Recall for VW’s New Beetle Just Small Fly in Ointment

Two months after its debut, the New Beetle is being recalled because of a Bug bug: a wiring problem that could cause engine fires.

Volkswagen said Friday that all 10,100 New Beetles sold in the U.S. and Canada since mid-March will be fixed at no charge. The job should take about an hour.

VW said no accidents or injuries have resulted.

The German automaker also said it will give dealers up to $100 per owner for car washes, gas, a flower in the New Beetle bud vase or other perks to mollify customers.

“I’ve never seen a recall handled this way,” said Ray Kinder, service manager at New Century Volkswagen in Glendale, Calif.

Volkswagen said it would telephone all New Beetle owners starting Friday night to tell them about the recall. Owners are also being notified by express mail.

The Beetle was reintroduced to the U.S. market in March for the first time in 19 years. VW has sold 8,500 in the United States and 1,600 in Canada.

A company spokesman said the extra steps are needed because the New Beetle has received more attention and created more excitement than any car in years in the U.S. market. The waiting lists are months long.

One expert said the recall shouldn’t dampen New Beetle enthusiasm because the problem was caught early and the company responded well. “More companies are handling these recalls in a way that they can get positive publicity out of it,” said Wes Brown of Nextrend, a market research firm. “You have to be extra careful when dealing with a vehicle this trendy.”

VW stopped offering the old Beetle in the U.S. in 1979. The sleeker new version’s base model starts at $15,200.

Recalls of brand new vehicles are nothing new. Chrysler Corp. in January recalled all 25,000 Dodge Durango sport utility vehicles on the road because of a wire connection that caused four engine fires. The 1999 Miata had barely hit showrooms this spring when Mazda said it was recalling 1,100 of them to fix a wiring problem.

Keyes said three complaints of an air-conditioning compressor malfunctioning tipped VW to the problem with the New Beetle. Engine wires were damaged from rubbing against the edge of the car’s battery tray. Dealers will replace the tray and reroute the wires.

The wiring problem is the first nick in the reputation of the New Beetle, which has won accolades for cuteness and safety.