2003 Volkswagen Beetle engine problems

Filed Dec 1, 2017 · Engine · 140,000 miles · MI

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.

Filed Oct 21, 2015 · Engine · 189,000 miles · WA

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

Filed Jul 8, 2015 · Electrical, Engine · 84,000 miles · AK · 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.

Filed Apr 27, 2015 · Engine, Transmission · 118,000 miles · VA

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.

Filed Apr 9, 2015 · Electrical, Engine · 150,000 miles · MA

Car stalled out in the middle of traffic and the epc code appeared.

Filed Mar 8, 2015 · Engine, Fuel system · 115,045 miles · FL

I received a coupon in the mail from midas for $19.95 oil change with coupon.the coupon specified to bring coupon with me to a midas mechanic shop to get the $19.95 oil change.I went to midas at 4480 s babcock street, melbourne florida and I presented the coupon. The manager asked me did you bring your own synthetic oil like you use to, I responded no I have a coupon.he printed the receipt for $19.95, and I signed. I use to buy my own synthetic oil and midas charged me $19.95 for oil change at same rate they charge for regular oil change.midas always advertised outside their shop an oil change for $19.95. This price is without a coupon. As the mechanic drove my car into the shop for oil change, I reminded the mechanic my car takes only synthetic oil. He told the manager/owner and came back to tell me they are going to put syntactic oil. So he started changing the oil. After he was done the mechanic told me to go and pay for the oil change. The manger/owner asked for my credit card and he did all the transactions and hand me the receipt in a envelop. As I am leaving the shop I took the receipt out of the envelop and found out the manager/owner charged me $62.66 for oil change without saying a ward to me.he should of told me to come back and sign anther agreement for the $62.66 but he choose not to because he wanted to make more money and if he told me I would of said no, and I would of told him I want to comeback with my own synthetic oil. The owner wanted me to bring the car back so he could take his syntactic oil out and put regular oil instead in my car even though he knows my car does not use regular oil. I replied you would break my car and might do something to the engine that could cause danger to me and others if breaks in the middle of the road. I refused to let him put regular oil in my car for fear of mechanical damage to my car.

Filed Mar 17, 2014 · Engine, Transmission · 118,000 miles · WI

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.

Filed Sep 11, 2013 · Engine, Transmission · 123,000 miles · CA

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!

Filed Mar 29, 2013 · Engine, Fuel system · TX · 2 injuries

I just bought a volkswagen new beetle, 03. The smell makes me physically ill to be in it. The day after I bought it, I had the cabin filter changed and it still smells. This smell is a chemical smell and my throat started hurting and swelled up. I saw a doctor and she could not identify the problem but added that my throat was filled with puss. I stopped driving it and asked my husband to drive it. He is now complaining that he is having headaches and having new allergies after just one week. We called vw who said it was a rust proofing material that they used to put on the car and that nothing could be done. But I have been reading many websites that say it is a parafin sound proofing mat under the carpet. This material is being removed by vw for some people after contacting the federal safety agency. There are many posts online concerning this chemical smell (like burned crayons). I am concerned for my family's health. I have 3 kids who have to ride in the car as well. I want vw to remove the parafin sound proofing mat at vw cost.

Filed Oct 12, 2012 · Engine, Transmission · 114,385 miles · FL

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 cost for a new transmission is $6000.00. I feel that this is gross negligence on the part of volkswagen of america, to knowingly place this vehicle with such a major defect on the marketplace. I now have an unusable hunk of scrap metal sitting in my garage for fear of the time bomb under the hood. I refuse to drive this car and potentially put others lives at risk. Volkswagen needs to be held responsible for knowingly putting a car with such a major defect on the road.