NHTSA Complaint #10380664 — 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

THIS VEHICLE WAS SUBJECT TO A RECALL FOR THE AIR BAG SENSORS. WE HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD THE SENSORS REPLACED (THE VEHICLE WAS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY BASED ON TIME). VW REFUSED ULTIMATELY REIMBURSED US FOR THE REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENT OF THE SENSORS. IN JANUARY OF 2011 THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALER CHARGED A FEE TO DO A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THEY DETERMINED THAT THE LIGHT WAS DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE, AND THE FACT THAT THE BATTERY WAS DISCHARGED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THEY WANTED APPROXIMATELY $480 TO REPLACE THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE, AND $245 TO REPLACE THE BATTERY. I CALLED VW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE BUCKLE FOR NO CHARGE, BUT WOULD DO NOTHING ABOUT THE BATTERY. VW OPENED A CASE # 110006836 AND REGIONAL MANAGER LISA WAS THE CONTACT. WE HAD AAA COME TO DO A TEST ON THE BATTERY. THE BATTERY AND CHARGING SYSTEM BOTH PASSED THE TEST. THEY RECOMMENDED THAT A TRICKLE CHARGE WOULD BRING THE BATTERY TO A FULL CHARGE. IN ADDITION, VW AGREED TO DO A ONE TIME COURTESY REPLACEMENT OF THE CONVERTIBLE ROOF SINCE THE FABRIC HAD SEPARATED FROM THE REAR WINDOW. A CLIP RECALL HAD ALREADY BEEN PERFORMED, BUT THE HEADLINER WAS HANGING DOWN AND HAD SEPARATED FROM THE REAR WINDOW. WE FEARED THAT THE WINDOW COULD SEPARATE FROM THE ROOF AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. STATEMENT INDICATES THAT VW PERFORMED 61.07-02 TECH BULLETIN TO PERFORM MODIFICATIONS TO THE REAR WINDOW.