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Volkswagen Beetle Transmission Problems

784 messages,  Last post on Jun 09, 2013 at 10:43 PM

You are in the Volkswagen Beetle Forum.

What is this discussion about? Volkswagen New Beetle, Transmission, Convertible, Hatchback

    
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Messages Page 26 of 80

#242 of 784 Re: 2004 Transmission Nightmare [blackdog20] by elenewlife

May 03, 2010 (8:12 am)

Replying to: blackdog20 (Apr 22, 2010 5:22 am)
Boy do I feel for you. When I heard you say "hard shifting" I knew exactly what you meant. I bought a 2006 NEW Beetle Convertible. At around 10,000 miles if the car became hot - say I had to sit in traffic which is constant in NJ, the car would not shift AT ALL, became disabled because you had to force it into gear, it would smell, then I would panic, stop it and get pushed to the side of the road. Now I should also say I have been a painfully loyal VW owner ALL my driving years - say 35 now. Well those "boogers" shall I call them to be nice told me I simply did NOT know how to drive a 5 speed and I was riding my clutch you see. WowEEE. Now why was THAT? Funny how the 8 or 9 before this one I didn't SET on fire this way? If I would've only given them about $3,000 at that time (oh yes indeed it was under warrantee) they would've given me a new flywheel assembly). Well I said NO. You see, VW doesn't consider the clutch part of their drive train so it is not eligible for the 100,000 warrantee. At least that is what I was told. So I've driven it since, waiting for it to formally die on me. I've complained to everyone in VW about it. I smiled when they stopped making 5 speeds. NO shock there. Now they don't make the beetle at all. Sounds to me like YOU have a "flywheel problem", too. Oh I could SHIFT all right initially - BOOOM BOOOM clang clang. Quite a little music maker it was. If I had had a monkey we could've joined the circus. Now it is sitting at a Foreign Car Dealer's because even I couldn't shift it anymore. Now it HAS to be fixed. $3,000 PLUS a towing bill of $150.00. NO MORE VW for me. I would walk first. Good luck to YOU.

#243 of 784 Re: Please publish us!!!! [diannelaughs] by elenewlife

May 03, 2010 (8:28 am)

Replying to: diannelaughs (Apr 22, 2010 5:05 am)
Oh I didn't know you were getting whiplash in the tiptronics, too? Gee, did you pay for that as I did in the 5 speed? I don't know - do you have a flywheel in that? Because my flywheel assembly "went" at about 10,000 miles and they were ever so helpful with me. It was about my 10th 5 speed and they were kind enough to tell me about my "riding my clutch" and how I was responsible for the sucker getting too hot and generating all those towing bills BACK to the dealer. Well, hey they had such great coffee and all. Couldn't go on ANY hills or it would CLUNK. GOD forbid ANY traffic and that's ALL Northern NJ is. Boy I had to work some hours to accommodate that 5 speed of mine because I never did figure out just HOW to drive it and not disable it if it "became hot". Now it could be "cold" and it doesn't work anymore at it's 90,000 miles. VW is the ONLY dealer who says the CLUTCH is NOT part of the drive train. Please - someone - TELL ME how do you drive a car without the clutch. ERGO it IS part of the drive train. But since they've been making so many defective clutch assemblies - apparently even in the tiptronic - well heck better take them OUT of the consideration. Yes, mine has been a rregular Bumper Car, too. Last VW for me. Generations have driven them in my family. Frankly it's THE only car anyone ever drove. NO MORE. Not only are they garbage but VW doesn't take care of you as they once did. This is a clunker. Even they know it. Not making it anymore - ARE THEY? Case closed.

#244 of 784 Re: HOW TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE [blackdog20] by elenewlife

May 03, 2010 (8:37 am)

Replying to: blackdog20 (Apr 01, 2010 5:48 am)
THANK YOU THANK YOU. You are SO VERY RIGHT.
 
I want them to pay. This is NOT my problem. I don't have the money for this. They MADE it defective. There are THOUSANDS of complaints out there. WHERE ARE THE COMPLAINTS WHERE IT MATTERS?
 
I just filed with them. THANK YOU.

#245 of 784 Re: 99 Beetle transmission problem [bug24] by elenewlife

May 03, 2010 (10:14 am)

Replying to: bug24 (Mar 19, 2010 10:23 pm)
Wow. I'm so sorry. Mine's a 2006 and I have the same problem. I saw somewhere in these messages that the ONLY thing to do is lodge your complaint with the NTSB. Everyone here has complaints but VW should've recalled these cars a very long time ago. Mine started clanging and banging at around 10,000. They had the balls to instruct me on how not NOT ride my clutch. Can you imagine? How insulting. I've been driving 5 speeds for about 35 years now. The internet is FILLED with complaints about these vehicles but the only thing that will prompt a recall is a formal complaint to the NTSB. RECALL RECALL RECALL. It makes sense that even their replacments can be B.S. Mine finally rolled over and died. I would NOT have VW fix it. OH NO. Wouldn't trust them again. This is all a disgrace. Took the day off to see what was going on with VW and I am HORRIFIED. There are so many of us. WHY NO ACTION? Lodge your complaint NOW.

#246 of 784 Re: So long Volkswagen... [rustidonell] by elenewlife

May 03, 2010 (10:24 am)

Replying to: rustidonell (Nov 28, 2007 11:10 pm)
Sorry I just found you and your message is from 2007! You described exactly what happened to me. MY relationship with VW has spanned 35 years, though!! No, they do NOT care. Mine had 10,000 on it when they told me their moving coffee percolator had no issues - the issue was that I was driving the clutch - but they would remedy it if I gave them about $3,500. This is after I don't know how many VW's to my credit. I asked aloud, "why didn't I ride THOSE clutches, gentlemen"? At any rate, I told them where to put their $3,500 and decided, since the problem started if the car became warm AT ALL, that I couldn't drive it in any traffic, on any inclines or hills. Pretty much I accommodated the car. And I decided that MY relationship with VW also was over.
 
HOW INSULTING!! And how stupid of me, anyway, to think they would stand by their vehicle or maybe even be a little bit nicer to someone who had blown so much money on VW's and been so loyal over the years. NO way. Couldn't care less. So me and my fair-weather, horizontal only VW stayed out of traffic. Only experienced that awful smell you referenced a few more times when I got in traffic and once again sat there for some time. The car could not idle AT ALL. You couldn't simply go from first to second. Anyway it finally died it's valiant death. And it was the original problem, the clutch assembly.
 
I helped them sell a LOT of VW's. The converse will be the same as well.
 
Sorry for your experience. Hope it helps you a little to know that my experience was just like yours. And they treated me just the same as you. At least in THAT they are consistent.

#247 of 784 Re: Please publish us!!!! [elenewlife] by meinbug

May 05, 2010 (5:28 pm)

Replying to: elenewlife (May 03, 2010 8:28 am)
I have a 2004 VW Beetle Convertible and just hit 75,000 miles.
 
Around 52,000 miles the CEL came on. The code was for the coolent system 2180. I replaced the coolent sensor, thermostat and eventually the water pump as my mechanic could not figure out why the code wouldn't clear (I had always taken it to the dealer for servicing before the warrenty was up at 50K). VW make such crappy cars now - the water pump had PLASTIC propellers and had started to crack. Thought it was fixed, but two years later the damn light is still on.
 
About 2 months ago I noticed that the car wasn't running right. I noticed that when going in or out of 3rd gear it would jerk. I see from this thread that a lot of you have had this issue. My mechanic checked it, but couldn't find anything wrong. Since the tranmission is sealed, of course, it would have been $200 just to see if the fluid was the issue. I took it into VW yesterday after I got a letter saying that my car may need a new catalitic converter - anyone else get this? At first they said that the transmission sensors just needed to be cleaned. I was so relieved - until they called back later saying, nope, I need to replace the transmission.
 
I don't know what to do. I love this car, but I can't keep putting $$ into it and then have something else go wrong. Aside from the CEL light that won't turn off, I had to replace the rear right window as the gear for that broke. I haven't even gotten the quote yet for the whole shebang, but I can imagine it's more that what the car is worth!
 
Am I crazy to think that a car should not have tranny issues after 75K miles???

#248 of 784 Re: Please publish us!!!! [meinbug] by elenewlife

May 06, 2010 (8:39 am)

Replying to: meinbug (May 05, 2010 5:28 pm)
Meinbug, of COURSE it shouldn't have transmission problems AT ALL - never mind at 75,000 miles and VW's NEVER DID!! Do yourself a favor and just put in "VW transmission problems" in the internet search engines and you'll be SHOCKED as I was. Of course, in my case, mine and THOUSANDS of others were manufactured DEFECTIVE and THAT is the OPERATIVE WORD. MY FAILED at 7,500 miles!! I smiled when SUDDENLY you could NO LONGER GET A 5 SPEED VW BEETLE!! no KIDDING!! I thought maybe it was just MINE? THEY KNEW AND KNOW!! To just stop making them they had NOTHING but problems.
 
I've driven VW's over 35 years BECAUSE they were "ISSUE FREE". Drove them into 250,000 and beyond WITH NO NEW CLUTCH, NEVER a transmission. THEY MADE THEM DEFECTIVE. PERIOD. UNTIL they just stopped making them at all.
 
I JUST got mine back - AGAIN - and with all the playing with the transmission they screwed up the headlights. THAT had already happened before so I hope they already know how to fix it. My compressor WENT on the A/C as it has with many others but mine is out of warranty. Another $1500 or so. ANOTHER documented problem.
 
NO - 75,000 on a VW transmission is UNHEARD OF. NEVER NEVER happened. THEY ARE DEFECTIVE. MONEY PITS. and VW knew all about it.
 
I wasn't shocked when they no longer made a 5 speed in the Beetle Convertible. And NOW they just no longer make that dog at all. NO KIDDIN' VW.
 
TIME to buy something else FOR SURE. You put money in a savings account or IRA. NOT a car.
 
Report your complaints to the NTSB. They ARE listening.

#249 of 784 Just Got My Transmission Bill (04' NB Convertible) by buggedout2

May 18, 2010 (8:21 am)

I bought this car used with 59k miles a year and a half ago after turning in my Lexus IS to drive it until I paid off my debt and could get back on even pavement again. Approximately 24 months. Well, that is not the situation as you all know. I have had every problem known to plague these little buggers; broken plastic water pump ($1200); crazy headlights ($250 still not fixed); on again off again dash lights including the passenger seat belt light; window issues; back window coming away from top; heated seats that will cause bodily harm if you are not careful. But, the biggest and most expensive problem has been the transmission (automatic whatevertronic). It started to manifest it's slamming down and slipping up at around 70k. I had the fluid changed ($250) and problem continued...maybe worse. Well, it finally totally jammed up in "limp mode" at 85k and the CEL made it's appearance. I took it to AAMCO since VW had already told me they denied anything was wrong with the car in anyway after a letter writing campaign to them and that it was out of warranty...of course. Grand total $4900.
 
I have put in a complaint. I have written to VW of America numerous times and I will again. This time I'm going to include printouts of blog entries and I going to cc every d*** body I can think of. With this economic turn down, I don't know about everyone else, but I do not have the money for this so I am now $4900 further in the hole if they let me finance the job and give me the POS back. Absolutely, NO ONE buys a VW to pay Mercedes repair bills. This is absurd. VW did not give this car to me as a gift. I paid good money (my last cash) for it. I expected to have to make some repairs...not to rebuild it.

#250 of 784 My Bug was sick FIRST!! (2006 Beetle Convertible) by elenewlife

May 18, 2010 (8:51 am)

Replying to: buggedout2 (May 18, 2010 8:21 am)
Boy do I hear you. I just received a copy of your letter as I get updated with each new entry. PLEASE - don't just update this site. Take the moment and let the NTSB know about your "dog". They are THE only ones who can authorize recalls/settlements on these "buggers". Funny they were always called "bugs". Hey - mine went with 7500 miles on it and they KNEW they had problems with the transmissions. Why do you think they stopped making them?
 
I've DONE my due diligence on these vehicles. Driven VW exclusively my entire driving career and I am now as old as dirt. My lights are an ongoing issue as well. Heading into my THIRD set - now possess the "winky-dink" model where only ONE side work. Thank GOD I haven't had the issues with that window falling out the back. Well, I just knocked on something hard. Maybe next week.
 
Take a moment or two and scan the internet. You will see we are NOT ALONE by any stretch. Perhaps a CLASS ACTION SUIT by ALL OF US will make a difference. I am unemployed (accountant) at the moment and did NOT have the $3,000 plus the towing plus the time. And I am NOT close to having this piece of you know what fixed even yet.
 
They stopped making them, DIDN'T THEY? Enough said.
 
File that complaint NOW with the NTSB. THIS IS RIDICULOUS!!

#251 of 784 Re: My Bug was sick FIRST!! (2006 Beetle Convertible) [elenewlife] by meinbug

May 18, 2010 (11:57 am)

Replying to: elenewlife (May 18, 2010 8:51 am)
I called VW of America to complain. One that my transmission shouldn't be going out at 75K and second that I'd had so many other problems. The water pump started to crack right after my 50K warrenty was up and that we STILL couldn't get the 2180 coolent code to go away. They said they'd look into it and get back to me. They called the next day, I wasn't even expecting a phone call, and they said they believed it was the valve body and not the entire tranmission that needed to be fixed. And get this - they offered to pay 75 PERCENT of the fix! I said we'd take it. I cannot afford a new car, but there was no way I was going to pay $6200 to fix the tranmission (my guy could do it for less, but it was still $2700).
 
I ended up paying $486 for the fix and so far, fingers crossed, it seems to be working. I think what got us the deal was how much else is wrong with the car and that my husband remained calm on the phone when explaining the situation. Like he said, we spent $25,000 for a car that in the past was built to last. Not to fail 1000 miles after the warrenty was up.
 
So call VW of America and hopefully they can help with this fiasco.

Messages Page 26 of 80

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