NHTSA Complaint #10023387 — 2000 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE

WITHIN 5,500 MILES OF PURCHASING MY 2000 BEETLE I STARTED EXPERIENCING SUDDEN MAJOR POWER LOSS WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. WHEN I TOOK IT IN THEY WOULD RUN A DIAGNOSTIC AND COME UP WITH NOTHING. ACCORDING TO THEM THE PROBLEM DID NOT EXIST. THEY SAID TO ME, THEY WERE NOT GOING TO START THROWING PARTS AT IT. THEY REFUSED TO TAKE ANY CORRECTIVE STEPS TO TRY AND CORRECT THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WASN'T SHOWING UP ON THE DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT. NOW WITH A TOTAL OF 12,455 MILE ON THIS CAR ( I DON'T DRIVE IT MUCH BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM) VW HAS RECALLED THEIR VEHICLES WITH THE 1.8 LITER ENGINES DUE TO AN IGNITION COIL PROBLEM. I HAVE THIS SAME TYPE ENGINE BUT THE RECALL DID NOT COVER MY MODEL YEAR. I HAD TO ARGUE AND INSIST THAT THEY LOOK AT MY VEHICLE. THE DEALER FINALLY AGREED , ACCORDING TO THEM MY COIL IS FINE . THEY DID NOT REPLACE IT AND THEY STILL REFUSE TO TAKE ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION TO START TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I CAN NOT SELL MY CAR BECAUSE I WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ACCIDENT CREATED BY THIS PRE-EXISTING PROBLEM, AND IF I DISCLOSE THIS PROBLEM TO A PERSPECTIVE BUYER THEY WILL NOT BUY IT. IF I WAS ABLE TO AFFORD TO TRADE IT IN, LET'S SAY, ON A NEW VW, THE DEALER WOULD NOT GIVE ME MUCH ON THE TRADE IN ( KNOWING IT HAS THIS PROBLEM) AND THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO TURN AROUND AND FINALLY FIX IT. THEY COULDN'T RESELL IT OTHERWISE. THIS IS A MAJOR POTENTIAL ACCIDENT PROBLEM WAITING TO HAPPEN. UPDATE: THE DEALER CALLED ME. THEY FINALLY DID SOMETHING. THEY REPLACED THE "FUEL PUMP RELAY". THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT UNDER THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY SO NOW I HAVE A BIG REPAIR BILL TO DEAL WITH. THAT IS ANOTHER ISSUE I WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH SEPARATELY. I HOPE THIS WILL CORRECT MY PROBLEM, TIME WILL TELL. I WILL STILL FILE THIS COMPLAINT FOR THE RECORD (HOPING THE REPLACEMENT PART WORKS). IF THE PROBLEM CONTINUES I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH ANOTHER COMPLAINT. *NLM