2017 Volkswagen Beetle Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Beetle years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 20th of 21 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 15 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle. That ranks 20th out of 21 Beetle model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (6 complaints, 40%), typically at around 43,800 miles. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 15owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2017 Volkswagen Beetle problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 6 | 40% | 43,800 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 33% | 23,400 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 13% | 15,250 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 7% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 7% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2017 Volkswagen Beetle recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Beetle, Beetle Convertible, 2012-2014 Passat, 2017 Passat Wagon, and 2006-2007 Passat Sedan vehicles. The driver's side frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver's side front air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69EG, 69GQ, and 69E6.
Electrical system:ignition:anti-theft:control module; steering:column locking:anti-theft device
Problem: 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."
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Equipment:other:labels
Problem: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Beetle and Jetta GLI vehicles. The affected vehicles have incorrect information on the tire information label, possibly causing the operator to overload the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: Overloading the vehicle may affect vehicle handling or result in tire damage, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a corrected tire information label, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for the recall is 01B9.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The rear view camera stopped working (black screen.) I have tried to soft reset the infotainment display unit as well as a hard reset by disconnecting car battery to no avail. The trunk lock mechanism is operational (the rear view camera unit is located in the same unit.)
My local dealers still do not have the parts for the recall 24V834. It has been a year since the recall. What am I supposed to do?
The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of…
The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The…
The safety recall with the driverâs air bag still does not have a remedy available to fix the problem. My safety is at risk every time this vehicle is driven. Nothing has occurred, but this needs to be rectified immediately.
Other Volkswagen Beetle years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Beetle | 14 | 3 |
| 2018 Beetle | 17 | 3 |
| 2017 | 15 | 3 |
| 2016 Beetle | 48 | 3 |
| 2015 Beetle | 83 | 5 |
| 2014 Beetle | 50 | 5 |
| 2013 Beetle | 93 | 6 |
| 2012 Beetle | 65 | 6 |
| 2010 Beetle | 30 | 3 |
| 2009 Beetle | 33 | 2 |
| 2008 Beetle | 60 | 3 |
| 2007 Beetle | 56 | 2 |
| 2006 Beetle | 124 | 3 |
| 2005 Beetle | 261 | 3 |
| 2004 Beetle | 349 | 3 |
| 2003 Beetle | 314 | 2 |
| 2002 Beetle | 165 | 2 |
| 2001 Beetle | 203 | 2 |
| 2000 Beetle | 263 | 1 |
| 1999 Beetle | 174 | 1 |
| 1998 Beetle | 171 | 2 |
See all Volkswagen Beetle problems by year, every Volkswagen model, or the Volkswagen VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle?
Owners most often report air bags, unknown or other, electrical system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 6 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Beetle model years, the 2017 has far fewer complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.