2001 Volkswagen Beetle Powertrain & Transmission Problems

I AM THE 2ND OR 3RD THIRD OWNER, AND I SHOULD HAVE CHECKED THIS CAR OUT FURTHER, SINCE WHOMEVER ('S) SOLD IT TO ME DIDN'T TELL ME A [XXX] THING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. I AM SO DISGUSTED ABOUT THIS INCIDENT OF BUYING BASICALLY A LEMON FROM DISHONEST CREEPS. I ONLY DROVE IT ONCE BEFORE I HANDED OVER EVERY HARD EARNED PENNY I HAD SAVED OVER SUCH A LENGTHY TIME DUE TO THE FACT I AM A STRUGGLING SINGLE MOTHER. I DON'T GET CHILD SUPPORT NOR WELFARE, THANK YOU! I PAID ALL I HAD LITERALLY EVER SAVED UP EVER IN MY WHOLE LIFE. (YES I AM THAT POOR TO BE QUITE FRANK) I PAID $4500 FOR A 2001 VW NEW BEETLE. I HAVE ALWAYS ONLY EVER HEARD EXCELLENT THINGS OF VW'S, THERE FOR I JUST PRAY AND WISH THAT VW WOULD HELP!!!!!!!!!!!! NOW I AM WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO AND FROM WORK, AS WELL AS MY CHILDREN TO AND FROM SCHOOL. I CAN'T EVEN DRIVE TO GET GROCERIES OR ANYTHING! HELP!! WHY CAN'T VW AT LEAST PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED? I AM JUST TO POOR. I AM LOOKING INTO A LAW SUIT. DISHONEST VW, WHY CAN'T YOU JUST BE HONEST AND FIX YOUR ERROR AND WRONG DOING? THEY SELL THESE BEETLES KNOWINGLY TO INNOCENT TRUSTING FAMILIES, SINGLE MOMS, ETC: ETC;, AND THAT ALONE I BELIEVE SHOULD BE GROUNDS ENOUGH FOR A HELL OF A LAW SUIT. THEY KNOWINGLY PUT WOMEN, CHILDREN, AND INNOCENT PEOPLE'S LIVES IN SERIOUS DANGER WITH NO CONSCIENCE WHAT SO EVER. BUYING A VW IS LIKE PLAYING RUSSIAN ROULETTE. FOR YOU, YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR FAMILY, LOVED ONES AND FRIENDS. [XXX] EVEN INNOCENT BY STANDERS AND PASSER BYES. FIX MY BEETLE EVIL CREEPS. MAY GOD DEAL WITH YOU EVENTUALLY EITHER WAY AMEN! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)*JS

FIRST OF ALL< YOUR FORM WON"T LET ME SELECT TRANSMISSION< THAT IS WHY I SELECTED ENGINE> THE PROBLEM IS THE TRANSMISSION>>>>> I WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH, SUDDENLY TRANSMISSION SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL. PRESSING ACCELERATOR DID NOT HELP. COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD. MOVED TRANSMISSION SELECTOR THRU GEARS INCLUDING REVERSE. CAR DID NOT MOVE, THEN SUDDENLY THE TRANSMISSION JUMPED INTO GEAR AND LURCHED FORWARD. VERY SCARY! I WAS POINTING TOWARDS THE ROAD WHEN THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD FROM A STOP, MY QUICK RESPONSE AVOIDED ME LURCHING INTO PASSING TRAFFIC. I KEPT MOVING,ALONG THE SHOULDER, BUT THE CAR WASN'T UPSHIFTING UNTIL I REACHED APPROX 45 MPH, THEN IT SLAMMED INTO THE NEXT GEAR. JUMPED BACK INTO NEUTRAL, THEN SLAMMED INTO NEXT GEAR. *TR

FIRST NOTICED IT WHEN STARTING IT UP IN THE MORNING.ROUGH AND STALLING WHEN PUTTING IT IN REVERSE. NEVER DID THAT BEFORE. IT HAS TO WARM UP BEFORE I CAN DRIVE IT BECAUSE IT WILL EITHER STALL IN REVERSE, OR IN DRIVE THE CAR WILL SHUDDER AND TAKE OFF, IT WILL NOT IDLE.WHEN IN PARK IT IS FINE WHEN IN DRIVE AT STOPLIGHTS IT WILL SURGE FORWARD. I HAVE TO EITHER PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AS HARD AS I CAN AND THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK,OR PUT IT IN PARK OR NEUTRAL!!!! THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF MY TROUBLES.IT GRADUALLY OVER TIME STOPPED SHIFTING EITHER BEFORE IT REACHES 3RD GEAR OR AFTER. I ONLY HAVE 60,000 PLUS MILES ON IT AND IT STILL SHOULD BE IN THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. THAT IT IS 2013 IT IS 12 YEARS AFTER I PURCHASED IT !! THAT'S AN AVERAGE OF 5,000 MILES A YEAR DRIVING! AND IT STILL HAS A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION!! I CANNOT BELIEVE THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS! THEY SAY IT IS THE VALVE BODY THAT IS THE CULPRIT! THEN VW BETTER ISSUE ME A FREE REPLACEMENT! I CANNOT BELIEVE I HAVE TO SHELL OUT MY HARD EARNED MONEY FOR THEIR SCREW UP! IF THIS VALVE BODY HAS DONE IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO MY TRANNY THEY WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION AS WELL! LESS THAN 65,000 MILES AND HAVING A DEFECTIVE PART THEY KNOW ABOUT THEY HAVE TO HONOR THAT POWERTRAIN WARRANTY! I WILL NEED SAFERCAR.GOV AND OR NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

AFTER ONLY HAVING THIS CAR FOR ONE YEAR, THIS IS THE FIFTH TIME I HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE. THE CAR IS RUNNING FINE, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS AND JERKS TERRIBLY. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THIS HAS HAPPENED IN INTERSECTIONS AND I WAS ALMOST T BONED IN THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR THE LAST TIME. I HAVE CONTACTED VW AND AM TOLD "WE HAVE HAD NO COMPLAINTS OR ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION ON THESE CARS". YET, A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH FINDS HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE "NEW" VW BEETLE TRANSMISSION ISSUES. MORE PEOPLE END UP GETTING KILLED IF VW IS NOT HELD RESPONSIBLE. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS THAT INCLUDE ACKNOWLEDGING THEY HAVE A PROBLEM AND PUBLICLY ISSUING A FIX AND CONTACTING ALL OWNERS SHOULD BE AT A MINIMUM. I CAN TELL YOU THAT MY CAR IS NOW WORTHLESS, NO REPAIR SHOPS WILL WORK ON IT, AND VW WONT' ADMIT TO A PROBLEM. I AM THINKING OF CONTACTING A LAWYER. *TR

APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK AGO I NOTED THAT WHEN I PUT MY 2001 BEETLE INTO DRIVE, THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT CATCH. AS I PUSHED THE GAS PEDDLE DOWN, IT WAS NECESSARY TO REV THE ENGINE AND THEN IT WOULD FINALLY CATCH. THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORSE OVER THE COURSE OF THE WEEK AND WILL GO INTO THE SHOP THIS WEEK. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO REV THE ENGINE TO GET IT INTO GEAR. I HAVE ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME ON 2 OCCASIONS, BUT WAS ABLE TO HIT THE BRAKE IN TIME. I NOW PUSH THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR AT THE SAME TIME TO AVOID THIS POSSIBILITY. I HAVE READ OF SIMILAR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON THE NEW BEETLE AND WANT TO ADD MY EXPERIENCE AT A PALTRY 41,000 MILES TO THE LIST. I HAVE NOT HAD THE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN OTHER POSTINGS SUCH AS DIFFICULTY SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND OR 2ND TO 3RD. I ALSO HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR DOWNSHIFT OR SHIFT TO NEUTRAL AS OTHERS HAVE DESCRIBED. THE MAJOR REASON FOR POSTING THIS IS THE TWO EPISODES OF ALMOST HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHEN THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2001 NEW BEETLE GLS TURBO WITH 42K MILES ON IT IN 2008 FOR MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR GARAGED, OIL CHANGED, AND HAVE ONLY PUT 8K MILES ON IT IN THE THREE YEARS I'VE OWNED IT. AT MY MOST RECENT OIL CHANGE, I EXPLAINED TO THE VW DEALERSHIP OF THE TRANSMISSION ISSUE WHICH THEY BRUSHED OFF AS BEING THE WAY VW TRANSMISSION'S DO IN AND THAT THEY ARE NOT SMOOTH RUNNING TRANSMISSIONS. DURING THIS 8K MILES, I HAVE WENT THROUGH TWO NEW BATTERIES UNTIL THE DEALERSHIP MADE ME AWARE OF THE NEED FOR A NEW ALTERNATOR. AFTER GETTING THE NEW ALTERNATOR FIXED THIS WEEK AT THE TUNE OF $500, THE TECH INFORMED ME THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACING AT A COST BETWEEN $4K-$6K. I HAD BEEN NOTICING WHEN I STOP AND THEN ACCELERATE AGAIN, THE ENGINE HESITATES AND THEN SLINGS FORWARD SO FAST THE TIRES WILL BARK. IT'S HESITATION ALMOST COST ME A REAR-END ACCIDENT NOT LONG AGO. THANKFULLY, EVERYONE WAS JUST SHAKEN UP A BIT. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE CABIN AIR FILTER WHEN IT DISINTEGRATED AND STARTED BLOWING FILTER IN HER FACE AS SHE WAS DRIVING. ALL THESE REPAIRS IN THE 8K MILES I'VE PUT ON IT. THE CAR AT THIS MOMENT NOW HAS ONLY 50K MILES AND SITS IN MY GARAGE AS I AM AFRAID FOR MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE OF IT'S UNRELIABILITY AND SAFETY ISSUES. ALSO, THE CONSOLE HAS BROKEN, THE CLEAR COAT IS PEALING OFF THE INTERIOR DOORS, HANDLES AND DASH. PLEASE HELP US BECAUSE THERE ARE ALOT OF PEOPLE THAT DEPEND ON THE VW'S AND CANNOT AFFORD NEW, SAFER CARS. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2001 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE HAS MANY ISSUES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, SLIPPING INTO NEUTRAL WHILE ACCELERATING, HARD SHIFTS BETWEEN GEARS, AND NOT GOING INTO THE CORRECT GEAR CAUSING SLOW TO NO ACCELERATION WHICH CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AT ANY GIVEN TIME. *TR

2001 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS!!!!!! *TR

I HAVE A 2001 VW BEETLE TRANSMISSION SLIPS IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR AND TOOK TO A SHOP AND THEY SAID I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED INTERMITTENTLY WHEN DOWN SHIFTING, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK EXCESSIVELY AND WOULD ALSO HESITATE WHEN THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP ON TWO OCCASIONS WHERE UNKNOWN REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE YET THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 81,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN BETTLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD DOWNSHIFT ABNORMALLY BETWEEN GEARS AND HE WOULD HAVE TO MANUALLY SHIFT FROM FOURTH INTO THIRD. THE VEHICLE WOULD THEN ROAR LOUDLY AND LOSE ALL POWER. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,000. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

I HAVE A 2001 VW NEW BEETLE. THE TRANSMISSION KEEPS FAILING, LURCHING, SKIDDING, & THE DEALER & MECHANICS HAVE DONE/FOUND OUT NOTHING ABOUT IT. I AM ONE OF THOUSANDS EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM WITH NO REPLY FROM VW. I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANYTHING ABOUT THE RECALLS THEY ORDER. MY CAR IS TOTALLY UNSAFE & I HAVE PUT $5,500 IN IT TO BE TOLD I NEED MORE WORK. THEY ARE TAKING NO RESPONSIBILITY & WE THAT OWN THESE CARS ARE FORCED TO DRIVE THEM UNSAFELY. MY CAR JUMPS & SKIDS FORWARD FROM A STOP. IT GOES SO SLOW BEFORE THE SKIDDING THAT CARS ALMOST REAR END ME. THE CAR CANNOT BE TRADED IN BROKEN & VW REFUSES TO ADDRESS ANY PROBLEMS WE ALL HAVE. MY MOM HAS A 2005 NEW BEETLE THAT IS BEGINNING TO LURCH AND STALL OUT ON THE FREEWAY & DURING REGULAR DRIVING. WE OWN 2 OF THESE CARS AND NEVER RECEIVE ANY RECALL INFO AND WE ARE FORCED TO PAY $5,700 EACH TO FIX THE FAULTY TRANSMISSION, $900 EACH FOR SENSORS, WHO KNOW WHAT FOR COMPUTERS THAT ALL FAIL AND CAUSE OUR VEHICLES TO BE EXTREMELY UNSAFE. MY CAR RIGHT NOW WILL NOT REVERSE, IT ONLY DRIVES FORWARD. VW NEEDS TO BE FORCED TO RECALL THERE FAULTY UNSAFE CARS FOR NOT ONLY THOSE THAT DRIVE THEM BUT FOR OTHERS ON THE ROAD. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE FOR DRIVERS AND ANYONE ON THE ROAD. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FEAR FOR MY LIFE WHEN DRIVING A VEHICLE I HAVE MAINTAINED AND THE MAKER WILL NOT RECALL THE PROBLEMS IT KNOWS THESE VEHICLES HAVE. THEY ARE NOT SAFE AND ALL OF US THAT OWN THEM ARE STUCK PAYING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX A PROBLEM VW IS AWARE OF AND WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT. IT IS SCARY AND DANGEROUS TO BE A VW NEW BEETLE OWNER. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK INTERMITTENTLY. THERE IS RECALL, #03V265000, CONCERNING THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THE RECALL DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED. FOUR BRAKE SWITCHES HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE CONTACT HAD TO PAY FOR ALL OF THEM. VEHICLE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE DAY ONE. THE CONTACT PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT IT DID NOT HELP. IT COST THE CONTACT OVER $3,000 IN REPAIRS. UPDATED ON 05/16/2006. *AK *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE SHIFT INTERLOCK SYSTEM SOLENOID. THE REPLACEMENT ONLY REMEDIED THE PROBLEM FOR A TWO YEAR PERIOD AND IT HAS NOW RETURNED, BUT THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE SHIFT INTERLOCK SOLENOID, THE SAFETY FEATURE THAT REQUIRES THE BRAKE TO BE DEPRESSED IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE TAKEN OUT OF PARK FAILED TWICE. *AK

2001 BEETLE GETS STUCK IN PARK. WHEN THE CAR IS OFF, IT WILL MOVE FREELY INTO ANY OTHER GEAR. WHEN I START THE CAR, THE GEAR SHIFT WILL NOT MOVE OUT OF PARK. *NM

THE CONSUMER HAS HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, BEARINGS, AXLE, COOLING SYSTEM, SEAT TRACKS AND BOLTS AND WINDOW TRACK IN HER 2001 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE. *NM THE CONSUMER ALSO NEEDED TO REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND THE FRONT AXLE. *SC

I PURCHASED A CERTIFIED PREOWNED 2001 VW BETTLE ON 7/9/03. ON 8/14/03 THE VEHICLE SUFFERED CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH AT HIGHWAY SPEED AFTER AROUND 1,000 MILES AFTER THE PURCHASE. ON 8/18/03 THE SELLING DEALER (BILL BARRY VOLKSWAGEN, WEST HARTFORD, CT) REFUSED TO HONOR THE MANUFACTURER'S AND CONNECTICUT STATE MANDATED WARRANTIES. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA. VW CORPORATE HAS TAKEN NO ACTION TO REMEDIATE. IT HAS BECOME CLEAR BASED ON MY RESEARCH THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE.

WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE. *NLM