NHTSA Complaint #10322082 — 2006 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

FAILING DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL. SYMPTOMS ARE VIBRATION, RATTLING. SYMPTOMS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING SINCE VEHICLE WAS DETECTED WITH UNKNOWN VIBRATION AT 17K. DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM AFTER REPLACING EGR, MAF, FUEL PUMP AND CHECKING FLYWHEEL FOR GREASE DEPOSITS. RESULTS OF FAILURE ARE IMMEDIATE LOCKUP OF TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE IF OPERATING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DAMAGE TO TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE ARE PROBABLE. WELL KNOWN DOCUMENTED FAILURES HAVE BEEN RECORDED AND FIXED BY VW, BUT MOST FAILURES ON MANUAL CARS HAVE BEEN BLAMED ON DRIVER AGRESSIVENESS EVEN THOUGH DMF MAKERS HAVE RELEASED DOCUMENTATION THAT SHOW THAT FAILING DMF WILL SHOW THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS A FAILURE DUE TO AGRESSIVE DRIVING. VW HAS ACTIVE RECALL CAMPAINS IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES FOR THE SAME DMF FAILURES.