Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||||
| TB-35-11-01 | 06/06/2011 | 10041250 | Ready | 09/21/2011 | |
| TB-35-11-01 | 06/06/2011 | 10041250 | Volkswagen: the gear box has a momentarily delay while accelerating. *rm | 09/21/2011 | |
| VWP-10-06 | 12/03/2010 | 10037805 | Volkswagen: warranty information for th e transmission valve body. *rm | 06/06/2011 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||
| 01/16/2012 | |||
| Bought my car in 2011 august. started noticing problems in november 2011. gears shifting problems in jan 2012. my mileage was only 77,000 could not drive car. vw said my warranty was expired and wanted $3,500 for new transmission. paid money and in 2 weeks was back in shop with same problem. but i almost got in a car accident, my gears stalled in middle of road. luckily no one was in front of me or in back. scared me and i wouldnt drive it anymore. friend took it back in and they replaced transmission two times. (this was all vw transmissions). and its still in the shop because it took out the car computer now. its been 2 months without a car and im a single working mother. getting rides. they also wanted to charge me labor for the additional transmission errors!!!!! its been a nightmare! vw has been rude and not sensitive to problems at all. they could care less. | |||
| 12/14/2011 | 60000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 volkswagen new beetle convertible. the contact stated that the vehicle would jerk violently when shifting gears. a local mechanic diagnosed that the vehicle would need a new transmission. neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 60,000. the vin was unavailable. kmj | |||
| 12/14/2011 | 60000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 volkswagen bug. the contact stated that while driving, the vehicle would jerk violently when changing gears. a local mechanic diagnosed that the contact would need a new transmission. neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 60,000. the vin was unavailable. nw | |||
| 12/05/2011 | 95100 | ||
| My problem with the car is the same as everyone else that has complained...identical problems! all told the cost, with a rental car is $6,500.00, so far. the car is in the shop and i am having to wait for the remanufactured transmission to be delivered. this is insanity and i won't even begin with all the other issues the car has had and still has! the transmission is/was a safety hazard. wake up people! i know a few of us must die for you to wake up...get real... we are mad as hell. i want vw to pay for the transmission. thank you. | |||
| 12/14/2011 | 60000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 volkswagen bug. the contact stated that while driving, the vehicle would jerk violently when changing gears. a local mechanic diagnosed that the contact would need a new transmission. neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 60,000. the vin was unavailable. nw | |||
| 12/05/2011 | 95100 | ||
| My problem with the car is the same as everyone else that has complained...identical problems! all told the cost, with a rental car is $6,500.00, so far. the car is in the shop and i am having to wait for the remanufactured transmission to be delivered. this is insanity and i won't even begin with all the other issues the car has had and still has! the transmission is/was a safety hazard. wake up people! i know a few of us must die for you to wake up...get real... we are mad as hell. i want vw to pay for the transmission. thank you. | |||
| 11/28/2009 | 84518 | 1 | |
| Transmission failure ----- i bought a 2004 beetle convertible, it is so cute and i thought it would be a lot of fun. when running cold the car was fine, after warming up, it started jerking and the transmission is slipping. *tr by the way, why transmission is not one of the component in your site? i have to choose unknown/other instead. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 08/11/2011 | 45000 | ||
| 6 speed automatic transmission began shifting very rough after 45,000 miles. i am concerned the transmission will fail potentially causing a fatal accident, especially if driving on a 4 lane highway. vw dealer says the car needs a new transmission and it will cost $7200! the transmission valvle body on this model car has already been declared defective by vw. | |||
| 07/28/2011 | 63000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 volkswagen new beetle convertible. the contact was driving 50 mph when the vehicle exhibited a loud, abnormal noise while shifting. in addition, the vehicle would jump gears unexpectedly while driving. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where dealer advised that the valve body was faulty. the dealer replaced the valve body but the failure recurred and had become worse. the dealer replaced the valve body a second time but to no avail. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer and the dealer re-installed the original valve body, advising that there were no failures with the initial valve body. the dealer also stated that the transmission needs to be replaced. the transmission was not replaced. the failure mileage was 63,000. kmj | |||
| 07/28/2011 | 63000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 volkswagen beetle convertible. the contact stated how driving 50 mph the contact hears a loud noise when the vehicle shifts. the contact stated the transmission jumps gears while driving as well. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and the dealer stated the valve body was faulty. the dealer replaced the valve body and the contact stated the repair made the vehicle worse. the contact took the vehicle back to the dealer and the dealer replaced the valve body again but that did not remedy the issue. the contact returned the vehicle to the dealer and the dealer stated since the original valve body was working fine the dealer replaced the valve body with the original valve body. the dealer also stated the transmission needs to be replaced. the contact had not replaced the transmission. the contact stated the vehicle was unsafe to drive. the failure mileage was 63,000. jo | |||
| 12/26/2010 | 67000 | ||
| 2004 vw beetle turbo began jerking, surging, etc, sept/oct of 2010. took car to dealership twice for transmissions problems, as obvious. staff said no transmission problems, but paid over $1000 for other issues. dec. 2010 car abruptly stopped running while i was on the interstate. lost all power! car will surge unexpectedly while driving or parked. dangerous to drive. unable to control as car shifts itself inappropriately. the happens everyday after the car is warmed up. every time you brake or accelerate, it jerks, surges, stalls, etc. finally, april 19, 2011, (3 car shops later), another transmission shop confirmed my problems. only 69,000 miles on my car . . need new transmission! vw dealership has turned their back on me and covered up the fact that this model car has major transmissions problems and was made defective. i can not believe the number of people that are experiencing this horrific ordeal. a recall is imperative. i could have had two cars for the price that i am still paying for this car. very unsafe and scary ride. an injustice and insult to the public, hard-working tax-payers!!! | |||
| 12/10/2010 | 100000 | ||
| 2007 volkswagen beetle convertable transmission, valve body defect. vehicle will not shift and only solutions is replaciing both with a cost of about 6000.00 for transmission and 2000.00 for valve body. very unsafe condition when you are on the freeway and your car will not shift. | |||
| 01/04/2011 | 81503 | ||
| My 2004 vw new beetle with 81,000 miles on it needs a new transmission. harsh shifting between 1st and 2nd gears; did a trans flush; now it won't come out of 3rd gear. been sitting since january in my driveway. i was told i need a new transmission which is $5,800 + tax. my daughter was nearly rear-ended several times! vw has to do something about these failed transmissions. purchase 2-1/2 years ago - still owe another 2-1/2 years of payments and i thought this car would get my daughter through college and beyond - boy was i wrong. they certainly don't make vws the way they use to. i had a bug when i was in college and the floorboards rusted out before the mechanics of the car! | |||
| 12/10/2010 | 100000 | ||
| 2007 volkswagen beetle convertable transmission, valve body defect. vehicle will not shift and only solutions is replaciing both with a cost of about 6000.00 for transmission and 2000.00 for valve body. very unsafe condition when you are on the freeway and your car will not shift. | |||
| 01/04/2011 | 81503 | ||
| My 2004 vw new beetle with 81,000 miles on it needs a new transmission. harsh shifting between 1st and 2nd gears; did a trans flush; now it won't come out of 3rd gear. been sitting since january in my driveway. i was told i need a new transmission which is $5,800 + tax. my daughter was nearly rear-ended several times! vw has to do something about these failed transmissions. purchase 2-1/2 years ago - still owe another 2-1/2 years of payments and i thought this car would get my daughter through college and beyond - boy was i wrong. they certainly don't make vws the way they use to. i had a bug when i was in college and the floorboards rusted out before the mechanics of the car! | |||
| 12/12/2010 | 53000 | ||
| I do not know who to turn to now. i have been experiencing problems with my 2004 volkswagen new beetle. i purchased the car march, 2010 and a few weeks ago it started acting up. the gears have been shifting very violently, so much so that it feels like someone rear ended me every time. mind you, this only happens after i have driven the car for more than 15 miles, so i figure that it's once the car has completely cooled. i received a letter from volkswagen in november, 2010 for an extended warranty on the transmission valve body because they have noticed that a lot of people have been having problems with this. i have been trying to get this fixed and now they tell me that i was only covered until september, 2010. the letter says it will cover to 7 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first from the vehicle's original in-service date. this makes no sense to me because technically i'm still on the 7th year and i'm currently at 54k miles. i have been doing a lot of research on this problem and have found that there a lot of beetle owners experiencing the same misfortune and volkswagen is doing nothing of the matter because they know it will cost them millions. this is very upsetting, seeing that i've only had the car less than a year and it's had 2 previous owners. i tried calling voa and the manager tells me that they're looking into the matter because they have gotten a high volume call this whole week regarding this. i call 2 days later and they tell me that i am out of luck. it really does seem that this is a designer flaw, and vw is failing to step up to the plate. | |||
| 10/10/2010 | 76500 | ||
| 2004 volkswagen 'new beetle' has serious design / oem-component flaws in the transmission and/or transmission control module, creating very-dangerous and unpredictable 'stalls' (step on gas, motor revs, but transm. does not engage immediately) in traffic. vw is aware of this, because they have sent a 'warranty-extension / replacement offer' letter for the valve-body of the transm., however, dealer 'computer' says it's not the valve-body, but rather a 'mechanical issue due to an incorrect gear ratio' and offers a complete transm. replacement for $5500. (!) not a very 'helpful' solution for a car worth that or less. it would seem there is a 'control' problem with one of their oem components (ie: transmission control module and/or solenoid-pack) as there are *thousands* of owners with such problems, across this country, and imho, vw needs to recall these cars and fix / replace the transmissions - here is a link to a 20-page thread detailing others' experiences: http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f124d77/0?@704.h96paxobgwb@ - this is *not* a 'single-consumer' or 'personal periodic-maintenance issue', and may have grave consequences for someone / some family(ies) if not recalled by vw -please, help us! | |||
| 12/21/2010 | 72000 | ||
| I have a 2004 vw newbeetle. my car was shifting funny and shaking as it drove. i took it to my local dealer and was told it needed a triptonic switch. they replaced it. after test driving the car with this new part they determined this wasn't the problem and that i needed a new transmission at a cost of 5400.00. | |||
| 11/29/2010 | 80000 | ||
| Transmission shifts hard and slips in lower gears. | |||
| 11/15/2010 | 55000 | ||
| My 2004 vw new beetle convertible with triptonic transmission, with only 55,000 miles, lurches in the lower gears after the car warms up in about 10 minutes. the car will not shift smoothly between the lower gears and often revs up to 5000 rpm before it clunks into higher gear. the vw dealer mechanic would like to replace the transmission, at a cost to me of $6800. my research has learned that the first generation of vw | |||
| 09/01/2010 | 75000 | ||
| My vehicle has 75,000 miles on it and is a 2004 new beetle. it is no longer drivable and the car needs a new transmission. i took it to aamco and they have told me it is an unsafe vehicle and will cost anywehere from $5,000 to $7,000 to repair. after much research, i can see that this seems to be an ongoing problems with the 2004 new beetles. i am currently not driving it because it actually bucks so badly that it causes my car to jump anywheer from 1 to 5 feet and it could hit a vehicle or a pedestrian. | |||
| 04/08/2007 | 96000 | ||
| 2oo4 new beetle conv turbo . allways in in shop. allways had problems. in the shop more than at home. elec issues,windows not working, air bag lights flashing, top staying down wont go up one repair after another. now tne transmission is gone. what a pice of shit. just hope some one reads this and talks their daughter or wife out of making a 20,000 dollar mistake | |||
| 11/02/2010 | 64000 | ||
| At 64,000 miles my 2004 vw , automatic, begin to jump gears between the 1st and 2nd gear after it warmed up. it got progressively worse and i took it in to the dealer. after being told that the warranty was out, i was told that they were certain it was the gear box because the transmission did not show up in the diagnositic as the problem. they did not guarantee that the gear box would fix the problem. i did not authorize the work and took it to another vw repair. they told me that it was the transmission, but there was a problem with it not showing up in the diagnostic. i have no confirmation of the problem and the work is expensive, the estimate for the gear box replacement (without guarantee that it would fix the problem was in excess of $2,000. the other gamble was to replace the transmission at the cost of $5,000 plus labor. i still don't have confirmation of what the problem is, but the repair options are costly and a gamble at best. | |||
| 10/28/2010 | 81400 | ||
| I own a 04 beetle conv. and at around 78,000 miles the transmission started acting slugish and would make a loud popping sound as it shiftted into gear and jolted u forward, now it is at around 81,000 and will only shift through first and second gears safely. when it hits 35mph the rpm's raise rapidly and the car will eventually come to rest at 25 mph and go no faster. if i slam on the breaks it gets stuck in 3rd gear and will only be able to reach 50 mph max at 5,500 rpm's.. i have contacted vw and they just tell me that a my only option is to replace this transmission at a cost of 5,813.00+labor or trade it in for a value somewhere around 1,500.00 and refuse to do anything further. this seems to be a common problem between beetles, jettas, golfs, and gti's. with car transmissions completly going out or acting like this on the road, im a little confused as to why vw has not been forced to deal with this and why a recall has not been issued? | |||
| 10/20/2010 | 80000 | ||
| 2004 vw beetle slipping banging transmission 4500-7000 dollar fix seems to be on most cars. should be a recall from vw | |||
| 10/28/2010 | 81400 | ||
| I own a 04 beetle conv. and at around 78,000 miles the transmission started acting slugish and would make a loud popping sound as it shiftted into gear and jolted u forward, now it is at around 81,000 and will only shift through first and second gears safely. when it hits 35mph the rpm's raise rapidly and the car will eventually come to rest at 25 mph and go no faster. if i slam on the breaks it gets stuck in 3rd gear and will only be able to reach 50 mph max at 5,500 rpm's.. i have contacted vw and they just tell me that a my only option is to replace this transmission at a cost of 5,813.00+labor or trade it in for a value somewhere around 1,500.00 and refuse to do anything further. this seems to be a common problem between beetles, jettas, golfs, and gti's. with car transmissions completly going out or acting like this on the road, im a little confused as to why vw has not been forced to deal with this and why a recall has not been issued? | |||
| 10/20/2010 | 80000 | ||
| 2004 vw beetle slipping banging transmission 4500-7000 dollar fix seems to be on most cars. should be a recall from vw | |||
| 10/28/2010 | 81400 | ||
| I own a 04 beetle conv. and at around 78,000 miles the transmission started acting slugish and would make a loud popping sound as it shiftted into gear and jolted u forward, now it is at around 81,000 and will only shift through first and second gears safely. when it hits 35mph the rpm's raise rapidly and the car will eventually come to rest at 25 mph and go no faster. if i slam on the breaks it gets stuck in 3rd gear and will only be able to reach 50 mph max at 5,500 rpm's.. i have contacted vw and they just tell me that a my only option is to replace this transmission at a cost of 5,813.00+labor or trade it in for a value somewhere around 1,500.00 and refuse to do anything further. this seems to be a common problem between beetles, jettas, golfs, and gti's. with car transmissions completly going out or acting like this on the road, im a little confused as to why vw has not been forced to deal with this and why a recall has not been issued? | |||
| 10/20/2010 | 80000 | ||
| 2004 vw beetle slipping banging transmission 4500-7000 dollar fix seems to be on most cars. should be a recall from vw | |||
| 10/02/2010 | 68911 | ||
| I own a 2004 volkswagen beetle that has a tiptronic transmission with almost 69,000 miles. it started jerking when shifting gears, when accelerating and decelerating. i took it to an independent vw/audi repair shop had diagnostics run and was told the transmission was bad, and that it was a problem frequently seen with 2004 beetles that have the tiptronic transmission. the cost for a new transmission would be $5700.00 plus tax, and a used transmission would be $4400.00 plus tax. i called the local vw dealership to ask about the frequency of the problem and whether vw was planning any type of recall due to the large number of complaints with the tiptronic transmission, and was told the problem didn't warrant a recall at this time. i think a $6200.00 repair for a car that is worth around $10,000.00 is insane. given the number of complaints regarding the transmission in the 2004 beetles and the excessive cost of repair, vw should recall these transmissions. | |||
| 08/15/2010 | 65000 | ||
| Transmision problems with 2004 vw beetle turbo, abrupt shifting, and accelerating at low speed to a sudden stop dealership cant find solution it is frustrating might need to replace transmision and the car is only 68000 miles, no warranty for this problem. already paid vw dealership 500dlls without a diagnose, car is getting worse has engine light on, esp and asr lights on, not safe to drive according to the dealership, yet they cant figure out what is wrong with it!!!!!!!!!!!! | |||
| 10/02/2010 | 68911 | ||
| I own a 2004 volkswagen beetle that has a tiptronic transmission with almost 69,000 miles. it started jerking when shifting gears, when accelerating and decelerating. i took it to an independent vw/audi repair shop had diagnostics run and was told the transmission was bad, and that it was a problem frequently seen with 2004 beetles that have the tiptronic transmission. the cost for a new transmission would be $5700.00 plus tax, and a used transmission would be $4400.00 plus tax. i called the local vw dealership to ask about the frequency of the problem and whether vw was planning any type of recall due to the large number of complaints with the tiptronic transmission, and was told the problem didn't warrant a recall at this time. i think a $6200.00 repair for a car that is worth around $10,000.00 is insane. given the number of complaints regarding the transmission in the 2004 beetles and the excessive cost of repair, vw should recall these transmissions. | |||
| 08/15/2010 | 65000 | ||
| Transmision problems with 2004 vw beetle turbo, abrupt shifting, and accelerating at low speed to a sudden stop dealership cant find solution it is frustrating might need to replace transmision and the car is only 68000 miles, no warranty for this problem. already paid vw dealership 500dlls without a diagnose, car is getting worse has engine light on, esp and asr lights on, not safe to drive according to the dealership, yet they cant figure out what is wrong with it!!!!!!!!!!!! | |||
| 10/01/2010 | 68000 | ||
| While driving the car, it started to just jerk right around the time i would brake to stop the car. initially, i thought it was the brakes but had them checked out and that wasn't the problem. then the car started getting worse. when the car shifts in low gears whether shifting up or down the car jerks and sometimes stalls. | |||
| 10/02/2010 | 68911 | ||
| I own a 2004 volkswagen beetle that has a tiptronic transmission with almost 69,000 miles. it started jerking when shifting gears, when accelerating and decelerating. i took it to an independent vw/audi repair shop had diagnostics run and was told the transmission was bad, and that it was a problem frequently seen with 2004 beetles that have the tiptronic transmission. the cost for a new transmission would be $5700.00 plus tax, and a used transmission would be $4400.00 plus tax. i called the local vw dealership to ask about the frequency of the problem and whether vw was planning any type of recall due to the large number of complaints with the tiptronic transmission, and was told the problem didn't warrant a recall at this time. i think a $6200.00 repair for a car that is worth around $10,000.00 is insane. given the number of complaints regarding the transmission in the 2004 beetles and the excessive cost of repair, vw should recall these transmissions. | |||
| 08/15/2010 | 65000 | ||
| Transmision problems with 2004 vw beetle turbo, abrupt shifting, and accelerating at low speed to a sudden stop dealership cant find solution it is frustrating might need to replace transmision and the car is only 68000 miles, no warranty for this problem. already paid vw dealership 500dlls without a diagnose, car is getting worse has engine light on, esp and asr lights on, not safe to drive according to the dealership, yet they cant figure out what is wrong with it!!!!!!!!!!!! | |||
| 10/01/2010 | 68000 | ||
| While driving the car, it started to just jerk right around the time i would brake to stop the car. initially, i thought it was the brakes but had them checked out and that wasn't the problem. then the car started getting worse. when the car shifts in low gears whether shifting up or down the car jerks and sometimes stalls. | |||
| 08/15/2010 | 65000 | ||
| Transmision problems with 2004 vw beetle turbo, abrupt shifting, and accelerating at low speed to a sudden stop dealership cant find solution it is frustrating might need to replace transmision and the car is only 68000 miles, no warranty for this problem. already paid vw dealership 500dlls without a diagnose, car is getting worse has engine light on, esp and asr lights on, not safe to drive according to the dealership, yet they cant figure out what is wrong with it!!!!!!!!!!!! | |||
| 10/01/2010 | 68000 | ||
| While driving the car, it started to just jerk right around the time i would brake to stop the car. initially, i thought it was the brakes but had them checked out and that wasn't the problem. then the car started getting worse. when the car shifts in low gears whether shifting up or down the car jerks and sometimes stalls. | |||
| 09/17/2010 | 63782 | ||
| Problem with transmission, gear stuck in low. | |||
| 01/01/2009 | 80000 | ||
| Drive train on 2004 vw new beetle convertible, vehicle will not down shift when stopped unless vehicle is turned off, then when put in gear jumps forward. sealed transmission, dealer said it happens a lot but vw of america will do nothing to fix. | |||
| 05/15/2010 | 82000 | ||
| I have a 2004 beetle convertible w/ 85k miles and the transmission began clunking about 3 months ago. i was told i will need a new transmission costing more than $4000. i came to this site and saw time and time again the exact same problem other owners are having. many have researched further and it appears to be an obvious defect. this is a safety issue and should be a formal recall. | |||
| 01/01/2009 | 80000 | ||
| Drive train on 2004 vw new beetle convertible, vehicle will not down shift when stopped unless vehicle is turned off, then when put in gear jumps forward. sealed transmission, dealer said it happens a lot but vw of america will do nothing to fix. | |||
| 05/15/2010 | 82000 | ||
| I have a 2004 beetle convertible w/ 85k miles and the transmission began clunking about 3 months ago. i was told i will need a new transmission costing more than $4000. i came to this site and saw time and time again the exact same problem other owners are having. many have researched further and it appears to be an obvious defect. this is a safety issue and should be a formal recall. | |||
| 01/01/2009 | 80000 | ||
| Drive train on 2004 vw new beetle convertible, vehicle will not down shift when stopped unless vehicle is turned off, then when put in gear jumps forward. sealed transmission, dealer said it happens a lot but vw of america will do nothing to fix. | |||
| 05/15/2010 | 82000 | ||
| I have a 2004 beetle convertible w/ 85k miles and the transmission began clunking about 3 months ago. i was told i will need a new transmission costing more than $4000. i came to this site and saw time and time again the exact same problem other owners are having. many have researched further and it appears to be an obvious defect. this is a safety issue and should be a formal recall. | |||
| 01/01/2009 | 80000 | ||
| Drive train on 2004 vw new beetle convertible, vehicle will not down shift when stopped unless vehicle is turned off, then when put in gear jumps forward. sealed transmission, dealer said it happens a lot but vw of america will do nothing to fix. | |||
| 05/15/2010 | 82000 | ||
| I have a 2004 beetle convertible w/ 85k miles and the transmission began clunking about 3 months ago. i was told i will need a new transmission costing more than $4000. i came to this site and saw time and time again the exact same problem other owners are having. many have researched further and it appears to be an obvious defect. this is a safety issue and should be a formal recall. | |||
| 02/23/2010 | 60000 | ||
| Transmission has mechanical problems, wont shift smoothly from 1st to 2nd initially, then when in traffic the transmission kicks in like i was rear-ended causing my head to snap. i cannot make it through the intersection without the vehicle not shifting into gear causing a delay driving through an intersection. i almost have been rear-ended many times because of this. i had the transmission flushed and fluid replaced but to no avail. this is very alarming because i never know when the transmission is not going to shift, the rpms rev to 6 and 7 before the shift takes place. there have been times when i have been driving on the freeway when the transmission has suddenly revved into the 7 and 8. also the airbag light came on, the recall covered the defect in 2008 but, the light came back on and is not covered unless i get a diagnostic from the dealership which they want me to pay 150.00 then they will consider on a case bases. | |||
| 08/14/2010 | 53800 | ||
| My 2004 vw new beetle convertible with triptonic transmission, only 53,800 miles, lurches in the lower gears after the car warms up in about 10 minutes. the car will not shift smoothly between the lower gears and often revs up to 5000 rpm before it clunks into higher gear. the car will not accelerate properly, left turns into oncoming traffic are dangerous. the car may decide to shift into neutral rather than lurch into gear. after stopping at traffic lights, i am often tailgated because the car will not get up to speed quickly. luckily i have not been rear-ended as some others have. the vw dealer mechanic would like to replace the transmission at a cost to me of $6800. a transmission should not fail at only 53,800 miles unless there is a major design defect. there are hundreds of complaints in various car forums, in particular http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com where there are more posts about transmission problems for the new beetle than anything except maintenance. my research has learned that the first generation of vw | |||
| 08/16/2010 | 44646 | ||
| My 2004 vw beetle at 44,000 miles had to have the automatic transmission replaced, i allowed the vw dealer to do all the work.. the problem that occurs is it jerks and won't shift gears when on the freeway or in other dangerous situations. over a year later at 54,000 miles my same car is now doing the same thing on the freeway. this is extremely dangerous and occurring on a so-called brand new transmission vw claims to have put in. my parts warranty from a year ago recently expired. a car should not have two automatic transmissions under 54,000 miles! i found several message boards full of the same complaint, same problem in the beetles from this time period. the transmission jerks on people when they are driving down a highway or road. there are hundreds of these complaints online. i am filing mine with you in hopes you will start investigating these complaints before someone gets killed driving from them. | |||
| 09/01/2009 | 78000 | ||
| A few months ago, my 2004 vw beetle conv started experiencing eratic transmission shifting-it would clunk into 1st/2nd/3rd gears, sometimes to the point of screeching off and almost laying rubber. this happens after engine is warm--after getting off a freeway or driving for a few miles. after several trips to my mechanic, and hundreds of dollars trying to fix problem, i have been told that this is a recurring problem with the vw new beetle after 60,000 miles and that the only fix is a new valve and electronic transmission costing from $4000 to $7000. this info is from my trusted mechanic of over 30 years. vw will not admit to any engineering flaws and will not pay to fix vehicle. it does this in heavy traffic, at stoplights and intersections and has nearly caused accidents. please advise if i have any recourse with vw to get this fixed at their expense. | |||
| 04/23/2007 | 82000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2004 volkswagen new beetle convertible. the contact stated that the vehicle jerked she drove and especially when she was slowing down. the vehicle had previously been taken to an authorized dealership for a transmission recall remedy in april 2007 for this failure. the vehicle was taken to the dealership again and was advised the transmission had failed. the contact called the manufacturer and they advised since the recall remedy was already performed, there was nothing they could do. the failure mileage was approximately 82,000. the current mileage was approximately 83,000. | |||
| 05/25/2010 | 65000 | ||
| I bought my daughter a 2004 beetle it has begun shifting hard 1st thru 3rd both up and down shifting. i've had it at the dealer 3 times and am getting the same run around. there's no way vw isn't aware of this issue, i called vw america to complain about the dealership but got nowhere. i'm fed up and tired of being screwed, the car only had 65k miles and i first took it in with 58k miles on it. today they say i needed a new transmission at a cost of $6500.00 and is not covered by the warranty so i 'd have to fork over out of my pocket. looking on the internet there are over 100 people posting the same problem | |||
| 05/16/2010 | 85000 | ||
| Six speed auto trans began slamming downshifting and slipping up at around 75k. car hung in neutral 3 times on a 20 minute commute nearly causing near rear end collisions as it was necessary to pull off road to stop and restart car. blogs are filled with many others with the same scarry problem. vw denies. repair bill $5000. | |||
| 07/15/2009 | 75000 | ||
| I have a 2004 volkswagen beetle purchased in 2008. i'm putting in this complaint along with thousand of other vw beetle owners. the problem is the 5 speed transmission. it jerks real hard when down shifting and then again when coming to a complete stop. now it's to the point where it won't pull at all. i have tried to call vw of america to see if there were any recalls on this problem but no will return my calls so i went on edmunds.com and realized there are many people with the same problem with the car and vw. i also called vw credit who i still owe for this car they told me they couldn't do anything about this, and to call vw of america. my question is what am i to do with a vehicle that i can't drive and i owe $9,000 on. that has a transmission that they are telling me i going to cost $6,000 to replace. please! is there anyone who can help my situation ? stephanie burton stephburton@yahoo.com | |||
| 04/02/2010 | 75000 | ||
| I am the owner of a 2004 vw beetle convertible and my car has just hit 75,000 miles. a few weeks ago i noticed that when my car would go in or out of 3rd gear, it would jerk. at one point i was stopped at a light and when i went to excellerate it made a huge lurch and sputtered before going forward. i've also had issues shifting from reverse to drive. i took it into the vw dealership yesterday as i received a notification in the mail that i may have a faulty catalitic converter. i spoke with the dealership this afternoon and they are saying i need a new transmission. at only 75,000 miles? i looked this issue up online and have discovered hundreds of people are having the same issue. some have even had this issue appear at 10,000 miles. from what i've read, most have replaced the transmission only to have it fail again. this sounds like a major defect and am wondering if this shouldn't fall under a recall. | |||
| 04/29/2010 | |||
| My 2004 vw conv. beetle recently had to be smogged for the first time,requested by the dmv. i have submitted all dmv fees but was unable to send a smog certificate because the car will not pass smog test due to the check engine light being on.i have had my car smogged two separate times only to be told my catalytic converter needed to be replaced, and my engine light was on. i was told i can only buy a catalytic converter from a vw dealer only for approximately $1000.00 vw america agreed to extend my emissions control systems warranty for a catalytic converter replacement to 10 years or 120,000 miles. i took it into a v w dealer to have it fixed & replaced but was unable to because the mechanic refused to replace the converter because his diagnosis supposively found troubles with the transmission to be the problem, and he states that all prior diagnosis are incorrect and that the catalytic converter is testing normal. this diagnosis cost me a fee of 110.00 because they found there to be no problem with the cat. conv, and the fee was charged due to them finding a separate problem. mean while the check engine light is still coming on and the car is running terrible, i am told i have no hope of receiving any extended warranty help from vw , and not to mention there has already been a recall on my transmission back in 2007 which already required major replacements and repairs ,now only 3 years latter and here i am once again with major transmission trouble with no warranty. i find it very hard to believe this year of car is suppose to go through two transmissions in only six years. i also find it hard to believe two prior smog stations and there machines could be wrong about there diagnosis and found there to only be catalytic converter problem and mil light on. the bottom line is i cant get my tags from dmv because the check engine light is on due to emissions(functional) failing.and my car hardly runs. | |||
| 04/10/2009 | 71314 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 04/20/2010 | 40000 | ||
| Under normal use and regular maintence the automatic transmission shifts hard up and down the gears. it does this under both light and heavy exceleration. searching your website i see over 20 complaints on this very issue yet, i see no investigation or recalls listed. my local vw dealership says this will cost me around 7000.00 to replace the transmission, just from calling in and describing the problem. the danger come from unexpected jerks and lags in acceleration. you can not depend on the car to operate normally making it dangerous to make left hand turns and use in heavy traffic. this started off slowly, occuring randomly and now seems to occur no matter how far you drive or how warm the car is. | |||
| 03/01/2010 | |||
| I also have the very common problem with the transmission in my 2004 convertible vw beetle. every time i downshift there's an extremely hard jerk. there should be a recall. there are many many others out there with this same problem! | |||
| 04/10/2010 | 82000 | ||
| Problems with transmission/shifting problems. everytime the car shifts into a gear, its very rough and infact will jerk very hard. this started every once in a while and began happening more regular as a month or so went on. now it will stick in 3rd gear and just stay there. we can stop at a redlight, and it will remain in 3rd gear, then drive from the redlight with the car starting in 3rd gear! this is a safety issue, because the car will stick when shifting almost everytime and you could push the gas but only the rpms will go up..nothing else. this could cause me to be rear ended or hit from the side when turning left. i have had many close calls due to this issue! i have children, and the car is not safe to drive anymore. i have priced what would fix this, and its not only that i can not affort it, but the solution to the problem is only temporary! i have seen many, many people have the same issues with the same car, and they have spent countless dollars on a problem that still persists. this past saturday my family was driving and the car stuck in gear going 45 mph, which caused the car to desend in speed, giving the people behind us hardly no time to realize what was happening. we were very very close to an accident. to add to this problem i have had an airbag sensor come on the dash about 2 months ago and will not go off. i had this looked at because it was a safety recall, but the vw dealer told me that my car was no one of the vins, but looked as if it had the same problem! this is serious! they said they could fix it, for a very high amount, but if it was defective that i could be bringing it back in for repair! this is not acceptable!!! we are talking about life or death in a crash! | |||
| 03/01/2010 | 55000 | ||
| I have a 2004 volkswagen beetle convertible and have had numerous problems with the transmission jerking and shifting hard. the car has 55,000 miles, and the dealership cant tell me nothing only that i need a new transmission for around $7000. i have done research and talked with a lot of people with the very same issues. | |||
| 03/16/2010 | 61500 | ||
| At about 35,000 miles my car started slipping with the transmission. it would jerk forward and sometimes get stuck in between 1, 3, and 4th gears. this was not a huge problem at this point and during my regular check ups, vw dealership always said there was no problem detected. 2. the automatic transmission is now failing at 60,000 miles. it has almost caused me several accidents, especially at intersections. people almost rearend me daily. not only is the car jerking forward and backward upon gear shifting, but now it gets stuck period and will not move..the rpm's going all the way to 6-7. the tires spin, the car groans horribly, the gears show up on my dash in brackets. when i had a diagnostic test done at the dealership about four months ago, and i explained in detail the traney problem, they said nothing was wrong with it. now, i can tell it is almost undrivable at this pt. on my fifiteen mile commute home today, i had to pull over seven times because the transmission failed. i could not get out of first gear then it jumped to six. i was stuck in the middle of an intersection at a red light, almost getting backended. this is terrifying. i had a panic attack. i have an appt. tomorrow at the dealership to see wht the prblem is and how much money this will cost me. my car has always been checked up regularly. | |||
| 01/14/2010 | 96000 | 1 | |
| Have a 2004 vw beetle with automatic transmission. when the car warms up the transmission sticks for a few seconds and then jerks into gear, causing a dangerous lurch forward. it is my daughters car and she is scared to drive it because she has almost wrecked on a few occasions when this has happened. *tr | |||
| 11/20/2009 | 89000 | 1 | |
| For the past several months, after driving my 2004 beetle convertible for about 15-20 minutes, my car starts to shift (it feels as if i have been rear ended) and my car is jerked forward. i feel that this is a safety risk to me, my passengers and the vehicles around me. i took my car to the dealer and was informed that it need a new transmission ($7,000). after much thought and several weeks, i moved my vehicle to a local transmission shop. i was informed that the beetle convertibles had a special transmission and that replacing one would be extremely expensive and that i should put in a salvaged transmission. costs between $4000-$5000. this transmission will also have the risk of defection. i voiced my complaint with volkswagen corp. and they would not help me since my power train warranty has expired. i am extremely upset about this. *tr | |||
| 06/01/2009 | 105000 | 1 | |
| Transmission failure in my 2004 vw beetle. began shifting very hard after engine warmed up. it will shift so hard the tires burn rubber on the pavement between 2nd and 3rd. it also randomly shifts between gears at high speeds. *tr | |||
| 02/01/2010 | 57000 | 1 | |
| There seems to be a problem with the 2004 vw beetle transmission valve body at around 60,000 miles. we have our 04 vw at a transmission shop and i am being told that this seems to be enough of a problem that vw changed the design from 2004 to 2005. vw does not admit anything and says that the car must be taken to a vw dealership in order that they can address this issue, i do not believe them. *tr | |||
| 01/23/2010 | 68000 | 1 | |
| The transmission intermittently has trouble upshifting and downshifting between gears. it jerks, hesitates and then lurches forward. it starts occurring after about 5-10 min drive. it is especially uncontrollable when downshifting. the car slows down, the panel shows downshifted gear, car almost stops, then makes a sharp sudden movement forward. it is especially dangerous at intersections, because of uncontrollable jerks. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2009 | 84000 | 1 | |
| I bought a 2004 automatic vw beetle last year from a dealer. the transmission has begun to go into neutral in between shifting, and sometimes locks into 3rd gear until i disconnect the battery. i have read online that almost all the 6 spd. automatic volkswagen cars have this problem at 80,000 mile, mine has 84,000 on it now. i have brought it into the dealer, and they say there are no engine codes, we can't fix it, but it is a hazard to drive because if you need to accelerate quickly, it will slip into neutral sometimes, and the engine just revs until it finally slams into gear. i have had the transmission serviced, but that has no effect. *tr | |||
| 12/02/2009 | 50000 | 1 | |
| 2004 volkswagen new beetle with less than 40,000 miles when the automatic transmission started slipping; now, with less than 60,000 miles, it is slipping constantly, resulting in increased driving danger. according to numerous websites, this appears to be an uncomfortably widespread problem for many owners of new beetles, 2003 - 2005. this will be an expensive fix, requiring a new transmission. *tr | |||
| 11/30/2009 | 100000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2004 vw beetle convertible. for the last couple of months my car's gears have been acting up, slipping in and out of gear; and in more then 10 cases completely going out of gear and leaving my car in neutral while im driving (in some cases on the freeway). the car jerks when it down shifts, and also jerks when accelerating into certain gears. at first, it was something that happened rarely. now it happens almost every time i drive my car. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2009 | 80000 | 1 | |
| 1. automatic transmission slips during acceleration. on de-acceleration downshifting the transmission jerks. 2. it happens all the time and is very dangerous if trying to speed up to avoid an accident or pedestrian. 3. currently obtaining estimate to repair vehicle. my vehicle has 80,000 miles and i noticed other owners with similar mileage have the same problem. repair cost of $4,000 to $6,000. *tr | |||
| 04/17/2009 | 84000 | 1 | |
| 2004 vw new beetle: the car would shift to no gear while driving, which would make it in neutral. when after a stop the car would not go right into a gear....cars behind would have to slam on brakes because my car would not move into gear. had the car checked by at least two mechanics - one who works with european cars; and my vw dealership. after a mis-diagnosing by vw - i am told indeed a new transmission!! 88,000 miles! i need a car - couldn't afford the $6000 + that vw was going to charge, so brought it to a aamco and had it fixed for just over $4000.00...this is a recall problem...i really can't afford to put all this money into the car, especially since it cannot be traded in for any other car. it was certainly a scary ride when the car would go out of gear(automatic transmission). please help. *tr | |||
| 05/28/2009 | 70000 | 1 | |
| Vw beetle convertible '04 (approx. 80k miles) - slipping and banging transmission. slams and bangs hard with each downshift (automatic) after about 15 miles or driving. slips or will not move when accelerating after slamming and banging begins. cannot drive car in traffic for fear or being rear ended or broadsided, therefore, cannot safely or dependably drive the car. expected thousands to repair if a mechanic who understands the problem can be found. many of the know issues with car have also occurred; broken plastic water pump, rear window seal broken, passenger side window will not go all the way down, passenger side seat belt light malfunction, headlights uneven brightness, short in dash, heated seat too hot to use (fear of fire) and incredible door rattles. *tr | |||
| 09/01/2009 | 101000 | 1 | |
| I have a 04 vw beetle conv. the transmission is acting up. it shifts late & bangs into gear or doesn't shit at all. the dealer say the trans needs to be replaced @ a cost of 6k. i brought it to a transmission shop & they can not fix the problem after having the veh for over 2 months. in reading the web pages i find many others with this veh having the same problem, with low & higher mileage. vw knows there is a problem, but will not address it. i ended up having the trans rebuilt, but its still doing the same thing, nochange. the trans shop is baffled. *tr | |||
| 11/09/2009 | 90000 | 1 | |
| While driving the car it will not shift out and then jerk real bad. downshifts extremely hard and sometimes will not come out of gear when slowing down to a stop. it has been to the dealership and several other people are having the same problem. when taking off the car will stall and then engage in gear almost causing me to be rear ended several times. *tr | |||
| 09/03/2009 | 56551 | 1 | |
| I have a 04 volks.beetle that has transmission problems. it jerks real hard when you break and switching from 3rd to 4th gear then from 4th to 3rd. this is very dangerous especially when you go to stop and it seems not to catch then jerk. my car has only 53,000 miles and already needs a transmission. i brought it to a mechanic and they quoted me $5000.00 to rebuild they also said that the transmission does not have a coolant sensor and that's why is jerking cause its hot. the dealership wants $7000.00. i'm a single parent of 4 who truly cannot afford this. *tr | |||
| 10/19/2009 | 90000 | 1 | |
| My vw beetle will not shift out of gear and gets stuck in 3rd gear. it shifts hard and surges at take off . has almost caused me to get hit several times when leaving a redlight. the latest was today when trying to turn and it was stuck in 6th gear. i have to stop the car and turn it off it reset the computer to get it back in first gear. this occurs once the car heats up and sometimes will not show you what gear it is in and will not shift down. have taken it to the vw dealership and they want a new transmission. have looked at edmonds.com and my vw is not the only one having this problem. *tr | |||
| 08/15/2008 | 62000 | 1 | |
| 2004 vw new beetle conv. 6 speed transmission. transmission fails and slips causing erratic shifting after only 65000 miles. vw suggests to replace entire transmission for $6500. *tr | |||