1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE Electrical Systemwiringfront Underhood Problems

THE VEHICLE AIR CONDITIONING STOPPED WORKING IN 9/2010. AFTER PAYING FOR REPAIR OF THE AC SYSTEM IT STILL DID NOT WORK AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE WIRING AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. RECENTLY, 4/2012, THE GAS PEDAL HAS STARTED TO FLUCTUATE ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE CAR MUST BE PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF FOR TO RESET THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND THEN STARTED AGAIN TO CONTROL THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO OCCUR AT FREQUENT INTERVALS. I CONTACTED VW AFTER READING ABOUT THE RECALLS CONCERNING ELECTRICAL WIRING CAUSED BY A WIRE CONNECTION TOO CLOSE TO THE BATTERY TRAY (RECALL ID # 11675 - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD) THEY TOLD ME THE VIN NUMBER OF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE RECALL EVEN THOUGH THE RECALL WAS IN THE SAME 1998 MODEL YEAR. I TOLD...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE VEHICLE HAD EX THE SAME FAILURE AS INDICATED IN RECALL # 98V100000. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT AFTER THE ENGINE RAN FOR FIVE MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER, SAVAGE KIA, AND THE CAUSE WAS DIAGNOSED AS WIRING FAILURE. THE DEALER REMEDIED THE FAILURE. ON APRIL 12, 2007, THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR THREE MILES AT 45 MPH AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED ONCE MORE. THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER , WHO STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL WIRES WERE TOO CLOSE TO THE BATTERY. THIS FAILURE COULD CAUSE THE WIRES TO HEAT AND SHORT OUT, PREVENTING THE FANS FROM OPERATING. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 75,000. *AK UPDATED 05/21/07. *JB

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SYMPTOMS OF RECALL 98V-100000 WHICH WAS RELATED TO THE VEHICLES ELECTRICAL WIRING UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *NLM

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AS STATED IN RECALL#98V100000, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB

PLASTIC PART ON ORIG. HARNESS MELTED ON BOTH FRONT HEADLAMPS. THE PART WAS CHANGED TO ELIMINATE THE PLASTIC BUT NO RECALL WAS INITIATED. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS SINCE THE REDESIGN OF THE PART. DT

THE VW DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THIS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM CAUSED BY THE ENGINE FAN CONTROL BOX WHICH ALSO BURNED WIRES IN THE ENGINE HARNESS THE DEALERSHIP ONLY REPAIRED WHAT THEY CONSIDERED NECESSARY. I WAS DRIVING 12/14/00, DURING THE RAIN AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, SIGNAL LIGHTS, AIR CONDITION, FAN CONTROL FOR HEAT, ETC., AND THE EMEMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT REMAINED ON WITHOUT BEING PULLED UP. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE MAY HAVE NOT BEEN WORKING IN THE VEHICLE DURING THE RAIN. I PAID ALMOST $700.00 TP HAVE THIS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM FIXED AFTER ONLY OWNING THE CAR FOR ONLY 4 MONTHS. COULD SOMEONE PLEASE ASSIST ME IN FINDING OUT REPAIR INFORMATION BEFORE I INVEST ANY MORE $$$ INTO THIS VEHICLE?*AK

I AM STUCK PAYING $650.00 IN REPAIRS FOR SOMETHING I THINK THE VW OR MY EXTENDED WARRANTY SHOULD COVER. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

I HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR NOW AND THIS IS THE PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD... THE LIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT ON ME .. ALWAYS THE LEFT ONE FIRST THEN THE RIGHT FOLLOWS... LEAVING ME WITH ONLY THE BRIGHTS... DEALERSHIP HAS FIXED THEM MAYBE THREE TIMES NOW... AND NOW THEY WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO .. LEAVING ME ONLY MY BRIGHT LIGHTS... DEALERSHIP EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THE ELECTRICAL WAS NOT DONE PROPERLY AND SAID COULD BE FIXED AT A PRICE OF 350.00... NO WAY.. I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY THAT WHEN HE SAID THEY WERE MADE WITH A DEFECT... THE SECOND THING GONE WRONG WAS MY BATTERY... THE FIRST TIME.. IT JUST GAVE A LOUD POP AND EVERYTHING DIED... DEALERSHIP FIXED IT AND.. THE SECOND TIME THE BATTERY WENT OUT IT GAVE ANOTHER LOUD POP BUT THIS TIME THE ACID FROM THE BATTERY EXPLODED OUT...

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

A VITAL WIRING HARNESS HAS FAILED AND POSSIBLY BURNED UP CAUSING THE CAR TO DIE IN THE MIDDLE OF MAJOR EXPRESSWAY. VOLKSWAGON CLAIMS THAT THE PART WILL TAKE THREE MONTHS TO GET IF SPECIAL ORDERED FROM THE MANUFACTURER IN GERMANY AND WILL COST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPLACE. VOLKSWAGON CLAIMS THAT REPLACING THIS HARNESS MAY NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM ENTIRELY. IN OCTOBER OF 1999, VOLKSWAGON REPLACED AN ELECTRICAL PART ASSOCIATED WITH THE DIESEL FUEL GLOW PLUG ASSEMBLY FOURTEEN MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE. VOLKSWAGON REPLACED THE BATTERY IN MAY OF 2000 AND HAS REPLACED 5 HEADLAMPS IN TWO YEARS. THIS VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED MAJOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASE.

DEALER REFUSES TO SCHEDULE PROMPT REPAIR FOR CURRENT HEADLIGHT FAILURE (REQUEST 5-10 DAYS); CURRENT HEADLIGHT FAILURE INCLUDES PERMANENT FAILURE OF LEFT HEADLIGHT AND INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF BOTH HEADLIGHTS; CONSUMER REPORTS REPORTS 1998 NEW BEETLE AS "USED CAR TO AVOID" (APRIL 2000ISSUE, P. 75); NEW BEETLE WEBSITE CONDUCTED SURVEY OF OWNERS OF 1998 MODEL - 55 PERCENT REPORT TROUBLE WITH THE CAR, 90 PERCENT OF WHICH IS ELECTRICAL; A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR 1998 BEETLES MANUFACTURED IN FIRST HALF OF 1998 BECAUSE OF FAULTY WIRING THAT COULD CAUSE FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT (WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF A RECALL); THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS OF BEETLE OWNERS REGARDING VW CONSUMER SERVICE; WE HAVE RECEIVED SUBSTANDARD SERVICE FROM OUR DEALER, INCLUDING ONE REPAIR ON A FAILED HEADLIGHT THAT WAS NOT PERFORMED AS STATED, FORCING US TO RETURN THE CAR. *AK