# 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE — POWER TRAIN
> NHTSA complaint `955486` · 2012-12-29 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** VOLKSWAGEN
- **Model:** BEETLE
- **Year:** 2004
- **Manufacturer:** Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
- **Component:** POWER TRAIN
- **Miles at failure:** 80,000
- **Speed:** 25 mph
## Narrative
CAR WOULDN'T EXCEL WHILE DRIVING SUDDENLY 1 MILE FROM TOWN SUDDENLY TRAFFIC SLOWED FROM SNOW STORM IN TOWN,THE VEHICLE SMELL WAS FUNNY BLACK SMOKED SLOWLY LEAKED INSIDE THE CAR WINDOWS UP HEARD A  MISFIRE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON BLINKED THEN I HEARD LOUD BLAST LIKE I THOUGHT IT WAS A PLOW TRUCKS MUFFLER LOUDNESS REALIZED IR WAS MY VEHICLE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY LESS 1/3 MILE AT BANK. SHUT OFF MOTOR M NOW SEEING SMOKE SLOWLY ENTERED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 2 FRONT SEATSAND CONSOLE. FEELING HOT UNDER BELLY  OF FLOORS. ORANGE GLOW THROUGH ELECTRICAL OUTLET IN BACK OF CONSOLE APPEARED TO BE HOTWITH  PLASTIC CASING IN AND UNDER FLOORS HOT SIZZLING CRACKLING UNDER CENTER CASING/I TRY TO CALL  911 MISUSED THE CELL WOULDN'T OPERATE EFFECTIVELY FLAGGED DOWN A MAN N WOMAN AT THE CORNER LIGHT OF BANK THEY DECLINED TO HELP SO I WENT TO CAR PUT SNOW ON COMPARTMENT AND WET IT DOWN AND AIRED  OUT SMOKE WITH PASSENGER DOOR OPEN .I WENT IN BANK FOR ASSISTANCE .THIS VEHICLE  WAS RECALLED FOR SAFETY ISSUES BY MANUFACTURER IN THE PAST .WERE SAID TO BE CORRECTED BY REPAIRMAN ALSO SAID SEATBELT HARNESS WAS A ISSUE HEATED SEATS WERE A ISSUE AND AIRBAGS TRANNY ALSO  RECALLED FOR ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND OR TRANSMISSION AND AIR BAGS ON SOME 2004 VW VEHICLE BEETLES   RECALLS SO FAR OCCURRED TO THIS VW WERE AIRBAG SENSORS/ ALSO THE SEATBELT HARNESS CASES WERE BREAKING REPEATEDLY ONCE PURCHASED DUE TO PUTTING THE SEATS UP AND BACK TO GET IN THE VEHICLE. NOW THIS MYSTERIOUS FIRE AND HEADLAMP ISSUE..  *TR
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*