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2017 Volkswagen Beetle

Gas

Compact Cars
5 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

76 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

Recalls1 critical 3

Complaintsnone reporting a crash, fire or injury 17

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 28 mpg

2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2017 Volkswagen Beetle is sold in the U.S. as a gas convertible with 5 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Beetle, is EPA-rated at 28 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 17 complaints, most often about the air bags. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

2017 Volkswagen Beetle

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Beetle	Gas	FWD	1.8L 4-cyl turbo	24	33	28	$2,400
Beetle Convertible	Gas	FWD	1.8L 4-cyl turbo	24	33	28	$2,400
Beetle Dune	Gas	FWD	1.8L 4-cyl turbo	24	31	27	$2,500
Beetle Dune Convertible	Gas	FWD	1.8L 4-cyl turbo	24	31	27	$2,500
Beetle	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	23	29	26	$2,600

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 38242, 38234, 38243, 38235, 38241.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Beetle Dune, Beetle Dune Convertible	8–9 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / PZEV	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Convertible/Cabriolet
Doors	2
GVWR class	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	1.8 L

Engine Output

Horsepower

170 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	4 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	FWD/Front-Wheel Drive
Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	6

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Electronic stability control

Optional: Blind-spot monitoring

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Dune, Fleet Edition, S/Classic, Pink, S, Classic, Pink/SE, SEL, SE, SEL). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	168.5 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	71.3 in
Height	57.9–58.7 in
Wheelbase	100.0 in
Track, front	62.2 in
Track, rear	61.0 in
Curb weight	2,948–3,225 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	63/37

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 2-door Convertible, 2-door Coupe 1.8 Tsi. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (3)

Source: NHTSA recall database

!critical

Air Bags

69EG,69GQ,69E6

248,330 vehicles 29% reported repaired

Problem 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. Fix 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.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Owner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 24V834000 reported Oct 30, 2024 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Steering

37M2

679,027 vehicles 49% reported repaired built Jul 15, 2016 – Jun 4, 2019

Problem 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. Fix 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.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 19V615000 reported Aug 22, 2019 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

○minor

Equipment

01B9

797 vehicles 55% reported repaired built Aug 17, 2016 – Jan 27, 2016

Problem 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. Fix 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.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 17V136000 reported Mar 2, 2017 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Beetle

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2017 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Volkswagen publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Volkswagen’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

17complaints filed

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

9.9 per 10,000 built · Volkswagen reported 17,123 Beetle built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2018: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 8 · 2026: 1

Most-cited components

Air Bags 8

Unspecified 5

Electrical System 3

Suspension 1

Steering 1

Vehicle Speed Control 1

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

My local dealers still do not have the parts for the recall 24V834. It has been a year since the recall. What am I supposed to do?

Air Bags Nov 4, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11697398

The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact stated that upon attempting to open the trunk, the trunk failed to open. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where the vehicle was inspected, and the contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall for the failure.

Latches/Locks/Linkages at 90,000 miles Jan 24, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11638246

Hi, one time the car wheel turned extra and the gas went extra fast. I also had several devices on my car through blue tooth that were not mine and mirror link kept checking and AUX.

Steering Oct 25, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11621980

I started to hear clanking noise on left front side (drivers side) while driving. I removed the left front tire. Upon looking inside the wheel housing I observed that spring on the suspension strut was broken and lower part of spring the was no longer inside the lower spring seat.

Suspension Sep 18, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11615315

The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Beetle. While the vehicle was parked, the contact was unable to remove the key from the ignition. The contact had to turn the steering wheel several times in order to remove the key from the ignition. The contact stated that the failure persisted.

Electrical System at 26,000 miles Dec 29, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11385443

The contact owns a 2017 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V834000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.

Air Bags Sep 18, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11688163

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
2 DR FWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	10%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 1,010

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-17

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 994 service bulletins, 16 others

Most often about: Equipment, Engine, Electrical System, Power Train, Unknown Or Other.

V0116152014815_20 Service bulletin
2026-09-17 · Engine
Suggested fuel additive
TT 00-13-04_7 Other
2026-08-06 · Unknown Or Other
Permission to change Daily Order upgraded to RED Order
V0026012081638_2 Service bulletin
2026-08-04 · Unknown Or Other
Differences between a leak and seepage
VOS-26-42 Service bulletin
2026-07-15 · Electrical System
This is a notice for software changes with the ODIS diagnostic program to correct the communication during vehicle programming function: A software fix is needed to correct the issue: DA 0019 - Hotfix 12-V battery test(s) – No battery diagnosis - Inconclusive test result.
V1718062017813_24 Service bulletin
2026-07-09 · Engine
Oil Consumption Measurement and Electronic Oil Consumption Measurement
TT 13-20-01_3 Service bulletin
2026-06-18 · Engine
Instruction, how to lubicate engine before initial start.
TT 10-18-02_2 Service bulletin
2026-06-18 · Engine
Lubricating engine components before reassembly.
V6919012010479_17 Service bulletin
2026-06-11 · Air Bags
Inquiries

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0420 P0420 on Volkswagen →	The catalytic converter on bank 1 is not cleaning up the exhaust as well as it should.	Equipment · Catalytic converter →	13 bulletins
P0430 P0430 on Volkswagen →	The catalytic converter on bank 2 is not cleaning up the exhaust as well as it should.	Equipment · Catalytic converter →	13 bulletins
P2407 P2407 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	8 bulletins
P0196 P0196 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	5 bulletins
P013E P013E on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	3 bulletins
P0198 P0198 on Volkswagen →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Visibility/Wiper · Wiper blades →	3 bulletins
B201A	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	2 bulletins
P0441 P0441 on Volkswagen →	The evaporative purge is not flowing the way it should.	Engine · EVAP purge valve →	2 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 0.82%

failed emissions

490 initial inspections of 486 vehicles.

Measure	The 2017 Beetle	Every 2017 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	0.82%	3.7%	490
Failed the safety inspection	1.6%	2.1%	490
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.20%	0.25%	490
Miles driven a year	6,403	10,048	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	59,584	93,238	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2017 vehicle” is every 2017 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Beetle by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2019 C 3 15 29 mpg 2018 D 3 17 Do not drive 2017 this page C 3 17 28 mpg 2016 C 3 59 28 mpg

Common questions about the 2017 Beetle

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 3 recall campaigns for the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle, 1 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 24V834000, covering Air Bags. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle?

NHTSA gave the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it C (76/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle?

Across the 5 EPA-rated configurations of the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle, the best EPA combined figure is 28 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle?

Transport Canada measured it at 168.5 in long, 71.3 in wide (body, without mirrors), 57.9–58.7 in tall, on a 100.0 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 2,948–3,225 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle?

Owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle, most often about air bags, unspecified, electrical system. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle?

The EPA smog rating for the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle runs 8 to 9 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, PZEV — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle?

The manufacturer has filed 1010 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle, most often covering equipment, engine, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-17. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle failed the emissions check on 0.82% of first inspections — lower than the 3.7% for every 2017 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.6% (every 2017 vehicle: 2.1%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	5 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	5 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	3	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	17	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	1 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	1010	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	12 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

JSON for this page · API

2017 Volkswagen Beetle

Specs & fuel economy

Emissions & certification

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Dimensions Exterior

Engine Basics

Engine Output

Fuel Economy

Seating

Transmission

Driver assistance

Dimensions & weight

Factory warranty running out?

Recalls (3)

Air Bags

Steering

Equipment

Whether any of this applies to one specific Beetle

Hear about a recall before the letter does

Parts & accessories for the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle

Owner complaints

Most-cited components

In owners' own words

Crash ratings

Service bulletins & campaigns

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

At the New York inspection station

failed emissions

Beetle by model year

Common questions about the 2017 Beetle

Does the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle have any recalls?

How safe is the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle?

What is the fuel economy of the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle?

What are the dimensions of the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle?

What do owners complain about on the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle?

How clean is the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle?

Are there service bulletins for the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle?

How does the 2017 Volkswagen Beetle do at state inspection?

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Where to go next

Sources & method