2001 Volkswagen New Beetle Brakes Problems

BOTH REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP, NEEDED TO REPLACE CALIPERS, ROTORS, DRUMS, PADS AT 16,455MILES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10098477

Incident

Oct 15, 2004

Mileage

16,455 mi

THE REAR DISC BRAKE PADS (BOTH SIDES) COMPLETELY WORN OFF/OUT AT 25,000 MILES ON 2001 VW NEW BEETLE. THE WORN OUT PADS ALSO DAMAGED BOTH REAR HUB/ROTOR ASSEMBLIES, WHICH ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED BY THE CONSUMER, AT THE CONSUMERS COST. THIS CAR HAD BEEN IN FOR ITS 20,000 MILE CHECK UP TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE FEMALE OWNER HAD ASKED ABOUT REAR BRAKE NOISES THAT CONCERNED HER. THE DEALERSHIP ASSURED HER THAT EVERYTHING WAS OK, BUT SOMETIMES IT WOULD JUST NORMALLY MAKE SOME NOISES. A FEW THOUSAND MILES LATER THE PADS AND ROTORS ARE COMPLETELY SHOT AND WE HAVE TO PICK UP THE TAB AS THE CAR IS NOW NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. VW HAS HAD A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN(TSB#4602-01 DATED 04-02), I RECENTLY FOUND OUT, CONCERNING THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM WE EXPERIENCED:BRAKE PADS(REAR) APPARENT PREMATURE WEAR. I MENTIONED THIS FACT TO BOTH THE DEALERSHIP IN RACINE, WI AND VW AT THEIR 1-800-822-8987 "CUSTOMER CARE" CARE NUMBER WHEN SPEAKING TO MR KEN PARROTT. IT WAS TO NO AVAIL. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT PERSON FELT THIS WAS "NORMAL" THOUGH I CONTESTED THAT OPINION. THE VW PERSON, MR PERROTT, SAID HE COULDN'T EVEN LOOK INTO THE MATTER AS THE WORK WAS PERFORMED AT A NON VW DEALERSHIP, THOUGH IT WAS A CERTIFIED NAPA AUTOCARE SERVICE CENTER THAT DID THE REPAIR WORK. HE, MR PARROTT, ALSO STATED IF I HAD TAKEN IT IN TO A VW GARAGE WAS NO GUARANTEE THEY WOULD PAY FOR MY EXPENSES EITHER. I ASKED ABOUT "OPENING A CASE" W/VW AND HE SAID THE CONVERSATION WE WERE HAVING INITIATED IT AND WHEN I HUNG UP(I ASKED HIM ABOUT THIS) THAT THE CASE WOULD BE CLOSED, AS FAR AS THEY WERE CONCERNED. BUT NOT AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10079103

Incident

Jun 29, 2004

Mileage

25,127 mi

BRAKE LAMPS ON 2001 NEW BEETLE COME ON AND STAY ON EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE IS SHUT OFF AND PARKED. THIS IS SIMILAR TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 03V265000 (7-25-03). I CHECKED VW AND THEY TOLD ME THE RECALL WAS VIN SPECIFIC AND MY 2001 NEW BEETLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. IT SEEMS THERE MAY BE MORE UNITS AFFECTED THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10063712

Incident

Mar 22, 2004

Mileage

14,527 mi

I OWN A 2001 NEW BEETLE AND HAVE DILIGENTLY HAD ALL FACTORY SERVICE PERFORMED. AT THE 20,000 MILE SERVICE, WE REPORTED A METALLIC RUBBING SOUND FROM THE REAR BRAKES. THE DEALER INSPECTED AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THE NOISE CONTINUED, AT 9,000 MILES LATER WE TOOK IT BACK FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. AT THAT TIME, THE DEALER INFORMED US WE NEEDED NEW REAR ROTORS AND PADS AT A COST OF $357.47. WE ASKED HOW THE BRAKES COULD BE FINE JUST 9,000 MILES PREVIOUSLY, AND THE DEALER SAID THAT THAT WAS THE WAY IT WAS WITH THESE NEW BEETLES; WHEN THE PADS WEAR OUT, YOU ALSO HAVE TO REPLACE THE ROTORS. I CONTACTED VW CUSTOMER SERVICE, MARY GENERA, WHO STATED THAT SHE BACKED UP WHATEVER THE DEALER SAID. SHE FURTHER INDICATED THAT SHE HAD NO TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE WHATSOEVER, AND REFUSED TO PROVIDE A TECHNICAL CONTACT WITHIN THE COMPANY TO SPEAK TO. SHE SAID MY ONLY RECOURSE WAS TO WORK WITH THE DEALER. I CONTACTED A LOCAL AUTOMOTIVE EXPERT, DAVE FINKELESTEIN, (ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH), WHO SUGGESTED, BUT COULD NOT CONFIRM, THAT VW MIGHT BE USING A SUBSTANDARD "SOFT" BRAKE ROTOR. A FOLLOWUP WRITTTEN COMPLAINT WITH THE DEALER YIELDED NO RESPONSE. I SUSPECT VW IS USING SUBSTANDARD PARTS ON THEIR NEW VEHICLES. AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, THE REAR PADS WORE OUT AROUND 19,000 MILES, WHICH IS RIDICULOUSLY LOW FOR A NEW CAR. THIS CAR HAS HAD AN EXTEREMELY LARGE NUMBER OF MECHANICAL FAILURES, MOST OF THEM REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. IT GOT SO BAD, VW AGREED TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY AN ADDITIONAL 48,000 MILES. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS ADDITIONAL WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER BRAKE ROTORS. THE DEALER-PROVIDED SERVICE PROVIDED FOR THIS CAR HAS BEEN ABYSMAL AND I WOULD CAUTION ANYONE THINKING ABOUT BUYING A NEW VW TO THINK TWICE. THESE CARS ARE VERY POORLY MADE AND EVEN MORE POORLY SUPPORTED BY SO-CALLED "CUSTOMER SERVICE".

NHTSA ID

10060463

Incident

Dec 7, 2003

Mileage

21,356 mi

PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL SWITCH. IT MALFUNCTIONED LEAVING ME STRANDED BY NOT BEING ABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. CALLED VOLKSWAGEN ROADSIDE BUT NO HELP DUE TO STINGY WARRANTY PERIOD(2YRS&24K) FOR 2001 AND OLDER VW'S. FINALLY REPAIRED, BUT STILL PROBLEMATIC. THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL NO LONGER RETRACT 100%. THE BRAKES ACTUALLY OVERHEATED! I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING IT NOW, SO I HAVE GOTTEN ACCUSTOMED TO MANUALLY PULLING IT BACK WITH MY LEFT FOOT. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NORMAL & THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE BRAKES BEING APPLIED IN THE RETRACTED POSITION. UPON FURTHER DISCOVERY ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND A GUY WHOSE BRAKES ACTUALLY CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THIS PROBLEM!! WHAT SHOULD I DO????? *JB

NHTSA ID

10056244

Incident

Aug 29, 2002

Mileage

31,000 mi

I HAVE A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE WHICH WAS LEASED NEW FROM BILL COOK IN FARMINTON HILLS MICHIGAN. THE COMPLAINT REGARDS THE NEED FOR REPLACEMENT OF REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS AT 18,000 MILES WHILE THE FRONTS WERE STILL AT 70%. THE DEALERSHIP FOUND NOTHING IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED OR ANY EVIDENCE OF POOR MAINTENANCE OR ABUSE. I CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987 AFTER GETTING THE SERVICE COMPLETED AND OPENED A CASE. VOLKSWAGEN VERIFIED THAT I HAVE HAD ALL RECOMMENDED SERVICE PERFORMED ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP RECORDS AND CONFIRMED THE DETAILS OF MY COMPLAINT WITH THE SERVICE PERSONNEL AT THE DEALERSHIP. YET THEY REFUSE TO COMPENSATE IN ANY WAY, STATING THAT NO MANUFACTURING DEFECT EXISTS. I HAVE FOUND A VOLKSWAGEN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 4600-01 ON THE INTERNET REGARDING UNEVEN PAD WEAR INSTRUCTING TECHNICIANS TO USE AN ALTERNATE BRAKE PAD OF DIFFERENT COMPOSITION. I AM AN ENGINEER IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY, AND IN MY OPINION THIS LEVEL OF REPAIR AT THIS MILEAGE WITH NO EVIDENCE OF ANY EXTERNAL CAUSE, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE STATE OF THE FRONT BRAKES, INDICATES EITHER A DEFECT IN DESIGN OR WORKMANSHIP IN THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM. AT THE DEALERSHIP I ASKED WHETHER I COULD EXPECT THE REPLACEMENT PARTS TO FAIL AS QUICKLY AS THE ORIGINALS AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD LAST MUCH LONGER. THE ONLY WAY THIS COULD BE TRUE IS IF THE NEW PARTS ARE OF A DIFFERENT DESIGN OR THE OLD PARTS WERE DEFECTIVE. THIS COST ME $45.00 TO DIAGNOSE AND $399.15 PARTS AND LABOR PLUS TAX AND SHOP FEES TO REPAIR. I EXPECT A LONGER LIFE FOR THESE COMPONENTS ON A NEW VEHICLE AND CONSIDER THIS TO BE DEFECTIVE AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF VOLKSWAGEN TO REPAIR. *LA

NHTSA ID

10054748

Incident

Jan 22, 2004

Mileage

18,028 mi

BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR DURRING A PANIC STOP, BRAKES DID NOT WORK. DEALERSHIP SAYS THE COMPUTER IN CAR DID NOT IDENTIFY A MALFUNCTION. SAID DEALERSHIP DID/HAS NOT DONE ANY MANUAL DIAGNOSTICS. *LA

NHTSA ID

10043118

Incident

Oct 4, 2003

Mileage

23,467 mi

THE BRAKE BOOSTER SPRING FAILED CAUSING THE BRAKES TO BE ENGAGED WHILE DRIVING. THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *PH

NHTSA ID

10039868

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

759278