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Volkswagen Beetle Convertible Recalls & Complaints by Model Year

NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls and 42 owner complaints across 11 model years of the Volkswagen Beetle Convertible (2008–2019). The most-complained-about year is 2015.

6
safety recalls, all years
42
owner complaints, all years
2012
year with most recalls
2015
year with most complaints

Pick your Volkswagen Beetle Convertible model year

Model yearRecallsComplaints
2019 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible21
2018 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible30
2017 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible22
2016 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible211
2015 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible216
2014 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible24
2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible38
2012 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible30
2010 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible10
2009 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible10
2008 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible10

What Volkswagen Beetle Convertible owners complain about

Across all model years, owners have filed 42 complaints with NHTSA. The 2015 model year has the most, with 16.

All Volkswagen Beetle Convertible recalls (6)

Every NHTSA safety campaign that lists a Volkswagen Beetle Convertible, most recent first, with the model years each one covers.

  1. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 24V834000 Reported 248,330 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

    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…

    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…

    Model years: 2017, 2018, 2019

  2. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 22V945000 Reported 37,558 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Beetle and Beetle Convertibles vehicles. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's side air bag, free of charge. Owners notification letters were mailed October 26, 2023. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this…

    Model years: 2015, 2016

  3. Air bags: frontal

    NHTSA 20V785000 Reported 105,652 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Volkswagen Beetle and Beetle Convertible vehicles. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number…

    Model years: 2012, 2013, 2014

  4. Unknown or other

    NHTSA 19V679000 Reported 113 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Volkswagen Passat, 2018 Tiguan LWB, 2007-2009 Jetta Sedan, 2011-2013, 2015 and 2019 Jetta, 2013 Jetta Hybrid, 2008-2009 Jetta Sportwagen, 2015 Golf Sportwagen, 2013 Golf, 2008-2010 and 2012-2013 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2008-2010 Beetle, and Beetle…

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners and repurchase the affected vehicles. The recall began November 6, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01D7.…

    Model years: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013

  5. Anti-theft device (steering) and electrical system: control module

    NHTSA 19V615000 Reported 679,027 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

    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…

    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.…

    Model years: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

  6. Caliper (service brakes) Do not drive

    NHTSA 18V369000 Reported 10,225 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2018 Volkswagen Atlas, Passat, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Golf, Golf SportWagen and GTI and Audi Q5 and SQ5 vehicles. The brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have insufficient coating, potentially reducing the brake performance.

    Remedy: Volkswagen and Audi will notify their owners. Audi dealers will bleed the rear brakes. Volkswagen dealers will bleed the front and rear brake calipers. Note: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the…

    Model years: 2018

Other Volkswagen models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.