CONSUMER WAS AT STOP WHEN SHE WAS REARENDED AT POINT OF CONTACT, THE DRIVER SEATBACK BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO FALL BACKWARDS, RESULTING IN INJUIRES. *AK
1998 Volkswagen Beetle complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1998 record →
FAILURE 1-POWER STEERING PUMP BROKE DOWN, NO POWER STEERING FLUID IN RESERVOIR. FAILURE 2-WHILE DRIVING OFF OF A HIGHWAY EXIT VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION AND COASTED TO A STOP IN TRAFFIC. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE BOLTS CAME OFF THE AXEL. ALSO, THE DRIVESHAFT NEEDED TO BE REMOVED AND FIXED. THE LEFT DRIVESHAFT FLANGE WAS ALSO REPLACED.
DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT CLAIMS WRONG PARTS BEING SENT FOR REPAIR; AS OF 2/3/1998 ODOMETER STILL NOT REPAIRED. *AK
RADIO/CD/CASSETTE UNIT FAILED.
PASSENGER DOOR LOCK FAILED.
BATTERY FAILED. NLM
REAR HATCH LOCK FAILED. NLM
PASSENGER CHAIR ADJUSTING KNOB CAME OFF. YH
DRIVER SIDE WINDOW SWITCH OUT OF ORDER. YH
REAR LEFT WINDOW WILL NOT GO DOWN. YH
POWER WINDOW SWITCH FAILED. *YC
SPLASH GUARD FAILED. YH
MOTOR FOR ELECTRICAL MIRROR FAILED. YH
WINDOW GLASS MALFUNCTIONED. YH
RADIO FAILED. YH
HEADLAMP: I STATED TO MY DEALER THAT MY HEADLAMPS WERE NOT PROPERLY ADJUSTED, DEALER FOUND LEFT HEADLAMP HAD NO POSSIBLE ADJUSTMENT, AND REPLACED THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY. FOG LIGHTS: FOG LAMPS WHEN SWITCHED ON, DON'T LIGHT. AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF DRIVING, THEY COME ON SOMETIMES. *AK
THE REAR WINDOW OR REAR HATCH GLASS IS SEVERLYDEFECTED SUCH THAT VIEWING THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR OR DIRECTLY THROUGH THE GLASS IS SUBSTANTIALLY IMPAIRED. THE DEFECT CREATES A TERRIBLE DANGER ON RAINY NIGHTS WHEN IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO VIEW THROUGH THE WINDOW TRAFIC AS IT APPROACHES BECAUSE THE GLASS IS DEFORMED IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT BLURRS THE HEADLIGHTS AND OR ENVIRONMENT LIGHTS SUCH AS; STREET LIGHTS. YOU ARE UNABLE TO JUDGE WHETHER THE OTHER CAR IS GOING TO PASS OR WILL BE ABLE TO STOP IN TIME TO PREVENT A COLLISION.
THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. DEALER CLAIMED THE CAUSE TO BE A FAULTY WIRING IN THE MOTOR. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK
THE PISTONS IN THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE LEAKING OIL. DEALER DOES NOT KNOW THE CAUSE. *AK
CENTER CONSOLE REPLACED DUE TO BLISTERING.
RECALL # 98V100000 VW/ENGINE COMPARTMENT WIRING. OWNER UNABLE TO SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT WITH DEALERSHIP BECAUSE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. DEALER NOT SURE WHEN PARTS WILL BECOME AVAILABLE. *AK
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1998 Volkswagen Beetle → · Every Beetle year → · How the figures are calculated →