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2017 Volkswagen Beetle

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 6 of 15 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Back Over Prevention. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

2 reports
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26,000 miles · Dec 29, 2020
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SCHUMACHER …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SCHUMACHER VOLKSWAGEN OF WEST PALM BEACH (3001 OKEECHOBEE BLVD, WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33409) HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THAT THE IGNITION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.

NHTSA ODI #11385443

4,500 miles · Sep 17, 2018
Electrical System

WEATHER CONDITIONS: RAIN. AFTER RELATIVELY SHORT DRIVE GARAGED VEHICLE AND TURNED ENGINE OFF. VERY NOTICEABLE BURNING ODOR APPEARS TO COME FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LOUD MOTOR NOISE COMING FROM REAR AREA (ELECTRICAL MOTOR NOISE NOT ENGINE/FAN NOISE) WHICH CONTINUED FOR APPROXIMATELY THIRTY MINUTES. I AM AWARE OF THE FUEL PUMP RUN…

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WEATHER CONDITIONS: RAIN. AFTER RELATIVELY SHORT DRIVE GARAGED VEHICLE AND TURNED ENGINE OFF. VERY NOTICEABLE BURNING ODOR APPEARS TO COME FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LOUD MOTOR NOISE COMING FROM REAR AREA (ELECTRICAL MOTOR NOISE NOT ENGINE/FAN NOISE) WHICH CONTINUED FOR APPROXIMATELY THIRTY MINUTES. I AM AWARE OF THE FUEL PUMP RUNNING FOR A SECOND OR TWO WHEN I FIRST OPEN THE DRIVERS DOOR UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS. THIS IS A QUIET HUM, HARDLY NOTICEABLE, AND NOT AN ISSUE. THE NOISE ADDRESSED ABOVE IS QUITE LOUD AND ABNORMAL ( ALMOST LIKE A BEARING RUNNING DRY). WEEK LATER ' SAME WEATHER CONDITIONS ' RAIN. RAN VEHICLE ON SHORT SHOPPING TRIP AND, AGAIN, UPON GARAGING: SAME SYMPTOMS. TOOK VEHICLE TO AUTHORIZED VW DEALERSHIP. THEIR ANALYSIS: UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG. VEHICLE WAS DRY AT THE TIME AND UNDERSTAND THEY COULD NOT FIX ANYTHING THAT DOES NOT OCCUR WHILE THEY ARE CHECKING. VERY NERVOUS BECAUSE THIS PROBLEM APPEARS LIMITED TO RAIN/WATER ENCROACHMENT SOMEWHERE IN/ON THE VEHICLE DURING INCLEMENT OPERATIONS. VEHICLE APPEARS TO FUNCTION NORMALLY DURING OPERATIONS IN RAINY WEATHER'PROBLEM NOTICEABLE ONLY WHEN GARAGED AND TURNED OFF.

NHTSA ODI #11129857

Official recalls

3

24V834000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Oct 30, 2024

Volkswagen 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 after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's side front air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69EG, 69GQ, and 69E6.

19V615000 · Electrical SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL Module; Steering:column LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT Device

Aug 22, 2019

Volkswagen 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 entry. A build-up of silicate on the shift lever micro switch contacts may enable the key to be removed from the ignition when the transmission shift lever is not in "Park."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Removing the key while the shift lever is in a position other than "Park" increases the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional switch and circuit board, free of charge. The recall began November 19, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 37M2.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electrical SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL Module

Volkswagen 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 entry. A build-up of silicate on the shift lever micro switch contacts may enable the key to be removed from the ignition when the transmission shift lever is not in "Park."

Consequence: Removing the key while the shift lever is in a position other than "Park" increases the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional switch and circuit board, free of charge. The recall began November 19, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 37M2.

Steering:column LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT Device

Volkswagen 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 entry. A build-up of silicate on the shift lever micro switch contacts may enable the key to be removed from the ignition when the transmission shift lever is not in "Park."

Consequence: Removing the key while the shift lever is in a position other than "Park" increases the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional switch and circuit board, free of charge. The recall began November 19, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 37M2.

17V136000 · Equipment:other:labels

Mar 2, 2017

Volkswagen 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 with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Overloading the vehicle may affect vehicle handling or result in tire damage, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a corrected tire information label, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for the recall is 01B9.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.