Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Volkswagen Beetle submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
HEADLINER SEPARATES FROM FORMED SUB COMPOSITE. FAILURE IS A DAY TO DAY PROBLEM. HEADLINER DROOPS INTO INTERIOR OF CAR. MANUFACTURER WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE BECAUSE OF CURRENT AGE OF VEHICLE. WE SAFETY PIN UP THE HEADLINER TO SUB STRUCTURE IN HOPE THAT IT WILL NOT FALL IN FRONT OF US AS WE DRIVE THIS CAR ON A DAILY BASIS. *TR
PURCHASED 1999 VW BEETLE 20 MONTHS AGO. CAR HAS ONLY 54,000 MILES. SINCE OWNING THE CAR HAVE ALREADY OVER $3,500 IN REPAIRS. ALL OF THE REPAIRS WERE DONE AT MY LOCAL DARCAR VW REPAIR SHOP. I BELIEVE SOME OF THESE REPAIRS WERE RECALLS AND HAVE ALL RECEIPT. IS THERE SOMEONE I CAN SENT MY REPAIR RECEIPTS TO TO SEE IF I CAN BE REIMBURSED FOR OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALL SERVICES? I CAN FORWARD RECEIPTS. ALSO SEVEN DAYS AGO THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR BROKE AND IT APPEARS IT HAD BEEN RECALLED PER TWO VW OWNER WHO HAD SAME PROBLEMS BUT I CAN'T FIND THE RECALL INFORMATION ON IT. CAN YOU SUGGEST HOW I CAN VIEW ALL RECALLS FOR 1999 VW BEETLE GLS? *TR
DT: VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE 1999. THE CONSUMER IS NOT SATISFIED WITH MIRRORS ON THE LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE. THEY HAVE TOO MUCH OF A BLIND SPOT FOR ONCOMING VEHICLES. ALSO, THE POST BETWEEN THE WINDSHIELD AND THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES, BEFORE GETTING TO THE DOORS, ARE ALSO GIVING THE CONSUMER TROUBLE, AS BEING A BLIND SPOT. THE CONSUMER PULLED OUT ONTO THE HIGHWAY IN FRONT OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC, AND DIDN'T SEE ANOTHER VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE BLIND SPOTS FROM THE CAR. *AK *SC *JB
WENT IN FOR ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AND WHEN DRAIN PLUG WAS REMOVED FROM OIL PAN THE THREADS FELL OUT. TECH. WAS ABLE TO PUT IN OVERSIZE DRAINPLUG BUT STATED I WILL NEED NEW OIL PAN (ESTIMATED AT $430) UPON NEXT OIL CHANGE. TECH. STATED THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING ON 1999 NEW BEETLES AND HE HAS SEEN A SERVICE BULLETIN RE: THIS. *AK
PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S INSTRUMENT PANEL AND RADIO.*MR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE. THE RADIO OPERATED ON IT'S OWN AND THE WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN ON THEIR OWN. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO USE THE POWER CONTROLS TO. HE WROTE A LETTER TO THE VW DEALERSHIP AND HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE. THE CAR WAS TAKEN AND AUCTIONED OFF. THE CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE SURE VOLKSWAGEN BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. *CB THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE ODOMETER ROLLED UP APPROXIMATELY 9000 MILES, THE DEALER RAN A COMPUTER CHECK BUT FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *JB
1)DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW HAD DIFFICULTY GOING UP SINCE VEHICLE PURCHASE, HAVE TO PUSH WITH HAND TO ASSIST. 2) JUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE SENSOR BEHIND BRAKE PEDAL FAILED, VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT FROM PARK, REPLACED. 3) AIR BAG CAME ON AND THEN ENGINE LIGHT SOON AFTER, CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED. BOTH WARNING LIGHTS OFF AND REPLACED. 4) HEADLIGHTS ARE CONSTANTLY BLOWING OUT, EVIDENCE OF A SHORT WHEN REPLACED. BURN MARKS, AND EXPOSED WIRING BECAUSE PLASTIC ON CONNECTORS GOT BRITTLE AND CRACKED OFF. 5) AIR BAG LIGHT ON AGAIN, TWO WEEKS LATER ENGINE LIGHT ON. TOLD TWO SENSORS ON MASS AIR FLOW AND SOME OTHERS ARE MALFUNCTIONING AND NOW BEEN REPLACED. TOLD THERE IS A BROKEN CLOCK SPRING IN STEERING COLUMN ALONG WITH BAD WIRING HARNESS, BOTH AFFECTING AIR BAGS. ALSO, TOLD AIR BAG IS NOW BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OTHER DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS HAVE SHORTED IGNITER IN AIR BAG OUT. I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT AND CANNOT CONTINUE TO FUND REPAIRS TO THIS VEHICLE. CANNOT SELL EITHER BECAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS, AND NOW REPUTATION OF BEETLE FOR PROBLEMS. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, EVEN SO MUCH AS BUMPED. METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED. DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS----------------770755. *AK *NLM
EIGHTEEN MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START WHEN CONSUMER TRIED TO TURN IT ON. AFTER THE THIRD TIME, CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WAS A COMPUTER MALFUNCTION. *JG
WHEN CONSUMER BACKED UP INTO 6 INCHES OF SNOW ENGINE SKID PLATE, WHICH WAS ATTACHED BY 3 BOLTS ON EITHER SIDE TO A PLASTIC COMPONENT, DISCONNECTED FROM VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP REPLACED BOLTS AND REPLACED SKID PLATE TO VEHICLE. *AK THE SHIELDS UNDER THE VEHICLE WERE BROKEN. *YH
ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS OCCUR PERIODICALY. ONE DAY THE GAS GAUGE WILL SHOW EMPTY WHEN THE TANK IS FULL. THE ELECTRIC WINDOW WENT DOWN AND NEVER CAME BACK UP, THEY HAD TO REPLACE A SWITCH IN SIDE THE DOOR. THE RIGHT SIDE DOOR HANDLE HAS TO BE PULLED ON TWICE TO OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE REAR HATCH WILL NOT ALWAYS OPEN WHEN RELEASED, YOU MUST PUSH THE BUTTOM AGAIN TO OPEN IT. AND THE REASON I AM FILLING OUT THIS QUESTIONNAIRE IS BECAUSE THE CAR TONIGHT WOULD NOT START. THE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON, THEN OFF, THEN DIM, THEN GO BRIGHT. (THE RADIO SHOWS ON ITS SMALL WINDOW THE WORD SAFE) THE IGNITION SWITCH DOES NOT SEEM TO BE WORKING. SO I DECIDED TO CHECK OUT YOUR WEB SITE FOR ANY RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS. THE CAR WILL BE HEADING TO THE DEALERSHIP IN THE MORNING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH VEHICLE BEGAN TO STALL, AND SHAKE, SHOWED A SIGN OF VEHICLE LOSING POWER.ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH PANEL, AND VEHICLE SHUT OFF. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK ENGINE ALSO HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING FROM THE START. VEHICLE HAS HAD COMPLAINTS REGARDING TRUNK AND FUEL RELEASE ACTUATOR CABLE. STEERING RODS CAME LOOSE AND HAD TO BE RESECURED AND MOUNTING BOLT.. WINDOW MOTOR FAILED. *YH
GRAVEL GAURD FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN DRIVE WAY. TOOK TO LOCAL DEALER. DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE OF OUTSIDE CONTACT. DEALER(SANTA CRUZ VOLKSWAGON) SAID IT WAS CAUSED BY PARKING AT CURBS. I ASKED THEM WHY THEY DIDN'T TELL ME THE CAR COULDN'T BE PARKED UP TO A CURB WHEN I BOUGHT IT. I THEN CALLED VOLKSWAGEN. THEY REFUSED RESPONSIBILITY EVEN THOUGH MY CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRENTY. THEY STATED THE SAME THING AS SANTA CRUZ. I TOLD THEM THAT WHEN I LEARNED HOW TO DRIVE THE DRIVERS TRAINING INSTRUCTOR TOLD US TO TOUCH THE TIRE TO THE CURB, OR PARKING BLOCK. THEY AGREED THAT THEY LEARNED THE SAME THING. BUT THE SUPERVISOR AT VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA STILL REFUSED AND WOULD NOT GIVE SUPERIORS PHONE NUMBER. CALLED BOB LEWIS VOLKSWAGON, THEY SAID THE GRAVEL GAURD FALLS OFF OF 99% OF THE BEETLES THAT THEY SELL. AND THEY HAVE NOT SEEN VOLKSWAGON WARRENTY ONE YET. *AK
BATTERY WAS CRACKED CAUSING ACID TO LEAK ONTO POWER STEERING RESERVOIR. *SLC
HATCHBACK RATTLES WHILE DRIVING. ALSO WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE IN DRIVE , VEHICLE HESITATES AND STALLS. *AK
CONCEALED DAMAGE DUE TO POOR DESIGN OF FRONT BUMPER. CAR HAS NO VISIBLE DEFECTS TO EXTERIOR BUT HAS EXTENSIVE INTERNAL DAMAGE. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND CORRECT DAMAGE*AK
ENGINE COVER PULLED OFF WHILE DRIVING THROUGH 5 INCHES OF SHOW DUE TO LOW CLEARANCE AND POOR FASTENER DESIGN. DEALER REFUSED TO FIX UNDER WARRANTY. VW HOTLINE REFUSED TO HELP.
LOW BOTTOM CHASSIS CLEARANCE CAUSED DAMAGE TO VEHICLE WHILE GOING OVER CURBS EDGES. YH
DEALER CONTACTED ABOUT DAMAGE TO RAILS OF CAR. DEALER STATED THAT CAR MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING OFFLOADING/TRANSPORT. *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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