NHTSA Complaint #10281499 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE--ELECTRICAL PROBLEM ENGINE COMPARTMENT FUSEBOX MELTED DUE TO A SHORT. THE CAR WAS MAINTAINED. IT JUST PASSED INSPECTION 2 WEEKS BEFORE MELTDOWN. THE BATTERY WAS CHECKED AS WELL. NO WARNING OR DASH LIGHTS INDICATING A PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS NEARLY NOT POSSIBLE TO START IN RECENT HOT HUMID WEATHER. I TOOK IT TO A GARAGE AND THEY FOUND THE MELTED FUSEBOX. THIS HAS TO BE CHANGED ASAP BECAUSE IT COULD AFFECT THE CAR'S COMPUTER AND THEY AREN'T SURE ABOUT THE ALTERNATOR YET AS IT WAS HAVING A HARD TIME STARTING THE CAR. THIS REPAIR IS GOING TO COST ME $400.00 OUT OF POCKET SO FAR. IF THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW BY VW WHICH CAUSES DAMAGE BECAUSE THEY DON'T PROTECT THE ENGINE FUSE BOX OR ANY RELATED WIRING FROM HEAT FROM THE BATTERY, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. I NOTICED A SIMILAR POST FROM HOUSTON, TEXAS ON THIS SITE. MY CAR SEEMS TO BE AMONG SEVERAL WHICH HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. THE MILEAGE OF THIS VEHICLE IS 66,417. *TR