Automatic Transmission Problems of Volkswagen New Beetle - part 1

2001 vw beetle. From the very beginning, it has been nothing but problems. For the first few years it was covered under the warranty, free of charge repairs. I have low mileage so I thought that by the time these items were repaired it would be fine when the warranty expired. There is always something wrong with the car and in particular the electrical system. The check engine light is always going off. The safety issue comes in with its current problem. I had a fuel injection flush which included the carbon deposits removal known as induction, air filter replaced, engine fuel filter replaced, and a brake fluid flush plus 4 new spark plugs. Prior to this service, my car was having difficulty starting with major shaking. I had to put my foot on the accelerator to get it going while starting. Now after the service it runs much better but the problem is that now stalls when I come to a traffic light and stop for a period of time. This is extremely dangerous. The other malfunctions that have happened over the years are an expense but it was something that I could somehow manage. This is incredibly dangerous. I have no control over traffic lights and the generator comes on when I stop, it is worse when the light changes fast and then I have to stop even more suddenly. Imagine if I am on the highway and it stops. This has happened once, a few weeks prior to the cleaning service. Now, I am afraid to drive that vehicle. I have looked online at message boards from other vw beetle owners and had read similar stories of such dissatisfaction, incredible financial expense with the electrical system and other components of cars. I have even read that these cars can become inflamed , necessitating the fire dept. To put it out. This is a lemon and so many other vw owners have written similar account message boards. The consumer stated the oxygen sensor and mass air flow sensor had to be replaced. Also, the epc light illuminated. Updated ivoq 07/07/11.

See all problems of the 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle 🔎.

I bought my 2005 volkwagen beetle in 2005. I experienced hard down shifting from 3rd to 1st within the 1st year of owning the car. I took it in to dwight harrison in snellville georgia where I bought the car. They said they couldn't find anything wrong. I just thought it was normal. Year after year, the shifting got worse. It would happen randomly while driving. Now after 100,000 miles, the shifting is so bad, I can barely drive the car. It now shifts hard from every gear. Every time my car has to slow down or speed up from a stop light, it jerks so hard it throws me forward. It's ridiculous and scary. Sometimes, while accelerating through an intersection, it will just stop, and I have to let off the gas and just pause and wait a second and then speed up again. It's dangerous to drive at this point, but I do not have the money to put in a new transmission. I recently got a letter from Volkswagen of America staing that they're fixing certain beetle's transmissions, and my 2005 was one of them! I was so excited, but as I read on, the letter explained that the beetle had to be under 100,000 miles or under 7years old. Well of course my bug was 400 miles over 100,000 miles!!!! I called volkeswagen of America faxed them documentation that my car had been in the shop for transmission problems at 50,000 miles, and I waited 6 weeks to hear anything back. Finally, they sent me a letter denying me of a new transmission because I was 400 miles over 100,000 miles! this is absolutely ridiculous! they cannot get away with this. We need to file a lawsuit against Volkswagen of America!!!!.

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The contact owns a 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle. The contact stated the vehicle would jerk violently when she attempted to shift between gears. She also noticed debris that entered the vehicle through the ventilation system which was a greasy substance that caused her eyes to burn and could have obstructed her view. The dealer nor manufacturer were notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was awaiting an appointment with a private mechanic. The current mileage was 67,700. The approximate failure mileage was 67,100.

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I purchased a 2001 New Beetle GLS turbo with 42k miles on it in 2008 for my teenage daughter. I have had this car garaged, oil changed, and have only put 8k miles on it in the three years I've owned it. At my most recent oil change, I explained to the vw dealership of the transmission issue which they brushed off as being the way vw transmission's do in and that they are not smooth running transmissions. During this 8k miles, I have went through two new batteries until the dealership made me aware of the need for a new alternator. After getting the new alternator fixed this week at the tune of $500, the tech informed me the transmission needed replacing at a cost between $4k-$6k. I had been noticing when I stop and then accelerate again, the engine hesitates and then slings forward so fast the tires will bark. It's hesitation almost cost me a rear-end accident not long ago. Thankfully, everyone was just shaken up a bit. I have also had to replace the cabin air filter when it disintegrated and started blowing filter in her face as she was driving. All these repairs in the 8k miles I've put on it. The car at this moment now has only 50k miles and sits in my garage as I am afraid for my teenage daughter to drive it because of it's unreliability and safety issues. Also, the console has broken, the clear coat is pealing off the interior doors, handles and dash. Please help us because there are alot of people that depend on the vw's and cannot afford new, safer cars.

2003 tdi beetle (auto) jerks abruptly when upshifting. The car almost stalls in fast-moving traffic, creating a life-threatening condition. Dealer service dept. States a temperature sensor for transmission fluid is not functioning, and needs replacement. This is not a part that should fail as it threatens lives, and should be replaced by vw.

The transmission on my 2001 Volkswagen beetle has many issues including but not limited to, slipping into neutral while accelerating, hard shifts between gears, and not going into the correct gear causing slow to no acceleration which can cause an accident at any given time.

The contact owns a 2004 Volkswagen New Beetle. The automatic transmission would not shift properly and it began clanking, jerking and sometime it failed to shift into gear. The vehicle was driven to a transmission shop where she was told that it was the valve body that needed to be replaced. The vehicle should not be driven without repairing the failure. There were no recalls or warranties regarding the failure. The dealer was called and advised her to bring the vehicle in for diagnostic testing so that they could determine the problem. The Volkswagen manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 55,900.

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2004 vw New Beetle with dsg transmission. Car drops into limp mode. Happened on expressway resulting in low speed to get to median. Happens when pulling away from intersection and goes into neutral. Car will not move until engine is stopped and restarted. Above issues happened 4 times over a 3 day period. Not safe to drive. Dsg transmission with the mechatronics unit is rare in 04 beetles. Not included in factory recalls of 07 and up. Had mechatronics unit replaced for $2250. 00 my expense. 80,000 miles on car. 07 and up have warranty extension to 100,000 miles. 04 not included because of low frequency of event. Low frequency because not many around. Car is dangerous and should be covered by warranty same as o7 vw & Audi cars.

Have had transmission issues with my 2004 New Beetle. On 5/12/10, I started having problems with my transmission took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated it was a faulty "turbo recirculation valve" and replaced the part (picked up same day-$250). On 5/18/10, I told them I was still having the same problem with the transmission where the rpms goes up but the speed of the car does not move. . Close to redline. This time the dealer told me the transmission was bad and had to be replaced (picked up on 5/25/10-$4,269). When I received the car I told them the car still did not perform like it should. On 5/26/10, I took the car back to the dealer and now they tell me the transmission controller unit and circuit was faulty and had to be replaced. . . This time it took a while (picked car up on 6/29/10 - $1,888). Around the week of July 9th I called the dealer and told them the car still felt it was slipping at time when the weather was hot and I had been driving in it. On, 7/14/10 I took the car in again to dealer and they had it for a day. . . Now they told me they could not recreate the problem so I picked up the car on 7/15/10. . . No cost this time. They may have made a few tweaks as the car lasted till now 8/07/10 where I had to leave my car at a local post office after driving home from work in a 105 degree heat in texas (I drove about 37 miles). It is just as I suspected I was able to ask my brother to take me to the car in the evening and was able to drive it home. I left a message for the dealership in the afternoon when I had the problems. Thank you for your assistance in this matter to not defraud the consumer by selling them defective vehicles/parts.

2005 vw beetle began having shifting issues. Check engine light came on and I took it to driver's edge. Codes from computer were sensor related and tune up needed. I paid for the tune up and the next week I took to vw due to hard shifting. Code was cleared so they said there was no problem. I still had issues so I returned the car then suddenly I needed a new transmission. My car only has 77k so I thought $6000 was extreme. Started looking into the issue and apparently it's a common problem. Previous code on car was ignition coil so I don't understand how it went from a possible recall issue to needing a whole new transmission.

The contact owns a 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle. While driving approximately 30 mph the vehicle violently lunged forward as it abruptly downshifted. The failure recurred intermittently. The contact also stated that the vehicle would intermittently hesitate while accelerating at a stop. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the tiptronic switch was repaired. The failure continued to recur so the vehicle was taken back to the authorized dealer where he was told the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 52,000 and the current mileage was 55,000.

My parents purchased a 2005 New Beetle from Volkswagen for me when I got my permit in 2006. The transmission is now failing. I was told it would cost over $6000 to replace. It shifts hard and jerkily. Upset about this problem I did some research online and discovered I am not alone in this problem. . Read more...

2005 vw New Beetle auto 6 speed 57,000 miles. Hard downshifting. This problem is ongoing.

The car has 62,000 miles on it and has been just drove around town and is now having transmission issues it has problems going from 1st to 2nd and when I slow down it down shifts so hard it felt like I was being hit from behind!!! I was so startled when it happened I had chest pains!!! its looking like these transmissions are defective because there are alot of people having the same problem!!!!!.

My 98 vw New Beetle has 68,000 miles on it. Around 66,000 miles it began to shift real hard. In order to get the car to shift into 3rd gear or higher I have to accelerate enough to get the engine up to 4,000+ rpm's, ease off the gas a little and then it will finally lurch into the next gear. This is a safety issue when accelerating after stopping in intersections due to the high traffic volume in my area. This problem is consistent and happens whenever the car is running. I haven't taken it to be serviced because of the extremely high cost of repairing the transmission. The car is worth less than the necessary repair.

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I bought a 2005 vw beetle with 50,000 miles on it. It drove great until about 70,000+ miles when it starting hard shifting. It is hard shifting when gearing up from 2nd to 3rd and when it gears down from 4th to 3rd. It happens everytime I drive the car.

The contact owns a 2004 Volkswagen beetle GLS. The contact stated while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle began abnormally jerking while switching gears. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the engine was repaired. The failure recurred within one month. The dealer then replaced the transmission gear box. Shortly after, the headlights and tail lights failed which were also repaired by the dealer. On a separate occasion, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact was able to immediately restart the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The failure recurred twice. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where the contact was awaiting a diagnosis of the failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000 and the current mileage was 64,000.

2005 vw beetle with 95,000 miles. Been maintained and taken care of. As with many other vw beetle owners, the transmission is messed up. Doesn't happen all the time but hesitates and bucks when shifting up and down. Very worrisome in heavy traffic.

After driving the car for about 20 minutes, I stopped at a redlight. When the light turned green, my car acted like it did not have a lot of power and would not shift into 2nd and 3rd gears without over revving. Whenever I slowed back down, the car abruptly and severely downshifts. The shift is hard enough that it slings me forward. I fear that I will soon be rearended because of this. I do not feel safe to drive my car. This occurrence happens sporadically and I can't get it fixed until a mechanic witnesses it happening.

See all problems of the 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle 🔎.

2006 vw beetle, 6-spd automatic with 62,000 miles. Car began slipping between gears on a typical trip along interstate 95. Car was towed into a dealership where a technician determined that there was moisture in the transmission and it would need to be completely replaced for an estimated $7,000. I've called several private transmission repair shops and am told that neither vw nor any aftermarket companies sell parts to repair the transmission. The car is still not repaired as the value of the car, approx $9,000 does not warranty $7,000 repair. I have been in contact via online forums with several owners from 2003 to 2007 with the same problem. According to many, vw dealership tech's seem to systematically blame these problems on minor dings and dents to the undercarriage of the cars that "may" have caused the problems.

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2002 Volkswagen beetle automatic transmission. There is a long hesitation then a violent jerk going into gears. I had stopped at the stop sign at the end of my road, I then proceeded to cross 4 lanes of highway traffic when the transmission decided to do a long hesitation. A multiple car accident was almost the result. I have since parked the car and do not drive it because I cannot afford to fix it and Volkswagen told me that the repairs would be $5700. 00. This hesitation and jerking happens everytime time now when driven. I believe this is a safety concern and should be looked into. Thank you!.

The contact owns a 2009 Volkswagen New Beetle. The contact stated that while driving 30 mph, he attempted to accelerate but the vehicle hesitated. The failure recurred intermittently while stopped or while driving. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, but they were unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 500. Updated 05/08/lj the consumer stated when he removed his foot from the brake, the vehicle would start to move at idle speed. The consumer also stated the vehicle hesitated several times. Updated 05/23/12.

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2005 New Beetle, 79,000 miles needs a brand new transmission. The car shifts hard from gear to gear, down shifts hard, accelerates on it's own, shifts into next gear and just revs up instead of shifting. This is now occurring every time the car is driven. The cost to replace the transmission is $3,00 or more.

The 2005 beetle I purchased had 31k miles on it when I bought it. I know have 41 k miles on it and between 2nd and third gear the engine revs then shifts really hard. My girlfriend has almost been involved in several accidents related to this issue. I have read other blogs on edmonds had have talked with other bug owners every chance I get. Some have told me (who don't know about the blog site0 that they have had the same issue. Obviously there is a problem creating a huge safety issue and vw needs to address the issue. There needs to be a recall on the transmissions. And not just my year but 03,02,01,04,05,06,07. From what I understand. A cop would and will eventually pull me over due to the erratic behavior of the car.

While stopped at a red light, vehicle suddenly revved up and started to move forward, even though foot was firmly pressing down on brake pedal. Turned wheel to the right while vehicle was moving forward and moved the gear shift lever from "drive" to "park". Left front of vehicle made contact with rear of vehicle that was stopped in front of me.

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Problem: gear shifter for automatic transmission locked in park position. On multiple occasions the transmission shifter has locked in the park position. In order to get the car into a drive gear, it was necessary to turn the car off and on several times while pumping the brake pedal. It has taken as long a 30 mins. Of this process to get the car out of park. On each occasion my car was in a parked position. However, this problem could potentially occur if the car were placed into park at a traffic light or stop sign. Should this happen, it would create a traffic hazard. This same problem has been noted by multiple consumers throughout various internet websites.

See all problems of the 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle 🔎.

The vehicle has been experiencing difficulty shifting gears. At times while driving the vehicle automatically goes into 2nd gear where it remain until the key is removed. The dealer indicates the 'megatronic' shifting controller is bad. However the part is on back order from the factory and there is a 7-10 delay in shipment from the factory. It seems this seems to be a common part failure.

I have a 2001 vw New Beetle. I have replaced brake light, which was drains the battery, serpentine belt, remoteless key which is still broken- basically 6 days after buying this car- I spent $1200 on repairs- now the check engine light is on, the transmission is acting funny, and basically- my vw dealership has a field day with me. To top it off- my battery died a month ago- and caught on fire when I tried to jump it. I am afraid that this car will blow up on me at any time. Please help me!.

I was involved in a crash while driving my 2003 vw beetle convertible. I was unable to brake and avoid a semi-truck that was in directly in front of me. I was traveling at a speed between 30-40 mph but did lose conscience so am not sure if remember exactly how fast I was going. My airbag did not deploy and my seat belt did not lock causing my face to slam directly into the steering wheel. The passenger side airbag which contained no passengers nor items did deploy. I suffered facial fractures and a broken nose. My fractures have healed but my nose needs to be reconstructed. My car was serviced at a collision center and then sent to the autobarn in countryside, IL where the car was bought used in August of 2006. The car was returned to me on Dec 27 but no explanation was given for the airbag not deploying. The transmission was also not working properly so I returned the car for additional service a few days later. The car was finally returned to me 2 weeks later with a new transmission but still no explanation for the airbag. Upon leaving the autobarn on January 17 with my car, the air bag light turned on and stayed on while I drove about 10 miles. I returned the car the next day and the service department stated the light did not go on for them and offered again no explanation.

When you put the car in drive with your foot on the brake, when you let off the brake the car will roll backwards then jerk forward.

Failing dual mass flywheel. Symptoms are vibration, rattling. Symptoms have been developing since vehicle was detected with unknown vibration at 17k. Dealership unable to diagnose problem after replacing egr, maf, fuel pump and checking flywheel for grease deposits. Results of failure are immediate lockup of transmission and engine if operating at highway speeds. Damage to transmission and engine are probable. Well known documented failures have been recorded and fixed by vw, but most failures on manual cars have been blamed on driver agressiveness even though dmf makers have released documentation that show that failing dmf will show the same symptoms as a failure due to agressive driving. Vw has active recall campains in european countries for the same dmf failures.

The car went into "limp mode" about 12 miles from home. It dropped into first gear and limped home at 15 mph. Next morning it performed normally. That night started into town, it dumped again down to limp mode, then refused to move at all. Had to dolly it home. Dollied it to dealer a week later. They did the computer scan and said it was the "valve body" on the transmission. Wanted $1700 to replace it. Dollied it back home. Tried to get someone to look at it for a second opinion. No one would touch it. A german in the german air force who worked for vw in germany agreed to work on it. Scan he did indicated "valve body", so he removed that and we tried to order one from the same dealer. The dealer now tells us the part is not available and a new valve body won't fix it anyway. That tells us they have other beetles with the same problem and they couldn't fix those either. Talked to vw of America several times. They were not helpful at all and basically would not cooperate in any way. Not under warranty and they won't do anything. We have since learned that it has a unique transmission used only during 2004 and almost everyone who has a beetle with that transmission has had the same problem. Can't get parts. No one will work on it. Vw of America is aware of these problems and make no effort to help. We would like to find out how to start a class action lawsuit! basically, we have a $16,000 piece of junk that we drove for about a year and it is now completely worthless! recently they told us there were no parts available to fix the transmission.

I have a 2005 Volkswagen New Beetle. I bought it brand new from the dealership. Between 2005- 2009 I had many repair problems. The first problem was my window regulator which cost me $400 for the part and labor. Then I had all kinds of electrical problems and sensor problems that the dealership claimed they have fixed but it will do the same thing like a week or so later. Now I am having problems with my transmission, which costs thousands of dollars to fix. So far I have been to 5 places trying to get my car fixed. My car is the only transportation that I have to and from school and work. It can go out on me any day. It jerks will hard and often causes my tires to spin from the force of the jerk. This is so dangerous. I have got my window regulator replaced about 3 weeks later the motor in the window went out which cost another $400 to fits.

My 2001 vw beetle turbo will not come out of park. It is stuck there. I was parked on a downward slope without the parking brake on. I t was 95 degrees f. I called vw and they told me to do the following. * 1. I have to turn it off * 2. Pump the brake 5 times and hold it for the 5th time all the way down * 3. Turn the car on completely * 4. Wait 5 seconds * 5. Then turn it off * 6. Turn it 1/4 turn (no lights on the dashboard of the car) * 7. Then I can turn the shift in between neutral and drive * 8. Then turn the car completely on to turn it completely on to shift it into drive.

: the contact stated while placing a cup of coffee into the cup holder, coffee was spilled into the transmission. The cup holder is located right above the clutch. Since this incident, the transmission has progressively worsened. Other than going into the park, drive and reverse mode, the transmission does not operate. The console and check engine lights intermittently illuminate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they determined that the problem with the vehicle is due to external factors, not a manufacturers defect. The contact expressed concerns of the location of the cup holder and the transmission playing a significant role in the current transmission problems. .