2000 Volkswagen Beetle Electrical System Problems

Terminal Box above battery has a black wire that get extremely hot and melts in its receptacle in the terminal box. Have replaced the terminal box and that one was also melted within a few days after installation of the new box.

ELECTRICAL SURGES...BLOWS FUSE BLOCK...MELTS DOWN FUSE BLOCK. REPLACED FUSE BLOCK ABOVE THE BATTERY THREE TIMES SINCE OWNING THE CAR. CAR WAS BEING USED IN THE CITY.

HIS COMPLAINT CONSISTS OF A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE, IN WHICH IT DOESN'T APPLY TO ANY WARRANTY WHATS SO EVER. WHETHER IT'S A NEW VEHICLE OR NOT. THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE SWITCHBLADE PROGRAMMABLE TYPE KEY WITH REMOTE. VOLKSWAGEN HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH THESE TYPE KEYS FOR SOMETIME BUT HAS FAILED THE CONSUMERS AND THE GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. THEY INSTEAD TAKE THE APPROACH, WHICH PROFIT OUTWEIGHS THE CONSUMERS, THEY PUT PROFIT BEFORE CONSUMERS, AND SAFETY. THESE KEYS PRODUCE A ''DANGER'' TO NOT ONLY THE CONSUMERS BUT EVERYONE ON THE HIGHWAYS AROUND THEM THE SAFETY AND MARKSMANSHIP OF THE KEY CAN BREAK OFF DURING USE, SO IF THIS HAPPENS DURING A CRASH, THE CONSUMER WOULD BE UNABLE TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE WHICH AGAIN PRODUCES AN IMMEDIATE ''DANGER''. THE REMOTE SWITCHBLADE KEY IS ONLY SECURED BY A VERY CHEAP MADE PLASTIC. IT'S VERY POORLY DESIGNED AND MADE. IF THE ENCASING THAT HOLDS THE KEY WAS MADE OUT OF METAL OR ALUMINUM THIS WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE KEY, IS THAT VOLKSWAGEN MADE THE KEY PROGRAMMABLE WITH A CHIP, SO THE KEY HAS TO BE CUT DOWN THE MIDDLE, AND PROGRAMMED, WHICH MEANS THE VEHICLE HAS TO BE CONNECTED TO A COMPUTER AT THE DEALERSHIP AND USUALLY TAKES ABOUT ONE HOUR AT A COST OF $245.00. IT'S VERY OBVIOUS THAT THE MANUFACTURE DOES THIS FOR PURE PROFIT, AND TO DETER THE CONSUMER FROM GOING ELSEWHERE TO HAVE SUCH KEY MADE. I URGE NHTSA TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO ELIMINATE ANYONE FROM BEING INJURED OR KILLED. THESE EMAILS WILL BE KEPT AS PROOF AND FOR THE RECORD THAT THIS VERY ''IMPORTANT AND SAFETY ISSUE'' HAS BEEN SENT TO YOU AS EVIDENCE, FOR FUTURE LAWSUITS ETC CONCERNING THIS MATTER. HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING. *TR

I WAS DRIVING THIS CAR AND JUST STALLED ON AN INTERSECTION AND SMOKE JUST CAME OUT UNDER THE HOOD AND I SMELLED IT TOO, OPENED THE HOOD AND FUSE BOX HAD MELTED WHICH IS LOCATED ON TOP OF BATTERY AND FIRE INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, UNDER THE BATTERY HAS BEEN BURNING AND ALSO MELTED THE WIRES.

MY DAUGHTER'S CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN BY MY NIECE ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THE LIGHT WENT ON SIGNALING IT WAS OVER HEATING SO SHE PULLED OVER TO A CALL BOX AND WHILE SHE WAS MAKING THE CALL FOR ASSISTANCE SHE HEARD A POP POP AND THE FRONT HOOD WAS ON FIRE AND A MAN PULLED OVER AND TRIED TO PUT IT OUT WITH HIS EXTINGUISHER WHICH DIDN'T WORK AND THE WHOLE CAR WENT UP IN FLAMES WITHIN A MATTER OF MINUTES. IT WAS COMPLETELY BURNED UP WHICH ALSO BURNED DOWN THE CALL BOX ON THE FREEWAY. SHE HAD JUST SPENT APROXIMATELY $1, 400 ON REPAIRS ON THE CAR WHICH WAS MAINLY ON THE COOLING SYSTEM. *TR

HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT. I HAVE TO REPLACE THEM ABOUT EVERY THREE MONTHS. *TR

ODBI CAME ON WAS TESTED INDICATING CYLINDER MISFIRE TOOK IT FOR REPAIR WAS INFORMED TWO WIRES WERE BROKEN AND SPARK PLUG WAS SEVERELY FOULED NOW THERE'S A COMPRESSION PROBLEM WHICH REQUIRES THE ENGINE TO BE TORN APART. COST OF REPAIRS EXCEEDS AMOUNT VEHICLE'S VALUE AND PURCHASE PRICE I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR FIVE MONTHS WHEN VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IT HAD A LITTLE OVER 51000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER RAN GREAT AND THE VEHICLE BODY IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE. *TR

TRAVELING ON THE CROSSTOWN FREEWAY @ THE POSTED SPEED, I STARTED TO ENGAGE THE VEHICLE'S HEATER AND THE POWER CONTROL SWITCH STARTED TO MALFUNCTION. I TURNED THE POWER CONTROL KNOB CLOCKWISE AND NOTICED SLIPPAGE OF THE CONTROL KNOB. I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE WHOLE HEATER CONTROL ASSEMBLY AND THEN AN ARCH, THEN A SMALLFLAME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START NORMALLY BECAUSE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MODULE FAILED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL AND MADE IT DIFFICULT TO START IMMEDIATELY. THE CONTACT STATED THE CLUSTER WAS REPLACED TWICE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE WAS A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 152,000.

BOUGHT USED 2000 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE FOR DAUGHTER. 102K MILES. AFTER HAVING IT ONE WEEK, WENT TO START IT, BATTERY DEAD (NEW BATTERY). NOTICED THAT THE COSMETIC MIRROR LIGHT IN DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR WOULD GO ON EVEN THOUGH MIRROR CLOSED AND VISOR NOT IN USE. IN LOOKING FURTHER, IT APPEARS THAT SOMETHING IN THE MOVEMENT OF THE CAR JIGGLES SOME LOOSE WIRING IN THE VISOR, AND LIGHT REMAINS ON WITHOUT OUR KNOWLEDGE. WE BOUGHT NEW BATTERY, AND HAVE TAPED VISOR INTO SECURE POSITION WHEN PARKED. *TR

FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *TR

I HAVE A 2000 VW BEETLE. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP WITH 100,000 MILES ON IT. THE FIRST WEEK IT BEGAN ACTING CRAZY AND I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD "SOLD AS IS". I HAVE SPENT $3000 ON THIS CAR FIXING VARIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THIS CAR IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE. THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY! IT JUMPS AND JERKS AT WEIRD TIMES AND ALMOST CAUSES SOMEONE TO REAR END ME. I'VE ALREADY INVESTED A GRAND TRYING TO RESOLVE THE TRANSMISSION ISSUE BUT THE CAR WILL ACT FINE FOR THE FIRST FEW DAYS AND THEN THE PROBLEM WILL BEGIN AGAIN. THE THIRD GEAR ALWAYS SLIPS AND YOU GET WHIPLASH. IT FEELS AS IF THEY GEAR IS ABOUT TO DROP OUT OF THE CAR!! THE ENGINE MISFIRES ON THE HIGHWAY AND NO PROBLEM CAN BE FOUND BY MY MECHANIC. HE TELLS ME THEY ARE JUST RANDOM MISFIRES! THAT IS DANGEROUS GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPHS AND THE CAR SHOOT DOWN TO 50 AND JERK ON I-40 IN WINSTON SALEM. IN THE RAIN, IT WILL JERK EVEN WORSE, ALMOST LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS JUMPING OUT OF THE HOOD! MY ABS LIGHTS WILL FLASH AT WEIRD TIMES AS WELL AS MY BRAKE LIGHT. I HAVE HAD MY BRAKES CHECKED, NOT THE BRAKES. SOMETHING NOW STAYS ON IN THE CAR THAT NO MECHANIC CAN PINPOINT WHICH CAUSES THE BATTERY TO GO DEAD EVERYTIME YOU TURN THE CAR OFF. THE GAUGES TEND TO NOT WANT TO WORK SOME OF THE TIME AND THE MILEAGE WILL EVEN STOP READING. SOMETIMES THE GAS PEDAL DOES NOT CONNECT AND WILL STOP ACCELERATING EVENTHOUGH YOUR PUSHING ON THE GAS UPON TAKE OFF. THE ALARM GOES OFF AT ALL TIMES DURING THE DAY AND NOT FOR NO REASON AND VARIOUS TIMES WHEN I CRANK THE CAR. TO TOP THIS ALL OFF, THE FUSES ON TOP OF MY BATTERY CAUGHT ON FIRE! I WAS TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, NO PROBLEMS COULD BE BLAMED FOR THIS EVENT. SOMEONE NEEDS TO RECALL SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT! *TR

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HER 2000 VW BEETLE SATURDAY WHEN SHE SMELLED "SOMETHING HORRIBLE." SHE ROLLED THE WINDOWS DOWN AND THE NEXT THING SHE KNEW THERE WAS SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD AREA. SHE PULLED OVER AND A GENTLEMAN BEHIND HER PUT THE FIRE OUT USING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. SHE HAD HAD PROBLEMS A FEW DAYS EARLIER WITH THE AC NOT COMING ON PROPERLY. SHE WAS PLANNING TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE SHOP ON MONDAY. *TR

WE HAVE A 2000 NEW VW BEETLE THAT WE BOUGHT NEW IN 2000. IT HAS BECOME A HIGH MAINTENANCE VEHICLE THAT SEEMS TO HAVE A LOT OF DEFECTIVE PARTS THAT HAS TO BE REPLACED. MOSTLY ELECTRICAL. WINDOW ONCE FELL INSIDE OF DOOR. FOG LIGHT THAT HAS WATER IN THEM. TODAY A WEEK AFTER TAKING THE CAR INTO VW SERVICE TO REPAIR ANOTHER THING FOR AROUND $200.00. I HAD RETURNED TO THE SHOP AGAIN BECAUSE WITH IN A DAY AFTER CAR WAS OUT OF THE SHOP A NEW PROBLEM CROPPED UP. THE SEAT BELT LIGHT WAS STAYING ON. I TOOK IT INTO THE SHOP TO HAVE THE SEAT BELT LIGHT REPAIRED. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR MOST OF THE DAY. I JUST RECEIVED A CALL FROM VW SERVICE DEPT. AND WAS TOLD THE SEAT BELT DENSER WAS THE PROBLEM. IT CONTROLS ALL THE SEAT BELT AIR BAGS AND SOME OTHER SAFETY THINGS. IT IS DRIVABLE AND SEAT BELT MAY BE OK. I WAS ALSO TOLD IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATE OVER $700.00. OUR VW BEETLE ONLY HAS 69,000 MILES ON IT AND WE HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON IT FOR REPAIRS. IT OVER HEATED LAST SUMMER AND WAS IN THE SHOP FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE THEY COULD FIND WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT..I THINK THIS WAS THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR AND SENSORS. WE HAVE REPLACE MAY\NY SENSORS IT SEEM S SEVERAL TIMES. MOST OF THESE REPAIRS WAS NO UNDER A RECALL. THIS IS A VERY HIGH MAINTENANCE CAR. IT HAS BEEN IN THE GARAGE MANY TIMES AND COST IS STARTING DRAIN US. I AM A RETIRED IOWA POLICE OFFICER ON A FIXED INCOME..SO THIS CAR IS A STRAIN ON OUR BUDGET. SO MANY PROBLEMS.. ALL OUR VEHICLES ARE PAID FOR AS WELL AS OUR HOME. *TR

THE FUSE BOX ATOP THE BATTERY MELTED ON 2/18/2009 CAUSING A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. REPAIRS INCLUDING NEW FUSE BOX AND OTHER DAMAGED PARTS COST ME $1500.00. ON 7/15/2011 THE FUSE BOX MELTED CAUSING A/C TO STOP WORKING. THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME WAS IN THE HIGH 90'S DURING A PROLONGED HEAT WAVE IN THE NORTH EAST. COST TO REPAIR $400.00. ON 5/18/2014 ONCE AGAIN THE FUSE BOX MELTED, COST TO REPAIR AND REPLACE $700. TWO DAYS LATER THE REPAIR (5/20/2014) THE CAR WENT DEAD IN TRAFFIC CAUSED BY A DRAINED BATTERY COST OF TOWING $150.00 + NEW FUSE BOX MELTED. IN CHECKING VW OWNERS FORUMS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND COMPLAINT (FUSE BOX MELTING) IN THE VW PRODUCT LINE. WHY HASN'T VW BEEN FINED AND ORDERED TO RECALL THEIR DEFECTIVE CARS? *TR

POWER WINDOWS AND POWER DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT OPERATE WHILE I'M DRIVING. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. LEFT IT THERE FOR 2 DAYS AND THEY STILL COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. WHEN I STOP THE CAR AND OPEN THE DOOR, THEN THE WINDOWS AND DOOR LOCKS WILL OPERATE. WHEN I START DRIVING AGAIN, THEY ARE "DEAD" ONCE MORE AND WILL NOT OPEN OR CLOSE. I CANNOT GET THEM TO OPERATE UNLESS I STOP THE CAR AND OPEN THE DOOR FIRST. WHEN I CLOSE THE DOOR, THEY ARE OKAY UNTIL I START DRIVING AGAIN. VERY DANGEROUS AND I CAN'T GO THROUGH A DRIVE THROUGH BANK, ETC. OR IF I JUST WANT TO OPEN THE WINDOWS WHILE I'M DRIVING, I CAN'T. IF IT STARTS TO RAIN, I CAN'T CLOSE THE WINDOWS UNLESS I STOP THE CAR. *TR

WE HAVE A 2000 VW BEETLE WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THAT HAS SOME SORT OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT DRAINS THE BATTERY IF NO ONE DRIVES THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS. WE DIDN'T REALLY NOTICE THE PROBLEM UNTIL OUR DAUGHTERS BOTH WENT OFF TO SCHOOL AND NO ONE WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A REGULAR BASIS. WE ARE AT THE POINT WHERE AAA AND AMOCO MOTOR CLUB WILL NO LONGER JUMP THE CAR. WE HAVE PURCHASED SEVERAL BATTERIES IN THE LAST 3-4 YEARS OR REPLACED THEM UNDER WARRANTY TO THE POINT WHERE SEARS TOLD US TODAY TO NOT COME BACK. THE VW DEALER TOLD US TO GO SOMEPLACE ELSE BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T HELP US AND VW ITSELF HAS NOTHING TO SAY OTHER THAN GO TO THE LOCAL DEALER WHO TOLD US TO CALL VW. THIS CAR HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FROM THE BEGINNING AND WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING ASKED OF US, EXPENDED FUNDS AND AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME TO NO AVAIL. TODAY THE VW DEALER DID SAY THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH VW'S OF THIS VINTAGE BECAUSE THEY HAD PROBLEMS WITH CARS SITTING ON THE LOT AND DYING. WE NOW NEED TO OUR DAUGHTER TO USE IN CHICAGO, BUT WE CAN'T RISK GIVING IT TO HER AND HAVING HER COME OUT TO THE CAR LATE AT NIGHT AFTER WORK AND FIND THAT THE CAR IS DEAD. *TR

2000 VW NEW BEETLE- DIESEL: HAS HAD RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE GLOW-PLUG SYSTEM. COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY REPLACED STARTING 11/2004. SERVICE DATES INCLUDE, BUT NOT LIMITED TO 5/2005, 8/2006, 12/2006, NOT INCLUDING SEPARATE DIAGNOSTICS. TOTAL CHARGES TO DATE IN EXCESS OF $1200.00 OF THIS SINGLE SYSTEM. NO HELP FROM MANUFACTURER OR ACKNOWLEDGEMET THAT A PROBLEM EVEN EXISTS. VEHICLE IS LOCATED IN AREA (SE TEXAS) THAT WOULD NECESSITATE THE USE OF GLOW PLUG ONLY A FEW DAYS A YEAR. THE SYSTEM IS SUPPOSED TO BE DESIGNED TO ACTIVATE ONLY BELOW A CENTIAN LOW TEMPERATURE. IT IS OTHERWISE A 'STATIC' SYSTEM WITH NO MOVING PARTS THAT SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO WEAR AND TEAR. YET, COMPONENTS OF THIS SYSTEM HAVE REGULARLY FAILED, CAUSING DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT. HAVE TOTALLY LOST CONFIDENCE IN THE VEHICLE, OR VW'S AUTHORIZED SERVICE PROVIDERS TO ROCOGNIZE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM, AND PROVIDE A SOLUTION FROM THE MANUFACTURER'S SIDE THAT IS A PERMANENT FIX, RATHER THAN JUST REPLACING THE SAME PARTS REPEATEDLY.

VOLKSWAGEN NEW-BETTLE ALL THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BURN DOWN. *NM

FAULTY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT EFFECTS ALL ELECTRONICS OF THE VEHICLE. CAUSES DOOR LOCKS AND REMOTES TO NOT WORK PROPERLY. CAUSES DOOR WARNING AND SEAT BELT WARNING CHIMES TO NOT TURN OFF FOR A MINUTE AFTER EITHER STARTING THE CAR OR TURNING ON THE HEADLIGHTS. MAY ALSO EFFECT ENGINE IMMOBILIZER CAUSING THE CAR TO SHUTDOWN AT ANY TIME OR PLACE. *NM