2015 Volkswagen Beetle Recalls, Complaints & Specs

5 safety recalls list the 2015 Volkswagen Beetle, and owners have filed 83 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

safety recalls

owner complaints to NHTSA

2 / 0

complaints citing a crash / fire

25–34

MPG combined (EPA)

5 safety recalls for the 2015 Volkswagen Beetle

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

Inflator module (air bags)

NHTSA 22V945000 Reported December 21, 2022 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…
Anti-theft device (steering) and electrical system: control module

NHTSA 19V615000 Reported August 22, 2019 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.…
Engine (engine and engine cooling) and vacuum (service brakes)

NHTSA 15V705000 Reported October 26, 2015 91,867 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Jetta, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Passat, Golf and Golf SportWagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the camshaft lobe that drives the brake vacuum pump may shear off, resulting in a loss of brake assist.

Remedy: Volkswagen dealer will update the engine control module (ECM) software. The recall began March 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23R1.
Fuel rail (fuel system)

NHTSA 15V028000 Reported January 23, 2015 44,658 vehicles potentially affected Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Jetta vehicles manufactured March 28, 2014, to November 24, 2014, 2014-2015 Passat vehicles manufactured April 7, 2014, to November 18, 2014, 2015 Golf and GTI vehicles manufactured July 1, 2014, to November 20, 2014, and 2014-2015 Beetle and Beetle…

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel rails with new parts, free of charge. The recall began February 6, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's…
Sun/moon roof assembly (visibility)

NHTSA 14V658000 Reported October 20, 2014 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…

83 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2015 Volkswagen Beetle have filed 83 complaints with NHTSA; 2 describe a crash. Reports cite 1 injury and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 19,745 miles. Complaints peaked in 2023 with 33 filed that year.

Most-reported components

Air bags42
Electrical system16
Unknown or other13
Engine7
Service brakes7
Power train6
Steering3
Structure: body3

What owners are reporting

“unable to turn off car. Ignition switch is locked and key is unmovable.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 9, 2025 · Unknown or other

“I have been trying to get the recall fixed since I purchased my vehicle in July 2023. For nearly two years, I have received repeated letters from Volkswagen urging me to have the recall addressed. How”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 26, 2025 · Air bags

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2015 Volkswagen Beetle (Beetle Convertible). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined	25–34 mpg
City / Highway	23–30 / 29–39
Fuel	Diesel, Premium, Regular
EPA class	Compact Cars, Subcompact Cars
Engine	4 cyl, 1.8/2 L
Transmission	Automatic (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 year	Recalls	Complaints
1965 Volkswagen Beetle	0	1
1968 Volkswagen Beetle	1	0
1969 Volkswagen Beetle	0	1
1970 Volkswagen Beetle	0	1
1971 Volkswagen Beetle	3	0
1973 Volkswagen Beetle	3	1
1974 Volkswagen Beetle	0	4
1977 Volkswagen Beetle	1	0
1998 Volkswagen Beetle	2	171
1999 Volkswagen Beetle	1	174
2000 Volkswagen Beetle	1	263
2001 Volkswagen Beetle	2	203
2002 Volkswagen Beetle	2	165
2003 Volkswagen Beetle	2	314
2004 Volkswagen Beetle	3	349
2005 Volkswagen Beetle	3	261
2006 Volkswagen Beetle	3	124
2007 Volkswagen Beetle	2	56
2008 Volkswagen Beetle	3	60
2009 Volkswagen Beetle	2	33
2010 Volkswagen Beetle	3	30
2012 Volkswagen Beetle	6	65
2013 Volkswagen Beetle	6	93
2014 Volkswagen Beetle	5	50
2015 Volkswagen Beetle	5	83
2016 Volkswagen Beetle	3	48
2017 Volkswagen Beetle	3	15
2018 Volkswagen Beetle	3	17
2019 Volkswagen Beetle	3	14

Checking a specific 2015 Volkswagen Beetle

How do I know if my 2015 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. 5 campaigns currently list the 2015 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 14V658000).

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

Jetta10,000 complaints
Passat7,705 complaints
Tiguan2,300 complaints
Atlas1,999 complaints
Golf1,439 complaints
GTI1,405 complaints
ID.41,007 complaints
Cc983 complaints

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.