2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE Engine Problems

9 NHTSA complaints on file

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Engine Issues in the 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

9 engine complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. Of these, 0 involved a crash, 1 involved a fire, and 0 resulted in injury.

9
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

All Engine Complaints

#11051764 |
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE DRIVING 35 AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE VEHICLE STARTED JERKING. THE BATTERY, CHECK ENGINE, AND EPC WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY AND, UPON OPENING THE HOOD, NOTICED THAT PART OF THE ENGINE HAD SEPARATED FROM THE MOTOR MOUNT AS THE BOLTS WERE CRACKED AND STRIPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS REPAIRING THE VEHICLE HIMSELF. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
#10783869 |
I WAS COMING HOME FROM BY ERS APPOINTMENT TODAY AND ON THE HIGHWAY 2, TOWARD HOME MY CAR LOST ALL POWER I HAD CARS ALL OVER FINALLY GOT OFF ROAD. WOULD NOT START SO HAD TOWED HOME. NO REASON FOR THIS. DATE TODAY OCTOBER 20 2015 AT 730 @ NIGHT. COLD BY MYSELF IN CAR.....UPDATED 01/13/16 *BF
#10732714 | Fire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FUSE BOX WAS MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUSE BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, A FEW MONTHS LATER,HERE WAS SMOKE THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE AND FIRE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS PARKED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.
#10713143 |
MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HER 2003 VW BEETLE ON THE HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT SHE WAS HAVING AN ISSUES WITH HER RPM'S REVVING VERY HIGH. SHE PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT AFTER AWHILE. SHE GOT BACK ON THE HIGHWAY AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE HOME, HER SPEED WAS ROUGHLY 65. ALL OF A SUDDEN HER VEHICLE DROPPED HER SPEED DOWN TO 50 CAUSING HER TO ALMOST BE REAR ENDED ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 3 TIMES. AS SHE IS AWAY AT COLLEGE SO HER CAR IS NOT DRIVEN MUCH, SO WE ARE UNSURE IF THIS IS A CONSTANT ISSUES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE AND WAS TAKEN TO A CAR REPAIR SHOP AND WE WHERE TOLD THE TRANSMISSION IS HAVING ISSUES. *TR
#10704834 |
CAR STALLED OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AND THE EPC CODE APPEARED. *TR
#10572774 |
MY CAR WAS PURCHASED AS A USED CAR. I PURCHASED IT WITH 100000 MILES (APPROX.), AND I HAVE PUT ON 31000 ADDITIONAL MILES SINCE (WITHIN 5 YEARS). MY CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN ROUTINELY MAINTAINED/SERVICED. I TAKE EXCELLENT CARE OF MY BEETLE. IN NOVEMBER 2013, MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP. IT HAS BECOME WORSE, AND IT LURCHES FORWARD WILL IN DRIVE, AND AT A CONTROLLED INTERSECTION MY CAR EITHER HESITATES TO TAKE OFF OR IT ROCKS BACK AND FORTH. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE FIX, HAVING CONSULTED TWO MECHANICS AND RECEIVING THEIR ESTIMATES. I FEEL THAT THIS TRANSMISSION ISSUE POSES A SAFETY HAZARD FOR MYSELF, OTHER DRIVERS, AND PEDESTRIANS WHO MAY BE CROSSING IN FRONT OF MY LURCHING VEHICLE. I THINK THAT WITH THE MULTITUDE OF 2003 TRANSMISSION ISSUES/FAILURES, VW NEEDS TO STAND BEHIND THEIR FAULTY PRODUCT WITH A RECALL. *TR
#10543077 |
I AM THE THIRD OWNER AND I SHOULD HAVE CKED THIS CAR OUT SINCE THE PERSON WHO SOLD IT TOO ME DIDNT TELL ME A THING ABOUT THE CAR.I AM SO DICUSTED ABOUT THIS ADORABLE LOOKING CAR. I ONLY DROVE IT ONCE AND TOOK IT TOO OUR MECHANIC. WISHED I HAD TAKEN IT THERE FIRST$800.00 LATER AND JUST THE BEGINNING! I PAID TOO MUCH TO BEGIN WITH. IPAID $4500 FOR A 2003 VW BECAUSE IT WAS CUTE! SO I WISH VW WOULD HELP US AMERICAN PEOPLE. I WANT TO DRIVE MY CAR BUT HAVE ONLY DRIVEN IT ONCE.! HELP !! STILL AT THE MECHANICS! WISH PEOPLE COULD BE HONEST ! THIS WOULD NOT HAPPENED IN THE 60"S . WE HAVE A GOOD MECHANIC! THANK GOD! *TR
#10479874 |
I OWN A 2003 VW NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE WITH AN AUTOMATIC TIPTRONIC TRANSMISSION. RECENTLY , AT RANDOM TIMES, WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEAR THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP PAST 4000 RPM AND JUMP INTO GEAR. ESSENTIALLY A VERY HARD SHIFT. WITH PLANS TO KEEP THIS VEHICLE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME, I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TRUSTED MECHANIC. AFTER TEST DRIVING AND EXPERIENCING THE "HARD SHIFT", I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS MOST DEFINITELY TRANSMISSION RELATED, HOWEVER, ONLY VW CAN ACCESS THE TRANSMISSION DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT IS COMPLETELY SEALED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DAVID MAUS VOLKSWAGEN OF ORLANDO FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS "COMING APART FROM THE INSIDE" AND THAT IT WAS A "TICKING TIME BOMB". BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS OVER 100000 MILES , IT DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY RECALL. THE REPAIR...
#10472407 |
THE 2003 VW BEETLE HAS STARTED TO SLIP AT 96,500 MILES GOING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. I HAVE DONE ALOT OF ONLINE RESEARCH AND THERE ARE SEVERAL FORUMS AND THOUSANDS OF SIMILAR CASES AS THE ONE I AM HAVING. I CALLED VW OF AMERICA CUSTOMER CARE AND TALKED TO TIM AND HE SAID BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING. I MENTIONED THAT THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE THE VALVE BODY AND HE AGREED BUT STILL COULD NOT HELP ME. FURTHER RESEARCH LED TO ME FINDING A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINS VW AMERICA FOR EXACTLY THIS PROBLEM. SINCE THERE ARE SO MANY DOCUMENTED CASES, I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL IMMEDIATELY AS THIS CAN LEAD TO A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE ON THE ROAD. WORSE YET, VW KNOWS ABOUT IT AND IS NOT DOING ANYTHING! PLEASE HELP. *TR *JS

Other 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE Problem Areas

Power Trainautomatic Transmission 80 complaints Power Train 52 complaints Air Bags 44 complaints Visibilitypower Window Devices And Controls 33 complaints Electrical System 32 complaints Visibility 19 complaints Engine And Engine Cooling 12 complaints Seat Belts 10 complaints Air Bagsfrontalsensorcontrol Module 9 complaints Structurebody 9 complaints Vehicle Speed Control 8 complaints Air Bagsfrontal 7 complaints Seats 6 complaints Unknown Or Other 6 complaints Engine And Engine Coolingengine 5 complaints Structure 5 complaints Exterior Lighting 4 complaints Latcheslockslinkages 4 complaints Equipment 3 complaints Fuel System Gasoline 3 complaints Visibilityglass Siderear 3 complaints Air Bagssidewindow 2 complaints Electrical Systemwiring 2 complaints Exterior Lightingbrake Lights 2 complaints Fuelpropulsion System 2 complaints Service Brakes 2 complaints Structurebodyroof And Pillars 2 complaints Vehicle Speed Controlaccelerator Pedal 2 complaints Electrical System Instrument Clusterpanel 1 complaint Electrical Systemwiringfuses And Circuit Breakers 1 complaint Electronic Stability Control Esc 1 complaint Engine And Engine Coolingenginediesel 1 complaint Equipmentapplianceair Conditioner 1 complaint Exterior Lightingbrake Lightsswitch 1 complaint Exterior Lightingheadlights 1 complaint Exterior Lightingtail Lights 1 complaint Exterior Lightingturn Signal 1 complaint Fuel System Gasolinedeliveryfuel Pump 1 complaint Fuel System Other 1 complaint Latcheslockslinkagesdoorslatch 1 complaint Power Traindriveline 1 complaint Power Traindrivelineconstant Velocity Joint 1 complaint Power Trainmanual Transmission 1 complaint Seat Beltsfront 1 complaint Service Brakes Hydraulicantilocktraction Controlelectronic Limited Slip 1 complaint Structurebodydoor 1 complaint Structurebodydoorhinge And Attachments 1 complaint Structurebodyhoodhinge And Attachments 1 complaint Structureframe And Members 1 complaint Suspensionfront 1 complaint Traction Control System 1 complaint Visibilitydefrosterdefoggerhvac Systemheater Core 1 complaint Visibilityrear Window Wiperwasher 1 complaint Visibilitysunmoon Roof Assembly 1 complaint Visibilitywiper 1 complaint Wheelsrim 1 complaint
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