NHTSA Complaint #10064453 — 2002 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE

VW 2002 TURBO BEETLE SUDDENLY STARTED TO LOSE POWER, CUT OUT IN TRAFFIC A COUPLE OF TIMES. TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AS AN EMERGENCY. WAS TOLD THE CLUTCH WAS BAD AT LESS THAN 25K ON THE SPEEDOMETER? PART NOT COVERED BY POWERTRAIN WARRANTY - "HIDDEN" WARRANTY, SO THEY WANTED $1800 TO FIX. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS FOR 30-YEARS, NEVER HAD A TRANSMISSION OR CLUTCH PROBLEM EVEN ON CARS WITH OVER 200K ON CLOCK. THEY CHARGED ME $300 TO TEAR DOWN CLUTCH, VW MAINTAINED "DRIVER OUTSIDE INFLUENCES." MEANWHILE I GET ON THE INTERNET AND THERE ARE PAGES OF WEB SITES AND HUNDREDS OF LETTERS ON VW 2002 TURBO BEETLES WITH BAD CLUTCHES, GOING OUT AT 5K, 11K, 17K 25K, 36K AND SO ON, BUT VERY EARLY IN HE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER MORE RESEARCH, IT TURNS OUT THAT THE ENGINES ARE POORLY DESIGNED AND THE CLUTCH IS TOO SMALL FOR THE TURBO ENGINE AND THUS BURNING UP AT LOW MILEAGE. ALSO PROBLEMS ON 2001 VW JETTA'S WHERE FLYWHEEL IS CRACKING AND LEAKING ONTO CLUTCH AND BURNING UP CLUTCH. VW ARE VERY AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND ARE NOW PLACING LARGER CLUTCH IN NEWER MODELS. HOWEVER, THEY WERE DENYING RESPONSIBILITY AND PLACING REPAIR COSTS ONTO CUSTOMERS. VW CUSTOMER CARE WERE THE MOST ARROGANT AND DIFFICULT PEOPLE I'VE DEALT WITH IN 30-YEARS OF DRIVING. THEY MESSED WITH MY LIFE AND THE LIFE OF OTHERS AND THIS IS UNCONSCIONABLE. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER VW OR RECOMMEND A VW TO ANYONE AGAIN. THE VEHICLE IS REPAIRED BUT I AM TURNING IT IN FOR A HONDA. *NM