NHTSA Complaint #10168046 — 2002 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

IN JUNE I TOOK MY 2002 VW BEETLE TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE IT AGAIN WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED ALREADY, A BATTERY CHANGE, AND THEN ANOTHER ALTERNATOR. SO THREE ALTERNATORS SINCE CREATION. I WAS TOLD THAT ANOTHER BATTERY HAD FAILED. SO NOW THREE BATTERIES IN TOTAL. I ALSO TOLD THEM THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE STICKING ON AND BURNING OUT THE BULBS, THAT THEY STAYED LIT SO PEOPLE COULD NOT TELL IF I WAS BRAKING AND THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT WORKING. I WAS TOLD BY CORPORATE THAT MY VIN DID NOT FALL UNDER A RECALL. I ARGUED THAT WHILE MY VIN MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IT DID NOT NEGATE THE FACT THAT THE CAR HAD THE SAME FAILURE AND CAUSE AS THOSE LISTED AS PART OF THE RECALL. THEY FINALLY AGREED TO WARRANTY THE BRAKE SWITCH FAILURE. I PAID FOR THE NEW BATTERY. HOWEVER, THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME WITH OUT WORKING TURN SIGNALS AND HAZARD LIGHTS. THE SERVICE REP FAILED TO RETURN MY CALLS ABOUT IT ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. ONLY AFTER I CONTACTED THE MGR DID THEY CALL ME. THEY SAID TO BRING IT BACK AND THEY WOULD FIX IT. NOW THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME $135 BECAUSE THEY SAY THE SWITCH INSIDE THE DASH FAILED AND IT WAS NOT RELATED TO THE ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THE BRAKE SWITCH. FUNNY THE CRUISE CONTROL, ETC WERE RELATED. I WAS TOLD THE BRAKE SWITCH ALLOWED ELECTRICAL TO BE BACK FED INTO THE SYSTEM THAT WAS TOO POWERFUL FOR THE CIRCUITS THUS BURNING THEM OUT. THEY CAN NOT EXPLAIN WHY THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY THIS NOR WHY THEY RETURNED IT TO ME BROKEN. THIS CAR IS AN ELECTRICAL LEMON! *NM