NHTSA Safety Recalls
Volkswagen New Beetle Recalls by Year
NHTSA's files hold 5 recall campaigns for the Volkswagen New Beetle, across 4 model years from 2000 to 2004. The 2001 has the most (3); the fewest among years with a recall is 2002 (1).
No Volkswagen New Beetle model year reaches 2 times the median: the highest, 2001, is at 1.6×.
- Model years
- 4
- Recall campaigns
- 5
- Most recalls
- 2001
- Owner complaints
- 127
2000–2004, with a recall
3 recalls
all model years, NHTSA
Owners have filed 127 complaints with NHTSA about the Volkswagen New Beetle across 6 model years; the most, 40, concern the 2000.
Owners marked a crash on 8 of the Volkswagen New Beetle complaints (6%) and a fire on 5.
Across all Volkswagen New Beetle model years, owners name the electrical system most often (at least 30 complaints), then the engine and engine cooling (21).
NHTSA received the most complaints about the Volkswagen New Beetle in 2004: 54, across all model years.
The component recalled most often on the Volkswagen New Beetle is equipment: other: owners/service/other manual, in 2 model-year listings.
The newest Volkswagen New Beetle recall, 03V508000, was reported on December 4, 2003 and concerns the equipment: other: labels.
NHTSA's recall file lists no recall for the 2003 Volkswagen New Beetle, model year owners have filed complaints about.
Volkswagen New Beetle years to avoid
The best-measured Volkswagen New Beetle years are 2002 (0.6×), 2004 (0.6×) and 2003 (1.0×).
The ranking uses owner complaints in each model year's first years on the road, adjusted for NHTSA's complaint volume for that model year. It is not adjusted for sales and is not a reliability rating. Method
Recalls and complaints by model year
First years: complaints received from the year before the model year to three years after it.Volkswagen New Beetle years without a link have no recall page on this site.
What gets recalled most on the Volkswagen New Beetle
- EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL2
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH2
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP2
- AIR BAGS1
- EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS1
Volkswagen New Beetle model-year listings per recall component; one campaign can cover several years.
Every Volkswagen New Beetle recall campaign (5)
| Campaign | Component | Years | Risk named | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03V508000December 4, 2003 | equipment: other: labels | 2004 | crash and injury | 15,115 |
| 03V356000September 29, 2003 | air bags | 2004 | crash | 333 |
| 03V265000July 25, 2003 | exterior lighting: brake lights: switch | 2000–2001 | — | 295,136 |
| 02V244000September 12, 2002 | equipment: other: owners/service/other manual | 2000–2001 | — | 332,950 |
| 02V031000January 31, 2002 | service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip | 2001–2002 | fire | 55,000 |
Vehicles: NHTSA's count of potentially affected vehicles in the whole campaign, not only the Volkswagen New Beetle. Each campaign page has the defect, risk and fix in NHTSA's words.
Newest record on this page: November 3, 2005. Data: NHTSA recall and owner-complaint files. How these figures are counted