2004 Volkswagen Beetle: check engine light

Filed May 4, 2021 · Acceleration, Fuel system · 160,000 miles · MI

Driving my 2004 volkswagen beetle is dangerous. The tiptronic transmission in the 2004 vw beetle is known by volkswagen to be defective. At any point the valve body can fail, which causes delayed shifting, and hard jerking between gears. My 2004 beetle fails to shift when accelerating between 2nd and 3rd gear. This causes the vehicle to coast for several seconds, sometimes requiring pulling off the road because of traffic. When downshifting it jerks extremely hard. You get in, start the engine, and receive no warnings that anything is wrong with the vehicle. No check-engine light provides any indication that the vehicle is dangerous. You drive down some city streets and hop onto the freeway to go to your favorite grocery store. After getting off the freeway the car is fully warmed up, and as it downshifts from 4th to 3rd gear it lurches. It feels like the engine is trying to jump out of the car! No engine light comes on. Then you stop at the end of the off-ramp, and wait for a traffic light to turn. After turning the car shifts from 1st to 2nd gear. Then it fails to shift from 2nd to 3rd gear. The gear doesn't engage, and the car coasts down the road without any power. Drivers passing by are staring. The SUV behind you is right on your butt; they begin honking. There's nothing you can do. Finally, after 20 seconds of coasting the car enters 3rd gear with a giant lurch. It feels like it's going to explode! You pull into the grocery store parking lot, heart racing, knowing that the car you're driving almost caused an accident that could kill a half a dozen people. And you know to get home it's going to happen all over again. This problem is reported by hundreds of owners. This is an extreme safety hazard. Volkswagen needs to recall the affected vehicles and pay damages for those whose transmissions were destroyed by this defective valve body and transmission.

Filed Jun 14, 2019 · Engine · 148,000 miles · AZ

When driving the car shuts off in traffic in town and on the highway. 2 times no check engine light came on. One time light came on. Mechanic is not sure why. I have read several similar occurances online by other owners. Sounds like a risk for fatality to me. My daughter just bought this car from another party.

Filed Dec 15, 2018 · Engine · 8 miles · CA · fire

I bought my vw beetle 2004 used 3 months ago. (epc light on, check engine light on) since then ive had to fix the timing belt, cooling, and hoses because of backfire. I got notified that there is a recall in my car, yet went typing the VIN # it says it no recalls have been found for my car. I have documentation to show the repairs and costs. I'm wondering who do I contact to determinate if my car does have a real or not.

Filed Aug 12, 2017 · Airbags, Electrical · 5 miles · CA

Vw check engine light on, obd sensor port not reading, battery light came on, and ABS light came on, now radio is going on and off. Started yesterday morning,while driving to work the ABS started after work on the way home.

Filed Jul 7, 2015 · Electrical · 83,300 miles · VA

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 volkswagen beetle. While driving approximately 25 MPH, the engine warning light illuminated. The failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who noticed the battery fuse box was heated and potentially needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 83,300.

Filed May 6, 2015 · Airbags · 117,600 miles · TN

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 volkswagen beetle. While driving at 40 MPH, the air bag and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact was aware of the federal safety agency campaign number: 03v356000 (air bags), but the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was 117,600.

Filed Jul 10, 2014 · Engine · 89,000 miles · NY

Engine stalls while driving. Epc and check engine light goes on. Loss of power steering. It is a very dangerous problem. It has happened multiple times. The last time was 7/8/2014, the vehicle is in the shop. I am afraid to drive it. Repairs have not been successful in the past. Volkswagen has been contacted they say not recalls are listed.

Filed Jun 29, 2014 · Electrical, Fuel system · 95,400 miles · TX

My engine light came on and the AC stopped blowing cold air. I also noticed a beep sound that would come on when I turned the headlights on but the sound would turn off and on while I drove. Then the alarm stopped working and the interior lights malfunctioned, the radio also gave out and the vehicle seemed to hesitate while driving it. I checked the fuse box on the battery and discovered that the slot where the fuse slips into on top of the vehicle battery was melted and there was something on the driver side headlamp cover like some type of gas or fumes had escaped the battery and sprayed the headlampcover. I changed the fuses around and got the AC going again, then I changed them all out, and everything worked great for about 5 days, then the interior lights went out again, the alarm stopped working, radio is out, the beeping sound is back and when I checked the fuse, it was melting again. I am afraid that while in the vehicle with my children I will have a malfunction and be injured. I just paid off the vehicle... What a gift for paying off a vehicle... Seems like everything in and on that vehicle is a hazard and an accident waiting to happen.. Its sad because I use to love my new beetle.

Filed Dec 29, 2012 · Airbags, Electrical · 80,000 miles · MA · fire

Car wouldn't excel while driving suddenly 1 mile from town suddenly traffic slowed from snow storm in town,the vehicle smell was funny black smoked slowly leaked inside the car windows up heard a misfire engine light went on blinked then I heard loud blast like I thought it was a plow trucks muffler loudness realized ir was my vehicle stopped immediately less 1/3 mile at bank. Shut off motor m now seeing smoke slowly entered in the middle of the 2 front seatsand console. Feeling hot under belly of floors. Orange glow through electrical outlet in back of console appeared to be hotwith plastic casing in and under floors hot sizzling crackling under center casing/I try to call 911 misused the cell wouldn't operate effectively flagged down a man n woman at the corner light of bank they declined to help so I went to car put snow on compartment and wet it down and aired out smoke with passenger door open .I went in bank for assistance .this vehicle was recalled for safety issues by manufacturer in the past .were said to be corrected by repairman also said seatbelt harness was a issue heated seats were a issue and airbags tranny also recalled for electrical issues and or transmission and air bags on some 2004 vw vehicle beetles recalls so far occurred to this vw were airbag sensors/ also the seatbelt harness cases were breaking repeatedly once purchased due to putting the seats up and back to get in the vehicle. Now this mysterious fire and headlamp issue..

Filed Apr 19, 2012 · Engine · 28,000 miles · MO · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 volkswagen beetle. The contact was traveling 60 MPH when the vehicle caught on fire. The check engine warning light illuminated seconds prior to the fire. The contact was able to exit the vehicle and checked under the hood to inspect the failure. The engine blew shortly after the hood was opened. The contact was able to extinguish the fire and the vehicle was towed to the dealer for repairs. The contact stated that the water pump, radiator and vehicle regulator sensor was replaced. In addition, the head gaskets were leaking but the dealer advised that the vehicle could still be driven. Eight months later, the vehicle caught on fire a second time. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact was advised that the fire was caused by the leak from the head gasket seals. The failure and current mileages were 28,000. Updated 5/16/12 *cn the consumer stated there was oil in the anti-freeze and the seal on the overflow tank was leaking. Updated 05/23/12

Filed Aug 17, 2011 · Fuel system · 58,000 miles · TX

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 volkswagen beetle. While driving at approximately 30 MPH the contact noticed the smell of fuel. Also, the engine light had illuminated on the instrument panel.the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostics. The mechanic stated the fuel pump had to be replaced due to a leak. The fuel pump was replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 58,000.

Filed Feb 3, 2011 · Electrical, Transmission · 60,000 miles · IN

Well it has been nothing but trouble. First thing, the transmission went bad and then right after that there was no brake lights. The top will not come down by it self. The dash lights come on ( air bag, brakes, check engine, emissions). Sounds like there are holes in the muffler. Last but not least the right rear window fell down and they won't 800 to fix, there are several complaints about this and nothing is being done.