2000 Volkswagen Beetle Air Bags & Restraints Problems

I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY GRANDSON TO DRIVE TO WORK..THE GUY I BOUGHT IT FROM SWORE IT WAS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE, THAT HIS DAUGHTER DROVE IT TO SCHOOL ETC......WHEN WE GOT IT, I TOOK IT TO THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALER TO MAKE SURE IT WAS SAFE FOR MY GRANDSON TO DRIVE, THEY BEGAN TO FIND THINGS WRONG AND THE COST WAS MOUNTING UP AND UP AND THEY EVEN HAD US TAKE IT HOME ONLY TO TAKE IT RIGHT BACK BECAUSE IT HAD NO HEAT (AND ITS VERY COLD HERE) SO THEY WORKED ON IT SOME MORE...BOTTOM LINE IS SO FAR THEY HAVE CHARGED ME 3 TIMES WHAT I PAID FOR IT AND WHEN I LOOKED IT UP ON LINE, EVERY THING THEY DID WAS A RECALL....MY QUESTION TO YOU IS..HOW LONG ARE THE RECALLS GOOD FOR AND I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THE GUY WAS APPRAISED OF THEM OR HE WOULDN'T HAVE LET HIS DAUGHTER DRIVE IT LIKE THAT ....I HAVE THE PAPERWORK RIGHT HERE WHERE IT SHOWS 9 RECALLS AND 62 SERVICE BULLETINS...PLEASE ADVISE ME OF MY OPTION AS I COULD HAVE BOUGHT HIM A MUCH NICER CAR FOR WHAT I HAVE IN THIS!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

CABLE HAS COMPLETELY SEVERED ON DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RECEPTOR. THIS IS NOT THE RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT BUT JUST DUE TO USE AS INTENDED. ISSUE WAS DISCOVERED ON EXAMINATION ON 7 NOVEMBER 2014. INFORMED VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA WHO DECLINED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM DESPITE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS. INFORMAL COMMUNICATION WITH DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS THAT THE ISSUE WAS CAUSED BECAUSE A PLASTIC SLEEVE AROUND THE TWO CABLES AT THE LATCHING MECHANISM HAD SLIPPED DOWN THE CABLE ALLOWING THE CABLE TO BEND BACK AND FORTH, EVENTUALLY CAUSING STRESS FAILURE. *TR

THE STEEL CABLE SECURING THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE TO THE SEAT CAGE BROKE LEAVING ME UNPROTECTED IN THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE COMMON TO THE VW NEW BEETLE AND CITED BY OWNERS ACROSS MODEL YEARS. ALSO, THE MANUFACTURER COMPLICATES WHAT WOULD BE AN EASY FIX BY ATTACHING THE PART TO THE SEAT CAGE WITH FASTENERS THAT CANNOT BE REMOVED WITHOUT A PROPRIETARY TOOL. IT'S LIKE STRONG-ARM ROBBERY! *TR

I TURNED ON MY CAR AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT TURNED ON. *TR

1. 2000 VW BEETLE WORKED FINE. 2. ONE DAY I STARTED THE CAR UP AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. IT DIDN'T COME ON THE NEXT TIME I STARTED IT, BUT IT DID THE TIME AFTER THAT AND IT COMES ON AND STAYS ON NOW EVERY TIME I START THE CAR. 3. TRIED TO HAVE A MECHANIC CHECK IT OUT BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO READ THE CODE. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THAT MANY, MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHT. (ACCORDING TO MY RESEARCH, ALMOST ALL THE BEETLES HAVE THIS PROBLEM, AS THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE SEATS THAT CONNECTS THE SIDE AIRBAGS TO THE BUCKLES ON THE SEAT BELT WAS MADE ABOUT 3" TOO SHORT AND GETS PULLED FORWARD OR OUT COMPLETELY WHEN THE SEATS ARE BROUGHT FORWARD TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE BACK.) THIS OBVIOUSLY SHOULD BE A RECALL. *TR

SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILURE HAS OCCURRED IN THIS 2000 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE MULTIPLE TIMES. VOLKSWAGEN RESPONDED BY REPLACING THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT THE FIRST TIME THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED BUT REFUSED TO ACTUALLY CORRECT THE ENGINEERING ISSUE CAUSING THE FAILURE TO RETURN. THE WIRING HARNESS IS TOO SHORT UNDER THE SEAT AND FEEDING TO THE SWITCH IN THE SEAT BELT OF THE DRIVER. THE CAR IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AND FAILED YET AGAIN. IF YOU WILL NOTICE, THERE ARE MANY ISSUES WITH THE 2000 NEW BEETLE BUT ONLY 4 RECALLS OF THIRD PARTY LIGHTING PRODUCTS AND NO ACTUAL VOLKSWAGEN RECALLS. VOLKSWAGEN IS BEING ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH ABUSE TO THE CONSUMER. *TR

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYS ON CONSTANTLY ON A 2000 BEETLE. THERE ARE TOO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE PROBLEM WIRING UNDER THE SEAT CAUSING THE AIRBAG LIGHT TO STAY ON...THIS SHOULD BE THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL INVESTIGATION! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYED ON. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AFTER DRIVING OVER A SPEED BUMP AND IF THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH THE AIR BAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BUT REFUSED TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST PERFORMED DUE TO THE COST. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

FOR THE FIFTH TIME IN 10 YEARS, THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT HAS COME ON IN MY 2000 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE (LESS THAN 50,000 MILES AND NEVER IN A CRASH). ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER WHEN THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON THE AIRBAGS ARE DEACTIVATED PROVIDING NO PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. DEALER HAS TWICE PREVIOUSLY REPLACED DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG HARNESS AND RECOMMENDS DOING SO AGAIN. *TR

2000 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE RECENTLY MY 2000 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE HAD THE AIRBAG LIGHT COME ON. I SCOURED THE INTERNET TO FIND POSSIBLE CAUSES AND TO MY AMAZEMENT, MANY PEOPLE SUFFER FROM THE SAME PROBLEM. IT APPEARS THAT THE SENSORS AND WIRE HARNESSES IN THE NEW BEETLES FREQUENTLY FAIL TRIGGERING THE AIRBAG LIGHT TO COME ON. I WAS TOLD BY AN SERVICE TECH. THAT WHEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON, THE AIRBAGS BECOME DEACTIVATED, WHICH SEEMS TO POSE AN EXTREMELY HUGE SAFETY CONCERN, SEEING AS THE NEW BEETLE SUFFERS MANY DEFECTS REGARDING THE AIRBAGS. THANKFULLY, THE PROBLEM IN MINE IS THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG WIRE HARNESS LOCATED UNDER THE DRIVER SEAT. THE WIRE LENGTH IS NOT SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO WITH STAND A LOT OF SEAT MOVEMENT. MOVING THE SEATS FORWARD TOO MANY TIMES CAN ACTUALLY CAUSE THESE WIRES TO BREAK IN HALF, WHICH HAPPENED IN MY CASE, DEACTIVATING ALL THE AIRBAGS AND BRINGING UP AN ERROR IN THE SYSTEM. THE DEALERSHIP DOESN'T MAKE THE MATTER ANY BETTER, BY SAYING THAT I WILL HAVE TO PAY $600.00 TO REPLACE NOT ONLY THE WIRE HARNESS, BUT THE SIDE AIRBAG AS IT COMES AS A COMPLETE PACKAGE AND THE HARNESS IS NOT SOLD SEPARATELY. IN THIS ECONOMY, I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE AN ENTIRE PERFECTLY GOOD AIRBAG FOR A SIMPLE WIRE, SO I AM STUCK HAVING TO DRIVE AROUND KNOWING THAT MY AIRBAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IF I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT OR POSSIBLY DEPLOY PREMATURELY WITHOUT ANY CAUSE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE LOOKED AT, SINCE IT NOT ONLY AFFECTS THE 2000 MODEL, BUT ALL MODELS UP TO 2006. VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR SELLING A PRODUCT DESIGNED FOR OCCUPANT SAFETY, THAT FAILS BEFORE THE REST OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

PROBLEM: CHRONIC FAILURE OF DRIVER'S AIR BAG CIRCUIT PURCHASED FEBRUARY 2000. SINCE JULY 2004 WE HAVE HAD REPEATED (EIGHT) REPAIRS DONE IN RESPONSE TO THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATING CONTINUOUSLY, INDICATING THE AIR BAG CIRCUIT IS FAULTY AND THE AIR BAG WON'T FIRE SHOULD AN ACCIDENT OCCUR. DESPITE REPEATED REPAIRS, TWICE COMPLETELY REPLACING THE WIRING HARNESS, AND ONCE REPLACING THE AIRBAG ITSELF, THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED AGAIN THIS WEEK AND A NINTH REPAIR IS NEEDED. ALL REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE AND DOCUMENTED BY OUR VW DEALER. TO DATE REPAIR COSTS EXCEED $1500. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO OCCUR. *TR

AIRBAG SYSTEM MALFUNCTION: AIRBAG (SRS) SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED IN THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL, ORIGINALLY ON 9/24/2001. VW DEALER STATED DRIVER'S SEAT SIDE AIRBAG NEEDED REPLACEMENT DUE TO AN INTERNAL CAUSE AND WAS REPLACED ON 10/2/2001 AT 15365 MILES. AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND SYSTEM WAS SERVICED ON 4/8/2003 WHERE VW DEALER REPAIRED CONNECTION UNDER DRIVER'S SEAT AT 36405 MILES. RECENTLY, AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND WAS SERVICED ON 10/13/2008. THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS REMOVED AND DEALER REPAIRED CONNECTION TO DRIVER'S SEAT SIDE AIRBAG AT 111370 MILES. IF THIS PROBLEM WERE NOT REPAIRED, THE DRIVER'S SEAT SIDE AIRBAG WOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED IN THE EVENT OF A SIDE COLLISION. VW DEALER STATED THAT NUMEROUS VW NEW BEETLES HAVE HAD AIR BAG CONNECTION REPAIRS FOR THE DRIVER'S SEAT SIDE AIRBAG. VW DEALER STATED THEY PUT AN "EXTENSION" ON THE CONNECTING WIRE AND THIS PROBLEM SHOULDN'T OCCUR AGAIN. AGAIN, VW DEALER STATED THE AIR BAG SYSTEM CONNECTION UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT APPEARS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM. THIS CONCERNS ME BECAUSE THERE IS A RECURRING CONNECTION PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM, WHICH DIMINISHES THE AIR BAG SYSTEM?S SAFETY AND RELIABILITY DURING A COLLISION. VW SHOULD RECALL AND REPAIR NEW BEETLES WITH THIS AIRBAG CONNECTION PROBLEM SO THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WILL NO LONGER MALFUNCTION DUE TO A FAULTY WIRE CONNECTION. MY LOCAL VW DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS REMEDIED WITH A NEW ?EXTENSION? PART AND THE PROBLEM SHOULD NO LONGER OCCUR. IF I HAD THREE MALFUNCTIONS WITH MY VEHICLE?S AIRBAG SYSTEM AND MY LOCAL DEALER RECOGNIZED THIS IS A PROBLEM IN MY AREA, THIS MAY BE A WIDESPREAD, RECURRING PROBLEM AMONG NEW BEETLES. VW NEW BEETLE OWNERS SHOULD BE OFFICIALLY NOTIFIED OF THIS POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM SO THAT THE PROPER REPAIR CAN BE MADE TO THE AIRBAG SYSTEM TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THE DRIVER IN THE EVENT OF A SIDE COLLISION. *TR

I HAVE A VW NEW BEETLE AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAY IT'S NOT THEIR PROBLEM AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE 700 DOLLARS TO FIX IT BUT THE CAR IS EXPENSIVE. *TR

ON THE 2000 BEETLE, YOU CAN TELESCOPE THE DRIVER STEERING COLUMN. WELL, THE AIRBAG SPRING COIL UNCOILED ON MY CAR WHEN I TELESCOPED THE COLUMN AND THE ONLY WAY I KNOW THIS IS BECAUSE THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALER AND OTHER MECHANICS ARE SAYING THE WHOLE AIRBAG NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WHICH WILL COST ANYWHERE FROM $600 TO $800. NOW, I DON?T FEEL AS IF THIS IS A PROBLEM I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR. THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED TO HAVE THE STEERING COLUMN TELESCOPE SO WHY WOULD THE COIL UNCOIL WHEN I USE THE FEATURE? ALSO, THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THE AIRBAG WILL NOT WORK IF SOMETHING WHERE TO HAPPEN. IS THIS SOMETHING VW SHOULD LOOK INTO AND REPLACE FOR ME FREE OF CHARGE? *TR

2000 VW BEETLE HAS HAD 3 AIRBAGS INSTALLED SINCE 2002. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND THEREFORE WILL NOT PASS THE VIRGINIA STATE INSPECTION PROCESS.. THREE LETTERS SENT TO VW WITH NO SUCCESS. VW CUSTOMER CARE REPRESENTATIVE WILL NOT LOOK INTO THE AIRBAG SYSTEM ON THE 2000 VW BEETLE SINCE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE FIRST AIRBAG ISSUE STARTED UNDER WARRANTY. THE THREE AIRBAGS REPLACED TO DATE HAS BEEN 2 DRIVERS AND 1 PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN RESET NUMEROUS TIMES WITH NO SUCCESS WITHOUT REPLACING AN AIRBAG. *TR

AIR BAG FAULT LIGHTS HAS BEEN COMING ON AND GOING OFF FOR OVER A YEAR,,, EVERYTIME I GET TIME TO GO BY AND GET IT FIXED, IT GOES OFF, HOOKED THE COMPUTER UP AND IT SHOWS NO FAULT... NOW IT IS ON ALL THE TIME, I WAS TOLD THAT IT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED BUT AT GREAT EXPENSE TO ME,,, HOWEVER IT WAS NOT REALLY HURTING ANYTHING.. I WAS TOLD THAT IT DOES NOT AFFECT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYING, BUT I WONDER... THE ONLY WAY TO FIND OUT IS HAVE AN ACCIDENT AND I DO NOT WANT TO DO THAT, SO WE , THE OWNERS ARE AT THE MERCY OF THE VW CORPORATION. *JB

I GOT IN MY CAR ONE DAY AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NO CONSEQUENCES OTHER THAN IT IS PROBABLY THE SENSOR RATHER THAN THE AIR BAG THAT IS DAMAGED. IT HAS TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED. NOT SURE IF THAT MEANS THE SENSOR OR THE AIR BAG AS WELL TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE. I AM DRIVING WITH THE LIGHT ON. *TR

THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON IN 2005. THE DEALER SAID THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG HAD TO BE REPLACED. APPROXIMATELY 1 YEAR LATER, THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. THIS TIME THE DEALER SAID THEY "FIXED" IT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DID. IN JANUARY 2007, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW. I'M WORRIED THAT MY AIRBAGS WON'T WORK IN A COLLISION BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DEALER IS DOING AND THEY CAN'T TELL ME WHAT THE CONTINUING PROBLEM IS. *JB

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS 2000 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. ON JULY 30, 2001 (MILEAGE 20013) I COMPLAINED TO MY DEALERSHIP THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON ALL THE TIME WHILE DRIVING. THEY RECONNECTED THE WIRE UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT STATING IT WAS LOOSE, POOR FIT. ON NOVEMBER 15, 2002 (MILEAGE 33164) I COMPLAINED AGAIN THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON ALL THE TIME. THEY INSPECTED AND FOUND TWO MISC. CODES RESET AND TESTED, SAID ALL IS OK AT THIS TIME. ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2003 (MILEAGE 41463)I COMPLAINED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON ALL THE TIME, AGAIN. DEALERSHIP TESTED AND SAID I NEEDED D/D AIR BAG, HARNESS AND SEAT BELT REPLACED AT A COST OF $675.00. I DECLINED REPAIR AND CALLED VOLKSWAGEN. ON NOVEMBER 5, 2003 VW SAID THEY WOULD REPAIR THIS PROBLEM FREE OF CHARGE FOR CUSTOMER "GOODWILL". ON JULY 19, 2005 (MILEAGE 61130) I COMPLAINED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ONCE AGAIN ON ALL THE TIME. DEALERSHIP REPOSITIONED CONNECTOR FOR DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG AND STATED IF IT COMES ON AGAIN WILL NEED NEW AIR BAG. ON NOVEMBER 20, 2006 (MILEAGE 73661) ONCE AGAIN I COMPLAINED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON ALL THE TIME WHILE DRIVING. I WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW DRIVERS SEAT AIR BAG, HARNESS WITH REWIRE TO CONTROL AT A COST OF $1040. ONCE AGAIN I CALLED VOLKSWAGEN AND THIS TIME I WAS TOLD SORRY, THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO HELP ME. THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE AND SPECIFICALLY A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE ADVISE IF THERE IS ANY HELP YOU ARE ABLE TO OFFER. *JB

AIR BAG DASHBOARD LIGHT LIT AT 24,635 MILES. REPAIR MADE BY DEALER 2/9/05 FOR $308 LABOR AND $44.76 PART (SMALL CABLE UNDER DRIVER'S SEAT). TEXT ON DEALER WORK ORDER: "FOUND THE D/S AIRBAG ASSM. TO HAVE A FAULT IN THE CONNECTOR OF HARNESS. REMOVED SEAT ASSM AND REPLACED HARNESS. SEAT AIRBAG CODES. T/DRIVE TO CONFIRM REPAIR." AT 35,500 AIR BAG DASHBOARD LIGHT HAS LIT AGAIN. *NM