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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 9 of 12

#72 of 107 2004 New Beetle Turbo Engine Overheats and is shot within seconds by kmcclas

Apr 22, 2010 (8:11 am)

My car was running fine with no problems in the morning; fast forward to the afternoon; it's dead on the side of the freeway with a fried engine. We were driving along, the coolant light blinked red. Within seconds we heard a distinct noise, like a knock followed by a continuous sound like paper flapping in the fan shroud. We were in the left lane on the freeway searching for a break in traffic to move to the right shoulder. The oil and check engine lights blinked on and then off. Just as we found a clearing to get off the road the car lost power. We barely made it off the road. We shut the car off and water and steam spewed and shot from the back tail pipe. Water was in the front wheel well and nowhere else not even on the engine.
We expected to see a red hot engine but did not. The car had no compression. We had it towed to a VW service center. They said the engine is shot (pistons melted into the cylinder walls) and has to be replaced. They've quoted $6900 and no guarantee the repairs stop there. HELP! Anyone have ideas of how a car goes from running fine to a catastrophic event in a matter of minutes? Should I just give the car back to VW and call it a loss? I'm frustrated!!!

#73 of 107 Re: oil in water overflow [jrolf] by sylvia61

Apr 22, 2010 (5:23 pm)

Replying to: jrolf (Apr 13, 2010 3:27 pm)
i owned a 1999vw beetle. all i had was problems of all kinds. finally i got rid of it. i say to everybody, unless you have plenty of money to spend on repairs, dont ever purchase a vw beetle.they are a sorry car

#74 of 107 EPC light? by maine_man

Apr 30, 2010 (6:45 pm)

I was changing the light bulb in my girlfriends car. Sometime while I was changing it the epc light on the dash came on, now I have to get a new bulb and replace the old one but does this sound right? Did I do something to make this light come on, somehow, while taking out the light? Will it go out when I get the replacement light, I hope

#75 of 107 98 New Beetle Not always starting. by dstoneman

May 14, 2010 (4:06 pm)

My daughter's 98 beetle (2.0 gas) one day just wouldn't start. Turned over, battery new, just wouldn't start. Came out the next day fired right up? Wouldn't start a few days later at her high school parking lot. Found a lot of info. on VW forums --on a whim shot starting fluid into air cleaner and she started up and ran fine for a few days. Checked fuel pump ... it is working fine. Any thoughts? Check engine light is NOT on.

#76 of 107 Re: oil in water overflow [jrolf] by smonkres

Jun 08, 2010 (10:42 am)

Replying to: jrolf (Apr 13, 2010 3:27 pm)
It might be the engine oil cooler. Located between the oil filter and the block. Mine had a small hole in it and it allowed water and oil to mix. Better check the engine oil dipstick you may have water in the oil. You can check the cooler by taking it off and submerging it in water and use air hose to pressurize if it hase hole you will get bubbles.

#77 of 107 Re: oil in water [bodyguy] by smonkres

Jun 08, 2010 (10:50 am)

Replying to: bodyguy (Nov 06, 2008 8:51 pm)
Mine did mix oil and water. You can test the cooler by taking it off sumerging it in water and pressurizing it with an air hose. If you get bubbles it has hole in it.

#78 of 107 Re: Changing Spark plugs on 99 New Beetle 2.0 non-turbo [charliereid] by smonkres

Jun 08, 2010 (11:02 am)

Replying to: charliereid (Feb 23, 2008 10:30 am)
You jus need a plug socket with an extension. The plugs set at an angle so you can get to them. The hard part is gettin the wires off you have to have something to get hold and pull the cap.

#79 of 107 gas door by bc43

Jun 11, 2010 (12:17 pm)

Has anyone else had problems where the gas door won't release? Ours finally got stuck permanently. Mechanic showed us a release wire we can pull, from inside the trunk. I'm not the incredible hulk but I'm not all that weak either and it's almost impossible. My wife tried once and gave up. Now we just leave it closed but not pushed closed so it latches. Lots of little problems like this but this is the latest.

#80 of 107 Re: 98 New Beetle Not always starting. [dstoneman] by kennedy789

Jun 23, 2010 (8:13 pm)

Replying to: dstoneman (May 14, 2010 4:06 pm)
Did you ever figure out the problem with this? my gas 98 beetle finally will crank after the shot of starting fluid in the air cleaner, but whenever i put it in third or basically get above 30 it has a heavyloss of power and feels like it automatically shifts down to 2nd... now this is a manual car, and thoughts? Some kind of electrical components inside gone bad?

#81 of 107 2001 1.8 turbo by hotrodss69

Aug 21, 2010 (6:45 am)

I have a hessing noise coming from the motor and the brake pedal is hard to push.
I know it must be a vaccum leak .There is a small can like item around all the vaccum lines ,could that be leaking or bad? what is that part?Thanks

Messages Page 9 of 12

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