10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
14,662 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1998 Volkswagen Beetle electrical problems

electrical problem

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1998 Volkswagen Beetle Owner Comments

problem #4

Apr 042005

Beetle 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 58,650 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I own a 1998 Volkswagen Beetle. About a year ago the electrical system malfunctioned and I was locked in my car. Fortunately I was able to get out using a new remote I had just purchased. Secondly, two days ago I was driving on an interstate, it was warm, and I turned on the fan. It immediately started blowing 'high' and wouldn't turn off. Within a minute the dashboard began smoking and there was a distinct eletrical smell. I stopped, raised the hood and there was no fire. The fan stuck in the 'high' position and caused a fire which 'totalled' the car. The dash and seats melted and the front windshield broke out from the flames.

- Pelham, AL, USA

problem #3

Jun 052001

Beetle Diesel

  • miles
No summary listed for above vehicle.

- Roswell, GA, USA

problem #2

Aug 051999

Beetle

  • miles
Bad wiring, alarm goes off in the middle og the night, rear hatch light comes on and off, wiring is bad in cold weather, front headlights keep burining out, excessive oil consumption, at about 2000 miles engine will be bone dry, excessive road nosie, radio no longer works, in general the car is in bad shape after two years of use and it seesm to be all factory related type of problems.

- Grand Haven, MI, USA

problem #1

Jul 012000

Beetle

  • miles
Multiple problems with car since purchase.

- East Greenwich, RI, USA

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