Volkswagen Beetle overheating problems

Filed Dec 15, 2019 · Electrical · 1 miles · CO

The car was stopped at a red light. When the light turned green and we tried to accelerate, the car engine stopped running. It looks like the cause was the wiring going into the fuse box on top of the battery overheated and melted. The alternator harness and fuse box need to be replaced. We are the second owner of this vehicle so don't know if this has happened before.

Filed Jun 23, 2017 · Electrical, Engine · WV

Driving down the road on 3 different my occasions car overheated now it won't start.

Filed Aug 20, 2016 · 20 miles · ID

Coolant system can not be fixed. When driving, sometimes the coolant will be boiling. Sometimes the coolant level is low lead the coolant system light on. When add more coolant to the water tank, after several miles driving, the coolant level will be higher than normal. It runs well then the coolant system/overheating light will be on. Keep driving then the light will be off. Then it will be off. Mechanics tried to clean and replace the whole coolant system. But the overheating issue happened again and again. Then after they tried four times, I was told that I need to get rid of the car cause they cannot fix it. And they knew other people's vw new beetle(2000) has the same issue. Seems like not only my beetle bug's problem.

Filed Sep 22, 2015 · Engine · 115,000 miles · MS

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 volkswagen beetle. While driving at 15 MPH, there was a loud abnormal noise and the vehicle overheated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the timing belt and the motor mount needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, however the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 115,000.

Filed May 24, 2014 · Electrical, Engine · 58,000 miles · NE · fire

The battery to alternator wire on these cars overheats and catches fire. I own a car dealership and just had it happen to me. I was lucky and stopped anything horrible from happening but most people would not know enough to stop it or that it was happening. These cars are a huge fire hazard and you need to issue a recall. Check the pictures of burned cars on google. You wont find one complaint but many and plenty of burned cars. So I ask that you do your best to fix this issue. The car I own has a history of the alternator being serviced. Obviously a recall issue that maybe vw should figure out how to fix instead a band aid and out the door. Check car fax on this car. If someone let there car warm they could burn down there house. I am going to reroute this wire and replace it with a better grade of wire.

Filed Aug 15, 2013 · Electrical, Transmission · 95,600 miles · FL

The transmission mechanically failed on 3 june 2013. Prior to it failing I had taken the vehicle to three different vw repair shop over a four year period, due to the car suddenly downshifting all the way to first gear. The car will drive normally for about 30 minutes, then start having this downshifting issue, I pull over and let the car cool a few minutes then all is normal again for a short period of time. Of course with the downshifting the tranny tends to overheat quickly. I wanted to get the oil changed in the tranny, but all repair centers said, "it's a sealed system and never needs and oil change;" also the vw repair techs test drove the car and analyzed it, could find nothing wrong. My experience with vw service on everything is, their mechanics are parts changers only and don't have any real diagnostic capability to find the problem, just replace parts until they fix the problem at the customers expense; I've spent about $10,000 on repairs for A/C, brakes, transmission, etc. Finally, the car failed fortunately across the street from a mr. Transmission shop. Per mr. Transmission specialist, the tranny failed due to lubrication failure probably from over heating and high mileage; so much for the "never needs an oil change policy." mr. Transmission rebuilt the tranny (out $3400), and state the problem is electrical not the transmission, and vw is famous for electrical issues and always have been. Needless to say mr. Transmission has not been able to find the problem, and they have rebuilt the tranny twice just to make sure the problem is not in the transmission. Word to the wise, never buy a vw; I'll never own another one.

Filed Jun 13, 2013 · Engine, Suspension · 50,742 miles · CA

I purchased this vehicle used with original warranty still going and I also purchased an extended warranty (high tech) with it. Within a few months the car started to jerk and then shift into gear or sometimes it wouldn't shift into gear or it would barely move. My malfunction lights different ones were coming on and the car started to overheat. Sometimes it would leak all the water out and others you would see it boiling the car also made different noises as I drove and the drivers side window would make this piercing noise and the passenger side would go down and up by itself. Well the following has been replaced plus more.....(2) head gaskets, a few waterpumps, coolant flange melted a few times, a couple thermostats, impellor, timing belt tensioner needless to say this vehicle has had on going problems with overheating numerous times and several things have been replaced several times along with other items. This vehicle has been in to vw capo for repair over 40 + times I stopped counting. Vw capo is the only place that has serviced this car since my purchase. I have been stranded on ortega hwy in 103 degrees with no cell coverage due to vehicle overheating I think I've been towed in 4 or 5 times. Something is not right here....the dealership said it's my fault that I must have put something in the car to clog it. I now have replaced the radiator at my cost of $1600 plus. Has anyone else had all these problems?? I have had alot of problems with the struts, mount, cv boots, control arms etc.........

Filed Sep 3, 2010 · Transmission · 103,600 miles · MA

Overheat light remains on after replacing thermostat and cover and timing belt and water pump. The system has been flushed multiple times. I took it to the vw dealer that I purchased the car from on 8/25/10 after overheating light. The dealer said it was the engine coolant sensor my previous mechanic had replaced in the car. (a vw factory part). $244.00 repair from cooley-mazda vw dealer. I drove home 10 miles and the overheat sensor was on in my car. I had the car towed back to dealer at my expense that day. Rented a car for the weekend. Returned on monday 8/30/10. Car wasn't worked on. Picked up car on wednesday, 9/1/10. Paid additional 170.00 for repair, of thermostat cover which was said to be leaking. Dealer had said there were no leaks prior to this. System flushed. Said there was air in the system. Car overheat sensor after driving about 20 miles. Car was towed back to dealer. Car was picked up on 9/3/10. Dealer told me they could not get the overheat light to go on. I drove car home 15 miles. Overheat light on. I called dealer. Service technician informed me that the increased city driving I was doing was causing car to overheat. Informed that the transmission was causing the car to overheat and that I would need a new transmission. He informed me that since I said okay at the shop when they told me that the sensor was not going on and the transmission was slipping. That I knew that the transmission needed to be replaced. That is my fault and my prior mechanics. I had car towed to a recommended independent shop who was going to look at the transmission. I can not drive my car and I still owe money on it. I desperately need a vehicle to drive.

Filed Jul 27, 2010 · Electrical, Engine · 134,000 miles · FL

2002 vw beetle turbo 1.8 while driving the red light sensor would come on stating my car was overheating. Nothing was leaking, sensors were replaced a few months prior due to the same issue along with a ring and it happened again. The red light flashes then about 2 miles later the oil light goes on and if the car is not pulled over immediately then you risk engine damage. The entire engine is made up of plastic parts pretty much which crack and melt very easy when heat gets to them. So now after spending money on water pumps, assemblies, hoses, sensors which total over 3k it is now an issue once again and the car is undrivable. I am extremely disappointed in this vehicle. Also my igniter coils were replaced 8 times (2x each one) prior to a recall and they do not reimburse you all the monies spent. Now there is a recall in my sunroof which the dealership will not fix since the water damage is already affecting the roof of the vehicle. So with all of my receipts not including rental cars for repairs only I have invested over 6k in a car worth less and I doubt no one will pay to take it off my hands which will leave a single mother car less.

Filed Apr 29, 2010 · Transmission · 71,314 miles · FL

I have a 2004 vw beetle convertible with 71314 miles. The transmission is acting up. I went to the dealer and they said it needs a new one. They want $4500 to $6000 for a transmission. They also said that is not recommended to buy a used one since they all have the same problem. I asked to the guy who was helping me after 3 hours with him; if the transmission on these cars were that bad? He said 'yes they are'. That was better to sell it and get another year. It was the same for all the transmissions (triptronic) for vw and audi. Vw knows the transmission is bad on these cars and all the ones that carry this transmission. Even if they fix it there is no warranty that is going to last because the original problem is not fixed. I've been doing a lot of research and you will find that the transmission is supposed to be maintenance free. Well, that is not true. The problem is that these transmissions are going bad around 30k, 40k, 50k. The problem is due to the valve body overheating. The ducts for the cooling inside the transmission are not big enough which cause the valve body to get hot and it start bending making the hold car to shake, hit inside, it feels very hard and rough. Dealers know that the problem doesn't happen immediately it can take 30min to 2 hour for the car to act up. They take advantage and sell you the car anyway because the car is sold as is and there is no warranty. There is no real way to fix this transmission only to put a different one. No the same with the upgrade. That is what they do. They sell you one with another valve body kit and new software for $6000. However that is not enough. You will find that after sometime a lot of people have reported the transmission failed again. There is thousand of complains about the same problem. Can the government do something? The transmission can fail at any time while driving and can cause the driver to lose control in an emergency situation which can result in an injury or even death. Again death.