2003 Volkswagen Beetle

I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAINT REGARDING MY 2003 VW BEETLE WHICH I PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN APRIL OF 2003. I HAVE JUST OVER 60K MILES AND IT APPEARS THAT MY TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT. I HAVE TAKEN IT A REPUTABLE MECHANIC WHO TELLS ME IT COULD BE APPROX $3000 TO FIX IT. I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE VW'S AND I THINK THAT VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD RECALL THE TRANSMISSIONS AND PAY TO HAVE THEM REPLACED. *TR

OVER THE LAST MONTH OR TWO MY WIFE'S 2003 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE HAS HAD SOME ISSUES WITH THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION THAT PROGRESSIVELY HAVE GOTTEN WORSE. DEALER SAYS TRANS IS BAD WITH ONLY 120K MILES. TRANS IS NON SERVICEABLE AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN ACCELERATING OR DECELERATING TRANS SLAMS BETWEEN GEARS MAKING CAR UNDRIVABLE. DEALER WANTS $6500 TO REPLACE. FORUMS ON THE INTERNET CLAIM THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR YEARS AND VW IS NOT DOING SQUAT ABOUT IT. $6500 TO FIX A '!@#$% TRANSMISSION IS RIDICULOUS. WHEN WILL THERE BE A RECALL. THIS IS UNSAFE! *TR

2003 VW BEETLE SHIFTS SO VERY HARD BETWEEN 2ND, 3RD AND 4TH GEAR IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR IS GOING TO BREAK. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP TO PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC. THEY SAID IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION GASKET. I REPLACED IT, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW ROLLS DOWN ON ITS OWN. PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW HITS THE TOP (WHEN PUTTING IT UP) THEN ROLLS DOWN. DEALERSHIP SAYS THIS IS A SAFETY FEATURE. *TR

CAR BOUGH USED FROM VS DEALERSHIP ON 7/31/2006. BEEN IN FOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT 4TIMES, AIRBAG LIGHT 3 TIMES, A/C BROKE ONCE, WINDOWS WOULD NOT ROLL UP ONCE, NEEDED NEW ROTORS ONCE, RATTLING UNDER HOOD ONCE, BATTERY DIED TWO DAYS AFTER I BOUGHT IT AND I HAD TO TOW IT BACK TO VW. CAR JERKS WHEN GOING OUT OF FIRST GEAR-I TOLD VW THIS REPEATEDLY AND THEY ONLY TRIED TO FIX IT AFTER THE WARRANTY WAS UP. THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD BE $700 TO FIX. ON 12/9/2008 MY CAR WOULD NOT GO OUT OF FIRST GEAR WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO MY HOUSE AND HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS OUT OF THIS CAR. I CAN NOT PUT ANYMORE MONEY INTO IT. WHEN THE WARRANTY WENT UP, ALL OF THE SUDDEN EVERYTHING STARTED GOING WRONG. I REQUESTED PRIOR INFORMATION FROM THE VW DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE OTHER OWNER BEFORE ME. I FEEL THAT THIS CAR WAS DOCTORED SO THAT I WOULD BUY IT AND THEN IT STARTED FALLING APART. *TR

I HAVE A TRANSAXEL ON MY 2003 BEETLE CONV. THAT HAS A SETTING FOR MANUAL SHIFT OR AUTO. I CAN NO LONGER SHIFT TO THE MANUAL SETTING. AT FIRST IT WOULD ALLOW ME TO SHIFT INTO MANUAL IF I STOPPED THEN, I HAD TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND SHIFT QUICKLY FROM PARK TO MANUAL. NOW, NOTHING. THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A NEW TRANSAXEL INSTALLED. I HAVE DRIVEN OLDER VW FOR 20 YEARS, NOW I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER VW PRODUCT OF ANY KIND. *TR

I WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHILE DRIVING MY 2003 VW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE. I WAS UNABLE TO BRAKE AND AVOID A SEMI-TRUCK THAT WAS IN DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS TRAVELING AT A SPEED BETWEEN 30-40 MPH BUT DID LOSE CONSCIENCE SO AM NOT SURE IF REMEMBER EXACTLY HOW FAST I WAS GOING. MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND MY SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK CAUSING MY FACE TO SLAM DIRECTLY INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WHICH CONTAINED NO PASSENGERS NOR ITEMS DID DEPLOY. I SUFFERED FACIAL FRACTURES AND A BROKEN NOSE. MY FRACTURES HAVE HEALED BUT MY NOSE NEEDS TO BE RECONSTRUCTED. MY CAR WAS SERVICED AT A COLLISION CENTER AND THEN SENT TO THE AUTOBARN IN COUNTRYSIDE, IL WHERE THE CAR WAS BOUGHT USED IN AUGUST OF 2006. THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME ON DEC 27 BUT NO EXPLANATION WAS GIVEN FOR THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING. THE TRANSMISSION WAS ALSO NOT WORKING PROPERLY SO I RETURNED THE CAR FOR ADDITIONAL SERVICE A FEW DAYS LATER. THE CAR WAS FINALLY RETURNED TO ME 2 WEEKS LATER WITH A NEW TRANSMISSION BUT STILL NO EXPLANATION FOR THE AIRBAG. UPON LEAVING THE AUTOBARN ON JANUARY 17 WITH MY CAR, THE AIR BAG LIGHT TURNED ON AND STAYED ON WHILE I DROVE ABOUT 10 MILES. I RETURNED THE CAR THE NEXT DAY AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THE LIGHT DID NOT GO ON FOR THEM AND OFFERED AGAIN NO EXPLANATION. *TR