NHTSA Complaint #10265451 — 2008 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

I PURCHASED A 2008 NEW BEETLE IN 2008, TRADING IN A 2005 NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE MODEL. I HAVE ALSO PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 2000 MODEL. AFTER ABOUT TWO MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP WITH THE 2008 NEW BEETLE, I BEGAN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE KEY NOT BEING ABLE TO TURN IN THE STARTER. I FOUND I HAD TO USE A GREAT DEAL OF FORCE AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS BROKE TWO KEYS OFF IN THE IGNITION. IN MARCH 2009, I WAS DOWN TO MY LAST KEY WHEN THE STARTER BECAME STRIPPED, WITH THE KEY SPINNING AND NOT TRIGGERING THE STARTER AT ALL. AT THIS POINT, THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE VW DEALER, WHICH ORDERED A REPLACEMENT STARTER. I WAITED 17 DAYS FOR THE REPAIR TO BE COMPLETED BECAUSE, I WAS TOLD, THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF BACKORDERS NATIONALLY FOR THIS STARTER PART. WHEN I RECEIVED THE CAR BACK WITH THE NEW PART, I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. I ALSO NOTED THE SAME PROBLEM IN TWO LOANER CARS (2009 MODELS OF THE VW NEW BEETLE) PROVIDED BY MY DEALER. I NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM WITH MY 2000 OR 2005 MODELS. I CALLED TO REPORT THIS TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO CALL VW. I JUST CALLED VW AND THEY ADVISED TO TAKE THE CAR BACK FOR POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT OF THE PART AGAIN. I TOLD VW I WOULD DO SO, BUT THAT I LACK CONFIDENCE THAT YET ANOTHER REPLACEMENT WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM AS I SUSPECT THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE OF DESIGN AFFECTING THE PART. I ASKED VW IF THEY HAD KNOWLEDGE OF A PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THEY DON'T TRACK WARRANTY REPAIRS FOR POSSIBLE PART PROBLEMS, SO I DECIDED TO FILE A COMPLAINT HERE. *TR