Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system7
- Engine and engine cooling7
- Fuel system, gasoline5
- Visibility3
- Seats3
- Vehicle speed control2
- Air bags2
- Equipment2
- Power train2
- Structure2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 2 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Engines
The most common engines in 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle cars on Dutch roads are the 2.0 petrol (85 kW, 114 hp) and 1.9 diesel (66 kW, 89 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0 petrol | 85 kW 114 hp | 471 |
| 1.9 diesel | 66 kW 89 hp | 24 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
504 first registered in 1999 are on Dutch roads; 39% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen305
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde162
- Waarschuwingsinrichting airbag- / gordelsysteem geeft defect151
- Band onvoldoende profiel109
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld105
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm78
- Licht- donkerscheiding dimlicht onduidelijk78
- Waarschuwingsinrichting antiblokkeersysteem geeft defect aan78
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In Finland
345 of these cars first registered in 1999 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 244,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 6 variants: combined 6.1–10.8 L/100 km (about 22–39 mpg US), CO₂ 165–248 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Beetle TDI Diesel · Subcompact · Diesel | 6.7 | 5.4 | 6.1 |
| New Beetle TDI Diesel · Subcompact · Diesel | 8.1 | 5.8 | 7.1 |
| New Beetle · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 10.6 | 8.5 | 9.7 |
| New Beetle · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 11.3 | 8.3 | 10.0 |
| New Beetle · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 11.9 | 9.1 | 10.7 |
| New Beetle · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 11.9 | 9.4 | 10.8 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE BRAKE LAMP SWITCH MAY MALFUNCTION.
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 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 633842 | FRESH AIR BLOWER MOTOR, INOPERATIVE AT AMBIENT AIR TEMPERATURES NEAR OR BELOW FREEZING. *TT |
| 626970 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MALFUNCTION. *SLC |
| 621623 | SUBJECT REGARDING MALFUNCTIONING INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. *TT |
| 621613 | SUBJECT REGARDING LATCH SYSTEM LOWER ANCHORS AND TETHERS FOR CHILDREN, INSTALLING / RETROFITTING. *TT |
| 621611 | A CONDITION MAY EXIST WITH COOLANT LEAKING FROM THE COOLANT RESERVOIR BOTTLE WIRING CONNECTOR CONTAMINATING THE WIRING HARNESS AND / OR CONTAMINATION RESULTING IN VARIOUS MALFUNCTIONS OF THE INSTRUMENT PLANEL. *TT |
| 612477 | INFORMATION REGARDING THE INSTALLATION OF THE GROUNDING STRAP DURING REPLACEMENT OF THE FUEL TANK. *MJS |
| 612470 | CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF A HUMMING NOISE FROM GENERAL AREA OF THE FRONT END DURING CORNERING, ON VEHICLES WITH 02J TRANSMISSIONS. *MJS |
| 612463 | VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE NO AIR FLOW ADJUSTMENT AT CENTER AIR OUTLET (S). *MJS |
| 612442 | INFORMATION REGARDING THE REPAIR OF THE HEADLIGHT ELECTRICAL CONNECTION. *MJS |
| 610584 | INFORMATION CONTAINING A COMPONENT GROUND IDENTIFICATION CHART WHICH LISTS GROUND LOCATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN INTEGRATED INTO THE REPAIR INFORMATION SYSTEM. *TT |
| 608348 | INFORMATION ON VEHICLE'S EXHIBITING WIND NOISE/WHISTLE FROM INSTRUMENT PANEL AREA. MJS |
| 608346 | INFORMATION ON RADIO SERIAL NUMBER/CODE, STICKER LOCATION ON VEHICLE'S BEGINING WITH VIN #'S: GOLF/ JETTA (1999, 2000, 1H_XM215697), NEW GOLF/ NEW JETTA (1999,2000 ALL), NEW BEETLE (1999-2000-1C_WM024452), CABRIO (1999-2000- 1 H _XM215697), PASSAT (1999,2000 ALL). MJS |
| 608345 | INFORMATION REGARDING VEHICLE'S THAT EXHIBIT STATIC/INTERFERENCE ON AM RADIO STATIONS. *MJS |
| 608344 | INFORMATION ON REPAIR OF VEHICLE'S EXHIBITING WIND NOISE/WHISTLE FROM INSTRUMENT PANEL AREA. MJS |
| 607970 | INFORMATION ON REPLACING THE SHIFT PATTERN INSERT. *TT |
| 607937 | CONDITIONS WITH POOR AM RECEPTION. *TT |
| 606632 | IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING NEW VEHICLE WINDSHIELD, REAR AND SIDE GLASS, SCRATCH, STRESS CRACK AND DISTORTION SURVEY FORM. *TT |
| 10007885 | DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR WINDOW REGULATOR REPAIRING. *MJ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING DOOR WINDOW, SEPARATES FROM WINDOW REGULATOR CLAMPS. *TT |
| 10007712 | EVALUATING FUEL MIXTURE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTC) - HOW TO PERFORM EFFECTIVE DIAGNOSTIC RELATED TO FUEL SYSTEM ADAPTATION SYSTEM TOO RICH/ TOO LEAN. VOLKSWAGEN. *MJ |
| 10007711 | EVALUATING FUEL MIXTURE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES- HOW TO PERFORM EFFECTIVE DIAGNOSIS RELATED TO FUEL SYSTEM ADAPTATION - SYSTEM TOO RICH/TOO LEAN. VOLKSWAGEN. *MJ |
| 10006057 | NEW STYLE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH REQUIRES CARE DURING INSTALLATION TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO SWITCH. *TT |
| 10004523 | SAFETY RECALL - WT - BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. *TT |
| 10004522 | SAFETY RECALL - WT - NEW BEETLE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. *TT |
| 10001570 | DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOOR WINDOW REGULATOR REPAIRS. *TT |
| 10000544 | MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT ON WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0410, P0411, P1200, OR P1423 STORED. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)