This is on a car with a 1.9L bew engine and 6 speed dsg gearbox. Problem emerged as a rough idle (like a cylinder was missing) and knocking sounds while at idle and during engine shutdown as engine comes to a stop. Car was taken to dealer and dealer diagnosed as failing dual mass flywheel, $1398 to fix. I got lucky and mine didn't explode/disintegrate as some others have, although I don't know yet if it has caused other damage to engine or transmission. Car has 73,000 miles on it and is out of warranty, spent extra money on extended warranty when I bought the car new to hopefully avoid situations like this - the longest warranty I was offered was 7 years or 70,000 miles. VW has re-designed the dual mass flywheel to improve it and they have recalled the cars in other country's because of this failure but not here in the U.S. they obviously know there is a problem, otherwise why the re-designed part or recall? the failing flywheel could also cause sever damage to the transmission and engine.

- Rice, MN, USA

Purchased 2005 VW Beetle with 7,300 miles assured full warranty....guaranteed paint on front bumper would be corrected...did it twice still peeling off....electric windows repaired twice....began making noises when weather was damp...took it to be checked out and was assured it would not always happen but normal...told them transmission seemed to be slipping....one headlight had a short, and then recall on brakelight...they did repair that...but informed me that was all they had time to do that do due to recall...gas cap cover was sticking as well...didn't fix it either....then my air bag light came on...took it in for recall on that...after it was supposedly fixed airbag light did not go off, insisted it had nothing to do with sensor that was recalled...noise in front end began and floorboard flooded during heavy rain....with no obvious entry point....did search for problems with VW Beetles and there are thousands having the very same problems I have been experiencing....now heat gauge light comes off and on, alarm randomly sounds.....but noise in front end concerns me greatly...would not even diagnose car without $98 bucks an hour labor charge to find problems.... this car only has 34,952 miles on it and it is falling apart...no way can all these problems be fixed and me make payments....but thousands are having these very same problems...why has our government not insisted on a recall.....

- Des Arc, AR, USA

Dmf failed blew shrapnel through bell housing! normal driving, Volkswagen new Beetle, 2005.5 diesel 1.9L tdi automatic trans dsg. Dual mass flywheel (dmf) exploded on the road under 10mph. Small metal parts of springs and aluminum punched hole in side of case. Clear 'grease' and shavings everywhere. Could have caused engine or wheels to lockup if it had jammed a larger piece in the drivetrain. Towed to dealer with 95K miles, sounds like a slight grinding noise on acceleration. This is heavy part with a large hole blown in the edge where parts came flying out. Only offered a $750 rebate on purchase of a new VW... this is a manufacturing defect, imho, that vwoa did not cover. Replacement part number for dmf, oem part no longer available. VW replaced with part number 03G-105-266-be $785. Work done at dealer, almost $2K! many dmf failure stories blame the clutch, but mine is an automatic! this is a bad part, that vwoa is trying to hide knowledge of, blaming customers. Other auto makers have admitted bad part and replaced at 100K miles! I have the old part and further checks can be done to show it failed on the inside. My teenage daughter is scared to drive if it were to happen to her! no way to know, there is no scheduled maint, nothing to change or check. Flywheel should be covered by vwoa, it is not a wear item! can you help" many others may not be reporting if vwoa is replacing under warranty, as my web research seems to show. They had to replace an airbag, but my dmf exploding on the road is not their problem? why no recall and no tsb's? bew gys with direct shift gearbox. Damping layer failed in dmf. This will become a larger issue as more miles are logged on this part. Will it cause someone to loose life" thanks.

- Edwardsville, IL, USA