This problem has been a on going problem for about 2 years now, each time this happens you have to take the car to the VW dealer only to get screwed, check engine light comes on car starts misfiring has no power uses lots of gas stalls runs ruff. I am afraid to drive this car on the freeway in heavy traffic for fear of it stalling and getting ran into by another car its a public endangerment these cars are. In April of 2007 I had to take it to the dealer they gave it a quick fix costing $450 the last time they told me I had a bad fuel injector they replace it. It ran fine for a couple of months then in Nov 15 2007 the car stalled again daughter limped it home the check engine light was on the car was missing bad it was night and getting close to zero outside. We parked it this time because we did not have the money to fix the car it has 53,000 miles on it. I refuse to take it to another VW dealer, and all VW of America will say is we are sorry for you trouble but because you are not the first buyer of the car and are the second buyer of this car that was a lease return you are not entitle to the 10 years 100.000 mile powertrain warranty that come with the car. If you are the first buyer of the car. Then these repair would be covered. The week of Jan 15 2008 we took the car to an independent auto mechanic shop. I took them 2 days to find the problem the mass airflow sensor was bad and the tps sensor is bad in all it will take $1,400 dollars to fix this car. We paid for the mass airflow sensor to be replaced and the cost to find the problems. Then we took the car home and parked it. It still needs the tps sensor replaced that will cost $1,000 and the car will be drivable.

- Blackfoot, ID, USA

Engine quit running while driving at 30 mph. Lost all power including power steering and brakes. Was able to stop car safely. Car would not restart. Dealer reports that ECM is being replaced, but blames problem on an aftermarket K&N air filter that was installed 11 months ago. Informed dealer and VW customer service of the magnussen-moss warranty act of 1982 which makes it a federal offence to not honor a warranty unless the manufacturer offers free filters. VW is covering ECM under warranty, but is insisting on use of a VW filter at my expense. I consider this to be a serious safety defect and a violation of federal law. The VW reference number for this complaint is #20268678.

- Paducah, KY, USA

Headlights started browning out on deceleration at 100 miles. Dealer could not verify. At 35,000 miles, headlights flashed all the time. At cold start engine fan would come on, then headlights would dim and fan would run, then headlights would come back normal and fan would stop. This happens at 3 second intervals. Dealer replased grounds and harness. Fan stopped cycling but headlights still dimmed, until one morning the cold light went out and also blew a headlight. Now no dimming and no fan trouble. Dealer replaced headlight bulb and the problem started again. This is a very dangerous situation as the flashing lights mezmorize you when you drive. Problem 2: car will start and die three times, running rough before it will stay running. Dealer says to use 87 octane fuel. Car manual says 93 octane and has used 93 since new. Dealer suggested additives at my cost!!! seems to happen in low temps and at high temps, 70 degrees is ok!. I live in Maine, no such luck.

- Lyman, ME, USA

Headlights started browning out on deceleration at 100 miles. Dealer could not verify. At 35,000 miles, headlights flashed all the time. At cold start engine fan would come on, then headlights would dim and fan would run, then headlights would come back normal and fan would stop. This happens at 3 second intervals. Dealer replased grounds and harness. Fan stopped cycling but headlights still dimmed, until one morning the cold light went out and also blew a headlight. Now no dimming and no fan trouble. Dealer replaced headlight bulb and the problem started again. This is a very dangerous situation as the flashing lights mezmorize you when you drive. Problem 2: car will start and die three times, running rough before it will stay running. Dealer says to use 87 octane fuel. Car manual says 93 octane and has used 93 since new. Dealer suggested additives at my cost!!! seems to happen in low temps and at high temps, 70 degrees is ok!. I live in Maine, no such luck.

- Lyman, ME, USA

Most of the engine was replaced during the beginning of January. On Jan 22nd, traveling on a highway, engine lost power and was almost involved in a multi-car accident. I was in the middle lane and the power cut from 55 to about 10 miles an hour in the matter of seconds. Other cars were swerving around me and I was finally able to pull off the road. Car was towed back to dealership and the throttle body was cleaned out. On Jan 30th the same thing happened again, only this time I was not on a highway but a side street. Car was towed away again andis in the dealership waiting for repairs. During this month not only was an engine replaced but it malfunctioned twice. It is dangerous to travel on any highway with this car. The engine malfunctioned twice in one week. I can not safely return to driving this car. I was almost killed once and was very lucky not to have been involved in a seriuos accident. The Beetle has engine problems and very major ones. For a car that is 8 months old, this should not be happening.

- New Rochelle, NY, USA

I received this 2001 Beetle after speaking with the dealership and a Volkswagen representative, because my 2000 Beetle had so many problems which could not be fixed. After about 5 months, this 2001 Beetle has had many problems and continues to have many problems. I took it in the first time on July 26, 2001 for engine problems. The dealership that I took it to for service said it was a defect and they ordered meparts to correct the problem. They did also find faults with P1200 and P0411 tech bulletins. It was also discovered that the secondary air injection pump motor was inoperatiuve. They removed and installed an ovverrun cut-off valve. That same day, the window glass was found off track so they removed and installed a front door trim panel and the window glass. The car was back in for the ordered parts for the engine defect on a later date. About 2 months after those repairs, my automobile was in for a faulty trunk latch and motor and a malfunction with the airbags. They had to order parts for that and so my car was in on a later date for that. They replaced the lower trunk latch binding and removed and installed liftgate trim and a rear lock. They also replaced the air bag module, as well as removing and insstalling an air bag control unit. The car has other problems as well. The steering wheel shakes and vibrates the left side of the car. The car has trouble starting. It has a hum sound while driving. The turbo wing light comes on at different times. It's having the almost all the same problems as my last Beetle. I'm very angry with this car and I can't seem to get any relief. It's a leased automobile, that's my only thing to look forward to, is getting rid of it.

- Muskego, WI, USA

Vehicle will start off okay, but then it would die/stall. Problem was intremittent. It shut off for about10 seconds or more. Dealer replaced relay, however vehicle has stalled 4 more times, possible engine problems.

- Tulson, OK, USA

Vehicle experiences delay in acceleration almost causing several accidents, dealer informed consumer that this vehicle has a design using a stepping motor that can create a lag time during acceleration.

- Fort Collins, CO, USA