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE THE UNDERHOOD FUEL LINE. ADDITIONALLY, DEPENDING ON THE VEHICLE MODEL, DEALERS WILL EITHER REMOVE THE PLASTIC TAB FROM THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR, OR INSPECT THE POSITION OF THE FASTENING CLAMP AND ADJUST THE RELATED FASTENING CLAMP INTO THE CORRECT POSITION. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 31, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.