Table 1 shows one common seat belt related problems of the 2000 Volkswagen Beetle.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Seat Belt problems |
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.
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!.
I turned on my car and the airbag light turned on.