2000 Volkswagen Beetle Fuel System Problems

I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS CLASSIFIES AS A PROBLEM BUT I WANT TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION. I OWN A 2000 VW BETTLE THAT MY DAUGHTER DRIVES. RECENTLY, DURING HER TRIP TO WORK, THE CAR STARTED SPUTTERING AND WOULD NOT GO BEYOND 10 MPH. I NOTICED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS VERY SIMILAR TO MY 1982 FIAT SPYDER WHICH HAD A DEFECTIVE AIRFLOW METER. AFTER CHECKING WITH THE LOCAL DEALER, IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE SAME PROBLEM. I FOUND OUT THAT THEY HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM ON ALMOST ALL THEIR MODELS INCLUDING MERCEDES BENZ CARS. THE PRICE OF THIS AIRFLOW METER WAS AROUND $ 60.00 WHICH MADE ME MORE SUSPICIOUS SINCE I PAID WELL OVER $400 FOR THE ONE ON MY FIAT. COME TO FIND OUT THAT THE DEALERSHIP HAD OVER 20 ON BACKORDER DURING THE TIME I PURCHASED MINE AND I HAD TO WAIT OVER TWO WEEKS TO GET IT. IF THIS AIRFLOW METERS FAILS DURING TRAVEL ON THE INTERSTATE, IT COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE CAR WILL SLOW DOWN CONSIDERABLY IN HI-SPEED TRAFFIC. THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS COMPONENT IS BOSCH AND ACCORDING TO SERVICE PERSONNEL, THE COST OF THE AIRFLOW METER WAS IN EXCESS OF $250 BUT THEY DROPPED THE PRICE DUE TO THE HIGH NUMBER OF FAILURES. I QUESTIONED WHY THIS WAS NEVER ADDRESSED ON A RECALL FOR THE VEHICLES, AT WHICH TIME THE TECHNICIANS JUST STOPPED TALKING TO ME. *LA

VEHICLE USES DIESEL FUEL. THEREFORE WATER IN FUEL FREEZES IN FUEL FILTER LINE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STOP. *AK

AFTER DISCOVERING THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, WHERE THE FUEL TANK WAS FOUND TO BE BUSTED. THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. DRIVER NEVER RAN OVER ANYTHING THAT COULD HAVE DAMAGED THE FUEL TANK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

FUEL FILTER LINE IS LOCATED TOO CLOSE TO FUEL CLIP THAT HAS CAUSED A HOLE TO DEVELOP IN FUEL LINE. CONSUMER HAS NOTICED THERE WAS NO LEAK AT THE PRESENT TIME. CONSUMER HAS YET TO CONTACT THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK