2016 Volkswagen Beetle problems and complaints
Owners have filed 59 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Volkswagen Beetle. The most-reported areas: Air Bags (46), Electrical System (6), Unknown Or Other (5).
Key takeaways
- 59 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 2 involve a crash, 0 a fire, 0 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 46 | 78% |
| Electrical System | 6 | 10% |
| Unknown Or Other | 5 | 8% |
| Suspension | 3 | 5% |
| Wheels | 3 | 5% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 3% |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 3% |
| Tires | 2 | 3% |
| Steering | 2 | 3% |
| Power Train | 1 | 2% |
| Structure | 1 | 2% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Volkswagen Beetle C FWD | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated |
| 2016 Volkswagen Beetle 2 DR FWD | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Air Bags - filed 2026-09-03
The contact owns a 2016 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V945000 (Air Bags); however, the repair failed to prevent a failure. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced an air bag failure shortly after the recall repair. The vehicle was taken back t...
Air Bags,vehicle Speed Control,service Brakes - filed 2026-06-25
ABS module is defective. This results in numerous warning lights, including abs, traction control, airbags, tire pressure warning, check engine light, epc light, and speed control usability. I have no working abs, seat belt, or traction control, which is a safety issue. There was a previous safety recall for VW with...
Power Train,vehicle Speed Control - filed 2025-11-05
On October 21st I had a recall performed at Evansville D- Patrick for a 37M2 shift lever micro switch. Today Nov 5th I was leaving work, pulling out of the drive onto highway and once I got on the road the car lost motion and just rolled. Barely made it across the highway. I got across the street into another lot. Tur...
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More for the 2016 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.