NHTSA Complaint #10209185 — 2000 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

WE HAVE A 2000 VW BEETLE WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THAT HAS SOME SORT OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT DRAINS THE BATTERY IF NO ONE DRIVES THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS. WE DIDN'T REALLY NOTICE THE PROBLEM UNTIL OUR DAUGHTERS BOTH WENT OFF TO SCHOOL AND NO ONE WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A REGULAR BASIS. WE ARE AT THE POINT WHERE AAA AND AMOCO MOTOR CLUB WILL NO LONGER JUMP THE CAR. WE HAVE PURCHASED SEVERAL BATTERIES IN THE LAST 3-4 YEARS OR REPLACED THEM UNDER WARRANTY TO THE POINT WHERE SEARS TOLD US TODAY TO NOT COME BACK. THE VW DEALER TOLD US TO GO SOMEPLACE ELSE BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T HELP US AND VW ITSELF HAS NOTHING TO SAY OTHER THAN GO TO THE LOCAL DEALER WHO TOLD US TO CALL VW. THIS CAR HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FROM THE BEGINNING AND WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING ASKED OF US, EXPENDED FUNDS AND AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME TO NO AVAIL. TODAY THE VW DEALER DID SAY THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH VW'S OF THIS VINTAGE BECAUSE THEY HAD PROBLEMS WITH CARS SITTING ON THE LOT AND DYING. WE NOW NEED TO OUR DAUGHTER TO USE IN CHICAGO, BUT WE CAN'T RISK GIVING IT TO HER AND HAVING HER COME OUT TO THE CAR LATE AT NIGHT AFTER WORK AND FIND THAT THE CAR IS DEAD. *TR