Defective window regulator - driver's side rear power window 2005 VW new Beetle convertible.

- Franklin, VA, USA

Driver side rear window regulator is broken. While rolling window down, I heard a loud snap. The window will only roll up half way, and then automatically rolls down again. I cannot secure my vehicle as the window will not go up. I brought the car to kimball Volkswagen, and they told me that it was a common problem with the window regulators, and that it is "re-occurring" problem! the cost to repair the window is $75 for the repair kit, and $105 per hour labor by the dealership. My neighbor has an 05' red convertible, he told me he has fixed the back windows three times! this is a consumer rip off. I have not fixed my window, because I cannot afford to, because the convertible top is now broken as well. A plastic rivot has broken off and now my convertible boot does not fold correctly! this of course is not under warranty.

- San Luis Obispo, CA, USA

2005 VW Beetle rear left window regulator has failed. The glass is not broken, and the motor works, but the window does not go up or down with the switch. It will move by pushing/pulling on it. I have noticed this same complaint on many websites. I did not see when the window failed, it happened just before I purchased it on July 13, 2010.

- Rio Rancho, NM, USA

My daughter drives a 2005 Volkswagen convertible. It has numerous safety issues: 1. the tail lights cease working although the bulbs are good. The bulb contacts are inadequate for both tail lights. This has occurred four times on her car in the past three years. 2. the convertible headliner pulls away from the rear window and droops in front of the rear window blocking the view in the rear view window. This has occurred 5 times in the past 4 years and she has stopped using the convertible top to prevent her from having a accident. 3. the power windows have failed while she was driving. The windows would not come up. This has happened three times in three years. These problems have been experienced by many VW owners (do a google search). They are all safety issues.

- Houma, LA, USA

My drivers side rear window will not move up or down anymore. The first time it happened I was putting the top down on my convertible and when you press the button for the top to come down the rear windows come down a little to allow for the top to move. It made a grinding noise then the window went all the way down, which has never happened and did not happen on the other side. I put the top back up but the window would not roll back up. I could hear the motor for the window working to pull it up. I ended up having to pull the window up manually while pressing the window up button so my car wasn't exposed to the weather or broken into. I have been told it is the regulator that is out and don't have the $ to fix it.

- Clovis, CA, USA

VW rear window regulators in my 2005 new Beetle have broken three times in 5 years/56,000 miles: Once under warranty, once we fixed it ourselves with an $80 kit (very, very difficult), and now it's broken again. It costs $400 per side to fix at the dealership. The regulator is made of plastic pieces that are under a great amount of pressure and keep breaking under that pressure. VW needs to perform a recall on this as it will keep happening. Front windows have also broken once and are now making funny noises.

- Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, USA

The vehicle is a 2005 Volkswagen new Beetle convertible with the 1.8 turbo motor. Since owning the car from new, we have had first one and now the other rear window malfunction. One was replaced under warranty. The other wouldn't you know went out soon after the warranty expired. The window will not go all of the way up without some strong physical assistance. Not having the window operable also means that we can no longer use the convertible top. There seems to be a growing number of VW new Beetle customers experiencing this problem and/or problems with the front windows as well. For some strange reason the convertible were left out of a somewhat recent tsb/recall for window failure. Our car has had the issue for the front windows resolved under warranty. But we are concerned that we may not have seen the last of this. But the complaint at this time is about the rear windows. With the car not being very old, garaged, covered and well cared for, we should not be experiencing these issues, and neither should so many others. It seems to us that Volkswagen group has a parts quality issue here that needs to be corrected not by experimenting on the consumer or at the consumers expense. We are putting up with enough by having to work around the inconveniences in lost functionality of the vehicle and lost time going to the service center.

- Poway, CA, USA

Front window regulator/cable. Had one of my back windows replaced already the driver side back window regulator/cable is broken my driver side window regulator/cable is broken and my passengers side window regulator/cable is going starting to make that funny noise right before it breaks.

- Olivehurst, CA, USA

VW Beetle convertible window regulator.

- Brownsville , TX, USA

I brought my car in a few days to not receive a call at all on the status as I brought it in to have the back driver side window fixed due to it would not go up at all. The dealer kept it for two days and not even provide me with a loaner car- worse customer service I have ever received!!!! I will never get a VW car ever !! nor would I recommend it to anyone else. I just received my car back to not even have the window fixed nor a date of when it will be fixed due to the part is on national back order. I purchased the car a few months ago and I have nothing but issues with this car nor does the dealer want to assist in resolving them. I received my car back to have tubes sticking out of the back window preventing me from putting it down and it looks horrible which I believe rain would go in and they seem okay that I should be fine with this.

- Toms River, NJ, USA

For several days VW shrewsbury motors failed to call me on the status of my car due to the rear driver side window not being able to go up nor a loaner car provided. The worse customer service I received!!!! but my car was not fixed at all but to receive the car back with a window that still does not go up but to have tubes sticking out to prevent me from putting the window. But to top this all off they can not give me a date of when the part will come in because it is on national back order which to my is not acceptable at all!!!! I have one month of good weather and I can not put the top down nor the windows and I purchased the car a few months ago and I do not have a date of when it will be fixed. I will never buy a VW again!!!!

- Toms River, NJ, USA