RECALLS — VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE
Volkswagen Beetle recalls
Volkswagen Beetle model years 2010–2019 covered by at least one recall campaign. Pick a year to see the Canadian and U.S. campaigns side by side.
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U.S. NHTSA campaigns are listed on each year page, where they are queried live by model year. The Canadian list below covers every year together.
Transport Canada recalls
18- Airbag#2024649
18,995 units affected
Issue: On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, may eventually degrade the propellant contained in the driver-front airbag. This could cause the airbag to deploy with more force than normal. If the airbag inflator ruptures, fragments could be propelled toward vehicle occupants or cause damage to the airbag assembly, preventing its proper function. Safety Risk: If the vehicle is involved in a crash requiring an airbag deployment, the airbag inflator could rupture and create a risk of injury. Corrective Action: Volkswagen will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to replace the driver-front airbag. Note: The Canadian climate results in the propellant degrading slowly. This recall is being conducted as a precaution to address future risk. It is expected that all airbag inflators will be replaced before their function would be affected.
- Heater And Defroster#2024648
35,086 units affected
Issue: Volkswagen Group Canada is conducting a parts recovery campaign targeting 2012-2016 Volkswagen vehicles equipped with a TDI (diesel) engine built between May 25, 2011 and June 1, 2016. The auxiliary heater elements are being recovered to aid in Volkswagen's analysis in support of Transport Canada defect investigation file no. 3280-15-10. Note: This action is not being conducted under the requirements of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act. For the 2016 model year Jetta, only the Jetta Hybrid model is involved in this parts recovery program. Safety Risk: No safety defect has been identified with these auxiliary heater elements. Corrective Actions: Volkswagen will notify owners by mail and advise them to take their vehicle to a dealership to replace the auxiliary heater element at no charge.
- Seats And Restraints#2022735
4,400 units affected
Issue: On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, may eventually degrade the propellant contained in the driver-front airbag. This could cause the airbag to deploy with more force than normal. If the airbag inflator ruptures, fragments could be propelled toward vehicle occupants or cause damage to the airbag assembly, preventing its proper function. Safety Risk: If the vehicle is involved in a crash requiring an airbag deployment, the airbag inflator could rupture and create a risk of injury. Corrective Action: Owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a dealer to replace the driver-front airbag . Note: The Canadian climate results in the propellant degrading slowly. This recall is being conducted as a precaution to address future risk. It is expected that all airbag inflators will be replaced before their function would be affected.
- Airbag#2021017
6,464 units affected
Issue: On certain vehicles, long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature, combined with high temperature cycling, may eventually degrade the propellant contained in the driver-front airbag. This could cause the airbag to deploy with more force than normal. If the airbag inflator ruptures, fragments could be propelled toward vehicle occupants or cause damage to the airbag assembly, preventing its proper function. Safety Risk: If the vehicle is involved in a crash requiring an airbag deployment, the airbag inflator could rupture and create a risk of injury. Corrective Action: Owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a dealer to replace the driver-front airbag . Note: The Canadian climate results in the propellant degrading slowly. This recall is being conducted as a precaution to address future risk. It is expected that all airbag inflators will be replaced before their function would be affected.
- Label#2020353
132,432 units affected
Issue: On certain vehicles, the warning label for the engine block heater cable is written in English only. As a result, a French user may not receive important safety information about how to use the engine block heater. A label that is not provided in both official languages could create confusion. Safety Risk: User confusion could increase the risk of injury when trying to use the block heater. Corrective Actions: The company will mail each owner a new label for the block heater cable. If you would like help installing the label, you can contact a dealer for assistance.
- Powertrain#2019423
117,306 units affected
Issue: On certain vehicles, a build-up of silicate on the shift lever switch could cause the transmission to detect that it is in the Park position when it isn't. This could allow the ignition key to be removed when the transmission is not in the Park position. If the parking brake is not applied, this could allow the car to roll away. Safety Risk: If the transmission position is not displayed correctly, a user may not know that the vehicle is not in the PARK position. If the parking brake is not applied, this could create a risk of a vehicle roll-away and increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: The company will notify owners by mail. Owners will be instructed to take their vehicle to a dealer to have a new shift lever micro switch and control unit installed.
- Lights And Instruments#2019067
1,049 units affected
Issue: On certain vehicles, the brake warning light does not turn on when the electronic brake force distribution system malfunctions. This could cause a driver to be unaware of a problem with the brake system. Safety Risk: A driver that is not aware of a problem with the brake system could lose control of the vehicle during emergency braking. This could cause an increased risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: The company will notify owners by mail. Owners will be instructed to take their vehicle to a dealer to update the instrument cluster software.
- Brakes#2018292
5,120 units affected
On certain vehicles, a problem with the brake system may cause gas bubbles to form in the brake fluid. This could cause a soft brake pedal feel and a reduction in brake performance, increasing the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will bleed the front or rear brakes as necessary. Note: In the interim, owners are advised to stop driving their vehicle until the defect has been repaired. Affected owners should call Volkswagen's Roadside Assistance number at 1-800-411-6688.
- Fuel System#2016275
1 units affected
On a certain vehicles, the fuel rail may detach from the cylinder head, allowing fuel to leak into the engine compartment during engine operation. Leaking fuel, in the presence of an ignition source, could lead to a fire causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace the cylinder head with a new part.
- Engine#2015504
17,240 units affected
On certain vehicles, the camshaft lobe which actuates the vacuum pump may fail, causing the pump to fail to deliver further vacuum supply to the brake booster, potentially increasing stopping distances. This would also result in a reduction in available engine power. These issues could increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Note: This issue would result in the Engine Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) illuminating. Correction: Dealers will update the engine control module (ECM) software.
- Fuel System#2014575
2,708 units affected
On certain vehicles, a sealing cap at the fuel rail may fail to seal, allowing fuel to leak into the engine compartment during engine operation. Leaking fuel, in the presence of an ignition source, could lead to a fire causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the fuel rail.
- Structure#2014465
1,191 units affected
On certain vehicles, the panoramic sunroof glass and steel frame may have been manufactured out of tolerance. This issue may result in the sunroof fracturing if the vehicle were to experience a sudden jolt, especially in cold temperatures. Sunroof glass panel breakage, while the vehicle is in motion, could cause driver distraction, which could result in a crash causing injury and/or property damage. Additionally, broken glass inside the vehicle poses a risk of injury to vehicle occupants. Correction: Dealers will replace the panoramic sunroof glass assembly.
- Suspension#2014464
87,887 units affected
On certain vehicles, if the rear axle trailing arms are damaged in a rear or side-rear impact crash and a repair facility does not correctly diagnose or replace damaged rear axle components, rear trailing arm durability could be reduced, which could result in a sudden fracture of the trailing arm. This could lead to a loss of vehicle control, which could increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will install a sheet metal inlay on both rear axle trailing arms. The inlay is designed to help prevent the sudden loss of vehicle control should a rear axle trailing arm fracture occur if undiagnosed/unrepaired damage exists from a previous rear or side-rear impact/crash.
- Powertrain#2014136
1,917 units affected
On certain vehicles equipped with 1.8T engines and torque-converter (non-DSG) automatic transmissions, out of specification transmission cooler sealing O-rings may allow transmission fluid to leak in proximity to hot surfaces. This could increase the risk of a fire, potentially causing injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will replace affected O-rings.
- Lights And Instruments#2013398
214 units affected
Certain vehicles may not comply with the requirements of Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 - Lighting System and Retroreflective Devices. Horizontal adjustment caps in the headlight modules were not installed during vehicle production. Without the caps installed, the horizontal aim of a headlight assembly could be adjusted. Correction: Dealers will inspect and if necessary, install the required caps on the headlight modules.
- Airbag#2012389
320 units affected
Certain vehicles with leather sport seats may be equipped with an incorrectly coded Passenger Occupant Detection System Control Module in the front passenger location. If the seat gets wet, the control module may not properly detect a child car seat secured on the front passenger seat, and the front passenger airbag will not be deactivated as expected. In this case, the airbag light will remain off indicating that the passenger airbag is active. If, despite safety warnings and provincial regulations, a child was placed in a child car seat secured in the passenger front position, the active airbag could deploy in a crash causing potential injury. Correction: Dealers will replace the affected modules.
- Tires#2012222
34 units affected
Certain vehicles were equipped with summer tires that fail to conform to Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 109 - Passenger Car Tires, and CMVSS 110 – Tire Selection and Rims. Improper tires may unwittingly be overloaded and/or under-inflated, which could increase the risk of a vehicle crash causing property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Dealers will replace the tires.
- Fuel System#2010445
5,928 units affected
On certain New Beetle and New Beetle convertible equipped with a 2.5L Engine, a fastening clamp on a hydraulic hose of the power steering system may be located in an improper position, which could cause chafing against an underhood fuel supply line. If chafing occurs fuel leakage could develop which, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire causing property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Dealers will inspect the affected vehicles and, if necessary, replace the fuel line. In addition, as a preventive measure, the clamp will be adjusted accordingly.
Canadian data updated August 24, 2026
Does this recall apply to my vehicle?
Matched by make, model, and model year. Many recalls affect only specific VIN ranges — confirm with your dealer using your full VIN.
What to do
Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer in both countries. To confirm a recall applies to your specific vehicle, contact your manufacturer or dealer with your full VIN, or use the official channel:
- NHTSA recall lookup (search by VIN) — U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Defects and recalls database — Transport Canada