2017 Volkswagen Beetle problems and recalls

Owners have filed 15 complaints on the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle, and NHTSA has issued 4 recalls. The most cited component is the Air Bags (6 complaints).

15
Complaints
4
Recalls
0
Crash reports
0
Fire reports
0
Injuries
53.0
Severity index

Severity index 53.0 Medium. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 53.0p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Components cited in complaints

Air BagsAir Bags: 6 complaints (40.0%)6 40%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 5 complaints (33.3%)5 33%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 2 complaints (13.3%)2 13%Lane DepartureLane Departure: 1 complaints (6.7%)1 7%Back Over PreventionBack Over Prevention: 1 complaints (6.7%)1 7%Latches/Locks/LinkagesLatches/Locks/Linkages: 1 complaints (6.7%)1 7%SteeringSteering: 1 complaints (6.7%)1 7%Vehicle Speed ControlVehicle Speed Control: 1 complaints (6.7%)1 7%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
AIR BAGS640.0%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER533.3%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM213.3%
LANE DEPARTURE16.7%
BACK OVER PREVENTION16.7%
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES16.7%
STEERING16.7%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL16.7%

Complaints filed per year

0362018: 22019: 22020: 22024: 22025: 62026: 1 (partial year)1819202425626
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
20182
20192
20202
20242
20256
2026 (year to date)1
Filings in 2020 to 2025 ran 2.5x those in 2018 to 2019 (10 against 4).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
19V61500022/08/2019ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULEVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2019 GTI, 2015-2016 and 2018-2019 Golf, 2012-2019 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2017-2019 Golf SportWagen and 2011-2018 Jetta vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, manual handbrake and keyless e
17V13600002/03/2017EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELSVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Beetle and Jetta GLI vehicles. The affected vehicles have incorrect information on the tire information label, possibly causing the operator to overload the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply
20E06400023/09/2020SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDERTenneco Automotive (Tenneco) is recalling certain Beck/Arnley Master Cylinders, part number 072-9831, sold as aftermarket or replacement parts for 2004-2018 Volkswagen Jetta, and 2012-2019 Volkswagen Beetle vehicles. The fluid seal crimp on the master cylinder may be insufficien
24V83400030/10/2024AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULEVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Beetle, Beetle Convertible, 2012-2014 Passat, 2017 Passat Wagon, and 2006-2007 Passat Sedan vehicles. The driver's side frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring afte

Other Volkswagen Beetle model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 8 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.