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Comments
Being a Beetle fanatic that I am, I have one more question to quench my curiosity of anything Beetle related
Thanks everyone!
My car was delivered with no valet key and one full remoteless key and one full remote+key.
so the situation is different. But two things you should watch out for:
Any VW car can be programmed for remoteless key entry and a new key can be cut to fit your car WITHOUT any programming from the dealer. All you need is one key and this WILL work.
Every flip key remote unit is made of 2 parts; 1.Flip key blade (and black abs plastic holder)half
2.Remote for keyless entry half
The blade can be replaced with a blank for 10$ purchased on the net. Go to a VW dealer equipped with a key cutter machine (few have them/in my town only 2 out of 7) and for another 10$ they will cut the blank to your valet key.At home, in order to fit your blank to the abs black holder (No.1 above) you need to flip your key open half way and look at the blade from the side(the thin side) and locate a pin hole on the metal holder close to the plastic part. This pin hole is actually for the metal pin which holds the blade attached to the rest of the metal flip. Grab an appropriate size nail and hammer this out. After that you can replace the blade with the blank you need cut and hammer the pin back in to hold it.
You are half way done.
Go to a scrap yard /car junkyard and ask for any VW 1998 and up remote key. It should cost you around 5-10 bucks. Check it to be clean and one which the flip key and the remote half are in good condition. Detach the remote from the flip key (means detach the 1 from the 2 above)
and pry open the remote part (use a used knife and be careful not ot break anything). You will note it contains 2 batteries on the lid side and the transmitter in the other ( green circuit board). Replace the batteries with new ones and snap it back together.
Snap the flip key half to the remote half. If they don't snap back in, they are loose and you need 2 drops of crazy glue on the fitting grooves in order for them to stick and become one part again.
Assuming your blank key is already cut and fitted to the flip fob, program the key (or several keys) doing the following:
1.Unlock car and roll driver's side window down.
2. Insert the new cut remote key in the ignition and turn it to the ON position, not fully to START
3. Insert vallet key in the driver's side door lock and turn towards lock and hold it there
4.While holding, press the unlock button on your new key (the one in the ignition) for 2 seconds
5. Let go and press again for 2 seconds
6. Let go for 10 seconds.
7. Start the car by turning the new key from ON to Start.
8. Stop the engine , exit car close all doors and try to LOCK the car from your new remote key.
All should work properly.
Needless to say any dealer will make you believe they will need a computer to program your key and replicate the above. THEY ARE LYING. Why? Because they will try to charge you for the procedure above starting minimum 100$. The new key and remote start at 75$ and the "programming" at 100$. This is a do it yourself trick. If you have the time and like to have satisfaction, bypass the dealer with the above instructions. It worked on mine.
Good luck...
Another question i have is, We changed the theromatat and CTS and filled it up with antifreeze , but now i am getting no heat, does anyone know why? :confuse:
* Replaced spark plugs
* Replaced plug leads
* Replaced coolant temp sensor
* Replaced vacuum hose
* Replaced all filters
the car has otherwise been fine but the check engine light is on all the time now and is a little unsettling when driving on big journeys. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
What are recommended brands?
How much?
How do I do it?
How do I change the deck since it is circular as well?
Basically give me teh run down on everything imaginable involving the audio equipment.
jonjon
I took it to the shop and it turned out to be an eletrical malfunction that the light kep coming on.
Thermostat changed was faulty or it wasn't changed properly or if you went to the dealer they didn't change it but they said they did.
Options: salvage yards you can obtain original and cheaper than dealer.
Dealer , new starting $500 and going up, like way up there.
why replace unknown parts? For a 2000 car it is rare this goes to spark plugs. If your car starts and drives, why check the spark plugs and plug leads? Best one could do is start the car and while idle, jerk around the plug leads and wires to see if there is a problem there if you suspect one. If not, move along.
Coolant sensor? Why? When the engine is cold, the temperature bay gauge is blue. When hot it should display red. If still not sure, check the Prestone level. If ok, move along. Filters? Filters only make the car smell bad inside or make the car eat more gas if old and clogged up. If one checks consumption yearly once, and no bad odors on the inside... should lead to filter replacement needs. Vacuum hose? Let us suppose it needs replacement, the obvious question is why? Was it torn, damaged or loose? If loose, tighten it, if damaged, see where the mechanic saw that and why he decided to replace it before the replacement. If not, why replace it?
What I mean by the above is that often, dealers really "invent" repairs just to keep you in the shop or they simply don't know what is wrong and your best look to them is a payer. Most of the problems beetles have are not road or usage related but engineering related.We're not talking ball joints, brakes, mufflers, shock absorbers, timing belts and such. We're more into the check engine lights, oil consumption, a/c bad odors, parts that deteriorate or break while the cars are relatively new, electrical problems, fuel delivery system problems, hardware malfunctions and the list goes on. But, none of those are of simmilar reoccurence or of dead on diagnosis. Unless the mechanics have a complex understanding of these cars they will jerk you around over what they "suppose" the problem could be and lose your time and money because the real fact is they don't have a clue. Note how every mechanic works on a different car on a different year style model and engine during his day. Do they remember to even care? There are over 10 models of vw cars only this year, each with 2-4 types of engines. 2.0 liter, 1.8 turbo, VR6 or diesel. Different bodies and different styles every 2-3 years. In 7 years since the beetle was an ordinary model, a turbo, a diesel, a turbo s and a convertible do you think ANY mechanic knows what the f... he's doing with the car when he sees one?
Best bet, get informed. Let information from people who had them swirl around in your brain, read Consumer Reports and any other info forum, stay in touch with everything and then buy. Do not touch first or second year models as a rule. Otherwise you'll be left...alone to ...pay.
And my las ...check engine light:
Do you guys see these cars 25 years down the road still rolling around and people wanting them like 'em old mercedeses and chevys and cars that lasted back when cars were made well?
New Beetle – Headlight and Bulb Replacement
Basically, you look inside the hood a pull up on a release lever. Then the whole assembly comes forward. After you get it loose you can swap out the bulb.
Thanks much for the great info on the key programing. Will the same procedure work with an existing remote switchblade key (working now) instead of the valet key and a new switchblade key? I just got a TDI that was beat awful and only had one remote key with it and no other keys. I appreciate your help.
Yes to your question, it will. When I picked up my car (after paying it of course) it came with one key (a 2nd key was there initially at test drive time). They threw away the second key by mistake and when I complained they threw me out the dealership.
I gave my car off to AAMCO and the diagnosis they did came up with fault code. But they said they need to do further diagnosis and will let me know what the problem was after 2 hrs of labor. Sounded fishy and I told them to stop the work. He said it was related to "engine performance" and wouldnt give me more info.
Has anyone had experiences with AAMCO or should I drop my car off to a dealer/VW specific shop?
-Deepa
I gave it to AAMCO for a free diagnosis and the guy said it came up with some codes. But he wanted me to authorize about 2 hrs in labour to even figure out the real problem and the AAMCO consumer reports dont look so good.. I didnt want someone messing with a car that runs well for the most part.
Is there some manual or directory on these codes?
The other thing it does is the oil burns off in roughly 2 months.
I havent been very diligent about oil changes lately and usually top off engine oil when its low.( It makes a funny soundwhen the oil is low- am I waiting for too long to do the oil refill?) So it could be the transmission fluid, right? Is there an easy way to check the xmission fluid??
One last thing, the dash board lights behave funkily sometimes, like a ghost is operating them. On-Off-On-Off....
Not to mention the damn headlights.. I've replaced them 4-5 times already in the past 2 yrs..
-Deepa
All Beetles burn their oil. This is normal since this is how the engine was engineered, to burn oil (bad engineering). There is little you can do except replace the engine piston rings within warranty (register for consumption tests with a VW dealer and VW will replace the engine if it burns oil at that rate). Remember, burnt oil ends up in the catalyst and damages the unit. If your car coverage warranty has expired, the cost for a catalyst replacement is about $2000.
Transmission fluid is not something the car should consume. If it does, you have a leaking transmission or heavy mechanical problems. If you do, sell it as is, get rid of the heap.
Headlight replacement is a known hazard with ALL german cars. VW is no different. I have replaced mine several times. This is related to the sub-par wiring made in 3rd world countries which doesn't follow required AMP parameters. But at about $5 a headlight bulb, it shouldn't be an issue.
On and off dashboard lights? You have a circuit/connection malfunctioning, definitely. Remove the under dash panel with engine on but idling and pull on all wiring to replicate the feat. If you are a do it youself guy that is! Check the dash and illumination fuses and resistors by jerking them around.
If nothing replicates the feat, get a professional circuit check unit at any Home
Hardware/Depot and with the electrical wiring diagrams, start to check one by one. It can take you days!
Good luck!
I am a "do it yourself guy" so I would say, do it yourself. But!
You can replace an air filter, light bulb, perform an oil change and rotate the tires with a certain ease. It is not easy, you get dirty, it takes time and you have to be tedious, from being careful not to over tighten a bolt (and risk stripping the sleeve), to having the right tools, to avoid spilling liquids on your driveway and such.
If you want to take the long path to satisfaction, things you can also do yourself are ball joint and tie rod replacements, brake and pad jobs,hand brake cable and trunk release mechanisms, repairs which require a VW Chilton's/Hynes car manual. You CAN do them yourself but go on indications and pictures which can help you avoid damaging the car by simply removing and putting back the original parts. Bolts are pressure/torque fitted, some other parts are welded and you risk breaking them by not knowing how to disassemble and a so called do it yourself repair ends up costing you more than it should. But you will learn...at a cost...
Then there come the paint jobs for dents and fender benders, window mechanisms involving cables and pulleys, shock absorbers, bushings and ventilation, all which are well beyond our expertise and means of being able to repair. Some things are just too difficult. You would need a garage lift and appropriate tools from paint guns to pressure bolt removers and torque refitters to perform such repairs.
Manufacturers avoid nowadays helping the owner to change a lightbulb by simply designing and assembling the car in such a fashion that serves form instead of function you would rather go to the dealer than replace the part yourself. Why? They get to charge you and lie about the replacement time. Have you ever seen a 10 minute job at the dealer? They calculate every little thing in...labour hours! With their equipment, it takes 20 minutes to replace a gas filter.
As an example, check a front headlight bulb replacement procedure for the New Beetle. Most people would not perform it. Why? You have to get inside the engine compartment, rotate a certain clamp clockwise for about 30 degrees away from you and release the whole headlight assembly unit. Next, you have to pull it out and so on. All to say, it's not obvious.
So, if you have the right tools, the space, time and the know how, yes it can be done. Only then, you can say you saved some money (i.e. a dealer $150 ball joint replacement, would cost you an estimated $30 something for the part only and about 1-2 hours of work if you do it yourself right) . Don't forget the satisfaction that comes with it also. sometimes it is worth it.
Good Luck...
Anyway, brought it home (it was "running") but the clutch caught at the very top and you had to gas the car to get it in motion. Should have dropped it back off immediately. Instead I reported it time after time to VW of America (Corp) and was given the run around.
Now, 46k have gone by and the lease is almost up but guess what the clutch just gave out again. Won't shift into reverse and first gear same issue) although you can jam it in which is what the tow truck driver did to get it on the flatbed. I believe North Shore VW did as well because Al told me you could shift it but now I'm jumping ahead.
Next, VW had in towed to North Shore VW. It was the closest dealer. I requested SEACOAST. So, again I'm told its wear-n-tear even though the car has a history of this same issue. Car is still at the dealer after 10 days of phone calls back-n-forth to Corp. Nothing they can do unless I have the transmission pulled. OK, what's the estimate for a car with a known reported problem - $1700+. I'm told once again that's it how you drive that determines the life of a clutch. It doesn't matter that I've driven a stick for 20 years. Including 2 old beetles, 2 rabbits, 1 new beetle, and now my current new beetle. Customer loyalty means nothing to the dealer (their independent of Corp with their own policies) or to Corp. It's too bad. I was willing to compromise. I asked them to OK the repair or take the car back and terminate the lease or to take the car back "as is" and I'd start another lease in a new vehicle. Anything, but the standard it's not our problem. (Sidebar, your not entitled to a log of the calls you've logged with the Corp office - it's for internal VW use only.)
In my opinion a "leased" car should run for 3 years PERIOD. I should not have to pay a year's worth of payments to fix a bad clutch when it was never fixed right to begin with. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the ignition coil issues a week into the lease, repeated problems with the windows, it was just fixed last month at Atamian after it fell into the door in the middle of a rain storm. (Low and behold one month later the window still goes up and down as if it is possessed when you depress the one-touch feature).
Step up to the plate VW!!!
I will say kudos to SEACOAST in NH who fixed the first ignition coil problem. However, I'm not going to take a chance that they would do the right thing at the cost of a very expensive tow.
The curve's may attract you but what's underneath is JUNK... It's not even worth a fling in the form of a lease.
SEE YOU IN COURT...
However having said that, It is my opinion that if VW is unwilling to fund your clutch issue that you will LOSE in court. Clutches, like brake linings, are a wear item and do indeed wear out. Since you are responsible for wear items, you are probably on the hook.
The cost of replacement at $1700 may be the dealer rate but you can probably get it done for half that amount at an independent shop.
Good luck, and please post back how this item gets resolved.
However be forewarned that a Beetle is not a Camry and you may have some issues. Some of the issues with Beetles can be very annoying and will drive you nuts.
If you buy a new or a relatively new (used) Beetle then the quality seems to be somewhat better. Early years seemed to have many many issues. Also if you buy a convertible then some people have had issues with the convertible top and mechanism.
My wife loves her 02 hardtop. She would drive no other car. We've only had 1 problem with the car (a sensor) that was fixed under warranty.
My personal opinion is that the car is way way too expensive for what it is and that there are much better values out there. But what do I know - I'm a guy.
Drive what you like !
My question is has anyone heard of anything like this? Also I thought your airbags were supposed to deploy from impact, not some signal from the seatbelt? I mean what if you are not wearing a seatbelt? Any help would be appreciated.
If you are wearing your seatbelt then, you have a much lower risk of getting killed by your own airbag (it really happens) when you hit a trashcan or something. Short drivers that need to sit close to the steering wheel were especially at risk with the old style (1-speed) airbags.
So it sounds like the sensor that tells the airbag system that your seatbelt is engaged is not working properly. If that were me I'd probably get it fixed. You don't want to find out that your airbag doesn't work correctly when you are having a crash.
Check around, maybe you can get an independent shop to do the work for much less money
Help Help, I have a 2000 newbeetle which starts momentarily and shuts off....over and over.
From posts in this forum and others I glean that my immobilizer system is not recognizing my key, unfortunately I only have one key.
If I purchase another key with embedded transponder and get it cut to match my existing key can I use it to reprogram my immoblizer system without dealership involvement and if so how? Or is my first trip to the dealership to have them reprogram the system for me and remove cash from my wallet.
** The dealership says I need to bring it to them and the procedures on the internet are for cloning remotes only - not the keys. Thoughts and opinions please.
:confuse:
programming in it. It is the circuit board transmitter , ok?
Never go to a dealer for replacement, repair, reprogramming or any of this crap about your VW remote (unless you want your wallet chopped. If so, buy an axe...). Use the instructions I posted and do it yourself.
Check both. I am getting rid of my 99. They are full of problems from all angles.
Transmission fluid level is under the car. There is no dipstick and to check, the vechicle has to be leveled .... It can be checked by a mechanic for both manual and automatic every 15k miles.
My question is : why do you need to know? Why are you worrying about this issue?
The transmission is labeled "sealed" by VW and unless there is an obvious leak, you do not need to worry for the life of the vechicle. :confuse:
The car feels like it is riding with no shocks or springs. Any slight bump in the road feels like an NYC pothole and the car bangs and rattles like a farm tractor.
As one would expect the dealer says they can't reproduce the problem.
Anyone else have this problem? I have no objection to a firm ride, this is lack of proper ride control.
1. What year is your car?
2. If the remote works, I assume you had it purchased from a part dealer, a scrap yard or the VW dealer itself and refitted a new or old blade. Where does the key blade come from? Was it cut from a blank you purchased from the net, was it cut from a dealer supplied blade or was it one that you previously had (like a damaged 2nd key) ...? Give me more info about the origin of the metallic key blade. Jetta beetle and passat key blades were simmilar but not the same. If you got a jetta or passat blade blank (by accident), cut it for a beetle and refitted it, your car will not start.
There is no truth in what the dealer tells you unless this is a 2006 car equipped with a new sistem I know nothing about. The 2006's are relatively improved and redesigned vechicles and might include different components or systems.