NHTSA Complaint #10501315 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

MY VEHICLE'S RADIO SHUT OFF, WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND VEHICLE POWERED DOWN WHILE DRIVING. COULD NOT EVEN STEER VEHICLE COMPLETELY TO SHOULDER OF ROAD. POLICE OFFICER DRIVING BY STOPPED AND CHASTISED ME FOR NOT MOVING MY CAR COMPLETELY OUT OF TRAFFIC'S WAY. CREATED A VERY HAZARDOUS TRAFFIC SITUATION. POLICE OFFICER HAD TO DIRECT TRAFFIC AROUND MY VEHICLE FOR THE HOUR IT TOOK TO GET VEHICLE HOME. THE BATTERY WAS CHECKED AND WAS FINE. NO CHARGE ON ALTERNATOR. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH LED TO CHECKING FUSE BOX NEAR BATTERY. ONE FUSE WAS COMPLETELY MELTED/BURNT AS WELL AS THE ALTERNATOR CABLE CONNECTION ON VEHICLE. THE GOOGLE SEARCH MADE IT SEEM AS THOUGH THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE, YET NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. FROM MY ASSESSMENT, THE DAMAGE INCLUDED THE FUSE-BOX ASSEMBLY, ONE OF THE FUSES, AND ALTERNATOR CABLE RING-TERMINAL; HOWEVER, MULTIPLE WEB FORUMS SUGGEST THAT FAN ASSEMBLIES AND OTHER COMPONENTS MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL, LEADING TO COSTLY REPAIRS. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE ISSUE CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO MANUFACTURER'S FAULTY DESIGN. MY INTERNET SEARCH ALSO REVEALED THAT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WAS FILLED IN FLORIDA, 2011, BUT I CANNOT FIND ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE MATTER. *TR