2000 Volkswagen New Beetle

ON JANUARY 16, 2003 WHILE DRIVING MY VW NEW BEETLE TDI (DIESEL) ON THE INTERSTATE WITH A HALF OF A TANK OF NO. 1 DIESEL FUEL WITH THE TEMPERATURE BELOW 0 DEGREES F AND WIND CHILL IN THE -40 TO -50 F RANGE, MY VEHICLE DIED SEVERAL TIMES AND TOOK SEVERAL MINUTES TO RESTART EACH TIME. BY THE TIME I GOT IT TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP 12 MILES FROM MY RESIDENCE 5 DAYS LATER (I LIVE OVER 100 MILES FROM THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP) THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL UNDER LIGHT LOAD (ANY SPEED ABOVE 20-40 M.P.H.) OR TRYING TO DRIVE UP A HILL AND, AFTER STALLING 4 TIMES THE BATTERY WAS BECOMING DRAINED. THE REPAIR SHOP MADE SEVERAL CALLS TO A DEALERSHIP IN BURNSVILLE, MN. (WHICH HAD 4 OR 5 OTHER VWS WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM) AND WAS TOLD THAT VOLKSWAGON RECOMMENDED TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO REMOVE (NOT REPLACE) THE ANTI-SIPHON FLAP IN THE FUEL TANK BECAUSE MOISTURE WAS FREEZING ON IT THUS LETTING AIR INTO THE FUEL LINES. WHILE AT THE REPAIR SHOP I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THERE WERE ALSO 3 OR 4 OTHERS COME IN OR BE TOWED IN WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. SINCE THIS WAS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT ON JUST MY VEHICLE AND VOLKSWAGON RECOMMENDED TO THE DEALERSHIP TO REMOVE THIS PART, I WOULD CONSIDED THIS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW AND AM EXPECTING TO BE REIMBURSED. THE VW CUSTOMER CARE CENTER IN ROCHESTER HILLS, MI. DOES NOT AGREE. SO, I AM NOT CONTACTING YOU NECESSARILY TO HELP ME BE REIMBURSED FOR THIS $200 EXPENSE BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY TO INFORM YOU OF THE SEVERITY OF THIS PROBLEM. NOT ONLY HAS IT COST ME AND OTHERS HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS IN TOWING AND REPAIR COSTS BUT IS LEAVING PEOPLE STRANDED IN VERY DANGEROUS WEATHER CONDITIONS WHERE FROSTBITE WILL SET IN LITERALLY IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES. IT SEEMS APPARENT THAT VW HAS NO PLAN TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM IN SPITE OF THEM KNOWING THERE IS A PROBLEM SO I HOPE YOU CAN HELP OR AT LEAST INVESTIGATE THIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORTS.

AT 4:20PM ON 5/28/02 MY WIFE WAS ON INTERSTATE 95 NEAR GEORGETOWN, MA ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP IN AMESBUY FOR SERVICE BECAUSE THE CAR'S AIRCONDITIONER HAD QUIT AND SOME OF THE DASHBOARD INDICATOR LIGHTS WOULD NOT STOP FLASHING. SUDDENLY SHE SAW SMOKE IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR AND PULLED THE CAR OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THEN MORE SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD, SO SHE GOT OUT OF THE CAR. MINUTES LATER THE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND BLACK SMOKE. TEN MINUTES LATER IT WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE GEORGETOWN FIRE DEPARTMENT AND STATE POLICE HAD RESPONDED, BUT BY THE TIME THEY GOT THERE, THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. WE HAVE NOT CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN DIRECTLY BECAUSE WE FEEL THEY WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIVE. MAYBE THE INSURANCE COMPANY OR THE NHTSA CAN FORCE THE MANUFACTURER TO LOOK INTO THIS, SINCE THIS SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING TO OTHER 2000 BEETLES AS WELL, AND SOONER OR LATER SOMEONE WILL BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS APPARENT DEFECT.*AK

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 7 TIMES FOR REPAIRS, EACH TIME HE IS ASSURED THAT THE CAR IS FIXED. VW CUSTOMER SERVICES POSITION IS THAT IF IT IS CURRENTLY FIXED THEY HAVE NO FURTHER OBLIGATION. THE CAR WAS BACK 4 TIMES UNDER ITS 24,000 MILE WARRENTY BUT EACH TIME CONSUMER WAS ASSURED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND AND NECESSARY REPAIRS WERE MADE, ALL SEVEN TIMES THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE IT WAS BECAUSE THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON. *AK

ON 12/27/01 WHILE DRIVING MY 2000 VW BEETLE TO WORK ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS STARTED TO FLASH AND MAKE A CLICKING SOUND. I THEN SMELLED WIRES BURNING. I GOT OUT OF MY CAR , CALLED MY HUSBAND AS I WAS NOT EXPECTING THE CAR TO CATCH ON FIRE. WITHIN MINUTES I NOTICED SMOKE AND THEN FLAMES COMING FROM BENEATH THE DRIVERS SIDE DASH. I THEN CALLED 911 BUT THE CAR WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES BY THE TIME THE F.D. GOT THERE. THE FIRE STATION IS APROX. 1 MILE FROM THE INCIDENT. VW HAS BEEN DEAF TO MY COMPLAINT.*AK