Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 39 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2001 Volkswagen New Beetle, most frequently naming the electrical, brakes and engine categories. 3 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 19 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2001 | 1 | 1 |
| Sep 2001 | 1 | 2 |
| Dec 2001 | 1 | 3 |
| Jan 2002 | 1 | 4 |
| Feb 2002 | 2 | 6 |
| Mar 2002 | 1 | 7 |
| Nov 2002 | 1 | 8 |
| Dec 2002 | 1 | 9 |
| Jan 2003 | 3 | 12 |
| Feb 2003 | 2 | 14 |
| Mar 2003 | 1 | 15 |
| May 2003 | 3 | 18 |
| Jun 2003 | 1 | 19 |
| Jul 2003 | 2 | 21 |
| Aug 2003 | 1 | 22 |
| Sep 2003 | 1 | 23 |
| Oct 2003 | 1 | 24 |
| Dec 2003 | 1 | 25 |
| Jan 2004 | 4 | 29 |
| Feb 2004 | 1 | 30 |
| Mar 2004 | 2 | 32 |
| Apr 2004 | 1 | 33 |
| Jun 2004 | 3 | 36 |
| Sep 2004 | 2 | 38 |
| Nov 2004 | 1 | 39 |
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.
3 campaigns 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
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
BOTH REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP, NEEDED TO REPLACE CALIPERS, ROTORS, DRUMS, PADS AT 16,455MILES.*AK
I HAVE A 2001 VOLKSWAGON BEETLE AND WAS VERY FRUSTRATED WHEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR STARTED SHAKING. I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER WHERE I WAS CHARGED $100!!!! AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS! I WAS SO UPSET! THE NEXT DAY THE LIGHT CAME ON AGIAN AND I WAS FURIOUS! I TOOK THE CAR IN AGAIN AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE IGNITION COIL AND THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME $100 AGIAN. I COPMPLAINED AND GOT THE 2ND FEE WAVED. I'M NOT AN EXPERT BUT IT IS VERY RARE FOR AN IGNITION COIL TO FAIL???*AK
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, NO DRIVABILITY PROBLEMS THOUGH. DEALER SAID NOT UNDER WARRANTY; 2001 VW BEETLE WITH 7,600 MILES. CHECKED AND CHARGED $142.00 TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM, REPLACED CTS, COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR. IT APPEARS THAT IT IS HARD TO FIND ANY SHOPS WITH EQUIPMENT TO ACCESS VW'S ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM; ONLY WAY IS AT VW OR IF A SHOP HAS A PC BASED SYSTEM CALLED MORPHUS? WAS THIS DEFECT UNDER WARRANTY SINCE IT IS PART OF THE OVERALL ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, CONTROLLING EMISSIONS? THANK YOU, [XXX].*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
THE REAR DISC BRAKE PADS (BOTH SIDES) COMPLETELY WORN OFF/OUT AT 25,000 MILES ON 2001 VW NEW BEETLE. THE WORN OUT PADS ALSO DAMAGED BOTH REAR HUB/ROTOR ASSEMBLIES, WHICH ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED BY THE CONSUMER, AT THE CONSUMERS COST. THIS CAR HAD BEEN IN FOR ITS 20,000 MILE CHECK UP TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE FEMALE OWNER HAD ASKED ABOUT REAR BRAKE NOISES THAT CONCERNED HER. THE DEALERSHIP ASSURED HER THAT EVERYTHING WAS OK, BUT SOMETIMES IT WOULD JUST NORMALLY MAKE SOME NOISES. A FEW THOUSAND MILES LATER THE PADS AND ROTORS ARE COMPLETELY SHOT AND WE HAVE TO PICK UP THE TAB AS THE CAR IS NOW NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. VW HAS HAD A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN(TSB#4602-01 DATED 04-02), I RECENTLY FOUND OUT, CONCERNING THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM WE EXPERIENCED:BRAKE PADS(REAR) APPARENT PREMATURE WEAR. I MENTIONED THIS FACT TO BOTH THE DEALERSHIP IN RACINE, WI AND VW AT THEIR 1-800-822-8987 "CUSTOMER CARE" CARE NUMBER WHEN SPEAKING TO MR KEN PARROTT. IT WAS TO NO AVAIL. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT PERSON FELT THIS WAS "NORMAL" THOUGH I CONTESTED THAT OPINION. THE VW PERSON, MR PERROTT, SAID HE COULDN'T EVEN LOOK INTO THE MATTER AS THE WORK WAS PERFORMED AT A NON VW DEALERSHIP, THOUGH IT WAS A CERTIFIED NAPA AUTOCARE SERVICE CENTER THAT DID THE REPAIR WORK. HE, MR PARROTT, ALSO STATED IF I HAD TAKEN IT IN TO A VW GARAGE WAS NO GUARANTEE THEY WOULD PAY FOR MY EXPENSES EITHER. I ASKED ABOUT "OPENING A CASE" W/VW AND HE SAID THE CONVERSATION WE WERE HAVING INITIATED IT AND WHEN I HUNG UP(I ASKED HIM ABOUT THIS) THAT THE CASE WOULD BE CLOSED, AS FAR AS THEY WERE CONCERNED. BUT NOT AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE ARM NUT SECURING THE BRACKET TO THE WIPER MOTOR NUT HAS NO LOCKING MECHANISM TO PREVENT THE NUT FROM LOOSENING DURING WIPER OPERATION. THIS RESULTS IN THE NUT WORKING ITS WAY OFF THE WIPER MOTOR AND THE WIPERS CEASING OPERATION. REATTACHING THE NUT ONLY WORKS BRIEFLY UNTIL THE NUT WORKS LOOSE AGAIN. IN ADDITION, I RECEIVE NO RECALL NOTIFICATIONS FOR THIS VEHICLE IN THE ENTIRE TIME I HAVE OWNED IT AND I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER.*AK
A FAMILY MEMBER OF MINE RECENTLY BOUGHT, I BELIEVE, A 2001 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. AFTER WAITING A WHILE FOR HER TAGS SHE AND HER FATHER LOOKED INTO THE DOCUMENTS GIVEN TO HER BY THE DEALERSHIP AND NOTICED A DISCREPANCY IN MILEAGE AFTER THEY DID A FULL CARFAX REPORT ON THE CAR. THE CARFAX REPORTED THAT THE CAR HAD 76000 MILES ON IT IN NOVEMBER OF 2003 BUT THE DOCUMENT ATESTING TO MILEAGE FROM THE DEALERSHIP STATED IT HAD ONLY 66K WHEN BOUGHT IN MARCH ON IT AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SOLD TO THE DEALERSHIP UNTIL FEBRUARY WITH WHO KNOWS HOW MANY MILES. I BELIEVE THAT THE DEALERSHIP OR THE PREVIOUS OWNER ROLLED BACK THE MILEAGE. IN MY MIND IT IS MORE LIKELY THAT IT IS THE DEALER. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE STEPS WE NEED TO TAKE, THE INFORMATION WE NEED TO HAVE AND HOW TO GET IT, AND WHO TO CONTACT IN SOUTH CAROLINA (PREFERABLY IN ROCK HILL, SC) IN ORDER TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILS TO OPERATE OR OPERATES RANDOMLY. THE BLADE WILL STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDOW AND GO NO FURTHER UNLESS I PHYSICALLY PUSH IT DOWN OR TURN THE SWITCH ON THE HIGHEST SPEED AND THEN IT MAY WORK SO I CAN PUT IT IN THE DOWN POSITION SO IT DOESN'T OBSTRUCT MY VIEW. *LA
BRAKE LAMPS ON 2001 NEW BEETLE COME ON AND STAY ON EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE IS SHUT OFF AND PARKED. THIS IS SIMILAR TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 03V265000 (7-25-03). I CHECKED VW AND THEY TOLD ME THE RECALL WAS VIN SPECIFIC AND MY 2001 NEW BEETLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. IT SEEMS THERE MAY BE MORE UNITS AFFECTED THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT.*AK
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
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
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- HOW TO PERFORM EFFECTIVE DIAGNOSIS RELATED TO FUEL SYSTEM ADAPTATION - SYSTEM TOO RICH/TOO LEAN. VOLKSWAGEN. *MJ
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
REPLACEMENT OF THE IGNITION COILS. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT IF ONE OF THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION COIL FAILS, ROUGH IDLING OR REDUCED DRIVING POWER COULD OCCUR IN ADDITION TO ILLUMINATION OF THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP LIGHT. *TT *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
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.