2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE Power Train Problems

my 2005 VW Beetle auotmatic has 96k miles. When taking off the car shudders hard on 1st and 2nd gear. It feels like the transmission is out to fall out of the car. It also stops moving forward at times. I have quit driving it due to fear of getting hit. I feel this is a very dangerous and could cause serious injuries to me and other drivers. Please help

I WASA DRIVING AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN.AOLL THE LIGHTS CAME ON ON THE DASHAND IT JUJST STOP POWER THE STEARING WHEEL LOCKED .I WAS IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOD GOING SPEED LIMIT IF I HAD BEEN ON THE FREEWAY I DONT KNOW WHAT WOULD OF HAPPEN , IM SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR NOW

Mileage: 107

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE HARD SHIFTED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CRAIN VOLKSWAGEN OF FAYETTEVILLE (LOCATED AT 2011 WEST FOXGLOVE DR, FAYETTEVILLE, AR 72704, (479) 695-5900), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000. *LN*JB

Mileage: 33,000

THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS INTO A LOWER GEAR WITH A 'HARD' SOUND. SOMETIMES AFTER THE CAR IS WARM IT TAKES A MOMENT TO GO INTO GEAR FROM A FAST SPEED TO A SLOW OR STOP.

Mileage: 88,000

TRANSMISSION SLIPS OR DOWNSHIFT VERY HARD CAUSES SUDDEN LOSS OF VEHICLE SPEED AND OR LOSS OF CONTROL AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS OR ON SECONDARY ROADWAYS CAUSING FOLLOWING VEHICLES TO EITHER HEAVY BRAKING OR SWURVE TO AVOID REAR END COLLESION WITH THE VEHICLE.

Mileage: 7,800

I BOUGHT A USED 2005 VW NEW BEETLE WITH TRIPTONIC TRANSMISSION WITH 82,000 MILES A FEW WEEKS AGO. VERY QUICKLY THE CAR STARTED HAVING TRANSMISSION ISSUES WHICH APPEAR WHEN THE CAR HAS WARMED UP AFTER ~10/15 MINS. THE PROBLEM I'M EXPERIENCING IS THAT THE CAR WILL NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY WHEN RUNNING BETWEEN THE 3 AND 4TH GEAR AND OFTEN REVS UP TO 5000 RPM BEFORE IT "CLUNKS" INTO HIGHER GEAR. IT'S ALSO HARD SHIFTING VERY ABRUPTLY SOMETIMES WHICH GIVES ME VERY LITTLE CONFIDENCE IN DRIVING THE CAR. IT SEEMS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS IT SUDDENLY LUNGES FORWARD OR GETS STUCK IN GEAR AND DOESN'T ACCELERATE. ONE OF THE WORST INCIDENT FOR ME WAS WHILE IN TRAFFIC GOING SLIGHTLY UPHILL THE CAR GOT STUCK IN THIRD AND STARTED REVVING UP WITHOUT ACCELERATING AND I ALMOST GOT HIT BY A CAR BEHIND WHO DIDN'T EXPECT MY CAR TO MOVE SO SLOWLY. I TOOK THE CAR TO A VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP AND THEY DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WEIRD THE FIRST TIME WHEN I TOOK IT FOR THE 80.000 MILES REVISION. AFTER REPEATEDLY EXPERIENCING THE ISSUE I TOOK IT AGAIN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO EXPLICITLY CHECK THE TRANSMISSION AND THEY RECOMMENDED TO CHANGE THE VALVE BODY OF THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE NOW READ A LOT OF INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET AND THIS IS A VERY WELL KNOWN ISSUE BY VW AS WELL AS BY MANY PEOPLE WHO OWN BEETLES WITH TRIPTRONIC TRANSMISSION. VW EXTENDED THE WARRANTY OF THE VALVE BODY OF THE TRANSMISSION TO 7 YEARS OR 100.000 MILES WHICHEVER HAPPENS FIRST. UNFORTUNATELY THEY DIDN'T WANT TO COVER THE REPLACEMENT FOR MY CAR SINCE IT'S 2016 AND THE 7 YEARS WARRANTY EXPIRED IN 2012 FOR THIS CASE. THIS IS EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING AND I FEEL SCAMMED BY VW NOT WANTING TO COVER FOR AN ISSUE THAT'S VERY WELL KNOWN BY THEM. THEY SOLD DEFECTIVE CARS AND KNOW PERFECTLY WELL THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS FAILING WAY FASTER THAN IT SHOULD YET THEY NOW DISMISS THIS BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE CAR.

Mileage: 82,000

PROBLEMS WITH SHIFTING BETWEEN 3RD & 4TH GEARS, LURCHING, AND LAGGING. I CALLED THE DEALER, GAVE THE SYMPTOMS AND ASKED WHAT THEY THOUGHT THE PROBLEM COULD BE, THEY INSISTED THEY HADN'T HEARD OF VW'S DOING THAT. MY CAR CONTINUED TO DECLINE, BECOMING STUCK IN A GEAR, VIOLENTLY LURCHING, STALLING, AND ALL GEARS LIT UP(BRACKETED) ON THE DASH. WHEN I TOOK CAR TO VW NOV 2011, 80,000 MILES, FIRST THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE, BUT I PERSISTED EXPLAINING MY HORRIBLE, LURCHING DRIVE INTO WORK, WHERE I STALLED SEVERAL TIMES ALMOST GETTING HIT, AND HOW I COULDN'T PUT THE CHILDREN I CARE FOR IN MY CAR FOR FEAR OF SOMEONE HITTING MY STALLED VEHICLE. THE VW MECHANIC TALKED ME INTO FLUSHING OUT THE TRANS AND CHECKING THE MAGNET($560). HE SAID 80% CHANCE IT WAS MY TRANS(QUOTED $6,000), EVEN AFTER THERE WERE NO METAL SHAVINGS IN THE PAN, OR SAID IT COULD BE THE VALVE BODY(QUOTED $1,600), BUT THEY WOULDN'T KNOW UNTIL AFTER THE REPAIR. I HAVE DRIVEN OTHER CARS WELL BEYOND 200,000 MILES WITHOUT HAVING A TRANS ISSUE, SO WAS SHOCKED THE TRANS COULD BE BAD AT 80,000 MILES! I TOOK GOOD CARE OF MY CAR, AND DROVE HER KINDLY. THE MECHANIC DENIED TRANS ISSUES BEING COMMON FOR BEETLES. I PAID THE $560, AND THERE WASN'T AN IMPROVEMENT. I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE VALVE BODY TOO LATE(EVEN THOUGH IT WAS IN EFFECT WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE!) I WAS SCARED EVERY TIME I DROVE, AND IRATE ONCE I LEARNED THROUGH ONLINE SEARCH THAT FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS ARE A HUGELY KNOWN PROBLEM AND VW WON'T FESS UP AND FIX THEIR PROBLEM!! AFTER THE TRANS BLEW ON THE INTERSTATE(THAT WAS TERRIFYING HAVING A TRANS GO AT 70MPH AND I AM SO THANKFUL I WAS ABLE TO GUIDE MY CAR TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD BEFORE I WAS HIT!!), THE BEETLE SAT IN MY DRIVEWAY WHILE I STILL MADE PAYMENTS ON IT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND FORCE VOLKSWAGEN TO RECALL THESE DANGEROUS TRANSMISSIONS!!

Mileage: 75,000

ON THE 2ND MY SON WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON THE HIGHWAY WITH ME AS A PASSENGER AT 70 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THE RPM'S SHOT UP AND THE CAR STALLED OUT. FORTUNATELY HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND SAFELY GET US OFF THE HIGHWAY. WE THEN APPROACHED A LIGHT IN WHICH WE HAD TO STOP AT AND THE CAR DID NOT WANT TO GO. I FINALLY FIGURED OUT THE CAR WAS IN A SAFETY MODE AND IS STUCK IN 3RD GEAR. I HAVE HAD THREE MECHANIC LOOK AT THE CAR. NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT AT THIS POINT IF IT NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION OR IT IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. EITHER WAY A TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT HAVE ISSUES AT UNDER 100,000 MILES. I HAVE ALSO LOOKED ON LINE AND SEEN TO SHOCK HOW MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS CAR ARE HAVE ISSUES WITH THEIR TRANSMISSIONS. WHY HAVE THE TRANSMISSIONS NOT BEEN RECALLED? WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED WHEN THE CAR JUST STALLED OUT AT 70 MPH. ON TOP OF THE CAR IS FALLING APART! IN THE 9 MONTHS I HAVE OWED THE FUEL PUMP HAS GONE OUT, WATERPUMP, TIMING BELT, AND THERMOSTAT AS WELL. NOT TOO FORGET TO MENTION THAT THE INTERIOR IS SLOWLY FALLING APART AS WELL. SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS SITUATION!!! *TR

Mileage: 95,000

VW NEW BEETLE TIPTRONIC AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MANUFACTURER/DESIGN DEFECT: I EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE CLOSE CALLS IN THE FREEWAY WHILE THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST HIT ME. I COULD NOT KEEP UP WITH THE TRAFFIC AFTER SLOWING DOWN IN A CONGESTED FREEWAY CONDITION DUE TO THIS TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN TO ALL DRIVERS, NOT JUST ME. ALTHOUGH I WAS DRIVING VERY CAREFULLY TO AVOID ANY ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY THIS TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION PROBLEM; BUT NOT SO FOR OTHER DRIVERS AROUND ME. THIS IS A KNOW POTENTIAL SAFETY-RELATED DEFECTS CAUSED BY TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION. THERE IS A CLASS ACTION (CASE # 11-CV-02243, IN THE US DISTRICT COURT FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS). ALTHOUGH THIS WAS DISMISSED IN ARKANSAS, BUT THE JUDGE SAID "OTHER CO-PLAINTIFFS IN THE CASE COULD PURSUE CLAIMS IN CA". TO ME, THIS MEANS THIS DESIGN AND/OR MANUFACTURE DEFECT OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS VALID. IT SHOULD BE ADDRESS IMMEDIATELY AND I AM ASKING NHTSA TO MAKE A SWIFT JUDGMENT BEFORE IT CAUSE ANY LIFE OR MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 70,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE TRIPTRONIC SENSORS HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,405.

Mileage: 58,405

I ACQUIRED MY VEHICLE ON 7/29/2010 AS A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION GIFT WITH 31,290 MILES ON IT. AS OF DECEMBER 2013 MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING HARD SHIFTING ISSUES.12/15/2013 I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO VW FOR HARD SHIFTING ISSUES WHEN DECELERATING. VW INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THE PART CAUSING THE HARD SHIFTING ISSUES. WHEN THE COVERAGE INFORMATION WAS PULLED UP FOR THE AUTO TRANS VALVE BODY AQ-250 WARRANT EXT. THE END DATE OF THE WARRANTY WAS ON 9/27/2011 OR THE END MILEAGE OF 100,000 MILES. VW DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE OF THE END DATE, SO I PROCEEDED TO CALL 1-800 VW NUMBER ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE EVEN THOUGH I WAS NEVER EXPERIENCING ANY ISSUES AT THE TIME OR HAD ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. I HAD MY VEHICLE FOR ONLY A YEAR. WHEN EXPERIENCING THIS HARD SHIFT ISSUE WHILE DECELERATING THE CAR FEELS AS IF SOMEONE HAS REAR-ENDED ME AND DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WITH THIS BAD VALVE BODY IS A NIGHTMARE, SO THE CAR HAS BEEN STUCK IN MY GARAGE FOR A COUPLE MONTHS NOW. I HAVE READ OF MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE AND VW QUOTED ME FOR THE VALVE BODY REPLACEMENT OF ABOUT $1,832.26. THIS IS ISSUE SHOULD BE RESOLVED AND ALL CONSUMERS SHOULD BE COMPENSATED BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT. *TR

Mileage: 85,981

IN SEPTEMBER OF 2009 THE BEETLE WAS TAKEN TO BROWN'S VOLKSWAGEN OF RICHMOND DUE TO TRANSMISSION SHIFTING ISSUES. THEY NOTED THE FILE: REMOVED THE TRANS PAN TO CHECK--SMALL SHAVING, CLEANED SCREEN AND REINSTALLED--STILL HAVING PROBLEM. THEY DID NOT PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH HAD BEEN APPROVED BY VW CORPORATE.VW HAD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY PERIOD ON THE ELECTRONIC TRANS VALVE BODY FOR THE KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. INSTEAD THEY WANTED TO INSTALL A NEW TRANSMISSION WHICH WAS NOT COVERED BY THEM. THIS WAS NOT AGREED ON. IN MAY OF 2013 I LEARNED OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH HAD BEEN OFFERED BY VW CORPORATE AND CONTACTED VW VIA THEIR WEB SITE AND FILED A COMPLAINT. IN JULY OF 2013 THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WEST BROAD VOLKSWAGEN FOR A COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC FOR SHIFTING RELATED ISSUES. IN JULY OF 2013 VW CORPORATE CONTACT ME STATING BROWNS VW HAD NOT LOGGED ENOUGH INFORMATION TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. I DID STATE TO THEM THE CAR WAS AT WEST BROAD VW NOW. THE COMPUTER CAME BACK WITH CODE P0730 INCORRECT GEAR RATIO. THE MECHANIC STATED VERBALLY REPLACING THE VALVE BODY SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEM. BUT THE SERVICE ADVISOR WOULD NOT PUT THAT IN WRITING AND DID ADVISE TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FOR $8,500. VW CORPORATE DECLINED ANY WARRANTY TO REPLACE THE VALVE BODY. THIS CONDITION IS WIDE SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE BEETLE 09G SIX SPEED TIPTRONIC TRANSMISSION. IT IS MY OPINION THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN THAT VW HAS PASSED ON TO THE CONSUMER. VW KNOWS THIS PROBLEM EXIST BUT HAS FALSELY REPRESENTED THEIR CONCERN WITH THE PROBLEM. VW IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ACTIONS. THEY HAVE MISLED THE PUBLIC. THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE TRUTH ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND RESOLUTION. ERRATIC SHIFTING/ SLAMMING INTO GEARS/ LOOSING POWER TRANSFER TO THE WHEELS/ WITHOUT INDICATION THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN. *TR

Mileage: 54,639

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND AS IT SHIFTED INTO 5TH I FELT A BANG. IT FELT AS THOUGH SOMEONE RAN INTO THE REAR OF MY CAR. IT SNAPPED MY NECK HARD. IT KEEPS DOING THIS. I TOOK IT BACK TO WHERE I BOUGHT IT AND THEY SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. *TR

Mileage: 82,500

THE TRANSMISSION LURCHES WHEN SHIFTING. IT FEELS LIKE IT SLIPS AND WILL REV UP AND . FROM WHAT I AM READING THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. THE DEALERSHIPS WANT $7000 DOLLARS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY ALL SEEM TO BE VERY FAMILIER WITH THIS "COMMON" PROBLEM. SOUNDS LIKE THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THESE CARS. GOT THIS CAR FOR MY DAUGHTER TO USE THROUGH COLLEGE AND NOW I AM STUCK WITH A CAR THAT COST MORE TO FIX THAN ITS WORTH. *JS

Mileage: 87,000

UPON INCREASING SPEED VEHICLE SHIFTS EXTREMELY HARD ESPECIALLY IN LOW GEARS. A DECREASE IN SPEED ALSO RESULTS IN EXTREMELY HARD DOWNSHIFTING. SOMETIMES CAR WILL NOT SHIFT. UPON SLOWING DOWN AT SAME RED LIGHT TWO DAYS IN A ROW CAR APPEARS TO DROP INTO FIRST GEAR, BUT THEN BEGINS TO TRY TO ROLL BACK UPON RELEASING THE BREAK. THIS PARTICULAR LIGHT IS ON A HILL WITH 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC. I HAD TO SWITCH THE CAR OFF, SHIFT INTO PARK, AND THEN CRANK THE CAR AGAIN FOR IT TO CATCH FIRST TO BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD. I CALLED VW DEALERSHIPS WITH NO RETURN CALL. FINALLY GOT A SVC MGR. COULD NOT TELL ME ANYTHING. GAVE ME AN 800 PHONE # TO CALL. I WAS TOLD THE EXTENDED WARRANTY HAD RUN OUT IN NOV OF 2012 EVEN THOUGH MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER THE 100,000 MILES. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT I SHOULD HAVE CALLED THAT NUMBER WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR TO "REGISTER" IT IN MY NAME WITH VW. I RECEIVED NO INFORMATION AT PURCHASE, AND WITH THIS BEING MY 8TH VEHICLE IT WAS THE FIRST I WAS TOLD I HAD TO CALL THE MAKER TO REGISTER IT WITH. I AM SCARED WHEN I HAVE TO DRIVE MY CAR TO WORK EVERY DAY. *TR

Mileage: 90,000

PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FROM A DEALERSHIP IN DEL RAY BEACH FLORIDA ON OCTOBER 2011. THE DEALERSHIPS NAME IS AUTOBAHN/USA (1800 NORTH FEDERAL HIGHWAY, DEL RAY BEACH, FLORIDA 33483). THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED "AS IS", WITH NO EXTENDED WARRANTY. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP THERE WAS NO ISSUES WITH SAID VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. THIS VEHICLE WAS THEN DRIVEN BACK TO THE STATE OF MICHIGAN WHERE I RESIDE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE TRANSMISSION ISSUES REFERENCE THIS VEHICLE FROM THE START. IT APPEARS WHEN SLOWING DOWN THE TRANSMISSION DISENGAGES FEELING LIKE IT IS JUMPING GEARS. I HAVE TALKED WITH A VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP IN BAY CITY, MICHIGAN, AND A VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN. BOTH STATED THAT THE YEAR OF VEHICLE I PURCHASED HAD A RECALL FOR THE TRANSMISSION. THEY ALSO NOTED IN ORDER FOR THE RECALL TO BE VALID, I NEEDED TO HAVE PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. I HAVE JUST OVER 60,000 MILES ON MY VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS FAULTY TRANSMISSION CAN BE A DANGER WHILE DRIVING. I AM ATTEMPTING TO REPAIR SAID TRANSMISSION. I AM A LITTLE CONFUSED WHEN VOLKSWAGEN IS STATING THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE TRANSMISSION FOR THE YEARS 2004 AND 2005, AND THEY WOULD ONLY HONOR THE RECALL IF I PURCHASED THERE EXTENDED WARRANTY. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR

Mileage: 62,000

THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FAILS TO SHIFT AT THE PROPER ENGINE RPM. THE PROBLEM GETS WORSE AS THE TRANSMISSION GETS HOT. WHEN IT DOES SHIFT IT HITS VERY HARD, JERKING THE VEHICLE OUT OF CONTROL. SECONDLY, THE FAILURE SHIFT WILL LEAVE YOU STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD PLACING YOU IN HARMS WAY SHOULD THIS HAPPEN AT THE WRONG PLACE. THE VEHICLE IS NOT OPERATIONAL DUE TO THIS UNCONTROLLABLE SHIFTING MALFUNCTION. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO PREDICT WHEN THIS MALFUNCTION WILL OCCUR AND COULD LEAD TO BODILY INJURY OR POSSIBLE DEATH. *TR

Mileage: 82,561

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED WITH ORIGINAL WARRANTY STILL GOING AND I ALSO PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY (HIGH TECH) WITH IT. WITHIN A FEW MONTHS THE CAR STARTED TO JERK AND THEN SHIFT INTO GEAR OR SOMETIMES IT WOULDN'T SHIFT INTO GEAR OR IT WOULD BARELY MOVE. MY MALFUNCTION LIGHTS DIFFERENT ONES WERE COMING ON AND THE CAR STARTED TO OVERHEAT. SOMETIMES IT WOULD LEAK ALL THE WATER OUT AND OTHERS YOU WOULD SEE IT BOILING THE CAR ALSO MADE DIFFERENT NOISES AS I DROVE AND THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WOULD MAKE THIS PIERCING NOISE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE WOULD GO DOWN AND UP BY ITSELF. WELL THE FOLLOWING HAS BEEN REPLACED PLUS MORE.....(2) HEAD GASKETS, A FEW WATERPUMPS, COOLANT FLANGE MELTED A FEW TIMES, A COUPLE THERMOSTATS, IMPELLOR, TIMING BELT TENSIONER NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD ON GOING PROBLEMS WITH OVERHEATING NUMEROUS TIMES AND SEVERAL THINGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES ALONG WITH OTHER ITEMS. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN TO VW CAPO FOR REPAIR OVER 40 + TIMES I STOPPED COUNTING. VW CAPO IS THE ONLY PLACE THAT HAS SERVICED THIS CAR SINCE MY PURCHASE. I HAVE BEEN STRANDED ON ORTEGA HWY IN 103 DEGREES WITH NO CELL COVERAGE DUE TO VEHICLE OVERHEATING I THINK I'VE BEEN TOWED IN 4 OR 5 TIMES. SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT HERE....THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT'S MY FAULT THAT I MUST HAVE PUT SOMETHING IN THE CAR TO CLOG IT. I NOW HAVE REPLACED THE RADIATOR AT MY COST OF $1600 PLUS. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD ALL THESE PROBLEMS?? I HAVE HAD ALOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE STRUTS, MOUNT, CV BOOTS, CONTROL ARMS ETC......... *TR

Mileage: 50,742

2005 VOLKSWAGEN TRANSMISSION WILL LURCH AND SLIP FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. ISSUE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A VALVE BODY ISSUE THAT VW DOESN'T SEEM TO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE DEFECTIVE PART. THIS ISSUE COULD CAUSE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN PULLING OUT ONTO TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE BASICALLY WILL NOT GO WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN THOSE GEARS. IT TAKES SEVERAL SECONDS FOR IT TO SHIFT, THE VEHICLE WILL REV UP AT THAT TIME AND THEN SLAM INTO GEAR. *TR

Mileage: 90,000

DEFECTIVE VALVE BODY IN THE TRANSMISSION CAUSING SEVERE CAR TROUBLES ON-ROAD, SIMPLY STOPPED WORKING WHILE GOING 60 MPH ON A BUSY INTERSTATE. *TR

Mileage: 75,000

MY 05 VW BEETLE AUTOMATIC BEGAN LURCHING/SLIPPING WHEN GOING FROM FULL STOP TO ABOUT 40MPH.....WHEN TRANS IS GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND TO 3RD GEARS. *TR

Mileage: 72,500

WHEN GEARING DOWN OR STARTING UP AT REDLIGHT, CAR DOWNSHIFTS AND GEARS-UP WITH A JERK; TOOK TO VW DEALER; SAYS IT IS VALVE BODY DEFECT WHICH COULD UTIMATELY CAUSE TRANSMISSION TO GO BAD; WAS TOLD AT DEALERSHIP VW KNOWS ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND EXTENDED A WARRANTY ON VALVE COVER ONLY WHICH WENT OUT LAST YR ON MY VEHICLE. I NEVER GOT A NOTICE. VW ADMITS THE PROBLEM WAS THERE WHEN MANUFACTURED IN MEXICO. I BELIEVE THAT THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE FOR MANY VW OWNERS. ALSO HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH WINDOW REGULATORS MALFUCTIONING - AFFECTING LOCKING OF DOORS AND WINDOW CLOSINGS- EVEN WHEN THESE COSTLY REGULATORS ARE REPLACED, THE PROBLEMS RETURN... MY CAR VALUE IS NOW -0- THANKS TO VW MANUFACTURING ISSUES. *TR

Mileage: 80,801

CAR JOLTS INTO GEAR BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR; ALSO PROBLEMS BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEAR ON AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. BROUGHT CAR INTO LOCAL VW DEALER IMMEDIATELY, TO HAVE REPAIRED. DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS NEEDING A NEW VALVE BODY FOR TRANSMISSION. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN SO WIDESPREAD THAT VW ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR 7 YEARS 100,000 MI. PROBLEM...REPAIR IS $1,800. VW WILL NOT COVER THIS AND HONOR THE WARRANTY FOR MY VEHICLE WHICH ONLY HAS 49,000 MI. ON IT. THEY SAID I AM 6 MONTH OUTSIDE OF THE TIME WARRANTY (EXPIRED 6/18/12). THEY WILL NOT AUTHORIZE AN EXCEPTION EVEN THOUGH MY CAR ONLY HAS 49,000 MI.. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS IT LUNGES FORWARD AND ALSO GETS STUCK IN GEAR. *TR

Mileage: 49,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE CONTACT MERGED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS POWERED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES AFTER RESTARTING. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96,534.

Mileage: 96,534

THE FIRST TIME I DROVE MY USED OVER 50 MPH ALONG COASTAL ROAD (WITHIN 24 HOURS OF PURCHASE FROM A TOYOTA DEALER), THE ENGINE CUT POWER AND ROLLED TO A STOP. FROM FIRST GEAR, IT BEGAN TO DRIVE AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE VALVE BODY WAS DEFECTIVE. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THE CAR OVER 55 ON THE FREEWAY FOR FEAR OF CUTTING POWER. IN AUGUST 2011, THE SAME CUT OF POWER OCCURRED AFTER DRIVING 4 MILES IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE ON THE 405 FREEWAY. I ROLLED OFF THE FREEWAY OFFRAMP AND CAME TO A STOP. THE TRANSMISSION RESET ITSELF AND DROVE UP TO 40 MPH TO MY DESTINATION ON SIDE STREETS. AGAIN THE DEALER ACCUSED THE VALVE BODY. IN JULY 2012, I DECIDED TO LET THE DEALER CHECK THE CAR OUT AGAIN BECAUSE I HAD A STRANGE CUT IN POWER UPON ACCELERATION FROM A LEFT TURN TRAFFIC LIGHT THE PREVIOUS DAY. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT MY FUEL PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE. AFTER THESE THREE FIXES, I TRUST THE CAR TO DRIVE AROUND TOWN. BUT I SUFFER EXTREME ANXIETY ABOUT DRIVING THE CAR ON A FREEWAY. THIS WEEK, I NEED TO MOVE THE CAR FROM CALIFORNIA 300 MILES TO NEVADA. I AM NOT CERTAIN IF THE TRANSMISSION CAN DRIVE THAT DISTANCE WITHOUT A CUT IN POWER. NOT DEPENDABLE, NOT WORTH $15,000 PRICE TAG. EMBARRASSMENT! *TR

Mileage: 50,000

AFTER HAVING THE VALVE BODY FIXED UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY IN MARCH 2011, I AM CURRENTLY HAVING THE SAME EXACT TRANSMISSION ISSUES. VW REFUSES TO COVER THIS EXPENSE SINCE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY IS NOW VOID, AND THE PARTS WARRANTY IS VOID AS WELL. HOWEVER, I'VE DRIVEN THIS CAR FOR LESS THAN 6K SINCE THE REPAIR. I ALSO JUST HAD THIS VEHICLE AT THE DEALERSHIP A MONTH AGO TO FIX THE TIPTRONIC TRANSMISSION WHICH JUST WENT OUT. NOW, TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT REPAIR, THE VALVE BODY JUST DECIDED TO GIVE OUT? WELL, VW IS TELLING US THE ISSUE NOW IS A VALVE BODY HARNESS..? THIS IS JUST STARTING TO SEEM RIDICULOUS ON MY DIME. *TR

Mileage: 91,000

SHIFTING AND JERKING OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. THE JERKING GETS SO BAD THAT IT CAN DELAY ACCELERATION AND MIMIC GETTING REAR ENDED, YET SERVICE STATES NOTHING WAS WRONG. *TR

Mileage: 67,222

TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY MALFUNCTIONS AND CAUSES THE CARD TO SHIFT HARSHLY. THIS CAUSES LOSS OF CONTROL DURING ACCELERATION AND DECELERATION. *JS

Mileage: 75,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE TRANSMISSION FELL OUT OF GEAR. THE CONTACT LOST POWER AND HAD TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY. THE FAILURE PERSISTED REPEATEDLY AS THE CONTACT WAS TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE VALVE BODY COVER HAD FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THEY WERE UNABLE TO GET AN ANSWER FOR WHY THE FULL TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED INSTEAD OF JUST THE VALVE BODY COVERS. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 50,040.

Mileage: 50,040

TRANSMISSION IS JUMPING WHEN SHIFTING GEARS AND SLOWING DOWN. VOLKSWAGEN HAS ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM BUT NOT IF THE VEHICLE IS OLDER THAT 7 YEARS FROM THE INSERVICE DATE. I REPORTED MY PROBLEM JAN. 2012 AFTER I HAD LEARNED OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS PROBLEM. I HAD BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM FOR MANY MONTHS EARLIER. I WAS TOLD THAT THE INSERVICE DATE WAS NOV. 2004 THEREFORE I WAS INELIGIBLE BY ABOUT 6 WEEKS. *TR

Mileage: 75,000

I'VE BEEN HAVING SHIFTING PROBLEMS BETWEEN 2N AND 3RD GEARS. THE CAR DRAMATICALLY JERKS TO GET INTO GEARS AND THROWS THE GEAR TO FIRST WHEN BREAKING. I TOOK IT TO VOLKSWAGEN TO GET IT CHECKED AND THEY SAID I HAD TWO OPTIONS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. 1. REPLACE THE VALVE BODY AT A COST OF $1950 (AND IT MIGHT FIX THE PROBLEM) 2. REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $6900. THERE IS A WARRANTY EXTENSION ON THE VALVE BODY BUT, SINCE MY CAR IS OVER 100,000 MILES THEY WILL NOT REPAIR MY CAR. I CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA IN HOPES TO GET SOME ASSISTANCE ON THE REPAIR SINCE THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR, BUT WAS TOLD THAT THEY ALREADY MADE ON EXTENSION ON THE WARRANTY AND COULD NOT ASSIST ME IN ANY WAY OTHER THAN A $500 VOUCHER TO BUY ONE OF THERE NEW CARS. REALLY??? WITH THE KIND OF PROBLEMS VOLKSWAGEN CARS ARE HAVING I WOULDN'T EVEN CONSIDER BUYING A VOLKSWAGEN AGAIN!!! ALSO THEY HAVE NUMEROUS COMPLAINS ON THIS MATTER AND SHOULD REPAIR ALL OF THEIR FAULTY CARS. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE A CAR IN THIS CONDITION. *TR

Mileage: 103,000

MY 2005 VW BEETLE IS A TURBO/AUTOMATIC. IT HAS 79,500 MILES ON IT. THE CAR JERKS AND SHAKES WHEN SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOP. IT HAPPENS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, FROM 60 MPH AND LESS. I HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CHECKED AND CHANGED, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN MY CAR ANYMORE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO WHICH MIGHT ENDANGER ME OR OTHER DRIVERS AROUND ME. I'VE READ MANY BEETLE OWNER COMPLAINTS ON-LINE ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM, AND IT APPEARS TO BE A COMMON OCCURRENCE. I AM AWARE THAT A LETTER FROM NHTSA WAS SENT OUT TO SOME VW BEETLE OWNERS TO "EXTEND THE WARRANTY THAT COVERS THE VALVE BODY IN YOUR VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION TO 7 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES". I NEVER RECEIVED THAT NOTICE! TO HAVE A NEW "VALVE BODY" INSTALLED WOULD BE AN EXPENSE I CAN'T AFFORD. I AM A SENIOR CITIZEN, AND I OCCASIONALLY HAVE MY GRANDCHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH ME. I DON'T FEEL MY CAR IS SAFE ENOUGH TO HAVE THEM IN THE CAR NOW. WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, I EXPECTED IT TO LAST ME LONGER THAN 7 YEARS, ESPECIALLY SINCE VW HAS A GOOD REPUTATION. I CHECKED THE BLUE BOOK VALUE OF MY CAR, AND THE REPAIRS WOULD PROBABLY BE ABOUT HALF OF WHAT THE CAR IS WORTH. I CAN'T SELL IT AND MAKE ANY MONEY ON IT; I CAN'T TRADE IT IN AND GET MUCH FOR IT; AND IF I HAD TO PURCHASE ANOTHER CAR, I'D HAVE CAR PAYMENT THAT I CAN'T AFFORD. I AM NOW "STUCK" WITH A CAR THAT DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY AND POSSIBLY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED. *TR

Mileage: 79,500

MY 2005 VW BEETLE'S TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 49,000 MILES. VW HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ITEM ON THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY THAT THEY ACKNOWLEDGE CAN FAIL WHICH HAD FAILED ON MY VEHICLE. HOWEVER I'M BEING TOLD THAT MY TRANSMISSION HAS ALSO FAILED. VW IS CLAIMING THAT THE FAILED VALVE BODY DID NOT CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT MYSELF. THIS IS A DEALER MAINTAINED, COMMUTER CAR THAT IS UNALTERED AND UNDER 50,000 MILES THAT I HAVE HAD OTHER PROFESSIONAL MECHANICS LOOK AT AND THEY DO NOT SEE HOW VW CAN CLAIM THE FAILED VALVE BODY WOULD NOT CAUSE THIS KIND OF DAMAGE AND EVENTUAL FAILURE. WE HAVE CONTACTED VW OF AMERICA MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY REFUSE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR PRODUCT. *TR

Mileage: 49,000

MY VW BEETLE 2005, HAS A 2 TO 3 SECOND SHIFT DELAY WHETHER IN MANUAL OR AUTOMATIC. WHEN PULLING OUT IN TRAFFIC OR TAKING OFF FROM A LIGHT OR DOWNSHIFTING TO SLOW DOWN THE CAR ACTS LIKE IT'S IN NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE REVS BUT THE CAR TAKES ANYWHERE FROM 2 TO 3 SECONDS TO RESPOND. SOMETIMES IT WON'T SHIFT OUT OF 4TH GEAR AND I HAVE TO PULL OVER (IN TRAFFIC THAT IS GOING OVER 55) TURN THE CAR OFF AND THEN TURN IT BACK ON. I CONSIDER THIS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN CARS ARE PILING UP BEHIND ME AND ICAN 'T GET OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO TURN IT OFF. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO A CERTIFIED VW REPAIR SHOP OVER A 100 MILES AWAY BECAUSE I KNEW IT WOULDN'T MAKE IT. THEY INFORMED ME MY TRANSMISSION IS GONE. I NEED A NEW ONE. THEY CAN'T REBUILT IT. A NEW TRANSMISSION IS $4500. NOT INCLUDING LABOR. I GOT MY CAR IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR. I HAVE $8000. INVESTED IN IT ALREADY. MY CAR IS WORTHLESS. I AM 60 YEARS OLD. I HAVE NO STEADY INCOME AT THIS TIME AND I CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY ANOTHER $6000. I CALLED VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA AND THEY INFORMED ME THEY WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. MY DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW IS ALSO ACTING UP AND THEY WILL PAY FOR THAT, BUT REALLY, BIG DEAL. I HAVE HEARD, UNFORTUNATELY TOO LATE, THAT VW'S WITH MY KIND OF TRANSMISSION ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS AND I THINK VW OF AMERICA SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR CAR ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY STILL HAVE LOW MILES. MY CAR IS NOW CONSIDERED A THROWAWAY CAR BUT I DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY TO THROW AWAY. THIS HAS HURT ME DEEPLY FINANCIALLY AND ALL VW OF AMERICA WILL OFFER ME IS A LOYALTY CUSTOMER COUPON TOWARDS A NEW CAR. IF I COULD AFFORD A NEW CAR I WOULDN'T HAVE BOUGHT A USED ONE. *TR

Mileage: 63,000

THIS CAR IS HORRIBLE! AT 70,000 MILES THE CAR WOULD JERK WHILE IT WAS DRIVING. IT WAS ESPECIALLY SCARY IF IT STARTED TO JERK/KICK WHILE ON THE FREEWAY. I GOT A NEW TRANSMISSION, NEW ENGINE. THEN 20,000 MILES LATER, IT DID IT AGAIN AND NOW VOLKSWAGEN SAID IT NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION! AGAIN! MORE JERKING, AND IT BECAME WORSE AFTER I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET IT FIXED "UNDER WARRANTY" I WILL COMPLAIN TO THE BBB AS WELL. HORRIBLE THAT I PUT SO MUCH MONEY IN ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THE CAR STILL WONT WORK. SAFETY PROBLEMS AS WELL. *TR

Mileage: 96,000

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR STOP AND GO-WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT TO THE NEXT GEAR-THE RPMS WOULD REV AND FINALLY THE NEXT GEAR WOULD "CATCH" REALLY SLAM INTO GEAR AND THE CAR WOULD SHIFT. I HAD MANY NEAR MISS ACCIDENTS DUE TO MY CAR FAILING TO MOVE FORWARD IN TRAFFIC. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND EACH TIME THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. I FINALLY DROVE IT DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER WHILE THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AND THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO "WITNESS" THE PROBLEM, THE REPAIR WAS MADE-REPLACED TRANSMISSION PARTS AT 62,000 MILES. NOW AT 80,000 MILES, THE CAR DOES 2 THINGS-WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THE CAR FEELS AS IF IT HAS LOST POWER-THE CAR STAYS ON, BUT THERE IS NO POWER TO THE ENGINE-STEP ON THE GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENS-NO RPMS, NOTHING, THE CAR SLOWS DOWN IMMEDIATELY, BUT BECAUSE IT HAPPENS SO SUDDENLY, CARS THAT ARE FOLLOWING ME DON'T ALWAYS REACT IN TIME AND I HAVE ALMOST BEEN REAR ENDED-AFTER A FEW SECONDS ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR WILL REGAIN POWER. THE 2ND PROBLEM HAPPENS RANDOMLY-AS I AM DRIVING, THE CAR JUST SHUTS OFF. ALL OF THE DASH LIGHTS FLASH ON AND THE CAR DIES-NO POWER STEERING, NOTHING, JUST A DEAD CAR. I HAVE TO PUT THE CAR IN GEAR, TURN EVERYTHING OFF (RADIO, AIR ETC), AND TURN THE CAR BACK ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED DURING A LEFT TURN, AT A STOP SIGN, WHILE DRIVING ON THE STREET. AGAIN VW MECHANIC FINDS NOTHING ON THE COMPUTER. THIS CAR IS A LEMON-I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 2 BATTERIES, SEVERAL HEADLIGHTS, TAIL AND TURN LIGHTS, AIR BAG SENSORS, ALL 4 WINDOW REGULATORS, PLUS 2 OF THE SAME WINDOW REGULATORS TWICE, TRUNK LATCH, REAR ASHTRAY HOLDER, CONVERTIBLE STRAPS, REAR CONVERTIBLE WINDOW CLIPS, AND NOW WHENEVER IT RAINS MY CAR LEAKS. I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THE CAR IN IT'S CURRENT CONDITION, AFRAID TO CAUSE OR BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE, PLEASE HELP. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

RECALL FOR TRANSMISSION VALVE, BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP, REPLACED VALVE AND THEN TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. VW SAID THIS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE VALVE BEING REPLACED AND WOULD NOT COVER THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH WAS 6500 IN ADDITION TO ANOTHER 1500. WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE CAR IS NOW JUST SUDDENLY LOSING ALL POWER AT RED LIGHTS OR WHENEVER STOPPED, THIS IS A REAL ROAD HAZARD, IT IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. THESE 2005 VW ARE DANGEROUS CARS ON THE ROAD. VW NEEDS TO STEP UP AND REIMBURSE FOLKS FOR THE TRANSMISSION SO THAT THEY CAN GO AND GET NEW CARS. IT'S DIFFICULT IN THESE TIMES TO BE ABLE TO GO AND GET A NEW CAR WHEN I HAVE JUST SOCKED 8000 INTO THIS ONE. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT VW IS GETTING AWAY WITH THIS TRANSMISSION ISSUE, JUST UNBELIEVABLE. AND THE CAR WILL GO BACK IN THE SHOP AGAIN NEXT WEEK. I AM REALLY ASKING FOR THIS GOVERNMENT AGENCY TO INVESTIGATE AND DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR ALL VW BEETLE OWNERS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THIS. THE RECALL IS SURELY A COVER UP FOR THE REAL ISSUE, A "FAULTY" TRANSMISSION. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

INTERMITTENT HARD SHIFTS BETWEEN 4TH AND 5TH GEAR WITH OCCASIONAL SLIPPING BETWEEN 4TH AND 5TH GEAR AND ALSO GETTING STUCK IN 4TH GEAR WHICH REQUIRED STOPPING ON SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING IT. TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. AFTER RESEARCHING IT SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. DEALER TOLD US THAT VALVE BODY REPLACEMENT WAS NOT AN OPTION BECAUSE THE HARD SHIFTS WERE BETWEEN 4TH AND 5TH, NOT 1ST AND 2ND. CONTACTED VW OF AMERICA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP. THE WEEK PRIOR TO TAKING OUR BEETLE IN FOR SERVICING, WE TOOK OUR 2002 JETTA IN AND WAS TOLD IT ALSO NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION! *TR

Mileage: 61,500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR $4000. THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR RELATED WARRANTIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

Mileage: 55,000

2005 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. "JUMPS" FORWARD SUDDENLY AND ALMOST HITS CAR IN FRONT OR BACK IF IN REVERSE. HAVE TOLD VW THIS SINCE I PURCHASED WITH 1200 MILES ON IT. VW NEVER ACKNOWLEDGES A PROBLEM. IT IS OBVIOUSLY A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 1,246

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTING ABNORMALLY HARD. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED YET THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM BUT THE VEHICLE COMPUTER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000.

Mileage: 49,000

SLIPPAGE IN THE TRANSMISSION BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR CAUSING JERKING AND SLOWING. THIS CAUSES UNPREDICTABLE VEHICLE PERFORMANCE WHICH IS A CLEAR SAFETY HAZARD THAT COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, INJURY OR DEATH. REPLACING THE VALVE BODY AS VW HAS INDICATED IT "MIGHT"--IF YOUR VEHICLE MEETS CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS--WILL NOT FIX THIS PROBLEM PERMANENTLY. THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION IS AT FAULT AND MUST BE COMPLETELY REPLACED TO ENSURE SAFETY OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS.

Mileage: 74,788

I BOUGHT MY 2005 VOLKWAGEN BEETLE IN 2005. I EXPERIENCED HARD DOWN SHIFTING FROM 3RD TO 1ST WITHIN THE 1ST YEAR OF OWNING THE CAR. I TOOK IT IN TO [XXX] IN SNELLVILLE GEORGIA WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR. THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS NORMAL. YEAR AFTER YEAR, THE SHIFTING GOT WORSE. IT WOULD HAPPEN RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING. NOW AFTER 100,000 MILES, THE SHIFTING IS SO BAD, I CAN BARELY DRIVE THE CAR. IT NOW SHIFTS HARD FROM EVERY GEAR. EVERY TIME MY CAR HAS TO SLOW DOWN OR SPEED UP FROM A STOP LIGHT, IT JERKS SO HARD IT THROWS ME FORWARD. IT'S RIDICULOUS AND SCARY. SOMETIMES, WHILE ACCELERATING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, IT WILL JUST STOP, AND I HAVE TO LET OFF THE GAS AND JUST PAUSE AND WAIT A SECOND AND THEN SPEED UP AGAIN. IT'S DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT THIS POINT, BUT I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PUT IN A NEW TRANSMISSION. I RECENTLY GOT A LETTER FROM VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA STATING THAT THEY'RE FIXING CERTAIN BEETLE'S TRANSMISSIONS, AND MY 2005 WAS ONE OF THEM! I WAS SO EXCITED, BUT AS I READ ON, THE LETTER EXPLAINED THAT THE BEETLE HAD TO BE UNDER 100,000 MILES OR UNDER 7YEARS OLD. WELL OF COURSE MY BUG WAS 400 MILES OVER 100,000 MILES!!!! I CALLED VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA FAXED THEM DOCUMENTATION THAT MY CAR HAD BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AT 50,000 MILES, AND I WAITED 6 WEEKS TO HEAR ANYTHING BACK. FINALLY, THEY SENT ME A LETTER DENYING ME OF A NEW TRANSMISSION BECAUSE I WAS 400 MILES OVER 100,000 MILES! THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS! THEY CANNOT GET AWAY WITH THIS. WE NEED TO FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA!!!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 50,000

2005 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE [XXX] PURCHASED IN THE FALL OF 2004; MULTIPLE REQUESTS FOR SERVICE TO DEALER GOSSETT VOLKSWAGEN / MEMPHIS, TN REGARDING HARD SHIFTING TIPTRONIC AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STARTED REPORTING THIS JAN 2005 AT 198 MILES BUT I HAVE RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT THE SERVICE ADVISOR WAS NOT RECORDING MY COMPLAINT, DESCRIBING VISITS AS "30 DAY INSPECTION"; ONLY DOCUMENTATION OF PROGRAMMING OF SHIFT POINTS AT 59860 MILES ACCORDING TO THEIR RECORDS DATED 7/17/08; NOTHING HELPED; MULTIPLE REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE FROM DEALER IGNORED DEALER CLAIMING COULD NOT DUPLICATE ISSUE. PROBLEM CAUSED HESITATION IN TRAFFIC; INVOLUNTARY JERKING AND SOMETIMES SUDDEN FORWARD MOTION OF CAR. ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION HAD TO PULL CAR OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD TO SHUT IT DOWN. PROBLEM RESOLVED WHEN CAR BELOW NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE THEN MANIFESTS AT NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. DEALER STATED "UNABLE TO DUPLICATE" UNTIL AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED THEN DECLARED TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITHOUT OPENING SO-CALLED SEALED UNIT TO DIAGNOSE. VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA ISSUED RECALL ON TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY LATE LAST YEAR; REFUSED TO REPAIR MY VEHICLE THIS JANUARY AFTER 6 YEARS OF VISITS TO DEALER FOR NUMEROUS ISSUES INCLUDING THIS ONE. I ALLEGE THAT THE DEALER AND VOA KNOWINGLY SOLD THIS MODEL YEAR WITH A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AS MANY OWNERS OF PREVIOUS AND SAME MODEL YEARS HAVE FREQUENTLY POSTED ACCOUNTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM ON VARIOUS CONSUMER WEBSITES INCLUDING YOUR OWN; APPEALING FOR YOUR INTERVENTION IN THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE CAR IS NOW PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. I HAVE ALSO FILED A COMPLAINT AT THE STATE OF TENNESSEE CONSUMER AFFAIRS AGENCY ALLEGING THAT GOSSETT VOLKSWAGEN AND VOA HAVE ENGAGED IN A FRAUDULENT PATTERN OF AVOIDING RESPONSIBILITY FOR A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE EXPENSE OF NECESSARY REPAIRS. THIS CAR IS PARKED AND IS NO LONGER BEING DRIVEN BECAUSE IT WILL STALL, LURCH, AND ACCELERATE AND DECELERATE ERRATICALLY BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *TR

VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE, 2005 MODEL WITH 105,000 MILES. TRANSMISSION FAILING CAUSING HARD SHIFTING AND SLIPPING GEARS RESULTING IN CAR LURCHING, SUDDEN DOWN SHIFTS AND PAUSING UNEXPECTEDLY IN TRAFFIC. CAUSED REAREND IMPACT WHEN VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. AS TOLD BY THE VW DEALER THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NEW BEETLE 6SPD TIPTRONIC TRANSMISSION, ONE THAT VW WILL NOT ADMIT NOR CORRECT. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE FOR SOME TIME FINDING THAT THERE IS NO QUESTION AS TO WHETHER A NEW BEETLE OWNER WILL HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS RATHER WHEN THE PROBLEM WILL BEGIN. WHILE I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE HOW MANY IF ANY ACCIDENTS HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THIS ISSUE I DO KNOW THERE IS A GREAT CONCERN AMONGST THESE VEHICLE OWNERS THAT ACCIDENTS WILL OCCUR. VW SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL ALL THESE VEHICLES AND CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 105,000

I CURRENTLY OWN A 2005 VW BEETLE WITH 72,000 MILES. ABOUT ONE YEAR AGO, IT BEGAN TO VIOLENTLY JERK BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES OF CITY DRIVING. WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, THE CAR WOULD STALL, THEN BUCK FORWARD AS IF I WAS BEING REAR-ENDED. THE LEVEL OF UNRELIABILITY IS REALLY DANGEROUS, BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO SPEED UP LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO. I'M IN CONSTANT FEAR THAT I WILL GET REAR ENDED OR STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. I'VE TAKEN IT TO TWO MECHANICS AND TALKED TO TWO TRANSMISSION SPECIALISTS AND ALL OF THEM HAVE SAID THAT THEY WON'T WORK ON A VW BEETLE'S TRANSMISSION AND THAT I NEED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. I'VE TRIED AIDING THE PROBLEM WITH A NEW BATTERY, BUT THAT HASN'T HELPED. OTHER COMPLAINTS ONLINE (300 ON TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM) HAVE STATED THAT REPAIRS FOR THIS PROBLEM ARE $5,000-$7,000 AND THAT IT HASN'T ALWAYS FIXED THE PROBLEM.

Mileage: 72,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH THE RPMS WOULD INCREASE, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ANY FASTER CAUSING IT TO HESITATE. SHE ALSO NOTICED THAT WHEN TRYING TO PARALLEL PARK IT WOULD HESITATE BEFORE GOING INTO GEAR AND IT WAS HARDER TO SHIFT. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT SHE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION BODY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 39,900 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 44,000.

Mileage: 39,900

THIS IS ON A CAR WITH A 1.9L BEW ENGINE AND 6 SPEED DSG GEARBOX. PROBLEM EMERGED AS A ROUGH IDLE (LIKE A CYLINDER WAS MISSING) AND KNOCKING SOUNDS WHILE AT IDLE AND DURING ENGINE SHUTDOWN AS ENGINE COMES TO A STOP. CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALER AND DEALER DIAGNOSED AS FAILING DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL, $1398 TO FIX. I GOT LUCKY AND MINE DIDN'T EXPLODE/DISINTEGRATE AS SOME OTHERS HAVE, ALTHOUGH I DON'T KNOW YET IF IT HAS CAUSED OTHER DAMAGE TO ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION. CAR HAS 73,000 MILES ON IT AND IS OUT OF WARRANTY, SPENT EXTRA MONEY ON EXTENDED WARRANTY WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW TO HOPEFULLY AVOID SITUATIONS LIKE THIS - THE LONGEST WARRANTY I WAS OFFERED WAS 7 YEARS OR 70,000 MILES. VW HAS RE-DESIGNED THE DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL TO IMPROVE IT AND THEY HAVE RECALLED THE CARS IN OTHER COUNTRY'S BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE BUT NOT HERE IN THE U.S. THEY OBVIOUSLY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM, OTHERWISE WHY THE RE-DESIGNED PART OR RECALL? THE FAILING FLYWHEEL COULD ALSO CAUSE SEVER DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE. *TR

Mileage: 72,500

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2005 VOLKSWAGEN CONVERTIBLE BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FORWARD AND DOWNWARD SHIFT ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED TO GIVE $1,500 TOWARDS THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

Mileage: 48,000

I CURRENTLY OWN A 2005 VW BEETLE WITH 96,000 MILES. BEFORE ME, THE CAR WAS OWNED BY MY PARENTS SINCE IT WAS BOUGHT IN 2005. ABOUT ONE YEAR AGO, IT BEGAN TO VIOLENTLY JERK BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND GEAR AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES OF CITY DRIVING. WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, THE CAR WOULD STALL, THEN BUCK FORWARD AS IF I WAS BEING REAR-ENDED. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO AAMCO, PLUS 3 ADDITIONAL TRANSMISSION SPECIALISTS IN THAT TIME. TO DATE, I HAVE SPENT $1,100 TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION SERVICED AND THE SHIFTER REPLACED. THE PROBLEM HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORSE AND THE CAR NOW VIOLENTLY JERKS FROM SECOND GEAR INTO THIRD GEAR AND HESITATES ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN FIFTH AND SIXTH GEAR. IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, I'VE NEARLY BEEN REAR-ENDED TWICE IN 2010 ALONE. THIS IS A DAILY OCCURRENCE. TO DATE, VOLKSWAGEN HAS ESSENTIALLY REFUSED TO STAND BEHIND ITS PRODUCT. THOUGH THE VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA HAS EXTENDED ME A 7-YEARS OR 100,000-MILES WARRANTY, DOUGLAS VOLKSWAGEN, THE DEALERSHIP FROM WHICH THE CAR WAS BOUGHT IN NEW JERSEY REFUSES TO REPLACE THE VALVE-BODY (THE PART COVERED UNDER WARRANTY) AND HAS RECOMMENDED I PUT A NEW $8,000 TRANSMISSION IN THE CAR. THEY CLAIM THE TRANSMISSIONS MADE AFTER 2008 DO NOT HAVE THE PROBLEMS 2003 THROUGH 2007 MODELS HAD. REGARDLESS, THEY HAVE NOT TRIED TO REPLACE THE CAR'S VALVE-BODY, WHICH IS A PART OF THE TRANSMISSION. THEY SEEM TO FIND IT APPROPRIATE THAT I REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION OUT OF POCKET AT A COST HIGHER THAN THE CAR IS PRESENTLY WORTH. FOR THAT REASON I HAVE REGISTERED A COMPLAINT WITH VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA. MANY NEW BEETLE OWNERS COMPLAIN THAT THEY HAVE ALSO ENCOUNTERED SIMILAR RESISTANCE FROM VOLKSWAGEN AND HAVE BEEN PUSHED TO PAY FOR NEW TRANSMISSIONS ONLY TO REALIZE THE PROBLEM PERSISTS AFTER THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS HAVE ALREADY BEEN SPENT. THE COMPANY HAS MADE FEEBLE EFFORTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I HOPE NHTSA WILL ASSIST CONSUMERS PRESENTLY BEING POLITICKED BY VW. *TR

Mileage: 73,000

HARD SHIFTING TRANSMISSION. WV REPLACED VALVE BODY. CAUSED TRANS FAILURE. *TR

Mileage: 46,000

TRANSMISSION HARD SHIFTING RECALL. TOOK CAR INTO DEALER IN DRIVING CONDITION. CAR DIAGNOSED AND VW REPLACED VALVE BODY CAUSING TRANS FAILURE. VW REFUSING TO REPLACE TRANS. DEALER FORCING ME TO PURCHASE NEW TRANS. WOULD NOT ATTEMPT ANOTHER VALVE BODY. *TR

Mileage: 46,766

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY LUNGED FORWARD AS IT ABRUPTLY DOWNSHIFTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY HESITATE WHILE ACCELERATING AT A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE TIPTRONIC SWITCH WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO RECUR SO THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE HE WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

Mileage: 52,000

BOUGHT 2005 VW BEETLE IN DECEMBER 2008. OCTOBER 2010, CAR SHIFTING HARD AND JERKING WHILE SHIFTING INTO GEARS. LOOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING DUE TO GEARS GETTING STUCK. MECHANIC SAYS I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION WITH ONLY 40,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

Mileage: 40,000

I HAVE A 2005 BEETLE CONVERTIBLE, NEVER IN AN ACCIDENT - UP TO DATE ON ALL MAINTENANCE WITH ONLY 64,450 MILES ON IT. A WEEK OR SO THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING SO I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC. HE WAS HOPING IT WAS A SOLENOID, AND AN EASY FIX BUT IT TURNS OUT THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS A REBUILD. HE CALLED HIS TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST WHO SAID - 'I WON'T EVEN TOUCH A BEETLE, IT'S LIKE PUTTING ON ANOTHER WEDDING RING. YOU GET TIED TO THESE CARS' I HAVE HAD SEVERAL SMALL ISSUES WITH THE CAR, AND ONE BIG ISSUE WHICH MY DEALERSHIP TOOK CARE OF DURING MY WARRANTY PERIOD SO I HAD BEEN SATISFIED WITH VW'S RESPONSE AT LEAST IN THE PAST, BUT A LIGHTLY DRIVEN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT BE FAILING 4500 MILES OUTSIDE THE CARS WARRANTY..AND THE FACT THAT TRANSMISSION SPECIALISTS RECOGNIZE THIS AS A FREQUENT AND RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE MODEL MAKES ME THINK THERE IS CAUSE FOR RECALL. SEARCHING FOR BEETLE TRANSMISSION PROMPTS MESSAGE BOARDS WITH HUNDREDS OF ENTRIES ON THE TOPIC AND IN MANY CASES, PEOPLE ARE IN THE 'JUST OVER 60,000 MILE' CATEGORY I FALL UNDER. SOME EXAMPLES: HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.F124D77 (33 PAGES OF OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE) HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/VW_BEETLE.HTML (2004-2005 BEETLE OWNERS WHO DESCRIBE THE SAME EXACT ISSUE AS I'M HAVING). *TR

Mileage: 64,450

TRANSMISSION IN 2005 VW BEETLE WITH 60,000 MILES ON IT IS SUDDENLY FAILING TO SHIFT. RESEARCH INDICATES THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE YET VW REFUSES TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. I EXPLAINED THAT THE SAFETY ASPECT OF THIS WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THEIR RESPONSE WAS TO OVER TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF MORE THAN THE CURRENT VALUE OF THE CAR. *TR

Mileage: 59,000

AT APPROXIMATELY 75K MILES, 2005 VW BEETLE BEGAN VIOLENT LURCHING UPON SLOWING DOWN, RESULTING IN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT TRANSMISSION ISSUES WITH THIS MODEL/YEAR - LOCAL DEALER DENIED KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PROBLEM. VEHICLE TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND IS UNDERGOING A TRANSMISSION REBUILD QUOTED AT APPROXIMATELY $3,500.00. *TR

Mileage: 75,000

2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING - LESS THAN 85,000 MILES. AT APPROXIMATELY 60K MILES I NOTICED A JERKING WHEN I WOULD SLOW. THE JERKING WOULD OCCUR WHILE THE CAR WAS SLOWING BETWEEN 3RD AND 2ND GEAR. THAT SEEMED TO IRON ITSELF OUT, BUT THEN A NEW PROBLEM SURFACED - THE CAR WILL SLIP INTO NEUTRAL BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR SPORADICALLY. AT 80K MILES, I TOOK MY CAR TO MY MECHANIC - HE TOLD ME IT COULD BE DUE TO LOW TRANSMISSION FLUID. HE CHECKED MY LEVELS AND SAID ALL SEEMED TO BE IN ORDER. NOW (A MONTH LATER) IT OCCURS MORE RECENTLY (DAILY AND MORE THAN ONCE A DAY), MY CAR WILL TRANSITION SMOOTHLY BETWEEN GEARS UNTIL TRANSMISSION WARMS UP. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 10 - 15 MINUTES WORTH OF DRIVING, ACCELERATING BETWEEN 2 AND 3RD GEAR, THE CAR REVS LIKE IT HAS SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL AND WILL JERK VIOLENTLY INTO 3RD GEAR. WHEN I CAN TELL THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING, I REMOVE MY FOOT FROM THE GAS, ALLOW THE RPMS TO RETURN TO NORMAL AND THEN TRY ACCELERATING AGAIN, NORMALLY THIS WILL ALLOW THE CAR TO SMOOTHLY TRANSITION TO 3RD GEAR. TODAY, HOWEVER, THE CAR REMAINED IN NEUTRAL AND ALTHOUGH I TOOK MY FOOT FROM THE GAS, THE ENGINE SEEMED TO CONTINUE TO REV AS IF MY FOOT WAS STILL PRESSING ON THE GAS. I PRESSED THE BREAK TO STOP THE RPMS FROM CLIMBING HIGHER AND THEN THE CAR JERKED INTO 3RD - THIS WAS BY FAR THE SCARIEST BECAUSE I HAD A CAR RIGHT BEHIND ME. IMPROMPTU BREAKING AND LURCHING COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT HAD I BEEN IN TIGHTER TRAFFIC. I WAS ONLY GOING 25 MILES PER HOUR. I CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN AND FORMALLY SUBMITTED A COMPLAINT. I'VE ALSO GONE ON SEVERAL VEHICLE FORUMS AND FOUND I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL OF VW BEETLE THAT IS EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE. I TOOK MY CAR TO MY MECHANIC TODAY TO FIND OUT A DIAGNOSIS. HOPING SOMEONE ELSE HAS HEARD OF THIS AND FOUND A MORE VIABLE SOLUTION OTHER THAN SOAKING $6K INTO A 5-YEAR OLD CAR. *TR

Mileage: 82,000

AUTO TRANSMISSION ON 2005 VW BEETLE SLIPS AND LEAVES ME WITH NO POWER ON THE INTERSTATE AND HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN TOWN. *TR

Mileage: 81,438

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2005 VW BEETLE. AT APPROXIMATELY 89,000 MILES I NOTICED A LURCHING BETWEEN GEARS. THIS WOULD OCCUR ONLY AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES OF DRIVING. I AM NOT A MECHANIC BUT SUSPECTED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN MY CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A FEE OF $95.00 I WAS TOLD THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED. SINCE THE 2005 BEETLE CONVERTIBLE WAS BUILT WITH A NON-SERVICEABLE TRANSMISSION THE VW MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT I COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION FROM 'GOING UP' EARLY. THE MECHANIC ALSO SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD HAVE LASTED SEVERAL MORE YEARS BEFORE HAVING ANY ISSUES. I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW IN APRIL 2005, AND I DO NOT HAVE THE $6,000.00 IT WILL COST TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS OUT THERE FOR THE SAME ISSUE ON THE SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR SHOULDN'T THIS BE SOMETHING THAT VW IS REQUIRED TO FIX? ONE OTHER INCIDENT I WANT TO MENTION IS THAT WITHIN THE FIRST 2 YEARS OF OWNING MY 2005 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. SINCE THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND HAD THEM LOOK AT IT. I WAS TOLD THAT THE SWITCH HAD TO BE RESET AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR. HOWEVER, THEY NEVER DOCUMENTED THIS COMPLAINT AT ALL SO WHEN I WENT BACK WITH THE SAME PROBLEM JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER MY WARRANTY EXPIRED. I WAS TOLD THEY HAD NO RECORD OF THE COMPLAINT AND THEY WOULD CHARGE ME OVER $100.00 JUST TO LOOK AT IT. NOW THAT I AM RESEARCHING THE TRANSMISSION I SEE THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS VERY THING AND I WAS NEVER INFORMED, NOR WAS THE LIGHT EVER FIXED. AFTER ALL THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS JUST A TRIPPED SWITCH AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG, JUST A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN SO I DIDN'T WORRY ABOUT IT ' UNTIL NOW. *TR

Mileage: 89,000

AROUND 80,000 MY 2005 VW BEETLE BEGAN SHIFTING REALLY HARD. IT JERKS BETWEEN GEARS, AND HAS RECENTLY BEEN GETTING STUCK IN FIRST AND THIRD GEAR. SOMETIMES WHEN I DRIVE THE CAR IT IS FINE, BUT OTHER TIMES, IT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. THE LEVEL OF UNRELIABILITY IS REALLY DANGEROUS, BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO SPEED UP LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO. I'M IN CONSTANT FEAR THAT I WILL GET REAR ENDED OR STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. I'VE TAKEN IT TO TWO MECHANICS AND TALKED TO TWO TRANSMISSION SPECIALISTS AND ALL OF THEM HAVE SAID THAT THEY WON'T WORK ON A VW BEETLE'S TRANSMISSION AND THAT I NEED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. I'VE TRIED AIDING THE PROBLEM WITH A NEW BATTERY, BUT THAT HASN'T HELPED. OTHER COMPLAINTS ONLINE (300 ON TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM) HAVE STATED THAT REPAIRS FOR THIS PROBLEM ARE $5,000-$7,000 AND THAT IT HASN'T ALWAYS FIXED THE PROBLEM. *TR

WHEN SLOWING FOR A RED LIGHT THE TRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO THE LOWER GEAR..USUALLY 4 TO 3RD, BUT NOT ALWAYS IN THAT GEAR. DEALER SAID IT WAS A PROBLEM IN ALL THE TRANSMISSIONS., BUT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. DEALER DID REPLACE A THROTTLE BODY BEFORE WARRANTY RAN OUT. PROBLEM HAS RECURRED AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING IN THE GEARS. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE. JUST GOOGLE THIS PROBLEM AND SEE WHAT POPS UP. *TR

Mileage: 33,000

WHEN SLOWING FOR A RED LIGHT THE TRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO THE LOWER GEAR..USUALLY 4 TO 3RD, BUT NOT ALWAYS IN THAT GEAR. DEALER SAID IT WAS A PROBLEM IN ALL THE TRANSMISSIONS., BUT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. DEALER DID REPLACE A THROTTLE BODY BEFORE WARRANTY RAN OUT. PROBLEM HAS RECURRED AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING IN THE GEARS. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE. JUST GOOGLE THIS PROBLEM AND SEE WHAT POPS UP. *TR

Mileage: 33,000

JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE'S COMPLAINT. I HAVE A 2005 CONVERTIBLE BEETLE THAT IS JERKING, THRUSTING, GETTING STUCK IN GEARS. I DRIVE THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MIN AND THEN IT STARTS LIKE CLOCKWORK. I HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP FOR 2 WEEKS AND SPENT $1400 REPLACING EVERYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. NOTHING SHOWS UP ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE (NO CODES) THEY TELL ME. I AM ASTOUNDED AT ALL THE COMPLAINTS I'M SEEING ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION DEFECT. MY CAR HAS 83,000 MILES AND I CANNOT PAY $4000 - $5000 TO FIX. I WILL BE OUT OF TRANSPORTATION AND OUT OF A JOB. WHAT IS BEING DONE BY VOLKSWAGEN TO FIX THIS DEFECT. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!!! *TR

Mileage: 83,000

I CURRENTLY OWN A 2005 VW BEETLE WITH 56,000 MILES ON IT. I'M HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS THAT HAVE PUT MY LIFE IN DANGER. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FROM GEAR TO GEAR THERE IS A LONG DELAY IN BETWEEN, THIS THEN MAKES THE ENGINE REV TO HIGH RPM'S. ONCE IT REACHES A HIGH RPM IT'LL ENGAGE THE NEXT GEAR CAUSE THE CAR TO JUMP. WHEN THE GEAR DROPS INTO A HIGH RPM IT ALSO CAUSES THE TIRES TO SLIP AND SKID AS WELL AS MAKING THE CAR HARD TO STEER. MOST OF THE TIME IT WILL GET STUCK IN BETWEEN GEARS WHICH MAKES THE CAR IN NEUTRAL EVEN THOUGH IT'S IN DRIVE. I HAVE BEEN STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY DO TO THE TRANSMISSION NOT CHANGING INTO GEAR. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR INTO VW SERVICE CENTER AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME IT'S BECAUSE OF LOW TRANSMISSION FLUID AND A BAD VALVE BODY. THESE TWO PROBLEMS ALONE COST OVER 2,000 DOLLARS. VW CLAIMS TO HAVE A CLOSED TRANSMISSION THAT DOES NOT NEEDS SERVICE, BUT MY BEETLE HAVING 56,000 MILES ON IT NEEDS ALL THESE WORK DONE. THEY ARE STILL NOT COMPLETELY POSITIVE IF THAT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. VW NEEDS TO FIX THIS DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION THAT HAS CAUSED THOUSANDS OF BEETLE OWNERS TO PUT THEIR LIFE IN DANGER AND OTHER LIFE'S IN DANGER. VW MAKING BEETLE OWNERS PAY FOR REPAIRS ON A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THEY NEED TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY PRODUCED A DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE PRODUCT. *TR

Mileage: 56,000

COMPONENT: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DETAILS: ISSUE HAS NOT YET CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BUT WILL. VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE, 2005 MODEL WITH FEWER THAN 57,00.00 MILES. TRANSMISSION FAILING CAUSING HARD SHIFTING AND SLIPPING GEARS RESULTING IN CAR LURCHING AND PAUSING UNEXPECTEDLY. FROM MY INVESTIGATION THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NEW BEETLE, ONE THAT VW WILL NOT ADMIT NOR CORRECT. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE FOR SOME TIME FINDING THAT THERE IS NO QUESTION AS TO WHETHER A NEW BEETLE OWNER WILL HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS RATHER WHEN THE PROBLEM WILL BEGIN. WHILE I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE HOW MANY IF ANY ACCIDENTS HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THIS ISSUE I DO KNOW THERE IS A GREAT CONCERN AMONGST THESE VEHICLE OWNERS THAT ACCIDENTS WILL OCCUR. VW SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL ALL VEHICLES THAT USE THESE 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS AND CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *DT *TR

Mileage: 50,000

MY 2005 VW NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE WITH TRIPTONIC TRANSMISSION, WITH ONLY 68,300 MILES, LURCHES IN THE LOWER GEARS AFTER THE CAR WARMS UP AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES. THE CAR WILL NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY BETWEEN THE LOWER GEARS AND OFTEN REVS UP TO 5000 RPM BEFORE IT "SLAMS" INTO HIGHER GEAR. I'M AFRAID TO GO ON ANY HIGHWAYS WITH THIS - WHAT HAPPENS IF IT GET STUCK IN GEAR AND I CAN'T STOP? *TR

Mileage: 68,300

OUR SON BEGAN HAVING TRANSMISSION JERKING ON HIS AUTOMATIC 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE AROUND 75,000 MILES. THE SHIFTING CAN BE SO SEVERE AS IF THE CAR HAD BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND. WHEN TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS NEVER CHECKED BECAUSE IT IS COMPLETELY ENCASED AND THE FLUID IS NEVER CHECKED WHEN SERVICED. WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD BE ABOUT $5000. TO REPAIR. *TR

Mileage: 75,000

2005 VW BEETLE WITH MAJOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE TRANNY WILL NOT SHIFT ON TIME AND WHEN IT DOES IT JERKS THE CAR. IT WILL ALSO STALL DURING ACCELERATION AND LEAVES ME STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE CAR WILL NOT MOVE WHEN YOU NEED IT TOO. THE ISSUE SEEMS TO GET WORSE MORE AND MORE. *TR

Mileage: 82,836

2005 VW BEETLE BEGAN HAVING SHIFTING ISSUES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK IT TO DRIVER'S EDGE. CODES FROM COMPUTER WERE SENSOR RELATED AND TUNE UP NEEDED. I PAID FOR THE TUNE UP AND THE NEXT WEEK I TOOK TO VW DUE TO HARD SHIFTING. CODE WAS CLEARED SO THEY SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. I STILL HAD ISSUES SO I RETURNED THE CAR THEN SUDDENLY I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. MY CAR ONLY HAS 77K SO I THOUGHT $6000 WAS EXTREME. STARTED LOOKING INTO THE ISSUE AND APPARENTLY IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM. PREVIOUS CODE ON CAR WAS IGNITION COIL SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IT WENT FROM A POSSIBLE RECALL ISSUE TO NEEDING A WHOLE NEW TRANSMISSION. *TR

Mileage: 76,000

2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE AUTOMATIC HAS TROUBLE GOING FROM FIRST GEAR TO SECOND GEAR AROUND 20MPH. JERKS HARD WHEN CHANGING GEARS AND SOMETIMES MAKES A LOUD NOISE AND DOES NOT CHANGE GEARS. WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO STALL AT TIMES. OTHER TIMES IT STAYS STUCK BETWEEN GEARS AND I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND WAIT A FEW MINUTES BEFORE I CAN START DRIVING AGAIN. *TR

Mileage: 101,345

2005 NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE TRANSMISSION STARTED SHIFTING HARD AT AROUND 56,000 MILES. EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE IT WOULD SLIP OUT OF GEAR. HAD A SENSOR REPLACED. THAT HELPED SOME BUT NOW IT IS SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR AGAIN - EVERYDAY. I HAVE READ SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THIS. WHY HASN'T VW BEEN MADE TO CORRECT THESE ISSUES? *TR

Mileage: 56,000

LURCHING IN SHIFT OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WE BOUGHT AN OFF LEASE CONVERTIBLE 05 NEW BEETLE. IT DROVE FINE AT FIRST BUT WE CONTINUALLY NOTICED A LURCHING OR BUCKING SHIFTING BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND. THIS OCCURRED AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING. AFTER LOOKING UP THE ISSUE ON THE INTERNET WE FOUND IT TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. WE WERE JUST OUT OF THE MONTHLY WARRANTY BUT UNDER THE MILEAGE WARRANTY. WE TOOK IT TO OUR CERTIFIED VW MECHANIC AND HE SAID WE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AFTER DOING A DRAIN AND FILL. WE CONTACTED VW AND THEY SAID WE NEEDED A DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSIS FOR THEM TO GET INVOLVED. THE DEALERSHIP SAID WE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. VW OFFERED A GOODWILL REMEDY OF $1000 OFF A NEW BEETLE. WE TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALTY SHOP AND THEY FIXED THE VEHICLE WITH AN AFTERMARKET THROTTLEBODY KIT WITH A TOTAL COST OF $1025.00. THE KIT THEY USED ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM OF THE SHIFT PRESSURE. I DON'T BELIEVE THE OLD PART IS AVAILABLE. SO FAR NO PROBLEMS. *TR

Mileage: 53,000

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2005 VW NEW BEETLE GLS TDI FAILED. THE AUTO SHOP CANNOT FIND AN EXTERNAL CAUSE FOR THE FAILURE. THEY SAY THE FLYWHEEL "EXPLODED" THE INTERNAL PART OF THE TRANSMISSION AND EVEN BROKE THE TRANSMISSION CASE OPEN. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE IN TERMS OF NOISES OR PERFORMANCE. THE CAR HAS ONLY 86,000 MILES ON IT AND IS DRIVEN MAINLY ON THE HIGHWAY. I AM HAVING THE CAR REPAIRED AT A COST OF ABOUT $6,500. DESPITE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS BY OTHER CUSTOMERS, VW HAS NOT YET RECALLED THIS CAR, BUT DEFINITELY SHOULD! *TR

Mileage: 86,000

I BOUGHT A 2005 VW BEETLE WITH 50,000 MILES ON IT. IT DROVE GREAT UNTIL ABOUT 70,000+ MILES WHEN IT STARTING HARD SHIFTING. IT IS HARD SHIFTING WHEN GEARING UP FROM 2ND TO 3RD AND WHEN IT GEARS DOWN FROM 4TH TO 3RD. IT HAPPENS EVERYTIME I DRIVE THE CAR. *TR

Mileage: 70,000

MY PARENTS PURCHASED A 2005 NEW BEETLE FROM VOLKSWAGEN FOR ME WHEN I GOT MY PERMIT IN 2006. THE TRANSMISSION IS NOW FAILING. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD COST OVER $6000 TO REPLACE. IT SHIFTS HARD AND JERKILY. UPSET ABOUT THIS PROBLEM I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND DISCOVERED I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS PROBLEM. I FOUND MANY OTHER DRIVERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT AT THIS WEBSITE: HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.F124D77/0 . IF THIS IS SUCH A COMMON ISSUE WHY IS THERE NO RECALL? I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR TO SCHOOL BECAUSE I AM AFRAID OF IT FAILING WHILE ON THE FREEWAY WITH ALL THE FAST MOVING CARS. I'M IN COLLEGE AND CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY VOLKSWAGEN HASN'T RECALLED THIS. IS IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO PAY TO FIX ALL OF OUR CARS THAT THEY BUILT POORLY? I DON'T THINK IT'S MY FAULT THAT THEY BUILT AN INFERIOR PRODUCT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

Mileage: 98,000

MY 2005 VW NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE WITH TRIPTONIC TRANSMISSION, WITH ONLY 56,300 MILES, LURCHES IN THE LOWER GEARS AFTER THE CAR WARMS UP AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES. THE CAR WILL NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY BETWEEN THE LOWER GEARS AND OFTEN REVS UP TO 5000 RPM BEFORE IT "SLAMS" INTO HIGHER GEAR. VW DEALERSHIP IN OKLAHOMA CITY ASSERTS "WE CAN REPLICATE THE PROBLEM". PLEASE HELP! *TR

Mileage: 56,000

I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE FROM VOLKSWAGEN AROUND AUGUST OF 2008. MY CAR BEGAN TO SHOW SIGNS OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE SHORTLY AFTER MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHILE UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY STATED IT WAS NOTHING. IT BEGAN TO GET WORSE BUT THEY ASSURED ME I JUST NEED TO GET MY TRANSMISSION SERVICED AND I DID. IT BEGAN GRADUALLY FROM SKIPPING GEARS TO JUMPING INTO NEUTRAL AND LOSING POWER WHILE DRIVING. THE FAILURE OCCURS VERY OFTEN NOW. I CANNOT DRIVE MY CAR FOR MORE THAN 15 MINUTES WITHOUT BEING STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR A SHORT PERIOD. I NOTICED THAT AS SOON AS THE TRANSMISSION WARMS UP FROM DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION GOES INTO NEUTRAL. I BEGAN DOING SOME RESEARCH INTO THIS PROBLEM AND NOTICED THAT THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM WITH VOLKSWAGEN BEETLES TRANSMISSION, WHICH RESULTED IN A RECALL. I HAVE A 6 SPEED TRANSMISSION AND THE SAME SYMPTOMS TAKE PLACE. WE HAVE LOOKED FOR QUOTES ON REPLACEMENT OF SENSORS, REBUILT TRANSMISSIONS, BUT WE ARE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT MAY BE BECAUSE TRANSMISSION WORK IS REALLY EXPENSIVE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS!!! *TR

I AM AN ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2005 VW BEETLE. STARTED NOTICING THE TRANSMISSION, HESITATING AND SLAMMING INTO GEAR, MAINLY WITH 3RD AND 4TH GEAR. THE PROBLEM IS WORSENING, NOW AT 75,000 MILES I EITHER NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION OR AT MINIMUM, A NEW FLYWHEEL. I HAVE SEEN THOUSANDS OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS AND FEEL THIS IS A DEFECT. *TR

Mileage: 64,000

2005 VW BEETLE WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, WIRING PROBLEMS AND LIGHTING PROBLEMS. SEEMS LIKE THIS IS IN A LOT OF BEETLES THAT ARE ON THE ROAD. TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 80,000 MILES... THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM AND THE VW COMPANY SEEMS NOT TO CARE. SINCE CAR BOUGHT MULTIPLE PROBLEMS, WHICH VW HAS FIXED MOST OF THEM. THE LIGHTING HARNESS MELTED TOGETHER ON THE RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT SIDES, THIS WAS CONCERN OF MINE. WHY????, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED... WITHOUT WARNING.. TOOK IT IN FOR 80,000 MILE SERVICE PAID 600.00 AND THEN TRANSMISSION FAILS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. BUT I FEEL LIKE THERE NEEDS TO BE A PROPER INVESTIGATION INTO THE ONGOING PROBLEMS. .... MY BRAKES HAVE FAILED TO WORK IN REVERSE 3 TIMES NOW AND THIS IS SCARY.... I FINALLY GET STOPPED AND THEN HAVE TO PUMP BRAKES. NOTHING WRONG WITH THEM SO FAR WHEN TAKING INTO VW DEALER. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

2005 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE TRANSMISSION . CARS SLIPS FROM 2ND TO 3RD. JERKS HARD, COMPLAINT TO VW, WAS TOLD THIS WAS NORMAL. RPM'S SUDDENLY ESCALATE WHILE IN CONSTANT GEAR TO 4000 RPM AND THEN LEVEL OFF WHILE ALREADY IN THAT GEAR FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, ALSO WILL HAPPEN WHILE ON CRUISE. STOPS ARE ROUGH AND STARTS ARE THE SAME. 6 SPEED TRIPTRONIC. LUCKY NOT IN ACCIDENT AS OF YET BECAUSE OF DELAYS IN SHIFTING. WILL NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION AT 82,000 STARTED ACTING UP AROUND 60,000. *TR

Mileage: 82,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY LUNGED FORWARD. UPON ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE WHEN CHANGING GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE EXAMINED FOR THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE FREQUENCY OF THE FAILURES HAD INCREASED OVER TIME. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 80,000.

Mileage: 80,000

THE TRANSMISSION CONTINUOUSLY SLIPS BETWEEN 2ND & 3RD GEAR WHEN DOWNSHIFTING OR UPSHIFTING. OFTEN IT WILL NOT SHIFT AT ALL. THERE IS SEVERE LURCHING OCCASIONALLY WHEN MOVING OR COMING TO A STOP. I HAVE GOTTEN A TRANSMISSION FLUSH WHICH WITHIN DAYS THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. THE POWER WINDOWS CONTINUOUSLY DO NOT FULLY RAISE- REQUIRING YOU TO MANUALLY RAISE THEM. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FIXED TWICE AND BOTH TIMES AFTER BEING FIXED THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS. *TR

Mileage: 72,000

AFTER 15 OR SO MINUTES THE TRANSMISSION STARTS TO MISS FIRST & SECOND GEAR SHIFTING ERRATICALLY IF YOU ARE MAKING A LEFT TURN, IT IS QUITE DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT ENGAGE FOR A FEW SECONDS THIS CAN CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT, IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS & OTHER VW 2005 SUPER BEETLES HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THANKS. *TR

Mileage: 34,000

I HAVE A 2005 VW BEETLE, I JUST MADE MY LAST PAYMENT ON IT. IT HAS 102,000 MILES ON IT. THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. THE WINDOW REGULATOR HAS MESSED UP. I HAVE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS TWICE. HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIO IN IT. REPLACED THE TAIL LIGHTS NUMEROUS TIMES. THE TRANSMISSION IS THE THING I AM MOSTLY CONCERNED ABOUT. THERE ARE LOTS OF COMPLAINTS OF OTHER BUYERS DISSATISFIED WITH THEIR 2005 BEETLE. THESE CARS ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO BUY. IT IS NOT RIGHT TO BUY ANYTHING FOR THIS KIND OF MONEY AND BE FACED WITH ALL THESE EXPENSIVE PROBLEMS. WHEN THE CAR CHANGES GEARS IT SNATCHES YOUR NECK. YOUR HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *TR

Mileage: 102,000

I HAVE LESS THAN 80,000 MILES ON MY 2005 VW CONVERTIBLE BEETLE AND WAS TOLD I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION COSTING $6000. WHEN RESEARCHING, I FOUND THAT THIS MODEL IS RIDDLED WITH TRANSMISSION ISSUES. *TR

Mileage: 78,900

2005 VW BEETLE, BEGAN SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR AND THE FINAL STRAW WAS IN FAST MOVING TRAFFIC AND IT SLIPPED OUT COMPLETELY, WAS NEARLY KILLED! FOUND OUT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHOT AT 97,700 AND APPARENTLY THIS HAPPENS QUITE A BIT WITH THESE VEHICLES, TO REPLACE IS $7,500. THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE, NTSB WON'T SAY IF OR WHAT THEY ARE DOING ABOUT IT. *TR

Mileage: 97,700

I OWN A 2005 VW CONVERTIBLE BEETLE AUTOMATIC, WHICH I BOUGHT NEW IN AUGUST OF 2005. IT ONLY HAS 64,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE CAR LURCHING FORWARD OR SHIFTING VERY ROUGHLY BETWEEN FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD GEARS ON UPSHIFT AND DOWNSHIFT. IT IS EXTREMELY SCARY AND GETS PROGRESSIVELY WORSE THE WARMER THE CAR GETS. I'VE ALMOST BEEN IN ACCIDENTS SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF THE LURCHING, AND I'VE ALMOST BEEN REAR-ENDED ON THE FREEWAY BECAUSE OF GEAR SLIPPING. I'VE SPOKEN TO MY TRANSMISSION MECHANIC, AND HE STATED THAT THEY'VE SEEN THESE SAME ISSUES IN MANY OTHER VW'S. I'VE ALSO SEARCHED ONLINE, AND SEEN 100'S OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE. I CONTACTED MY VW DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THIS IS NOT A COMMON PROBLEM. AFTER DOING A LITTLE BIT OF INTERNET RESEARCH, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THAT'S TRUE. I'M HAVING TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION TO THE TUNE OF SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND THE CAR IS NOT EVEN 5 YEARS OLD. I FEEL UNSAFE AND NERVOUS DRIVING THE CAR AS DO MANY, MANY OTHERS AND I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR

Mileage: 64,000

2005 NEW BEETLE, 79,000 MILES NEEDS A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION. THE CAR SHIFTS HARD FROM GEAR TO GEAR, DOWN SHIFTS HARD, ACCELERATES ON IT'S OWN, SHIFTS INTO NEXT GEAR AND JUST REVS UP INSTEAD OF SHIFTING. THIS IS NOW OCCURRING EVERY TIME THE CAR IS DRIVEN. THE COST TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION IS $3,00 OR MORE. *TR

Mileage: 65,000

I HAVE A 2005 VW BEETLE PURCHASED NEW, I WAS DRIVING AND NOTICED JERKING BETWEEN 1ST & 2ND THEN IT STARTED STALLING GOING INTO 4TH GEAR AND A FEW DAYS AGO IT SLIPPED OUT OF 6TH GEAR IN THE CALDECOT TUNNEL, NEARLY GOT REAR ENDED! TOOK IT TO A TRANNY GUY AND HE CHECKED IT OUT. COME TO FIND OUT THE VW TECH HE CONTACTED TOLD HIM THAT THEY GO OUT AT 100,000 (CURRENTLY AT 97,700) AND IT CAN TAKE UP TO $7,500 TO REPLACE AND IT CAN'T BE FIXED. VW TECH SAID THEY DID THIS TO GET YOU TO BUY A NEW CAR. *TR

Mileage: 97,700

I PURCHASED A 2005 VW NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE IN 10/2009 AS A WAY TO "SAVE MONEY" AND TRADED IN MY SUV. IT HAD 48000 MILES AND NOW HAS 56000. IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD. I TOOK IT IN TO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP TO HAVE MY TRANS FLUID CHANGED, THINKING THAT MIGHT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. FOUND OUT THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS COMPLETELY RUINED AND NEEDED TO BE REBUILT, WHICH COST $4600+ DOLLARS. MY HUSBAND STARTED LOOKING ONLINE AND THERE ARE PAGES AND PAGES OF TESTIMONIALS REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE. WHEN I TALKED TO THE VW CUSTOMER CARE DEPT, THEY DIDN'T KNOW OF ANY PROBLEMS OR COMPLAINTS AND BECAUSE I DIDN'T GO TO A DEALERSHIP FOR MY REPAIRS, OR PURCHASE THEIR EXTENDED WARRANTY, I AM OUT OF LUCK. I'M AFRAID IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. AT LEAST I WENT TO AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP, BECAUSE LOOKING AT ALL THE COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE THAT HAD THEIR TRANSMISSIONS REPLACED AT THE VW DEALER, LOTS OF THEM ARE NEEDING THEM REPLACED AGAIN. THIS SEEMS LIKE IT SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE. ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T HAVE AN ACCIDENT, I AM THANKFUL THAT MY TRANSMISSION DIDN'T GO OUT OR ACT UP WHEN I WAS ON THE FREEWAY OR SOMEWHERE THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE MAKE VW BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS, COME TO FIND OUT, COMMON DEFECT. THE PROBLEMS STARTED PROBABLY IN 1/2010 AND JUST HAD THE TRANS REBUILT 4/2010. *TR

Mileage: 56,000

1. CAR IS 5 YEARS OLD / 40K MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING - HAVING TROUBLE SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. READ ONLINE THAT OTHER VW HAD SAME ISSUE - CLEARLY MANUFACTURING FAILURE. 2. TRANSMISSION FAILURE 3. VALVE BODY REPLACED. *TR

Mileage: 39,861

2005 VW NEW BEETLE AUTO 6 SPEED 57,000 MILES. HARD DOWNSHIFTING. THIS PROBLEM IS ONGOING. *TR

Mileage: 57,000

MY 2005 VW BUG TURBO JERKS SO VIOLENTLY BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEARS THAT I'VE NEARLY HIT A HANDFUL OF CARS WHEN I'M TRYING TO MOVE SLOWLY AHEAD IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW, HAVE SERVICED IT FAITHFULLY, IT IS A 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC AND IT ONLY JUST TURNED 50K MILES. ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHEN I FIRST NOTICED IT SHIFTING ROUGHLY BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR (BOTH UPSHIFTING AND DOWN SHIFTING) I MENTIONED IT TO MY VW SERVICE CENTER AND THEY SAID "THAT'S WHAT ALL BUGS DO," AND BRUSHED ME OFF. I'M WRITING YOU NOW BECAUSE THE JERKING HAS BECOME SO VIOLENT IT FEELS LIKE I'M BEING REAR ENDED EACH TIME IT MOVES FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. THANK YOU. *TR

Mileage: 45,000

I BOUGHT A 2005 VW NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE IN 2005 WITH THE OPTIONAL 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE CAR NOW HAS APPROX 80000 MILLES ON THE ODOMETER AND THE TRANSMISSION JERKS AND SLIPS IN ALL GEARS. THE TACHMOMETER WINDS 3000 RPMS ABOVE WHAT THE ENGINE SHOULD RUNNING AT ANY PARTICULAR SPEED WHEN THIS OCCURS. DURING THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IN TRAFFIC I PRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE CAR WILL NOT RESPOND WHICH PLACES ME AT RISK OF A COLLISION.

Mileage: 80,000

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING IN A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE WITH 71,000 MILES, I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL REPAIR SHOPS THAT THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THEM BUT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW REGULATOR BECAME DEFECTIVE AT 59,000 MILES AND WHEN I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER WAS TOLD IN ORDER FOR THEM TO ASSIST WITH PROBLEM IT MUST BE DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. DROVE 60 MILES AND WAS CHARGED $100 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM (WHICH I ALREADY KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS) AND THEN WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE THEY COULD NOT HELP ME. MANUFACTURER KNEW THE MILEAGE PRIOR TO REQUESTING ME TO TAKE TO DEALER. COST OF REPLACING A WINDOW REGULATOR $600, THERE IS A KIT THAT CAN BE INSTALLED, BUT OF COURSE THAT INFORMATION IS NOT GIVEN TO THE CUSTOMER.

ISSUE HAS NOT YET CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BUT WILL. VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE, 2005 MODEL WITH FEWER THAN 57,00.00 MILES. TRANSMISSION FAILING CAUSING HARD SHIFTING AND SLIPPING GEARS RESULTING IN CAR LURCHING AND PAUSING UNEXPECTEDLY. FROM MY INVESTIGATION THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE NEW BEETLE, ONE THAT VW WILL NOT ADMIT NOR CORRECT. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE FOR SOME TIME FINDING THAT THERE IS NO QUESTION AS TO WHETHER A NEW BEETLE OWNER WILL HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS RATHER WHEN THE PROBLEM WILL BEGIN. WHILE I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE HOW MANY IF ANY ACCIDENTS HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THIS ISSUE I DO KNOW THERE IS A GREAT CONCERN AMONGST THESE VEHICLE OWNERS THAT ACCIDENTS WILL OCCUR. VW SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL ALL VEHICLES THAT USE THESE 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS AND CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *DT

Mileage: 56,500

OWNER OF A 05 BEETLE. TRANSMISSION ISSUES STARTED AT 60,000 MILES. PUT IN A LOT OF MONEY ON REPAIRS WITHOUT REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION TO BE TOLD AFTERWARDS THE TRANS HAD TO BE REPLACED. LOOKED ONLINE AND A LOT OF 05' BEETLES ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME EFFECTS AS EARLY AS 30,000 MILES!! THE CAR IS FINE FOR THE FIRST 15 MINS THAN IT JERKS VIOLENTLY INTO 3 & 4TH GEAR. THE JERKING GETS SO BAD IT FEELS AS IF I HAD BEEN REAR ENDED. I GET PANIC ATTACKS ESPECIALLY AT STALE GREEN LIGHTS OR INTERSECTIONS IN GENERAL. I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL EVER ON MY CAR AND NOTICED ONLINE A RECALL ON THE AIRBAGS WENT INTO AFFECT ON APR 08 WHICH MY AIR BAG HAS BEEN OUT. I HAVE PAID $15,000 AND STILL HAVE $14,500 TO PAY OFF IN THE NEXT 3 YEARS WITH A PAYMENT OF $400 A MONTH!!! I CAN NOT AFFORD TO BUY A NEW TRANS FOR MY CAR. ALL THESE 05 BEETLES ARE DEFECTIVE AND VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE DUE TO THEIR TRANS FAILING AND VERY LOW MILEAGE. I HAVE ALWAYS KEPT UP WITH OIL CHANGES, TRANS FLUSHES, NEW FILTERS YOU NAME IT. I CAN NOT BELIEVE THAT THE "CAR OF MY DREAMS" GIVES ME ANXIETY ATTACKS JUST TO DRIVE IT. DRIVING IS ONE OF MY MANY MODES OF TRANSPORT EVERYDAY! PLEASE HELP VW OWNERS WITH 05' BEETLES GET OUR CARS FIXED, I AM PAYING A LOT OF MONEY FOR A CAR THAT I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

Mileage: 62,000

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2005 NEW BEETLE CONV. IN 12/08 I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR 40K MILE SERVICE AT WHICH TIME THE TRANSMISSION WAS CHECKED FOR LEAKS AND FLUID LEVEL. IN 2/10 MY TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS NO GOOD. MY PROBLEMS STARTED ABOUT LATE NOVEMBER 2009 TO DECEMBER 2009. I STARTED TO HAVE HESITATION PROBLEMS FROM TAKE OFF AND COMING TO A STOP AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES OF DRIVING. I FIRST THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS BAD GASOLINE, HOWEVER THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. I WOULD BE GOING ALONG JUST FINE AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION WOULD JERK HARD SOMETIMES TO CHANGE GEARS WHEN COMING TO A STOP. AND WOULD WHINE AND HESITATE AND JERK TO CHANGE GEARS WHEN TAKING OFF. THIS PROBLEM GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN I WAS TOLD @ 55,000 MILES I WOULD NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. SO A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS INSTALLED TO THE TUNE OF $5,700. THIS IS NOT WAS I BARGAINED FOR. *TR

Mileage: 55,403

2005 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE - SLIPS IN AND OUT OF GEAR. I HAVE BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT DID THIS AND IT ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WITH THE VEHICLES IN FONT OF ME AND BEHIND ME. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO SWERVE INTO THE RIGHT LANE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT FOR NOW. READING OTHER FORUMS ABOUT VW, IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE THAT VW IS HAVING WITH A LOT OF THEIR VEHICLES. YOUR JOB IS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, SO PLEASE DO YOUR JOB AND KEEP OUR HIGHWAYS SAFE. *TR

Mileage: 55,000

THE CAR HAS 62,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN JUST DROVE AROUND TOWN AND IS NOW HAVING TRANSMISSION ISSUES IT HAS PROBLEMS GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND WHEN I SLOW DOWN IT DOWN SHIFTS SO HARD IT FELT LIKE I WAS BEING HIT FROM BEHIND!!! I WAS SO STARTLED WHEN IT HAPPENED I HAD CHEST PAINS!!! ITS LOOKING LIKE THESE TRANSMISSIONS ARE DEFECTIVE BECAUSE THERE ARE ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM!!!!! *TR

Mileage: 62,000

I OWN A 2005 VW CONVERTIBLE BEETLE TURBO AUTOMATIC. IT ONLY HAS 45,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH THE CAR LURCHING FORWARD OR SHIFTING VERY ROUGHLY BETWEEN 1,2,3 GEARS ON UPSHIFT AND DOWNSHIFT. ITS VERY SCARY AND HAPPENS ONLY WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT 10-15 MINUTES. VW SEEMS TO BE GUESSING WHEN IT COMES TO A FIX FOR THIS ISSUE BUT AFTER READING EDMUNDS AND CONSUMER COMPLAINTS THERE ARE LOADS OF OWNERS OF THE NEW BEETLE (ALL YEARS) THAT ARE HAVING THIS EXACT PROBLEM. MINE IS IN THE DEALER SHOP NOW FOR THE 2ND TIME WITH THIS PROBLEM, 1ST THEY CHARGED ME 766.00 TO SERVICE THE TRANSMISSION (WHICH SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE DONE AS IT IS SEALED AND THE FLUID SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO BE CHANGED FROM WHAT I HAVE HEARD), I STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM...NOW THEY ARE SAYING EITHER A NEW TRANSMISSION BUT THEY ARE GOING TO TRY AND PUT IN A NEW VALVE BODY INSTEAD TO SEE IF THAT WORKS. ITS A CRAP SHOOT. I FEEL UNSAFE AND NERVOUS DRIVING THE CAR AS DO MANY, MANY OTHERS AND I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR

Mileage: 44,000

MY 2005 VW BEETLE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING AND JERKING ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. I T HAS 50+ K MILES ON IT. FINALLY TOOK IT INTO ARMSTRONG VW DEALER IN GLADSTONE OR AND WAS TOOK IT WAS THE "TRANSMISSION VALVE" AND WOULD COST MORE THAN $2000.00 TO REPAIR AND IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY!! THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT NOW TELLS ME THAT IF I PAY $550.00 FOR A COMPLETE 45K MILE TUNEUP THAT VW WILL REPLACE THE PART FOR FREE. YES, THE CAR HAS OVER 50K MILES ON IT! PLEASE NOTE THAT I HAVE THE BEETLE SERVICED AT A LOCAL GARAGE BUT THE DEALER TELLS ME THAT THE TUNEUP MUST BE DONE BY A VW DEALER! THIS IS A HOSTAGE SITUATION. IT APPEARS FROM INTERNET RESEARCH THAT MANY, MANY OWNERS OF VW BEETLES ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS LURCHING HAS NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. *CN

Mileage: 49,870

2005 VW BEETLE SLIPPING IN AND OUT OF GEARS WHEN SLOWING DOWN. *TR

Mileage: 60,000

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ALWAYS JERKS BADLY, WHENEVER I ACCELERATE AND APPLY THE BRAKES. THERE IS ALSO A LOUD THUMPING NOISE THAT IS HEARD OFTEN FROM THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE CONTACTED YOUR PHONE NUMBER TWICE AND LEFT MESSAGES, BUT NO ONE HAS EVER RETURNED MY CALLS OR LEFT MESSAGES, SO I DECIDED TO TRY TO CONTACT YOU ALL ON-LINE. *TR

I HAVE A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE. I BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP. BETWEEN 2005- 2009 I HAD MANY REPAIR PROBLEMS. THE FIRST PROBLEM WAS MY WINDOW REGULATOR WHICH COST ME $400 FOR THE PART AND LABOR. THEN I HAD ALL KINDS OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND SENSOR PROBLEMS THAT THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THEY HAVE FIXED BUT IT WILL DO THE SAME THING LIKE A WEEK OR SO LATER. NOW I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY TRANSMISSION, WHICH COSTS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX. SO FAR I HAVE BEEN TO 5 PLACES TRYING TO GET MY CAR FIXED. MY CAR IS THE ONLY TRANSPORTATION THAT I HAVE TO AND FROM SCHOOL AND WORK. IT CAN GO OUT ON ME ANY DAY. IT JERKS WILL HARD AND OFTEN CAUSES MY TIRES TO SPIN FROM THE FORCE OF THE JERK. THIS IS SO DANGEROUS. I HAVE GOT MY WINDOW REGULATOR REPLACED ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER THE MOTOR IN THE WINDOW WENT OUT WHICH COST ANOTHER $400 TO FITS. *TR

I OWN A 2005 VW BEETLE, WITH A 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER TODAY TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION VALUE BODY IN BAD AFTER ONLY 67006 MILES, COSTING $2300 DOLLARS. THEY ARE AWARE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE CARS DOESN'T SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND OR 3RD TO 4TH ON A IRREGULAR BASICS. LOOKING A VARIES WEB SITES. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT THOUSAND ARE HAVING WITH THIS CAR. PLEASE MAKE VOLKSWAGEN RECALL THESE CRAPPIE TRANSMISSIONS. THIS COULD CAUSE A ACCIDENT AT ANY TIME COSTING SOMEONE'S LIFE. THE COST TO REPAIR IS ABOUT $2400 DOLLARS. *TR

Mileage: 66,850

I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE FROM VOLKSWAGEN AROUND FEBRUARY OF 2008. MY CAR BEGAN TO SHOW SIGNS OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE SHORTLY AFTER AND BEGAN TO GET WORSE IN JUNE OF 2008. IT BEGAN GRADUALLY FROM SKIPPING GEARS TO JUMPING INTO NEUTRAL AND LOSING POWER WHILE DRIVING. THE FAILURE OCCURS VERY OFTEN NOW. I CANNOT DRIVE MY CAR FOR MORE THAN 15 MINUTES WITHOUT BEING STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR A SHORT PERIOD. I NOTICED THAT AS SOON AS THE TRANSMISSION WARMS UP FROM DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION GOES INTO NEUTRAL, AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS TURN ON. LUCKILY MY JOB IS REALLY CLOSE TO MY HOUSE. MY BOYFRIEND BEGAN DOING SOME RESEARCH INTO THIS PROBLEM AND NOTICED THAT THIS IS COMMON IN NEWER VOLKSWAGEN MODELS THAT INVOLVE THE DSG TRANSMISSION, WHICH RESULTED IN A RECALL. I HAVE A 6 SPEED TECHTONIC TRANSMISSION AND THE SAME SYMPTOMS TAKE PLACE. WE HAVE LOOKED FOR QUOTES ON REPLACEMENT OF SENSORS, REBUILT TRANSMISSIONS, BUT WE ARE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT MAY BE BECAUSE TRANSMISSION WORK IS REALLY EXPENSIVE. THIS IS NOT NORMAL FOR A CAR WITH WAY LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS WOULD BE HAPPENING TO A CAR THAT HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. *TR

Mileage: 28,000

2005 VW BEETLE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING---SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD, ENGINE REVS AND TRANS SLAMS INTO 3RD. GIVES NO WARNING. HASN'T DEVELOPED A NOTICEABLE PATTERN. WITH JUST UNDER 47,000 MILES THERE IS NO MAINTENANCE RELATED REASON THIS SHOULD BE OCCURRING. ADD THIS ONE TO THE COMPLAINT FILE ALONG WITH THE SIMILAR TRANSMISSION ISSUES. AWAITING DEALER JUDGMENT TO DETERMINE NEXT COURSE OF ACTION. *TR

Mileage: 47,000

2005 VW BEETLE WITH 95,000 MILES. BEEN MAINTAINED AND TAKEN CARE OF. AS WITH MANY OTHER VW BEETLE OWNERS, THE TRANSMISSION IS MESSED UP. DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME BUT HESITATES AND BUCKS WHEN SHIFTING UP AND DOWN. VERY WORRISOME IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. *TR

Mileage: 95,000

THE 2005 BEETLE I PURCHASED HAD 31K MILES ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT. I KNOW HAVE 41 K MILES ON IT AND BETWEEN 2ND AND THIRD GEAR THE ENGINE REVS THEN SHIFTS REALLY HARD. MY GIRLFRIEND HAS ALMOST BEEN INVOLVED IN SEVERAL ACCIDENTS RELATED TO THIS ISSUE. I HAVE READ OTHER BLOGS ON EDMONDS HAD HAVE TALKED WITH OTHER BUG OWNERS EVERY CHANCE I GET. SOME HAVE TOLD ME (WHO DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE BLOG SITE0 THAT THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A PROBLEM CREATING A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AND VW NEEDS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSIONS. AND NOT JUST MY YEAR BUT 03,02,01,04,05,06,07. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND. A COP WOULD AND WILL EVENTUALLY PULL ME OVER DUE TO THE ERRATIC BEHAVIOR OF THE CAR. *TR

Mileage: 38,000

I HAVE A 2005 TURBO VW BEETLE WITH 56K MILES. THE TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF GEAR. SOMETIMES IT STICKS IN 3RD GEAR AND ALSO SOMETIMES JUMPS OUT OF GEAR WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I BOUGHT THIS CAR AS MY DAUGHTER'S FIRST CAR AND SHE IS SCARED TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE SHE WAS NEARLY REARENDED WHEN IT JUMPED OUT OF GEAR. I ALSO HAVE THE BRACKETS AROUND THE GEARS, SO IT'S OBVIOUS IT DOESN'T KNOW WHAT GEAR IT'S IN. THE CAR IS AT A VW DEALERSHIP AND I WAS JUST GIVEN A $7100 REPAIR QUOTE. THEY WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE 60K MILE DRIVETRAIN WARRANTY AND AFTER DOING RESEARCH ON THE WEB, I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS OTHER 2005 VW BEETLE OWNERS EXPERIENCING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *TR

Mileage: 56,000

2005 VW BEETLE WITH 86,000 MILES DIAGNOSED WITH INTERNAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE (METAL IS SHEARING OFF INTERNALLY). I HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY TWO MECHANICS THAT THIS IS PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL YEAR. II CONTACTED VW AND THEY WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. SUGGESTED REPAIRS COULD TOTAL $9,000. *TR

Mileage: 868,987

PURCHASED 2005 VW BEETLE WITH 7,300 MILES ASSURED FULL WARRANTY....GUARANTEED PAINT ON FRONT BUMPER WOULD BE CORRECTED...DID IT TWICE STILL PEELING OFF....ELECTRIC WINDOWS REPAIRED TWICE....BEGAN MAKING NOISES WHEN WEATHER WAS DAMP...TOOK IT TO BE CHECKED OUT AND WAS ASSURED IT WOULD NOT ALWAYS HAPPEN BUT NORMAL...TOLD THEM TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO BE SLIPPING....ONE HEADLIGHT HAD A SHORT, AND THEN RECALL ON BRAKELIGHT...THEY DID REPAIR THAT...BUT INFORMED ME THAT WAS ALL THEY HAD TIME TO DO THAT DO DUE TO RECALL...GAS CAP COVER WAS STICKING AS WELL...DIDN'T FIX IT EITHER....THEN MY AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON...TOOK IT IN FOR RECALL ON THAT ...AFTER IT WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED AIRBAG LIGHT DID NOT GO OFF, INSISTED IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH SENSOR THAT WAS RECALLED...NOISE IN FRONT END BEGAN AND FLOORBOARD FLOODED DURING HEAVY RAIN....WITH NO OBVIOUS ENTRY POINT....DID SEARCH FOR PROBLEMS WITH VW BEETLES AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS HAVING THE VERY SAME PROBLEMS I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING....NOW HEAT GAUGE LIGHT COMES OFF AND ON, ALARM RANDOMLY SOUNDS.....BUT NOISE IN FRONT END CONCERNS ME GREATLY...WOULD NOT EVEN DIAGNOSE CAR WITHOUT $98 BUCKS AN HOUR LABOR CHARGE TO FIND PROBLEMS.... THIS CAR ONLY HAS 34,952 MILES ON IT AND IT IS FALLING APART...NO WAY CAN ALL THESE PROBLEMS BE FIXED AND ME MAKE PAYMENTS....BUT THOUSANDS ARE HAVING THESE VERY SAME PROBLEMS...WHY HAS OUR GOVERNMENT NOT INSISTED ON A RECALL..... *TR

DMF FAILED BLEW SHRAPNEL THROUGH BELL HOUSING! NORMAL DRIVING, VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE, 2005.5 DIESEL 1.9L TDI AUTOMATIC TRANS DSG. DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL (DMF) EXPLODED ON THE ROAD UNDER 10MPH. SMALL METAL PARTS OF SPRINGS AND ALUMINUM PUNCHED HOLE IN SIDE OF CASE. CLEAR 'GREASE' AND SHAVINGS EVERYWHERE. COULD HAVE CAUSED ENGINE OR WHEELS TO LOCKUP IF IT HAD JAMMED A LARGER PIECE IN THE DRIVETRAIN. TOWED TO DEALER WITH 95K MILES, SOUNDS LIKE A SLIGHT GRINDING NOISE ON ACCELERATION. THIS IS HEAVY PART WITH A LARGE HOLE BLOWN IN THE EDGE WHERE PARTS CAME FLYING OUT. ONLY OFFERED A $750 REBATE ON PURCHASE OF A NEW VW... THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, IMHO, THAT VWOA DID NOT COVER. REPLACEMENT PART NUMBER FOR DMF, OEM PART NO LONGER AVAILABLE. VW REPLACED WITH PART NUMBER 03G-105-266-BE $785. WORK DONE AT DEALER, ALMOST $2K! MANY DMF FAILURE STORIES BLAME THE CLUTCH, BUT MINE IS AN AUTOMATIC! THIS IS A BAD PART, THAT VWOA IS TRYING TO HIDE KNOWLEDGE OF, BLAMING CUSTOMERS. OTHER AUTO MAKERS HAVE ADMITTED BAD PART AND REPLACED AT 100K MILES! I HAVE THE OLD PART AND FURTHER CHECKS CAN BE DONE TO SHOW IT FAILED ON THE INSIDE. MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER IS SCARED TO DRIVE IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN TO HER! NO WAY TO KNOW, THERE IS NO SCHEDULED MAINT, NOTHING TO CHANGE OR CHECK. FLYWHEEL SHOULD BE COVERED BY VWOA, IT IS NOT A WEAR ITEM! CAN YOU HELP? MANY OTHERS MAY NOT BE REPORTING IF VWOA IS REPLACING UNDER WARRANTY, AS MY WEB RESEARCH SEEMS TO SHOW. THEY HAD TO REPLACE AN AIRBAG, BUT MY DMF EXPLODING ON THE ROAD IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM? WHY NO RECALL AND NO TSB'S? BEW GYS WITH DIRECT SHIFT GEARBOX. DAMPING LAYER FAILED IN DMF. THIS WILL BECOME A LARGER ISSUE AS MORE MILES ARE LOGGED ON THIS PART. WILL IT CAUSE SOMEONE TO LOOSE LIFE? THANKS. *TR

Mileage: 95,000

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE WHO DECLARED THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO DECLARED THAT OTHER MODELS WITH THE SAME ELECTRONIC MODULE PRESENTED THE SAME TRANSMISSION DEFECT BUT DID NOT PROVIDE ANY SOLUTION. UPDATED 10/17/2006 - THE HESITATION AND STALLING PROBLEMS OCCURRED WHEN USING THE LEFT FOOT TO BRAKE THE VEHICLE. THE VW TECHNICIAN SAID THE COMPUTER MODULE RECEIVES CONFLICTING SIGNAL DUE TO ONE FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND ONE ON THE GAS PEDAL. THERE WERE NO APPARENT WARNINGS IN THE VW OWNERS MANUAL. THERE SEEMED TO BE NO PROBLEM WHEN USING THE RIGHT FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND GAS BUT THE PROBLEM SHOWED UP IMMEDIATELY WHEN USING THE LEFT FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND RIGHT FOOT ON THE GAS. *NM

Mileage: 7,385