NHTSA Complaint #10434421 — 2001 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK AGO I NOTED THAT WHEN I PUT MY 2001 BEETLE INTO DRIVE, THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT CATCH. AS I PUSHED THE GAS PEDDLE DOWN, IT WAS NECESSARY TO REV THE ENGINE AND THEN IT WOULD FINALLY CATCH. THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORSE OVER THE COURSE OF THE WEEK AND WILL GO INTO THE SHOP THIS WEEK. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS THAT IT IS NECESSARY TO REV THE ENGINE TO GET IT INTO GEAR. I HAVE ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME ON 2 OCCASIONS, BUT WAS ABLE TO HIT THE BRAKE IN TIME. I NOW PUSH THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR AT THE SAME TIME TO AVOID THIS POSSIBILITY. I HAVE READ OF SIMILAR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON THE NEW BEETLE AND WANT TO ADD MY EXPERIENCE AT A PALTRY 41,000 MILES TO THE LIST. I HAVE NOT HAD THE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN OTHER POSTINGS SUCH AS DIFFICULTY SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND OR 2ND TO 3RD. I ALSO HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR DOWNSHIFT OR SHIFT TO NEUTRAL AS OTHERS HAVE DESCRIBED. THE MAJOR REASON FOR POSTING THIS IS THE TWO EPISODES OF ALMOST HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHEN THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED. *TR