Electrical surges...blows fuse block...melts down fuse block. Replaced fuse block above the battery three times since owning the car. Car was being used in the city.

- Redmond, OR, USA

His complaint consists of a 2000 Volkswagen Beetle, in which it doesn't apply to any warranty whats so ever. Whether it's a new vehicle or not. The problem is with the switchblade programmable type key with remote. Volkswagen has known about the problem with these type keys for sometime but has failed the consumers and the government to provide a solution to the problem. They instead take the approach, which profit outweighs the consumers, they put profit before consumers, and safety. These keys produce a ''danger'' to not only the consumers but everyone on the highways around them the safety and marksmanship of the key can break off during use, so if this happens during a crash, the consumer would be unable to turn off the vehicle which again produces an immediate ''danger''. the remote switchblade key is only secured by a very cheap made plastic. It's very poorly designed and made. If the encasing that holds the key was made out of metal or aluminum this would solve the problem. Another problem with the key, is that Volkswagen made the key programmable with a chip, so the key has to be cut down the middle, and programmed, which means the vehicle has to be connected to a computer at the dealership and usually takes about one hour at a cost of $245. It's very obvious that the manufacture does this for pure profit, and to deter the consumer from going elsewhere to have such key made. I urge NHTSA to take immediate action to eliminate anyone from being injured or killed. These emails will be kept as proof and for the record that this very ''important and safety issue'' has been sent to you as evidence, for future lawsuits etc concerning this matter. Happened while driving.

- Cherryville, NC, USA

I was driving this car and just stalled on an intersection and smoke just came out under the hood and I smelled it too, opened the hood and fuse box had melted which is located on top of battery and fire inside the engine compartment, under the battery has been burning and also melted the wires.

- Va Beach, VA, USA

Fuse box on top of battery melted.

- Keller, TX, USA

My daughter's car was being driven by my niece on the freeway when the light went on signaling it was over heating so she pulled over to a call box and while she was making the call for assistance she heard a pop pop and the front hood was on fire and a man pulled over and tried to put it out with his extinguisher which didn't work and the whole car went up in flames within a matter of minutes. It was completely burned up which also burned down the call box on the freeway. She had just spent aproximately $1, 400 on repairs on the car which was mainly on the cooling system.

- La Mesa, CA, USA

I bought this car for my grandson to drive to work..the guy I bought it from swore it was in excellent shape, that his daughter drove it to school etc......when we got it, I took it to the Volkswagen dealer to make sure it was safe for my grandson to drive, they began to find things wrong and the cost was mounting up and up and they even had us take it home only to take it right back because it had no heat (and its very cold here) so they worked on it some more...bottom line is so far they have charged me 3 times what I paid for it and when I looked it up on line, every thing they did was a recall....my question to you is..how long are the recalls good for and I find it hard to believe the guy was appraised of them or he wouldn't have let his daughter drive it like that....I have the paperwork right here where it shows 9 recalls and 62 service bulletins...please advise me of my option as I could have bought him a much nicer car for what I have in this!!! thank you so much for your time [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Greenwood, IN, USA

The fuse box atop the battery melted on 2/18/2009 causing a fire in the engine compartment. Repairs including new fuse box and other damaged parts cost me $1500. On 7/15/2011 the fuse box melted causing A/C to stop working. The outside temperature at the time was in the high 90's during a prolonged heat wave in the North East. Cost to repair $400. On 5/18/2014 once again the fuse box melted, cost to repair and replace $700. Two days later the repair (5/20/2014) the car went dead in traffic caused by a drained battery cost of towing $150 + new fuse box melted. In checking VW owners forums available on the internet, this is a common problem and complaint (fuse box melting) in the VW product line. Why hasn't VW been fined and ordered to recall their defective cars?

- Rocky Point, NY, USA

The transmission mechanically failed on 3 June 2013. Prior to it failing I had taken the vehicle to three different VW repair shop over a four year period, due to the car suddenly downshifting all the way to first gear. The car will drive normally for about 30 minutes, then start having this downshifting issue, I pull over and let the car cool a few minutes then all is normal again for a short period of time. Of course with the downshifting the tranny tends to overheat quickly. I wanted to get the oil changed in the tranny, but all repair centers said, "it's a sealed system and never needs and oil change;" also the VW repair techs test drove the car and analyzed it, could find nothing wrong. My experience with VW service on everything is, their mechanics are parts changers only and don't have any real diagnostic capability to find the problem, just replace parts until they fix the problem at the customers expense; I've spent about $10,000 on repairs for A/C, brakes, transmission, etc. Finally, the car failed fortunately across the street from a Mr. Transmission shop. Per Mr. Transmission specialist, the tranny failed due to lubrication failure probably from over heating and high mileage; so much for the "never needs an oil change policy." Mr. Transmission rebuilt the tranny (out $3400), and state the problem is electrical not the transmission, and VW is famous for electrical issues and always have been. Needless to say Mr. Transmission has not been able to find the problem, and they have rebuilt the tranny twice just to make sure the problem is not in the transmission. Word to the wise, never buy a VW; I'll never own another one.

- Shalimar, FL, USA

Headlights keep going out. I have to replace them about every three months.

- Winona, MN, USA

I purchased my VW Beetle in 2005 with the carfax - no accidents or major repairs. Within months, the engine light and airbag light came on. The windows stopped working. I've probably spent more than what I paid for it. I just spent over $1800 at VW springfield in Virginia and the engine light is back on again after only a few months. In addition, the transmission codes were discovered by other repair shops, but they told me I had to go to the dealership for the repair. Neither VW springfield or VW woodbridge ever checked the transmission. In fact, woodbridge told me to trade it in and purchase a new one from them.some kind of light or problem occurs in my car every time I've taken my car to this dealership and VW woodbridge in Virginia. They continue to claim that it is a different problem every time with the same components. What is the purpose for diagnostics? every time I take my car to any of the VW dealership, I will have to bring the car in multiple times within months. Something is not right. Hundreds of people are complaining about the same issues, and no one is investigating this. It appears that VW is being protected from selling us poorly made vehicles with hefty repair costs, because it doesn't make since that it's the same problem for hundreds, perhaps thousands of people. Is it that these repairs are major and brake lights aren't. a recall for these vehicles from 99 on should be processed. The fact that VW was in the news recently as selling people cars they knew had engine, airbag, ABS, transmission, electrical, and window major problems is astonishing, because nothing is being done. I'm disgusted with Volkswagen and they should be held accountable for all this. I understand that the economic situation, but people are in just as much a situation as manufacturing companies. We don't have the money to keep giving away to VW. It's a moral shame.

- Lorton, VA, USA

Odbi came on was tested indicating cylinder misfire took it for repair was informed two wires were broken and spark plug was severely fouled now there's a compression problem which requires the engine to be torn apart. Cost of repairs exceeds amount vehicle's value and purchase price I have had this vehicle for five months when vehicle was purchased it had a little over 51000 miles on the odometer ran great and the vehicle body is in excellent shape.

- Toms River, NJ, USA

Traveling on the crosstown freeway @ the posted speed, I started to engage the vehicle's heater and the power control switch started to malfunction. I turned the power control knob clockwise and noticed slippage of the control knob. I noticed smoke coming from the whole heater control assembly and then an arch, then a smallflame.

- Stockton, CA, USA

The contact owns a 2000 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact stated the vehicle failed to start normally because the instrument cluster module failed. The failure caused the vehicle to stall and made it difficult to start immediately. The contact stated the cluster was replaced twice. The contact stated the failure was a manufacturers defect. The current mileage was 152,000.

- Arleta, CA, USA

Bought used 2000 Volkswagen new Beetle for daughter. 102K miles. After having it one week, went to start it, battery dead (new battery). Noticed that the cosmetic mirror light in driver's side visor would go on even though mirror closed and visor not in use. In looking further, it appears that something in the movement of the car jiggles some loose wiring in the visor, and light remains on without our knowledge. We bought new battery, and have taped visor into secure position when parked.

- Frederick, MD, USA

Fire in engine compartment.

- Dothan, AL, USA

I have a 2000 VW Beetle. I bought this car from the dealership with 100,000 miles on it. The first week it began acting crazy and I took it back to the dealership and I was told "sold as is". I have spent $3000 on this car fixing various electrical problems. This car is extremely unsafe. The transmission needs to be recalled immediately! it jumps and jerks at weird times and almost causes someone to rear end me. I've already invested a grand trying to resolve the transmission issue but the car will act fine for the first few days and then the problem will begin again. The third gear always slips and you get whiplash. It feels as if they gear is about to drop out of the car!! the engine misfires on the highway and no problem can be found by my mechanic. He tells me they are just random misfires! that is dangerous going down the highway at 70 mphs and the car shoot down to 50 and jerk on I-40 in winston salem. In the rain, it will jerk even worse, almost like the transmission is jumping out of the hood! my ABS lights will flash at weird times as well as my brake light. I have had my brakes checked, not the brakes. Something now stays on in the car that no mechanic can pinpoint which causes the battery to go dead everytime you turn the car off. The gauges tend to not want to work some of the time and the mileage will even stop reading. Sometimes the gas pedal does not connect and will stop accelerating eventhough your pushing on the gas upon take off. The alarm goes off at all times during the day and not for no reason and various times when I crank the car. To top this all off, the fuses on top of my battery caught on fire! I was told by my mechanic that this was a common problem, no problems could be blamed for this event. Someone needs to recall something before someone gets hurt!

- Trinity, NC, USA

My daughter was driving her 2000 VW Beetle Saturday when she smelled "something horrible." She rolled the windows down and the next thing she knew there was smoke and flames coming from the dashboard area. She pulled over and a gentleman behind her put the fire out using a fire extinguisher. She had had problems a few days earlier with the ac not coming on properly. She was planning to take the car to the shop on Monday.

- Helena, AL, USA

Contact owns a 2000 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact states since day one of owning his vehicle he has had nothing but problems. The contact was driving at about 35 mph when his dash lights blew out, his power door locks also stopped working. The contact states while his vehicle is parked outside and is not running his alarm would just go off on it's own. The vehicle was under warranty at the time so the contact didn't have to pay as much. The contact states he has spent about $353 on miscellaneous, and normal maintenance. There was 5,182 paid on repairs. The contact states he also had a new computer put in the vehicle about 3 years ago. There has been electrical problems back to back and the contact also states the check engine light is still coming on and off. The failure mileage was 1 mile and the current mileage is 58,000. Ar updated 06/22/11 updated 07/12/11

- Shawnee, KS, USA

The contact owns a 2000 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact stated that the engine warning indicator remains illuminated on the instrument panel. A diagnostic was performed, which produced "error code 5". a mechanic repaired the vehicle and reset the computer; however, the indicator continues to illuminate. The current and failure mileages were 126,000. Updated 02/24/09. Updated 02/26/09.

- Dayton, OH, USA

Power windows and power door locks will not operate while I'm driving. Took to dealer and they could not diagnose the problem. Left it there for 2 days and they still could not find problem. When I stop the car and open the door, then the windows and door locks will operate. When I start driving again, they are "dead" once more and will not open or close. I cannot get them to operate unless I stop the car and open the door first. When I close the door, they are okay until I start driving again. Very dangerous and I can't go through a drive through bank, etc. Or if I just want to open the windows while I'm driving, I can't. if it starts to rain, I can't close the windows unless I stop the car.

- Upland, CA, USA