NHTSA Complaint #10437411 — 2006 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

CAR TRANSMISSION DIS-ENGAGES AND THEN HARD SHIFTS BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEARS AS WELL AS BETWEEN 4TH AND 5TH GEARS. THE MOST DANGEROUS INCIDENT INVOLVED MY DAUGHTER STARTING THROUGH A SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION, AND WHEN THE TRANSMISSION DIS-ENGAGED, SHE WAS ALMOST REARENDED. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE AND WERE ADVISED BOTH TIMES THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF ~$5,500. AT THE MOST RECENT TRIP TO THE MECHANIC, THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 80,000 MILES. I RECEIVED A SERVICE BULLETIN FROM VW DATED NOV 2010 (A YEAR AGO) INDICATING THAT THE VALVE BODY MAY BE THE PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC ADVISED ME THAT MY PROBLEM WAS NOT RELATED TO THE VALVE BODY, BUT THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THEY DID NOT OPEN THE TRANSMISSION TO CHECK THE PARTS TO MAKE THIS DETERMINATION, BUT MERELY RAN A COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC CHECK. THE INTERNET IS FULL OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. I'M AT A LOSS AS TO WHAT TO DO, AND FEAR OTHER NEAR MISS ACCIDENTS. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER'S MECHANICS, THE ONLY REMEDY IS TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT CONSIDERABLE COST. I EXPECT THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT IRREPARABLY MALFUNCTION WITH SO FEW MILES. SHORT OF A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT, I SEE NO RELIEF OR REMEDY. *TR