NHTSA Complaint #10384773 — 2004 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

[XXX] I RECEIVED A WARRANTY EXTENSION LETTER FROM VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA IN NOVEMBER 2010 EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ON MY 2004 VW BEETLE FOR HARD SHIFTING CAUSED BY THE VALVE BODY. MY BEETLE EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN THE LETTER. I SUBMITTED THE FORM FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS MADE TO THE VALVE BODY. MY CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT WAS REFUSED BY MARTIN A. CUSTOMER CARE ADVOCATE. HE STATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD NOT BE COVERED BECAUSE THE EXTENSION COVER REPAIRS TO THE VALVE BODY ONLY. I AM SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE VALVE BODY ONLY. WHEN THE REPAIR SHOP INSPECTED MY BEETLE FOR THE HARD SHIFTING ISSUE, THEY ALSO INSPECTED THE TRANSMISSION AND FOUND EXCESSIVE METAL DEBRIS IN THE 'PAN'. THE REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME THAT THEY RECOMMENDED REPAIRING THE TRANSMISSION AT THE SAME TIME AS REPLACING THE VALVE BODY. I COULD HAVE ELECTED NOT TO HAVE REPAIRED THE TRANSMISSION AT THAT TIME. I AM BEING TOLD THAT MY CLAIM IS BEING REFUSED BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE VALVE BODY WAS RELATED TO THE REPAIR OF THE TRANSMISSION WHICH IT CLEARLY WAS NOT. VW OFFERED THIS EXTENDED WARRANTY AND I FEEL AS THOUGH THEY ARE TRYING TO FIND ANY EXCUSE TO NOT FULFILL THIS OFFER. I CONTACTED VW CUSTOMER CARE ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON FEBRUARY 25TH TO EXPLAIN THAT THE VALVE BODY REPLACEMENT WAS NOT RELATED TO THE REBUILD OF THE TRANSMISSION AND WAS VERY FRUSTRATED WHEN THE ADVOCATE REPEATEDLY INTERRUPTED ME AS I ATTEMPTED TO EXPLAIN THIS TO HER. MY DAUGHTER AND I HAVE PURCHASED MULTIPLE VEHICLES FROM VW OVER THE YEARS AND ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY VW IS DENYING THIS VALID CLAIM, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO BE LOYAL VW OWNERS AND ARE HOPEFUL THAT VW WILL DO THE RIGHT THING FOR US. PLEASE REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS THAT I HAVE INCLUDED AND I'M SURE YOU WILL BE IN AGREEMENT THAT THIS CLAIM SHOULD BE APPROVED. PLEASE CONTACT THE RESPONSIBLE PARTIES. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*TR