The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·20V785000·Announced 2020-12-16

Volkswagen Recalls 2012-2014 Beetles for Air Bag Inflator Defect

Volkswagen is recalling 2012-2014 Beetle and Beetle Convertible vehicles because the driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The source text explicitly states that the defect may result in 'serious injury or death,' which aligns with the rubric criteria for a Severe (4) rating involving significant injury or death reports/risks.

Plain-English summary

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. is recalling certain 2012-2014 Volkswagen Beetle and Beetle Convertible vehicles. The recall involves 105,652 vehicles.

The driver's side air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2021. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69BC. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

The recalled product

Product
VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE, BEETLE
Brand
VOLKSWAGEN
Manufacturer
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Category
Vehicle — Air Bags
Hazard
Affected units
105,652

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (2)

  • BEETLE CONVERTIBLE
  • BEETLE

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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