Problems · by component

1999 Volkswagen New Beetle engine and engine cooling problems

38 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle cite engine and engine cooling, 18% of all 213 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
38
18% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine and engine cooling

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“PURCHASED 1999 VW BEETLE 20 MONTHS AGO. CAR HAS ONLY 54,000 MILES. SINCE OWNING THE CAR HAVE ALREADY OVER $3,500 IN REPAIRS. ALL OF THE REPAIRS WERE DONE AT MY LOCAL DARCAR VW REPAIR SHOP. I BELIEVE SOME OF THESE REPAIRS WERE RECALLS AND HAVE ALL RECEIPT. IS THERE SOMEONE I CAN SENT MY REPAIR RECEIPTS TO TO SEE IF I CAN BE REIMBURSED FOR OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALL SERVICES? I CAN FORWARD RECEIPTS. ALSO SEVEN DAYS AGO THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR BROKE AND IT APPEARS IT HAD BEEN RECALLED PER TWO VW OWNER WHO HAD SAME PROBLEMS BUT I CAN'T FIND THE RECALL INFORMATION ON IT. CAN YOU SUGGEST HOW I CAN VIEW ALL RECALLS FOR 1999 VW BEETLE GLS? *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 31, 2008Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Exterior lighting, VisibilityODI 10222876
“I BOUGHT MY 99 BEETLE IN OCTOBER OF 2007 AND THE DAY THAT I GOT THE CAR THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK IT BACK THEY HAD IT FOR ONE MONTH THEY REPLACED THE MOTOR AND WIRE CLUSTER. WHEN I FINALLY GOT IT BACK ABOUT TWO WEEKS PASSED AND I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND MY SPEEDOMETER WENT FROM 0 TO 120 AND THEN THE CARE LOST POWER ON THE MIDDLE LANE OF THE ROAD. I TOOK IT BACK AND THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION I HAVE TRIED NUMEROUS TIMES TO GET THEM TO TAKE THE CAR BACK AND THEY WONT. AFTER I GOT IT BACK THAT TIME THE HEATER STOPPED WORKING AND THE SPEEDOMETER WILL NOT GO ABOVE 40 WHEN I TOLD THEM THIS THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT THAT IT WAS MY PROBLEM. YESTERDAY MY MILEAGE, SPEEDOMETER, AND GAS GAGE STOPPED WORKING MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO IF YOU KNOW ANY ONE WHO COULD HELP ME WITH THESE PROBLEMS PLEASE LET ME KNOW. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 1, 2008Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Vehicle speed control, EquipmentODI 10216730
“1999 WW BEETLE WITH MANY PROBLEMS INCLUDING SHIFTING, BRAKE SWITCH (RECALL N4)**CC THE CONSUMER COULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK, WHICH WAS RELATED TO THE BRAKE SWITCH. THE CONSUMER THEN RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AFTER ALREADY HAVING THE REPAIRS DONE. THE CONSUMER DIDN'T TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A VOLKSWAGEN DEALER BECAUSE THEY WOULD ONLY HAD PAID FOR THE SWITCH AND NOT THE LABOR BECAUSE AT THE TIME, THE RECALL WAS NOT IN EFFECT. THE SERPENTINE BELT AND STARTER WAS REPLACED. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 24, 2007Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10181591
“THE CAR MADE A FUNNY WHISTLE NOISE THEN SHUT OFF. THE PERSON BEHIND US SAID BLUE SMOKE CAME OUT THE BACK. TOOK TO DEALER HAD ENGINE, WATER PUMP, TURBO AND BELTS REPLACED. NOW DEALER CAN NOT GET CAR TO RUN PROPERLY. THE DIESEL STARTS FINE AND RUNS GREAT AFTER 15 MINUTES CAR STARTS RUNNING SLUGGISH AND HAS NO POWER. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR 4 MONTHS STILL WAITING AND STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON THE BEETLE. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 12, 2006Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, EquipmentODI 10168087
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE STALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. THIS HAS OCCURRED 6 OR 7 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 YEARS. THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 24, 2006Engine and engine coolingODI 10163352
“WATER PUMP BROKE, CAUSING THE TIMING BELT TO BREAK WHICH RESULTED IN ALL VALVES BENT AND AN ENGINE REBUILD. THE CAR HAD 69,000 MILES...VW MANUAL SAYS MANITENANCE AT 120,000 MILES.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 15, 2005Engine and engine coolingODI 10128856

Showing 6 of 38 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.