Volkswagen Beetle Convertible Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 35 consumer complaints across the 3 model years of the Volkswagen Beetle Convertible (2013–2016) that have at least 5 complaints. 2015 has the most, with 16. Across all years, the part named most often is air bags (28 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All Beetle Convertible model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 11 | — | 2 | 603 | — | Not enough data |
| 2015 | 16 | 33,000 | 2 | 804 | — | Rising |
| 2013 | 8 | 50,000 | 3 | 1,036 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Air bags28 80%
- Electrical system3 8.6%
- Fuel system2 5.7%
- Steering1 2.9%
- Engine1 2.9%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2015: “Bluetooth speakerphone does not work. In our state handsfree calling is required. At this point it is a safety risk. We have had it in the dealership at least 30 days over different times. It was escalated to vw, but all they could do was say it is a known defect, and offer 14% to buy another vw. Seems strange they would not do more while under mfg warranty.”
NHTSA complaint #11119919, filed 2018-08, 27,000 miles2013: “Incident 1 several months ago, I pulled up to a stop light. As the vehicle neared a complete stop, the engine stalled. I was unable to re-start the vehicle for 20 minutes. (the engine would crank but never start.) incidents 2 through 4 there were problems with the vehicle restarting on hot days, but I don't have detailed information because I was not the driver. Incidents 5 through 16 I drove the vehicle and shut it off. I returned within about 15 minutes. The engine would crank but not start. Only after waiting 20-25 minutes without attempting to start did the vehicle start. …”
NHTSA complaint #11073439, filed 2018-02, 50,000 miles2016: “Takata recall. The contact owns a 2016 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V945000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.”
NHTSA complaint #11524414, filed 2023-05Other Volkswagen models
10,015 complaintsVolkswagen Passat
7,709 complaintsVolkswagen Beetle
2,588 complaintsVolkswagen Tiguan
2,338 complaintsVolkswagen Atlas
2,027 complaintsVolkswagen Golf
1,429 complaintsVolkswagen GTI
1,396 complaintsVolkswagen ID.4
1,026 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology