Equal-exposure complaint evidence and changes in the reported problem mix
2012 vs 2013 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE
NHTSA Consumer Complaints complaints · snapshot 2026-08-21
Share shifts show how a vehicle's problem mix changed. They do not measure reliability, and complaint counts are not normalized for sales volume.
First 167 months on market for each model year
Exposure window calculated through Aug 22, 2026
Age-matched reports
▲ 37.5% more reports in the equal exposure window
NHTSA Consumer Complaints complaints · snapshot 2026-08-21
Component share shift
Bars start at the neutral midpoint. Left means a smaller share; right means a larger share.
View component share data as a table
| Component | 2012 share | 2013 share | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|
| VISIBILITY | 23.1% | 5.7% | ▼ 17.4 pts smaller share |
| AIR BAGS | 18.5% | 30.7% | ▲ 12.2 pts larger share |
| STRUCTURE | 6.2% | 2.3% | ▼ 3.9 pts smaller share |
| STEERING | 7.7% | 4.6% | ▼ 3.1 pts smaller share |
| POWER TRAIN | 1.5% | 4.6% | ▲ 3.0 pts larger share |
| TIRES | not reported | 2.3% | ▲ 2.3 pts larger share |
| SERVICE BRAKES | not reported | 2.3% | ▲ 2.3 pts larger share |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1.5% | 3.4% | ▲ 1.9 pts larger share |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 10.8% | 12.5% | ▲ 1.7 pts larger share |
| SUSPENSION | 4.6% | 3.4% | ▼ 1.2 pts smaller share |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 3.1% | 2.3% | ▼ 0.8 pts smaller share |
| ENGINE | 6.2% | 5.7% | ▼ 0.5 pts smaller share |
| FUEL SYSTEM | 6.2% | 5.7% | ▼ 0.5 pts smaller share |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 32.3% | 22.7% | ▼ 9.6 pts smaller share |
NHTSA Safety Recalls recalls · snapshot 2026-08-22
Recall campaigns
Campaign components: AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, and SUSPENSION
Campaign components: AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, SUSPENSION, and VISIBILITY
NHTSA Consumer Complaints complaints · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety signals
- ◆ Fires
- 0 → 0
- ◆ Injuries
- 3 → 2