Engine and transmission overheating just a terrible car. Wax material interior removes easily with nails children can eat it has crayola smell.should have been made of plastic or vinyl. This whole car should be recall. Epc brake switch always on had it repaired 3 times engine light is always on. Bad electrical. Interior ac light is always off. In and out of mechanic.

- Hialeah, FL, USA

The contact owns a 2001 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact stated that the drain plug in the oil pan leaks oil. The failure occurred because the plug is hard steel and the pan that holds the oil is aluminum. If the technician tightens the nuts too tightly on the drain pan, all of the oil will leak out. The dealer performed a temporary repair, but it did not work. They had to replace the entire oil pan and plug at the cost of $360.78; the failure mileage was 76,049. Updated 11-19-08 updated 11/20/08.

- Winslow, ME, USA

The contact owns a 2001 Volkswagen Beetle. While driving approximately 70 mph in dry conditions, the timing belt failed. The contact pulled off the road and had the vehicle towed to the dealer. The owner's manual advises that the timing belt should be replaced at 105,000 miles. The manufacturer would not replace the timing belt because the vehicle was 500 miles outside of the warranty. The contact stated that the vehicle has been well maintained and is below the replacement mileage. The current and failure mileages were 100,575.

- Arlington, TX, USA

The contact owns a 2001 Volkswagen new Beetle. While driving the vehicle lost oil. The failure mileage was 23,775. The dealer informed the contact that the piston rings were installed upside down which caused the oil leak. The curent mileage was 23,800.

- Olive Branch, MO, USA

I own a 2001 Beetle. It has only 50,000 miles on it. The other day the check engine light came on. I just took it in to the dealer, and they told me they have to replace a coil and an O2 sensor. All this is going to cost me close to $1000! after doing some research online, I found that this is a very common complaint for VW Beetles. VW needs to issue a recall since this is a problem for so many people. I read of people having the car stop running while they were driving. This could cause accidents.

- Savannah, GA, USA

I own a 2001 VW Beetle. Bought right off the show room floor. Paid a pretty price for it too. My car was running great until January of 2003, less than two years after I bought it. The check engine light came on and I noticed the car was shaking and cutting out really bad. I barely made it home that night. I took it in to be repaired in may of 2003, costing me a hundred dollar bill. It wasn't 6 days later it did it again, same thing. So I called the dealer where I bought it. They told me it was going to cost another hundred dollars to fix it. Wasn't happening. I got a hold of the main man in charge of service, told him my problem and he waved the fee. When I got up there the next week, they told me it could be 1-250 different things wrong when the check engine light is flashing. Ok, I am starting to do some math here. 250 possible things wrong X $100= $25,000!!!!!!! I could buy a house for that much money. And the car isn't worth anywhere near that much now. It's like I would be paying for it all over again and who's to say the problem would even get fixed? it could just keep going in circles. I don't know about all of you, but I don't have that kind of money. I am making close to $500 payments a month on this car with three years still left to go on it. You would think a car costing that much and all the hype they pushed on it that it would run better than what it does and would have lasted longer than it did. To all the people out there thinking about buying a VW Beetle, take it from an owner, don't!!!!!

- Cobden, IL, USA

Also, the belt tensioner malfunctioned.

- Monaca, PA, USA