4.4
definitely annoying- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 25,900 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
1999 Volkswagen Beetle under warranty of 10 years or 100,000 miles-power train-transmission. Because parts were left out of the transmission during repair in 2001 and because the transmission would not shift properly from the purchase date of 4-28-1999, many close calls/near accidents were experienced on the freeway. The Beetle jumped out of 1 gear or another and in freeway traffic that is life threatening. The manufacturer and dealer classic VW of escondido, ca. Did not correct the problem. From 1999 to 2-03, 7 attempts at repair with the one 2-13-03 by paradise VW of indio, ca, 110 miles from home. One dealer would not even attempt because they wouldn't get paid. Per phone 2 other dealers told us to go back to classic where we purchased the Beetle and have them fix their own bad work. The transmission jumped out of gear at freeway speeds, 70 mph, and when you loose gear in that kind of traffic in the 2nd or 3rd lane you are in real danger. About 10 of this kind of near accident occurred. Luckily accidents were avoided. Freeway travel cannot always be avoided. Could not get the car repaired so we drove it. Classic always maintained the car was repaired or didn't need repair, and we drove it. We always felt in danger. This type of defect needs more attention because it is life threatening, a death waiting to happen.
- Fallbrook, CA, USA
- Vista, CA, USA