2001 Volkswagen New Beetle

DRIVING AT 65 MPH, ENGINE SPEED 2200 RPM, VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATES TO ENGINE SPEED 1200 RPM (35 MPH). APPROX 5-10 SECONDS LATER THE MIL ("CHECK ENGINE") LIGHT COMES ON SOLID AND THE GLO-PLUG LAMP BLINKS. OBD-II DIAGNOSTIC CODE "P0226" (THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR) CODE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY READ. THROTTLE CONTROL MAY BE MOMENTARILY REGAINED BY TURNING VEHICLE IGNITION OFF AND BACK ON IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN SPEED (OBSERVING CARE THAT ROAD IS STRAIGHT SO THAT STEERING WHEEL LOCK DOES NOT LOCK UP). FAILURE MAY RE-OCCUR WITHIN 50-100 YARDS, REPEATEDLY REQUIRING IGNITION TURN-OFF/TURN-ON SEQUENCING FOR 'BURSTS' OF THROTTLE FUNCTION BETWEEN FAILURES BEING CAREFUL TO TRY TO AVOID STEERING WHEEL LOCK. ALTERNATIVE TO RECOVERY FROM LOSS OF FOOT THROTTLE IS TO QUICKLY ENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL (LIMITING ACCELERATION IS LIMITED TO 1 MPH 'CLICKS'). VW OF AMERICA ([XXX] 3-MAR-03, 1210 PST, - CUST. CARE #30108450) DENIES KNOWLEDGE OF A PROBLEM WITH THROTTLE POSITION SENSORS AND VEHICLE DEFAULTING TO 1200 RPM 'LIMP MODE'. LITHIA MOTORS (MEDFORD, OR - VW SALES & SERVICE) HAS ALSO NOTED THE P0226 ("THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR") CODE WHEN VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE INVESTIGATION BUT UNABLE TO CORRELATE THE "THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR" CODE WITH 1200 RPM ENGINE LIMITATION AND LOSS OF THROTTLE FUNCTION. INDEPENDENT SERVICE SHOP SAYS THAT THROTTLE POSITION SENSORS HAVE BEEN MODIFIED AND ARE ON BACK ORDER AND THAT THE TPS IN THIS VEHICLE (VIN # [XXX]) FAILS TO PROVIDE PROPER SIGNAL ("DRIVE-BY-WIRE" THROTTLE) AT BETWEEN 7% AND 17% OF FOOT THROTTLE ACTUATION. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED APPROX. 100-200 TIMES SINCE FIRST NOTED ON 19-FEB-2003. VERY CURIOUS THAT PARTS HAVE BEEN MODIFIED AND ARE BACK-ORDERED WHEN THERE IS "NO KNOWN PROBLEM" AND VW AND THEIR DEALERS CANNOT CORRELATE AN OBD-II "P0226" CODE WITH THIS HAZARDOUS VEHICLE CONTROL FAILURE. *NLM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

2001 NEW BEETLE 1.9 L TDI, 55,000 MI.: ENGINE MIL LIGHT COMES ON SOLID AND GLO-PLUG LIGHT BLINKS ON/OFF AT STEADY RATE (NO APPARENT CODE TO BLINK RATE). FOOT THROTTLE CONTROL IS LOST AND ENGINE CHANGES FROM (NORMAL) IDLE (950 RPM) WITH FOOT-THROTTLE ("ACCELERATOR") CONTROL TO COMPLETE LOSS OF FOOT THROTTLE AND STEADY 1200 RPM ENGINE SPEED. THIS MAY HAPPEN AT RANDOM TIMES DURING DRIVING OR (ONCE) EVEN WITHIN SECONDS AFTER STARTING ENGINE BEFORE VEHICLE IS PUT IN GEAR OR BEGINS MOVING. MOST TIMES, IT OCCURS WHEN VEHICLE IS AT SPEED, CAUSING IMMEDIATE LOSS OF SPEED (I.E. 2000 RPM IN 5TH GEAR = 55 MPH CHANGES TO 1200 RPM = 35 MPH). INDEPENDENT GARAGE HAS 'READ' OBD-II DIAGNOSTIC CODES AND DETERMINED "THROTTLE OUT OF RANGE". TWO "REMEDIES" (1) "RE-BOOT" THE VEHICLE (TURN IGNITION OFF AND THEN BACK ON --- REQUIRING STRAIGHT/WIDE STRETCH OF ROAD BECAUSE OF INTERLOCK WITH STEERING), AFTER WHICH THROTTLE CONTROL IS REGAINED FOR SOME RANDOM PERIOD OF TIME (FRACTION OF A KM TO SEVERAL KM'S) BEFORE THROTTLE CONTROL IS LOST AGAIN... OR RESORT TO VEHICLE OPERATION WITH "HAND THROTTLE" (CALLED "CRUISE CONTROL". WITH 1200 RPM ENGINE SPEED LIMIT, VEHICLE CAN BE DRIVEN IF VERY GINGERLY SHIFTED GEARS, GETTING UP TO 20-25 MPH IN 3RD GEAR AT WHICH POINT "CRUISE CONTROL" ("CC") CAN BE ENGAGED. SUBSEQUENTLY HIGHER SPEEDS CAN BE OBTAINED BY INCREMENTAL (1 MPH) INCREASES ON CC, EVENTUALLY REGAINING 55 MPH (2000 RPM) ENGINE SPEED. DRIVING IN TRAFFIC REQUIRED CONTINUOUS ENGAGEMENT & DISENGAGEMENT/RE-ENGAGEMENT OF HAND THROTTLE ("CC") AS FOOT THROTTLE IS USELESS. STARTING FROM TRAFFIC SIGNALS, MERGING WITH HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC, ETC. IS INCONVENIENT AT BEST AND, TYPICALLY, QUITE HAZARDOUS WHEN CONSIDERING THE CONSTANT 1200 RPM ENGINE SPEED LIMITATION (UNTIL THE PAINSTAKING HAND THROTTLE INCREMENTS SLOWLY ALLOW SPEED INCREASES FROM 20-25 MPH TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VW CUSTOMER CARE CLAIMS THERE IS NO RECALL AND THEY ARE "UNAWARE" OF A PROBLEM. *NLM

EPC AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS COME ON///CAR LOSES POWER......EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS MOST OF MY DRIVE TO WORK IS ON FREEWAY...HAPPENED 7/4 AND 7/5..TAKEN INTO METRO VW 7/5....TOLD OT PROBLEMS FOUND....HAPPENED AGAIN 7/9 RETURNED TO METRO VW/CHECKED/NOTHING WRONG....HAPPENED AGAIN 7/12/13...ETURNED TO METRO VW....THROTTLE REPLACED....HAPPENED AGAIN 7/12 7/13 AGAIN TO METRO VW THROTTLE BODY REPLACED......HAPPENED AGAIN 7/30 THROTTLE BODY REPLACED.....AGAIN 9/10 9/11...CONTROL MOD. REPLACED AGAIN 9/12...THOUGHT I WAS GOIN TO DIE THIS TIME....WHEN LOST POWER 18 WHEELER WAS TURNIN MY WAY.....AGAIN TO METRO VW.....WORKED ON WIRING OVERLAY....WAITIN TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!!!*AK