Volkswagen Beetle recalls and safety
32 recalls · crash ratings 2012-2019 · 2,601 owner complaints
32
recalls
32
recalls
The Volkswagen Beetle has 32 recalls covering 3.79 million vehicles as reported; model year 2013 is covered by the most (7). The 2017 Volkswagen Beetle earned 5 of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Owners filed 16 safety complaints in the 12 months to Sep 2026; power train is named most over all years.
Updated Oct 11, 2026 · recalls to Oct 6, 2026
Recalls
32
Most for 2013: 7
Units affected
3.79M
As reported
Overall stars
5 of 5
Model year 2017
Complaints, 12 mo
16
-56.8% vs 12 months before
Do-not-drive
1
Recalls
By model year
Which model years are covered by the most recalls, and which get the most complaints
Recalls by model year
How many recalls cover each model year. Hover a year for the count.
Crash test star ratings
8 rated versions, model years 2012 to 2019
Overall stars by model year
The best and lowest overall rating of the versions tested each year (5 is best).
| Year | Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2 DR · FWD | Not rated | Not rated | 10.5% risk | |
| 2018 | 2 DR · FWD | Not rated | Not rated | 10.5% risk | |
| 2017 | 2 DR · FWD | 10.5% risk | |||
| 2016 | 2 DR · FWD | 10.5% risk | |||
| 2015 | 2 DR · FWD | 10.5% risk | |||
| 2014 | 2 DR · FWD | 10.5% risk | |||
| 2013 | 2 DR · FWD | 10.5% risk | |||
| 2012 | 2 DR · FWD | 10.5% risk |
5 stars is the best. Ratings before model year 2011 used older tests.
Owner complaints
Safety complaints about the Volkswagen Beetle, by the month they were received
Complaints per month
16 in the 12 months to Sep 2026.
Components named most
- Power train606
- Air bags537
- Electrical system475
- Visibility325
- Engine and engine cooling250
- Exterior lighting191
- Structure152
- Complaints
- 2,601
- Crashes reported
- 120
- Fires reported
- 107
- People injured
- 99
Counts only, as reported by owners and not verified.
Parts recalled
Recalls of the Volkswagen Beetle by component
- Air bags5 · 471K units
- Equipment3 · 1,724 units
- Exterior lighting3 · 1.65M units
- Electrical system2 · 688K units
- Fuel system, gasoline2 · 273K units
- Service brakes, hydraulic2 · 15K units
- Structure2 · 3,510 units
- Suspension2 · 448K units
Volkswagen Beetle recalls
The 25 newest of 32
Related pages
Questions and answers
Is the 2019 Volkswagen Beetle recalled?
Yes: 4 recalls cover the 2019 Volkswagen Beetle. Check the recall pages below for what is wrong and the free fix; a dealer can tell if a single vehicle still needs the repair.
How many recalls does the Volkswagen Beetle have?
32 recalls cover the Volkswagen Beetle, for 3.79 million vehicles as reported. The most common problem is air bags (5 recalls).
What is the safety rating of the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle?
5 of 5 stars overall (2 DR): frontal crash 4, side crash 5 and rollover 4 stars, with a 10.5% chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
What do owners complain about most on the Volkswagen Beetle?
Power train: named in 606 of the 2,601 safety complaints about the Volkswagen Beetle, then air bags (537). One complaint can name several components.
A recall means the maker found a safety problem and offers a free fix; it does not mean every unit has the problem. Units affected are as reported by the company. Popular models sell more and so have more recalls and complaints. Official public data, updated daily. Models are written as published, so a few versions of one model can be listed under slightly different names.