RoadVitals

2002 Volkswagen New Beetle

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
15
Latest Nov 27, 2004
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Jan 31, 2002
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0
2 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 15 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2002 Volkswagen New Beetle, most frequently naming the transmission, brakes and engine categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 10 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.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Brakes517.2%
  • Engine310.3%
  • Interior & seats310.3%
  • Visibility310.3%
  • Electrical310.3%
  • Exterior lighting13.4%
  • Seat belts13.4%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

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.gov

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

Jan 31, 2002
55,000 units potentially affected
The defect: ON SOME PASSENGER VEHICLES, SHORT CIRCUITS CAN OCCUR WITHIN THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS).
The risk: THIS CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ABS CONTROL UNIT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 8, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.
VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INCView on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

BrakesTransmissionVisibility
Filed Nov 27, 2004

THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 2002 NEW BEETLE FAILS TO ENGAGE FOR A SECOND OR TWO AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR A WHILE. DOESN'T DO IT AT OTHER TIMES, ONLY WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING AN HOUR OR MORE. DEALERSHIP REPLACED TRANSMISSION MODULE TWICE (TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS) AND THE THIRD AND FOURTH TIME I BROUGHT IT IN WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT, THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO BEHAVE THIS WAY. INHERENT TO THE DESIGN OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS THIS SMALL DELAY FOR EMISSIONS REASONS. I AM NOT BUYING IT, NOT WITH ALL THE OTHER ISSUES I HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR. I HAVE HAD IT IN FOUR TIMES FOR POWER WINDOW PROBLEMS AND GETTING READY TO BRING IT IN FOR A FIFTH. THE MONSOON STEREO HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE AND IS MALFUNCTIONING AGAIN. THE PARKING BRAKE ASSEMBLY BROKE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. LOTS OF BOTHERSOME PROBLEMS AND NOW I HEAR WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A VALVE TAP.*AK

NHTSA ID
10100587
Incident
Aug 17, 2002
Mileage
10,000 mi
AirbagsBrakesElectrical+4 more
Filed Aug 24, 2004

SEATBELT AIR BAG SENSOR- AIR BAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON 11/8/03 TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY ORDERED THE PART. BOTH HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING BY THE TIME I GOT TO THE DEALER, THEY REPLACED THOSE, TURN SIGNALS WERE GOING ON AND OFF ALONG WITH THE HAZARD LIGHTS, WAS TOLD THESE NEEDED TO BE ORDERED. CALLED IN 2 WEEKS AND WAS TOLD THE PARTS WERE ON MANUFACTURE BACKORDER AND THEY WOULD CALL ME WHEN THEY CAME IN. I CALLED EVERY 2 WEEKS THEY PART WERE NOT IN. 3/3/04 SMOG TEST DONE TO REGISTER MY CAR- FAILED SMOG, TOOK CAR TO DEALER CAT CONVERTER OUT, THEY HAD TO ORDER PART SAID THEY WOULD REORDER THE SENSOR, 3/12/04 TOOK CAR BACK IN PARTS NOT IN YET, CALLED EVERY DAY PARTS NOT IN NOW MY REGISTRATION WAS LATE. CAT CONVERTER CAME IN ON 4/2/04 IT WAS INSTALLED DEALER WAS REFUSING TO SMOG TEST FOR FREE THE FINALLY DID BUT WOULD NOT PAY THE FEES FOR MY REGISTRATION BEING LATE. CALLED AGAIN EVERY 2 WEEKS PARTS DID NOT COME IN. 6/30/04 WENT IN OTHER PARTS ON THE CAR WERE BRAKING OFF, EMERGENCY BRAKE HANDLE BROKEN, DISPLAY LIGHTS NOT WORKING, CUP HOLDER BROKEN, AGAIN THEY HAD TO ORDER PARTS, AND THEY NEVER CAME IN. 8/18/04 AIR CONDITIONING STOPED BLOWING COLD AIR, MADE APPT ONLINE FOR 8/23/04 TOOK CAR IN, NONE OF THE PARTS ORDERED ARE IN AGAIN. SERVICE STATED MY AIR CONDITIONING IS NOT COVERED BECAUSE OF A HOLE IN THE CONDENSOR EVEN THOUGH MY WARRANTY STATES IT IS COVERED THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT AND TRIED TO CHARGE ME $95.00 FOR FINDING THE HOLE, I REFUSED TO PAY AFTER ALL I HAVE BEEN WAITING SINCE NOVEMBER FOR SEVERAL PARTS INCLUDING A SAFTEY ISSUE, THE DEALER SERVICE HAS BEEN THE WORST I DEALT WITH IN 25 YEARS OF DRIVING. I HAVE SENT EMAILS, PHONE CALLS AND FAXES TO THE DEALER REGARDING ALL MY COMPLAINTS AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10088497
Incident
Nov 8, 2003
Mileage
41,583 mi
Transmission
Filed Jun 10, 2004

THE CLUTCH ON 2002 BEETLE 1.8 TURBO WENT OUT ON MY WIFE ON I-40 IN AMARILLO. THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND SHE WAS GOING 30 MILES PER HOUR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON THE INTERSTATE. SHE WAS ABLE TO MOVE ACROSS TWO LANES AND EXIT THE INTERSTATE WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE VW CLUTCHES IN THE 1.8 TURBOS SEEM TO BE HAVING VERY EARLY FAILURE. THE CLUTCH WAS REPLACED FOR $1450.00 AND NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. I HAVE REQUESTED TO SEE THE OLD PARTS. I HAVE READ THAT THE NEW CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL HAVE DIFFERENT PART NUMBERS THAN ORIGINAL.*AK

NHTSA ID
10075150
Incident
Jun 8, 2004
Mileage
23,500 mi
Transmission
Filed Jun 8, 2004

VW 2002 TURBO BEETLE HAD AN EPC LIGHT COME ON. THE CAR WAS LOOSING POWER AND WOULD CUT OFF AT TIMES (IN TRAFFIC). I TOOK IT IN AND THEY SAID THAT IT A PROBLEM WITH THE VACUUM ON THE TURBO. THE RECEIPT SHOWS THAT THEY REPLACED A SWITCH. ABOUT A FEW WEEKS LATER, THE CAR STARTED LOOSING POWER AGAIN. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND BROUGHT IT IN. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR'S CLUTCH WAS OUT AND THAT I NEEDED A NEW CLUTCH & FLYWHEEL. THE ESTIMATE WAS $1800 TO REPAIR. THE CAR HAS ABOUT 27,000 MILES (PROBABLY LESS). THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THE CLUTCH EVEN AT 27,000 MILES. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS ONLY A 12,000 MILE WARRANTY FOR THIS TYPE OF REPAIR. THIS IS A MAJOR PART OF THE DRIVE TRAIN AND SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE DRIVE TRAIN WARRANTY FOR MORE THAN 12,000 MILES. I HAVE DRIVEN STANDARDS ALL MY LIFE. THERE IS APPARENTLY A PROBLEM WITH THE VW CLUTCHES.*AK

NHTSA ID
10074998
Incident
May 14, 2004
Mileage
27,800 mi
Transmission
Filed Apr 3, 2004

VW 2002 TURBO BEETLE SUDDENLY STARTED TO LOSE POWER, CUT OUT IN TRAFFIC A COUPLE OF TIMES. TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AS AN EMERGENCY. WAS TOLD THE CLUTCH WAS BAD AT LESS THAN 25K ON THE SPEEDOMETER? PART NOT COVERED BY POWERTRAIN WARRANTY - "HIDDEN" WARRANTY, SO THEY WANTED $1800 TO FIX. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS FOR 30-YEARS, NEVER HAD A TRANSMISSION OR CLUTCH PROBLEM EVEN ON CARS WITH OVER 200K ON CLOCK. THEY CHARGED ME $300 TO TEAR DOWN CLUTCH, VW MAINTAINED "DRIVER OUTSIDE INFLUENCES." MEANWHILE I GET ON THE INTERNET AND THERE ARE PAGES OF WEB SITES AND HUNDREDS OF LETTERS ON VW 2002 TURBO BEETLES WITH BAD CLUTCHES, GOING OUT AT 5K, 11K, 17K 25K, 36K AND SO ON, BUT VERY EARLY IN HE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER MORE RESEARCH, IT TURNS OUT THAT THE ENGINES ARE POORLY DESIGNED AND THE CLUTCH IS TOO SMALL FOR THE TURBO ENGINE AND THUS BURNING UP AT LOW MILEAGE. ALSO PROBLEMS ON 2001 VW JETTA'S WHERE FLYWHEEL IS CRACKING AND LEAKING ONTO CLUTCH AND BURNING UP CLUTCH. VW ARE VERY AWARE OF THE SITUATION AND ARE NOW PLACING LARGER CLUTCH IN NEWER MODELS. HOWEVER, THEY WERE DENYING RESPONSIBILITY AND PLACING REPAIR COSTS ONTO CUSTOMERS. VW CUSTOMER CARE WERE THE MOST ARROGANT AND DIFFICULT PEOPLE I'VE DEALT WITH IN 30-YEARS OF DRIVING. THEY MESSED WITH MY LIFE AND THE LIFE OF OTHERS AND THIS IS UNCONSCIONABLE. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER VW OR RECOMMEND A VW TO ANYONE AGAIN. THE VEHICLE IS REPAIRED BUT I AM TURNING IT IN FOR A HONDA. *NM

NHTSA ID
10064453
Incident
Feb 23, 2004
Mileage
24,750 mi
Interior & seats
Filed Jan 26, 2004

DOOR LOCKS HAVE NEVER WORKED PROPERLY. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS FOR LOCK PROBLEMS AT LEAST 8 TIMES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. OFTEN THE DOORS WILL NOT LOCK WITH THE INTERIOR POWER DOOR LOCK. THEY HAVE GIVEN SEVERAL DIFFERENT DIAGNOSIS, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY CAN'T REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM, AND NOW THEY ARE STATING THAT THE CAR IS DESIGNED TO OPERATE SO THAT THE DOORS CANNOT BE LOCKED FROM THE INSIDE UNTIL THE CAR IS STARTED IF THE TRUNK WAS OPENED WITH THE POWER TRUNK RELEASE ON THE KEY. THEY TELL ME I HAVE TO OPEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR, USE THE TRUNK RELEASE BUTTON ON THE DOOR AND THEN THE LOCKS WILL WORK PROPERLY. I CANNOT USE THE REMOTE TRUNK OPENER AND I HAVE TO OPEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR FIRST!!!! THIS PROBLEM DID NOT START UNTIL WE HAD OWNED THE CAR FOR 14 MONTHS. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE OTHER PROBLEMS AS WELL. *LA

NHTSA ID
10054935
Incident
Jan 26, 2004
Visibility
Filed Sep 18, 2003

DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH MY CLOSED SUNROOF SHATTERED INTO A MILLION PIECES. IT SOUNDED LIKE SOMEONE FIRED A GUN, AND THEN GLASS WENT EVERYWHERE. *JB

NHTSA ID
10039153
Incident
Sep 16, 2003
BrakesElectricalEngine
Filed Jul 30, 2003

THE VEHICLE'S SPEED DROPPED DRAMATICALLY, AND THEN STALLED. *JB THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING: THE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON, WOULD NOT COME OUT OF PARK(REPEATEDLY), LOCK UP, SIT FOR HOURS/FROZEN, START BUT NOT COME OUT OF PARK, ABS AND EPC LIGHT PROBLEMS WHICH WAS FIXED UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD THE OVERLOAD PROBLEMS SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED, WHILE DRIVEN, THE VEHICLE DROPPED DOWN TO 30 MPH AND DOWN TO 20 MPH ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE MOTOR SOUNDED LOUD AND THE VEHICLE HAD SHAKEN, THE DEALER FOUND THREE FAULT CODE FOR THROTTLE CONTROL AND FAULTY THROTTLE BODY(DEALER ASSURED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WOULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN), AND THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A MISFIRE ON ALL CYLINDERS AND THAT THE PLUG WIRES WERE REPLACED. ON ONE OCCASION WHERE VEHICLE DID NOT COME OUT OF PARK, THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT THE PROBLEM HAD COME FROM THE BRAKE SWITCH AND ASSURED THAT THE FREEZE UP(S) WERE SOLVED. THE VEHICLE SAT FOR FIVE HOURS, THEN THE VEHICLE FINALLY STARTED AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE ECM(THE PART HAD TO BE ORDERED). *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID
10016051
Incident
Apr 16, 2003
Mileage
8,268 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

0412

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT (MIL) ON, DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTCS) STORED IN DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) MEMORY. *MJ

0402

STRUCTURE

DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR WINDOW REGULATOR REPAIRING. *MJ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING DOOR WINDOW, SEPARATES FROM WINDOW REGULATOR CLAMPS. *TT

0409

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

WG

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

0401

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

NEW STYLE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH REQUIRES CARE DURING INSTALLATION TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO SWITCH. *TT

102

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.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Volkswagen New Beetle by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2010000
2009000
2008000
2007000
2006100
2004122036.5
2003200035.2
2002Viewing151036.8
2001393049.4
2000402051.5
1999341037.7
1998301043.8

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.