2001 Volkswagen New Beetle

VIOLENT SHAKING OF 2001 NEW BEETLE GL (HIGHWAY SPEEDS) AFTER SNOW STORM. 1/14/04 SNOW STORM HITS DETROIT METRO AREA. THE NEXT MORNING 1/15/04 WHILE GOING TO WORK MY VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE/VIBRATE, STARTING AT 45 MPH. I DID NOT TAKE THE BUG ABOVE 55 MPH BECAUSE THE SHAKING WAS GETTING WORSE. AFTER WORK, I DROVE TO THE VW DEALER AND LEARNED THAT 16 OTHER NEW BEETLE OWNERS BROUGHT THEIR CAR IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM (THIS WAS A QUOTE BY THE SERVICE REP. STEVE)AND NUMEROUS OWNERS CALLED IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. APPARENTLY THE DESIGN OF THE WHEEL RIMS ALLOW SNOW TO ACCUMULATE CAUSING AN IMBALANCE WITH THE WHEELS. THIS CAUSES THE VIOLENT SHAKING WHILE RUNNING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (45 MPH AND ABOVE). THE ONLY REMEDY IS TO REMOVE THE SNOW BY HAND OR MELT IT AWAY. (DEALER IS CHARGING ABOUT 72 DOLLARS FOR MELTING IT). I NEVER HAD A VEHICLE DO THIS AFTER ANY SNOW STORM IN MICHIGAN. BUT SINCE I WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE INVOLVED, I FELT YOU SHOULD BE NOTIFIED OF THIS ISSUE. I LOVE MY BUG, BUT THIS IS NOT SAFE. WHILE AT THE DEALERSHIP (VYLETEL BUICK & VW, STERLING HEIGHTS MICHIGAN) I LEFT THE VEHICLE THERE OVERNIGHT FOR 30K MAINTENANCE. I FIGURED, WHILE THEY DO THE MAINTENANCE, THE SNOW WOULD MELT OFF THE WHEELS. GIVEN THE SHAKING OF THE VEHICLE CAUSED BY THE IMBALANCE OF THE WHEELS, I AM CONCERNED THE TIRES WILL HAVE PREMATURE WEAR OR FLAT SPOTS ON THE SURFACE. HOPEFULLY, THIS IS NOT THE CASE, SINCE I ACTED ON THE SAME DAY OF THE INCIDENT. *CB

I AM WRITING TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN OVER THE SAFETY AND POTENTIAL DEFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH 2001 MODEL VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE TURBO, ALONG WITH ITS MICHELIN TIRES. LAST WEEK, MY OWN LIFE WAS SERIOUSLY ENDANGERED WHILE DRIVING ON THE MASSACHUSETTS TURNPIKE. TRAVELING IN THE LEFT LANE AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS, MY CAR INSTANTLY LOST CONTROL AND BEGAN SKIDDING VICIOUSLY. UNABLE TO SLOW THE CAR IN TIME, I HIT THE MEDIAN, CAUSING IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO THE CAR. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE, I NOTICED A LARGE, GAPING HOLE CUT THROUGH MY RIGHT REAR TIRE. THIS HOLE, COUPLE WITH THE EXTENSIVE CHARRING AND GRATING TO THE METAL WHEEL, WAS CORROBORATED BY MECHANICS AND VW DEALERS AS THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. I AM GREATLY CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE, AND OR TIRES, MAY CONTAIN A DEFECT THAT HEIGHTENED THE CHANCES OF AN ACCIDENT SUCH AS MINE. THE CAR WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, AND HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR ONLY 27,000 MILES. AS SUCH, IT SEEMS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT A TIRE RUPTURE WOULD BE A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR OCCURRENCE. I DO NOT WISH FOR SUCH AN ACCIDENT TO REOCCUR IN THE FUTURE (EITHER TO MYSELF, OR OTHER CONSUMERS), AND THUS WOULD URGE THE AUTO AND TIRE MANUFACTURERS, ALONG WITH THE NHTSA TO STUDY THE MATTER IN EXPEDITIOUS FASHION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME VIA PHONE AT [XXX], OR BY EMAIL AT [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR