2006 Volkswagen Beetle Engine Problems

FUSE BOX MELTED TWICE. THE LAST TIME TOTALLY SHUT THE CAR DOWN. VW DOES NOT HAVE A FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM. WILL SELL YOU NEW BOX BUT WILL NOT WARENTEE THE NEW BOX WILL NOT FAIL AGAIN AS THEY DO NOT KNOW WHY IT HAPPENS. AS I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE AC STOPPED WORKING AND THE CAR SLOWED AND LOST SOME POWER. I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD AND PULL INTO A REPAIR SHOP THAT JUST HAPPENED TO BE RIGHT THERE. THEY DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUSE BOX HAD MELTED.

NHTSA ID

11277671

Incident

Nov 1, 2019

Mileage

58,000 mi

IT IS ACCELERATING ON IT OWN WHEN STOPPED OR IN GEAR OR NOT. REALLY SCARY

NHTSA ID

10837791

Incident

Feb 10, 2016

Mileage

101,875 mi

OIL LEAKING AND VACUUM PUMP NEEDED REPLACED WITH LESS THAN 60,000 MILES ON IT. FROM ONLINE RESEARCH THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH 5 CYL VOLKSWAGENS. I CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL ON THIS PART.

NHTSA ID

10726122

Incident

Jun 1, 2015

Mileage

59,745 mi

THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAS GONE BAD IN A VEHICLE THAT IS UNDER 55,000 MILES AND BARELY OVER THE 8 YEAR WARRANTY TIME FRAME. I WANTED TO REPORT THIS ISSUE FOR A POSSIBLE EXTENSION TO THE YEAR TIME FRAME FOR VW. *TR

NHTSA ID

10705356

Incident

Apr 13, 2015

Mileage

50,000 mi

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HER BEETLE DOWN A CITY STREET WHEN IT WAS STOPPED GOING LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS IN DRIVE. SHE COASTED INTO A PARKING LOT AND TURNED OFF THE CAR AND WAITED. SHE THEN TRIED AGAIN AND IT WAS WORKING. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER SHIP THEY SAID THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACED IT IS TESTING WITH A TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON 4TH AND 5TH. IT IS DRIVABLE BUT WE WILL NOT RISK HER LIFE OR TAKE A CHANCE THAT IT WILL STOP MOVING AGAIN WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR USED 5 MONTHS EARLIER THE CAR FAX SAID IT WAS EXCELLENT AND HAD ALL MAINTENANCE UP TO DATE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10664109

Incident

Nov 28, 2014

Mileage

106,589 mi

MY BEETLE SMELLS LIKE MELTED CRAYONS SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT. IT GIVES ME A MAJOR HEADACHE ON LONG TRIPS AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES INTO THE CAR FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR GETS CONTAMINATED WITH THE CRAYON SMELL, HOPE ITS NOT TOXIC. GOOGLE SEARCH SHOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM IN MOST 2006 BEETLES MADE IN MEXICO. I'M NOT SURE WHAT CAN BE DONE, BUT I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THE CAR IF I HAD KNOWN. ITS THE FIRST THING I NOTICED WHEN I TEST DROVE THE CAR BUT THOUGHT MAYBE A CRAYON WAS STUCK IN THE DEFROSTER - NOT THE CASE. LET ONE OF THE VW EXECUTIVES TAKE A LONG ROAD TRIP AND SEE FOR THEMSELVES. ALSO THE HEADLIGHTS ARE EXTREMELY POORLY DESIGNED. BULBS BLOW REGULARLY AND ARE HARD TO CHANGE AND I EVEN HAD THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY POP OUT OF THE CAR WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. IT COULD HAVE KILLED THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME, EASILY. APPARENTLY THE WIND/AIR RUSHING THRU THE GRILL FORCED THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY TO POP OUT AND GO BOUNCING DOWN THE HIGHWAY LIKE A BOWLING BALL. IM SURE IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE DIFFICULTY OF INSTALLING THE ASSEMBLY AND IT NOT BEING SECURED CORRECTLY BY THE DEALERSHIP EMPLOYEES. YOU SHOULDN'T NEED A PHD TO CHANGE A BULB. CUTE WILL ONLY GET YOU SO FAR VW! *TR

NHTSA ID

10605083

Incident

Jan 1, 2013

Mileage

70,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING AT 65 M/H THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO DECELERATE. THANKFULLY NO ONE HIT THE BACK. IT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AT 20-30 M/H. TWO WEEKS PRIOR A WARNING SIGNAL WENT OFF FOR THE AIR COMPRESSOR. WHEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS OUT AND IT WOULD COST $5,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10595271

Incident

May 18, 2014

Mileage

52,000 mi

2006 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO UNSATISFACTORY CUSTOMER SERVICE AT DEALERSHIP AND ELECTRONIC STABILIZATION PROGRAM FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED A RED AND BLUE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE THEN BROKE DOWN, AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO A LOCAL GARAGE. ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL, THE RED AND BLUE LIGHT MEANT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRONIC STABILIZATION PROGRAM OR ANTI-SLIP REGULATION. WHEN THE CONSUMER WENT TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE, SHE WAS INFORMED THE OIL PAN AND GASKET AND SHOCKS WERE LEAKING AND WORN AS WELL AS THE BALL JOINTS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10585913

Incident

Dec 1, 2013

THE CAM SHAFT ADJUSTER BOLT BECAME LOOSE AND FELL OFF. CAUSING CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. I HAVE DISCOVERED THIS A COMMON FAILURE FOR MY MODEL YEAR AFTER SOME RESEARCH, BUT WAS TOLD NOTHING ABOUT IT FROM VOLKSWAGEN. I WAS DRIVING ON A 70 MILE PER HOUR HIGHWAY WHEN MY ENGINE FAILED. LOSING ALL POWER (BRAKES, POWER STEERING, ETC.) WITH NO WARNING. NEWER MODEL YEARS DO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY REDESIGNED THE PART. HAD THEY TOLD ME ABOUT THIS PROBLEM I COULD HAVE GOT IT FIXED BEFORE I ENDANGERED MY LIFE AND MY ENGINE. 2006 VW BEETLE 2.5L BPS ENGINE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10584273

Incident

Mar 3, 2014

Mileage

84,000 mi

CPSC:I1380279A. 2006 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. CONSUMER STATED THE CAR IS EMITTING STRONG FUMES THAT SMELLS LIKE BURNING WAX OR CRAYONS. ALSO STATED IT IS MAKING HER SICK. *LN UPDATED 09/25/13*LJ

NHTSA ID

10541663

Incident

Aug 15, 2013

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTS GEARS ERRATICALLY. THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS CAUSE ERRATIC ENGINE SPEED DURING SHIFTS RESULTING IN TIRES BREAKING TRACTION AND UNPREDICTABLE ACCELERATION. DRIVING IN TRAFFIC IS HAZARDOUS DUE TO SUDDEN OR DELAYED GEAR SHIFTS IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. VOLKSWAGEN AMERICA HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTED PERIOD FOR THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY DUE TO KNOWN DEFECTS IN THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM. FAILURE IN THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY PRODUCES ERRATIC DRIVING CHARACTERISTICS AND POSES A RISK TO PERSONS AND PROPERTY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10468374

Incident

Jul 2, 2012

Mileage

99,000 mi

2006 NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE, 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION, PURCHASED NEW BY MYSELF AS SOLE OWNER. DRIVING DOWN ROAD ON 12/4/11 LATE AT NIGHT SUDDENLY COULD NOT SHIFT GEARS; CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO ANY GEAR, CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO COAST IN NEUTRAL THROUGH DANGEROUS INTERSECTION IN A MAJOR URBAN CITY. CAR WAS DISABLED AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO SHOP. "TRANSMISSION FAILURE" DIAGNOSED AT ONLY 31,800 MILES? (DAMAGED TRANSMISSION PARTS DISCOVERED - BUT VW DENIES ANY RESPONSIBILITY). THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE WIDESPREAD IN BEETLES, HAS BEEN REPORTED BY MANY OWNERS ON PUBLIC INTERNET MESSAGE BOARDS, AND SOONER OR LATER SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT AS A RESULT. PERSONALLY I WAS LUCKY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME OR APPROACHING AT A NORMAL SPEED HEAD ON; HAD THAT BEEN THE CASE I WOULD CLEARLY HAVE BEEN IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10441423

Incident

Dec 4, 2011

Mileage

31,800 mi

2006 VW BEETLE LOSES POWER WHEN DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST FIFTEEN TO TWENTY TIMES. CAR TAKEN TO VW DEALERSHIP SERVICE SIX TIMES FOR REPAIR. TWICE WHILE UNDER THE NEW CAR MANUFACTURES WARRANTY. THEY HAVE TRIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT HAVE NOT AS IT STILL HAPPENS. WE NO LONGER DRIVE THE CAR. VW OF AMERICA HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. FORTUNATELY NO ONE HAS BEEN INJURED AS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PULL OFF ON TO THE SHOULDER. JUST HIRED A LAWYER AS VW'S POSITION IS IT'S MY PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10356351

Incident

Mar 10, 2009

Mileage

31,495 mi

FAILING DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL. SYMPTOMS ARE VIBRATION, RATTLING. SYMPTOMS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING SINCE VEHICLE WAS DETECTED WITH UNKNOWN VIBRATION AT 17K. DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM AFTER REPLACING EGR, MAF, FUEL PUMP AND CHECKING FLYWHEEL FOR GREASE DEPOSITS. RESULTS OF FAILURE ARE IMMEDIATE LOCKUP OF TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE IF OPERATING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DAMAGE TO TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE ARE PROBABLE. WELL KNOWN DOCUMENTED FAILURES HAVE BEEN RECORDED AND FIXED BY VW, BUT MOST FAILURES ON MANUAL CARS HAVE BEEN BLAMED ON DRIVER AGRESSIVENESS EVEN THOUGH DMF MAKERS HAVE RELEASED DOCUMENTATION THAT SHOW THAT FAILING DMF WILL SHOW THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS A FAILURE DUE TO AGRESSIVE DRIVING. VW HAS ACTIVE RECALL CAMPAINS IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES FOR THE SAME DMF FAILURES.

NHTSA ID

10322082

Incident

Jun 20, 2007

Mileage

17,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THE FAILURE BEGAN ON OCTOBER 8, 2008 AND OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY. THE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ONLY ONCE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES AND THEY CLEANED THE CARBURETOR, CHECKED THE FUEL LINE, AND POWER FLUSHED THE COOLANT; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAUSE THE DIAGNOSTIC COULD NOT PRODUCE A FAILURE CODE. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 900 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 54,500. UPDATED 01/08/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED VOLVO FIXED THE PROBLEM AND NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED. UPDATED 01/12/09. *JB

NHTSA ID

10250077

Incident

Oct 18, 2008

Mileage

900 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH IN DRY CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE WOULD DECELERATE ON ITS OWN AND THEN ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAITED FOR A TOW TRUCK. WHILE WAITING, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT DIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER SENT AN INVESTIGATOR, BUT THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE HIM WITH ANY INFORMATION. THE CONTACT HAS CALLED THE MANUFACTURER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THEY HAVE NOT RETURNED ANY CALLS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 10,000. UPDATED 4/23/08 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

NHTSA ID

10217104

Incident

Dec 8, 2007

Mileage

10,000 mi

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IN FOR SERVICE. MUST BE AN OXYGEN SENSOR THEY SAY. THEY ORDER ONE AND I GO BACK. NOT THE SENSOR. ENGINE COOLANT LEAKED ON WIRING HARNESS CAUSING WIRING DAMAGE. THEY REPLACE HARNESS HOWEVER DO NOT KNOW WHERE COOLANT IS COMING FROM. *NM

NHTSA ID

10171549

Incident

May 15, 2006

Mileage

4,700 mi

MY 2006 BEETLE CONVERTIBLE CONTINUES TO HOWL WITH THE A/C FAN MOTOR ON. IT ACTUALLY SOUNDS LIKE A JET MOTOR TRYING TO LAND. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE HAD 3 OTHERS COME IN WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. IN FACT THEY SAID THEY REPLACED ONE CUSTOMERS CAR FAN AND IT WAS EVEN LOUDER THAN BEFORE. THEY CANNOT TELL ME WHEN THEY WILL HAVE A SOLUTION BUT VW IS "WORKING ON IT". I HAVE 9000 MILES ON MY CAR. I LIVE IN TEXAS. DOES THIS QUALIFY FOR THE LEMON LAW? THIS IS NOW OCT AND NO OTHER ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO REPAIR IT. HAS BEEN GOING ON AT LEAST SINCE MAY. *NM

NHTSA ID

10169746

Incident

Oct 1, 2006

ENGINE MAKES LOUD HUMMING NOISE WHEN A/C IS TURNED ON. *NM

NHTSA ID

10158987

Incident

May 26, 2006

Mileage

95 mi

A/C COMPRESSOR OR FAN MOTOR HOWLS VERY LOUDLY. TAKEN TO DEALER AND DEALER STATED AT FIRST THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM . INSISTED THEY LISTEN AGAIN SINCE SERVICE WRITER COULD HEAR NOISE WHEN WE DROVE IN. THEN STATED THAT CAR HAD TOO MUCH FREON IN UNIT AND THAT PROBLEM WAS FIXED. DROVE OUT OF LOT AND HOWLING WAS AS LOUD AS EVER. AFRAID COMPRESSOR OR FAN WILL BLOW OUT OF HOOD OF CAR. THE LONGER THE CAR IS DRIVEN THE LOUDER THE HOWL BECOMES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10158450

Incident

May 27, 2006

Mileage

4,000 mi