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The short version
- This page covers the New Beetle wheel bearing, 1998 onward. The classic air cooled Beetle is a different car, and no catalog lists parts for it here.
- One number each end for over a decade: 510003 up front and 512012 at the rear, 1998 through 2009.
- Both are Golf and Jetta parts, because that is what this car is underneath.
- A second catalog confirms the rear hub as WE60728, extending the documented span to 2010.
Volkswagen sold two completely different cars named Beetle. This page’s 1998 to 2003 demand sits entirely inside the newer one.
The retro shelled New Beetle kept its wheel ends fresh for a decade and never touched the numbers. That makes ordering simple, as long as the reader has the right Beetle.
Three Beetles, one page
Three cars carry the Beetle name. The air cooled classic sold for decades before 1998, this New Beetle ran from 1998 onward, and a third generation car arrived for 2012.
No catalog used for this page lists a single part for the classic air cooled car. These numbers belong to the New Beetle only, and a classic Beetle owner needs a different source entirely.
A Golf in a party dress
The front Beetle wheel bearing, 510003, presses into the knuckle. It also serves the Golf and Jetta of the same years.
The rear 512012 hub bolts on and shares the same family tree. Neither number changes across the span this page documents.
Beetle wheel bearing part numbers
| Years | Detail | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 to 2010 | Rear hub, parallel listing | WE60728 check price |
| 1998 to 2009 | Front, press-in ball bearing | 510003 check price |
| 1998 to 2009 | Rear hub, bolt-on | 512012 check price |
Every model year this chart resolves: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. The air cooled Beetle built from 1950 through 1979 is a different car and no catalog here lists a part for it.
A second catalog prints a parallel rear listing, WE60728. That confirms 512012 rather than replacing it, so match the old part or the VIN if the two numbers ever look different on paper.
None of that changes the scope of this page. A pre-1998 air cooled Beetle has no row above, because no catalog prints one and none should be assumed.
Shop the whole VW family
Golf and Jetta listings for the same years carry the same parts. They usually draw more sellers competing for the sale.
Matching by part number rather than by badge is covered on the cross reference page.
Diagnosing a Beetle wheel bearing
The front takes a pressed bearing, so the knuckle comes off or an on car kit does the pulling. The rear is a friendlier bolt-on hub behind the drum or disc.
- Confirm which Beetle you have, since the name covers three different cars.
- Weave at highway speed and track the hum by corner.
- Rock each wheel at twelve and six.
- Rule out tire noise, common on the wide tired later trims.
- Plan the press if a front bearing is gone.
The routine is on the checking page and the tire noise page. Press logistics sit on the press-in bearing page.
Price links lead to Amazon searches for that number. As an Amazon Associate this site earns from qualifying purchases.
Common questions
Which Beetle wheel bearing do I need?
On a 1998 to 2009 New Beetle: 510003 front, 512012 rear. One answer per end, every year in that span.
Does this page cover the classic Beetle?
No. The air cooled car sold before 1998 is a different vehicle, and no catalog used here lists a single part for it.
Do Golf and Jetta parts fit?
Yes, same platform, same numbers for the matching years.
Do I need a press?
For the front, yes. The rear hub bolts on.
What about the 2012 and newer Beetle?
Different platform, different numbers. Match those by VIN.