NHTSA Complaint #10265074 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

I HAVE A 2003 VW BEETLE THAT ONLY HAS 46,000 MILES ON IT. THE PASSENGER SIDE BACK WINDOW WILL NOT COME UP. BEFORE I TOOK MY BEETLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE FIXED, I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH VW BEETLES. THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT BROUGHT BY THE LAW FIRM OF STUEVE SIEGEL HANSON IN WHICH VW AGREED TO (1) REIMBURSE ALL EXPENSES INCURRED BY VW OWNERS IN THE PAST RELATED TO REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE WINDOW REGULATORS, (2) INSTALL A REDESIGNED METAL WINDOW REGULATOR REPLACING ANY FAILED WINDOW REGULATORS (WHICH USED PLASTIC COMPONENTS) UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, (3) EXTEND THE WARRANTY FOR ALL FOUR WINDOW REGULATORS AT ISSUE TO 7 YEARS FROM THE DATE OF THE CAR PURCHASE INCLUDING 1999-2003 MODEL YEAR VW GOLF, GTI AND JETTA AND 1998-2003 MODEL YEAR VW BEETLE. HOWEVER, WHEN I SPOKE WITH VW ABOUT THIS AGREEMENT, THEY STATED THAT MY VW 2003 NEW BEETLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS SETTLEMENT BECAUSE IT WAS A CONVERTIBLE. MY CAR'S WINDOW REGULATORS ARE DEMONSTRATING THE EXACT FAILURE AS THESE VEHICLES. IT IS UNSETTLING TO DRIVE A CAR EXPECTING A WINDOW TO FALL DOWN INTO THE TRACKS AT ANYTIME - ESPECIALLY IF IT IS DURING THE WINTER, RAINING, ETC. THIS DEFECT, IN MY OPINION, IS A SAFETY ISSUE. ALSO IT IS UNSETTLING THAT VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA DOES NOT HAVE A COMPANY-WIDE POLICY CONCERNING THE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THIS REPAIR NOR HAS INSTITUTED A RECALL TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT. THERE ARE MANY HORROR STORIES OF WINDOWS FAILING AND CARS BEING OUT OF SERVICE FOR MONTHS WHILE BACKORDERED PARTS ARRIVE. I WANT VOLKSWAGEN TO COVER THE FULL COST TO REPAIR ANY DEFECTIVE WINDOW REGARDLESS OF WARRANTY STATUS. ADDITIONALLY, VW SHOULD BE PRO-ACTIVE AND ISSUE A RECALL. THIS RECALL WOULD IMPROVE VOLKSWAGEN'S CUSTOMER SERVICE RATINGS BY GREATLY DECREASING THE FRUSTRATION AND INCONVENIENCE CAUSED BY SUCH FAILURES. THE LACK OF A RECALL GIVES THE IMPRESSION VW IS PROFITING FROM THE REPAIRS OF THIS DEFECT, INSTEAD OF TAKING ACTION. *TR