NHTSA Complaint #10083107 — 2001 VOLKSWAGEN CABRIO

VEHICLE FIRST SUFFERRED SERIOUS POWER AND IGNITION PROBLEMS ONE RAINY DAY. ON TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALER WE WERE INFORMED THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED AND IT WOULD BE $750.00 FOR NEW SPARKPLUG WIRES, DISTRIBUTOR CAP, AND ROTOR. I AM AN ENGINEER AND FOUND THAT PRICE OFFENSIVE WRT THE WORK ASSOCIATED. I REPLACED THESE ITEMS AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. AFTER A GREAT DEAL OF DEBUGGING THE IGNITION SYSTEM I FINALLY FOUND AN ELECTRICAL SHORT AT THE CONTROL LINES TO THE DISTRIBUTOR WHEN A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER WAS APPLIED. I SEALED AND WATER PROOFED THIS ELECTRICAL CONNECTION WITH SILICON AND COULD THEN DOUSE THE ENGINE IN WATER WITHOUT ANY MISFIRES. MY WIFE REPORTED CONTINUED PROBLEMS WITH ACCELLERATION AND MISSING ON HUMID MORNINGS. I TOOK THE CAR FROM HER ONE DAY AND IT RAINED. SINCE THEN THERE IS A MASSIVE MISFIRE AT THE COIL. THIS MAKES STARTING DIFFICULT AND RUNNING IMPOSSIBLE. AS AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER THE MANUFACTURE OF THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENETS IN THIS VEHICLE ARE AMATURE BORDERING ON RETARDED. SOMEONE PLEASE TRANSLATE THIS TO GERMAN AND FORWARD IT TO BOSCH AND VOLKSWAGEN. *AK