Other Engine Info: 50-St./Can. ULEV emission.
Emissions Certification Test Group: 1VWXV02.0223
All models except Golf
Other Restraint System Info: Active Seat Belt
Plant City: Puebla
Plant Country: Mexico
Seat Belts All: Manual
Series: GLS
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
THE 1999 NEW BEETLE HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE (LEMON). ITS RELIABILITY / SAFETY / ENVIROMENTAL IMPACT IS POOR. PLEASE ASSIST NEW BETTLE OWNERS. VW ASSISTANCE / KNOWLEDGEMENT HAS BEEN NON EXISTENT.*AK
2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
HEADLIGHTS STARTED BROWNING OUT ON DECELERATION AT 100 MILES. DEALER COULD NOT VERIFY. AT 35,000 MILES, HEADLIGHTS FLASHED ALL THE TIME. AT COLD START ENGINE FAN WOULD COME ON, THEN HEADLIGHTS WOULD DIM AND FAN WOULD RUN, THEN HEADLIGHTS WOULD COME BACK NORMAL AND FAN WOULD STOP. THIS HAPPENS AT 3 SECOND INTERVALS. DEALER REPLASED GROUNDS AND HARNESS. FAN STOPPED CYCLING BUT HEADLIGHTS STILL DIMMED, UNTIL ONE MORNING THE COLD LIGHT WENT OUT AND ALSO BLEW A HEADLIGHT. NOW NO DIMMING AND NO FAN TROUBLE. DEALER REPLACED HEADLIGHT BULB AND THE PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS THE FLASHING LIGHTS MEZMORIZE YOU WHEN YOU DRIVE. PROBLEM 2: CAR WILL START AND DIE THREE TIMES , RUNNING ROUGH BEFORE IT WILL STAY RUNNING. DEALER SAYS TO USE 87 OCTANE FUEL. CAR MANUAL SAYS 93 OCTANE AND HAS USED 93 SINCE NEW. DEALER SUGGESTED ADDITIVES AT MY COST!!! SEEMS TO HAPPEN IN LOW TEMPS AND AT HIGH TEMPS, 70 DEGREES IS OK!. I LIVE IN MAINE, NO SUCH LUCK.*AK