NHTSA Complaint #10433877 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

I PURCHASED MY 2003 NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE BRAND SPANKING NEW IN DEC 2002. THE CAR HAD 32 MILES ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT; THE CAR NOW HAS 77K MILES AS OF TODAY. I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING A MAJOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS THAT VW IS ACUTELY AWARE OF. THE CAR IS A 6 SPEED AUTO TRANSMISSION WITH TRIP TRONIC. THE CAR HESITATES UPON ACCELERATION AND BEFORE SHIFTING INTO 2ND GEAR. INSTEAD, THE TRANSMISSION LURCHES FROM 1ST INTO 2ND, CAUSING THE TIRES TO SCREECH. WHEN THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD IT CAUSES THE FRONT DRIVE/STEERING TIRES TO LOSE GRIP ON THE PAVEMENT WHICH IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW TIMES WHEN IT JUMPED SO HARD IT ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND SOMETIMES THE LURCH IS SO STRONG IT FEELS LIKE ANOTHER CAR HIT ME FROM BEHIND. THE TRANSMISSION WORKS FINE WHEN IT IS COOL BUT GETS WORSE AS THE CAR WARMS UP - AFTER ABOUT 5 MILES. THE OTHER GEARS HAVE SHIFTING PROBLEMS TOO; JUST NOT AS HARSH AS GOING INTO 2ND. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS DOWNSHIFTING AS WELL. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THE CAR GETTING STUCK IN 2ND GEAR WHILE TRAVELING IN TRAFFIC WHICH CREATED A DANGER FOR ME AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD. THE ONLY WAY TO CURE THE PROBLEM IS TO SAFELY MAKE MY WAY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURN THE ENGINE OFF, WAIT A FEW MINUTES, THEN TURN IT BACK ON. THIS DOESN'T COMPLETELY MAKE THE LURCHING GO AWAY BUT IT GIVES ME SEVERAL TRAVEL MILES BEFORE GETTING STUCK IN GEAR AGAIN. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHO LOOKED UP MY VIN. THEY TOLD ME I WAS OVER MY YEARS FOR THE RECALL ON THE VALVE BODY WHICH IS WHAT SHOULD CORRECT MY TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I HAVE LIVED AT THE SAME ADDRESS SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2002 AND NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THIS ITEM. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN VW OF AMERICA! I WAITED SEVERAL YEARS FOR THE CONVERTIBLE VERSION TO COME OUT AND THIS WAS A BIRTHDAY PRESENT TO MYSELF (THIS IS HOW MUCH I LOVE THIS CAR!) *TR