2013 Volkswagen BEETLE: complaints, problems and recalls

AFTER EXITING THE FREEWAY AND COMPLETING A CURVE TO THE RIGHT I WAS ON A STRAIGHT SECTION OF THE OFF RAMP GOING APPROX. 35 MPH. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND A MODERATE VIBRATION WAS FELT IN THE FRONT END/BRAKES. THE CAR SPUN OUT AND HIT A SIGN THEN A WALL WITH THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 97,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10502138 at NHTSA ↗

THE BRAKE PEDAL IS SO CLOSE TO THE GAS PEDAL THAT MY WIFE AND I HAVE HAD OUR RIGHT SHOES WHILE ON THE GAS PEDAL GET STUCK UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL. MY SHOE SOLE HAS REPEATEDLY GOT CAUGHT UNDER THE RIGHT EDGE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT IS SCARY TRYING TO GET THE SHOE LOOSE TO BRAKE THE CAR. I SENT AN EMAIL TO VW OF AMERICA AND THEY STATE THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD THIS BEFORE. I HAVE A FRIEND AT CHURCH WHO JUST BOUGHT AN IDENTICAL BEETLE TO OURS AND HE SAID HE HAS ALSO HAD THE SAME ISSUES. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10533772 at NHTSA ↗

THERE IS A DELAY BETWEEN WHEN THE HORN BUTTON IS PRESSED AND WHEN IT SOUNDS. THAT'S A HAZARD AND MAKES NO SENSE.

Owner-reported narrative. 150 miles reported. Look up ODI 10538079 at NHTSA ↗

LOW PRESSURE DIESEL FUEL TANK FUEL PUMP FAILURE. NO VISIBLE SIGN OF CONTAMINATED FUEL SUCH AS WATER OR DEBRIS. THIS IS SECOND INCIDENT. VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY SLOW TO LESS THAN 2000 RPM AND WILL NOT EXCEED 45 MPH. DEALER REPLACED PUMP UNDER WARRANTY THE FIRST FAILURE AND NOW IS BLAMING FAILURE ON FUEL. BOTH INCIDENTS RESTRICTED THE VEHICLES ABILITY TO ACCELERATE AND ALMOST RESULTED IN ACCIDENTS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 10,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10554249 at NHTSA ↗

MY DAUGHTER'S 2013 VW BEETLE DOES NOT HAVE AN EMERGENCY TRUNK RELEASE. THE ONLY WAY TO RELEASE IT IS TO LOWER THE REAR SEATS, CRAWL INTO THE TRUNK AND USING YOUR KEY, INSERT IT INTO A SLOT IN THE DARK, AND SLIDE IT WHILE PUSHING UP ON THE TRUNK! NOT VERY GOOD FOR A CHILD WHO WOULD BE LOCKED IN ! *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10584195 at NHTSA ↗

PREPARING TO ENTER FREEWAY WHEN ENGINE SPUTTERED, "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON AND ENGINE QUIT RUNNING. STUCK IN TRAFFIC UNTIL FIRE DEPT. CAME BY AND HELPED PUSH TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS 101F WHEN THIS OCCURRED. HAD TOWED TO LOCAL VW DEALERSHIP, WHO INFORMED ME THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP FAILED CAUSING METAL DEBRIS TO ENTER THE FUEL SYSTEM. THEY REPLACED THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM TO INCLUDE THE PUMP & INJECTORS. THEY ALSO DUMPED THE FUEL THAT WAS IN THE TANK. THE TANK WAS FULL OF DIESEL, LESS 45 MILES, WHEN THIS HAPP…

Owner-reported narrative. 17,929 miles reported. Look up ODI 10592451 at NHTSA ↗

CONTIPROCONTACT TIRE 23540R19 BLOW OUT DEC 2012. SAME TIRE REPLACED IN 2014. NOW FOR THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS (MAY 11,2014) LOSING AIR PRESSURE IN ORIGINAL TIRES. FILL THE TIRES WITH CORRECT AMOUNT OF AIR AND A FEW DAYS LATER DASHBOARD LIKE COME ON SAYING AIR PRESSURE PROBLEM IN TIRES. KEEPS DOING THE SAME THING. ONLY HAVE 10,000 MILES ON THE TIRES. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1,402 miles reported. Look up ODI 10592749 at NHTSA ↗

CAR STALLS AND LOOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING. 3RD INCIDENT ON CAR. DEALER AND MANUFACTURE CAN'T FIND ANY ISSUE TO REPAIR. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 7,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10606340 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2012-11-15 (November 15, 2012)

Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Beetle vehicles, manufactured from February 2012, through August 2012, and equipped with leather sport seats. If the right front passenger seat gets wet, the occupant control module may not properly detect the presence of a child restraint installed in the seat.

Consequence: If the control module does not detect a child seat installed, the airbag will not turn off. If the airbag does not turn off, in the event of a crash necessitating front airbag deployment, a child secured in the child seat may be at an increased risk for serious injury.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and replace the control modules, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during January 2013. Owners may contact Volkswagen at 1-800-822-8987.

Reported: 2014-10-20 (October 20, 2014)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Jetta vehicles manufactured March 1, 2010, to November 30, 2012, and 2012-2013 Beetle vehicles manufactured March 1, 2011, to July 31, 2013. The durability of the rear trailing arms may be reduced in vehicles whose rear trailing arms have been previously deformed, such as a result of a rear or side-rear impact crash.

Consequence: The reduced durability of the trailing arm may result in its sudden fracture, possibly causing loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a sheet metal inlay on the rear axle trailing arms designed to prevent a sudden loss of control in the event of trailing arm sudden fracture, free of charge. The recall began April 7, 2015. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.

Reported: 2014-10-20 (October 20, 2014)

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.

Consequence: Vehicle occupants could be injured by falling glass. A sunroof break during vehicle operation also increases the risk of driver distraction and a resulting vehicle crash.

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 recall is 60B9.

Reported: 2019-08-22 (August 22, 2019)

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 switch contacts may enable the key to be removed from the ignition when the transmission shift lever is not in "Park."

Consequence: Removing the key while the shift lever is in a position other than "Park" increases the risk of an unintended vehicle rollaway that may result in personal injury or a crash.

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. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 37M2.

Reported: 2019-09-25 (September 25, 2019)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Volkswagen Passat, 2018 Tiguan LWB, 2007-2009 Jetta Sedan, 2011-2013, 2015 and 2019 Jetta, 2013 Jetta Hybrid, 2008-2009 Jetta Sportwagen, 2015 Golf Sportwagen, 2013 Golf, 2008-2010 and 2012-2013 Beetle and Beetle Convertible, 2008-2010 Beetle, and Beetle Convertible vehicles. Modifications made while the vehicles were in an internal evaluation period may cause the affected vehicles to not comply with all of the applicable regulatory requirements.

Consequence: If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners and repurchase the affected vehicles. The recall began November 6, 2019. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 01D7. Note: This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 18V-329.

Reported: 2020-12-16 (December 16, 2020)

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Volkswagen Beetle and Beetle Convertible 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.

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69BC.