Volkswagen Beetle

Where it stands out against its peers

• Air bags: more complaints than 98% of 2015 cars — 55% of its 99 complaints, where an ordinary 2015 car has 10%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• AIR BAGS — 51 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 10 owners reported this
• ENGINE — 5 owners reported this
• STEERING — 3 owners reported this
• VISIBILITY/WIPER — 3 owners reported this

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

31% of 2019 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• Do not drive

  18V369000

  A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.

  Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners. Audi dealers will bleed the rear brakes. Volkswagen dealers will bleed the front and rear brake calipers. Note: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the brake system has been checked. The recall began June 29, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298 and Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 47N8, 47N9, and 47N6.

• 12V331000

  DUE TO AN ERROR AT THE FACTORY, THE AFFECTED VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH SUMMER TIRES THAT ARE POSSIBLY NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS 110 "TIRE SELECTION & RIMS" AND 139 "NEW PNEUMATIC TIRES FOR LIGHT VEHICLES." IN ADDITION, CUSTOMERS MAY BE UNAWARE THAT THEIR VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH SUMMER PERFORMANCE TIRES. SUMMER TIRES HAVE DIFFERENT GRIP AND PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS. THESE ISSUES MAY LEAD TO AN INCREASED RISK OF A CRASH.

  VOLKSWAGEN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT TIRES, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

• 12V540000

  If the control module does not detect a child seat installed, the airbag will not turn off. If the airbag does not turn off, in the event of a crash necessitating front airbag deployment, a child secured in the child seat may be at an increased risk for serious injury.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and replace the control modules, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during January 2013. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.

• 14V182000

  The leaking transmission fluid could contact a hot surface and result in a vehicle fire.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the O-ring seals in the transmission oil cooler, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on April 16, 2014. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 38B9/9V.

• 14V656000

  The reduced durability of the trailing arm may result in its sudden fracture, possibly causing loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a sheet metal inlay on the rear axle trailing arms designed to prevent a sudden loss of control in the event of trailing arm sudden fracture, free of charge. The recall began April 7, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.

• 14V658000

  Vehicle occupants could be injured by falling glass. A sunroof break during vehicle operation also increases the risk of driver distraction and a resulting vehicle crash.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sunroof, free of charge. The recall began on December 15, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 60B9.

• 15V028000

  A fuel leak, in the presence of an ignition source, can result in a vehicle fire.

  Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rails with new parts, free of charge. The recall began February 6, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 24BL. Note: This recall expands and supersedes recall 14V-809 (Volkswagen recall number 24Bi) and only affects vehicles not previously repaired under that campaign.

• 15V705000

  If the camshaft lobe shears off there would be a loss of brake assist, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.

  Volkswagen dealer will update the engine control module (ECM) software. The recall began March 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23R1.

8 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Front air bag crash sensor failure

  Preliminary evaluation, opened February 2008, closed April 2008.

• Brake light switch failure

  Recall query, opened February 2006, closed August 2006.

• Brake light switch

  Engineering analysis, opened April 2003, closed August 2003.

• Brake light switch operation

  Preliminary evaluation, opened November 2002, closed April 2003.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Volkswagen filed 419 bulletins about the 2019 Beetle.

• Equipment: 126
• Electrical system: 68
• Engine and engine cooling: 63
• Engine: 42
• Structure: 15
• Power train: 13
• Service brakes: 13
• Visibility: 10
• Equipment adaptive/mobility: 9
• Air bags: 7
• Other: 53

• This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the issue: DA 0019 -… · August 2026
• Oil Consumption Measurement and Electronic Oil Consumption Measurement · August 2026
• Inquiries · July 2026
• Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards · July 2026
• Instruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start. · July 2026
• Lubricating engine components before reassembly. · July 2026
• Difference between Component fluid leakage and seepage · June 2026
• This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the error message ERP0204E… · April 2026

411 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.