2016 Volkswagen Beetle: raw data

Every record we hold for this vehicle, as plain tables, with nothing added. The consumer page shows the same records with the maintenance schedule, price ranges and nearby shops around them.

vehicle2016 / volkswagen / beetle
known issues5 clusters (reviewed 2026-08-28)
complaints59 on file (2017-01-17 → 2026-09-03)
recalls4
investigations0
fars12 occupant deaths, crash years 2010-2024 (legacy-code)
indexedyes
licenseCC BY 4.0 (derived)

Known Issues clusters all years →

Shift lever and ECM recall acceleration issuesPOWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL3 complaints2018-12 → 2025-11beetle-2016-shift-lever-acceleration-recall
  • 11697790 On October 21st I had a recall performed at Evansville D- Patrick for a 37M2 shift lever micro switch. Today Nov 5th I was leaving work, pulling out of the drive onto highway and once I got on the road the car lost motion and just rolled
  • 11360954 I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN NOVEMBER OF 2019 ON MY 2016 VW BEETLE INVOLVING A BUILD UP OF SILICATE ON THE SHIFT LEVER MICRO SWITCH
  • 11153809 CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ECM SAFETY RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE MOVING FROM A STOP THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 25 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED
Ignition key stuck in switchSTEERING4 complaints2018-08 → 2021-12beetle-2016-ignition-key-stuck
  • 11444938 THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AND KEPT RUNNING WITH KEY TURNED OFF, AND THE KEY COULD NOT BE REMOVED EITHER
  • 11251906 IGINTION KEY STUCK IN ON POSITION AND COULD NOT TURN OFF VEHICLE. WAS PARKED AT SHOPPING CENTER
  • 11118153 KEY GETS STUCK IN IGNITION AND I CANNOT TURN OFF THE ENGINE
Suspension and tire failuresSUSPENSION4 complaints2019-07 → 2023-07beetle-2016-suspension-tire-failures
  • 11374263 TIRES ARE CRACKING ON THE SIDEWALLS AS WELL AS ON THE TREAD AREA. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM AS THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED PREVIOUSLY AND THE SAME PROBLEM IS OCCURRING AGAIN. IT APPEARS THE RUBBER IS DRYING OUT, HARDENING, AND SPLITTING
  • 11231379 THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT AHEAD AT 40 MPH. HANKOOK TIRES. NOTHING WAS STRUCK AND THE TIRES HAD NO PREVIOUS DAMAGE. SMOOTH CITY STREET
  • 11279374 I HEARD A LOUD METAL CLANG IN THE FRONT OF MY CAR WHEN I WAS BACKING UP IN MY DRIVEWAY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THE TECH PERFORMED INSPECTION AND FOUND DRIVER FRONT SPRING BROKEN AND BEARING DROPPED TO MIDDLE OF STRUT
Takata airbag recall parts unavailableAIR BAGS41 complaints2023-02 → 2025-09beetle-2016-airbag-recall-parts-unavailable
  • 11548958 The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling resulting in serious injury or death
  • 11531712 Airbag recall program instituted January 2023. Vehicle is still not repaired by Volkswagen; awaiting go ahead and scheduling. Vehicle is dangerous to drive until repair is made
  • 11551351 The contact owns a 2016 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V945000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available
ABS and warning light system faultsAIR BAGS, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES3 complaints2017-01 → 2026-06beetle-2016-abs-warning-light-faults
  • 11746396 ABS module is defective. This results in numerous warning lights, including abs, traction control, airbags, tire pressure warning, check engine light, epc light, and speed control usability. I have no working abs, seat belt, or traction control, which is a safety issue
  • 11266507 STARTED THE CAR AND HAD WORMING LIGHTS ON. IT DID IT BEFORE A COUPLE DAYS AGO BUT WENT OUT. THIS TIME THE LIGHTS WON'T GO OFF AND WON'T GO OVER 20 MPH. THE ABS LIGHT,STABILITY LIGHT AND AIR BAG LIGHTS AND TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT ARE ON
  • 10945761 THE DEALERSHIP STATES THE RIGHT FRONT ABS HARNESS CAME OFF FIRST AND RUBBED THROUGH CAUSING A BUNCH OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THEY STATES THE ABS HARNESS CAME OFF BECAUSE THE HARNESS BRACKET WAS BENT

NHTSA complaints (summary) all years →

countearliest_datelatest_datecrash_flaggedfire_flaggedtop_components
592017-01-172026-09-0320AIR BAGS:46; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:6; UNKNOWN OR OTHER:5; SUSPENSION:3; WHEELS:3

Recalls all years →

campaign_numberreport_received_datecomponentsummaryconsequenceremedy
19V61500022/08/2019ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULEVolkswagen 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."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.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.
15V70500026/10/2015ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINEVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Jetta, Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Passat, Golf and Golf SportWagen vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the camshaft lobe that drives the brake vacuum pump may shear off, resulting in a loss of brake assist.If the camshaft lobe shears off there would be a loss of brake assist, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.Volkswagen dealer will update the engine control module (ECM) software. The recall began March 2016. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-822-8987. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 23R1.
20E06400023/09/2020SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDERTenneco Automotive (Tenneco) is recalling certain Beck/Arnley Master Cylinders, part number 072-9831, sold as aftermarket or replacement parts for 2004-2018 Volkswagen Jetta, and 2012-2019 Volkswagen Beetle vehicles. The fluid seal crimp on the master cylinder may be insufficient, causing brake fluid to leak or the cylinder to come apart.If there is a brake fluid leak, it can reduce braking ability, increasing the risk of a crash.Beck/Arnley will notify the distributors that sold the master cylinders and will work with the distributors to notify the end users. Affected master cylinders will be exchanged for a new master cylinder (part number 072-9990), free of charge. The recall began October 30, 2020. Owners may contact Tenneco customer service at 1-800-625-9319.
22V94500021/12/2022AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULEVolkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Beetle and Beetle Convertibles vehicles. The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.Dealers will replace the driver's side air bag, free of charge. Owners notification letters were mailed October 26, 2023. Owners may contact Volkswagen's customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69EM.

Investigations all years →

none listed

FARS occupant deaths all years →

crash_yearsoccupant_deathsmatch_typevpic_recovered
2010-202412legacy-code0

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road.

Cite this

Derived data is CC BY 4.0. Link back to the page you used. Text and BibTeX below.

Wrench.Pro (2026). 2016 Volkswagen Beetle vehicle data [dataset]. https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/2016/volkswagen/beetle
@misc{wrenchpro_2016_volkswagen_beetle_2026,
  author = {Wrench.Pro},
  title = {Wrench.Pro vehicle data: 2016 Volkswagen Beetle},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://www.wrench.pro/data/vehicles/2016/volkswagen/beetle}},
  note = {Derived from NHTSA public records. CC BY 4.0.}
}

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