2004 Volkswagen Beetle

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER DRIVES A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THAT HAS BEEN VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND ONLY HAS ABOUT 47,000 ACTUAL MILES. RECENTLY SHE HAS BEEN HAVING SOME VERY SCARY EXPERIENCES WITH THE VEHICLE AND WE ARE HIGHLY CONCERNED FOR HER SAFETY. WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHES 55 MILES PER HOUR ON THE FREEWAY, IT STARTS TO AUTOMATICALLY SLOW DOWN WHILE HER FOOT IS ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THEN AS SHE CONTINUES TO KEEP HER FOOT ON THE GAS, IT ALL THE SUDDEN VIOLENTLY JERKS INTO GEAR AND STARTS TO ACCELERATE AGAIN. SHE WAS ON FLAT TERANINE AND WAS NOT GOING UP A HILL WHEN THIS HAPPENS. SHE SAID THE EXPERIENCE TODAY LEFT HER TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE!! ALSO, SHE PLACED THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, AND THE BREAKS AND STEERING WHEEL BOTH LOCKED. SHE COULDN'T STEER OR STOP THE CAR WITHOUT USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I ASKED HER IF SHE IS SURE THE CARE WAS NOT IN NEUTRAL AND SHE SAID IT WAS ABSOLUTELY 100% IN THE REVERSE POSITION. ALSO SHE STATED THE BRAKES ARE MAKING A HISSING SOUND LIKE WHEN YOU LET AIR OUT OF TIRES, BUT NOT ALL THE TIME AND HER BRAKES SEEM FINE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT ANY RECALLS THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD AND ALSO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE WILLING TO DO TO RECTIFY THIS ISSUE. I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT THIS VEHICLE IS SAFE FOR HER TO BE DRIVING AT THE MOMENT AND SHE HAS STATED THAT WHEN THE ISSUE HAPPENS, IT FEELS LIKE HER AND THE CAR JERK FORWARD WITH A VERY VIOLENT EXCESSIVE FORCE. I WOULD LIKE CORRESPONDENCE STARTED IN CASE IN CASE ANYTHING HAPPENS TO MY DAUGHTER WHILE OPERATING THIS VEHICLE. YOUR PROMPT RESPONSE IS APPRECIATED. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE GLS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN ABNORMALLY JERKING WHILE SWITCHING GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE ENGINE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN ONE MONTH. THE DEALER THEN REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION GEAR BOX. SHORTLY AFTER, THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS FAILED WHICH WERE ALSO REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 56,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN JERKING FORWARD AND HESITATING TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VALVE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE VALVE WAS REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,000.

I HAVE A 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE PURCHASED IN 2008. I'M PUTTING IN THIS COMPLAINT ALONG WITH THOUSAND OF OTHER VW BEETLE OWNERS. THE PROBLEM IS THE 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION. IT JERKS REAL HARD WHEN DOWN SHIFTING AND THEN AGAIN WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. NOW IT'S TO THE POINT WHERE IT WON'T PULL AT ALL. I HAVE TRIED TO CALL VW OF AMERICA TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THIS PROBLEM BUT NO WILL RETURN MY CALLS SO I WENT ON EDMUNDS.COM AND REALIZED THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE CAR AND VW. I ALSO CALLED VW CREDIT WHO I STILL OWE FOR THIS CAR THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS, AND TO CALL VW OF AMERICA. MY QUESTION IS WHAT AM I TO DO WITH A VEHICLE THAT I CAN'T DRIVE AND I OWE $9,000 ON. THAT HAS A TRANSMISSION THAT THEY ARE TELLING ME I GOING TO COST $6,000 TO REPLACE. PLEASE! IS THERE ANYONE WHO CAN HELP MY SITUATION ? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE '04 (APPROX. 80K MILES) - SLIPPING AND BANGING TRANSMISSION. SLAMS AND BANGS HARD WITH EACH DOWNSHIFT (AUTOMATIC) AFTER ABOUT 15 MILES OR DRIVING. SLIPS OR WILL NOT MOVE WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER SLAMMING AND BANGING BEGINS. CANNOT DRIVE CAR IN TRAFFIC FOR FEAR OR BEING REAR ENDED OR BROADSIDED, THEREFORE, CANNOT SAFELY OR DEPENDABLY DRIVE THE CAR. EXPECTED THOUSANDS TO REPAIR IF A MECHANIC WHO UNDERSTANDS THE PROBLEM CAN BE FOUND. MANY OF THE KNOW ISSUES WITH CAR HAVE ALSO OCCURRED; BROKEN PLASTIC WATER PUMP, REAR WINDOW SEAL BROKEN, PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW WILL NOT GO ALL THE WAY DOWN, PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT LIGHT MALFUNCTION, HEADLIGHTS UNEVEN BRIGHTNESS, SHORT IN DASH, HEATED SEAT TOO HOT TO USE (FEAR OF FIRE) AND INCREDIBLE DOOR RATTLES. *TR

I PURCHASED A USED 2004 VOLKSWAGON CONVERTIBLE NEW BEETLE TURBO IN APRIL 2005 . I NOTICED THE OIL LIGHT KEPT COMING ON , SO I SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE IT SERVICED. THEY INDICATED THAT THERE WAS SLUDGE BUILDUP, AND STATED THAT UNLESS I HAD RECEIPTS ON RECENT OIL CHANGE, THE WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER IT. I WAS FRUSTRATED BECAUSE I WAS PAYING ON A FAIRLY NEW VOLKSWAGEN, AND COUD NOT EVEN DRIVE IT. THEY HAD QUOTED ME A PRICE OF $5,000 TO REPAIR IT . *AK

10 DAYS AFTER HAVING VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE SERVICED FOR OIL LIGHT MALFUNCTION ISSUES AND WHILE DRIVING THE OIL SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND MAKING A STRANGE NOISE. AIRBAG LIGHT WAS BACK ON FOR THE 4TH TIME IN ONE YEAR!! SO I TURNED OFF CAR, CALLED VOLKSWAGEN SERVICE VALENCIA, AND THEY TOLD ME NOT TO DRIVE AND TO HAVE IT TOWED IN. THIS WAS THE 2ND TOW IN 10 DAYS. AT THIS POINT, I WAS TOLD THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE TORN DOWN, THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM BEYOND JUST A SENSOR LIGHT, THAT VOLKSWAGEN WAS NOT GOING TO COVER THE OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM IF THAT WAS THE DIAGNOSIS. I SPOKE WITH VOLKSWAGEN CARLSBAD WARRANTY DEPARTMENT THE INDIVIDUAL WHO SOLD ME MY PLATNIUM FACTORY EXTENDED 100000 MILES WARRANTY, AND THEY SAID IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER DRIVE TRAIN WARRANTY, SO I HAD MY CAR TOWED 150 MILES TO CARLSBAD, WHERE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH OIL SLUDGE. NOW THE CAR WAS SEEN 10 DAYS BEFORE, AND I WAS TOLD THE OIL LOOKED FINE AND IT PASSED ALL INSPECTION, JUST A SENSOR. I HAVE CHANGED OIL AT SERVICE DEPARTMENTS. I WAS TOLD EITHER INFREQUENT OIL CHANGES OR FAULTY OIL PRODUCT. VOLKSWAGEN HAS AN OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM WITH ENGINES, AND WERE DELIBERATELY USING INFERIOR PRODUCTS, AND BLAMMING THE CONSUMER FOR THERE FAULTS. A CAR WITH 53000 MILES SHOULD NOT BE HAVING OIL SLUDGE PROBLEMS. THISWAS FAULTY MANUFACTURING. WHEN I CALLED CUSTOMER CARE 800 NUMBER AND SPOKE WITH A REPRESENTATIVE SHE STATED, VOLKSWAGEN HAS AN OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM WITH THE 1.8L TURBO ENGINES." WELL MY VOLKSWAGENWAS S A 1.8L TURBO. SO, VOLKSWAGEN ADMITTED TO A SLUDGE PROBLEM, BUT WILL NOT TAKE CARE OF RESOLVING THE PROBLEM AND CONTINUED TO MANUFACTURE INFERIOR PRODUCTS AND SELLING THEM TO UNSUSPECTING CUSTOMER. THIS IS NOT ONLY A MANUFACTURING ISSUE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. TWICE I BROKE DOWN ON THE FREEWAY WHICH WERE BOTH AUTO FAILURES WITH THE POTENTIAL OF INJURY TO MYSELF AND OTHER ON THE ROAD. *AK

OIL LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. STOPPED CAR IMMEDIATELY. CHECKED OIL AND IT LOOKED FINE. CALLED VOLKSWAGEN , AND WAS TOLD TO HAVE CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. AAA TOWED VEHICLE TO CHAPMAN SCOTTSDALE AUTOPLEX VW DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT 6601 EAST MC DOWELL ST, SCOTTSDALE AZ 85257. 480-949-7600. WAS TOLD OIL SENDING UNIT HAD AN INTERNAL SHORT, PRESURE TESTING PASSED. NO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH OIL SYSTEM WAS STATED BY VOLKSWAGEN SERVICE DEPARTMENT. SENSOR REPLACED. OIL/FILTER CHANGED. MILEAGE 52197.*AK