2017 Volkswagen Beetle Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
BestComplaint Index
0/100
#9 most-complained of 9 Beetle years
The 2017 Volkswagen Beetle ranks best among the 9 model years tracked, with a Complaint Index of 0 and only 15 complaints. It carries 3 recalls, led by an airbag inflator issue, but shows no crashes, fires, or injuries.
- Complaints
- 15
- Recalls
- 3
- Crashes / fires
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 27
- 24 city / 31 hwy
Top 2017 Volkswagen Beetle problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags6 (40%)
- Other5 (33%)
- Electrical System2 (13%)
- Engine1 (7%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras1 (7%)
- Lane Departure1 (7%)
- Steering1 (7%)
- Structure & Body1 (7%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (7%)
What owners report
- Airbag warning lights blink or illuminate intermittently, sometimes tied to the driver's side airbag recall with no repair parts yet available.
- Owners report the driver's airbag recall remedy has been delayed well beyond a reasonable repair timeframe.
- A burning odor and unusual electrical motor noise from the rear of the vehicle occurred after a short drive, even with the engine off.
- The ignition key became stuck and could not be removed unless the steering wheel was turned multiple times.
- A front suspension coil spring broke and slid off the strut, producing a clanking noise from the wheel housing.
- The trunk failed to open despite no warning lights, with no active recall covering the issue at the time.
2017 Volkswagen Beetle recalls
3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 24V834000Oct 30, 2024Airbags248,330 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Beetle, Beetle Convertible, 2012-2014 Passat, 2017 Passat Wagon, and 2006-2007 Passat Sedan vehicles. The driver's side frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's side front air bag module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2024. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's numbers for this recall are 69EG, 69GQ, and 69E6.
- NHTSA 19V615000Aug 22, 2019Electrical System679,027 vehicles
Electrical system:ignition:anti-theft:control module
Volkswagen 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."
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 injury or a crash.
Remedy: 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.
- NHTSA 17V136000Mar 2, 2017Other797 vehicles
Equipment:other:labels
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2017 Beetle and Jetta GLI vehicles. The affected vehicles have incorrect information on the tire information label, possibly causing the operator to overload the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: Overloading the vehicle may affect vehicle handling or result in tire damage, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will install a corrected tire information label, free of charge. The recall began March 30, 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for the recall is 01B9.
2017 Volkswagen Beetle fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 24 MPG
- Highway
- 31 MPG
- Combined
- 27 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,400
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2017 compared with other Beetle years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle reliable?
- Among the 9 Beetle model years with data, 2017 ranks best, with a Complaint Index of 0 and just 15 NHTSA complaints, fewer than every other year listed.
- Does the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle have a recall?
- Yes, it has 3 recalls: an airbag inflator issue (campaign 24V834000), an electrical system recall (19V615000) for a switch and circuit board, and a tire information label correction (17V136000).
- What is the top problem area for the 2017 Beetle?
- Airbags are the top problem area, accounting for 40% of complaints (6 of 15), with a median mileage at failure of 43,800 miles.
- How does the 2017 Beetle compare to other years?
- The 2017 Beetle has a Complaint Index of 0 and ranks 9th worst (meaning best) out of the years tracked, well below years like 2013 (index 100) and 2015 (index 88), which are rated Avoid.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle?
- It gets 27 mpg combined (24 city / 31 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,400 according to the EPA.