1999 Volkswagen Beetle

THE WATER PUMP HAS A PART THAT GOES INTO THE ENGINE; IT'S MADE OF PLASTIC AND CALLED AN IMPELLER. IT IS PART OF THE WATER PUMP. THE PLASTIC IMPELLER DISINTEGRATED, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. THE ENGINE LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD CAME ON JUST MINUTES BEFORE THE ENGINE CEASED UP. OTHER THAN THAT, THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING HOT. NORMALLY WHEN A WATER PUMP GOES OUT, THE WATER LEAKS OUT. IN THIS CASE, THE WATER REMAINED IN AND DID NOT CIRCULATE. REPAIRER HAS ASKED OWNER FOR MONEY TO REPLACE THE ENGINE ENTIRELY. VW WILL NOT STAND BY ITS MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY, WHICH THE OWNER HAS. THE PLASTIC IMPELLER IS A COMMON DESIGN DEFECT WHICH VW KNOWS HAS A SHORT LIFE, BUT THEY KEEP DESIGNING THEIR VWS WITH A PLASTIC IMPELLER!

JUNE 2, 2003 THE FOLLOWING LETTER WAS SENT TO VOA DEAR VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA I HAVE A 1999 BEETLE THAT CAUGHT FIRE ON MAY 4TH 2003; AS OF TODAY MAY 12, 2003 THIS IS WHAT I WAS TOLD BY [XXX] FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT. HE SAID, CORPORATE VOLKSWAGEN WILL DO NOTHING WITH THE CAR BECAUSE IT IS TOO OLD AND HAS TOO MANY MILES. THEY WILL NOT BE SENDING ANY KIND OF PAPERWORK TO ME, AND I WILL NOT GET ANY MORE CALLS FROM VOLKSWAGEN ON THIS ISSUE, THIS IS AN INSURANCE ISSUE? I AM NOT PLEASED WITH THIS ANSWER AND THIS IS WHY: 05/04/03 SUNDAY SMOKE THEN FLAMES CAME POURING OUT OF THE DASHBOARD OF OUR 1999 VW BEATLE PURCHASED OCT 1998. I WAS GIVEN A CASE # OF [XXX] TO REFER TO. [XXX] SAID THE A/C SWITCH WIRE CAUSED THE FIRE. HE WAS WAITING FOR A CALL FROM VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA?S CUSTOMER RELATION'S PERSON. 05/12/03 MONDAY 1:38 PM I CALLED VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA AGAIN BECAUSE I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM [XXX]. [XXX] GOT ON PHONE AND SAID THAT A FIRE REPORT WAS SENT TO THEIR PRODUCT LIAISON PERSON. [XXX] SAID, CORPORATE VOLKSWAGEN WILL DO NOTHING WITH THE CAR BECAUSE IT'S TOO OLD AND HAS TO MANY MILES. THEY WILL NOT BE "SENDING PAPERWORK" TO ME AND ? I WILL NOT GET ANY MORE CALLS FROM VOLKSWAGEN ON THIS ISSUE, THIS IS AN INSURANCE ISSUE. I HAVE A RECORD OF ALL PAST SERVICE RECEIPTS (DATING BACK TO THE PURCHASE DATE) AND HAVE DOCUMENTED PROOF OF RECENT PROBLEMS AND REPAIRS TO THE A/C AND ELECTRICAL WIRING ON THIS CAR IN THE PAST. MY DAUGHTER, A CURRENT RESIDENT OF ARIZONA, CURRENTLY IS EMPLOYED AS A FULL-TIME NANNY. SHE HAS IN HER CARE A TWO MONTH OLD AND WILL BE EXPECTED TO DRIVE HIM ABOUT. HER PAST JOB WAS CARING FOR A TWO YEAR OLD AND HAD THIS FIRE? ERUPTED WHILE HE WAS IN HER CARE, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A TRUE TRAGEDY. PLEASE SEND VERIFICATION OF YOUR DECISION IN WRITING TO ME BY MAY 30, 2003. PLEASE SEND ALL INQUIRIES BACK TO ME AT [XXX] SINCERELY [XXX] JELINEK BUILDERS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

AT 25,000 MILES THE CAR STARTED BURNING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL. AT 28,516 VW FINALLY AGREES THE CAR IS BURNING OIL EXCESSIVELY. VW REPLACED PISTON RINGS. BUT AT 35,000 THE PROBLEM RETURNS! NOW VW STATES THIS IS "NORMAL". WHY IS THIS NORMAL NOW AND THE SAME PROBLEM WAS NOT NORMAL BEFORE? I HAVE RECENTLY LEARNED PER VOLKSWAGEN,IS SUPPOSED TO USE A QUART OF OIL EVERY 1,000 MILES. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THIS BY THE DEALERSHIP. THIS IS TOTALLY RIDICULOUS AND UNACCEPTABLE!!! ITS MY OPINION, BUT I SUSPECT THAT VW IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THEY PROBABLY DON'T WANT TO EAT THE COST OF REPLACING THOUSANDS OF ENGINES. SO....THEY DECLARED THIS SITUATION "NORMAL".I AM TOTAL DISCUSSED WITH VW OF AMERICA. BECAUSE THIS CAR BURNS MORE OIL THEN THE OLD HEAP I GOT TIRED OF. I WOULD LIKE A NEW ENGINE THAT DOES NOT BURN OIL!!!! "NORMAL" IS JUST A STANDARD WAY TO WEASEL OUT OF TAKING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE VERY REAL PROBLEMS THAT MYSELF AND OTHER HAVE WITH THEIR VEHICLES!!!! *PH

1)DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW HAD DIFFICULTY GOING UP SINCE VEHICLE PURCHASE, HAVE TO PUSH WITH HAND TO ASSIST. 2) JUST A FEW MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE SENSOR BEHIND BRAKE PEDAL FAILED, VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT FROM PARK, REPLACED. 3) AIR BAG CAME ON AND THEN ENGINE LIGHT SOON AFTER, CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED. BOTH WARNING LIGHTS OFF AND REPLACED. 4) HEADLIGHTS ARE CONSTANTLY BLOWING OUT, EVIDENCE OF A SHORT WHEN REPLACED. BURN MARKS, AND EXPOSED WIRING BECAUSE PLASTIC ON CONNECTORS GOT BRITTLE AND CRACKED OFF. 5) AIR BAG LIGHT ON AGAIN, TWO WEEKS LATER ENGINE LIGHT ON. TOLD TWO SENSORS ON MASS AIR FLOW AND SOME OTHERS ARE MALFUNCTIONING AND NOW BEEN REPLACED. TOLD THERE IS A BROKEN CLOCK SPRING IN STEERING COLUMN ALONG WITH BAD WIRING HARNESS, BOTH AFFECTING AIR BAGS. ALSO, TOLD AIR BAG IS NOW BAD AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OTHER DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS HAVE SHORTED IGNITER IN AIR BAG OUT. I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT AND CANNOT CONTINUE TO FUND REPAIRS TO THIS VEHICLE. CANNOT SELL EITHER BECAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS, AND NOW REPUTATION OF BEETLE FOR PROBLEMS. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, EVEN SO MUCH AS BUMPED. METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED. DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS----------------770755. *AK *NLM

WHILE IN MOTION, THE RED ENGINE COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. CONSUMER CHECKED THE COOLANT RESERVOIR AND FOUND IT TO BE EMPTY. THE CAUSE, A LEAKING COOLANT RESERVOIR CAP. THE RED ENGINE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATES OCCASIONALLY. THE OIL LEVEL WAS EXTREMEMLY LOW. MAZDAS SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE NEW BEETLES TENDS TO USE OIL. THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT FAILED ALSO. THE OIL PAN HAS A HOLE IN IT WHICH ALLOWED THE OIL LEVEL TO CONTINUOUSLY BE LOW, THEREFORE ALLOWING THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT TO CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATE, ALSO THE TIMING BELT AND TENSIONER BELT WERE REPLACED. *JG