NHTSA Complaint #743480 — 1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

BATTERY PROBLEM. I STOPPED AT SIGNAL AND WHEN I RESTARTED THE ENGINE STOPPED AND I WAS ALMOST REAR END. THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON. THE CAR WAS TOWED. APPARENTLY THE BATTERY WAS FALLING OUT OF THE CAR AT 13,000 MILES. A FEW MONTHS LATER I HEARD A NOISE AND SLIPPING WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION. AS IT TURNED OUT, ENGINE COOLANT HAD LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND A REBUILT WAS PUT IN. WITHIN A FEW WEEKS AFTER THE REBUILT WAS PUT IN, IT WAS MAKING SOME NOISE AND IT HAD INTERMITTENT LURCHING. I COMPLAINED TO VW OF AMERICA AND THE DEALERSHIP. THEY TOOK CARE OF THE NOISE AND SAID THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO HELP WITH THE LURCH PROBLEM. I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT A MONTH AND A HALF AFTER GETTING THE REBUILT. I WENT INTO A POLE SIDEWAYS. I HAD AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST TEST DRIVE IT AFTER THE CAR WAS REPAIRED. HE REPORTED AN UNUSUALLY LONG PAUSE FOR ENGAGEMET. I BELIEVE THAT WHEN I WAS IN A ROLL FORWARD MOTION AND WOULD PUT MY FOOT TO THE GAS, IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY AND LURCHED. THE REASON IT WAS INTERMITTENT , IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT SOMETIMES WHEN YOU WOULD BE IN A ROLLFORWARD MOTION IT WOULD BE IN GEAR AND NOT LURCH. IF IT WAS NOT IN GEAR DUE TO THE LONG PAUSE, YOU WOULD GET A LURCHING MOVEMENT. MY FIRST TRANSMISSION NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. THERE IS A POTENTIAL DESIGN FLAW WITH THIS TRANSMISSION. WHEN I WAS TALKING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT COMMONWEALTH, WITH MY FIRST TRANSMISSION, HE HAD STATED THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE JETTA TRANSMISSIONS.*AK