FaultScore

2015 Volkswagen Beetle electrical problems

16 of the 108 complaints about the 2015 Volkswagen Beetle are about the electrical system — 15% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 36,300 miles.

B

16

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Electrical System 16 100.0%

Electrical System across every Volkswagen Beetle year

1998 63 13.3%
1999 50 10.5%
2000 64 13.5%
2001 45 9.5%
2002 40 8.4%
2003 36 7.6%
2004 47 9.9%
2005 36 7.6%
2006 13 2.7%
2008 20 4.2%
2012 12 2.5%
2013 19 4.0%
2014 13 2.7%
2015 16 3.4%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Carlyle, IL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Speedometer stops working. My 16 year old daughter can’t tell how fast she is going when the speedometer stops working. And the screen freezes. Cruise control does not work.

NHTSA complaint #11545249 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 51,000 miles Boiling Springs, PA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

PHONE BUTTON DOESN'T WORK, NO RESPONSE. BLUETOOTH ISN'T DISCOVERABLE. I AM CALLING HIS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE I CAN'T USE MY PHONE HANDS FREE AS I THOUGHT I WOULD BE ABLE TO. NOT SURE IF THE FUNCTION IS BROKEN OR DISCONNECTED. IT WAS LIKE THIS WHEN I BOUGHT IT.

NHTSA complaint #11348733 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 15,000 miles Valrico, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

HAVE HAD ISSUE WITH BACKUP CAMERA FOR 3 YEARS. HAVE TOLD VW ABOUT THIS FOR 3 YEARS WHEN TURNING IN CAR FOR MAINTENANCE AND THEY KEEP TELLING ME NOTHING IS WRONG. FINALLY IT QUIT WORKING COMPLETELY. TOOK IT IN AND THEY TOLD ME IT WILL TAKE 4 TO 5 MONTHS TO GET PARTS. THEY SAY IT'S NOT THEIR PROBLEM BUT THE SUPPLIER. KEEP CHECKING BACK WITH STATUS AFTER TURNING IT IN AND FOUND OUT PARTS WEREN'T EVEN ON ORDER TILL 2 WEEKS AFTER TURNING CAR IN FOR PROBLEM. IT'S BEEN 2 1/2 MONTHS AND NO STATUS AS OF YET FOR PARTS. THEY SAY THEY CHECKED AROUND THE COUNTRY FOR PARTS AND THERES NONE. I FOUND A SYSTEM ON THE INTERNET THAT CAN BE PURCHASED TO FIX THE PROBLEM..THEY WILL NOT GO THAT WAY.

NHTSA complaint #11343411 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 35,600 miles BAY Shore, ND

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDOW REGULATOR FOR THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WAS INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE ROLL THE WINDOW UP OR DOWN. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE DOOR FAILED TO UNLOCK ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VOLKSWAGEN OF HUNTINGTON LOCATED AT (838 E JERICHO TPKE, HUNTINGTON, NY 11746). THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WINDOW REGULATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,600.

NHTSA complaint #11317598 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Guaynabo, PR

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

BOTH DOORS WINDOWS MACHINE HAVE FAILED IN 3 YEARS

NHTSA complaint #11280037 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 37,000 miles West Palm Beach, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 35 MPH, MULTIPLE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKES FAILED. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN LOCAL DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint #11267097 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 50,000 miles Troy, VA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE TURNED OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT INITIALLY, BUT THEN BEGAN OCCURRING EVERY DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING; HOWEVER, AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED WITH FLOW VOLKSWAGEN OF CHARLOTTESVILLE (1313 RICHMOND RD, CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22911) FOR SEPTEMBER 23, 2019. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 190723803. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA complaint #11256806 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 65 miles Washington, DC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

MY KEY WILL NOT TURN THE ENGINE OFF. IT IS STUCK AND WILL NOT COME OUT. I HAVE TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY AND THE ALTERNATER TO STOP THE ENGINE.

NHTSA complaint #11204518 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 73,000 miles Cecilton, MD

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN OFF THE CAR AND IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. IT WILL NOT TURN BACK AS YOU NORMALLY WOULD TO TURN OFF THE CAR AND REMOVE THE KEY. THE ONLY WAY TO SHUT THE CAR OFF IS TO PULL THE FUEL PUMP RELAY/FUSE. THE CAR CAN BE LOCKED MANUALLY USING THE OTHER KEY IN THE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE. THAN THE BATTERY MUST BE DISCONNECTED IN ORDER TO PREVENT DRAIN FROM THE ACCESSORIES.

NHTSA complaint #11144112 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 65,000 miles Mclean, VA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE IGNITION SWITCH THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND CAN NOT TAKE THE KEY OUT BECAUSE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH GOING BAD. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THIS HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I WAS PARKED OUTSIDE A GROCERY STORE AND SPENT 20-30 MINUTES JUST TO TAKE THE KEY OUT. THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY AND USING THIS CAR NOW IS A PAIN AS I DON'T KNOW IF I WILL BE ABLE TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF.

NHTSA complaint #11111652 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 60,000 miles Platte City, MO

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND THE CAR WILL NOT POWER OFF, NOT EVEN AFTER TAKING OUT THE BATTERY. VW TOLD ME THEY HAD NO IDEA HOW TO HELP ME AND HAD NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE. WHEN I LOOK IT UP ONLINE, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH BEETLES AND JETTAS.

NHTSA complaint #11016272 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 37,423 miles Philadelphia, PA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

KEY GOT STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WOULD NOT TURN FOR IT TO POWER OFF. NO RELEASE IN THE CAR TO GET THE KEY OUT THEREFORE THE CAR WOULD NOT SHUT OFF EVEN WITH THE BATTERY DISCONNECTED.

NHTSA complaint #10984845 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 13,000 miles Lancaster, PA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ESP LIGHT WILL COME ON AND CRITICAL ERROR WILL FLASH WHEN FIRST STARTING VEHICLE. VEHICLE WILL SUTTER AND WILL NOT START. WHEN VEHICLE IS TAKEN TO HAVE THE ERROR MESSAGE READ NO RECORD IS FOUND IN THE CAR'S COMPUTER. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. MOST RECENTLY AN ERROR MESSAGE FLASHED ON THE SCREEN AND THE WHOLE CAR WENT DEAD.

NHTSA complaint #10882419 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 10 miles Northampton, PA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE BACKUP CAMERA ON THE VEHICLE IS SO DARK TO BE ALMOST UNUSABLE. IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SAFETY DEVICE, BUT YOU CANNOT IDENTIFY WHAT IS IN YOUR PATH. IT HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THIS AND THEY CANNOT FIND A FAULT OR A WAY TO ADJUST THE IMAGE. THEY CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN TECH SUPPORT WHO OFFERED NO SOLUTION AND DO NOT SEEM TO BE INTERESTED. I HAVE ASKED TO CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN DIRECTLY, BUT THEY HAVE NO WAY FOR THE CONSUMER TO DO THAT. THIS CAR HAS THE "PREMIUM 8" RADIO AND NO NAVIGATION. IT APPEARS TO BE AN ODD COMBINATION AS I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE ONE FOR COMPARISON WITHIN A 50 MILE RADIUS. AGAIN, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE BACKS OVER A CHILD OR SOMETHING ELSE.

NHTSA complaint #10785763 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 1,000 miles Alexandria, VA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS THAT INCLUDED THE VEHICLE SHUTTING COMPLETELY OFF, OCCASIONALLY NOT BEING ABLE TO START, ALONG WITH DOORS AND WINDOWS OCCASIONALLY NOT OPERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WERE DUE TO THE COMPUTER NOT RECOGNIZING THE KEY FOB. NO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC COMPUTER FAILURE, WHICH COMPLETELY DISABLED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER WITH AN IDENTICAL VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO HAVE THE ELECTRICAL FAILURES WITH THE SECOND VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000.

NHTSA complaint #10722935 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 1,000 miles Alexandria, VA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE "IGNITION KEY WAS NOT IN RANGE WARNING" APPEARED ACROSS THE MESSAGE BOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION KEY BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,000.

NHTSA complaint #10722946 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2015 Volkswagen Beetle problems

← Full 2015 Volkswagen Beetle report