Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2019 Volkswagen Beetle, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system4
- Engine2
- Exterior lighting2
- Service brakes2
- Unknown or other2
- Power train1
- Wheels1
- Visibility/wiper1
- Suspension1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 4 2019 Beetle vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 2 people died inside them. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2019 Volkswagen Beetle failed the safety check 1.08% of the time — 25% less often than the average 2019 passenger car (1.44%). Median odometer at inspection: 23,549 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Registered new in Europe in 2019
264 new Volkswagen Beetle cars were registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland in 2019; the largest markets were Germany (102), France (74), Belgium (25).
- Average mass
- 1,400 kg
- Average CO₂
- 126 g/km (NEDC)
- Average power
- 88 kW
- Fuel type recorded
- Petrol 89% · Diesel 11%
European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · averages weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value; fuel type as recorded at registration, where many non-plug-in hybrids appear as petrol · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
In the United Kingdom
4 cars built in 2019 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025.
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In New Zealand
11 2019 cars are on the New Zealand register; 55% arrived as used imports, 45% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-star results for 2 variants; not yet fully rated. Rollover risk is the estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Variant | Overall | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Volkswagen Beetle 2 DR FWD | — | 10.5 % |
| 2019 Volkswagen Beetle C FWD | — | 0.0 % |
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- No
- Lane departure warning
- No
- Best overall rating
- —
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), api.nhtsa.gov · US federal work, public domain
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 3 variants: combined 8.1–8.2 L/100 km (about 29 mpg US), CO₂ 189–191 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beetle Dune · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.1 | 6.9 | 8.1 |
| Beetle Dune Convertible · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 9.1 | 6.9 | 8.1 |
| Beetle · Compact · Regular gasoline | 9.0 | 7.1 | 8.2 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
2 Transport Canada recalls for the 2019 Volkswagen Beetle.
| 2024649 30 Oct 2024 | Airbag Issue: On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, may eventually degrade the p… |
| 2019067 13 Feb 2019 | Lights And Instruments Issue: On certain vehicles, the brake warning light does not turn on when the electronic brake force distribution system malfunctions. This could cause a driv… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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."
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Beetle and Beetle Convertible vehicles. The instrument cluster may not provide a visual warning when a brake system failure is detected. As a result, the vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light vehicle brake systems" and number 101, "Controls and displays."
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Volkswagen told its dealers about the 2019 Volkswagen Beetle: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 11011374 | HVAC duct cleaning and deodorizing |
| 11010024 | Lack of paint under roof |
| 11010022 | Engine Oil Standards |
| 11010021 | Additional reporting |
| 11010011 | Vehicle Concerns Before Recall Repair Available |
| 11008866 | Inspecting sensors for damage |
| 11008861 | Fluid requirements |
| 11008860 | Manual transmission noise diagnosing |
| 11008858 | A list of engine oil that meet Volkswagen Engine Oil Standards |
| 11008857 | How to perform the engine oil consumption measurement |
| 11008856 | Checking Engine Oil and correctly reading dip stick |
| 11008853 | How to manage software versions using VW diagnostic Tool |
| 11008852 | Recommended Gasoline Quality |
| 11008851 | Engine Misfire Diagnostic Aid |
| 11008850 | Fuel additive to help with misfire faults |
| 11008846 | Wind & Water Leak Checking |
| 11007398 | Battery testing |
| 11007393 | Engine Oil Standards |
| 11005825 | Engine oil quality standards |
| 11005820 | Engine Assembly Tip |
| 11005819 | Engine Replacement Tip |
| 11002875 | Engine oil quality standards |
| 11002874 | Remnants of the valve stem seal on the valve guide can interfere with the installation of new valve stem seals |
| 11001508 | Engine oil quality standards |
| 11001503 | Forigen objects inside seat belt buckle |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)