← New search

2004 Volkswagen New Beetle

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all New Beetle years →

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 12 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.

  • Visibility. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 2 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

Exterior Lighting complaints

1 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · May 31, 2004
Exterior LightingVisibility

PURCHASED MY THIRD VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE - RECOGNIZE THAT MY SECOND ONE, A 2003 WAS A LEMON  5 RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHTS REPLACED AND 2 HEADLIGHTS. ALSO HAD TO HAVE THE INTERMITTENT WIPER RELAY REPLACED - SEE ODI #10074539.*AK DEALER TRADED ME FOR A 2004, ON 4/6/04 AND NOT EVEN 2 WEEKS INTO MY PURCHASE, THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW …

Read full complaint

PURCHASED MY THIRD VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE - RECOGNIZE THAT MY SECOND ONE, A 2003 WAS A LEMON  5 RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHTS REPLACED AND 2 HEADLIGHTS. ALSO HAD TO HAVE THE INTERMITTENT WIPER RELAY REPLACED - SEE ODI #10074539.*AK DEALER TRADED ME FOR A 2004, ON 4/6/04 AND NOT EVEN 2 WEEKS INTO MY PURCHASE, THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WOULD NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. THOUGHT I WAS IMAGINING THINGS, ESPECIALLY AFTER MY LAST EXPERIENCE. I PUT THE WINDOW DOWN (ELECTRONICALLY) AND THEN PUT IT UP AND IT COMES DOWN BY ITSELF  CERTAINLY ANOTHER SAFETY FAULT OF THIS CAR. IT HAPPENED 2 MORE TIMES BEFORE I CALLED THE DEALER  THEY TOLD ME OH, WE KNEW ABOUT THAT  BRING IT IN AND GET IT FIXED. OH, HERE WE GO AGAIN! I BUY A NEW CAR ABOUT EVERY 3-4 YEARS, AS I DRIVE A LOT AND WANT A VERY DEPENDABLE CAR, WITH NO REPAIRS NEEDED. I WILL NEVER FEEL SAFE IN A VW NEW BEETLE AGAIN. NO MATTER IF I NEVER HAVE ANOTHER PROBLEM&& INCIDIENT DATE NOTED IS WHEN THE DEALER TOOK MY CAR TO FIX IT...............

NHTSA ODI #10074541

Official recalls

2

03V508000 · Equipment:other:labels

Dec 4, 2003

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE TIRE INFORMATION LABEL IS INCORRECT IDENTIFYING THE VEHICLE AS A FIVE-PASSENGER VEHICLE, INSTEAD OF A FOUR-PASSENGER VEHICLE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: EXCEEDING THE CORRECT SEATING CAPACITY IN A VEHICLE PUTS OCCUPANTS AT RISK FOR INJURY IN A CRASH, AND CAN RESULT IN VEHICLE OVERLOADING, WHICH CAN AFFECT VEHICLE HANDLING AND PUT YOU AT RISK FOR A CRASH.

Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE SENT A NEW LABEL AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 9, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VWOA AT 1-800-822-8987.

03V356000 · Air Bags

Sep 29, 2003

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE PASSENGER DETECTION FUNCTION OF THE PASSIVE OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (PODS) MAY BECOME DISABLED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: SHOULD THE PODS CONTROL UNIT MALFUNCTION, THE AIR BAG SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE WILL NOT WORK AS DESIGNED AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY PROTECT OCCUPANTS IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE PODS. OWNER NOTIFICATION ORIGINALLY BEGAN OCTOBER 3, 2003. VW HAS DETERMINED THAT ADDITIONAL VEHICLES NEED TO BE REPAIRED. THE RECALL FOR THE ADDITIONAL VEHICLES IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON DECEMBER 17, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT VWOA AT 1-800-822-8987.

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.