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2013 Volkswagen Beetle Recalls, Complaints & Specs

6 safety recalls list the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle, and owners have filed 93 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

6
safety recalls
93
owner complaints to NHTSA
4 / 0
complaints citing a crash / fire
23–32
MPG combined (EPA)

6 safety recalls for the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. 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…

  2. 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.…

  3. 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.…

  4. Suspension: rear

    NHTSA 14V656000 Reported 442,066 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Jetta vehicles manufactured March 1, 2010, to November 30, 2012, and 2012-2013 Beetle vehicles manufactured March 1, 2011, to July 31, 2013. The durability of the rear trailing arms may be reduced in vehicles whose rear trailing arms have been…

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a sheet metal inlay on the rear axle trailing arms designed to prevent a sudden loss of control in the event of trailing arm sudden fracture, free of charge. The…

  5. Sun/moon roof assembly (visibility)

    NHTSA 14V658000 Reported 7,062 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

    Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Beetle vehicles manufactured June 13, 2013, to July 3, 2014. The glass sunroofs in the affected vehicles may break when the vehicles are operated over a hard road surface or strike a pothole.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the sunroof, free of charge. The recall began on December 15, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this…

  6. Air bags: sensor/control module-inactive

    NHTSA 12V540000 Reported 2,471 vehicles potentially affected VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA, INC

    Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Beetle vehicles, manufactured from February 2012, through August 2012, and equipped with leather sport seats. If the right front passenger seat gets wet, the occupant control module may not properly detect the presence of a child restraint installed in the seat.

    Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and replace the control modules, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during January 2013. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.

93 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle have filed 93 complaints with NHTSA; 4 describe a crash. Reports cite 2 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 44,666 miles. Complaints peaked in 2021 with 20 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Upon pulling into my driveway, the vehicle would not shift into Park. It got stuck in neutral and allows me to turn the vehicle on and off, but will not shift from neutral into park or drive or anythi”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 24, 2026 · Power train

“Component Affected: AIRBAGS: FORE AND AFT INTERIOR OVERHEAD/OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM Description of Safety Defect: I own a 2013 Volkswagen Beetle 2.5L (Build Date: April 2013). The vehicle is ex”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 24, 2026 · Air bags

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle (Beetle Convertible). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined23–32 mpg
City / Highway21–28 / 27–40
FuelDiesel, Premium, Regular
EPA classCompact Cars, Subcompact Cars
Engine4/5 cyl, 2/2.5 L
TransmissionAutomatic (AM-S6); Automatic (S6); Manual 5-spd; Manual 6-spd

Compare Volkswagen Beetle model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Volkswagen Beetle model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1965 Volkswagen Beetle01
1968 Volkswagen Beetle10
1969 Volkswagen Beetle01
1970 Volkswagen Beetle01
1971 Volkswagen Beetle30
1973 Volkswagen Beetle31
1974 Volkswagen Beetle04
1977 Volkswagen Beetle10
1998 Volkswagen Beetle2171
1999 Volkswagen Beetle1174
2000 Volkswagen Beetle1263
2001 Volkswagen Beetle2203
2002 Volkswagen Beetle2165
2003 Volkswagen Beetle2314
2004 Volkswagen Beetle3349
2005 Volkswagen Beetle3261
2006 Volkswagen Beetle3124
2007 Volkswagen Beetle256
2008 Volkswagen Beetle360
2009 Volkswagen Beetle233
2010 Volkswagen Beetle330
2012 Volkswagen Beetle665
2013 Volkswagen Beetle693
2014 Volkswagen Beetle550
2015 Volkswagen Beetle583
2016 Volkswagen Beetle348
2017 Volkswagen Beetle315
2018 Volkswagen Beetle317
2019 Volkswagen Beetle314

Checking a specific 2013 Volkswagen Beetle

How do I know if my 2013 Volkswagen Beetle has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 6 campaigns currently list the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Volkswagen dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 12V540000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

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.