NHTSA ID Number: 10433877
Incident Date: 2011-11-01
Manufacturer's Name: Volkswagen
Group of America, Inc.
Vehicle/Equipment Make: VOLKSWAGEN
Vehicle/Equipment Model: BEETLE
Model Year: 2003
9999 If Unknown Or N/A
Vehicle Identification Number: 3VWCK21Y03M
Vehicle Mileage At Failure: 75000
Vehicle Speed: 10
Number Of Occurrences: 1
Was Vehicle Towed: No
Consumer Location: LONG BEACH, CA
Summary of Complaint
I PURCHASED MY 2003 NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE BRAND SPANKING NEW IN DEC 2002. THE CAR HAD 32 MILES ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT; THE CAR NOW HAS 77K MILES AS OF TODAY. I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING A MAJOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS THAT VW IS ACUTELY AWARE OF. THE CAR IS A 6 SPEED AUTO TRANSMISSION WITH TRIP TRONIC. THE CAR HESITATES UPON ACCELERATION AND BEFORE SHIFTING INTO 2ND GEAR. INSTEAD, THE TRANSMISSION LURCHES FROM 1ST INTO 2ND, CAUSING THE TIRES TO SCREECH. WHEN THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD IT CAUSES THE FRONT DRIVE/STEERING TIRES TO LOSE GRIP ON THE PAVEMENT WHICH IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW TIMES WHEN IT JUMPED SO HARD IT ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND SOMETIMES THE LURCH IS SO STRONG IT FEELS LIKE ANOTHER CAR HIT ME FROM BEHIND. THE TRANSMISSION WORKS FINE WHEN IT IS COOL BUT GETS WORSE AS THE CAR WARMS UP - AFTER ABOUT 5 MILES. THE OTHER GEARS HAVE SHIFTING PROBLEMS TOO; JUST NOT AS HARSH AS GOING INTO 2ND. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS DOWNSHIFTING AS WELL. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THE CAR GETTING STUCK IN 2ND GEAR WHILE TRAVELING IN TRAFFIC WHICH CREATED A DANGER FOR ME AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD. THE ONLY WAY TO CURE THE PROBLEM IS TO SAFELY MAKE MY WAY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURN THE ENGINE OFF, WAIT A FEW MINUTES, THEN TURN IT BACK ON. THIS DOESN'T COMPLETELY MAKE THE LURCHING GO AWAY BUT IT GIVES ME SEVERAL TRAVEL MILES BEFORE GETTING STUCK IN GEAR AGAIN. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHO LOOKED UP MY VIN. THEY TOLD ME I WAS OVER MY YEARS FOR THE RECALL ON THE VALVE BODY WHICH IS WHAT SHOULD CORRECT MY TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I HAVE LIVED AT THE SAME ADDRESS SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2002 AND NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THIS ITEM. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN VW OF AMERICA! I WAITED SEVERAL YEARS FOR THE CONVERTIBLE VERSION TO COME OUT AND THIS WAS A BIRTHDAY PRESENT TO MYSELF (THIS IS HOW MUCH I LOVE THIS CAR!) *TR
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Complaint 10433877 Documents
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CRASH: No
WAS VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A CRASH
FIRE: No
WAS VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FIRE
INJURIES: 0
NUMBER OF PERSONS INJURED
DEATHS: 0
NUMBER OF FATALITIES
Was Medical Attention Required: No
Was Incident Reported To Police: No
Date Of Incident: 2011-11-01
(YYYY-MM-DD)
Date Added To File: 2011-11-01
(YYYY-MM-DD)
Date Complaint Received By NHTSA: 2011-11-01
(YYYY-MM-DD)
Date Purchased:
(YYYY-MM-DD)
Was Original Owner: No
Product Type: Vehicle
V = Vehicle T = Tires E = Equipment C = Child Restraint
Specific Component's Description: POWER TRAIN
Anti-Lock Brakes: No
Cruise Control: No
Number Of Cylinders: 4
Drive Train Type:
[AWD, 4WD, FWD, RWD]
Fuel System:
FI = Fuel Injection TB = Turbo
Fuel Type: Gas
BF = BiFuel CN = CNG/LPG DS = Diesel GS = Gas HR = HybridElectric
Vehicle Transmission Type [Auto, Man]:
(DOT) Department Of Transportation Tire Identifier:
Tire Size:
Location Of Tire:
FSW = Driver Side Front DSR = Driver Side Rear FTR = Passenger Side Front PSR = Passenger Side Rear SPR = Spare
Type Of Tire Failure:
BST = Blister BLW = Blowout TTL = Crack OFR = Out Of Round TSW = Puncture TTR = Road Hazard TSP = Tread Separation
Was Defective Tire Repaired:
Was Part Original Equipment:
Date Of Manufacture:
(YYYYMMDD)
Type Of Child Seat:
B = Booster C = Convertible I = Infant IN = Integrated TD = Toddler
Installation System:
A = Vehicle Safety Belt B = Latch System
Dealer's Name:
Dealer's Telephone Number:
Dealer's City:
Dealer's State:
Dealer's Zipcode:
SOURCE OF COMPLAINT CODE:
CAG = Consumer Action Group CON = Forwarded From A Congressional Office DP = Defect Petition,result Of A Defect Petition EVOQ = Hotline VOQ EWR = EARLY WARNING REPORTING INS = Insurance Company IVOQ = NHTSA Web Site LETR = Consumer Letter MAVQ = NHTSA Mobile APP MIVQ = NHTSA Mobile APP MVOQ = Optical Marked VOQ RC = Recall Complaint, Result Of A Recall Investigation RP = Recall Petition, Result Of A Recall Petition SVOQ = Portable Safety Complaint Form (PDF) VOQ = NHTSA Vehicle Owners Questionnaire
Incident State Code:
Vehicle Operator's Name:
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