Air Bags. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Seat Belts. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

56 reports

Mileage unknown · Mar 5, 2022

Air BagsInjury

Cranked the car to move it and the drivers side airbag deployed with a massive amount of force. Did not move the car. As soon as in cranked I heard and felt the explosion of the airbag. Sent pieces of plastic and airbag towards me and shoved me into the door. I have a bruised wrist and my ears are ringing. This a concern from no…

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NHTSA ODI #11455322

Mileage unknown · Mar 9, 2021

Air BagsPower Train

ON AIRBAGS DRIVER LIGHT FOR AIRBAG IS ON WON'T GO OFF.ON TRANSMISSION IT JERKS THE WHEN IT'S IN 6 IT RUNS FINE.. I HAVE NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS WITH THIS CAR.THANK YOU

NHTSA ODI #11399974

91,000 miles · Mar 3, 2021

EnginePower TrainUnknown Or Other

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2ND BEETLE. SAME ISSUE. (FIRST ONE LEAKED FLUID). THIS ONE DOES NOT LEAK BUT HAS THE SAME HORRIBLE SHIFTING ISSUE! I LOVE MY CAR BUT HEAR FROM ALL THE MECHANICS THAT THIS IS THE NORM WITH THESE VEHICLES. SO WHY IS IT NOT RECALLED????? IS IT TRANSMISSION OR SOMETHING ELSE? 2007 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. IT HAS 91,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN THE CAR TRANSMISSION IS COLD IT SHIFTS OK MOST OF THE TIME. BUT WHEN THE TRANSMISSION HAS WARMED UP ITS A GIVEN TO JERK AND HESITATE. SPECIALLY WHEN IT SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR I FEEL A HITTING NOISE. ALSO FACING THE SAME PROBLEM WHEN IT DOWN SHIFTS BUT NOT ALWAYS. EMBARRASSING REALLY! SOMETIMES IT SHIFTS HARD IN HIGHER GEAR ON HIGHWAY OR SEEMS TO MISS AND RPM GOES UP AND IT HESITATES TO SHIFT. IT FINALLY DOES WHILE I AM HOLDING MY BREATH AND PRAY IT DOES NOT STALL WHILE I AM TURNING OR IN THE INTERSECTION OR ON THE HIGHWAY. IT REALLY IS A SAFETY ISSUE! I LOVE MY LITTLE CAR THOUGH... GURRRRRRRRR.. SO MAD. WHAT COULD BE THE ISSUE? HOW COULD I FIX THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT HAVING TO PUT ON A LIFT TO ALWAYS CHECK TRANSMISSION FLUID. I WANT TO KEEP THE CAR, ITS A SHAME BECAUSE ITS IN GREAT CONDITION. TRIPLE WHITE CONVERTIBLE AND NO WEAR. AM I LOOKING AT 3K FOR A NEW TRANS? SO I AM TO GIVE UP AND SELL IT TO SOME OTHER POOR SOUL (SUCKER). THAT'S AWFUL. THERE IS A GRAVEYARD FULL OF YOUR CARS IN THE JUNK YARDS FOR PARTS.. SICKENING AND SAD!

NHTSA ODI #11399038

48,658 miles · Aug 9, 2020

Air BagsSeat Belts

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON AFTER START. CONSTANTLY ON EVEN WHEN DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS ARE ENGAGED. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! RECALL NOW. I SEE THE ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED NUMEROUS TIMES OVER A DECADE!

NHTSA ODI #11344219

76,000 miles · Apr 15, 2020

Power Train

CAR HESITATED TWO DIFFERENT TIMES WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. THE TRANSMISSION 'GRABBED' WITHIN 3 OR 4 SECONDS. EACH TIME I CAME CLOSE TO HAVING AN ACCIDENT, BUT DIDN'T THANKS TO THE ALERTNESS OF OTHER DRIVERS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11321179

144,000 miles · Dec 5, 2019

Unknown Or Other

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MASSIVE PROBLEM WITH THE 09G AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. BOTH THE VALVE BODY AND THE ACTUAL TRANSMISSION SUFFERS FROM POOR DESIGN WHICH OVER TIME LEADS TO HARD SHIFTS THROUGH GEARS. ESPECIALLY PROMINENT WHEN UPSHIFTING FROM 1 - 2 & 3. DOWNSHIFTING FROM 4 TO 3 - 1 IS ALSO SIMILARLY EFFECTED. IT HAPPENS UNDER ALL CONDITIONS. HOT, COLD, DRY, WET, ALL THE SAME "JERKING"/SHUDDER MOTION. VOLKSWAGEN SHOULD EXTEND THE WARRANTY FOR THE 09G TRANSMISSIONS FOR THE MK4 PLATFORM (BEETLE 2006 - 2010) AND HONOR THEIR WORK.

NHTSA ODI #11287065

1,000,460 miles · Apr 5, 2019

Air BagsSeat Belts

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THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT AIR BAG SENSOR WENT BAD. THE VW DEALERSHIP SAID THE PARTS HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD! THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE I HAVE SEEN, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT VW HASN'T ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS BY NOW! THE AIR BAGS WILL NOT WORK IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, THIS COULD LEAD TO DEATH! AGAIN THERE NEEDS TO BE ACTION TAKEN AND A RECALL ISSUED BEFORE ANYONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED! MY SEATBELT AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING CAUSING ME TO PULL OVER THINKING THAT MAYBE THE BELT WASN'T FASTENED ALL THE WAY. THE LIGHT WOULDN'T GO OUT SO I DROVE IT TO A GARAGE WHERE IT SAT UNTIL TODAY STILL NOT FIXED DUE TO PART BEING DISCONTINUED! AGAIN SAFETY HAZARD AS THE AIR BAGS ARE NON FUNCTIONAL!

NHTSA ODI #11194117

Mileage unknown · Dec 24, 2018

Exterior Lighting

WENT AND REPLACED RT HEAD LAMP, STILL WON'T WORK, CAR HAS 26000 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ODI #11163239

88,000 miles · Nov 11, 2018

Power Train

AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES MY DAUGHTER PULL ON TO A MAIN ROAD AND TRANSMISSION SLIPPED CHANGING IN TO SECOND AND OTHER GEARS. VEHICLE WOULD NOT GET UP TO SPEED CAUSING OTHER CARS TO HAVE TO SLOW WAY DOWN BEHIND HER. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 88,000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI #11150823

65,000 miles · Aug 15, 2018

Air Bags

"TAKATA RECALL" (?) SRS WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON AFTER STARTING VEHICLE. 65000 MILES ON VEHICLE. CODE (00591) INDICATES FAULT IN DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT/SAFETY BELT.

NHTSA ODI #11120021

Official recalls

10V621000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Dec 10, 2010

VOLKSWAGEN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2010 JETTA, NEW BEETLE, NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE, MODEL YEAR 2009 JETTA SPORTWAGEN AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 RABBIT VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L ENGINES. THE JETTA, JETTA SPORTWAGEN, AND RABBIT VEHICLES MAY HAVE A SMALL PLASTIC TAB LOCATED ON THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR THAT MAY CHAFE AGAINST AN UNDERHOOD FUEL SUPPLY LINE. THE NEW BEETLE AND THE NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A FASTENING CLAMP ON A HYDRAULIC HOSE OF THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM THAT MAY BE LOCATED IN AN IMPROPER POSITION WHICH COULD CAUSE CHAFING AGAINST AN UNDERHOOD FUEL SUPPLY LINE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF CHAFING OCCURS, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A FUEL LEAK TO DEVELOP. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE THE UNDERHOOD FUEL LINE. ADDITIONALLY, DEPENDING ON THE VEHICLE MODEL, DEALERS WILL EITHER REMOVE THE PLASTIC TAB FROM THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR, OR INSPECT THE POSITION OF THE FASTENING CLAMP AND ADJUST THE RELATED FASTENING CLAMP INTO THE CORRECT POSITION. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 31, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VOLKSWAGEN AT 1-800-822-8987.

07V063000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Feb 20, 2007

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER, WAGON, AND CONVERTIBLE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL, A BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION IF IT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE BRAKE LIGHTS COULD BECOME INOPERATIVE, OR REMAIN ON. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE PROPER SIGNAL WHEN BRAKING COULD LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE NEWLY DESIGNED BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 27, 2007, AND WILL BE CONDUCTED IN SEVERAL STAGGERED MAILINGS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 21, 2007. VEHICLES WITHIN THE MAKE, MODEL, AND MODEL YEAR OF THIS POPULATION MAY BE INVOLVED IN EITHER THIS RECALL OR 06V-183, BUT NOT BOTH. THE REMEDY IS THE SAME FOR EACH RECALL. VOLKSWAGEN DEALERS WILL APPLY THE REMEDY BASED ON THE VIN NUMBER OF THE VEHICLE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT VW AT 1-800-822-8987.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.