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Volkswagen Beetle Engine Problems

107 messages,  Last post on Jan 10, 2013 at 4:38 PM

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What is this discussion about? Volkswagen New Beetle, Engine, Hatchback

Messages Page 1 of 11

#1 of 107 '02 Beetle GLS - Major Engine Problems! by hottaco69

Mar 04, 2007 (2:00 pm)

Every now and then the car has these sort of "hiccups", where I feel the fuel isn't getting to the motor sufficiently and the car begins to have spurts of speed and then will cut off and then on again. At the beginning, the motor would just shut off and as soon as I would turn it back on it would be fine, but now its getting out of control; I'll be driving and all of a sudden it will feel like some one pinched the fuel line and I will instantly loose 10 MPH and then it will go back and forth. I notice this happens usually when I have the AC on (set to a low or 1). I have taken it to 2 different VW dealerships and they have both said the same thing, and have found nothing wrong with the car. I am going crazy because no one can tell me what the hell it is or what the F$#% I should do. I hope someone could help me in this matter, PLEASE.
 
Cheers,
Bico
 
P.S. Nothing has been done to the car, and has all of its stock parts

#2 of 107 Re: '02 Beetle GLS - Major Engine Problems! [hottaco69] by kinmaine

Mar 07, 2007 (10:47 am)

Replying to: hottaco69 (Mar 04, 2007 2:00 pm)
That EXACTLY describes what my 2000 New Beetle was doing. I couldn't get anyone to believe that it was doing that--it never did it with a mechanic driving it so they said it was ME! >I'm a woman, so of course I don't know anything< Finally I said to my mechanic (NOT a VW place--been raped enough there--)'I think it feels like a clogged fuel line.' So they replaced the fuel filter. The sad part is that while doing that, somehow the gas tank bracketry broke, and it turned into a $400 fix. It DID fix the problem you described. Maybe that's your problem...a new fuel filter. PS: Now I have electrical/wiring/alarm problems, but thats for another post. Hope that helps. Kin >a woman <

#3 of 107 Re: '02 Beetle GLS - Major Engine Problems! [kinmaine] by mbeck75

May 18, 2007 (2:27 pm)

Replying to: kinmaine (Mar 07, 2007 10:47 am)
My 2002 Turbo S is doing the same thing. I've replaced the fuel filter and spark plugs twice in the last year and it has not remedied the problem. For about a year it would just stall like you mentioned ... now it stalls, blows a puff of black smoke, and then picks up speed again. There is no rhyme or reason to it and NO one can find what's wrong with it. Mechanics think I'm crazy because they cannot replicate the problem either. Good luck and let me know if you find out what's wrong with yours.

#5 of 107 Any Ideas 2000 GLX wont run by blkrnbw

May 19, 2007 (9:40 pm)

Trying to do someresearch on own here until car goes to shop on Monday. I won't bore everyone with past problems I have had as they seem to line up with many others on this board. Now onto the actual problem.
  Car will turnover, fire up and immediatley shut down. No diag lights or inidcators. Getting fuel as I hear the main pump humm for a second when the door is opened. After start atempt there is a continuous high pitch whine sound from under the hood. Not load and would have probrably missed it if hood was down. This sound lasts for 5-10 mins after key is out and doors closed.
  One ONE start only I get the three beep signal but could not reproduce (just to keep me guessing I guess). Checked oil thinking MAYBE it was very low and a sensor would not allow it to start. That did nothing.... The high pitch sound that I still hear seesm to be running enough to be draining the battery as well. Any ideas?
  
Brian

#6 of 107 Re: Any Ideas 2000 GLX wont run [blkrnbw] by blkrnbw

May 20, 2007 (3:53 pm)

Replying to: blkrnbw (May 19, 2007 9:40 pm)
Getting it towed to dealer in AM and letting them have a go at it. The problem I am seeing is a little different than some of the replies (although we are all in same srewy boat). The car will start for a couple seconds (about 2) then die, prssing accelerator when startign starts to rev it when it starts then dies. I hear the pump spin up when I open the door, it sounds like it primes the line then stops (normal behavior). After I try to start it I hear some pump or something electrical running from under the manifold, makes a whining kind of sound, and after 15 minutes had not shut off. I know a couple times it finally did turn off after 30+ minutes.
  Another interesting point is the fuel feed lines (coming from behind the coolant overflow) I believe these are 4 of then that plug in (so to speak0 vertically, smaller plastic pipe inside of them (hope that is good enough description) sem to be out a little and not plugged in tight, and pressing down does not push them in and lock or stay down in any way. When pushed or slightly moved I hear the motor spin up to prime the fuel line again.
  I will say this is another in a ongoing HUGE amount of repair work the car has needed. Other problems include one of the automatic fans completly breaking part inside the engine compartment (how I dunno). Ful pump (the one in the tank) once, O2 sensor X 2, Sunroof coming off tracks when closing andjamming. Driver window breaking aprt in door when closing window (not I was not closing it with a hammer). AC going to warm when engine idles for more than 30 seconds (may be due to the fan mentioned above allowing it to overheat and take damage). Thats all I remember off top of head, but there is 4-5 more major problems I have dealt with. I am thinking righjt now about getting it fixed and trading in on a non VW car. If not for extended warrantly would have had it sitting in d5riveway since I could not afford to have all the work done.
 
Brian

#7 of 107 Re: '02 Beetle GLS - Major Engine Problems! [hottaco69] by blkrnbw

May 21, 2007 (8:00 pm)

Replying to: hottaco69 (Mar 04, 2007 2:00 pm)
So dealer got the car today and they ran their little code tool and said it was the (forget what they called it) but basically cuts the car off in the event it is beign stolen. They heard no sound from the front, blah blah. So I asked if there were any other error codes, nope that was all. But yet I did (just once through this) got the 3 beeps and EPC light on, I think that is anti lock brakes. They want to keep it overnight. What the $#$* that will do I dunno, I kept it overnight also. Anyway maybe more later.
 
Brian

#8 of 107 Re: Any Ideas 2000 GLX wont run [blkrnbw] by hottaco69

May 22, 2007 (8:54 am)

Replying to: blkrnbw (May 20, 2007 3:53 pm)
Just to let you know, the problem was finally discovered. What happened was that the fuel pump in the gas tank was corroded. so all the fragments where passing through the fuel line and clogging the passage of fuel. I hope that this helps.
 
Cheers,
Alberto
 

#9 of 107 2003 Turbo beetle engine problem by htrammell1983

May 25, 2007 (6:59 am)

I bought my dream car a 2003 cyber green turbo color concept car. I loved the car for about a 1 1/2 and then the check engine light comes on. My boyfriend works for a car dealership (not vw) and hooks it up to the scanner to see whats wrong. Well my engine is knocking! I was so pissed! I could tell just before the engine light came on that my car started to feel different when I was driving it, it was more sluggish.I know that I could have had the engine replaced or fixed, but why bother a car should not do that at only 25,000. I traded that pos in on a 2004 4wd toyota matrix and am happy to say at 40,000 miles my car could not run any better. I should have never got a vw, I should have just stuck with toyota.

#10 of 107 1999vw problems by sylvia61

May 27, 2007 (5:47 am)

i have had my 99 vw for 8 years now.my problems began with the brake light on the trunk.had to replace it-50.00. then a headlight went out-62.00.then 3 weeks later the other headloght went out-62.00 more.then, it had 56,000 miles on it and a o-2 sensor went bad.i drove it for 6 months with the check engine light on. it was time for inspection so i had it replaced-200.00 more.the man said to drive it 30 miles so it would program in on the computer. i drove it home11 miles,the next morning i left out of the yard and drove 1 mile and the check engine light was on again.i was sick.it has to be inspected in 4 days and it wont pass with that light on.im taking it back on monday and i hope its not the other sensor gone out,cause i sure dont have another 200.00 to spend on it.maybe i just didnt drive it the whole 30 miles to let it program in.just wish me the best.i dont advise any one to buy this car unless you have a lot of money to spend on repairs.when im able im going to get rid of mine. you sure dont get what you paid for them.they are not as trustworthy as the older vw, like the 70s model. if youre thinking of buying one, dont because the repair bill on them will scare you if you have to take them to the dealer. i was lucky i found a foreign car repairman who treats me right with service charges, but ss vw charge you twice more and do things wrong. just remember the new vw are a pain and a money grabber!

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