2000 Volkswagen Beetle Powertrain & Transmission Problems

I'VE HAD MY BEETLE SINCE 2005, AND THE AIRBAG LIGHTS CONTINUOUSLY COME ON AS WELL AS ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I'VE TAKEN IT TO VW ONCE FOR REPAIR, AND THEY COME BACK ON MONTHS LATER. I'VE READ SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER VW OWNERS CONCERNING THE AIRBAG AND TRANSMISSION. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS ISN'T A RECALL ISSUE PARTICULARLY SINCE THERE WAS A DEATH IN 2007 WITH ANOTHER OWNER. THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON. THE WEB PAGE BELOW VOICES THE FRUSTRATIONS OF MANY OWNERS, AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THESE COMPLAINTS AREN'T BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY. THE REPAIRS COST OVER $1600. HOW IS THIS FAIR WHEN HAVING TO GET IT REPAIRED EVERY YEAR? ARE YOU PROTECTING VW? TRYING TO FIND SOMEONE TO CLEAR THE CODES IS DIFFICULT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO UNDER THE SEAT TO ADJUST WIRES AND USING THE COMPUTER TO CLEAR THEM, BUT THEY COME BACK ON A DAY OR TWO LATER. HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2000/VOLKSWAGEN/BEETLE/AIR_BAGS/PROBLEM.ASPX. *TR

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. *TR

WE BOUGHT THE CAR EVERYTHING WAS FINE. TWO WEEKS LATER THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION TAKES OFF IN SECOND GEAR AND WILL NOT SHIFT TILL GETS UP TO 40 MPH. AFTER CHECKING ON LINE IT SEEMS VOLKSWAGEN IS HAVING ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS AND DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR

I JUST BOUGHT A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE, AND MY TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE TO MORE THAN ONE LOCATION INCLUDING THE VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP AND EVERYONE IS TELLING ME THE CODE READ GEAR RATIO INCORRECT. MY CAR IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR ME TOO DRIVE THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION I NEED IS 5000 AND THERE IS NO WARRANTY THAT THEY COULD OFFER ME. I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR I DON'T HAVE 5000 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION AND I HAVE DONE MY RESEARCH ABOUT THIS SITUATION AND EVERYONE IS SAYING THE SAME EXACT THING IM COMPLAINING ABOUT HOW FAST BEETLES TRANSMISSION GO OUT AND HALF OF THEM TOOK THERE BEETLE TO VOLKSWAGEN JUST FOR THEM TO TELL THEM THEY NEED 5000 TO 7000 TRANSMISSION AND LATER FIND OUT THAT WAS JOT EVEN THE PROBLEM AND THE CAR IS STILL DRIVING VERY RECKLESS. I'M PUTTING MY LIFE N DANGER EVERY TIME I DRIVE THE CAR I HAVE TWO JOBS AND I CANT AFFORD TO MISS ONE DAY. SO U TELL ME MISS DAYS FROM WORK BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE SAFE TRANSPORTATION OR DRIVE THE CAR I HAVE N REST MY LIFE EVERYDAY. I NEED SOMEONE TO HEAR ME OUT AND HELP ME WITH THIS SITUATION. I'M SORRY TO SAY I WILL KEEP COMPLAINING INTEL SOMEONE GETS TO BOTTOM OF THIS. *TR

I AM HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON MY 2000 BEETLE. I WAS TOLD THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT NEED REPLACED BUT I FEEL OTHERWISE. WHEN I AM DRIVING MY VEHICLE WILL PULL BACK VERY HARD AND THEN JUMP AND SHOOT ME FORWARD. I AM AFRAID THAT THIS WILL CAUSE A BAD ACCIDENT. *TR

2000 NEW BEETLE WITH ITS SECOND TRANSMISSION. I THOUGHT THESE WERE RELIABLE CARS THAT WOULD BE RELIABLE FOR BACK AND FORTH TO WORK.. I LOOKS AT THE FORUMS AND FIND IM ONE OF THE THOUSANDS THAT HAS HAD THE SAME ISSUE. IS THIS ACCEPTABLE? *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON A 2000 VW BEETLE AT 60,000 MILES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2000 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS UNLESS HE WAS DRIVING 40 TO 60 MPH. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000.

TRANSMISSION FAILURE- VEHICLE DOWN SHIFTED HARD AND WOULD NOT COME OUT OF 1ST GEAR DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC ON HIGHWAY ALMOST CAUSING REAR END COLLISION. AFTER TURNING CAR OFF AND TURNING VEHICLE BACK ON IT PROCEEDED FOR ABOUT 5 MILES BEFORE DOING THE SAME. CAR WAS TOWED AND TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT BUT THE CAR CONTINUES TO DO THE SAME. RECENTLY TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR, SLOWING DOWN FOR TRAFFIC THAT WAS AT A STAND STILL THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED HARD CAUSING THE CAR BEHIND ME TO SLAM ON HIS BRAKES CAUSING AN ACCIDENT BEHIND ME. *TR

I RECEIVED A RECALL ABOUT MY BACK OR BREAK LIGHT. MADE AN APT. WITH HERITAGE VW IN GEORGIA. I DROVE FROM LEESBURG AL. TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY CHANGE THE LIGHT AND TOLD ME A BELT HAS TO BE REPLACED. I KNOW NOTHING NEEDS REPLACEMENT BECAUSE MY SON ( A MECHANIC ) DOES ALL THE MAINTENANCE IN MY VW. I TOLD THE THEM I WILL TALK TO MY SON AND WILL GET BACK WITH THEM. I HAD A HARD TIME STARING THE CAR, BUT DID NOT PAY ANY ATTENTION BECAUSE I WAS IN A HURRY TO GET OUT OF THERE. I WAS ON HWY 20 WHEN EVERY THING WENT CRAZY WITH MY CAR. LOST MY CRUISE CONTROL, LOST POWER, WON'T START. SO I CALLED HERITAGE AND ASK WHAT THEY DID WITH THE CAR. THEY WANT ME TO BRING IT BACK TO THEM, KNOWING IT CAN'T BE DRIVEN. I FEEL THEY SABOTAGE MY CAR, THEY MESSED UP MY CAR SO MUCH, I PAID OVER $3000.00 FOR IT TO WORK. I KEPT THE RECEIPT JUST IN CASE I MIGHT NEED IT AS PROOF. I RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL LAST WEEK IT'S HARD TO GET BURNT TWICE IN A ROW. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 VOLKSWAGEN BUG. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED INCLUDING WHEN THE IGNITIONWAS STARTED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ALSO, FUMES ENTERED THE VEHICLE BENEATH THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO TWO MECHANICS, AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS AN AIRFLOW TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,000. *AK

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THE GEAR SHIFT WILL NOT MOVE FROM THE PARK POSITION. DUE TO THE DESIGN THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH ANY OVERRIDE FEATURE THAT WOULD ALLOW THE DISENGAGEMENT OF THE SHIFT POSITION. THE DEALER IS WILLING TO OFFER A FREE REMEDY HOWEVER, THEY WILL NOT PROVIDE THE TOWING SERVICE. THEREFORE, NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE.*AK

CLUTCH DEFECTIVE,VERY LOW MI 40,000

CLUTCH SUDDENLY AND COMPLETELY FAILED AT 27,000 MILES. DRIVEN ONLY BY PREVIOUS OWNER OF TWO OTHER VWS. HAVE LEARNED NO REPLACEMENT CLUTCH IS AVAILABLE. WAS ATTEMPTING TO SELL IT SINCE ANOTHER CAR HAS ALREADY BEEN PURCHASED. THIS HAS PRESENTED A FINANCIAL HARDSHIP. I AM LIVID LIVID LIVID. NO MORE VWS FOR ME EVER. *JB

CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE GOT STUCK IN PARK, AND WOULD NOT MOVE. CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER, AND THEY TOLD HER THAT SHE NEEDED TO TAKE HER VEHICLE TO A VOLKSWAGEN DEALER. CONSUMER JUST BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN JANUARY 2004, AND DID NOT TAKE IT TO A REPAIR SHOP. HOWEVER, CONSUMER FELT THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *AK

SUDDEN LOST OF SHIFT ABILITY. VEHICLE WAS PARKED, SHIFTED IT INTO REVERSE, BACKED UP, AND THEN SHIFT TO FORWARD GEAR AND NOTHING WOULD ENGAGE. TOWED TO DEALER WHO SAYS LINKAGE CABLES AND SHIFT LEVERS SNAPPED, "FROZEN" STATES DEALER. TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN COMPLETELY REPLACED 3 MONTHS AGO. SAYS THIS IS NOT PART OF DRIVE TRAIN AND NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. WANT $500 FOR REPAIR. *JB

MY WIFE'S VOLKSWAGEN CLUTCH HAS BROKEN 3 TIMES. ONCE AT 3K, ANOTHER AT 34K AND NOW AT 83K; THIS DESPITE THE FACT SHE DRIVES ABOUT THIRTY FIVE MILES EACH WAY TO WORK ON AN EXPRESSWAY, AND DOES NOT SUE THE CLUTCH THAT MUCH. *AK

BRAKE SWITCH MALFUNCTION EDON THE 2000 ,VOLKSWAGEN, NEW BEETLE CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO STICK IN PARK. *AK

TRANSMISSION LOCKS ITS SELF INTO PARK. YOU CANNOT RELEASE THE CAR FROM PARK. DEALER CANNOT REPLICATE PROBLEM. WILL NOT FIX TE BRAKE SWITCH WHICH HAS CAUSED TEH SAME PROBLEM IN OTHER CARS. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK