2000 Volkswagen Beetle

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN 2003 THAT MY 2000 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH INCLUDING THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAYING ON INDEFINITELY. I TOOK THE CAR TO BILL JACOBS VOLKSWAGEN NAPERVILLE, IL AND HAD IT INSPECTED. IN JUNE 2005 MY BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO BILL JACOBS AND AFTER SOME DISAGREEMENT OVER THE RECALL BEING CLOSED THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FOR FREE. IN JUNE 2006, JUST UNDER A YEAR, MY BRAKE LIGHTS AGAIN CAME ON AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOP AND THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ONCE AGAIN. VOLKSWAGEN IS REFUSING TO REIMBURSE THE INVOICE TO DATE SINCE THERE IS NO OPEN RECALL EVEN THOUGH THE PART WAS NOT QUITE A YEAR OLD. I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY ISSUE THAT THIS BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MALFUNCTION RAISES. MY LIGHTS COULD STOP WORKING OR STAY ON WITH NO NOTICE AND I DRIVE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IN THE CHICAGOLAND AREA. I NOTICED ON YOUR WEB SITE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN 9 OTHER COMPLAINTS FILED SINCE THE RECALL THAT IDENTIFY THIS PROBLEM. *NM

RECENTLY I BROUGHT MY NIECE'S VW 2000 NEW BEETLE TO THE VW DEALER TO HAVE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH REPLACED. IT WAS CLEARLY EVIDENT FROM INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE WEB AND THE RECALL NOTICE BELOW THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL. HOWEVER THE DEALER INDICATED THE VIN FOR MY NIECE'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND THEREFORE NOT COVERED BY VW. WE HAD IT FIXED ANYWAY AT OUR COST AND IT WAS EXACTLY WHAT IS INDICATED IN THE RECALL. LATER I CONTACTED VW CUSTOMER SERVICE IN THE US AND THEY DISCUSSED THE MATTER WITH THE DEALER AND CONFIRMED THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE SERVICE COST FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE BRAKE SWITCH. SURPRISINGLY THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP AT VW KNEW VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE RECALL AND COULD NOT ACCESS READILY AVAILABLE INFORMATION ON THE WEB TO UNDERSTAND IT. THE VIN FOR OUR VEHICLE IS [XXX]... VW SHOULD BE FORCED TO EXPAND THE RECALL TO ALL VEHICLES, SINCE IT IS CLEAR THE PROBLEM EXIST WTH MANY OTHER VEHICLES BEYOND THOSE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE ORIGINAL RECALL AND THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD. * MAKE : VOLKSWAGEN MODEL : NEW BEETLE YEAR : 2000 MANUFACTURER : VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 03V265000 MFG'S REPORT DATE : JUL 25, 2003 COMPONENT: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH POTENTIAL NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED : 295136 SUMMARY: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION. CONSEQUENCE: IF THIS HAPPENS, THE BRAKE LAMPS COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE; OR THE LAMPS COULD COME ON AND STAY ON, EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE IS PARKED. REMEDY: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCHES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 26, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VWOA AT 1-800-822-8987. NOTES: VW RECALL NO. WT. CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATIONS AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236). *NM UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

SINCE NEW, IN THE PAST (4) YEARS, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE DRIVERS SIDE HEADLAMP BULB (5) TIMES AND THE PASS. SIDE HEADLAMP BULB (4) TIMES (DAYTIME RUNNING AND LOW BEAM). NOW, THE DAYTIME RUNNING AND LOW BEAM LIGHTS DO NO FUNCTION AT ALL!*AK I CANNOT FIND ANY BLOWN FUSES OR CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND AFTER REVIEWING SEVERAL VW OWNER SUPPORT SITES, I'M TOLD IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING HARNESS DO TO CORROSION FROM THE WINDSHIELD WASHER BOTTLE SPILLAGE. THE ONLY WAY TO DRIVE THE CAR AT NIGHT OR DUSK IS BY USING THE HIGH BEAM LAMPS. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE WIRING OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON THIS CAR, 2000 VW BEETLE WITH THE 1.8 TURBO ENGINE.

03V265000/EXTERIOR BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE RECALL SERVICE WORK DONE. THE CONSUMER WAS NOT HAVING ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES OR THE BRAKE LIGHT. NOW, CONSUMER HAS DIFFICULTY CHANGING GEARS WHEN PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS GOING FROM PARK TO DRIVE OR FROM PARK TO REVERSE. THE VEHICLE LEFT THE CONSUMER STRANDED. THE EPC LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND AFTER SEVERAL MOMENTS, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED THE HIM THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE WAS THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. BECAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED DURING THE RECALL, THE VEHICLE WAS 27 DAYS PAST THE 12 MONTH 12,000 MILES REPLACEMENT PARTS WARRANTY. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE EPC INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE DEALER STATED THE SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND A NEW BRAKE SWITCH WAS INSTALLED, HOWEVER WHEN CONSUMER RECEIVED THE VEHICLE BACK AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE, SHE NOTICED THAT IT FELT DIFFERENT, IT FELT TIGHT, CONSUMER SOON DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKES HAD FROZE AND WOULD NOT MOVE, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP IN WHICH THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE NEW BRAKE SWITCH THAT WAS INSTALLED HAD CAUSED THE BRAKES TO LOCK UP AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN.*JB

FAILED HEADLIGHT CANNOT BE REPLACED BY OWNER BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY OF REMOVING FRONT CAR PANEL. THE ONLY DEALER WITHIN 30 MINUTE DRIVE CANNOT WORK ON THE CAR WITHIN THE NEXT 5 DAYS, RESULTING IN CAR HAVING TO BE DRIVEN WITHOUT HEADLIGHT. SUGGEST DEALERS MAKE EXCEPTIONS FOR WORKING ON CARS IN NEED OF A HEADLIGHT, SINCE IT'S A CORE PIECE OF SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND THAT CONSUMERS BE MADE AWARE OF THE DESIGN PROBLEM BEFORE BUYING THIS CAR BECAUSE OF BOTH THE TIME AND EXPENSE INVOLVED IN A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT THAT IS SUBJECT TO FAILURE AT ANY TIME. *AK