NHTSA Complaint #10074998 — 2002 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE

VW 2002 TURBO BEETLE HAD AN EPC LIGHT COME ON. THE CAR WAS LOOSING POWER AND WOULD CUT OFF AT TIMES (IN TRAFFIC). I TOOK IT IN AND THEY SAID THAT IT A PROBLEM WITH THE VACUUM ON THE TURBO. THE RECEIPT SHOWS THAT THEY REPLACED A SWITCH. ABOUT A FEW WEEKS LATER, THE CAR STARTED LOOSING POWER AGAIN. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND BROUGHT IT IN. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR'S CLUTCH WAS OUT AND THAT I NEEDED A NEW CLUTCH & FLYWHEEL. THE ESTIMATE WAS $1800 TO REPAIR. THE CAR HAS ABOUT 27,000 MILES (PROBABLY LESS). THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THE CLUTCH EVEN AT 27,000 MILES. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS ONLY A 12,000 MILE WARRANTY FOR THIS TYPE OF REPAIR. THIS IS A MAJOR PART OF THE DRIVE TRAIN AND SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE DRIVE TRAIN WARRANTY FOR MORE THAN 12,000 MILES. I HAVE DRIVEN STANDARDS ALL MY LIFE. THERE IS APPARENTLY A PROBLEM WITH THE VW CLUTCHES.*AK