Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 30 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle, most frequently naming the exterior lighting, visibility and interior & seats categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 63 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2001 | 2 | 2 |
| Feb 2001 | 2 | 4 |
| Mar 2001 | 2 | 6 |
| May 2001 | 2 | 8 |
| Jul 2001 | 3 | 11 |
| Aug 2001 | 1 | 12 |
| Nov 2001 | 2 | 14 |
| Jan 2002 | 1 | 15 |
| Jun 2002 | 1 | 16 |
| Jul 2002 | 1 | 17 |
| Sep 2002 | 1 | 18 |
| Mar 2003 | 1 | 19 |
| Apr 2003 | 1 | 20 |
| Jun 2003 | 1 | 21 |
| Sep 2003 | 1 | 22 |
| Nov 2003 | 3 | 25 |
| May 2004 | 1 | 26 |
| Jun 2004 | 1 | 27 |
| Jul 2004 | 1 | 28 |
| Oct 2004 | 1 | 29 |
| Nov 2004 | 1 | 30 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
1 campaign cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govEXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
1998 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE SEVERELY OVERHEATED, CHECKING OUT CAUSE FOUND THE FUSE BOX ON TOP OF THE BATTERY HOUSING HAD MELTED. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT! VWOA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE IS A PROBLEM ALTHOUGHT INTERNET SURVEYS SHOW 26% FAILURE IN NEW BEETLES. PLACEMENT OF THE FUSE BOX ON THE BATTERY HOUSING DOES NOT SOUND LIKE A VERY SAFE IDEA!*AK
SOME TYPE OF 'CONTROL MODULE' NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, WITHOUT IT THE AIR-BAG SYSTEM DOESN'T WORK. THIS IS A SAFETY FEATURE WHICH HELPED IN THE DECISION TO BUY THE CAR, AND AFTER 5 YEARS IT FAILS RENDERING THE SYSTEM USELESS AND REQUIRING OVER $700 TO REPLACE. THIS IS WRONG!
TODAY, JULY 27,2004, THE OUTPUT CONNECTION ON MY FUEL PUMP CAME APART (DISCONNECTED) AND WHEN I TRIED TO START MY CAR DUMPED ABOUT A QUART OF GASOLINE ON THE GROUND UNDER THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR. I WAS IN A CROWDED POST OFFICE PARKING LOT AND IT WAS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE FIRE DEPT CAME AND RECONNECTED THE LINE AND I WAS ABLE TO PROCEED TO THE VW DEALORSHIP AND HAVE IT CHECKED AND CERTIFIED SAFE TO CONTINUE OPERATING. THE CAR IS VW NEW BEETLE, 1998 YEAR OF MANUFACTURING. THE DEALORSHIP VW MECHANIC SAID HE HAD HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING SPONTANEOUSLY ON ONE OTHER OCASSION.*AK
PASSENGER SIDE POWER WINDOW AND DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW MALFUNCTIONED AND DRIVER SIDE PLASTIC SWITCH BROKE OFF.*AK
HEADLIGHTS CONSTANTLY GO OUT WHILE DRIVING, HAVE BEEN PULLED OVER BY THE POLICE MANY TIMES DUE TO NO LIGHTS OR HAVING TO DRIVE WITH HIGH BEAMS ON. THIS PAST TIME HAD TO PARK THE CAR AND HAVE SOMEONE TAKE US HOME, COULD NOT DRIVE CAR UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING. REPAIR BILLS ARE BECOMING REDICULOUS.*AK
BOTH PASSANGER AND DRIVE WINDOW MECHINISMS HAD TO BE REPLACED. WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO UP.*AK
TRUNK LATCH DOES NOT CLOSE PROPERLY WHEN TEMPERATURE GOES BELOW 31 DEGREES.*AK
DRIVER-SIDE SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED ON MY 1998 VW BEETLE FOR NO APPARENT REASON CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND ACCIDENT. *LA
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
STRUCTURE
DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR WINDOW REGULATOR REPAIRING. *MJ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING DOOR WINDOW, SEPARATES FROM WINDOW REGULATOR CLAMPS. *TT
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
EVALUATING FUEL MIXTURE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTC) - HOW TO PERFORM EFFECTIVE DIAGNOSTIC RELATED TO FUEL SYSTEM ADAPTATION SYSTEM TOO RICH/ TOO LEAN. VOLKSWAGEN. *MJ
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
NEW STYLE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH REQUIRES CARE DURING INSTALLATION TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO SWITCH. *TT
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SAFETY RECALL - WT - BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. *TT
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
SAFETY RECALL - WT - NEW BEETLE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. *TT
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR WINDOW REGULATOR REPAIRS. *TT
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.