NHTSA Complaint #10669230 — 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

OUR REAR, DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW FAILED TO ROLL UP AND WE DISCOVERED IT WOULD BE $1,200 TO REPAIR/REPLACE THE REGULATOR. THIS IS THE SECOND WINDOW TO FAIL. WE PAID AROUND $1,000 TO HAVE THE REAR, PASSENGER REGULATOR REPAIRED TWO YEARS AGO. THIS TIME, AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ONLINE, WE DISCOVERED THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME, RECURRING PROBLEM. READING REVIEWS ON EDMUNDS.COM, YOU'LL FIND PEOPLE SAYING THEY'D NEVER BUY A VW AGAIN, DUE TO THIS AND OTHER RECURRING ISSUES (E.G. SENSORS GOING BAD, TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, CONVERTIBLE TOP LEAKAGE, ETC.). ONE INDIVIDUAL POSTED A RECALL LETTER FROM 2002 ON THE NEWBEETLE.ORG FORUM SAYING VW WOULD FIX THE FRONT, DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR AND WARRANTY IT FOR 7 YEARS. BUT, THEY OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T SOLVE THE REGULATOR ISSUES, AND HAVE DENIED US A SIMILAR EXTENDED WARRANTY. THIS MODEL CAR IS A MAINTENANCE NIGHTMARE, AND VW WON'T ADMIT THEIR UTTER FAILURE IN PRODUCING THIS LEMON AND TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE NUMEROUS MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. APPARENTLY, THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO PRACTICE CAVEAT EMPTOR TO THE FINANCIAL DETRIMENT OF THEIR NAIVE CUSTOMERS. THIS JUST ISN'T FAIR! *JS