15 of the 289 complaints about the 1998 Volkswagen Beetle are about the airbag system — 5% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 56,331 miles.
15
Complaints
9
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
AIR BAGS
The driver was driving the speed limit (55 mph) and tried to slow down as they approached a red light. The brakes failed to work, and the driver rear-ended the vehicle waiting at the stoplight. The airbags did not deploy.
NHTSA complaint #11438206 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
AIRBAG LAMP TURNED ON WITHOUT ANY PHYSICAL INCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #10261052 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT THE DRIVER AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON A SNOW COVERED ROAD, THE DRIVER NOTICED AN 18-WHEELER HEADING TOWARDS THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO AVOID A CRASH. THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE DRIVER REAR ENDED THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP AND AN INSURANCE AGENT INFORMED THE OWNER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000.
NHTSA complaint #10253389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
MY 1998 BUG HAS BURNED APPROX. 1 QUART OF OIL EVERY 1000 MILES, DEALERSHIP REPORTED THIS AS NORMAL? DON'T THINK SO. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS EVERY SIX MONTHS UNTIL THE SWITCH ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FOR THE DAYTIME RUNNINGS LAMPS BROKE. I OPEN THE CAR DOOR (STILL IN WARRANTY) AND THE HANDLE FELL OFF IN MY HANDS. FOG LIGHT HAD MOISTURE IN IT, NOW BOTH HAVE FALLEN OUT. BOTH DOOR HINGES BROKE. YOU CANNOT OPEN DOORS AND SHUT THEM, I HAD TO CLIMB IN AND OUT OF THE WINDOWS TO GET INTO THE CAR. THE TRUNK LATCH HAD TO BE REPAIRED, IT WOULDN'T OPEN. THE GAS LATCH IS BROKEN AND DOESN'T HINGE, THE GLOVE BOX HINGES DON'T WORK, THE COMPARTMENT ABOVE THE CLOCK DOESN'T HINGE PROPERLY. THE RADIO TURNS ITSELF OFF, THE TEMP READ OUT IN THE CAR FADES IN AND OUT, SOMETHING ON THE TRANSMISSION BROKE AND I ONLY HAD 2ND AND 3RD GEAR, I HAVE REPLACED THE OXYGEN SENSORS TWICE, MY AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON, I HAVE BEEN TOLD I NEED A NEW SEAT TO CORRECT THIS, EVEN THOUGH IT IS DUE THE THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS EVERY BUG SEEMS TO HAVE. HUB CAP HAS FALLEN OFF SEVERAL TIMES. I HAVE LOST ANTIFREEZE, BUT NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO FIND OUT WHERE II'S GOING. I'M SURE THERE IS MORE, BUT THIS CAR CONSTANTLY HAS SO MANY THINGS WRONG WITH IT, I CAN'T KEEP UP ANYMORE. UNFORTUNATELY THE DEALERSHIPS ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO CAN'T SEEM TO SEE ALL THE CRONIC PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10110626 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE THE SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO COLLISION. CONSUMER WAS INJURED. ONE MONTH PRIOR TO THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH BOARD. ALSO, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. RECALL 98V100000 WAS ISSUED.
NHTSA complaint #10089830 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
DRIVE TIME SOLD ME A CAR THAT HAD THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON, AND SAID THEY WERE GOING TO FIX IT, BUT THEY NEVER DID, NOW THEY HAVE CHANGED MANAGEMENT AND THE PERSON WHO PROMISSED TO REPAIR IS NO LONGER THERE, LEAVING ME IN A POSITION WHERE THE NEW MANAGER SAYS THAT THE COST TO FIX THE PROBLEM IS NOT COVERED BY THEIR BUSINESS. THE CAR SPENT A WEEK AND A HALF ON THEIR REPAIR SHOP, AND NOTHING WAS FIXED, MY DASH WAS SCRATCHED FROM THE OUTSIDE AND THEY BROKE A PIECE BETWEEN THE SEATS.
NHTSA complaint #10064060 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
AIR BAG ON PASSENGER SIDE OF 1998 BEETLE ACTIVATED. SIDE BAG ONLY. NEITHER FRONT BAGS, NOR DRIVER'S SIDE. NO COLLISION WITH OTHER CAR. LATER EXAMINATION SHOWED DAMAGE TO RIGHT WHEEL RIM.
NHTSA complaint #10039001 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK PH
NHTSA complaint #10022784 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
PROBLEMS WITH FRONT WINDOW MECHANISM.
NHTSA complaint #10004416 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #766183 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH CONSUMER'S SON BROADSIDED A TRUCK, CAUSING A CRASH. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, AND VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.
NHTSA complaint #891984 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
THIS VEHICLE WAS IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AT 25 TO 30 MPH, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #877231 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIIVNG AT 50 MPH A DEER RAN OUT IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, AND THE CONSUMER AVOIDED THE DEER AND RAN INTO A DITCH. THEN HIT A TREE ON THE LEFT OF THE DRIVER'S DOOR, AND DRIVER SIDE/ PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. CONSUMER HAD THE SEAT BELT ON AND WASN'T HURT.
NHTSA complaint #851208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
WHILE DRIIVNG AT 50 MPH A DEER RAN OUT IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, AND THE CONSUMER AVOIDED THE DEER AND RAN INTO A DITCH. THEN HIT A TREE ON THE LEFT OF THE DRIVER'S DOOR, AND DRIVER SIDE/ PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. CONSUMER HAD THE SEAT BELT ON AND WASN'T HURT.
NHTSA complaint #851208 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER HIT AN OTHER VEHICLE ON THE FRONT OR THE SIDE, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.
NHTSA complaint #835187 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.