NHTSA Complaint #10225186 — 2000 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

ON APRIL 4, 2008, OUR 2000VW GLS BEETLE CAUGHT FIRE AS IT WAS BEING DRIVEN ON THE INTERSTATE. CAR HAD BEEN HESITATING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON, SO WE HAD IT SERVICED AT OUR LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP ON MARCH 28. DIAGNOSTICS DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. WE WENT AHEAD AS ASKED FOR FUEL FILTER AND THE COOLANT SENSOR TO BE REPLACED. FOR THE NEXT WEEK, THE CAR CONTINUED TO HESITATE, ESPECIALLY AFTER BEING DRIVEN FOR MORE THAT 20 MINUTES. WE MADE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AND AS MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING TO THIS APPOINTMENT SHE NOTICED THE HESITATION AGAIN, AND ABOUT 10 MILES LATER, NOTICED SMOKE IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. SHE PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND SMOKE STARTED POURING INSIDE THE CAR. ALL OF THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS CLICKED ON, THEN OFF. WITHIN 2 MINUTES, THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. MY DAUGHTER WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR AND WAS NOT PHYSICALLY HARMED. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *TR