There are 9 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2002 Volkswagen Beetlein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
ABS TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONING, TOLD BY DEALER AND MECHANIC THAT THE CONTROL MODULE IS DEFECTIVE. THE ABS KICKS IN EVEN WHEN NOT BRAKING AND NO LIGHT ON. CAR ABRUPTLY SWERVES AS BRAKES ENGAGE ONE WHEEL ONLY. THE DEALER SAID THERE IS NO RECALL FOR MY VIN NUMBER BUT THE PART IS THE SAME NUMBER AS THE ONE FOR OTHER LISTED RECALLS. I CALLED VW AMERICA AND THEY ARE UNWILLING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. THE COST TO REPLACE AND REPROGRAM THE NEW MODULE IS $2,000
THE CAR WAS DRIVEN IN THE MORNING THEN PARKED AT MY HOME. WHEN I WENT TO USE IT AGAIN IT WILL NOT COME OUT OF PARK. THE LIGHT WILL NOT GO OUT SO THAT I CAN PULL THE GEAR SHIFT OUT OF PARK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE ABS MAIN CONTROL UNIT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ABS WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER (VOLKSWAGEN OF OAKLAND, 2740 BROADWAY, OAKLAND, CA 94610) WHO STATED THAT THERE WERE NO ACTIVE RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,605. *TT
I WAS DRIVING MY 2002 NEW BEETLE TO WORK. THE BRAKES FROZE UP, I COULD NOT STOP RAN A STOP SIGN I PUT CAR IN PARK STILL COULD NOT STOP. HAPPENED TWICE MORE B/4 I GOT TO WORK. I LOOKED UP RECALL FOR VOLKSWAGEN 2002. THERE WAS ONE "SERVICE BRAKES ,HYDRAULIC: ANTILOCK RECALL. I CALLED VOLKS AND WAS ASKED IF I WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER? I TOLD THEM NO. ALTHOUGH I WAS ABLE TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE ABOUT MY PROBLEM I GOT NO RESULTS. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALLS FOR VIN NUMBER I GAVE HER. I CAME BACK TO WORK AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS, SAID EVERY VEHICLE HAS IT'S OWN ID NUMBER WHICH I UNDERSTOOD BUT I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND I COULD HAVE LOST MY LIFE. *TR
08/05 PURCHASED VEHICLE FROM LEXUS OF GLENDALE 09/05 EXPERIENCE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES. PEDDLE WOULD NOT SPRING BACK INTO PLACE CAUSING CAR TO BE STUCK IN THE ROAD. I HAD TO PHYSICALLY PICK UP THE PEDDLE SO THE CAR WOULD MOVE AGAIN. TOOK BACK TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM AND LEFT IT UNRESOLVED. 10/05 BRAKE PROBLEM OCCURRED MANY MORE TIMES. TWICE WHEN I TAP THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN IT WOULD HAVE A LOUD SUCTION VACUUM SOUND AND GO STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR AND GET STUCK LEAVING THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME WITH NO WARNING TO STOP. TOOK TO DEALER...THEY SAID THEY KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, BUT ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO FIX UNLESS THEY CAN DUPLICATE. WE ASKED THEY HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST IF WE WANTED TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. THEY SAID THEY CANNOT GIVE US A PRICE BECAUSE IT'S UNDER WARRANTY...?!? PROBLEM UNRESOLVED!!! 10/05 PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME ON THE FREEWAY. DEALER SAID BRING IT BACK AND WE'LL LOOK AT IT YET AGAIN! WE ASKED FOR OUR MONEY BACK AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD BUY IT BACK AT A FRACTION OF WHAT WE PAID. LEFT UNRESOLVED...LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVE WAY TO GET OUR MONEY BACK. *NM
VEHICLE WAS ON THE ROAD WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BRAKES DID NOT OPERATE WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE HIT A TELEPHONE POLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK
I PURCHASED MY VW ON 11/21/03 THE NEXT DAY THE I WAS DRIVING CAR AND NOTICED THAT IT WAS NOT PICKING UP SPEED THEN THE BRAKES WAS REALLY HARD AND IT WAS MAKING A ROARING SOUND. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK CAR INTO VW SVC DEPT AND WAS ADV OH SINCE YOU HAVE A DIESEL CAR IT WILL DO THAT I WAS NOT TKN THAT FOR AN ANSWER I EXPL TO SVC TECH THAT THERS SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY CAR, BUT THEY WOULD NOT LOOK AT IT.ON 11/23/03 I WAS DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND I MY CAR WAS STALLING AND WOULD NOT GO PASS 45 AND THEN I SMELT SOMETHING BURNING AND THEN SMOKE THE BRAKES HAD LOCKED UP AND I PULLED OVER AND HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP.THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT FROM TOLD ME THAT IT WAS OK AND DIDNT REPLACE ANYTHING. AND ADVISED ME THAT I WAS OK SO I TOOK CAR HOME AND 3 DAYS LATER IT DID IT AGAIN, I TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT VW DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOOK CAR OVERNIGHT AND THEY FOUND THAT THE HYDL BOOSTER WAS BAD,THEY REPLACED THAT AND THEN I EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE BRAKES BECAUSE THEY JUST DIDNT FEEL RIGHT TO ME. I WAS ADV THAT OH THE BRAKES ARE GOOD AND SENT ME ON MY WAY. ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER I DIDNT TRUST TO TK MY CAR TO DEALERSHIP I TOOK CAR TO ACTOR GATOR WHICH WAS GREAT! TO CHECK MY BRAKES AND THEY FOUND PROBLEM AND SHOWED ME HOW BACK BRAKES SHOULD LOOK LIKE AND HOW MINES WAS (THERE WAS HARDLY ANY LEFT ) AND THEY REPLACED BRAKES FOR ME. IM UPSET THAT EVEN THOUGH I PURCHASED A USED CERITIFED VW FROM A VW DEALERSHIP I FELT COMFORTABLE AND I DIDNT UNDERSTAND HOW THEY COULD SELL A CAR WITH NO BRAKES WHICH IS A SAFETY ISSUE.AND THEN A CUSTOMER HAVING TO PAY FOR BRAKES NOT EVEN A MONTH AFTER I GOT IT.
CONSUMER STATES HIS VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING AT 60MPH, PROBLEMS IS DUE TO A FAULTY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE STEERING WHEEL IS UNCONTROLABLE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURES HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PH
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE ABS SYSTEM SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY, THE ABS SYSTEM MODULE WAS REPLACED, THIS WAS THE 2ND TIME IT HAD HAPPENED. NLM
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026