NHTSA Complaint #10357008 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

2003 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BEGAN SHOWING SIGNS OF TROUBLE WELL OVER A YEAR AGO. PROBLEM STARTS AFTER 15 MINUTES OF DRIVING. DOWNSHIFTS HARD AROUND 30-25 MPH. ALSO SHOWS HESITATION COMING OUT OF 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. CAR HAS 75,000 MILES. HAD TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED/FLUSHED TWICE IN PAST 6 MONTHS HOPING THAT WOULD HELP. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP TODAY, QUOTED ME $1900 TO REPLACE VALVE BODY. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT THIS CAR HAS HAD THE REAR WINDOW REGULATOR GO OUT -COST $300 TO REPAIR. THE GLUE AFFIXING THE REAR GLASS WINDOW TO CONVERTIBLE TOP IS BREAKING DOWN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND APPEARS TO BE SOME SORT OF MALFUNCTION WITH THE GAS CAP...NO MATTER HOW OFTEN I TIGHTEN IT. THEN IT MYSTERIOUSLY GOES OFF. OH, AND SHOULD YOU EVER NEED A REPLACEMENT KEY, GOOD LUCK. WHY COULDN'T VW USE NORMAL SIZED/TYPE KEYS? VW IS MAKING CRAPPY PRODUCTS. NHTSA PLEASE DO SOMETHING. THIS MANUFACTURER SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED TO RELEASE ANOTHER VEHICLE OFF ITS ASSEMBLY LINE UNLESS IT FIXES THE MANY PROBLEMS AFFECTING INNOCENT, UNFORTUNATE VW OWNERS LIKE MYSELF. YIELD YOUR POWER AND ENFORCE SOME ACTION. VW NEEDS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE JUNK THEY PRODUCE. MAYBE THEN THEY'LL THINK TWICE BEFORE TURNING OUT ANYMORE CRAPPY PRODUCTS. I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER VW PRODUCT. *TR