NHTSA Complaint #10247641 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

SINCE SEPTEMBER 22, 2008, THE OIL LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON, FIRST INTERMITTENTLY AND THEN CONSTANTLY, FOLLOWED BY BUZZING SOUND. THE VW SERVICE REPAIR REPLACED A CLOGGED OIL PUMP WHICH THEY STATED WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. OCTOBER 6, THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON-REPLACED OIL PRESSURE SENSOR AND OIL FILTER.. ON OCTOBER 17, 2008 THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN - VW SERVICE KEPT THE CAR TO TEST DRIVE UNTIL OCTOBER 20 AT WHICH TIME THEY REPLACED THE OIL PUMP. OCTOBER 22, 2008 THE OIL LIGHT CAME BACK ON- VW SERVICE REQUESTED TO KEEP THE CAR BECAUSE THEY NEEDED TO CALL VW HEADQUARTERS TO TRY TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE OIL LIGHT CONSTANTLY COMING ON. ON NOVEMBER 3, VW SERVICE STATED THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS, HOWEVER, SUGGESTED REPLACING THE ENGINE, AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. IN REVIEWING INFORMATION ON VARIOUS DISCUSSION BOARDS, THE 1.8T ENGINE THAT IS IN THE VW NEW BEETLE IS THE SAME ENGINE THAT CAUSED SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THE OIL LIGHT IN THE PASSAT AND THE AUDI. IN CONVERSATION WITH VW CUSTOMER CARE (1-800-822-8987), THEY INDICATED THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS RE NEW BEETLE AND THE 1.8T ENGINE AND STATED THE OIL PAN SIZE IS DIFFERENT. IT IS UNREASONABLE TO EXPECT THAT AN ENGINE WITH 55,000 MILES AND 5 YEARS OLD , AND THAT HAS BEEN MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANUAL WOULD NEED REPLACING---AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE SCARY PART IS THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT REPLACING THE ENGINE WOULD FIX THE OIL LIGHT ISSUE. *TR