2002 Volkswagen Beetle Transmission Problems

02M TRANSMISSION 6 SPEED; SHIFT FORK IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR FAIL, A SMALL RIVET IS USED TO SECURE THIS FORK (BRASS FORK AND STEEL SHAFT) TOGETHER. MY 1ST AND 2ND GEAR WERE HARD TO GET INTO AND PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE OVER TIME; UNTIL THE SHIFT FORK FAILED AND 1ST, 2ND GEAR ARE NONEXISTENT; ALL OTHER GEARS WORK FINE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND WIDELY REPORTED PROBLEM ON WEBSITES SUCH AS VWVORTEX. THIS PARTICULAR CAR; 2002 NEW BEETLE TURBO S; ONLY HAS ABOUT 70K WHICH IS LOW FOR A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE SUCH AS THIS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10408848

Incident

Jun 22, 2011

Mileage

68,543 mi

OUR 2002 VW TRANSMISSION WENT OUT @ 75,000 MILES WITH NO NOTICE. JUST ONE DAY IT WOULD NOT BACK UP. THEN IT WAS ALMOST LIKE IT JUMPED INTO REVERSE AND THEN WHEN WE PUT IT IN DRIVE YOU COULD JUST TELL IT WAS NOT RIGHT. WE LIMPED IT AROUND FROM PLACE TO PLACE GETTING OPINIONS ON WHAT WAS WRONG AND GETTING ESTIMATES ON REPAIR. HAD ONE GARAGE TAKE THE COVER OFF SIDE OF TRANSMISSION SEEING METAL SHAVINGS WAS WHEN WE GOT IT REPLACED. THAT REPLACEMENT LASTED A TOTAL OF 3 DAYS, IT WAS USED WITH ONLY 23000 MILES ON IT AND ONLY LASTED 3 DAYS. IT JUST STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF ROAD AND WOULD NO GO INTO ANY GEAR. REPLACED THAT ONE WITH ANOTHER ( BOTH WERE FDF TRANSMISSIONS) AND NOW THE SPEEDOMETER IS OFF X 8-13 MPH, THE RPM ARE RUNNING HIGH AROUND 2800 TO 3000 @ 55 -60 MPH. FUEL MILEAGE IS DOWN CUT IN HALF. HAVE TAKEN IT TO A VW DEALER AND WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO CODES ANYWHERE AND THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG OR WHY THESE PROBLEMS WERE HAPPENING. THIS TELLS ME THERE IS A BIG PROBLEM SOMEWHERE WITH VW TRANSMISSIONS AND SOMEONE NEEDS TO INQUIRE INTO THIS. THE INTERNET IS FULL OF VW TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10345027

Incident

May 25, 2010

Mileage

75,000 mi

I HAVE A 2002 VW NEW BEETLE WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THAT HAS FAILED WITH 220,000 MILES ON IT. IT BEGAN TO SLIP AND NOT DOWN SHIFT PROPERLY AT 170,000 MILES. IT IS A DIESEL AND I EXPECT THE ENGINE WILL CONTINUE TO PERFORM FOR ANOTHER 3 TO 400 THOUSAND MILES. HAS VW BEEN HONEST WITH THE CONSUMER ABOUT ITS TRACK HISTORY OF TRANSMISSION FAILURES IN THE NEW BEETLE? PLEASE ADD MY NEW BEETLE TO THE LIST OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COMPLAINTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10339260

Incident

Jun 10, 2010

Mileage

220,000 mi

OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS, I HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS SHIFTING IN BETWEEN GEARS. THE PROBLEM BEGAN ON A ROAD TRIP TO HOUSTON, TX AND WAS STUCK ON A BACK HIGHWAY IN LOW GEAR IN THE MIDDLE ON NOWHERE. AFTER BRINGING THE CAR TO A STOP AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE IT WORKED FOR SOME TIME BUT THE ISSUE PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS. I LIVE IN NACOGDOCHES, TX WHERE THERE ARE MANY HILLS THROUGHOUT TOWN, THIS PAST FRIDAY ON MY WAY HOME FROM SCHOOL MY CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS AND I COULD NOT GET OVER THE HILLS. ANOTHER CAR CAME OVER THE HILL AND ALMOST HIT ME AS THE SPEED LIMIT IS 55 MPH IN THAT AREA AND MY CAR WAS NOT EVEN MOVING AS I HIT OVER 6000 RPM AND I COULD NOT MOVE FORWARD TO CLIMB THE HILL. NOW THE VEHICLE WILL NOT EVEN MOVE FORWARD ONCE IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY DRIVEWAY, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE RESTARTED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10326230

Incident

Apr 16, 2010

Mileage

65,234 mi

AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, I STOPPED AT A REDLIGHT. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, MY CAR ACTED LIKE IT DID NOT HAVE A LOT OF POWER AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO 2ND AND 3RD GEARS WITHOUT OVER REVVING. WHENEVER I SLOWED BACK DOWN, THE CAR ABRUPTLY AND SEVERELY DOWNSHIFTS. THE SHIFT IS HARD ENOUGH THAT IT SLINGS ME FORWARD. I FEAR THAT I WILL SOON BE REARENDED BECAUSE OF THIS. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE MY CAR. THIS OCCURRENCE HAPPENS SPORADICALLY AND I CAN'T GET IT FIXED UNTIL A MECHANIC WITNESSES IT HAPPENING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10293744

Incident

Oct 16, 2009

Mileage

104,000 mi

2002 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THERE IS A LONG HESITATION THEN A VIOLENT JERK GOING INTO GEARS. I HAD STOPPED AT THE STOP SIGN AT THE END OF MY ROAD, I THEN PROCEEDED TO CROSS 4 LANES OF HIGHWAY TRAFFIC WHEN THE TRANSMISSION DECIDED TO DO A LONG HESITATION. A MULTIPLE CAR ACCIDENT WAS ALMOST THE RESULT. I HAVE SINCE PARKED THE CAR AND DO NOT DRIVE IT BECAUSE I CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX IT AND VOLKSWAGEN TOLD ME THAT THE REPAIRS WOULD BE $5700.00. THIS HESITATION AND JERKING HAPPENS EVERYTIME TIME NOW WHEN DRIVEN. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. THANK YOU! *TR

NHTSA ID

10291424

Incident

Sep 1, 2009

Mileage

110,000 mi

TRANSMISSION OF 2002 VW BEETLE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED . THE CAR HAS ONLY 31,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN VERY WELL CARED FOR. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM ON VW BEETLES. COULD THERE BE A DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSIONS OF THERE CARS? *TR

NHTSA ID

10289389

Incident

Oct 21, 2002

Mileage

31,000 mi

2002 TURBO VW BEETLE. SEEMS TO BE JERKING WHEN SHIFTING INTO GEAR. LAST WEEK IT JERKED ME FORWARD QUITE HARD. SCARY!! CAR HAS 70,000 MILES. I SEE THERE IS ALOT OF PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. I'VE SPENT 1200.00 IN THE LAST YEAR ON VARIOUS REPAIRS. AS I SAW WITH OTHER COMPLAINTS, A/C STOPS WORKING AND THEN THIS. WONDERING IF THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS JERKING AFFECT. JERKING NOW HAS GOTTEN HARDER AND IS EVERYTIME IT SHIFTS INTO GEAR. THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC! WHEN RECENTLY TAKEN INTO A VW SHOP THEY DID A COMPUTER SCAN ON IT AND NOTHING COMES UP. VARIOUS HOSES, WATER PUMP, THERMO READER HAVE BEEN REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10289014

Incident

Jul 1, 2009

Mileage

70,000 mi

CLUTCH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IN MY 2002 VW NEW BEETLE. I COMMUTE 200 MILES A DAY.. ALL FREEWAY.. AND AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR USED AND USING IT FOR 5 MONTHS, THE CLUTCH NEEDS REPLACING ALREADY. I HAVE ALMOST ALWAYS OWNED MANUAL TRANSMISSION AUTOMOBILES AND HAVE NEVER HAD A CLUTCH PROBLEM. I DO NOT DRIVE A LOT USING THE CLUTCH SEEING AS MOST OF MY DRIVING IS ON THE HIGHWAY. I AM GLAD I NOTICED THIS PROBLEM EARLY AND WAS ONLY DRIVING TO THE STORE INSTEAD OF ON THE FREEWAY. *CN

NHTSA ID

10213784

Incident

Jan 1, 2008

Mileage

67,600 mi

WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE WITH YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN YOU LET OFF THE BRAKE THE CAR WILL ROLL BACKWARDS THEN JERK FORWARD.

NHTSA ID

10201284

Incident

Jul 28, 2007

Mileage

51,400 mi

TRANSMISSION REPLACED THREE TIMES, STILL NOT WORKING PROPERLY, LUNGES INTO FORWARD AND REVERSE, AND WILL DROP INTO AND OUT OF HIGH AND LOW GEAR WHEN DRIVING. SUNROOF LEAKED BECAUSE THE DRAINAGE TUBING WAS NOT CONNECTED AT FACTORY CAUSING WATER DAMAGE TO LEATHER SEATS AND NOW MOLD IS GROWING INSIDE OF VEHICLE, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO BE INSIDE AND HAVE HAD ONE SINUS INFECTION ALREADY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10153996

Incident

Sep 4, 2004

Mileage

21,057 mi

CLUTCH FAILURE (BEGAN TO SLIP) ON 2002 NB TDI @ 77K MI. *NM

NHTSA ID

10145884

Incident

Dec 22, 2005

Mileage

77,000 mi

VW NEW BEETLE - IN SHOP FOR 3 MONTHS OUT OF 24 MONTHS OWNED. ENGINE TROUBLE, WINDOW TROUBLE, STARTER TROUBLE AND NOW CLUTCH PROBLEMS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10144108

Incident

Nov 1, 2005

Mileage

38,000 mi

JUST AFTER REACHING 35,800 MILES, MY 2002 VW NB SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING ON THE FREEWAY LOST POWER AND SPEED. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV ERRATICALLY FROM A LOW OF 1000 RPMS TO 6000/7000 RPMS WHILE THE SPEED CONTINUED TO DROP BELOW 50 MPH. I TOOK THE CAR TO A VA DEALERSHIP FOR THE 35,000 MILE SERVICE AND BOUGHT THE ERRATIC ENGINE BEHAVIOR TO THE ATTENTION THE OF SERVICE MANAGER. HE ADVISED ME THAT HE HAD "NO IDEA WHAT-SO-EVER" (INDICATING SO ON THE SERVICE PAPERS FOR THE CAR) ABOUT WHAT WAS CAUSING THE CARS ERRATIC BEHAVIOR BUT WOULD TEST DRIVE IT TO TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM. I RECEIVED A CALL LATER THAT DAY THAT THEY HAD FOUND THE PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. THE "FLY WHEEL" WAS "FALLING OUT" OF THE CAR AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED ASAP. FURTHERMORE, WHILE TROUBLESHOOTING THE CAR THE MECHANICS HAD ACTUALLY BROKEN THE FLY WHEEL (CLUTCH) RENDERING THE CAR UNDRIVABLE. THE SERVICE MANAGER ADVISED ME THAT IN THE 3 YEARS THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAD SERVICED MY CAR THEY HAD NEVER CHECKED MY CLUTCH AS IT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE SELF-REGULATING AND THAT HE FOUND IT UNUSUAL THAT THE CLUTCH WOULD FALL OUT WITH SO FEW MILES ON THE CAR. HOWEVER, THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT THE CLUTCH IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND WOULD COST ME APPROXIMATELY $2,000 OR MORE TO REPAIR. I CONTACTED VA OF AMERICA TO INQUIRY AS TO WHY THE CLUTCH IS NOT SERVICED REGULARLY WITH THE REST OF THE CAR AND WHY OWNERS ARE NOT ADVISED OF THE SO-CALLED SELF-REGULATING CLUTCH WHICH IS NOT MENTIONED ANYWHERE IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. THE CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT EVEN IF THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE NOW AT 35,000 MILES THAT I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN ACTION TO HAVE THE PART REPLACED WHEN IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH SHE COULD NOT SPECIFICALLY STATE WHEN THE FLY WHEEL WAS UNDER WARRANTY OR WHETHER IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. AS YET THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10132167

Incident

Jul 13, 2005

Mileage

35,900 mi

I PURCHASED THIS "LIKE NEW"VW SUPER BEETLE ON DEC 31 04. IT HAD ONLY 17000 MILES ON IT. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION MODULATOR ON IT CHANGED, AND IN THE SHOP 6 TIME FOR A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR AN HOUR OR SO IT WILL HESITATE THEN SLAM INTO 2ND GEAR. IT CAUSES ME AND PASSENGERS TO LUNGE FOWARD THEN BACK. I AM TOLD THIS IS A CHARATURISTIC OF VW AND SHOULD JUST IGNORE IT OR GET USE TO IT.

NHTSA ID

10120471

Incident

Jan 26, 2005

Mileage

17,000 mi

PROBLEM: VERY HARD TO SHIFT GEARS WHILE DRIVING AND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE. CAR ONLY HAD 35,000 MILES. TOOK CAR TO VW DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. REPAIR PERSON KNEW INSTANTLY WHAT PROBLEM WAS. AFTER TAKING CLUTCH APART, VW DEALER SAID TOTAL CLUTCH FAILURE AND SHOWED ME THE CLUTCH PARTS. VW DEALER REPLACED CLUTCH AND I WAS BILLED $1600. VW SAID NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY BECAUSE WEAR AND TEAR ITEM. (I EVEN PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FROM THE SAME DEALER WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR). THIS IS B.S. A CLUTCH DOES NOT FAIL ONLY AFTER TWO YEARS OF NORMAL DRIVING. THIS TYPE OF CLUTCH IS A MAJOR DEFECT AND VW KNOWS ABOUT IT. I CALLED VW OF AMERICA TO REPORT PROBLEM WHICH WAS TOTALLY USELESS. I AM SO DISGUSTED WITH VW NOW, I WILL NEVER BUY A VW AGAIN AND I WILL ALWAYS ADVISE MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY NEVER TO OWN A VW.*AK

NHTSA ID

10114274

Incident

Nov 5, 2004

Mileage

34,934 mi

WHILE AT A STOP/DRIVING VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10090385

Incident

Aug 18, 2004

Mileage

19,900 mi

CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHIFTING THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE IT MOVED FORWARD. *AK THIS HAPPENED THREE DIFFERENT TIMES TO THREE DIFFERENT DRIVERS. ONCE WHILE SITTING AT A LIGHT, WHEN CONSUMER TOOK FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, IT WENT REVERSE. *PH

NHTSA ID

10046443

Incident

Nov 1, 2003

Mileage

13,000 mi

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE WILL JERK BACK AND FORTH. THE TRANSMISSION HAS FROZE AND WILL NOT SHIFT GEAR. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS

NHTSA ID

10001189

WHILE CONSUMER HAS HIS FOT ON THE BRAKE, AND THE TRANSMISSION IN FORWARD GEAR, IT WILL NOT ENGAGE. WHEN REMOVING HIS FOOT, THE VEHICLE WILL HESITATE AND THEN LURCH FORWARD INTO GEAR. IF ON A HILL THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL BACKWARDS BEFORE ENGAGING. THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE HAS BEEN CHANGED SEVERAL TIMES AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *JG

NHTSA ID

568093

Incident

Mar 30, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN VEHICLE IS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE WITH FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKES IT WILL NOT ENGAGE. WHEN FOOT IS REMOVED FROM THE BRAKE VEHICLE WILL HESITATEAND THEN LURCH FORWARD. DEALER CONTACTED, CANNOT FIX PROBLEM. *MR

NHTSA ID

8020330

Incident

Mar 30, 2002