All makes / Volkswagen / Beetle
Volkswagen Beetle problems by year
3,171 complaints across 12 model years, 1998–2015. 2004 draws the most at 469; 2015 the fewest at 108.
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Complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold as much as how reliable they were. A popular model year will always look worse than a rare one. Compare the dominant failure system between years rather than the raw totals.
Every model year
| Year | Complaints | Top reported system | Crashes | Fires | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 289 | Electrical system (21.8%) | 25 | 27 | 0 |
| 1999 | 280 | Electrical system (17.9%) | 19 | 28 | 0 |
| 2000 | 373 | Air bags (18.8%) | 12 | 24 | 1 |
| 2001 | 291 | Engine and engine cooling (15.8%) | 13 | 17 | 1 |
| 2002 | 231 | Air bags (18.6%) | 18 | 5 | 0 |
| 2003 | 405 | Power train (33.3%) | 13 | 12 | 0 |
| 2004 | 469most | Power train (33.5%) | 12 | 24 | 0 |
| 2005 | 330 | Power train (35.2%) | 15 | 7 | 0 |
| 2006 | 161 | Power train (29.2%) | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 | 109 | Electrical system (18.3%) | 9 | 12 | 0 |
| 2013 | 125 | Air bags (25.6%) | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 108 | Air bags (38.9%) | 4 | 0 | 0 |