9.8
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 450 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
The front headlight beam has a distinctive blind spot on the left side and a double notch on the right side. Volkswagen refuses to address this as they say it's by design though I have seen another Beetle, same model year with the same hids, have a completely normal headlight beam. With the beam like it is, it makes driving the car at night unsafe, especially on black asphalt roads. I've escalated this to Volkswagen of America and they insist this is by design and is due to the shutter that comes down when using the normal headlight beam. Our other vehicle is a GMC acadia with the same system and it does not do this. On the Beetle the if I switch it to high beams the blind spot and notch go away. Also Volkswagen claims that the left headlight is aimed lower on purpose as to not blind oncoming traffic. The car sits so low I don't see how that's needed, especially when our acadia which sits up higher doesn't do this. I did take a look at a couple of other 2019 Beetles at another dealership and the headlight beams were all different; still a blind spot and notches but in different spots. The blind spot and notches are seen both stationary and in motion. I have pictures and video of both. I feel this is a design defect that will lead to an accident at night as it hinders the drivers view on the left side. Volkswagen has ignored my concerns and refuses to address this. I'm very concerned for our safety and my wife and I refuse to drive the car at night because of this. Volkswagen's 'remedy' is to trade it in. We love the car, just not the headlights at night. Please investigate. I have attached two photos; one low beam and one high beam so that you can see the difference.
- Wylie, TX, USA
- Durango, CO, USA