NHTSA Complaint #10032916 — 2002 VOLKSWAGEN GTI

OVER 200 2002 VW GTI 337 EDITION OWNERS HAVE ALSO CLAIMED TO HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS OF PITTING, BLACK SPOTS, CORROSION, ROUGHNESS, AND/OR WHITE SPOTS ON THEIR WHEELS AS WELL AND HAVE SUPPLIED PICTURES FOR ALL TO VIEW PUBLICLY ON ONLINE FORUMS TO PROVE THEIR CASE. AS A GROUP WE HAVE APPROACHED VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA (VWOA) ABOUT THE PROBLEM USING MY CAR AS THE TEST CAR. WE ALL OPENED CASE NUMBERS WITH VWOA EXPRESSING OUR CONCERNS AND MY WHEELS WERE SENT TO VWS TESTING CENTER IN WOLFSBURG, GERMANY WHERE THE WHEELS WERE DETERMINED NOT TO BE DEFECTIVE, LEAVING MANY ANGRY AND CONFUSED ENTHUSIASTS OUT TO DRY. INSTEAD OF FIXING THE PROBLEM, VWOA CONTACTED A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THOSE WHO HAD OPENED CASE NUMBERS TO OFFER THEM A $25 GIFT CERTIFICATE, GOOD TOWARD VW MERCHANDISE OR SERVICE. THIS ACTION ONLY SERVED TO DOUSE FUEL ON AN ALREADY RAGING FIRE. ONCE VWOA LEARNED OF OUR REACTION TO THIS INSULT, THEY DECIDED TO STOP CALLING, LEAVING THE REST OF US WITH NO RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER AS PROMISED. WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO SEEK LEGAL ACTION IN ORDER TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION. SOME FACTS: - 1,500 GTI 337 EDITIONS WERE MANUFACTURED FOR THE U.S. IN 2002 AS A LIMITED EDITION CAR AND 250 FOR CANADA - ALL CAME EQUIPPED WITH 18X7.5 CUSTOM BBS RC WHEELS IN A SPECIAL VW-ONLY SHOT PEENED AND CLEAR COATED FINISH DESIGN (BBS DOES NOT NORMALLY CLEAR COAT THEIR WHEELS) - THE SAME WHEELS ARE FOUND ON THE EUROPEAN 337S CALLED THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION - THE BRAKE PADS FOUND ON THE U.S. 337S ARE NOT THE SAME AS FOUND ON THE EUROPEAN 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITIONS - MORE THAN 200 337 OWNERS HAVE COME FORTH TO CLAIM ISSUES WITH THEIR WHEELS FINISH BEING DEGRADED BY THEIR STOCK BRAKE PADS - TO OUR COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE NO EUROPEAN 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION HAS THE SAME ISSUES APPROXIMATE RETAIL REPLACEMENT COSTS:1) VW EDITION 18X7.5 BBS RC W/CENTER CAPS= $605.70. SET OF FOUR = $2,422.80.CONTACT THE BBB FOR MORE INFORMATION.*AK