RoadVitals

2000 Volkswagen Beetle Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
17
Latest Aug 17, 2011
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
6%
of 263 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 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.

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Transmission
Filed Aug 17, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2000 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS UNLESS HE WAS DRIVING 40 TO 60 MPH. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000.

NHTSA ID
10419820
Incident
Mar 1, 2010
Mileage
47,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Sep 24, 2010

I AM HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON MY 2000 BEETLE. I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT NEED REPLACED BUT I FEEL OTHERWISE. WHEN I AM DRIVING MY VEHICLE WILL PULL BACK VERY HARD AND THEN JUMP AND SHOOT ME FORWARD. I AM AFRAID THAT THIS WILL CAUSE A BAD ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10357376
Incident
Sep 22, 2010
Mileage
107,000 mi
ElectricalTransmission
Filed Sep 1, 2010
Fire reported

I HAVE A 2000 VW BEETLE. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP WITH 100,000 MILES ON IT. THE FIRST WEEK IT BEGAN ACTING CRAZY AND I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD "SOLD AS IS". I HAVE SPENT $3000 ON THIS CAR FIXING VARIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THIS CAR IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE. THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY! IT JUMPS AND JERKS AT WEIRD TIMES AND ALMOST CAUSES SOMEONE TO REAR END ME. I'VE ALREADY INVESTED A GRAND TRYING TO RESOLVE THE TRANSMISSION ISSUE BUT THE CAR WILL ACT FINE FOR THE FIRST FEW DAYS AND THEN THE PROBLEM WILL BEGIN AGAIN. THE THIRD GEAR ALWAYS SLIPS AND YOU GET WHIPLASH. IT FEELS AS IF THEY GEAR IS ABOUT TO DROP OUT OF THE CAR!! THE ENGINE MISFIRES ON THE HIGHWAY AND NO PROBLEM CAN BE FOUND BY MY MECHANIC. HE TELLS ME THEY ARE JUST RANDOM MISFIRES! THAT IS DANGEROUS GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPHS AND THE CAR SHOOT DOWN TO 50 AND JERK ON I-40 IN WINSTON SALEM. IN THE RAIN, IT WILL JERK EVEN WORSE, ALMOST LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS JUMPING OUT OF THE HOOD! MY ABS LIGHTS WILL FLASH AT WEIRD TIMES AS WELL AS MY BRAKE LIGHT. I HAVE HAD MY BRAKES CHECKED, NOT THE BRAKES. SOMETHING NOW STAYS ON IN THE CAR THAT NO MECHANIC CAN PINPOINT WHICH CAUSES THE BATTERY TO GO DEAD EVERYTIME YOU TURN THE CAR OFF. THE GAUGES TEND TO NOT WANT TO WORK SOME OF THE TIME AND THE MILEAGE WILL EVEN STOP READING. SOMETIMES THE GAS PEDAL DOES NOT CONNECT AND WILL STOP ACCELERATING EVENTHOUGH YOUR PUSHING ON THE GAS UPON TAKE OFF. THE ALARM GOES OFF AT ALL TIMES DURING THE DAY AND NOT FOR NO REASON AND VARIOUS TIMES WHEN I CRANK THE CAR. TO TOP THIS ALL OFF, THE FUSES ON TOP OF MY BATTERY CAUGHT ON FIRE! I WAS TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, NO PROBLEMS COULD BE BLAMED FOR THIS EVENT. SOMEONE NEEDS TO RECALL SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT! *TR

NHTSA ID
10353412
Incident
Sep 1, 2010
Mileage
110,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jul 1, 2010

TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON A 2000 VW BEETLE AT 60,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10341049
Incident
Jun 20, 2010
Mileage
60,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 15, 2009

I RECEIVED A RECALL ABOUT MY BACK OR BREAK LIGHT. MADE AN APT. WITH HERITAGE VW IN GEORGIA. I DROVE FROM LEESBURG AL. TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY CHANGE THE LIGHT AND TOLD ME A BELT HAS TO BE REPLACED. I KNOW NOTHING NEEDS REPLACEMENT BECAUSE MY SON ( A MECHANIC ) DOES ALL THE MAINTENANCE IN MY VW. I TOLD THE THEM I WILL TALK TO MY SON AND WILL GET BACK WITH THEM. I HAD A HARD TIME STARING THE CAR, BUT DID NOT PAY ANY ATTENTION BECAUSE I WAS IN A HURRY TO GET OUT OF THERE. I WAS ON HWY 20 WHEN EVERY THING WENT CRAZY WITH MY CAR. LOST MY CRUISE CONTROL, LOST POWER, WON'T START. SO I CALLED HERITAGE AND ASK WHAT THEY DID WITH THE CAR. THEY WANT ME TO BRING IT BACK TO THEM, KNOWING IT CAN'T BE DRIVEN. I FEEL THEY SABOTAGE MY CAR, THEY MESSED UP MY CAR SO MUCH, I PAID OVER $3000.00 FOR IT TO WORK. I KEPT THE RECEIPT JUST IN CASE I MIGHT NEED IT AS PROOF. I RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL LAST WEEK IT'S HARD TO GET BURNT TWICE IN A ROW. *TR

NHTSA ID
10255224
Incident
Jul 12, 2008
Mileage
1,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Feb 15, 2007

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN BUG. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED INCLUDING WHEN THE IGNITIONWAS STARTED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ALSO, FUMES ENTERED THE VEHICLE BENEATH THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO TWO MECHANICS, AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS AN AIRFLOW TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000. *AK

NHTSA ID
10182651
Incident
Jan 27, 2007
Mileage
68,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Dec 12, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THE GEAR SHIFT WILL NOT MOVE FROM THE PARK POSITION. DUE TO THE DESIGN THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH ANY OVERRIDE FEATURE THAT WOULD ALLOW THE DISENGAGEMENT OF THE SHIFT POSITION. THE DEALER IS WILLING TO OFFER A FREE REMEDY HOWEVER, THEY WILL NOT PROVIDE THE TOWING SERVICE. THEREFORE, NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10145010
Incident
Dec 12, 2005
Transmission
Filed May 15, 2005

CLUTCH DEFECTIVE,VERY LOW MI 40,000

NHTSA ID
10120926
Incident
May 1, 2005
Mileage
39,000 mi
Transmission
Filed May 21, 2004

CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE GOT STUCK IN PARK, AND WOULD NOT MOVE. CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER, AND THEY TOLD HER THAT SHE NEEDED TO TAKE HER VEHICLE TO A VOLKSWAGEN DEALER. CONSUMER JUST BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN JANUARY 2004, AND DID NOT TAKE IT TO A REPAIR SHOP. HOWEVER, CONSUMER FELT THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10074073
Incident
May 21, 2004
Transmission
Filed Nov 10, 2003

MY WIFE'S VOLKSWAGEN CLUTCH HAS BROKEN 3 TIMES. ONCE AT 3K, ANOTHER AT 34K AND NOW AT 83K; THIS DESPITE THE FACT SHE DRIVES ABOUT THIRTY FIVE MILES EACH WAY TO WORK ON AN EXPRESSWAY, AND DOES NOT SUE THE CLUTCH THAT MUCH. *AK

NHTSA ID
10045894
Incident
Nov 7, 2003
Mileage
83,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Sep 27, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
752626
Incident
Sep 24, 2001
TransmissionVisibility
Filed Aug 17, 2001

CLUTCH FAILED ON A STEEP HILL WHILE WAITING FOR A LIGHT TO CHANGE. THE CLUTCH BURNT OUT WHEN THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO AVOID ONCOMING, UPHILL, RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. $1,800 REPAIR COSTS. VOLKSWAGON REFUSES TO REPLACE PART PAST THE 12,000 MILE WARANTEE DESPITE THE DRIVER'S 18 YEAR, PROBLEM-FREE, CLUTCH DRIVING EXPERIENCE WITH 2 VOLKSWAGONS AND 2 HONDAS. HORN JUST DIED. ELECTRIC WINDOWS DO NOT FOLLOW OWNER MANUAL DESCRIPTION OF OPERATION!

NHTSA ID
750670
Incident
Jul 25, 2001
Transmission
Filed Aug 14, 2001

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION WILL GET STUCK WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING. SOMETIMES WILL SWITCH INTO NEUTRAL. VEHICLE WILL HAD TO BE TOWED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
894303
Incident
Jul 26, 2001
EngineTransmission
Filed May 21, 2001

VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNAL PROBLEM WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WHICH REQUIRED THAT TRANSMISSION BE REPLACED. ALSO, DEALERSHIP HAS INFORMED CONSUMER THAT HEAD GASKET AND CONTROL VALVE FOR THE ENGINE WERE DEFECTIVE. NOTE: DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN IN POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 DAYS. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID
888785
Incident
Apr 4, 2001
ElectricalTransmission
Filed Jan 16, 2001

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. CALLED DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL, IT WOULD GO OFF. CAR WAS STILL STALLING, AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME BACK ON. THEN, A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. VEHICLE TOWED IN. AFTER PICKING UP CAR FOR REPAIRS IT STALLED AGAIN. CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION NOISE. *AK

NHTSA ID
878234
Incident
Jun 1, 2000
Transmission
Filed Jan 11, 2001

THE CLUTCH FAILED PREMATURELY, IT DISINTERGRATED, NO EXPLANATION WAS EVER RECIEVED. NLM

NHTSA ID
558883
Transmission
Filed Jan 9, 2000

VEHICLE BECAME INOPERABLE AND REQUIRED TOWING ON A MAJOR BRIDGE (VERRAZANO BETWEEN BROOKLYN AND STATEN ISLAND) AT NIGHT IN A HEAVY RAIN WITH HIGH SPEED HEAVY TRAFFIC, A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IN WHICH, FORTUNATELY, NOBODY WAS INJURED. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK

NHTSA ID
717095
Incident
Nov 13, 1999

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .