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2000 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · 811510 · 2010-09-01

Vehicle

Make
VOLKSWAGEN
Model
BEETLE
Year
2000
Manufacturer
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Miles at failure
110,000
Speed
5 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

I HAVE A 2000 VW BEETLE. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP WITH 100,000 MILES ON IT. THE FIRST WEEK IT BEGAN ACTING CRAZY AND I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD "SOLD AS IS". I HAVE SPENT $3000 ON THIS CAR FIXING VARIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THIS CAR IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE. THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY! IT JUMPS AND JERKS AT WEIRD TIMES AND ALMOST CAUSES SOMEONE TO REAR END ME. I'VE ALREADY INVESTED A GRAND TRYING TO RESOLVE THE TRANSMISSION ISSUE BUT THE CAR WILL ACT FINE FOR THE FIRST FEW DAYS AND THEN THE PROBLEM WILL BEGIN AGAIN. THE THIRD GEAR ALWAYS SLIPS AND YOU GET WHIPLASH. IT FEELS AS IF THEY GEAR IS ABOUT TO DROP OUT OF THE CAR!! THE ENGINE MISFIRES ON THE HIGHWAY AND NO PROBLEM CAN BE FOUND BY MY MECHANIC. HE TELLS ME THEY ARE JUST RANDOM MISFIRES! THAT IS DANGEROUS GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPHS AND THE CAR SHOOT DOWN TO 50 AND JERK ON I-40 IN WINSTON SALEM. IN THE RAIN, IT WILL JERK EVEN WORSE, ALMOST LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS JUMPING OUT OF THE HOOD! MY ABS LIGHTS WILL FLASH AT WEIRD TIMES AS WELL AS MY BRAKE LIGHT. I HAVE HAD MY BRAKES CHECKED, NOT THE BRAKES. SOMETHING NOW STAYS ON IN THE CAR THAT NO MECHANIC CAN PINPOINT WHICH CAUSES THE BATTERY TO GO DEAD EVERYTIME YOU TURN THE CAR OFF. THE GAUGES TEND TO NOT WANT TO WORK SOME OF THE TIME AND THE MILEAGE WILL EVEN STOP READING. SOMETIMES THE GAS PEDAL DOES NOT CONNECT AND WILL STOP ACCELERATING EVENTHOUGH YOUR PUSHING ON THE GAS UPON TAKE OFF. THE ALARM GOES OFF AT ALL T

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10353412
Machine
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