1998 Volkswagen Beetle problems and complaints
Owners have filed 195 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Volkswagen Beetle. The most-reported areas: Electrical System (54), Visibility (39), Engine And Engine Cooling (32).
Key takeaways
- 195 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 14 involve a crash, 16 a fire, 9 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 54 | 28% |
| Visibility | 39 | 20% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 32 | 16% |
| Exterior Lighting | 24 | 12% |
| Structure | 17 | 9% |
| Air Bags | 14 | 7% |
| Equipment | 14 | 7% |
| Seats | 12 | 6% |
| Power Train | 11 | 6% |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 11 | 6% |
| Service Brakes | 10 | 5% |
| Unknown Or Other | 8 | 4% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Tires - filed 2023-07-24
Separation between belts near the sidewall Cooper cs5 grand touring 205/65 r16. I have had 4 tires that this has happened to. Replaced both front tires twice. This seems to be a recurring problem with these tires.
Air Bags,service Brakes - filed 2021-10-26
The driver was driving the speed limit (55 mph) and tried to slow down as they approached a red light. The brakes failed to work, and the driver rear-ended the vehicle waiting at the stoplight. The airbags did not deploy.
Service Brakes - filed 2019-05-26
DON'T WORK
Diagnose it yourself
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
More for the 1998 Volkswagen Beetle
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.