2004 Volkswagen Beetle Engine Problems

WHEN DRIVING THE CAR SHUTS OFF IN TRAFFIC IN TOWN AND ON THE HIGHWAY. 2 TIMES NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ONE TIME LIGHT CAME ON. MECHANIC IS NOT SURE WHY. I HAVE READ SEVERAL SIMILAR OCCURANCES ONLINE BY OTHER OWNERS. SOUNDS LIKE A RISK FOR FATALITY TO ME. MY DAUGHTER JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM ANOTHER PARTY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE DRIVING AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED, THE CONTACT SMELLED BURNING RUBBER AND THE VEHICLE'S RADIO STOPPED WORKING. AS THE CONTACT PROCEEDED DRIVING, SEVERAL UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATORS BEGAN FLASHING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHUT COMPLETELY OFF. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE AND HAD THE FUSE BOX REPLACED, YET THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

I BOUGHT MY VW BEETLE 2004 USED 3 MONTHS AGO. (EPC LIGHT ON, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON) SINCE THEN IVE HAD TO FIX THE TIMING BELT, COOLING, AND HOSES BECAUSE OF BACKFIRE. I GOT NOTIFIED THAT THERE IS A RECALL IN MY CAR, YET WENT TYPING THE VIN # IT SAYS IT NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN FOUND FOR MY CAR. I HAVE DOCUMENTATION TO SHOW THE REPAIRS AND COSTS. I'M WONDERING WHO DO I CONTACT TO DETERMINATE IF MY CAR DOES HAVE A REAL OR NOT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT COOLANT WAS LEAKING AND AN UNKNOWN HOSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, A BURNING ODOR EMITTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN AND THE WATER PUMP KIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND SWITCHED INTO THE DRIVE POSITION, IT FAILED TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.

EXITING GARDEN STATE PARKWAY SB ENGINE CUT OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EXIT RAMP. HAD TO BE PUSHED OFF AND THEN TOWED. DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT IT WAS THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER. THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER MY USED CAR WARRANTY HOWEVER THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE 2.0L TURBO MOTORS. I CONTACTED VW CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO TOLD ME THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY RECALLS OR TECHNICAL BULLETINS FOR THIS PART. I AM AWARE THAT THE PART THAT IS FAULTY ON THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER WAS ONLY CORRECTED IN 2012. I PERSONALLY KNOW SOMEONE WHOSE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THIS PART . THE FAULTY PART BEING REPLACED IS A SPRING. I UNDERSTAND THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT IN WARRANTY HOWEVER THE PROBLEM IS KNOWN BY VW AND I SHOULD BE EITHER PARTIALLY OR ENTIRELY COVERED FOR THIS REPAIR. IF YOU WANT TO DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH, THIS PROBLEM IS VERY EASY TO FIND ON THE INTERNET. *TR

THE CAR WAS UNRESPONSIVE. THE CAR TURNED OFF. THE CAR WAS STEERED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE AND WAS DESTROYED IN LESS THAN 10 MINUTES. *TR

ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING. EPC AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON. LOSS OF POWER STEERING. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. IT HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE LAST TIME WAS 7/8/2014, THE VEHICLE IS IN THE SHOP. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. REPAIRS HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE PAST. VOLKSWAGEN HAS BEEN CONTACTED THEY SAY NOT RECALLS ARE LISTED. *TR

MY CAR WAS FINE AND IT STARTED RUNNING A LIL FUNKY SO I TOOK IT TO GET A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND TURNS OUT THERE IS A RECALL ON MY AIR BAGS ! TRANSMISSION AND BODY VALVE ? IT ABSOLUTELY DOESN'T WANT TO GO IN REVERSE ANYMORE AND I BARLEY BOUGHT THE CAR IN JULY OF 2012 AND THIS INCIDENT HAPPENS JUST 5 MONTHS LATER. VERY DISAPPOINTED PLEASE HELP I AM A WORKING NURSING STUDENT THAT STILL MAKES PAYMENTS ON THIS CAR. I KNOW MY RIGHTS AND I FEEL YOU CAN HELP ME OUT PLEASE AND THANK YOU. *TR ## VIN FAILED ##

NEWLY PURCHASED VEHICLE THAT HAS A KNOW ISSUE. THE TIPTRONIC AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPS DURING GEAR CHANGING. VW REFUSES TO FIX THE ISSUE BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF THE 4 YEAR WARRANTY BUT THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAT 50000 MILES. THERE IS A KNOW ISSUE FOR THIS BUT I WILL HAVE TO PAY $6500 FOR THE REPAIRS>??? NOT FAIR FOR NEW BUYERS WHO ARE KEPT IN THE DARK ABOUT A KNOW ISSUE.. *TR

CAR WAS SHIFTING VERY HARD, TIRES WOULD SQUEAL AS SHIFTING BETWEEN 1-2 AND 2-3RD GEARS. TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION IT WILL BE BETWEEN 2-5000.00 DOLLARS WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE WINDOW REGULATORS, THERMOMETER. *TR

ERRATIC SHIFTING UP AND DOWN BETWEEN 1ST AND 3RD GEARS. CAR LURCHES TO THE POINT THAT A NATURAL REACTION IS TO RELIEVE YOUR FOOT FROM THE BRAKE WHICH COULD CAUSE A REAR END COLLISION IN SOME CASES. PROBLEMATIC PART IS INTERNAL VALVE BODY WHICH IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH VW'S OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL. WE HAD THE PROBLEM FIXED THEN CALLED VW CUSTOMER CARE TO SEE ABOUT REIMBURSEMENT AND WERE TOLD THAT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS ISSUED FOR 7 YEARS OR 2010. SINCE MY CAR HAD LOW MILEAGE THE INTICATION OCCURRED OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY AND I WAS TOLD BY VW THAT IT IS NOW MY PROBLEM TO TAKE CARE OF IT TO THE TUNE OF $2300 PARTS AND LABOR. INCIDENTALLY, I ALSO DID NOT RECEIVE THE WARRANTY AS I WAS TOLD IT WOULD HAVE GONE TO THE ORIGINAL OWNER ANYWAY. CONSIDERING THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND ACKNOWLEDGED BY VW TO BE PROBLEMATIC UP TO 70,000 MILES I FEEL THAT VW SHOULD OFFER UP COMPENSATION IN THAT IT IS THEIR FAULTY PART. ANY HELP IN RECOUPING COSTS INCURRED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WOULD BE APPRECIATED. *TR

EVER SINCE WE PURCHASED OUR USED 2004 BEETLE CONVERITBLE, THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN A PROBLEM. WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1-3 GEARS THE CAR JUMPS AND HALTS. IT IS HORRIBLE. WE HAD THE TRIP TRON SWITCH REPLACED AND STILL NO HELP. I WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS FROM 2003 TO 2008. A NEW TRANSMISSION IS OVER $6000. APPARENTLY, IT HAS TO BE REPLACED. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 60 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED SECONDS PRIOR TO THE FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE AND CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD TO INSPECT THE FAILURE. THE ENGINE BLEW SHORTLY AFTER THE HOOD WAS OPENED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WATER PUMP, RADIATOR AND VEHICLE REGULATOR SENSOR WAS REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING BUT THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD STILL BE DRIVEN. EIGHT MONTHS LATER, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE A SECOND TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE LEAK FROM THE HEAD GASKET SEALS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 28,000. UPDATED 5/16/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS OIL IN THE ANTI-FREEZE AND THE SEAL ON THE OVERFLOW TANK WAS LEAKING. UPDATED 05/23/12

REPLACE ALL IGNITION COILS. *TR

ENGINE COMPUTER RANDOMLY DETECTS FAULT IN TURBO SYSTEM AND REDUCES ENGINE POWER TO UNSAFE LEVEL. THEN ANY TRAFFIC MANEUVER THAT REQUIRES ACCELERATION, I.E. MERGING ONTO A FREEWAY, ETC., BECOMES EXTREMELY UNSAFE. VOLKSWAGEN SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAD THE CAR FOR THREE WEEKS AND WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR IT. *TR

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER DRIVES A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THAT HAS BEEN VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND ONLY HAS ABOUT 47,000 ACTUAL MILES. RECENTLY SHE HAS BEEN HAVING SOME VERY SCARY EXPERIENCES WITH THE VEHICLE AND WE ARE HIGHLY CONCERNED FOR HER SAFETY. WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHES 55 MILES PER HOUR ON THE FREEWAY, IT STARTS TO AUTOMATICALLY SLOW DOWN WHILE HER FOOT IS ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THEN AS SHE CONTINUES TO KEEP HER FOOT ON THE GAS, IT ALL THE SUDDEN VIOLENTLY JERKS INTO GEAR AND STARTS TO ACCELERATE AGAIN. SHE WAS ON FLAT TERANINE AND WAS NOT GOING UP A HILL WHEN THIS HAPPENS. SHE SAID THE EXPERIENCE TODAY LEFT HER TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE!! ALSO, SHE PLACED THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, AND THE BREAKS AND STEERING WHEEL BOTH LOCKED. SHE COULDN'T STEER OR STOP THE CAR WITHOUT USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I ASKED HER IF SHE IS SURE THE CARE WAS NOT IN NEUTRAL AND SHE SAID IT WAS ABSOLUTELY 100% IN THE REVERSE POSITION. ALSO SHE STATED THE BRAKES ARE MAKING A HISSING SOUND LIKE WHEN YOU LET AIR OUT OF TIRES, BUT NOT ALL THE TIME AND HER BRAKES SEEM FINE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT ANY RECALLS THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD AND ALSO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE WILLING TO DO TO RECTIFY THIS ISSUE. I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT THIS VEHICLE IS SAFE FOR HER TO BE DRIVING AT THE MOMENT AND SHE HAS STATED THAT WHEN THE ISSUE HAPPENS, IT FEELS LIKE HER AND THE CAR JERK FORWARD WITH A VERY VIOLENT EXCESSIVE FORCE. I WOULD LIKE CORRESPONDENCE STARTED IN CASE IN CASE ANYTHING HAPPENS TO MY DAUGHTER WHILE OPERATING THIS VEHICLE. YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE IS APPRECIATED. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME RESISTANT TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VALVE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

BROKEN ENGINE MOUNT BOLT WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF IMPACT; BROKE AFTER ACCELERATING ON A TRAFFIC LIGHT. ENGINE MOUNT WAS REPLACED. *TR

MY 2004 BEETLE RAN FINE FOR THE FIRST SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER A PURCHASED IT FROM THE DEALER, NOW THE CAR STOPS RUNNING AT 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK, DURING MY TRAVEL TO WORK. I HAVE READ SEVERAL POSTINGS ON THE INTERNET STATING THE SAME ISSUES FROM THOUSANDS OF VW OWNERS. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD MY CAR DIAGNOSIS STATING I NEED TO REPLACE THE TRANS, BUT THERES NO INDICATION TRANS FAILURE. ONE WEEK THERE CAR RUNS GREAT THEN, NEXT IT STOPS DURING TRAVEL AND HAS JERKY FEELS DURING MOVEMENT. I'M SURE THERE HUNDRED OF THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME ISSUES AND THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE MANY TOO MANY TO LIST. *KB