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I'm being told that the transmission needs to be rebuilt to the tune of $5,200. The shop offered to change the valve body for $1,600, but explained that it was hit or miss if it would fix the problem, and it would only be a temporary fix. I've had several problems with this car over the 4 years that I've owned it, and calls to VW fall on deaf ears. I worked for Ford for 10 years and Ford Motor Company was willing to help their customers out within reason. It's hard to believe that this problem has been going on for so many years and VW has done nothing to rectify this or help their customers out with a known problem. I refuse to put that kind of money into my car because I'm afraid of what the next problem will cost me.
Shame on me for buying a VW because I was warned by friends that have had problems with them in the past. I'll be buying a new car within the next couple of weeks and you can bet it won't be another VW.
Thanks!
I came back to his very website and read about "valve body" recalls and wondered why I didn't qualify for this. Called VW of America back and they checked and said they were sorry I never got a letter but I did qualify for the replacement valve body that addressed hard shifting and transmissions issues and they didn't know why I was never notified. I rec'd a letter from them in 2 weeks providing a free replacement. My VW dealer, VW Cerritos in the Los Angeles, CA area, told me that the valve body on my New Beetle was good and that they were not going to install a replacement one even with the VW of America letter since they KNEW it was the transmission and not the valve body! The service advisor was very difficult and rude. I asked to speak to the general manager and the "owner" of the facility (who's name is on the building) and finally got support to "install a new valve body" per the VW of America letter even though the VW Dealer Service Advisor said that it would NOT fix the problem and I needed to pay $5200 for a new transmission. After leaving it about a week, I pick up my 2006 VW New Beetle with a newly replaced valve body and it runs perfect! I paid $0, fully covered by VW. Amazing how about 3 months of hounding VW of America, talking to managers of managers, being persistent in asking about a recall that I was entitled to that I was never given and even arguing with the VW Service Advisor who didn't want to do the work.....everthing was fixed and the cars' transmission is working great again!
Except.....the windows are out of alignment again, the shift box is not working, my air bag light is on, there is a moldy smell when I turn on the A/C, front and rear light bulbs went out.....and on and on and on and on.....MY RECOMMENDATION, DON'T EVER BUY A VW NEW BEETLE!!!!!
I have to ask, how many people would have stopped at the first phone call with VW when told there was nothing that could be done? or would have taken the 25% offered to fix the transmission when it actually was the valve body paid in full by VW? or when the VW Service Advisor said he would not install a new valve body because the one in the car was good and he KNEW it was the transmission? PLEASE, don't give up, use all your options, use this blog, VW needs to hear what a terrible job they are doing and we need to not buy their products that are poorly made with poor materials. You are not alone! Would appreciate any feedback!
Best wishes!
ClassyColey
How much did that cost you and what led you to replace the valve body?
It's a pile of you know what.
Here is the website to file a complaint with the National Highway Transportation Safety.
VW then wasn't considering the clutch part of the drivetrain - so for only about $3500 they would "kindly" replace the assembly for me. I told them "where" to file THAT just as kindly and drove the car, but never in traffic where it would overheat; never on a hill where it would slide backwards; never close to anyone else where it just "might bump forwards or backwards"; until I cranked up the mileage and hit around 90,000. THEN it was totally disabled and I did the assembly. STILL ran like garbage when it got hot or had to sit in traffic until I re-did the cables? Or I should say they crapped out on me and I was towed in.
I should say I was given the "sniff" test until it went over the 100,000 and they didn't have to deal with me anymore. I NEVER got any letter about any valve assembly that they would replace. Never got anything at all. They listened - gave it that "Pep boys 'Manny Moe and Jack' thing" I'm sure for the day and couldn't care less. NO ONE at VW disagrees anymore that their transmissions were garbage and that the public "debugged" it for them.
I should also mention that I'm a lifetime VW driver. They didn't just screw a novice who bought one once? OH NO. I've owned over 30 VW's in a family of Germans who ONLY drove VW. So they're equal-opportunity "I DON'T CARE's". To see them "re-release" the car, knowing how they screwed ALL OF US who owned a Beetle like this - I, for one, am sickened.
I won't own one again. When I call and say I can't make my payment because I'm putting YET more work into it and can't pay AND FIX - I always complain. And always tell them to go screw themselves. I've put twice as much into the car than it's worth - I HAVE to keep it now. And I'm always fixing something.
Anyone ELSE have those "winky dink" eyes (headlights that alternately go on/off) - now THAT's another "fun" option, right?
Good luck all - with whatever year or model you have? They ALL have problems.
Oh, and the headlights -- I got stopped by security and they said my headlight was out! I got out of the car, banged on my car light with a hard wack and it came on. I got back in and drove away. Don't you just love it!
In the meantime, I have filed a complaint with the National Hwy Traffic Safety Administration https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/. It only took a few minutes. Others need to do the same
The pressure was on to do this fast- I commute an hour to work and once the insurance company hands you a check, they take back the rental. So unless I wanted to spend the scant money they gave me for my Chevy on a rental, I needed something fast. Test drove the 2004 Beetle with 88K miles on it on Saturday, and bought it. On Monday on my commute to work, I noticed the same thing everyone keeps talking about here: after driving for about 15 mins, it goes from "D" being highlighted to all the gears being highlighted, like it doesn't know what gear it's in. The shifting between gears is really obvious and not smooth at all. Also, it "kicked" on me out of the blue after I got off the highway. I drive A LOT with this job. I paid over $8500 for this car, CASH. I don't have any more $ to spend, and for 9 grand on a almost 8 year old car, shouldn't that be enough?
ALSO: headlight is out that of course I couldn't see during the day while test driving. The heated seat (a bonus feature I was excited about) does not seem to work, at least on the driver's side. Air bag light for passenger says "off". Let's see...oh yeah, convertible top worked fine the day I test drove it, but when I tried it at home, the two little flaps stayed open. That was all on Monday. Today, Wednesday, when I started it the coolant light? (13 in the manual) came on for a while, then went off. I am really, really upset that I've bought a car whose tranny is about to go. The dealer said it was "fine". Carfax was clean. How was I to know?
Last week one of my best friends died in a car accident. And as I mentioned above, three times I've been hit (no fault of my own) by drivers THIS YEAR. The last thing I need on my mind right now is a car that might not be safe. It's bad enough to have lost my car (which was fully paid for) at 63K miles which never needed even one thing in 3 years, and now I'm stuck in therapy (bad whiplash) and have to deal with this too? I can't believe it! I drive on CALIFORNIA freeways over 70 miles a day-- I can't have this thing do something funky on the road. Even hearing about it bucking and feeling like you've been "hit" from behind scares me-- the lady that "killed" my Aveo hit me from behind with my dog in the car, and it was really scary. Now I flinch when a car gets too close behind me, so feeling like I've been hit back there is unacceptable. I'm over the 7 years, and I'm like the 3rd owner anyway. Is there NOTHING I can do? I'm going back to the dealer today to have him reprogram the computer, but it sure sounds like that is not going to fix anything. It sounds like the tranny is bad on this car. F**k. After all these complaints, will they EVER offer a recall? And will it even help someone like me, who doesn't have service records and isn't the first owner? Let's do the math here-- If I paid $8500 for the car, and it needs a new tranny at about 6-7K, that could have bought me a NEW car. I just took out a loan for a needed surgery, so there is no more credit nor money to spare. Getting a "new" used car should be fun, not scary like this. HELP!
In my case, I have a 6 speed auto trans with manual shift mode capability. My gears 4 - 6 are gone.
Just took it in again and found out that I can get a rebuilt transmission (70K original miles) installed for $4500. I've already spent around $2000 the last year replacing the water pump, timing belt, etc.
My original headlights lasted around 3 years. Since then all replacement headlights (VW parts) have lasted about a year. I'd like someone to explain that to me.
I will never own another VW, no matter how cute and fun to drive. VW is not a quality auto maker.
I had the valve body replaced a couple years ago. i got the valve body independently from a place called valvebody pros and it only put a bandaid on the problem. Then one machanic told me that the valve boy I purchaed didnt come with a harness and that might be the problem. Please someone help!!! Also I have had the silonoid replaced twice because it was throwing a code for that at one point.
The last time I had the codes read it said there were electric problems and didnt say anything about the transmission. I live in Orange County Ca does anyone know who can help?
I am/WAS a lifetime VW/Beetle driver. Those days are rapidly coming to an end. We need to give VW hell for this nonsense. Love my car but this is RIDICULOUS.
...ps - yes yes i've also replaced the headlights, a window, twice did solenoid sensors (& she throws same code anyway for secondary air injection something), dash lights are partially out, plastic seat handle stuck on passenger side ... the list goes on ad infinitum. I must be insane to keep her. I had 2 Beetles before her, never a single problem. Wanted a convertible for fun. Hm. Are we having fun yet?
Please do not make posts along these lines as they will have to be removed.
Thanks for your cooperation on this.
beetle turbo s live near boston, massachusetts told 1998-2004 hoods all the same
tu
Would appreciate any advice ! Thanks !
Desperate for honest mechanic who knows this issue ! Thanks
I will go back and ask about having the valve body replaced.
Bel Air Car Guy
Good luck
When I was calling around looking in to having it fixed transmission places were telling me so many stories about how VW put bad transmissions in these cars and not to fix it. So there my paid off car sits in front of my house with a bad tranny. Cannot affor to fix it, don't have the heart to junk my dream! I cannot believe there are this many problems with the transmission in these cars and VW will not stand behind them.