Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Volkswagen Beetle submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS FAILED TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.
SERIOUS ELECTRICAL LONG TERM QUALITY ISSUES, STARTING WITH UNDER HOOD WIRING FOR GLOW PLUGS MELTED AWAY, AIR BAG/SEAT BELT WIRING BROKE/FAILED, SEAT HEATER FAILED, PASSENGER DOOR SWITCH FAILED, TURN SIGNAL BULB HOLDER FAILED, REPEATED HEAD LAMP AND TAIL LIGHT FAILURES, ALTERNATOR PULLEY CLUTCH FAILED(EXPLODED) FACTORY ALARM PROBLEMS - JUST SETS OFF, AIR BACK LIGHT ON DASH ON, SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ON. *TR
EACH TIME I SELECT THE TURN SIGNAL IT NOW BLINKS A COUPLE TIMES AND THEN STOPS WORKING. THE HAZARD LIGHTS WORK FINE. *TR
I OWN TWO OF THE VW NEW BEETLES. ONE IS 2002 AND THE OTHER IS 2003. BOTH OF THEM HAVE TROUBLE WITH THE TAILLIGHT/STOPLIGHT AND TURN SIGNALS NOT WORKING DUE TO A DEFECTIVE CONTACT DESIGN IN THE BULB SOCKET. IN ORDER TO FIX THE PROBLEM YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE ASSEMBLY OUT AND BEND THE CONTACT TO PUT MORE SPRING IN THEM WHICH PUTS MORE PRESSURE AGAINST THE BULB. THIS MAY FIX THE PROBLEM FOR A TIME ( 1 TO 60 DAYS) THEN THE PROBLEM REVERTS. ALL PARTS ARE OEM EQUIPMENT. I HAVE CONTACTED VW ABOUT THIS AND THERE IS NOT A RECALL. I WOULD THINK THAT TURN SIGNALS AND TAIL LIGHTS WOULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE. I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MY FAMILIES SAFETY AND DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY A MANDATORY RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED ON THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WAS DEACTIVATED AND THE SEAT BELT LATCH SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED IN ORDER FOR THE AIR BAG SYSTEM TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE AIR BAG WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000. UPDATED 02/14/08. *LJ THE BRAKE LIGHT BULB AND RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE. UPDATED.
I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 2002 VW NEW BEETLE AS IN PE 04073: TURN SIGNAL/HAZARD FLASHER FAILURE: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:FLASHER UNIT. THE FLASHER DOES NOT WORK CONSISTENTLY: IT STARTS, THEN STOPS AFTER ONE OR TWO BLINKS. THE TIMING OF THE BLINKS ARE ALSO ERRATIC. MY MODEL NEEDS TO BE COVERED BY THIS RECALL. *TR
THE TURN SIGNALS TO NOT WORK. CONSUMER HAS TO REMOVE THE BULB AND REPLACE THEM TO MAKE THEM WORK. VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR THE ONGOING PROBLEM, AND THE DEALER HAS ONLY REPLACED THE BULBS.*AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE BULBS THAT WHERE REPLACED WHERE NOT BURNT OUT AND THE PROBLEM RESIDES IN THE SOCKET. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SOCKET AND THE BULB IS NOT SOUND AND THEREFORE THE BULB RATTLES. AFTER TIGHTENING THE BULB WILL WORK A FEW DAYS AND THEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS AGAIN. THE DEALER JUST TIGHTENS THE BULB BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. *TC
WHEN FOLLOWING THIS VEHICLE IN BRIGHT SUN IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE BRAKE LIGHTS OR THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS ON THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. THE SUN JUST WASHES THEN OUT. THEY NEED TO BE MOUNTED VERTICALLY AND NOT ON A SLOPE AS THEY ARE NOW.*JB
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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