1999 Volkswagen New Beetle

CONSUMER STATEDTHE DESIGN OF THE BATTERY CABLE ASSEMBLY COULD POSSIBLY START A FIRE UNDER THE VEHICLE'S HOOD. THE BATTERY CABLE WAS SITUATED ON TOP OF THE BATTERY ALONG WITH THE FUSE BOX. THIS RESULTED IN THE CABLE BEING "EATEN" THROUGH AND DRAINED THE BATTERY. CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE BATTERY, CABLE TWICE AND FUSE BOX ONCE. TS *TT

WHILE DRIVING ON AN ICY ROAD AT 20 MPH MY CAR SKIDDED OF THE ROAD AND HIT A TREE HEAD ON. THE CAR WILL BE MOST LIKELY TOTALED, AND I RECEIVED INJURIES TO MY LEG, BACK, SHOULDER AND NECK. ALTHOUGH MY CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH BOTH FRONT AND SIDE AIR BAGS, NOT ONE OF THEM DEPLOYED. I MENTIONED THE CAR RECEIVED MASSIVE DAMAGE, YET THE AIR BAG SYSTEM DID NOTHING TO LESSEN MY INJURIES BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WORK AS I HOPED. I PURCHASED MY VW BEETLE WITH THE SAFETY FEATURES IN MIND, BUT I NOW HAVE LEARNED THAT NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE NON DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS IS COMMON. I FEEL FORTUNATE THAT MY INJURIES WERE NOT LIFE THREATENING, YET FEEL CHEATED THAT MY VEHILCLE'S SAFETY FEATURES DID NOT WORK WHEN I NEEDED THEM MOST. DT

THE HOOD LATCH HAS FAILED TWICE, INCLUDING THE ORIGINAL AND A REPLACEMENT. THE HOOD POPS OPEN WHILE DRIVING, ONCE AT 55 MPH AND ANOTHER TIME AT 65 MPH. AFTER THIS OCCURS, THE LATCH WILL NO LONGER WORK, AND IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CLOSE THE HOOD FULLY. THE SAFETY HOOK ON THE LATCH IS THE ONLY THING THAT WILL ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE IS SCHEDULED TO BE TAKEN IN FOR A THIRD LATCH REPLACEMENT ON OCT. 30, 2002, WHICH IS THE EARLIEST DATE THAT THE DEALER CAN SCHEDULE THE REPAIR. MR

WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE ON THE EXPRESSWAY WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON, THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO DISENGAGE. DRIVER TURNED CRUISE CONTROL OFF MANUALLY TO AVOID ACCIDENT. PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AND THAT THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD NO BRAKE LIGHT ACTIVATION. THERE IS NO WARNING LIGHT TO ADVISE OF PROBLEM WITH BRAKE SYSTEM. DEALER EMPLOYEE ADVISED THERE ARE NUMEROUS INCIDENTS AND SWITCH HAS BEEN REDESIGNED AT LEAST ONCE. NO RECALL OR NOTICE OF THIS SAFETY PROBLEM HAS BEEN SENT. THIS PROBLEM COULD LEAD TO A SERIOUS HIGH SPEED ACCIDENT, AS CRUISE DOES NOT DISENGAGE WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED TO STOP OR SLOW VEHICLE. UPON RELEASE OF BRAKE VEHICLE SURGED AND ACCELERATED FORWARD TO REGAIN SPEED. VW IS AWARE OF THIS AND IS CONCEALING THIS PROBLEM TO AVOID NOTIFICATION/RECALL.*AK

IAM REPORTING THIS BEACUSE THE ENGINE STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING AT 55 MPH WHILE PASSING ON AN EXPRESS WAY. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. THE CAR RESTSRTED AFTER TEN MINUTES. THIS HAS OCCURRED AGAIN BUT AT LOWER SPEEDS. I HAVE NOT BEEN TO A DEALER WITH THE PROBLEM AS YET. FOR MY OEN CONVIENCE THE CAR WILL BE TAKEN TO NEWTON MOROTSPROTS ROUTE 206 NEWTON, NJ TEL 973-383-2626 THIS AM. *AK