Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Volkswagen Beetle submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 37 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 37, in the owner's own words
OWNER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN ON A/C. WHEN A/C WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY, SHE PULLED OFF ROADWAY AND STOPPED. SMOKE AND BURNING ODOR CAME OUT OF VENTS, WITH FIRE EVENTUALLY SHOWING FROM CLIMATE CONTROL PANEL. INTERIOR OF VEHICLE WAS FULLY INVOLVED IN FIRE WHEN FD ARRIVED. ENGINE COMPARTMENT NOT INVOLVED. RADIO OPERATING PROPERLY PRIOR TO INCIDENT. NO PRIOR ISSUES WITH VEHICLE. *TR
DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW STUCK IN DOWN POSITION. PRESSING THE WINDOW UP TOGGLE RESULTS IN GRINDING NOISE AND BURNT/ELECTRICAL SMELL. *TR
SINCE I PURCHASED MY BEETLE IN 2001, IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING MONEY DRAIN. IN 6 YRS. I HAVE REPLACED THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION TWICE, HAD THE BRAKES WORKED ON A NUMBER OF TIMES, BEEN UNABLE TO OPEN THE GAS "DOOR" ON THE CAR W/ THE GAS CAP LATCH, HAD TO REPLACE THE HOOD OPENING LATCH, HAD REPEATED ELECTRICAL FAILURES, PROBLEMS W/ FRONT & REAR LIGHT WIRING, HAD DOOR LOCKS/ALARM FAIL & SUBSEQUENTLY HAD MY LAPTOP STOLEN FROM THE CAR, THE RADIO HAS NOT WORKED FOR 1+ YEAR, & IT'S COVER PANEL IS LOOSE & FALLING BACK INTO THE DASH, THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR SWITCHES HAVE FAILED, THE POWER WINDOW SWITCHES HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR FELL OFF (!) OF ITS TOP HINGE WHEN THE HINGE BROKE WHILE OPENING THE DOOR NORMALLY AT A GAS STATION, THE AIR COMPRESSOR HAS FAILED MANY TIMES, THE A/C IS CURRENTLY NOT WORKING, THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LOCK FELL OUT OF THE HANDLE(!!!!), THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, & THE LIST GOES ON. CURRENTLY I HAVE NOT BEEN DRIVING THE CAR FOR SEVERAL WKS B/C THOUGH ONLY A WEEK OR TWO OUT OF THE SHOP, AGAIN IT IS HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I AM AT MY WITS END WITH THIS CAR & HAVING RECENTLY GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE, AM NOT IN THE GREATEST POSITION TO HAVE TO BUY A NEW CAR. MOREOVER, I AM SO DISPLEASED W/ THE CAR THAT I WOULD LITERALLY FEEL GUILTY ABOUT TRADING IT IN TO BE SOLD TO SOME OTHER UNSUSPECTING PERSON. VW SHOULD BE SO ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES, & SHOULD BE REIMBURSING OWNERS OF THE 1998 BEETLE IN FULL FOR ALL OF THE STRIFE & TROUBLE THAT THEY HAVE CAUSED. IN FACT, AFTER WRITING THIS & REALIZING HOW MANY PROBLEMS THIS CAR HAS HAD, I MAY TRY TO TAKE LEGAL ACTION - THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! FINALLY, OUR LOCAL VW DEALER IS TERRIBLE, KEEPING MY CAR FOR WKS. LONGER THAN EXPECTED, ONE TIME LEAVING A CANDY BAR STUCK TO MY PASSENGER SIDE SEAT!!!, AND ACTING LIKE THEY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THE POOR QUALITY OF THEIR PRODUCTS & LABOR. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHEN THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, THE WIPER ARM DETACHED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 85,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,500.
I OWN A 1998 VW BEETLE AND TWO YEARS AGO THE DRIVER WINDOW WOULD NOT GO UP OR DOWN SO I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE THEN NOTIFIED ME OF A RECALL ON THE WINDOWS SO HE TRANSPORTED IT TO THE NEAREST VW DEALER THEY REPAIRED IT THEY ALSO SCRATCHED THE WINDOW DURING THE REPAIR AND AFTER THAT REPAIR TOOK PLACE I STILL HAD PROBLEMS WITH IT I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THAT SUPPOSEDLY REPAIRED IT AND LEFT MESSAGE FOR GM TO CALL ME WELL I NEVER GOT A RETURN CALL AND THE PROBLEM WITH THE WINDOW STILL WAS THERE THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THIS DEALERSHIP LOCATED IN COLERAIN TWP CINCINNATI OHIO NORTHGATE VOLKSWAGON WAS VERY RUDE TO ME AND NEVER DID THE GENERAL MANAGER RETURN MY CALL WELL LONG STORY SHORT I HAD TO HAVE THIS WINDOW PROBLEM REPAIRED NOW ORIGINALLY THIS WAS COVERED UNDER A RECALL ISSUED BY VOLKSWAGEN BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED AND THEY TOLD ME SORRY WE CANNOT RE-FIX THIS SORRY WELL MY FEELINGS ARE THAT'S CRAZY IF THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED THEY SHOULD FIX IT OR VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD REFUND MY MONEY FOR HAVING IT FIXED DUE TO THEIR LACK OF DOING IT INCORRECTLY. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WITHOUT INCIDENT, BOTH THE LOWER PIVOTS FOR THE EXTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRRORS FRACTURED. THE MIRRORS ARE INOPERABLE AND CANNOT BE TURNED. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE ENTIRE MIRROR ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED AND THE REPLACEMENT PART DISTORTS THE VIEW ALONG THE BOTTOM PASSENGER SIDE AND THE OUTER DRIVER SIDE. THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE WORK WAS PERFORMED HAS BEEN ALERTED. THE WINDSHIELD WAS MANUFACTURED BY SEKURIT MODEL #43R-004527. UPDATED 05/10/06. *JB
I"VE HAD MULTIPLE FAILURES WITH MY 1998 BEETLE. THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING--FOUND OUT THAT THE ENGINE FUSES WERE MELTED OVER THE BATTERY TERMINAL. MY REVERSE LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING--NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT THAT YET, MY DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS DON'T USUALLY WORK, BUT SOMETIMES WILL COME ON ALL BY THEMSELVES. GOT LOCKED IN MY CAR TWICE. THE ALARM SOMETIMES GOES OFF FOR NO REASON. THE CAR PERIODICALLY DOESN'T START. HAD IT TOWED TO VW TWICE FOR THIS. THEY COULD FIND NO PROBLEMS. ALSO, SOMETHING IN THE CAR'S ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS IS DROWNING THE BATTERY--HAVE TO BUY A NEW BATTERY EVERY SIX MONTHS. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH WINDOWS ONCE . I HAD THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH REPLACED THREE TIMES AND WAS REAR -ENDED ONCE BEFORE VW FINALLY DID A RECALL ON THAT PART. I'M SURE I HAVE LEFT SOMETHING OUT--THERE IS SO MUCH IT'S HARD TO REMEMBER. BOTTOM LINE--THIS CAR IS A HAZARD ON THE ROAD FOR THE PERSON DRIVING AND OTHER MOTORISTS. *JB
DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT 1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED WHILE DRIVING. THE SPEED WAS NOT A FACTOR. THE WHOLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED WHEN THE CAR STALLED. THIS STARTED HAPPENING IN JANUARY OF 2005. THE CONSUMER TO THE CAR TOOK THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER DID NOT CALL THE MANUFACTURER. DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS DONE WITH NO RESULTS. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN RECTIFIED. THE WINDOW SWITCH WAS REPLACED. *JB
THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD A SERIES OF PROBLEMS SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A VOLKSWAGEN ENTHUSIAST. SO WHEN I SAW THE NEW BEETLES I WAS NATURALLY EXCITED AND COULDN'T WAIT TO OWN ONE. WHAT I EXPECTED WAS VOLKSWAGENS USUAL EXCELLENT QUALITY AND VALUE FOR MONEY. WHAT I GOT WAS A VEHICLE THAT NOT ONLY IS AN INCONVENIENCE TO DRIVE, BUT IS ALSO A SAFETY CONCERN. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD AT LEAST 8 MAJOR DEFECTS. I CALL THEM DEFECTS BECAUSE SO MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THEIR NEW BEETLES. KEEP IN MIND THE VEHICLE IS REGULARLY MAINTAINED, AND IS ONLY AT 97,000 MILES. 1. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND VEHICLE STALLS OR CUTS OUT ON A REGULAR BASIS. 2. THE LOW BEAMS ON MY HEADLIGHTS ALWAYS BURN OUT. I CHANGE THE LIGHTS AND THEY JUST BURN OUT AGAIN. I ALWAYS HAVE TO DRIVE INSTEAD WITH MY HIGH BEAMS ON. 3. MY DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS HAVE FALLEN INTO MY DOORS. MEANING THAT THEY WONT ROLL UP, A LOUD, NOISE CAN BE HEARD WHEN YOU TRY. I WAS TOLD BY VOLKSWAGEN THAT THEY WERE "AWARE" OF THE PROBLEM. THEY EVEN TOLD ME THAT IT WAS BECAUSE THEY USED PLASTIC CLIPS TO HOLD THE WINDOWS AND THEY ARE NOW REPLACING WITH METAL CLIPS. FINE AND GOOD, BUT WHILE MY WINDOWS WERE DOWN MY SEATS BECAME SEVERELY STAINED. (THEY STAIN EASY) WHO'S GOING PAY FOR THAT??? 4. THE WINDOW SWITCH THAT CONTROLS THE WINDOWS GOING UP AND DOWN BROKE OFF IN MY HAND. 5. THE RADIO TRIES TO LOAD A TAPE WHEN THERE ISN'T ONE. HOOD LATCH BROKE, HAS TO BE OPENED WITH SCREWDRIVER NOW. THANKS VWOA!! 6. HEATER MOTOR TURNS UP AND DOWN ON ITS OWN 7. ENGINE HOLDS HIGH RPMS IN HIGHWAY, RAPID IOL CONSUMPTION. 8 REVERSE LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED. QUESTIONS VWOA? CALL ME, WE'LL CHAT 269-986-0996 . *AK
I OWN A 1998 BEETLE AND I AM MAKING YOU AWARE OF A SAFETY CONCERN THAT CAN POSSIBLY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT OR EVEN CAUSE A DEATH. I HAVE COMPLAINED BEFORE AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. THE EXTERNAL MIRRORS ON THE EARLY NEW BEETLES ARE DANGEROUSLY OVERSIZED THUS CAUSING A SIGNIFICANT BLIND-SPOT(S) WHEN DRIVING. THESE BLIND SPOTS, (ESPECIALLY DRIVERS SIDE) PREVENT VISIBILITY TO THE FRONT SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. EX. IF THERE IS SOMEONE IN THE CROSSWALK IN FRONT LEFT OF YOU, YOU CANNOT SEE THEM OR IT!!! ON TOO MANY OCCASIONS TO COUNT I AND OTHERS HAVE ALMOST HIT A PEDESTRIAN AND ANOTHER ONCOMING VEHICLE DUE TO THIS FAILURE!!! I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MORE TIMES I WILL BE SO LUCKY, BUT I FEEL AS IF I AM DRIVING A TICKING TIME BOMB. VW HAS COME UP WITH THE SOLUTION BY REDESIGNING NEWER BEETLES WITH SMALLER AND RELOCATING THE EXTERNAL MIRRORS THUS ELIMINATING THE PROBLEM. BUT, THOSE OF US WHO HAVE THESES OLDER VERSIONS ARE STUCK WITH THIS VERY CRITICAL SAFETY CONCERN...PLEASE HELP! *JB
THE ELECTRIC WINDOW WOULD NOT MOVE IN THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURED ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM , HOWEVER THEY REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY REGISTERED IN CANADA. THE (THE OWNER BOUGHT THE PARTS AND REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. *JB
HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT WHILE IN USE WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN VEHICLE IS IN CRUISE CONTROL MODE IT WILL EITHER SURGE OR CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE. DEALERSHIP STATED THEY NEED TO SEPARATE THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION IN ORDER TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK THE WINDSHIELD WIPER WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE MOTOR BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. CONSUMER NOTED HE HAS SEEN A LOT OF ONE HEADLIGHT BEETLES AND THAT THE PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD. *PH *NM
THE POWER WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN BY THEMSELVES WITHOUT WARNING. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
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
POWER WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED. PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW NOW STUCK IN DOWN POSITION. SAME FAILURE HAPPENED ON DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW ONE YEAR AGO. OBVIOUSLY OUTSIDE OF 24,000 MILE WARRANTY. MR
POWER WINDOW SWITCH ON PASSENGER'S SIDE IS BROKEN. CAN'T GET WINDOW DOWN. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK
THIS CAR DRINKS OIL, THE ENGINE KNOCKS, VW HAS DONE NOTHING TO EVEN AKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. THE WINDOW REGULATORS ARE DEFECTIVE AND ONE BROKE COMPLETELY WITH THE WINDOW FALLING OUT. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR CAN NOT BE OPEND WITH A KEY AND HAS BEEN CORODE
THE VW IS NOT AS RELIABLE AS THE OLD ONES. NOSAFETY DEFECT. *AK
THE OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRRORS ON THE DOORS OF THE CAR ARE PLACED EXACTLY IN THE LINE OF VISION AND IN ORDER TO SEE WHEN TURNNG A CORNER THE CONSUMER HAS TO PUT HIS HEAD DOWN AND LOOK UNDER HTHE MIRROR, THE CONSUMER FEELS THIS DESIGN IS UNSAFE. NLM
PASSENGER AND DRIVER'S WINDOW FAILED. *SLC
DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW SWITCHES REPLACED TWICE, WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED AS WELL. *AK
VEHICLE HAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, HEADLIGHTS AND POWER WINDOWS DO NOT WORK. *AK
THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, SUCH AS THE HEADLIGHTS AND THE POWER WINDOWS MALFUNCTIONING. *AK
JUNE 19, 2000 - DRIVING AT 40 MPH AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A ROCK HAD HIT THE PASSENGER SIDE. NO DAMAGE FOUND UPON INSPECTION. SHORTLY AFTER, PUT PASSENGER WINDOW DOWN AND IT SOUNDED BAD, POWER WINDOW FAILED TO CLOSE. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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