2003 Volkswagen Beetle Lighting Problems

This car was extremely modified by a company caledl Hestermann Motorwwerks. The specific problem is the installation of LED Tail/Brake lights. The lights are not compatable with the cars electrical system and as a result they have a problem that is called Hyper Flashing. That means the turn signal, when engaged, flashes erratically and wehn the brake pedal is applied the light flalso ashes erratically causing the following vehicle to be confused and resulting in an unsafe condition. I feel that the installer needs to be notified of the wrong doing as many cars have been modified by this business. HESTERMANN MOTORWERKS Jessie Lee Ct, Green Cove Springs, Fl 32043

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE HAZARD LIGHTS, HEADLIGHTS, AND TURN SIGNALS FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE EXTERIOR TURN SIGNALS REMAINED ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING AND WERE VERY HOT. IN ADDITION, THE PASSENGER SIDE TURN SIGNAL BLINKED VIGOROUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

HEADLIGHT WENT OUT WHILE STARTING THE CAR. DEALER FOUND A BURNED WIRING HARNESS TO BE THE CAUSE. COST TO REPAIR $ 159.31. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR PROBLEM IF BOTH HEAD LIGHTS WOULD HAVE GONE OUT WHILE TRAVELING ON A DARK HWY AT HIGH SPEED. BURNED WIRING HARNESS IS IN MY POSSESSION. SECOND PROBLEM WAS WITH A BRAKE LIGHT THAT WENT OUT DATE 10/30/07. CAUSE AS PER DEALER WAS A FAULTY LIGHT SOCKET. COST TO REPAIR $ 73.61. *TR

REAR TAIL LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS CONTINUE TO MALFUNCTION. EACH TIME DEALER THE FIXES PROBLEM IT PROMPTLY RETURNS. *JB

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

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MOVE THE GEAR SHIFT OUT OF PARK, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DRIVER INDICATED THE EPC LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING PREVIOUSLY. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND IT FAILED AGAIN ON THE SAME DAY AS THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE TIMES AS A RESULT OF A FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. *PH