This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
A 2005 turbocharged Beetle convertible, spontaneously and unexpectedly accelerated while parking, it jumped the curb and traveled at maximum acceleration 30 feet up a grassy slope then through an Alabama post office window, violently entering the lobby. No one was injured in this incident which was subsequently televised during the news broadcasts on all 3 local networks. We have in our possession clear photographic evidence that the brake was being pressed hard throughout this event and this fact was later confirmed by the insurance adjuster who investigated the case. Prior to this event, on 3 occasions we had brought the car to the local Volkswagen dealership for evaluation of a persistent, intermittent, throttle problem which the dealer was able to duplicate but failed, even with support from the engineers at VW of America, to correct. On one occasion they kept the car for an entire week and on another, nearly 3 weeks. When the car was in their possession we had been assured that there was in-depth communication between them and the technical department at Volkswagen of America. The convertible top was down during the incident resulting in the passenger compartment becoming filled with large shards of shattered window glass. The police officer investigating the scene characterized the glass, still suspended in the frame above, as "chilling". attached below is an article concerning an $ 8 million dollar verdict awarded last week in another case of unintended acceleration in a VW with a turbo charged engine.
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!!!
Driving down a long two-lane road, I decided to put on the cruise-control for the first time since purchasing the vehicle. As my intersection came up, I hit the brakes to take the car out of cruise-control and began my turn, but the car did not slow, no matter how hard I hit the brakes. The malfunction caused me to take the turn too fast and I headed straight into a 4 foot decorative rock wall that bordered the road. The airbags deployed, the car was completely totaled, and I had to spend the night in the hospital.
* hard gear shifting - led to a complete inability to shift or break - luckily I was able to "roll" off to the side of the road before being hit. Additionally I have experience the sudden lurching on about 5 occasions. * the car also loves to roll even on flat ground. Need to use the emergency brake always and leave in gear. Rolled on 2 different occasions - once with major damage. * repairing the driver side window for the second time in 1 year. It just gets stuck - I have read it is a regulator issue. The first time the window just would not go up all the way and shattered. This time it is stuck down. The first repair was $642! * front lights keep burning out and need to be replaced. I think it has been 5X now in 7 years.
: the contact stated while parking with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle surged forward and collided with a light pole. A police report was taken. The vehicle was towed to the dealership and has been inspected. Updated 3/28/2006 - the air bags did not deploy during this accident.
- Smithfield, NC, USA
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Attempted to stop in driveway, engine raced out of control, could not stop and hit utility trailer in yard, car came to stop because of collision, shifted into car still in garage being fixed.
2005 Volkswagen, Beetle. On occasion when stopping at red light, the car bogged down, when pressing the accelerator the car would not go. It would hesitate for at few seconds, and it will not take the gas. The engine had not quit as of yet. Consumer spoke to the dealership, and they put it on a machine, and drove the car. However, could not duplicate the problem. The dealership was cooperating, and said they would try to find the cause of the problem. This happened at 5 or 6 times since May.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Hoover,, AL, USA