2005 Volkswagen Beetle Owner Complaints

The contact's son owned a 2005 Volkswagen Beetle Turbocharged. The contact stated that while her son was driving at 60 MPH during early evening hours, he traveled over black ice in the road, which caused the vehicle to spin around several times before crashing into the guardrail and concrete wall several times, striking the front and rear of the vehicle, where it eventually came to a stop. The air bags did not deploy. There was no reported fire. The front passenger side occupant sustained a severe concussion. The driver sustained a spinal curvature injury and a severe concussion. Medical attention was received, and both occupants were seen at a hospital. There were no warning lights illuminated before or after the failure. The police were on the scene, but it was unknown if a police report was filed. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V178000 (Air Bags). The contact spoke with the sheriff, who referred to a lawyer. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The contact was notified of the crash through the 360 app. A local dealer was able to be located. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The failure mileage was approximately 220,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ID

11705055

Incident

Dec 12, 2025

Mileage

220,000 mi

my 2005 VW Beetle auotmatic has 96k miles. When taking off the car shudders hard on 1st and 2nd gear. It feels like the transmission is out to fall out of the car. It also stops moving forward at times. I have quit driving it due to fear of getting hit. I feel this is a very dangerous and could cause serious injuries to me and other drivers. Please help

NHTSA ID

11452921

Incident

Nov 18, 2021

Passenger Air Bag Off. Light comes on.0

NHTSA ID

11427169

Incident

Jul 14, 2021

I WASA DRIVING AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN.AOLL THE LIGHTS CAME ON ON THE DASHAND IT JUJST STOP POWER THE STEARING WHEEL LOCKED .I WAS IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOD GOING SPEED LIMIT IF I HAD BEEN ON THE FREEWAY I DONT KNOW WHAT WOULD OF HAPPEN , IM SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR NOW

NHTSA ID

11339544

Incident

Jul 5, 2020

Mileage

107 mi

AIRBAG LIGHT THAT IS LOCATED ON THE DASH IS ON. TOOK TO HAVE THE SENSOR REPLACED AND WAS TOLD THAT PART IS NO LONGER MADE. WITHOUT THIS SENSOR THE AIR BAG IS RENDERED USELESS. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS THE CODE THAT IS GIVEN 00003 CONTROL MODULE DEFECTIVE. AND 00532 SUPPLY VOLTAGE LOWER LIMIT NOT REACHED. AIR BAG MODULE HAD INTERNAL FAILURE. WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED AND CHECK PART HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED. IN THE EVIDENT I WANT TO SELL THIS VEHICLE I CAN NOT DUE TO THIS FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

11329670

Incident

Jun 15, 2020

Mileage

149,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE HARD SHIFTED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CRAIN VOLKSWAGEN OF FAYETTEVILLE (LOCATED AT 2011 WEST FOXGLOVE DR, FAYETTEVILLE, AR 72704, (479) 695-5900), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000. *LN*JB

NHTSA ID

11292351

Incident

Nov 1, 2010

Mileage

33,000 mi

THE LIGHT BULBS ARE SHORT FUSE ABOUT EVERY YEAR. I THINK WATER GETS IN.I PURSHASE IT 0N 2011 H ON A USE

NHTSA ID

11230963

Incident

Jul 12, 2012

I BOUGHT USED. ONE HEADLIGHT WAS WORKING. THE OTHER ONE WENT OUT SHORTLY AFTER I GOT IT. WE REPLACED THE HID LIGHTS WITH BRAND NEW HALOGEN LIGHTS. WAS WORKING GREAT! THEN I WAS DRIVING TO TOWN LATE ONE NIGHT AND MY HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. THE LOW BEAMS, I STILL HAD THE HIGH BEAMS. THEN I GOT PULLED OVER CAUSE MY TAIL LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. SO I HAD TO DRIVE WITH MY FLASHERS ON. THEN THE CHECK AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND I NEED A NEW SEAT BELT, CAUSE IT IS NOT WORKING RIGHT. THE DRIVERS DOOR WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL DOWN A LITTLE WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR AND THE DOOR WOULD NOT LOCK. THE LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS ARE MAKING ME MAD CAUSE NO MATTER WHAT WE HAVE DONE THEY NEVER WORK. HELP!!! I WANT IT FIXED!! I LOVE MY LITTLE CONVERTIBLE. I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO GET RID OF IT.

NHTSA ID

11194478

Incident

Apr 2, 2019

Mileage

145,000 mi

AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON JUST WONDERING IF THIS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE TAKATA RECALL

NHTSA ID

11191179

Incident

Feb 28, 2019

Mileage

125,187 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY, I HEARD A "CLICK" THEN A "POOF", THEN THE CAR LOST POWER, IN TRAFFIC! IT WAS TOWED TO THE MECHANIC WE ALWAYS USE. THEY DETERMINED THAT THE FUSE BOX/ALTERNATOR CABLE MELTED. THEY SAID THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE BEETLE. WE CHECKED TO SEE IF WE MISSED ANY RECALLS AND WERE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY ON SUCH A DANGEROUS ISSUE! I AM INCLUDING SCREEN CAPTURED IMAGES FROM VIDEO WE HAVE OF THE PROBLEM BEING INSPECTED. WE ALSO HAVE DOCUMENTATION FROM THE MECHANIC.

NHTSA ID

11142675

Incident

Oct 15, 2018

Mileage

152,000 mi

MY VIN NUMBER ON CAR IS DIFFERENT FROM THE VIN NUMBER ON MOTOR. I JUST FOUND THIS OUT ABOUT ONE MONTH AGO. I WASN'T TOLD THIS WHEN I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE.. SO, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM OR NOT. ITS A 2005 VW, WITH A 2004 ENGINE FROM A SLAVAGE YARD, BANDB, OR B AND R?? THIS CAUSED ME GREAT ALARM. THE WIRING SINCE HAD TO BE DONE ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO. ALSO, THE BELLY PAN HAD BEEN MISSING. I HAD IT FIXED. AND THE HEADLIGHTS HAD TO BE REPAIRED TOO. THIS CAR HAS COST ME THOUSANDS IN REPAIRS SINCE PURCHASE. AND I DON'T HAVE MORE THOUSANDS TO PUT IN IT. PLEASE HELP I HOPE THE CAR IN EXCELLENT SHAPE NOW. ALSO, I NOTICED THE DIP STICK BROKE TO OIL CHECK AND HADN'T BEEN PRIOR TO MY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. ALSO, THE CAR HAS A SOFT TOP AND I WAS TOLD WAS NEWLY REPLACED IN 5/2018. BUT IT SEEMS TO HAVE A DIFFERENT LOOK INSIDE THEN A TIGHT SHAPE REGARDING TOP, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS SHOULD BE OR NOT.

NHTSA ID

11138907

Incident

May 31, 2018

I HAVE A 2005 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY AIR BAG LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THE AIRBAG CONTROL MODULE WAS NOT WORKING. I AM NOT ABLE TO GET MY CAR INSPECTED BECAUSE THE SENSOR LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF! I LOOKED UP RECALL PARTS FOR MY CAR, AND I NOW SEE THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE AIR BAG: FRONTAL: SENSOR / CONTROL MODULE. THE RECALL STATES THAT THE SOLDIER JOINT MAY CRACK UNDER CERTAIN HIGH TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS, AND THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE AND THE FALL BACK ALGORITHM WILL ENSURE THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOY. HOPEFULLY I WILL NOT NEED THEM AND WILL NOT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. I WANT THE DEALER TO REPLACE THIS CONTROL MODULE THAT WAS RECALLED, AND FIX MY CAR SO I CAN GET IT TO PASS INSPECTION, AND GET BACK TO DRIVING IT SAFELY. THANK YOU, (XXXXX) PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ID

11129605

Incident

Aug 29, 2018

Mileage

141,000 mi

HEADLIGHTS DO NOT LIGHT PROPERLY WHEN TURNED ON TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. LIGHTS ONLY STAY IN DAYTIME MODE. TOO DARK TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. HAVE TAKEN IT TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY REFUSE TO SEE IT.

NHTSA ID

11120493

Incident

Aug 1, 2015

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE DRIVING 73 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A DITCH AND SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A TOWING LOT. THE CONTACT CALLED BILL MARINE VOLKSWAGEN AT (937) 210-4257 (LOCATED AT 415 E NORTH ST, SPRINGFIELD, OH 45503) AND WAS ADVISED TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11096750

Incident

May 17, 2018

Mileage

200,000 mi

THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS INTO A LOWER GEAR WITH A 'HARD' SOUND. SOMETIMES AFTER THE CAR IS WARM IT TAKES A MOMENT TO GO INTO GEAR FROM A FAST SPEED TO A SLOW OR STOP.

NHTSA ID

11083572

Incident

Mar 30, 2018

Mileage

88,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO (CLAY COOLEY VOLKSWAGEN PARK CITIES 6223, 5555 LEMMON AVE, DALLAS, TX 75209 (469) 425-9452) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT CONTROL SENSOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000. *TT *JS

NHTSA ID

11082012

Incident

Mar 24, 2018

Mileage

26,000 mi

TRANSMISSION SLIPS OR DOWNSHIFT VERY HARD CAUSES SUDDEN LOSS OF VEHICLE SPEED AND OR LOSS OF CONTROL AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS OR ON SECONDARY ROADWAYS CAUSING FOLLOWING VEHICLES TO EITHER HEAVY BRAKING OR SWURVE TO AVOID REAR END COLLESION WITH THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11076784

Incident

Jul 14, 2017

Mileage

7,800 mi

"TAKATA RECALL" THIS VEHICLE AIRBAG SIGNAL LIGHT SHOWS ON THE GAUGE AND DOES NOT GO OFF DURING DRIVING FOR THE PAST 4 MONTHS.

NHTSA ID

11044494

Incident

Sep 10, 2017

Mileage

120,000 mi

DRIVER SIDE HEADLAMP - WAS INSPECTED BY EK AUTOMOTIVE IN CHICAGO. HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY IS NOT CONNECTING TO POWER SUPPLY THEREFORE, THIS IS A BIG SAFETY CONCERN! . EVERY TIME I HIT A BUMP, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT GOES OUT !! VW NEEDS TO FIX THIS AT THEIR EXPENSE!! I'VE SEEN SO MANY NEW BEETLES WITH ONE HEADLIGHT OUT...MAKE IT RIGHT!!!

NHTSA ID

10971456

Incident

Apr 5, 2017

Mileage

33,000 mi

THE DRIVERS WINDOW DOES NOT WORK. THEY ARE USING INFERIOR PARTS THAT ARE KNOWN TO BREAK. ALSO THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING AND THE TRUNK WILL NOT WORK USING THE REMOTE.

NHTSA ID

10969325

Incident

Mar 28, 2017

Mileage

135,000 mi

DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW REGULATOR STOPPED WORKING. WINDOW WAS STUCK DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER. CAR WAS IN MOTION, HIT THE FRONT WINDOW BUTTON, BACK WINDOW ROLLED DOWN, WOULDN'T ROLL BACK UP.

NHTSA ID

10934745

Incident

Dec 10, 2016

Mileage

130,000 mi

ALTERNATOR MALFUNCTION CAUSED SEVER BURNING OF THE BATTERY TOP MOUNTED FUSE BOX ASSEMBLY. REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND FUSE BOX ASSEMBLY AND CAR STILL DOES NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. BATTERY DRAINS OUT CONTINUOUSLY EVEN WITH NO KEY IN THE IGNITION. DEALERSHIP HAS GIVEN UP OF REPAIRING THE CAR EVEN AFTER SPENDING 500$ IN DIAGNOSTICS, THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY A CORRECTIVE COURSE OF ACTION. I HAVE ALL BILLS AND REPAIR LISTS ON FILE IF NEEDED. THE CAR HAS ONLY 44,000 MILES AND WAS IN MINT CONDITION. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE 3 OF THE 4 WINDOW COMPONENTS ON THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS.

NHTSA ID

10923750

Incident

Oct 3, 2016

Mileage

44,000 mi

MY 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE HAS THE WARNING LIGHTS ON FOR THE AIRBAG. THE REPAIRMAN DIAGNOSED IT AS CODES P1738 AND P1739 WHICH INDICATE THE FRONTAL CRASH SENSORS FOR THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES. 76,900 CARS UNDER RECALL 08V178000 HAVE THE SAME ISSUES FOR THIS. MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VW DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO FIX, I FEEL I AM BEING PENALIZED BY HAVING TO PAY 500.00 TO REPAIR A KNOWN PROBLEM. I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER VW AGAIN IF THIS IS WHAT I CAN EXPECT.

NHTSA ID

10911348

Incident

Sep 20, 2016

CALLED VOLKSWAGEN ABOUT THE 08V178000 RECALL AS THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON ON MY VEHICLE AND THEY SAID THE COMPUTER SAYS IT IS THE FRONT RIGHT CRASH SENSOR WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WAS RECALLED YET THEY REFUSE TO INSPECT AND HONOR THE RECALL. THEY SAY THE COMPUTER TELLS THEM THERE ARE NO ACTIVE RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

10898531

Incident

Aug 24, 2016

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP SIGN, IT STALLED AND WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID

10881463

Incident

Aug 30, 2015

Mileage

100,000 mi