There are 5 owner-reported tires & wheels complaints for the 2001 Volkswagen Beetlein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
SUDDEN LOSS OF AIR PRESSURE IN TIRE(S) ON 2001 NEW BEETLE WITH 17 INCH ALUMINUM WHEELS. CAUSED BY CORROSION ON THE BEAD AREA OF THE RIM. CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE TO TIRE, HAD TO REPLACE ONE EXPENSIVE TIRE BECAUSE OF DAMAGE TO SIDEWALL. 3 TOTAL OCCURRENCES ON 2 DIFFERENT RIMS. TIRE DEALER "CLEANED UP" THE BEAD AREA AND REMOUNTED THE TIRE. LUCKILY ALL FAILURES EITHER OCCURRED AT LOW SPEEDS OR NOTICED WITH CAR PARKED. COULD NOT REINFLATE TIRE AS RIM WOULD NOT RESEAL WITHOUT REMOUNTING. *TR
MY GIRL FRIEND HAD A LOW TIRE (KUMHO ECSTA AST 225/R17 94HXL). I WAS PUTTING AIR IN THE TIRE WHICH IS RATED FOR 50PSI MAX. I WANTED 32PSI AND OVER INFLATED TO 40PSI. AS I WAS LETTING AIR OUT THE TIRE RUPTURED IN MY FACE CAUSING LOTS OF FACIAL ABRASIONS, EYE DAMAGE (TEMPORARY I HOPE) AND HEARING LOSS (ALSO TEMPORARY I HOPE). I DO NOT OVERINFLATE TIRE AS AFTER ACCIDENT THE AAA TECH CHECKED THE OTHER TIRES AND ONE WAS AT 45 PSI. *TR
2001 NEW BEETLE GL PROBLEM: DURING HEAVY SNOW FALLS GREATER THAN 6 INCHES, SNOW WILL ACCUMULATE ON THE INSIDE OF THE WHEELS (STEEL APPLICATION ONLY, NO COMMENT ON ALUMINUM WHEELS). WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE TIRES BECOME UNBALANCED WHICH CAUSES THE ENTIRE VEHICLE TO SHAKE WITH TREMENDOUS FORCE. MY LATEST EXPERIENCE WAS 2/14/06. THE VEHICLE SHAKE WAS SO BAD I COULD NOT DRIVE SAFELY OVER 40 MPH. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. ALL HE DID WAS PUT THE VEHICLE IN A HEATED GARAGE TO MELT THE ICE AND SNOW. APPARENTLY THIS WAS HAPPENING TO NUMEROUS NEW BEETLE OWNERS. THIS SITUATION WILL LEAD TO A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THUS A SAFETY ISSUE. PLS DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT. *JB
VEHICLE LOSS CONTROL AND BEGAN SKIDDING ON HIGHWAY. *MR THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE CONSUMER NOTICED A LARGE GAPING HOLE CUT THROUGH THE RIGHT TIRE WITH EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE METAL WHEEL. THIS WAS SAID TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. *SCC *JB
WHILE DRIVING, RIGHT FRONT TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG THEN DEPLOYED, THERE WAS A SCRATCH ON THE WHEEL, NO SPECIFIC TIRE INFORMATION GIVEN, CLAIM 53-C850-661. *SLC
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026