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

ON JANUARY 16, 2003 WHILE DRIVING MY VW NEW BEETLE TDI (DIESEL) ON THE INTERSTATE WITH A HALF OF A TANK OF NO. 1 DIESEL FUEL WITH THE TEMPERATURE BELOW 0 DEGREES F AND WIND CHILL IN THE -40 TO -50 F RANGE, MY VEHICLE DIED SEVERAL TIMES AND TOOK SEVERAL MINUTES TO RESTART EACH TIME. BY THE TIME I GOT IT TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP 12 MILES FROM MY RESIDENCE 5 DAYS LATER (I LIVE OVER 100 MILES FROM THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP) THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL UNDER LIGHT LOAD (ANY SPEED ABOVE 20-40 M.P.H.) OR TRYING TO DRIVE UP A HILL AND, AFTER STALLING 4 TIMES THE BATTERY WAS BECOMING DRAINED. THE REPAIR SHOP MADE SEVERAL CALLS TO A DEALERSHIP IN BURNSVILLE, MN. (WHICH HAD 4 OR 5 OTHER VWS WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM) AND WAS TOLD THAT VOLKSWAGON RECOMMENDED TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO REMOVE (NOT REPLACE) THE ANTI-SIPHON FLAP IN THE FUEL TANK BECAUSE MOISTURE WAS FREEZING ON IT THUS LETTING AIR INTO THE FUEL LINES. WHILE AT THE REPAIR SHOP I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THERE WERE ALSO 3 OR 4 OTHERS COME IN OR BE TOWED IN WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. SINCE THIS WAS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT ON JUST MY VEHICLE AND VOLKSWAGON RECOMMENDED TO THE DEALERSHIP TO REMOVE THIS PART, I WOULD CONSIDED THIS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW AND AM EXPECTING TO BE REIMBURSED. THE VW CUSTOMER CARE CENTER IN ROCHESTER HILLS, MI. DOES NOT AGREE. SO, I AM NOT CONTACTING YOU NECESSARILY TO HELP ME BE REIMBURSED FOR THIS $200 EXPENSE BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY TO INFORM YOU OF THE SEVERITY OF THIS PROBLEM. NOT ONLY HAS IT COST ME AND OTHERS HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS IN TOWING AND REPAIR COSTS BUT IS LEAVING PEOPLE STRANDED IN VERY DANGEROUS WEATHER CONDITIONS WHERE FROSTBITE WILL SET IN LITERALLY IN A COUPLE OF MINUTES. IT SEEMS APPARENT THAT VW HAS NO PLAN TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM IN SPITE OF THEM KNOWING THERE IS A PROBLEM SO I HOPE YOU CAN HELP OR AT LEAST INVESTIGATE THIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORTS.

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