repaired · 2022 Q4
Air bags: frontal
Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
2013 Volkswagen BeetleProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 93 owner complaints about the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 19V-679 the manufacturer reports only 18% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 24, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle has problems
93 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
34Air bags2 crash/fire/injury
19Electrical system
10Engine
6Steering
6Fuel/propulsion system
5Power train
5Structure
4Tires
4Suspension
2311 other systems1 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 34 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 19 | 0 |
| Engine | 10 | 0 |
| Steering | 6 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 6 | 0 |
| Power train | 5 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 1 |
| Tires | 4 | 0 |
| Suspension | 4 | 2 |
| 11 other systems | 23 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
6 recalls
2013 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.
repaired · 2021 Q1
Unknown or other
Risk. If the vehicles do not meet all regulatory requirements, there could be an increased risk of a crash, fire, or injury.
repaired · 2021 Q1
Anti-theft: control module
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…
repaired · 2016 Q3
Suspension: rear
Risk. The reduced durability of the trailing arm may result in its sudden fracture, possibly causing loss of vehicle control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Show 2 more recalls
repaired · 2016 Q1
Visibility: sun/moon roof assembly
Risk. Vehicle occupants could be injured by falling glass.
no report yet
Frontal: sensor/control module-inactive
Risk. If the control module does not detect a child seat installed, the airbag will not turn off.
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
2013 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
NHTSA crash tests
2013 Volkswagen Beetle safety ratings
2013 Volkswagen Beetle C FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Beetle owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
Component Affected: AIRBAGS: FORE AND AFT INTERIOR OVERHEAD/OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM Description of Safety Defect: I own a 2013 Volkswagen Beetle 2.5L (Build Date: April 2013). The vehicle is experiencing a permanent Passenger Occupant Detection System (PODS) failure, indicated by a…
I was rear ended at a stop light. My car ended up rear ending the car in front of me from the accident, but my airbags did not go off. My car's warning light says my airbag has been deployed even though it did not.
There was a Recall on my Airbag that was replaced by the VW dealership in Corpus Christi but afterwards I keep getting an error and indicator for the Airbag. I've contacted the dealership multiple times and all they say is it's not covered even if the airbag they replaced is defective.. I…
Own a 2013 Beetle?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.