2004 Volkswagen Beetle Body & structure Problems

I WAS DRIVING 25 MPH AND MY FRONT BUMPER HIT A PARKED CAR, AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND RENDERED ME UNCONSCIENCE IT CAUSED $12,000 TO MY TEETH AND POSSIBLE HEAD INJURY AND 18 MONTHS AT A SPECIALIST DENTAL, HAD TO HAVE A BONE GRAPH AND STINT IN MY MOUTH, LIVER AND ABDOMINAL CONTUSION HAD TO PAY AN ATTORNEY $9,000 TO AN ATTORNEY TO REPRESENT ME IN COURT, I LOST MY JOB AND AM NOW ON SSD

NHTSA ID

10721836

Incident

Jan 7, 2009

Mileage

45,000 mi

THE BACK WINDSHIELD HAS POPPED AWAY FROM THE CONVERTIBLE TOP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10478432

Incident

Sep 29, 2012

THIS IS FOR A CONVERTIBLE BEETLE: THE REAR WINDOW ROLLED DOWN WHILE OPENING THE TOP, MADE A GRINDING SOUND, AND NOW WILL NOT GO UP EITHER WITH THE CONVERTIBLE TOP CLOSE BUTTON, NOR WITH THE INDIVIDUAL WINDOW BUTTON - THE WINDOW MOTOR WORKS, BUT THE REGULATOR MECHANISM MAKES A GRINDING SOUND AND THE WINDOW STAYS IN OPEN POSITION (ON-LINE ENTRY SYSTEM WON'T ACCEPT CORRECT PHONE # SO I LIST IT HERE: CORRECT DAYTIME PHONE IS [XXX]) . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10425051

Incident

Aug 23, 2011

Mileage

102,000 mi

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A VW BEETLE IN MAY OF 2010, FOR MY BIRTHDAY FROM HOLLYWOOD AUTO BROKERS IN LOS ANGELES, CA. THE CAR RAN SMOOTH FOR ABOUT A COURSE OF FIVE TO SIX MONTHS, I HAD TO RETURN TO THE DEALERSHIP EARLY ON BECAUSE MY HEAD LIGHTS WERE OUT WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR. AS I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR, A JERKING AND EXTREMELY WEIRD DECELERATION OF THE CAR WOULD BEGIN, BUT IT WOULD "POP BACK TO NORMAL" AFTER A WHILE, MAYBE THREE TO TEN SECONDS. THIS HAD GONE ON AND HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE FIVE MONTHS AFTER I BROUGHT IT. I FINALLY MADE IT BACK INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND HE RODE WITH ME ON A TEST DRIVE AROUND THE CORNER AND OF COURSE IT DIDN'T REPEAT THE PREVIOUS SHOW OF DEFECTS. HE ASSURED ME THE CAR IS JUST BEING BROKEN IN. A YEAR GOES BY AND I DECIDED I WANT TO TRADE IN MY CAR FOR ANOTHER CAR, SO I HEAD TO NISSAN. I TEST DRIVE A CAR AND LOVE IT AND THEN GO IN FOR THE PAPER WORK. THE GUY RUNS MY VIN TO SEE MY CAR VALUE AND COME BACKS AND TELL ME MY CAR TITLE IS SALVAGED. TO MY DISBELIEF AND DISGUST, I IMMEDIATELY CALLED MY FINANCIAL COMPANY, AL FINANCIAL OF GLENDALE, CA THAT I AM LEASING THE CAR FROM. THEY GIVE ME THE RUN AROUND AND ASSURE ME THAT THE TITLE IS CLEAN AND NOT A SALVAGE. I CONTINUE ON MY INVESTIGATION AND COME TO A CARFAX WEBSITE TO GET THE REAL FACTS ON MY DEFECTED VEHICLE. THE INFORMATION REVEALS THAT NOT ONLY IS THE TITLE SALVAGE BUT IT HAD BODILY DAMAGE AND HAD BEEN TOTALED OUT FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY FROM IT'S PREVIOUS OWNER. THE CAR HAD BEEN BROUGHT BACK FROM MEXICO AND REGISTERED IN THE STATES AGAIN AS A NEW CAR I BELIEVE. I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS SITUATION ASAP AND GET SOME CLOSURE ON A RECURRING PROBLEM THAT IS MESSING WITH MY INCOME AS I AM A TRAVEL NURSE FOR HOSPICE PATIENTS. RECENTLY THE WATER PUMP HAS GONE OUT AND I'M NOT SURE YET IF I NEED TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKETS. I HOPE I CAN HEAR AN RESPONSE IN A GOOD ENOUGH AMOUNT OF TIME SO I CAN WORK OUT AN REIMBURSEMENT OF SOME KIND WITH PAYMENT ON EITHER BEHALF. *TR

NHTSA ID

10420904

Incident

May 10, 2011

2004 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE - PUT REAR PASSENGER WINDOW DOWN (WINDOW OPEN). WHEN I TRIED TO PUT IT UP, IT ONLY WENT HALF-WAY UP, THEN AUTOMATICALLY WENT BACK DOWN. AFTER TRYING TO GET IT TO GO UP TWO ADDITIONAL TIMES, THERE WAS A LOUD CRUNCHING NOISE AND A CRACKING NOISE, SO I STOPPED TRYING TO MOVE IT. CURRENTLY IN THE HALF-WAY POSITION. AFTER READING OTHER VW OWNER FORUMS ONLINE, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT VW NEEDS TO ADDRESS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10402395

Incident

May 20, 2011

Mileage

8,900 mi

THIS VEHICLE WAS SUBJECT TO A RECALL FOR THE AIR BAG SENSORS. WE HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD THE SENSORS REPLACED (THE VEHICLE WAS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY BASED ON TIME). VW REFUSED ULTIMATELY REIMBURSED US FOR THE REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENT OF THE SENSORS. IN JANUARY OF 2011 THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALER CHARGED A FEE TO DO A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THEY DETERMINED THAT THE LIGHT WAS DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE, AND THE FACT THAT THE BATTERY WAS DISCHARGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THEY WANTED APPROXIMATELY $480 TO REPLACE THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE, AND $245 TO REPLACE THE BATTERY. I CALLED VW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE BUCKLE FOR NO CHARGE, BUT WOULD DO NOTHING ABOUT THE BATTERY. VW OPENED A CASE # 110006836 AND REGIONAL MANAGER LISA WAS THE CONTACT. WE HAD AAA COME TO DO A TEST ON THE BATTERY. THE BATTERY AND CHARGING SYSTEM BOTH PASSED THE TEST. THEY RECOMMENDED THAT A TRICKLE CHARGE WOULD BRING THE BATTERY TO A FULL CHARGE. IN ADDITION, VW AGREED TO DO A ONE TIME COURTESY REPLACEMENT OF THE CONVERTIBLE ROOF SINCE THE FABRIC HAD SEPARATED FROM THE REAR WINDOW. A CLIP RECALL HAD ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED, BUT THE HEADLINER WAS HANGING DOWN AND HAD SEPARATED FROM THE REAR WINDOW. WE FEARED THAT THE WINDOW COULD SEPARATE FROM THE ROOF AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. STATEMENT INDICATES THAT VW PERFORMED 61.07-02 TECH BULLETIN TO PERFORM MODIFICATIONS TO THE REAR WINDOW.

NHTSA ID

10380664

Incident

Jan 10, 2011

Mileage

34,000 mi

THE CONVERTIBLE TOP WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE REAR WINDOW WAS SEPARATING FROM THE TOP. PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED MODIFICATION TO REAR WINDOW HEADLINER RING. CLIP RECALL ALREADY PERFORMED AND HEADLINER CONTINUED TO HANG DOWN AND WAS SEPARATING FROM THE WINDOW. WINDOW COULD SEPARATE FROM ROOF AT HIGHER SPEEDS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10379770

Incident

Jan 1, 2011

Mileage

34,000 mi

PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION, GEAR STUCK IN LOW. *TR

NHTSA ID

10358106

Incident

Sep 17, 2010

Mileage

63,782 mi

VW 2004 NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE REAR WINDOW INOPERABLE. THE REAR WINDOW REGULATOR FAILS AND VW WILL NOT REPAIR UNDER THE EXTENDED 7 YEAR WINDOW WARRANTY. I HAD BOTH DOOR WINDOWS REPLACED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE DRIVER REAR WINDOW REGULATOR WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. BUT THE PASSENGER REAR WINDOW DIDN'T FAIL UNDER THE CAR'S WARRANTY. HOWEVER, VW HAS AN EXTENDED 7 YEAR WARRANTY THAT THEY IMPLEMENTED ONLY FOR THE FRONT REGULATORS (WHY WERE THE REAR WINDOW REGULATORS EXCLUDED? IT IS CLEAR THEY FAIL JUST LIKE THE FRONT ONES DO). THE EXTENDED WARRANTY SHOULD COVER ALL WINDOW REGULATORS AS ALL OF THEM HAVE FAILED ON MY CAR AND MANY OTHERS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10352374

Incident

Aug 26, 2010

Mileage

77,000 mi

2004 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE HATCHBACK INTERMITTENTLY LOSES POWER. I WAS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY WHEN IT LOST POWER. IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE WHEN TRAVELING 60 MPH ON FREEWAY. I BROUGHT CAR TO DEALERSHIP EXPLAINED THE NEAR STALL THAT HAPPENED THAT MORNING AND PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES WHEN MOVING AT HIGH SPEEDS. THEY DID DIAGNOSTIC TESTS AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. CALLED INDEPENDENT VW SHOP AND THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND HAD REPORTED IT TO VW AND HAVE RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. THERE IS NO FIX. THE PROBLEM IS DIFFICULT TO REPLICATE AND WHEN IT IS REPLICATED THE MECHANICS CANNOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE. SITTING ON THE FREEWAY WITH NO POWER IS FRIGHTENING AND COULD PROVE FATAL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10347590

Incident

Aug 4, 2010

Mileage

51,000 mi

THE REAR WINDOWS ON MY VW CONVERTIBLE KEEP BREAKING AND THE DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME $600 FOR THE PART THAT INCLUDES THE MOTOR AND WILL NOT SELL THE REGULATOR SEPARATELY FOR $70. THIS WILL BE THE SECOND ONE BROKEN IN LESS THAN 1 YEAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10312353

Incident

Nov 16, 2009

Mileage

35,000 mi

VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE '04 (APPROX. 80K MILES) - SLIPPING AND BANGING TRANSMISSION. SLAMS AND BANGS HARD WITH EACH DOWNSHIFT (AUTOMATIC) AFTER ABOUT 15 MILES OR DRIVING. SLIPS OR WILL NOT MOVE WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER SLAMMING AND BANGING BEGINS. CANNOT DRIVE CAR IN TRAFFIC FOR FEAR OR BEING REAR ENDED OR BROADSIDED, THEREFORE, CANNOT SAFELY OR DEPENDABLY DRIVE THE CAR. EXPECTED THOUSANDS TO REPAIR IF A MECHANIC WHO UNDERSTANDS THE PROBLEM CAN BE FOUND. MANY OF THE KNOW ISSUES WITH CAR HAVE ALSO OCCURRED; BROKEN PLASTIC WATER PUMP, REAR WINDOW SEAL BROKEN, PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW WILL NOT GO ALL THE WAY DOWN, PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT LIGHT MALFUNCTION, HEADLIGHTS UNEVEN BRIGHTNESS, SHORT IN DASH, HEATED SEAT TOO HOT TO USE (FEAR OF FIRE) AND INCREDIBLE DOOR RATTLES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10292479

Incident

May 28, 2009

Mileage

70,000 mi

LEFT REAR WINDOW IS STUCK IN DOWN POSITION. THE COMPONENT PART IS UNAVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES AND HAS TO BE ORDERED FROM THE FACTORY IN MEXICO. IT WILL TAKE 2-3 WEEKS FOR IT TO ARRIVE. COST OF REPAIR IS $800 FOR ONE SIDE. COMPLAINTS TO MANUFACTURER WHO WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AS THERE ARE NO RECALLS FILED EVEN THOUGH THIS IS AN ON-GOING PROBLEM WITH MANY OF THEIR VEHICLES. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE IS A CONVERTIBLE. THE HYDRAULIC TOP HAS MALFUNCTIONED SINCE THE DATE IT WAS PURCHASED. IT FINALLY SNAPPED OFF PORTIONS OF THE HYDRAULIC MECHANISMS AND PORTIONS OF THE INTERIOR FLAPS WHICH ARE NOW ALL OVER THE BACK SEAT. THE TOP HAD TO BE MANUALLY RAISED AND SECURED AND DOES NOT FUNCTION AT ALL. ALTHOUGH THEY REPAIRED IT PREVIOUSLY, MANUFACTURER WILL NOT REPAIR BECAUSE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. DRIVER'S SEAT SPRING POKED THROUGH THE UPHOLSTERY A MONTH AFTER PURCHASE. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS A TERRIBLE BLIND SPOT WHILE BACKING OUT. THE RAG TOP COMPLETELY BLOCKS VISION ON THE RIGHT REAR. I HAVE COMPLAINED NUMEROUS TIMES TO THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERS NOTHING. I BELIEVE THE ENTIRE VEHICLE SHOULD BE RECALLED. I FEEL RIPPED OFF BY THE MANUFACTURER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10291976

Incident

Oct 30, 2009

Mileage

39,000 mi

SAFETY LATCH ON FRONT HOOD MECHANISM NOT DURABLE AND HAS BROKEN JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. CAR UNDER 30K MILES. ONLY USED 6 MONTHS OUT OF EVERY YEAR. MODEL YEAR 2004. DESIGN FLAW ON A MAJOR SAFETY ITEM. DEALER CLAIMS ENTIRE ASSEMBLY NEEDS REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT. UNDER MY EXAMINATION I FOUND THAT THE COMPONENT FAILURE WAS A SPRING ON INNER SIDE OF ASSEMBLY. SPRING DEFINITELY NOT HEAVY ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND NORMAL USAGE. HOOD COULD BECOME UN-LATCHED AND SAFETY LATCH WILL NOT CATCH IT CAUSING HOOD TO FLY UP AND ONTO WINDSHIELD. PROPERLY DAMAGE AND PERSONAL INJURY/CRASH HIGHLY POSSIBLE AT HIGHER SPEEDS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10249495

Incident

Nov 2, 2008

Mileage

38,600 mi

CONVERTIBLE ROOF DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. IT DOES NOT GO COMPLETELY UP OR DOWN. THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE DRIVEN BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF THE ROOF. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITH THE ROOF IN ANY POSITION OTHER THAN COMPLETELY UP OR DOWN. THE ROOF BLOCKS THE FIELD OF VIEW AND THEREFORE MAKES IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. ADDITIONALLY THE WIND CATCHES ON THE ROOF AND CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO HAVE CONTROL ISSUES. THE CAR HAS BEEN REPAIRED MANY TIMES EACH YEAR AT THE DEALERSHIP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10233067

Incident

Jun 24, 2008

Mileage

500 mi

PURCHASED BRAND NEW. PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR: 1. REAR POWER WINDOWS HAVE BOTH TAKEN TURNS FALLING DOWN INTO THE BODY. WILL NOT POWER UP. ONE HAS BEEN REPLACED. DEALER NOW WON'T FIX SECOND ONE BECAUSE THEY 'DON'T SEE IT AS A KNOWN PROBLEM.' 2. HEADLINER AROUND REAR WINDOW HAS COME UNDONE. 3. HEADLIGHTS HAVE TO BE REPLACED CONSTANTLY. FOR EXAMPLE; A LIGHT BULB WAS INSTALLED ON A SATURDAY, AND HAD STOPPED WORKING BY THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY. 4. RUBBER COATING ON GLOVE BOX AND ON INTERIOR DOORS IS PEELING OFF. DEALER WOULD NOT EVEN CONDSIDER FIXING OR ADDRESSING. 5. KEY ASSEMBLY FOR ARM CONSOLE BROKE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY 8 MONTHS, AND SEVERAL REMINDERS, TO GET DEALER TO REPLACE. 6. SOMETIMES RADIO STAYS ON AFTER KEY HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM IGNITION. 7. AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. WON'T GO OFF. 8. HAND RELEASE ON FRONT PASSENGER SEAT OFTEN GETS 'STUCK' AND WILL NOT WORK. 9. CUP HOLDER HAS COME OFF TRACK. I ONLY DRIVE THIS CAR TO-AND-FROM WORK. NO KIDS/PASSENGERS RIDE IN IT. IT HAS NOT HAD ANY OWNER ABUSE. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER VOLKSWAGEN PRODUCT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10173690

Incident

Sep 1, 2005