# 1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
> NHTSA complaint `286397` · 2001-04-03 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** VOLKSWAGEN
- **Model:** BEETLE
- **Year:** 1998
- **Manufacturer:** Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
- **Component:** ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
- **Speed:** 10 mph
## Narrative
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
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*