Owners have filed 21 complaints
about the 2018 Volkswagen Beetle with NHTSA between 2018 and 2025.
The largest single group is the airbags.
Across this model's run it ranks 21 of 21 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 6
Against the median year of the Volkswagen Beetle. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 0
0% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 76
44% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
How 2018 compares with every other Volkswagen Beetle
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 2018 Volkswagen Beetle
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Airbags
733.3%
Median failure at 80,000 miles
Electrical System
523.8%
Median failure at 9,000 miles
Other & Unspecified
419.0%
Median failure at 4,625 miles
Fuel & Propulsion
29.5%
Median failure at 78,000 miles
Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance
14.8%
Seats
14.8%
Engine & Cooling
14.8%
When it fails
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
Under 1,000 miles
111.1%
1,000 – 9,999 miles
333.3%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
111.1%
75,000 – 99,999 miles
444.4%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Sep 2018peak 3Sep 2025
Recalls on the 2018 Volkswagen Beetle
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 202464918,995 units in Canada
Airbag
Issue: On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, may eventually degrade the propellant contained in the driver-front airbag. This could cause the airbag to deploy with more force than normal. If the airbag inflator ruptures, fragments could be propelled toward vehicle occupants or cause damage to the airbag assembly, preventing its proper function. Safety Risk: If the vehicle is involved in a crash requiring an airbag deployment, the airbag inflator could rupture and create a risk of injury. Corrective Action: Volkswagen will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the driver-front airbag. Note: The Canadian climate results in the propellant degrading slowly. This recall is being conducted as a precaution to address future risk. It is expected that all airbag inflators will be replaced before their function would be affected.
Recall 2019423117,306 units in Canada
Powertrain
Issue: On certain vehicles, a build-up of silicate on the shift lever switch could cause the transmission to detect that it is in the Park position when it isn't. This could allow the ignition key to be removed when the transmission is not in the Park position. If the parking brake is not applied, this could allow the car to roll away. Safety Risk: If the transmission position is not displayed correctly, a user may not know that the vehicle is not in the PARK position. If the parking brake is not applied, this could create a risk of a vehicle roll-away and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: The company will notify owners by mail. Owners will be instructed to take their vehicle to a dealer to have a new shift lever micro switch and control unit installed.
Recall 20182925,120 units in Canada
Brakes
On certain vehicles, a problem with the brake system may cause gas bubbles to form in the brake fluid. This could cause a soft brake pedal feel and a reduction in brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will bleed the front or rear brakes as necessary. Note: In the interim, owners are advised to stop driving their vehicle until the defect has been repaired. Affected owners should call Volkswagen's Roadside Assistance number at 1-800-411-6688.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
at 80,000 milesStatesboro, GA
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated the front passenger's side air bag warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
NHTSA complaint #11689418 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Morganton, NC
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (AIR BAGS); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact parked the vehicle, and the vehicle was no longer driven due to safety concerns. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
NHTSA complaint #11689513 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Plainfield, IL
AIR BAGS
The contact's wife owns a 2018 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact’s wife received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
NHTSA complaint #11682944 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Los Angeles, CA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The ignition failed to release the key and turn off the engine. According to the service writer at New Century Volkswagen in Glendale, CA, this is a known problem with older model Volkswagens. The part which will fix the ignition, is back-ordered for six months, leaving many vehicles in a dangerous state. I have written to.volkswagen of America customer service but no solution or resolution was provided.
NHTSA complaint #11677002 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 78,000 milesBrooksville, FL
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact stated while driving 40-50 MPH, the vehicle started jerking and there was smoke coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle before the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated, and an alarm sounded. The vehicle was pushed to the side of the road with assistance. The towing agent informed the contact that there was a strong fuel odor coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a major fuel leak. The mechanic replaced an unknown part with a part purchased from a Volkswagen dealer. The contact stated that the fuel leak was corrected; however, an unknown repair needed to be performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The Kia dealer the vehicle was purchased from, was notified of the failure, and informed the contact to tow the vehicle to their location for diagnostic testing and repair. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
NHTSA complaint #11672219 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 78,000 milesBrooksville, FL
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact stated while driving 40-50 MPH, the vehicle started jerking and there was smoke coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle before the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated, and an alarm sounded. The vehicle was pushed to the side of the road with assistance. The towing agent informed the contact that there was a strong fuel odor coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a major fuel leak. The mechanic replaced an unknown part with a part purchased from a Volkswagen dealer. The contact stated that the fuel leak was corrected; however, an unknown repair needed to be performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The Kia dealer the vehicle was purchased from, was notified of the failure, and informed the contact to tow the vehicle to their location for diagnostic testing and repair. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
NHTSA complaint #11672219 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sacramento, CA
SEATS
I've owned this car for nearly two years. On April 3, 2025, I took my car to Niello VW. A service person told me he'd just had a VW Beetle with the same problem, just the passenger's side. Since there was nothing jamming the glide rails, there was no reason for the seat to be stuck. I took the car to a car upholstery shop because they specialize in removing car seats. The person had a hard time removing my seat, but he did. He said one of metal teeth like glides or steel buttons was broke. There are three on each side of the car seat. It was only on the right side of the driver's seat. The driver's seat is stuck and unable to be adjusted to the driver's leg length. There was nothing jammed in the lock that caused this to be stuck. I have owned 4 VW Beetles and I've never had a problem like this. It's very expensive about $1000 to repair. Mine is 2018 VW Beetle. I should not have a problem like this. I am reporting this because other VW Beetle owners have had to same problem. I did have the air bags repaired a recall.
NHTSA complaint #11652966 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sacramento, CA
AIR BAGS
I've owned this car for nearly two years. On April 3, 2025, I took my car to Niello VW. A service person told me he'd just had a VW Beetle with the same problem, just the passenger's side. Since there was nothing jamming the glide rails, there was no reason for the seat to be stuck. I took the car to a car upholstery shop because they specialize in removing car seats. The person had a hard time removing my seat, but he did. He said one of metal teeth like glides or steel buttons was broke. There are three on each side of the car seat. It was only on the right side of the driver's seat. The driver's seat is stuck and unable to be adjusted to the driver's leg length. There was nothing jammed in the lock that caused this to be stuck. I have owned 4 VW Beetles and I've never had a problem like this. It's very expensive about $1000 to repair. Mine is 2018 VW Beetle. I should not have a problem like this. I am reporting this because other VW Beetle owners have had to same problem. I did have the air bags repaired a recall.
NHTSA complaint #11652966 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sacramento, CA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I've owned this car for nearly two years. On April 3, 2025, I took my car to Niello VW. A service person told me he'd just had a VW Beetle with the same problem, just the passenger's side. Since there was nothing jamming the glide rails, there was no reason for the seat to be stuck. I took the car to a car upholstery shop because they specialize in removing car seats. The person had a hard time removing my seat, but he did. He said one of metal teeth like glides or steel buttons was broke. There are three on each side of the car seat. It was only on the right side of the driver's seat. The driver's seat is stuck and unable to be adjusted to the driver's leg length. There was nothing jammed in the lock that caused this to be stuck. I have owned 4 VW Beetles and I've never had a problem like this. It's very expensive about $1000 to repair. Mine is 2018 VW Beetle. I should not have a problem like this. I am reporting this because other VW Beetle owners have had to same problem. I did have the air bags repaired a recall.
NHTSA complaint #11652966 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 96,000 milesSpringfield, OR
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the air bag warning light illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 96,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA complaint #11627501 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Glenn Dale, MD
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2018 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA complaint #11626239 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ely, IA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Driver and passenger windows go down all by themselves without the key even being in the ignition. Yes it is available to be fixed. My safety could be at risk if the window goes down and i'm not at home and some stranger lets themselves in my car and waits for my return. I've gone to break and i go out to my car and the window is half down. Dealership replaced something related to the windows unknown to exactly what. No bells or whistles its happened at least 6 times now once on the passenger side the rest on the drivers side. Started when it got really really cold out.
NHTSA complaint #11449170 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
At normal speeds driving down the road traction control will come on and break the vehicle and jerk the steering Will.
NHTSA complaint #11436111 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lakewood Ranch, FL
ENGINE
2018 Beetle with 2.0 TSI. Vehicle is extremely well maintained and all work has been done by VW dealers. This is not our primary vehicle and, as a result, it only has about 8600 miles. Stopped at a store for a few minutes. Vehicle would not restart. Many fault lights appeared on the dash (e.g., battery, check engine, EPC). Pushed vehicle into another area of the parking lot where there was more room in case it needed to be towed. Waited a few minutes and tried to restart. Vehicle sputtered and seemed to be running on only 1 or 2 cylinders for a few seconds. Gave it a little gas, all lights went off, full engine power resumed. Sat there a few minutes evaluating engine performance, everything seemed fine. Decided to head to the dealership instead of going home. After about 2 miles engine stopped running. Many fault lights appeared including battery, EPC, check engine, and so many others I can’t even recall. Had almost no steering. Struggled to coast vehicle to shoulder. Weather was very hot and traffic was heavy, not a pleasant situation or place to get stranded. Waited a minute or two. Tried to restart. Vehicle coughed, sputtered, and shook like it was only running on 1 cylinder. Shut vehicle off and sat. Tried to restart 2 or 3 more times without success. On next attempt vehicle sputtered to life, lights went off, and full power resumed. Tested engine performance and it seemed fine. EPC light came on. Still heading to the dealership. Got another 1.5 miles or so. EPC and check engine light came on. Another engine failure. Super heavy traffic on a 6-lane highway. Luckily I had enough speed to coast off the road and into a dirt parking lot. Many fault lights on the dash. Waited a few minutes. Tried to restart vehicle, no luck. Vehicle was towed to closest VW dealership. Absolutely terrifying and horrific 3 hours.
NHTSA complaint #11432645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lakewood Ranch, FL
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
2018 Beetle with 2.0 TSI. Vehicle is extremely well maintained and all work has been done by VW dealers. This is not our primary vehicle and, as a result, it only has about 8600 miles. Stopped at a store for a few minutes. Vehicle would not restart. Many fault lights appeared on the dash (e.g., battery, check engine, EPC). Pushed vehicle into another area of the parking lot where there was more room in case it needed to be towed. Waited a few minutes and tried to restart. Vehicle sputtered and seemed to be running on only 1 or 2 cylinders for a few seconds. Gave it a little gas, all lights went off, full engine power resumed. Sat there a few minutes evaluating engine performance, everything seemed fine. Decided to head to the dealership instead of going home. After about 2 miles engine stopped running. Many fault lights appeared including battery, EPC, check engine, and so many others I can’t even recall. Had almost no steering. Struggled to coast vehicle to shoulder. Weather was very hot and traffic was heavy, not a pleasant situation or place to get stranded. Waited a minute or two. Tried to restart. Vehicle coughed, sputtered, and shook like it was only running on 1 cylinder. Shut vehicle off and sat. Tried to restart 2 or 3 more times without success. On next attempt vehicle sputtered to life, lights went off, and full power resumed. Tested engine performance and it seemed fine. EPC light came on. Still heading to the dealership. Got another 1.5 miles or so. EPC and check engine light came on. Another engine failure. Super heavy traffic on a 6-lane highway. Luckily I had enough speed to coast off the road and into a dirt parking lot. Many fault lights on the dash. Waited a few minutes. Tried to restart vehicle, no luck. Vehicle was towed to closest VW dealership. Absolutely terrifying and horrific 3 hours.
NHTSA complaint #11432645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Murrieta, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Center dash screen goes black occasionally which prevents using the backup camera, radio, and phone. Sometimes it will reboot by itself after several minutes, other times I have to shut the car off, wait, and restart the car. It doesn’t always reboot the first time. This has happened at least 6 times.
NHTSA complaint #11421571 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 38,000 milesOakland, CA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOWS WOULD LOWER AND RAISE INDEPENDENTLY, AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EPC WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE LOSS POWER WHEN LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 38,000.
NHTSA complaint #11398926 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 7,500 milesParker, CO
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW IS DEFECTIVE. THE WINDOW SHUTTERS UP & DOWN ALL BY ITSELF, BOTH IN PARK, AND WHILE DRIVING. WHEN IT DOES THIS, I CAN'T SHUT THE WINDOW USING THE WINDOW UP & DOWN BUTTON. THE WINDOW GOES DOWN 1/2 WHILE DRIVING AND THEN LOCKS. I HAD IT TO TYNANS DEALERSHIP IN AURORA CO 3 TIMES NOW. THEY REPLACED THE LOCKING MECHANISM BACK IN OCT. IT HELPED FOR ABOUT A MONTH. NOW IT IS DOING IT AGAIN. THERE ARE TIMES I HAVE GONE INTO THE STORE, CAME BACK OUT, AND MY WINDOW WAS DOWN 1/2 WAY - AND I NEVER ROLLED IT DOWN! I NEVER LEAVE MY WINDOWS DOWN WHILE AWAY FROM THE CAR. I WISH I COULD ATTACH VIDEO - HERE IS THE YOUTUBE LINK: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=_Q6OWMB_F5I
NHTSA complaint #11297097 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 9,000 milesParker, CO
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE WINDOW KEEPS SHUTTERING UP & DOWN AFTER GETTING IN THE CAR AND SHUTTING THE DOOR WITH IGNITION ON.. THE WINDOW DOESN'T CLOSE ALL THE WAY, AND THE AUTO DOOR LOCK DOESN'T WORK. THE WINDOW SHUTTERS UP & DOWN ALL ON ITS OWN. BROUGHT CAR TO DEALERSHIP THEY REPLACED THE DOOR LOCK. THIS STILL DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE A VIDEO SHOWING THE ISSUE AFTER THE DOOR LOCK WAS REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #11258975 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 9,000 milesParker, CO
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE WINDOW KEEPS SHUTTERING UP & DOWN AFTER GETTING IN THE CAR AND SHUTTING THE DOOR WITH IGNITION ON.. THE WINDOW DOESN'T CLOSE ALL THE WAY, AND THE AUTO DOOR LOCK DOESN'T WORK. THE WINDOW SHUTTERS UP & DOWN ALL ON ITS OWN. BROUGHT CAR TO DEALERSHIP THEY REPLACED THE DOOR LOCK. THIS STILL DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE A VIDEO SHOWING THE ISSUE AFTER THE DOOR LOCK WAS REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #11258975 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 250 milesSAN Marcos, TX
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
SINCE PURCHASING MORE THAN 7 MONTHS AGO, VEHICLE'S BLIND SPOT MONITORING SYSTEM FAILS TO RECOGNIZE APPROACHING VEHICLES AND DOES NOT HAVE AN AUDIBLE ALERT INSIDE THE VEHICLE MAKING IT NEARLY UNUSABLE AND UNSAFE. REAR-CROSS TRAFFIC ALERT SYSTEM GOES CRAZY (INCESSANT BEEPING) AND UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN VEHICLE IS SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. EVEN IF THERE ARE NO VEHICLES AROUND AND THERE IS NOTHING SURROUNDING THE VEHICLE THE SYSTEM WILL GO OFF AND BEEP FRANTICALLY. REAR-CROSS TRAFFIC ALERT FREQUENTLY WILL NOT IDENTIFY OR WARN OF VEHICLES PASSING BEHIND, SUCH AS WHEN TRYING TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. VEHICLE'S IN-DASH DISPLAY WILL PERIODICALLY GO BLACK WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTED. VEHICLE'S RADIO SYSTEM WILL DISPLAY RANDOM CHARACTERS FOR THE SONG OR ARTIST, OR DISPLAY THE SAME SONG AND ARTIST FOR 10 MINUTES OR LONGER EVEN THOUGH THE SONG, ARTIST, OR STATIONS HAVE CHANGED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS. VW CORPORATE WAS CONTACTED AND RESPONDED QUICKLY AND WITH CONCERN, BUT DEALER WAS STILL UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES.
NHTSA complaint #11129732 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.