NHTSA Complaint #10240531 — 2005 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

DMF FAILED BLEW SHRAPNEL THROUGH BELL HOUSING! NORMAL DRIVING, VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE, 2005.5 DIESEL 1.9L TDI AUTOMATIC TRANS DSG. DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL (DMF) EXPLODED ON THE ROAD UNDER 10MPH. SMALL METAL PARTS OF SPRINGS AND ALUMINUM PUNCHED HOLE IN SIDE OF CASE. CLEAR 'GREASE' AND SHAVINGS EVERYWHERE. COULD HAVE CAUSED ENGINE OR WHEELS TO LOCKUP IF IT HAD JAMMED A LARGER PIECE IN THE DRIVETRAIN. TOWED TO DEALER WITH 95K MILES, SOUNDS LIKE A SLIGHT GRINDING NOISE ON ACCELERATION. THIS IS HEAVY PART WITH A LARGE HOLE BLOWN IN THE EDGE WHERE PARTS CAME FLYING OUT. ONLY OFFERED A $750 REBATE ON PURCHASE OF A NEW VW... THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, IMHO, THAT VWOA DID NOT COVER. REPLACEMENT PART NUMBER FOR DMF, OEM PART NO LONGER AVAILABLE. VW REPLACED WITH PART NUMBER 03G-105-266-BE $785. WORK DONE AT DEALER, ALMOST $2K! MANY DMF FAILURE STORIES BLAME THE CLUTCH, BUT MINE IS AN AUTOMATIC! THIS IS A BAD PART, THAT VWOA IS TRYING TO HIDE KNOWLEDGE OF, BLAMING CUSTOMERS. OTHER AUTO MAKERS HAVE ADMITTED BAD PART AND REPLACED AT 100K MILES! I HAVE THE OLD PART AND FURTHER CHECKS CAN BE DONE TO SHOW IT FAILED ON THE INSIDE. MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER IS SCARED TO DRIVE IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN TO HER! NO WAY TO KNOW, THERE IS NO SCHEDULED MAINT, NOTHING TO CHANGE OR CHECK. FLYWHEEL SHOULD BE COVERED BY VWOA, IT IS NOT A WEAR ITEM! CAN YOU HELP? MANY OTHERS MAY NOT BE REPORTING IF VWOA IS REPLACING UNDER WARRANTY, AS MY WEB RESEARCH SEEMS TO SHOW. THEY HAD TO REPLACE AN AIRBAG, BUT MY DMF EXPLODING ON THE ROAD IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM? WHY NO RECALL AND NO TSB'S? BEW GYS WITH DIRECT SHIFT GEARBOX. DAMPING LAYER FAILED IN DMF. THIS WILL BECOME A LARGER ISSUE AS MORE MILES ARE LOGGED ON THIS PART. WILL IT CAUSE SOMEONE TO LOOSE LIFE? THANKS. *TR