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1973 Volkswagen BeetleProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 1 owner complaint about the 1973 Volkswagen Beetle, most often about the vehicle speed control. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls3Free fix at dealersOwner complaints10 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem1Vehicle speed control

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through December 20, 1998. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1973 Volkswagen Beetle has problems

1 complaint grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Vehicle speed control10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

1973 Volkswagen Beetle recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Volkswagen.

Best & worst years

1973 vs. every other Beetle year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Beetle median. How we score

'68'69'70'71'73'74'77'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated

Own a 1973 Beetle?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.