NHTSA campaign 20V785000 · Volkswagen campaign 69BC
Volkswagen Recall 20V-785: Driver Side Air Bag Inflator May Explode
- Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation
NHTSA recall 20V785000 (Volkswagen campaign 69BC) was reported by Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. on December 16, 2020, with 105,652 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Volkswagen Beetle and Volkswagen Beetle Convertible for model years 2012–2014. Owners were notified on March 19, 2021, per NHTSA.
Updated daily from NHTSA's recall files
Is my vehicle included?
This page lists, by model year, the vehicles NHTSA's recall record names for campaign 20V785000 in the model years try.vin imports (1995 and later); NHTSA's own record can list more. A model year on the list doesn't mean every vehicle of that year is included, and some may already have been repaired.
To see whether a specific vehicle is included and still needs the repair, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Volkswagen VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Key facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 20V785000 (also written 20V-785 or 20V785)
- Filed by
- Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
- Volkswagen campaign number
- 69BC
- Report received
- Potentially affected
- 105,652 vehicles (per NHTSA)
- Component
- Air Bags — Frontal
- Owners notified
Repair completion: 89.41% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated October 21, 2026)
NHTSA cautions against comparing completion rates across recalls or manufacturers. How try.vin reads them.
Vehicles listed for this recall
NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 20V785000. try.vin imports model years 1995 and later, so NHTSA's own list can be longer. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to it. Build dates are NHTSA's range for a model year (per NHTSA); a vehicle built in that range is not necessarily included.
NHTSA's recall notice
As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 20V785000.
Defect description
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Volkswagen Beetle and Beetle Convertible 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.
Safety consequence
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Manufacturer remedy
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.
Notes
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.
Sources
Official NHTSA notice for recall 20V785000
Campaign details come from NHTSA's recall files, which try.vin imports once a day. The plain-language subject and the completion rate come from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Recalls Data dataset. How try.vin reads recall data.