Safety Score
62
Average
Recalls
2
Complaints
50
NCAP Stars
—
Recalls (2)
| Date | NHTSA ID | Component | Units | Completion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-05-24 | 06V183000 |
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH | 646,246 | — | Details |
| 1998-05-13 | 98V100000 |
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 8,500 | — | Details |
Owner Complaints (showing up to 50)
| Date | Component | Crash | Injuries | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-10-04 | AIR BAGS | Yes | 0 | The driver was driving the speed limit (55 mph) and tried to slow down as they approached a red light. The brakes faile… |
| 2019-05-25 | SERVICE BRAKES | No | 0 | DON'T WORK |
| 2014-10-31 | ENGINE | No | 0 | DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING TO SCHOOL, CAR STALLED, RESTARTED CAR THEN SAW SMOKE AND FIRE UNDER PASSENGER SIDE DASH. CAR BURNT… |
| 2014-06-02 | ENGINE | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FA… |
| 2013-08-02 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 0 | OWNER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN ON A/C. WHEN A/C WOULD NOT WORK PROPERLY, SHE PULLED OFF ROADWAY AND S… |
| 2013-03-18 | SEATS | No | 0 | TWO SMALL BOLTS THAT HOLD DOWN THE FRONT OF THE DRIVERS SEAT BECAME LOOSE AND OVER TIME THEY EVENTUALLY BROKE COMPLETEL… |
| 2012-08-26 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 1 | WINDOWS STARTED GOING UP AND DOWN RANDOMLY AND DOORS LOCKING/UNLOCKING RANDOMLY. AS I WAS REACHING THROUGH MY WINDOW T… |
| 2011-06-29 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 0 | I PURCHASED A 98' VW NEW BEETLE 3 DAYS AGO FROM A DEALER AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE W/ IT UNTIL TODAY. THE CAR STARTED… |
| 2010-09-29 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE TEMPERATURE LIGHT BEG… |
| 2010-09-01 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 0 | THE VEHICLE AIR CONDITIONING STOPPED WORKING IN 9/2010. AFTER PAYING FOR REPAIR OF THE AC SYSTEM IT STILL DID NOT WORK … |
| 2010-01-30 | POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | No | 0 | MY 98 VW NEW BEETLE HAS 68,000 MILES ON IT. AROUND 66,000 MILES IT BEGAN TO SHIFT REAL HARD. IN ORDER TO GET THE CAR … |
| 2009-09-20 | SEATS | No | 0 | MY DRIVER SEAT WAS DISLOCATED N PUSHED TO THE BACK WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. LUCKILY I WAS DRIVING IN THE TOWN N THE… |
| 2009-09-20 | SEATS | No | 0 | MY 1998 VW NEW BEETLE DRIVER SEAT DISLODGED COS SCREWS UNDERNEATH CAME OUT WHILE DRIVING ON OAKLAND HIGHWAY. I WAS PUSH… |
| 2009-08-20 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 0 | VOLKSWAGEN OVERHEAT WITH FUSE BLOCK ELECTRICAL FIRE. FIRE WAS CONTAINED TO THE FUSE BLOCK OF 1998 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE… |
| 2009-07-16 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN | No | 0 | TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 VW BEETLE DIESEL. DRIVER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 5MPH ON A CLEAR DAY WHEN SHE NOTICED A SQUEAK… |
| 2009-07-04 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | No | 0 | LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT BULBS FAIL PREMATURELY CAUSING LOSS OF VISION AT NIGHT. NEW BULBS ONLY LAST ABOUT 3 MONTHS BEFORE T… |
| 2008-12-11 | AIR BAGS | Yes | 0 | TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT THE DRIVER AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. WHILE DRIVI… |
| 2008-09-01 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | No | 0 | MY CAR BEGAN TO OVER HEAT IN JULY AND I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC. I HAD TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP, THERMOSTAT AND TIMIN… |
| 2008-04-27 | VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | No | 0 | DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW STUCK IN DOWN POSITION. PRESSING THE WINDOW UP TOGGLE RESULTS IN GRINDING NOISE AND BURNT/ELEC… |
| 2008-01-12 | AIR BAGS | No | 0 | AIRBAG LAMP TURNED ON WITHOUT ANY PHYSICAL INCIDENT. *TR |
| 2007-12-31 | STRUCTURE | No | 0 | LARGE PUDDLE OF WATER ACCUMULATES IN REAR PASSENGER FOOTWELL AFTER A HEAVY RAIN. I DO NOT HAVE A MOONROOF SO THERE ARE… |
| 2007-12-12 | LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | No | 0 | 1998 VW NEW BEETLE: BOTH DOOR LOCKS FAILED. AT FIRST ONLY DRIVER DOOR WITH FOB. PROGRESSED TO NOT BEING ABLE TO LOCK EI… |
| 2007-10-20 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 0 | I HAVE A 98 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE. I HAVE HAD THE EXACT PROBLEMS LISTED IN ONE OF THE RECALLS THAT HAS BEEN DONE ON SO… |
| 2007-08-01 | STRUCTURE | No | 0 | SINCE I PURCHASED MY BEETLE IN 2001, IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING MONEY DRAIN. IN 6 YRS. I HAVE REPLACED THE MANUAL TRANSMIS… |
| 2007-07-03 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | No | 0 | I OWN A VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE, 98. I WAS DRIVING MY CAR TO WORK AROUND 9:00 AM. THE AIR CONDITIONER WOULD NOT TURN PAST 2… |
| 2007-06-26 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | No | 0 | TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE PLASTIC TUBE THAT EXTENDS FROM THE VACUUM PUMP TO THE VACUUM BRAKE B… |
| 2007-06-08 | VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | No | 0 | TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHEN THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, THE WIPER ARM DETACHED… |
| 2007-04-12 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | No | 0 | TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE VEHICLE HAD EX THE SAME FAILURE AS INDICATED IN RECALL # 98V100000.… |
| 2006-12-28 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL | No | 0 | TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON 12-28-06 VEHICLE WHICH WAS PARKED CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE … |
| 2006-08-08 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH | No | 0 | I AM REPORTING THE SECOND FAILURE OF A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH ON MY 1998 VW BEETLE. THE FIRST SWITCH WAS REPLACED LESS THA… |
| 2006-06-14 | VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR | No | 0 | DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WITHOUT INCIDENT, BOTH THE LOWER PIVOTS FOR THE EXTERIOR REAR VIEW MIRRORS FRACTURED. THE MIR… |
| 2006-04-19 | VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | No | 0 | DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED AND THE REPLACEMENT PART DISTORTS THE VIEW ALONG THE BOTTOM PASSEN… |
| 2005-09-26 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN | No | 0 | THE LOCK MECHANISM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR OF MY 1998 BEETLE JUST FELL OUT WITHOUT WARNING. I DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS… |
| 2005-08-11 | FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL | No | 0 | THE TURBO CHARGER ON THE TDI VOLKSWAGONS ARE FAILING AT A VERY HIGH RATE. THE COST FOR REPAIR AVERAGES ABOUT $1600. THE… |
| 2005-08-08 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | No | 0 | I HAVE INVESTED IN A 1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE I ONLY DROVE IT 3 TIMES IT WHEN DOWN ON ME 6 MILES FROM MY HOUSE THE GUY TH… |
| 2005-06-26 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH | No | 0 | DT: HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINING ON. THIS OCCURRED WHEN BOTH BRAKE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED AND EVEN WHEN I… |
| 2005-04-25 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | No | 0 | THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD A SERIES OF PROBLEMS SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A VOLKSWAGEN ENTHUSIAST. SO WHEN I … |
| 2005-04-04 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | No | 0 | I OWN A 1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. ABOUT A YEAR AGO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED AND I WAS LOCKED IN MY CAR. FORT… |
| 2005-01-15 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY:RELAY | No | 0 | DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT 1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED WHILE DRIVING. THE SPEED WAS NOT A FACTOR. … |
| 2005-01-15 | SEATS | No | 0 | WITH NORMAL USE OF THE SEATS IN THE VEHICLE, THE 2 BOLTS THAT HOLD THE RAIL TO THE SEAT OF THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE CAM… |
| 2005-01-01 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | No | 0 | DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN MY CAR THE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHT WENT OUT. THE BRIGHTS STILL WORK BUT THE PASSENGER SIDE HEA… |
| 2004-12-10 | VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR | No | 0 | I OWN A 1998 BEETLE AND I AM MAKING YOU AWARE OF A SAFETY CONCERN THAT CAN POSSIBLY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT OR EVEN CAUSE A… |
| 2004-12-08 | SEATS | No | 0 | I WAS DRIVING MY 98 BUG WHEN THE ENTIRE SEAT FELL OFF THE TRACK, AND I FELL IN THE BACKSEAT, THE CAR STALLED WHILE ON A… |
| 2004-09-10 | SEATS | No | 0 | MY DRIVER SIDE SEAT ON MY 98 BEETLE HAS COLLAPSED AND NEEDS A NEW SEAT FRAME. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. |
| 2004-08-18 | AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW | No | 0 | UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE THE SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO COLLISION. CONSUMER WAS INJURED. ONE MONTH PRIOR TO T… |
| 2004-07-30 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | No | 0 | 1998 BEETLE.*MR AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IT WAS DRIVER 120 MILES TO THE CONSUMER'S HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN… |
| 2004-06-16 | VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | No | 0 | THE ELECTRIC WINDOW WOULD NOT MOVE IN THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURED ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM … |
| 2004-06-04 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | No | 0 | WHILE DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. THEN, VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTA… |
| 2004-05-15 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | No | 0 | WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE VIBRATED AND JERKED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VE… |
| 2004-04-14 | VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | No | 0 | I OWN A 1998 VW BEETLE AND TWO YEARS AGO THE DRIVER WINDOW WOULD NOT GO UP OR DOWN SO I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE T… |