Consumer Complaint Detail
VOLKSWAGEN / NEW BEETLE / 2001
0 Injured
0 Death
No Fire
| Components - Details | |
|---|---|
| NHTSA Complaint Number: 004256060 | Incident Date: Jan, 21 2004 |
| Consumer's City: WESTLAND | Consumer's State: MI |
| Vehicle Transmission Type: MAN | Manufacturers Name: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. |
| Model Name: NEW BEETLE | Model Year: 2001 |
| Vehicle Involved in a Crash: No | Component's Description: Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:pads |
| Vehicle Involved in a Fire: No | Persons Injured: 0 |
| Vehicle's VIN#: 3VWCB21C91M | Date added to File: May, 25 2021 |
| Date Complaint Received: Jan, 22 2004 | Complaint Type: IVOQ |
| Incident Reported To Police: No | Purchase Date: Jul, 19 2001 |
| Was Original Owner: Yes | Anti-lock Brakes: Yes |
| Number of Cylinders: 4 | Date of Manufacturer: - |
| Was Vehicle Towed: - | Description of the Complaints: I have a 2001 volkswagen new beetle which was leased new from bill cook in farminton hills michigan. the complaint regards the need for replacement of rear brake pads and rotors at 18,000 miles while the fronts were still at 70%. the dealership found nothing improperly adjusted or any evidence of poor maintenance or abuse. i contacted volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987 after getting the service completed and opened a case. volkswagen verified that i have had all recommended service performed according to the dealership records and confirmed the details of my complaint with the service personnel at the dealership. yet they refuse to compensate in any way, stating that no manufacturing defect exists. i have found a volkswagen technical service bulletin 4600-01 on the internet regarding uneven pad wear instructing technicians to use an alternate brake pad of different composition. i am an engineer in the automotive industry, and in my opinion this level of repair at this mileage with no evidence of any external cause, especially considering the state of the front brakes, indicates either a defect in design or workmanship in the rear brake system. at the dealership i asked whether i could expect the replacement parts to fail as quickly as the originals and they stated that they would last much longer. the only way this could be true is if the new parts are of a different design or the old parts were defective. this cost me $45.00 to diagnose and $399.15 parts and labor plus tax and shop fees to repair. i expect a longer life for these components on a new vehicle and consider this to be defective and the responsibility of volkswagen to repair. *la |